Demons of Sherwood #25

Russ Rogers (10:16 AM on Mon Jun 2, 2008)

It's a beautiful story. The demon fight was great, but the supernatural elements of this story have always been the least exciting part of the story for me. It's the human interaction, the small and subtle moments that are far better. The last three panels are a perfect example.

But, I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the ending. I hate to say this, but I think this story needs a treetop feast with the Ewoks, a coda, a big splash panel of a happy ending. The last three panels, with Bronwynn are cute, but the story feels like it just peters out. I was disappointed to see that little oval "END" at the bottom of the page.

How does the movie, "Star Wars: A New Hope" (the first movie, the fourth in the continuity) end? Well, Luke blows up the Death Star, right. The story is finished at that point.

But wait. There is one more scene, where Luke, Han Solo and Chewie stand in a vast assemblage of Rebels and get medals from Princess Leia. This is the coda, the big SPLASH panel at the end. Here is the chance for the audience to stand up and applaud.

Demons of Sherwood needs that page. It needs a curtain call. It needs a page where Robin and Company are all around a campfire or at a banquet table, a toast is being made and everyone gets to raise a glass and shout, "HUZZAH!" This might be an opportunity for Robin to indicate that the cider he's toasting with isn't fermented, that the drunkard is now ready to be a father.

If that change of scene is too radical, just have the company begin striding side by side back down the path away from Stonehenge. The monument is in the background along with the sunrise. Robin and Marion are at the center and the cast is flanking. Yes, it's going to be cheesy. It could look REALLY hokey and stupid, coming from another artist. But I have faith in Bo Hampton's skill at pulling this off.

The epilogue that you have is good. You give us a good idea of where the characters are going next. There is a sense of closure. But... you need that last, big splash panel. You need a company bow. We need a chance to applaud.

Maybe my desire to see a "curtain call" of the characters is just a desire to not see the story end so quickly. I don't want to say good-bye just yet.

Demons of Sherwood is great. The plotting, staging and characterizations are superb. Everyone involved needs to take a bow. Thank you, Bo, Bo, Bo, Bo, Mike and Robert. I have looked forward to reading this bit of Historic-fantasy fiction each week for months now. I will look forward to buying a copy of the trade edition. And I look forward to your next project, hopefully here on ComicMix.

Russ Rogers (10:17 AM on Mon Jun 2, 2008)

Page 246, Robin says, "It's hard not to want to PUBISH her." WAIT! This is bizarre. At smaller picture sizes in the reader, I SWEAR it looks like Robin is saying "PUBISH." Bow it up, expand it a click or two, and Robin is saying, "PUNISH." Maybe this is a trick of the interface, maybe this is my eyes playing tricks.

EmilyB (4:49 PM on Thu Jun 12, 2008)

Sorry to see this end, but great finale! :)