The Good Life - Page 8 / A WebComic

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The Making Of

Script

SPOILER WARNING - Okay, first of all, if you don't want anything given away about the final outcome of the story, I recommend you don't read the script! I usually omit the script if it gives away vital clues, but rethought that practise and decided it better to warn you that there are spoilers ahead.

PAGE 8

Panel 1

CAPTION

Morning

Oliver’s mother is making pancakes as Oliver 2 sits at the table. Oliver 2's expression is a subtle reminder we don't have the naive, gentle youngster in front of us. His mom has a strange mixture of being elated and being sad about her.

MOM

Did you sleep well?

Oliver 2

Yes, I loved my bed! It’s amazing.

Panel 2

Mom hands Oliver 2 his pancakes with a reverent, deliberate but gentle look about her. Oliver is elated, he has finally achieved his dream life.

MOM

Everything your heart desires, my boy.

Oliver 2

Wow! I could get used to this.

Panel 3

Mom know feels the burden of her sadness way on her. She slumps, containing her emotion. Oliver 2 senses the tension in the room, his honed instincts tell him something is wrong, but his lack of care for others prevent him from participating in his mother's emotions. He probes for information.

MOM

I know boy. It saddens me too that you must leave.

Oliver 2

Leave?

Panel 4

His mother gets her courage back, focusing on the ultimate glory that will befall her son. Oliver 2 is inquisitive, digging for information, but very much unsuspecting of any bigger problems.

MOM

Yes, to the shadowlands to defeat all the monsters that used to plague our world.

Oliver 2

What are the shadowlands?

Panel 5

Oliver's mother, still conflicted, speaks in religious reverence of the myth that is about to propel Oliver 2 in a new direction. She holds her hands together in prayer, thanking the gods for the glory her family will receive. Oliver 2, being the realist and atheist, is sceptical of where this conversation is heading thinking Oliver's mother is a little mad.

MOM

You always loved that story. Mankind was plagued by disease and war until we learned to send a brave boy, once a year, chosen by the gods, to the netherworld, where he combats the shadowlanders.

Oliver 2

Is this some sort of religious thing?

Layouts

I was very happy with Brandon's layouts, but panel 4 seemed to have the wrong emphasis to me. On the one hand, I thought the knives in the foreground were inspired, giving a sense of the menace that would lay ahead - but they made no sense in terms of the overall plot. I felt strongly we couldn't just set something up that wouldn't have a strong correlation with the rest of the story. In the end, the knives were replaced by the candle you see in the rough stage below. The candle was much better, as it set up a clue that connected to page 9. It was important that the candle would look menacing.

Roughs

Line art is created for page 8 and the knives have been changed to a menacing candle.

Pencils

With the line art approved, Brandon now adds the details to the art, producing the pencilled page:

Inks

Robert Doan now adds the inks, making a clear and crisp page:

Colors

Master colorist Ross Hughes adds his magic and we have another beautiful page:

Let us know what you think of this page. All comments and criticisms are welcome! Scroll down and leave us a message.

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