Picking up from last night...
I took time to reread the comic this morning, and I was struck by how fine the flow is! A solid balance of action, drama and exposition, with the limits and benefits of the tickling fetish exhaustively explored!
Thanks a lot for the kind words LBH! I noticed that tickling is decreasing in my story, but knowing that my tries to make a comic with a nice plot are working it's really kind.
This is the most useful sort of fetish story, one which delivers entertainment but also fully examines the nature of of our obsession! That Raven knows how loss of control can turn a gentle pleasure into an agony reveals his thorough understanding of the act; that he'd allow Sephie to subject him to it anyway displays his powerful resolve and mania to heal. The team's early heroics prove to be stirring and thrilling as any action fan could ever want...
It's something I'm trying to explore with Raven, between my roster there a lot of ways of approach to the power and control game (not only the tickling) Yuri who really don't mind to lose control and even can enjoy it with the right play, Dabraille who love to take all control of his victims while giving them false hopes of escape to see them struggle, or Xelloin who till the moment has show her lust to dominate and control the others (and someone really close to her will be the victim of her real cruelness) and in the end Raven who don't wants to take others power (even he likes to be in control) and feels really bad being at others mercy (mostly due to his past on the hellish draunights), that's why I think it's kind for him to try to heal Sephie that way overpowering his fears (even he sure has felt them during the proces)
their later compassionate interaction is the perfect follow-up, filled with intimate soul-sharing and warm friendship! I couldn't be happier that Sephie was chosen to take part... a scenario like this suits her right down to the ground! You certainly know her well! I'm most honored!
I'm really glad you enjoyed how this two got close during the comic, I think their friendship is really kind. I always have been good with others minds, so and Sephie reminded me Raven and myself a lot so I suppose it helped too.
I may be partial because of Sephie's involvement, but I think this is just about the best storytelling you've offered yet, in terms of art and plot alike! The hostage crisis is innately compelling; how can one not become emotionally invested when innocents are subjected to such dire threat! As I've said before, your depiction of combat athletics is particularly vivid... both Raven and Sephie deliver justice in the finest comix hero tradition, with punches and parries you can feel right off the page!
Honestly, I think too thats the best comic I have done till now. The plot, how it is developed, the action and the chars. I really like it.
Thanks a lot! I always liked to draw fighting action in comics good to know I am making it right.
Mood is effectively conveyed through hyper-dramatic visual technique (I was delighted by the way Sephie was so often framed against the full moon!) The later hostage murder is cataclysmic. The reader feels the same frustrated outrage as Sephie, not only unable to prevent the killing but being so easily bested by the taunting assassin. A hopeless situation like this would be particularly crushing for her... I haven't revealed it in the Low Roads continuity yet, but this isn't the first time she's had to stand impotently helpless while an act of horrible injustice is committed. Her emotional devastation is not only beautifully realized (scenes of Sephie in denial and of her breaking down in Raven's arms are genuinely heartbreaking) but deeply observant of her Low Roads character! I couldn't have hoped for a more astute understanding of her psyche!
I thought that the combination of Sephie with the full moon after her would be great. I wanted to make it intense and really hard to take, I admit I searched to draw Sephie as much outraged as I could. This criminal was someone special his speed and strength are supernatural. Wonder if you have recognised him.
I'm glad I have made the emotional bad moments of Sephie well enough, I wanted to make the reader to feel her pain, I was sure she would react that way and that if she broke between Raven's arms it would make them close too, not to forget that it looked better (I think). Like I said she remainded me myself a lot, and she and Raven seem to have a lot in common so it helped to portay her right.
Raven's follow-up visit (his doctor's visit, if you will) has a wonderful sense of discomforting tension that would believably follow the pain of this traumatic event. Sephie's so naturally, imperiously stubborn... it would require Raven's extreme sympathy and willing sacrifice to force her to loosen up and, finally, to begin the healing process.
It was and ankward situation for both but I knew that in the end they would be able to get thought it together.
Sephie's primary problem with physical contact, localized in the Low Roads stories as tickling, has always been surrender of control... her insecurities are far too pronounced for her to submit even temporarily. Raven's sacrificial example beautifully illustrates this principle... one can easily see why she begins to feel better as understanding asserts itself!
I imagined that Sephie wouldn't want to lose control in that situation that's because this plot came to my mind, Raven knows a lot of how others minds work, but instead of using tricks and this knowledge to his benefit he just use his best intentions to get the others well being, he really feels bad being at others mercy, but he knew that doing that for Sephie she would be able to get healed. I wanted to represent how she is getting better during the proces too. Glad to know I got it right.
Unlike the predatory Xelloin, she knows when she's in danger of exceeding safe limits; she may not ever be able to use tickling as a healing tool, as Raven does, but she has gained insight into its illustrative value!
I wanted to portray that too, I thought that Sephie wouldn't feel good making Raven bad on purpose or going too far. That's the reason of her questioning, not like Xelloin did (and will do ) that she just wanted to torture Raven because her lust for getting him at her hands.
The final hug of warmest friendship is the ideal conclusion for this story! I know you'd fiercely debated the best path the plot should follow... believe me, you've chosen wisely every step of the way! I can't imagine a better story in which Sephie might have taken part... I'm so grateful that you took all the care and consideration that you did! Raven's own Low Roads return visit is intended for Chapter 21 (I'll send you full details via PM, of course, once the time is near)... I pray that I can do him all the justice that you've done for her!
I'm really glad you think that way, I wanted to make them to have got really close, but without making it uncomfortable for any of them. Good to know I make the right choice in the developing of their friendship.
I can't wait to see what you will prepare and not worry LBH, I'm sure you will make the best posible appearance of Raven there.
I hope I haven't forget anything LBH, thanks a lot for your support!
