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Post by Admin on Oct 22, 2014 16:24:34 GMT -5
Please let us know what you think!
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Post by kingxx on Nov 11, 2014 18:23:47 GMT -5
I love it! I've always thought Zachary and Eddie, mostly Zach, deserved more screen time. I have to say Zach and Constantine make a surprising pairing and I'm still not sure how I feel about that (I'd honestly prefer Zach and Eddie). But other than that I love the story. Can't wait for the next one!!!
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Post by hushicho on Nov 20, 2014 17:32:15 GMT -5
I really appreciate your enthusiasm! Thanks so much for writing in.
To address the pairing thing, I tried most of all to take a mature look at things with the conversation at the end between Zatanna and Zach. Zatanna's really making more out of Zach and John having any contact at all than either of them are, which says something about how she feels about their past relationship and lingering feelings from it. John never cared much about putting on airs or hiding who he is (or being concerned about contact with others being misconstrued), and Zach obviously doesn't care much either. Zach, above all, is finding that everyone has to figure out their worldview at some point. Like he said, sometimes you find more than one person who happens to be 'the one' you're told about growing up...sometimes you can just have fun with someone and it doesn't really mean you're important to each other in that sense.
To quote Zatanna though, "It's never easy, is it?"
Though to kind of assuage your worry, Zach and John just worked through Zach's irrationally high contempt for Constantine. They're not picking out drapes or anything. Zach and Eddie are as close as ever, though their exact interpersonal relationship isn't something I've been able to develop much yet. But give it time, and I'm really hoping these two will make you smile!
Thanks again for writing! And thanks even more for following Zatara!
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Post by mockingbird on Dec 12, 2014 10:25:31 GMT -5
How much do I love that you've used Klarion - dun dun duh! - the Witch-boy?
Was that big dramatic finger-point a Phoenix Wright reference?
Some really great relationship work in this issue. I like Zach's attitude - he's kind of cynical and all but it's not in the classic "i'm a lone wolf" sense. The tension-defusing moment between him and Constantine was especially nicely done.
I do still find myself wishing for a little more description - but also, I say this as something that I struggled with for a LONG time and still do, so don't worry too much! There's a lot of great mad-cap energy to your work, and it's just a little easy to get lost in what's going on.
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Post by mockingbird on Dec 12, 2014 10:44:37 GMT -5
Oh - I forgot to compliment your cover! I love the scratched-out name; it did make me expect a little more Klarion, but also he'd think he's the main character even if he wasn't.
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Post by hushicho on Dec 17, 2014 13:11:30 GMT -5
I love Klarion too (and Teekl!) and they will be returning later for sure. I'm so glad you like the cover -- those are my thoughts exactly! He's the kind to imagine himself in a more crucial role, whatever his actual part in events happens to be. The dramatic finger-point was, I'm afraid, just a finger-point. If anything, it was probably more referring to the regular melodrama of comics, and especially this tale's origins. Klarion's introduction originally in the DC Universe was in the first volume of The Demon, by none other than Jack Kirby. There was so much melodrama there, and it was great. With the Zatara cast though, it's more post-modern and they definitely don't employ the same antics in the same way. So I try to make it amusing, without maliciously ridiculing the often very fun and enjoyable history of comics and superheroes. I'll work on things as I go, and I'm sure I'll develop things a bit more in future. It's just that I don't want to overstay my welcome with a story, and I came so dangerously close, I felt, this time around. It was my longest story for DC2 (and I actually wrote it after I wrote issue 3), and I was very worried that it was too long. So sometimes I'll be the first to admit I can railroad the action along so it doesn't linger overlong. I'm sure I'll settle into something, in time. I already feel more at home thanks to the wonderful editorial work and the support. I'm very glad you like my characterisations, especially Zach. He's one of my favourite characters, and I think he's often been written very poorly. There's so much potential there with a character like him. He is, in so many ways, typical of his generation of heroes. It's a very post-modern approach I think -- there I go with that term again! -- but it doesn't work with any and all characters. Zach's sort of just over the capes-and-tights game, but on the other hand he's very much a performer, he puts on a show. In a way, I think most of the magical hero types, or at least the ones who interact regularly with the mundane world, have this kind of world-weariness in common. And it makes sense, to me at least, because with one foot in a world of wonder and miracle, and the other firmly planted in a world of grey drudgery, it's easy to see problems inherent in both that most can't see because they're so mired down in one or the other. Anyway, enough rambling from me -- I'm very grateful for your support and feedback. Thank you so much, and I hope you'll find the upcoming issues even more fun.  |
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Post by HoM on Feb 17, 2015 13:28:30 GMT -5
Brilliant second issue! Doubling down on everything that made the first issue so readable, and flexing your muscles and characters in a nice direction. I loved the overly emotional John Constantine, I always enjoy seeing Klarion bum bum BUM the Witch Boy in any iteration, so thanks for that one! I'm enjoying the hints at Eddie and Zach's relationship being more than friends (at least, I think they're hints, if it's more overt, or I'm being even denser than I think I am), because it doesn't seem forced, their friendship, and the constant, double entendre-ridden nature of their interactions is FUN. That's what I like and that's why I'm still reading. Great stuff with Zee, and great stuff with your established cast. Keep up the good work!
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Post by hushicho on Feb 25, 2015 14:35:16 GMT -5
I'm so, so glad for these kind words! I am trying to deal with everything in a realistic way, and as we all know, real relationships are often difficult to pin down and not always set in stone. If I had to choose a theme for the Zatara series, it would be 'the strangeness of relationships', because everyone in the series has some sort of relationship with another person that is difficult to really quantify. I wanted to touch upon it especially in this issue's last scene, because I don't think I've ever really seen it dealt with in comics; most of the time people are portrayed as either in a relationship or out of it, and that's all. The complexities of real relationships -- of any kind, interpersonally -- are rarely if ever something touched upon.
Thanks very much for always writing in! I appreciate it so much.
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