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The Fans Speak


Just got it, thanks!!! Thought I'd share my initial thoughts on PP #1 and #2.

Issue #1—I liked the drawings, especially the facial expresssions. Was it my imagination or did the marks on their faces resemble face paint?

I guess I found Drew's humor a bit unnerving, almost clown-like. I suppose it will take me a while before I learn his character. I also found their seemingly lack of concern for Oliver a little unsettling.

I thought the Navajo journalist didn't look Navajo. Call me crazy, but I can usually tell what tribe a person is, and if not, I can at least pinpoint the region from which they originate. Also, don't they prefer to call themselves Dine? For instance my tribe was formerly known as Winnebago (a name given to us by others), when we call ourselves Ho-Chunk (and have done so legally).

Out of curiosity, do the artists model characters after somebody? Maybe I could be turned into a character! Ha! I'm already an animated character as it is!

Perhaps the reader could gain more insight through more captions. I noticed there was mainly dialogue, and very few caption boxes (sorry, don't know the proper term). More details could leak out that way, I read in some of the reviews some folks were having trouble following.

By the way, perhaps the cover should have read "OFF THE ROAD TO DANGER!" (lol)

Issue #2—I especially liked page 3, "More Indin mysticism?" The expression on Drew's face was totally Indian! I laughed out loud, my brothers make that same expression.

In the last frame of page 18, what happened to Drew's "LET IT BE" shirt? Which reminds me, when I was a kid I used to read a comic where readers who found mistakes won a surprise. I also seem to remember that the Editor always found some clever way to prove the reader wrong! (Hee hee hee)

"Circle of Doom": I guess I expected some sort of circular motif, but if there was one, it escaped me. Perhaps you could experiment with the frames, they all seem to be of similar size and shape—rectangular or square. We Indians do things in circles or cycles. Also, on that note, I used to like reading the front page (sort of a lead) and then BAM!!! A huge layout with kicka** drawings with the title in big, spooky writing. Made me think, "ooooh, this is going to be goooooooood!"

I liked the way Bill's powers came from the sky and Drew's powers related to the earth. With my people our clan system starts from the sky (Thunder Clan) and descends all the way down to the Snake Clan. I recognized the parallel and felt an immediate connection (hoping other readers would, too).

I also noticed that none of the characters had much jewelry. Can't speak for all, but I noticed skins like to wear jewelry, lotsa guys wear earrings (although I personally find dangling earrings goofy), bracelets, rings and fancy belt buckles. While I'm on the subject, thank your artists for NOT giving the duo chokers (paleez!).

Also, people in my tribe like to wear items signifying their clans. For instance, my mom is Bear Clan and likes to wear jewelry and other items with bears on it. I like stuff with clouds, lightning and the symbol of the Thunder clan—the thunderbird. I guess it's a way of saying "This is who I am, this is where I come from."

Much like the Latina woman, skins mix their language with English a lot. I think it would be cool if the characters used real Native words, too. Having lived in the Southwest, I know a majority of those peoples speak their language.

Well, that's about it for #1 and #2. I'm looking forward to reading #3 and will get back to you when I have finished. I hope you will find my notations useful and will consider them.

By the way, I am very much enjoying the reading! As a matter of fact, Billy and Drew are very much like two characters I developed in a story I've been working on for the past two years. :) Except mine are, of course, female!

Anne


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Original text and pictures © copyright 2007 by Robert Schmidt.

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