rustedtusks.com

I just realized that we've come to the end of Issue 3. Did you know SLOP is divided into issues? The division is kind of arbitrary while in its online form but I'm trying to maintain a certain division that groups things in cohesive 30-40 page lumps. Issue 3 is composed of 37 pages when you count The Best Defense, Old Familiar Faces, Self-Inflicted Wounds, the Quetzlan Inderludes and Little White Packets. If I were printing this up, I might shrink Best Defense down to all four pages on a single page and move it to the end as a bonus bit. I'm not sure. I do adore it but things ran long and it is the least necessary to the storyline.

Odds are, Issue 4 is going to be one complete story...a nice long story like Red River. That means its going to take an entire year to do the next story by the time we mix in all the delays that inevitably happen.

So what do we make of the story thus far? What has each individual issue seemed like it was about? Does it feel at all like there's an arc going on? (hopefully it does because we're at the halfway point of the grand story)

What worked? What didn't? What could I have done better? What's your favourite part/story/page? Have things been turning out like you expected?

Discuss.

In the main, it's good. Some of the twists are a little choppy, but they have gotten batter as the art and artist matured into the story. And once or twice, things were 'convenient' a bit more than you'd like, perhaps to save a page or two of backstory.
I'd just as lief you skip the war story, but there may be those who are attracted to it. A dialogue of explanation would do some better and take les space and time.

--lj

_________________
Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

_________________
Gas burns fast. Liquor burns quicker.

_________________
Emoticons are the wheelchair ramps for the humor impaired.

_________________
A lone figure sits still by a pool - he's been stamped human bacon by some butchering tool - he is you...
Social Security took care of this lad - we watch in reverence - as Narcissus is turned to a flower

_________________
Im fine and foxy as ever sugar. how about you?

The way the tale has been evolving thus-far suits me just fine. As long as the past isn't too revealing, it'll be interesting to peek into the Thaikong window...

The real interest, for me however,..is not necessarily to see what has transpired in the past, but to watch as the various threads that are being laid out before us are followed, by Tony-Ray and the various primary supporting characters, toward their ultimate destination at the center of the labyrinth. As long as the past gives us clues as to the resolution of events as these strands become more intertwined and hectic, and,..of course,..helps to define the nature of the final outcome, then I welcome brief glimpses into those pasts,....of ALL the various characters, in fact... Just as long as it doesn't grow tedious as it did in the LOST series, where depictions of the many characters' pasts began to outweigh the airtime of present circumstances...

All in all I would say,..."good work" my friend.. Keep 'em comin'...

Jadúgara ^_^

I think the story should evolve exactly how Mulefoot has planned it.

Things have been going just fine so far, and, watching the story evolve, I have enough confidence in Mulefoot's ability to see he knows exactly what he's doing with the story, and that he not only knows where it's going, but he has details pre-planned and knows just how everything needs to fit together.

It's Mulefoot's vision, and his journey. I'm content enough to wait and see what's scribed within the nooks and creases as this grotesque oragami unfolds bit by bit. I'm not accusing anybody of second-guessing him. It's just my two cents.

_________________
Gas burns fast. Liquor burns quicker.

I think the author knows where he's going, and consequently when a twist takes the story elsewhere, he's as surprised as the rest of us at the turn of events. And he faithfuly docmunets the change and goes on. That's what makes it a good story, among other things.

--lj

There have definitely been odd little twists that I didn't plan on but went with because these characters often write themselves.

_________________
"Y'know, if nothing else, living here has incredibly sharpened my 'Hey, there's someone coming for my dick!' defense skills." -

_________________
A lone figure sits still by a pool - he's been stamped human bacon by some butchering tool - he is you...
Social Security took care of this lad - we watch in reverence - as Narcissus is turned to a flower

_________________
Gas burns fast. Liquor burns quicker.

As someone said, "Enough skin to keep them interested..."

It's working.

--lj