77 Commentary

Up until now, Dual has been told from Bill’s perspective. On screen 77, a new character, David, begins to narrate Dual for a few pages. I decided to make an artistic shift in order to make a clear delineation between the artwork depicting what Bill describes and the artwork depicting events from another character’s point of view. Eventually, we will get a brief glimpse into the events of Yasu’s activities sans Bill. But the description of these events is still described by Bill and uses the principal art style.

David's surname is taken from the name of the Roman military camp established in ancient Barcelona, Spain.

As one Zudite has noted in the comments, David is the dragon alluded to in the original Dual synopsis. That synopsis was written after a Dual outline, but before the scripting process. Some changes have been made between the synopsis and the finished script. The spelling of Carina’s name changed as well as her character. She didn’t end up being quite so unstable in the finished draft. Also, Liz turned out being something slightly different from a werewolf.

If we return for a third season, we may get to see a little more of the synopsis play out.

Commentary on 75.

This screen has two major functions.
Firstly, to demonstrate the lethal ferocity of the monster, Trixie. Therefore, hopefully, establishing Bill's danger.
Second, to plant a few seeds that would have a payoff if Dual reaches a third season. The two bikers-- who are sharing an off color joke I learned in second grade-- are not terribly surprised or detoured by the appearance of the giant skank-beast.

75:5 process

Originally, I did not plan on adding the blurred arm or a piece of the monster's elbow. I felt I needed to make the frame more explicit. Perhaps I made the wrong decision.

74 Process.

I wish I could find the original thumbnail. It was something I scribbled on the back of an envelope while talking on the phone. Alas, I think it is lost and gone forever. Here is the pencil sketch that followed that original thumbnail along with the subsequent file saves as I worked on the image in Photoshop. The process has changed. This is the last frame of page 74.
A fun page to work on.

73:4

The fourth frame on page 73. This is a comparison of the scanned pencil sketch and the colored frame. I ended up changing the color of both character's tops in the finished page. The design of the hooker is based upon a British pop-singer.

On the same page, if you blow up panel two, you might be able to identify the famous family Bill might be watching on the television.

Faux Cover.

A boy can dream.

Best Films of the Decade 2000-2009

Best Films of the Decade 2000-2009

I’ve been noticing lists are popping up to name the top movies of the decade. I thought I’d put out my 2 cents. At the very least, the list tells a little about my tastes and influences.
In no particular order:

Requiem For a Dream: "Now we come to step three. This... drives... most... people... crazy."

There Will Be Blood: “I drink your milkshake!”

Amores Perros: “Is this kidnapping or robbery?”

Amélie: "At least you'll never be a vegetable - even artichokes have hearts."

Donnie Darko: "Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?"

Memento: “I have this condition”

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: “ Meet me… in Montauk…”

City of God: "I can read only the pictures."

No Country for Old Men: "Anywhere not in your pocket. Where it'll get mixed in with the others and become just a coin. Which it is."

Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2: "I don't know... because I'm a bad person."

The Incredibles: "Virtually indestructible, yet it breathes like Egyptian cotton."

Pan’s Labyrinth: "My mother told me to be wary of Fauns."

Spirited Away: “No Face, where did you learn to spin thread?"

The Royal Tenenbaums: "Anybody interested in grabbing a couple of burgers and hittin' the cemetery?"

American Psycho: "I have to return some videotapes."

Tekkon Kinkreet: "This whole city's going to burn."

Inglorious Basterds: "What's that English saying about shoes and feet?"

The Dark Knight: "Wanna know how I got these scars?"

The Departed: "Hey, she fell funny."

What am I missing?

Lost and Found.

demon design

Monster design for creature making an appearance in a forthcoming page of Dual.

Screens 68-72- Commentary

In the original draft of Dual’s first season, Carina’s pregnancy was discovered by the amalgamated Bill and Yasu, the character I refer to as “X", directly following the dismantling of Carina’s car on screen 46. In the first draft, right after X blows a hole through Two-masks, X senses Carina is expecting.

The events and dialogue now being presented on screens 68-72 were originally scripted as screens 55-59 with Two-masks popping up with a giant hole in his chest as cliffhanger twist on screen 60.

I wasn’t satisfied with the idea of leaving a cliff-hanger ending to the season. The second draft of Dual’s season one script wrapped up the story arc with Two-masks.

I believe those edits made for a much more exciting and satisfying conclusion for Dual's first chapter.

Usually, a caption box will display the location of a new scene. The script doesn’t mention a specific location for the beach depicted on screens 68-72. I thought logistically, Santa Monica would be the most likely destination for Carina and Bill, traveling from Pasadena. The actual art appears more like Torrance Beach, a five minute walk from my childhood home. It really isn’t a specific beach, but rather the suggestion of a beach.

These screens are heavy with conversation and void of traditional comic book action. I made attempts to file down the dialogue and quicken the pace of the screens. Not giving these arguments the time they deserve felt like a disservice to the characters and the overall fabric of the story. Despite concerns about a slow pace for a project that only updates once per week, I couldn't bring myself to short change the story or the reader.

So, yes, Bill and Yasu will still be arguing at the beach through screen 72. But I promise, the story begins to ramp up toward much more exciting action and satisfying payoffs.