3P0 Entangled (12)
Last Updated (Monday, 28 June 2010 12:32) Written by Administrator Friday, 25 June 2010 00:00
I'd been reading IPC's weekly Battle Comic - which featured the awesome Charley's War. Unlike the somewhat gung-ho Warlord Comic precursor, Battle tended not to pull punches - and had a real social conscience. In the strip Johnny Red a Russian officer at Stalingrad would summarily execute any soldier deserting his post. Charley's War - about WWI British troops on the frontline featured similarly brutal officers.
Today's strip - without meaning to boast, seems to give a bit more depth than the film does to the actual human experience of warfare. The rebel on the right might actually be tempted to shoot his poor shell-shocked, chest-wounded ally.
Art Notes
I can't remember if this was 1980 or '82. I'll have to guess for the moment. It's yet another page that would have benefited hugely from the use of a simple ruler - or even the edge of a book! I just couldn't be arsed. It's a terrible thing that: being the best at drawing in every school - and being told so, so often that you don't bother to use a ruler, basic light pencil construction lines or worry over the proportions of your figures. Overconfidence (even arrogance) leading to a slap-dash approach.
"Red, green and blue bolts (...) ripped long gashes in metal surfaces."
1977 Novelisation
This page is reasonably well constructed though I think. I'm sure very little pre-thought went into it but it has:
A low view at the eye-level of the wounded, fleeing rebel in panel one. And you can't even see the enemy (much), just the consequences of their attack.
A round the corner - sort of off-stage - view of the two robots, with all hell breaking loose in the main corridor behind them
An added touch that I like is the laser beams tearing gashes in the metal floor. And funnily enough, the best bit is possibly the rebel in panel 2 being knocked back by a shot to the head. Badly drawn but effective I think.
Ethics
From Austin Powers
How nice to be a middle-class person in Ireland discussing this stuff without any warfare happening around me? No guerrilla troops hacking off children's arms, no snipers overlooking my town. Makes you think doesn't it?
See the Family of the Henchman scene in Austin Powers (but vote here first)!
On monday: We meet Luke - in a cut-from-the-movie scene
Comments
The previous page - done when I was 9 or 10 - just looks gratuitous. Nothing else.
I suppose 'boys will be boys'.
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Thanks for your interest by the way (spread the word!)
John
1977 Novelisation
So that's where you got the tri-colored rebel lasers! You took the book description literally as three-colors from one blaster! LOL. This reminds me of my own misconception and misinterpretati ons growing up. I can't think of any right now, but that's for the best.
Love the fact you have a rebel officer shooting a deserter. Very unexpected realism. Was that in the book by any chance? I guess I'll have to force myself to re-read the first chapter.
So were their blasters like those multi-tipped, multi-coloured BIC pens I used on the comic from time to time? I'd love to see them making selections before returning fire, "Ooh, I'm in a pinky mood today. It'll match my shoes" (struggles to push big long plastic button the side)
I Like your comic, especially how your take on it now gives it new perspective.
I'm just jealous that I'm 38 and still could not draw like you did at age 9. Oh Well.
I tried to submit a comment earlier from work, but the computer locked up, so sorry if this makes 2.
P.S. Will we ever get to see Boba Fett, or didn't you make it to Empire?
Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad that it gives a new perspective. If it was a brilliantly done and merely accurate, faithful re-representati on it'd be of little interest I suppose.
Only got this 1 comment - no worries. Don't feel bad about your drawing, some of it - like this page was probably done when I was 12 or 13! Boba Fett? Well, I did adapt some of 'Empire' but I don't think I reached his appearance.
Hoping you enjoy revisiting,
John