LBH:
I’m not really sure how to begin a reply to you...So I’m just gonna start typing and hope the end product can reflect some of the appreciation and flattery I feel.
I've only just now absorbed parts 1 & 2 of Bump in the Night (The Book of the Laughing Dead and PharmaceuTickle Torture respectively, with who-knows-how-many more merry installments before the contest is decided!), as I missed the opening chapter upon its initial release; in retrospect, this is an ideal way to join the fun, as the story's cordial war between silly science and wacky witchcraft now stands even! Each formidable discipline has offered its opening salvo… the supernatural resplendent with the ethereal accouterments of a mythological bestiary (chatty serpents harken back as far as Genesis!), totemistic iconography and chanted ritual… the super-scientific dazzling in an array of bio-mechanics, with the harnessed elemental essences of chemistry and electrical discharge supplying spectacle as well as mutagenic impetus… the reader has now been treated to an ample sampling of expertise by which he may determine his personal allegiance. I, I admit, am prejudiced toward the good doctor and her relatively prosaic notion of monster-making, though sweet Jessie's non-discretionary dedication to the opposition provides plenty of excuse for waffling! The triggering influence of tickling touch, of course, insures that every one of us wins no matter which side finally claims the crown!
Thank you so much for the very kind observations. There are actually 8 issues of Bump in the Night (including the two you are so generously reviewing) outlined in my little head, which will hopefully make it to comic form in the next few years. There are 4 tender co-eds still to undergo their monstrous transformations before this game is decided...and even then there will have to be room enough for the climactic conflict. After all, this game isn’t just about creating monsters: it’s about unleashing them upon each other.
I myself am in a constant conflict deciding which evil vixen, sinful side character, and sexy visiting hotty that I like best. I hope to never be able to fully chose! Especially since I hope to be able to continue adding side characters here and there (such as the submissive mummy from BITN II) and increasing the conflict between all the characters as the island continues to rob them of good judgement and stoke the fires of their raging libidos.
The contest dynamic is an entirely ingenious storytelling approach that becomes increasingly beguiling as one invests his attention and selects out a favorite character. Quite a range, upon opening, with new participants appearing unexpectedly (most amusing to note the doctor's robotic girl-Friday, a terrestrial second-cousin to TIS's legendary tin Thompson!) The "recruitment" of each team member is expertly crafted for credibility and maximum impact, expertly satisfying both fetish and narrative requirements! It's always floored me the way Bandito comix (novels too, for that matter) can be wall-to-wall with fetish thrills and still deliver a progressive, enthralling yarn! It's not so much a balancing act as an all-out Tetris-like avalanche that brilliantly fills the borders with interlocking elements of plot, character, humor, whimsy, arch-cuteness and sensual vitality! Tons of the latter in both of these chapters… poses of teasingly coy faux-coitus grace settings of all sorts. Our winsome witch, for instance, finds herself rather aggressively positioned between Jessie's legs throughout the whole of the indoctrination process; a moonlighting Erin (essaying Caspar the amorous ghost) finds herself comfortably snuggled into Sophie's breasts as she gropes for naked midriff; Annalisa all but doggy-humps Erin at the breakfast table (PharmaceuTickle Torture, page 15), contact that passes apparently unnoticed by the redhead in the midst of this touch-sated crew! And I don't recall ever before seeing such a parade of ready, perky nipples on display, in Deeto's or anybody else's graphic work! These ladies are ready for action whenever opportunity might call! Serious paranormal investigations can take a backseat… half these gals seem to be already in on the gag anyway!
Ha ha ha! I hadn’t quite realized how gratuitous some of the character interaction has been throughout the Bump in the Night series. I suppose it stems from a couple places...the more I draw the better I feel like I’m getting at creating intimacy between characters in the posing. On top of that I like the thematic idea that Bump in the Night is truly a transformative series. The characters are changing. And not just from normal fine foxy babes into ferocious monsters. The monstrous side which dwels in us all is awakened here. And unlike the proto-typical horror films which manifest that awakening in screams and death and horrible mutilation - BITN explores the flip-side of that Freudian coin and examines lust, laughter, forced pleasure, and seething attraction.
Characters are completely unaware of the burning transformation in those around them because it provides a tongue and cheek (or butt-cheek, in Erin’s case) irony that the viewer can appreciate, while the characters stay oblivious until it is too late. It’s not that these gals are dumb (far from it)...it’s just that I like to infuse them with sort of a fetishistic/sexual innocence that adds to their inevitable ticklish experiences.
I also love creating series with tons of characters - all of whom have their own rivalries, crushes, and agendas. Some of my favorite tickle scenes in TIS, for example, are to be found between Slither and Downey...originally created as 2 minor characters in the storyline.
And as I’m already being beyond chatty - a word on nipples. I think nipples are to tickling as muscles are to superhero comics. Muscles are a physical representation of strength and power. Hard nipples are a physical representation of arousal and sexual appetite - which I find particularly appealing when the character’s expressions seem otherwise demure. To know that hiding under their thin fuzzy sweaters is a direct indication of the effect this island is having on their well-behaved scholarly work is just....fun (when you have a little bandito brain like mine XD).
Art is reliably Deeto-frenetic, joyously bouncy, brimming with arch poses and wildly expressive faces, with Halloween-friendly filagree jammed into every conceivable spare corner! Once again, the masterful Deeto/White Lotus team-up insures that potential chaotic clutter comes off well focused, with enough pallet variety to continually delight! Muted pastels of every hue subvert themselves to accentuate foreground action while conforming to tricky light-source needs and special effects requirements; Annalisa's electrifying encounter, rich with extreme backlighting and an aura of ozone, comes across especially splendidly! Skintones, as ever, brim with soft, stroke-able texture and blush with rabid passion. A metamorphosis into ghoulish pallor (The Book of the Laughing Dead) is accomplished with subtlety that never challenges our suspension of disbelief… a more luscious dead girl you could never hope to find than our dear Jessie! Meanwhile, winsome character design attains a full measure of comeliness and then some, with amusement, pique, distress, smoldering lust and every other possible human attitude expressed to perfection! With six sexy protagonists on display, two colorful tormentors and a selection of ancillary participants, character recognition might easily have become a challenge, but even a casual reader has little cause for alarm and will soon find himself a particular honey with whom to fall in love! I've already made my choice (amidst stiff competition), and only hope that rivalry for the affections of a curvy blonde brain-seeking torpedo is slight. It's not a bet I'd place big money on, though!
Hey thank you as always for remembering Lotus. She really is an instrumental part of what makes the Bump in the Night series (not to mention the Bounce Chix, Secret Agent Sonya, etc) so appealing for me to work on. I feel like her color work took another huge leap up in ability since the last comic...and that’s saying a lot because I thought Lotus was absolutely dynamite THEN!! ;-)
Zombie Jessie is a wonderful example of her creativity. I was a little reluctant to turn the first of the BITN gals into a sexy zombie because...well...how does one still make a zombie look at all sexy? Lotus assured me that she had the tools, and sure enough, I’ve never been as enamored with the undead in my life.
😛
I’m thinking very seriously of throwing up a quick thread to poll BITN fans on which character they might like to see as the focus of Bump in the Night 3. I find myself wanting to rush forward and show all of these nerdy vixens tickled out of their minds. So choosing one without help may prove to be a daunting task. XD
So, with the monster-making face-off raking in huge points, one's drooling anticipation hinges on these questions: how many further sequels may we expect; how will the two teams ultimately shape up; and which captain is bound for binding and preternatural fetish penalties. In view my divided loyalties, I'm not sure I crave these solutions anytime soon; considerable overtime and a raft of extra innings will play just fine for me!
I must provide SOME type of answer, even if cryptically so:
1.) 6 sequels - if the monsters cooperate.
2.) The teams will get more and more complex, and more and more naughty with each issue. Brimming with their own internal struggles and rivalries.
3.) Absolutely unwilling to spoil any future joy and anticipation I will only answer with a question: Knowing what you do of the Deeto...do you think he could ever be satisfied letting Bump in the Night end without seeing each and every sexy spook and winsome specter bound and tickled out of their squealing mind? How, and when? Those are the lingering questions that I hope send true fans into their own seething monstrous anticipation. XD
Thank you again, tremendously for your truly kind, wonderful, and outrageously generous support my friend. Both financial and verbal. I won’t say it means more than you know, because as a wonderful writer and artist I think you understand it even better than I....but your feedback means a LOT. So much so that I find myself feel with gratitude and overflow. May that feeling be visited back upon you. A thousand fold.
Your humbled Deet.
