Page 1100…
Boy…it feels like only 100 pages ago we hit that milestone of 1,000!
🙂
Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess.
Hope you’re enjoying the story. And I am still LOVING all of the comments every day.
You all are the best! So active. So imaginative. And so respectful of one another.
I’m so blessed to have such wonderful “Fellow Dreamers”.
Thank you!
Couple things going on…
1) I’m going to be at Adventure Con with my buddy Marv Wolfman this weekend.
http://www.adventurecon.com/home.php
If you’re in the area…please come by and say hi!
2) Donna’s selling some stuff on Ebay. We’re trying to make it through these lean times a bit.
See if you see anything you’d like.
http://shop.ebay.com/ssava32/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686
Also…a reminder about the Wowio books.
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Thanks all!
Scott
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This will be interesting. I can’t wait to hear what Merlin has to say.
Ditto. Good stuff!
Don’t forget to keep voting everyone! http://topwebcomics.com/vote/4274/default.aspx
I forgot to mention this above. Scott, you know I hate to criticize, and I’m usually the last to do so and the first to come down against anyone doing so too harshly. So please take this as the helpful suggestion it’s intended to be!
Arthur’s crown looks kind of … plastic, I guess is the right word. I am totally unfamiliar with the tools you use, but would there be any way to give it a more metallic, maybe even golden, luster? And maybe a little shine off the inset gems? Just a thought; it looks okay as is, but I bet you could really make it sparkle!
😉
The Kingdom of Summer blooms…
Okay, one more then I’m going to bed.
The foliage in all of these panels looks absolutely perfect!
FINALLY he understands the gravity of the situation from nic’s point of view… though I have a feeling that in the end, it won’t change his intent.
so, two possible ways now:
1. arthur succeeds and nic turns on him in retaliation.
2. nic does something BEFORE arthur can bring anybody over.
while I guess the latter might be safer for dreamland, I don’t think nic is that incensed already. and we might NEED the first to happen, if dan were to ever get into dreamland (not that we KNOW this is going to happen. so far, I’m just speculating).
Wow. This paradox Arthus is struggeling with, is the key ethic question of the whole human exploration theme. Should we pursue our curiosity, our urge to discover? And if we discover new lands, cultures, maybe planets in the future, are we not interupting their fragile cultural and/or ecological balance?
There are so many examples of exploration going wrong for the original inhabitants. The native american theme suits this, but as well as the latin-american indigenous empires who were nearly whiped out by the flue and smallpox imported by the conquistadors. And dare I to mention the sealife in the Gulf of Mexico nowadays?
Nonetheless, we have also gained great insight by communicating with different cultures. Let’s not forget that the western society is based on a Roman-Greek mix. I can imagine that Arthur senses this great opportunity to combine the best of both worlds. Well, in this case, bring some of Dreamland ideals into his world. And quite frankly, I can understand Nic not cheering and being all excited.
I’m probably overreacting, but I feel that we left the ‘naieve’ storytelling (Dan) for more serious themes (Arthur).
I notice something interesting…
Arthur’s hair is longer and his beard is whiter. Either another couple years has passed, or maybe humans age more slowly in Dreamland, as their mental image of themselves doesn’t changed as much as their body does. That’s something I’ve wondered about while reading the comic.
The first will have interesting consequences for Arthur, but the other would be very interesting for the story as a whole…just something I was thinking about.
I know how to solve the problem! Stab the dragon! I wonder if he and Arthur do fight…
I am frequently shocked at the split support on the boards in the Camelot story line. I fully expected the readers to universally be reading evil in Nic’s actions. I’ve been trying not to, but I still see him as an over-reacting control freak. Especially after these last few days. It’s nice, however, to see the other view, just in case I’m totally wrong about Nic and he actually was a good guy . . . once . . . about fifteen centuries ago. At least I won’t be blindsided, should that be the case. I love how this story is uniting the readers in such a diverse way!
I think the best word I can come up with to describe Nic is lawful. From the impression I have gotten he tolerated the presence of human rulers and accepted his role as advisor for who know how many generations only because it was his duty. Somewhere along the way, he seems to have decided that things would be better if he made the rules, became even more narcissistic and now expects everybody to obey his reign one way or the other, just as he pushed himself to obey the old laws…before his rather hypocritical revolt.
But this is merely a hypothesis based on nothing more than assumptions.
sorry, didn’t mean to reply to a specific person.
“The Three Laws will lead to only one logical outcome.”
“What outcome?”
“Revolution.”
“Whose revolution?”
“That, detective, is the right question. Program terminated.”
Arthur: “How would I live with myself if I were to bring war to that peaceful world?”
Merlin: “You could seek the Holy Grail. But we must continue your lessons on physics and biology first. Now…we were discussing unladen sparrows…”
I agree with TekServer…and I don’t usually criticize either. It doesn’t look like Arthur’s crown is meant to be golden, but it’s difficult to tell it’s metal. With Arthur’s armor in Dreamland, you can see reflections, and that helps. Maybe some reflective properties for the crown would help, too?
I didn’t realize Arthur’s hair was so long! I like it! 🙂
I’m with you Joie! 🙂 I have had to resist the urge to react to the more understanding readers’ comments. It is wonderful that they’re reacting to Nic’s ‘good’ side as they are (proof positive that Mr. Sava is an amazing storyteller), but I still want to reply saying, “Have you forgotten who the bad guy is!? You know…the big red one who is trying to erase history and destroy races that don’t agree with him…the one who has an alliance with the Nightmare Realm that allows for kidnapping children!!”
🙂 I’m one of those passionately loyal types though, so I may just be stubbornly refusing to see Nic’s side of things. 🙂
Swallows…African and European swallows. You know, they could grip coconuts by the husk… 🙂
his mouth looks purple… but that’s just beside the big and even greater story line!!!!!!!
camelot and dreamland for life!:P
But coconuts don’t exist in this part of the world!
…wait, where did you find those?
IMHO, the fact that readers CAN find support in Nic’s arguments, even knowing how evil he is in the future, shows a well-written antagonist. a good bad guy (?) doesn’t actually think what he’s doing is evil, he thinks either “I’m doing this for the greater good, why can’t you understand!” or “Screw everyone, I’m doing this for my own good!”.
Nic is a great manipulater. he doesn’t have to prove anything, he just has to cast seeds of doubt (which is why being the bad guy is so much easier than being a good guy with conviction).
imagine what these conversations would be like if we didn’t know Nic before this point–if THIS was the Nic we were introduced to; he might even have MORE supporters.
The historical problem has been less about the discovery causing problems, though disease is always an issue, and more about the discovers trying to “improve” things instead of learning from the discovered.
That was a really broken way to create an escape clause in the Three laws of Robotics. Totally off topic, but that movie while fun was really a bad presentation of Asimov’s work.
Ofcourse Nic is still the bad guy. Everybody is acting in his own best interest, but it’s the way how you’re achieving your goals that makes out the good and bad guys. Arthur is all for dialogue and persuasion, while Nic will turn out to breath destruction. But at least now we know what drove him that far.
“How do you know so much about swallows?”
“You have to know these things when you’re a king….”
So, from watching Nic and many needing to remind themselves that Nic is the bad guy here, is it possible that Nic wasn’t a bad guy after all? Was it just a case of after advising who knows how many human rulers over Dreamland he succumbs to the old, “I can do this better myself.” And once done he lacks the strength of character to not let the power corrupt him? (Did I just define Nic as a ‘victim’??? Forgive me, I’m not really some PC liberal.)
Is Arthur capable of going from the verbal jousting with Nic to introspection with Merlin that quickly though?
I’m glad to see Arthur isn’t as gung-ho about his plans as he was earlier. Still, knowing the future, I wonder what’s the deciding point to do whatever that sends Nick spiraling over the edge.
A little off topic here, but you know a guy whose last name is WOLFMAN? Great, you’re made of awesome so dense that others of similar awesome orbit you? Unfair. 😉
Told ya! Again, what did I say the day before yesterday! The great manipulator has done his work well! Not only did he put Arthur on the defensive, but he also got him to doubt his own intentions, or at least his actions. That way Nic doesn’t have to stall. Arthur’s hesitation will give him the time that he needs!
When a person tries to tell you what you’re thinking in your own mind, it is almost always a sign of manipulation at work…
Congrats on 1,100 pages! You’re very dedicated to have come this far, this consistently.
Also, I’m impressed with how quickly you’ve built up Nic’s backstory with Arthur, explained the past political situation, given a reason for the war, …everything!
I love the backgrounds in this! (especially panel 2) It makes the lighting much easier to look at! And also much more eye catching with the small spots here and there of light on the characters.
This is just a stray thought but… I wonder if Nic is Arthur’s ally because of the peace between Dreamland and the Nightmare realm. Like Nic is originally from the Nightmare realm.. but, as mentioned that’s just a random stray thought.
I agree. Good movie – but they should’ve used a different title to differentiate it from the book, which the movie has practically nothing in common with.
Ah, the classics…*grin*
Agreed. And fixed. Thanks guys!
His first rationalization is sketchy at best. “Hey look, Camelot’s enemies! In Dreamland the neighbors live in peace!” “Wow, you’re right Arthur, they do! Let’s not fight anymore.”
It was technically a movie about the ‘Zeroth law’ …
I think some more years have passed as shown by Arthur’s hair growing longer and Merlin returning to England (he was in North America previously).
Time for the Team Nick cheer:
Go, Nick, Go!
If you can’t do it, no corrupt, weak-willed human can!
King’s can’t do it! That’s OK! Nick will do it–his decisive way!
Goooooooooooo, Nick!
Several more years have past since Arthur’s conversation with Nick. Arthur’s moustache and chin beard are gray now, and Merlin has returned from North America.
“How could this be for the greater good?”
“The Greater Good.”
“Shut it!”
We also have the Medieval Germans moving east into Austria and East Germany, into Slavic areas, or the Muslims in the Mediterranean, or the Scots (originally Irish, but of British origins) going back to Great Britain, or… And then there are all the nomadic invasions of Europe, the Goths, Huns, Avars, Magyars, Turks, and Mongols (or the similar series in China, India, and Persia). Or the Arabs into North Africa (twice). Especially the Nomads tended to take the ready cash, kill anyone that drew their attention, and destroy the area. North Africa, for instance: Algeria and Tunisia had an agricultural and urban society before the 13th century, but the invasion pretty much ended it. Similarly in Palestine, which now seems to be recovering somewhat.
Remember that evil people don’t usually start out that way. They almost all begin with good intentions, at least in their own eyes. And, to gain power, they have to learn how to express them positively and convince others to join them. That may be what we are seeing here in Nicodemus.
On the other hand, he is rather old–at least three or four thousand years at this point–and how much changing is he likely to do? I think he’s already “old in evil” and just equivocating about his true motives.
I don’t know….Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Congrats on the MAJOR Page Count Mark!
You and the family are in our thoughts and prayers … and we know the lean times will pass, but certainly not soon enough.
Hang in there.
Hmmm…not sure if this has been asked before or not BUT…
Do human children come to Dreamland at this point in it’s history? If not, maybe that is the compromise Arthur comes up with. No human adults coming over to learn how to get along and make his world a better place but children, who will learn and grow up with this being second nature.
And then in a snit, Nic magics Arthur and makes it so that kids don’t remember their trips to Dreamland once they grow up.
Just because Nicodemus is a bad guy, doesn’t absolve Arthur of his responsibility for any foolish things he does. Since Arthur’s also the ruler, he has added responsibility if things go sideways. Avoiding situations like the one Arthur has created – or at the very least, not being blindsided by them – is supposed to be his job.
And he’s finally beginning to comprehend that. But he should have had it uppermost in mind from the beginning.
The road to hell, my friend. These are Nic’s first bricks.
aww poor king arthur
*points to apstorm* New favorite person…
He hasn’t created any situations yet though. He’s only brought a letter from Merlin into Dreamland. That breaks no treaties.
Awww. At least we know the dragons heart was in the right place.
Not until it’s stuck on the end of a spear, it isn’t.