First of all thanks to your feedback LBH, it's always good to hear your thoughts!
What a terrific sorcery battle! Raven and Agent One were formidable opponents, their strange abilities testing their fortitude to the limit! Happily, his will to protect proved stronger than her urge to punish...
I'm glad you liked this sorcery clash, both of their powers are very influenced by the power of their wills and I wanted to represent that in the battle. It seems they ended more in a draw but at least Raven could save Xelloin for the moment.
though her cynical view of Xelloin's character seems to be more justified than Raven's cheerful optimism.
It seems so, right? I haven't yet explained how she was when she was the bloodqueen at the hellish draunights, but if we take a look at how she is in the present One's point of view seems a lot more right than Raven's.
She gives him a pretty solid scolding, accusing him of immaturity and naiveté... one wants to support his positive attitude, but it's hard to do that in view of events we know will be coming.
That's what makes she to be surprised in the last page, because Raven have seen the bad face of the world as you saw in the prologue of the past. What makes her to give him the chance is because he still is good natured. Of course we all know that something will happen, but that's what I am searching here, I want to let clear that this two were close to the other, so what will happen really hurted them, specially Raven.
The bold dark linework of this comic is extremely arresting, creating an atmosphere of stark seriousness to bolster the already dire proceedings! The second page has some wonderfully intense imagery, as the combatants' auras strain against each other for supremacy!
I'm glad you liked ths style, I love how it came out specially the auras part. And in this B&W I think it makes the comic more serious.
I enjoy these side-trip comix very much... I'm a fan of non-linear storytelling, where the reader is called upon to assemble pieces in order to gain a clear understanding of the whole picture. That's the spirit of the complexity which makes the Tickler Raven series such an enthralling, rewarding adventure!
I like them too, it makes the reather to think about the story but at the same time it makes some revelations to be more surprising, like when after seeing Raven and Xelloin as enemies we take a look at the past and we find them as partners. Glad you are enjoying them!
Haven't read "The One who can help" yet, but plan to do so later this week! I'll have further word for you then!
I think you'll like it, I think that the time that Raven and One share there it's very emotive. Just a little note to make it more understable. Agent One belongs to the agency, (a story the deviant who allowed me to do that comic and story is doing) there are more agents there, in my story appear agent Two who is the second in command, very serious and loyal to One and very unexpressive emotionally speaking; and agent Five, who seems to be somewhat the most human of the agents and seems to be closer to One in a certain way.
Take your time, and I'll love to know your thoughts.