Issue 2 - Party Like It's 198X - Page 32 - By the Power of Satan

[Adam Dravian]

When we launched this comic back at the start of last March, this moment seemed so far off, like an unattainable pentastar on the horizon, distantly flickering with hellfire. But now here we are. Eddie McCarthy has finally been satan ninjafied.

I could understand if someone were annoyed that it took us over fifty pages to get to this point, but like I said before, we wanted to give the story the time it needed to develop properly, instead of rushing things. I (very) briefly considered having Eddie find the glove right after the front-yard scuffle (the winged ninja would have dropped it in his back yard instead of in the woods), but that wouldn't have had nearly the same impact without Eddie suffering through the party scene. Hopefully you agree that we made the right choice.

Two pages to go and issue 2 is a wrap. Well, sorta. Jessica's then going to take a week or two to go through the issue and spruce up the rougher areas (and finally put in Eddie's poor neglected posters).

[Rijst]

Why didn't you wear that to the party?

Haha, as if Eddie just changed into that while chanting that intro. He definitely looks cool like that.

No the story is definitely developing well this way. You could've swapped things to make this come up sooner, for example by showing the bounty huntress part after this page but people would just end up wondering what Eddie is doing with the glove (apart from going to school on fire). However the stage is sort of set now, things are already happening and you can keep the action coming without pausing too much by introducing all the other characters.

[Rae]

"You can't go to school on fire." I think that's one of my favorite lines so far.

[Adam Dravian]

No the story is definitely developing well this way. You could've swapped things to make this come up sooner, for example by showing the bounty huntress part after this page but people would just end up wondering what Eddie is doing with the glove (apart from going to school on fire). However the stage is sort of set now, things are already happening and you can keep the action coming without pausing too much by introducing all the other characters.

We also wanted to insert the bounty hunter stuff earlier in the issue in order to break up all the mundane John Hues teen drama stuff. And like you implied, the longer you wait to introduce new characters, the more annoying it is for readers to be taken away from the characters that they're already invested in and the more resentful they'll be toward the new characters. Along those same lines, we probably made a mistake to devote so much of the first issue to Viper, since that probably gave the impression that he's a more prominant character in the comic than he actually is. He's undoubtedly an important character (as evidenced by him having a spot on the About the Characters page), but not always a prominent one.

And there's another reason that the bounty hunter stuff had to happen before Eddie activated the glove, which will become more apparent in a couple weeks.

[Rijst]

Along those same lines, we probably made a mistake to devote so much of the first issue to Viper, since that probably gave the impression that he's a more prominant character in the comic than he actually is. He's undoubtedly an important character (as evidenced by him having a spot on the About the Characters page), but not always a prominent one.

I was waiting for him to make another appearance. It would be hard to break that little story up into bits though, and unlike the bounty hunter stuff it's already evident why it had to happen before Eddie finds the glove.

And there's another reason that the bounty hunter stuff had to happen before Eddie activated the glove, which will become more apparent in a couple weeks.

I can't wait to see how this story will develop without these allusions to future events. Now I can no longer sleep soundly thinking certain things are left to coincidence here..

I guess if you're really worried about the timing of certain bits you can always move them around a bit before you move to a final printed version.

[Adam Dravian]

I guess if you're really worried about the timing of certain bits you can always move them around a bit before you move to a final printed version.

True. This whole comic could be thought of as a work-in-progress up until we released the final print version. Although we're going to try to avoid retcons, if we think of a change that's in the best interest of the comic, and wouldn't require too much effort, then we'll do it. Hopefully we'll show a bit more restraint with this than George Lucas.

[Michigander1911]

I guess if you're really worried about the timing of certain bits you can always move them around a bit before you move to a final printed version.

True. This whole comic could be thought of as a work-in-progress up until we released the final print version. Although we're going to try to avoid retcons, if we think of a change that's in the best interest of the comic, and wouldn't require too much effort, then we'll do it. Hopefully we'll show a bit more restraint with this than George Lucas.

I don't think there will be much need to work things around.  It seems like a long time going week to week but really you have 3 story lines going inside of 50 pages so that'll read quick as one piece. 

I love this page. I was wondering how the glove would activate, and this scenario is not one I had thought of.  Keep us readers on our toes. 

[Adam Dravian]

I love this page. I was wondering how the glove would activate, and this scenario is not one I had thought of.  Keep us readers on our toes.

Here's a bit of trivia for you. For a long time, back when this comic was called "Shinobi Fist: Legend of the Badass Ninja" we were going to have the glove activate when Eddie says "Shinobi." So during this scene, after he wakes up, Sam would have said something along the lines of, "Hey, that's a rad glove. It kinda makes you look like Dude Shinobi." And Eddie would have responded with, "I don't look like Dude Shinobi." But of course, upon saying "Shinobi" he would undergo the transformation into a magical ninja (without the satanic element, since we hadn't decided on that yet). Then Sam would have exclaimed, "See?! You totally look like Dude Shinobi!" Har-har. We would have also made it so that for awhile he thinks the activation word is "Dude Shinobi." It would have taken him awhile to figure out that it was just "Shinobi."

Once we decided to change Eddie from a "normal" ninja into an infernal ninja, that's when we decided to re-think how the glove gets activated, and we came up with this.

Another bit of trivia. When we decided to add the satanic element to Eddie's glove, we briefly considered calling the comic something like "Demon Fist: Legend of the Badass Ninja" but we discovered that there's already a comic called Demon Fist, so there went that idea.

[Rijst]

Another bit of trivia. When we decided to add the satanic element to Eddie's glove, we briefly considered calling the comic something like "Demon Fist: Legend of the Badass Ninja" but we discovered that there's already a comic called Demon Fist, so there went that idea.

It just means what you're doing is relevant in today's comicverse!

Look at it this way: "Demon Fist" lends itself to a disgusting parody called "Fist Demon" and I don't think you want to be the subject of that sort of smut..

[Michigander1911]

I love this page. I was wondering how the glove would activate, and this scenario is not one I had thought of.  Keep us readers on our toes.

Here's a bit of trivia for you. For a long time, back when this comic was called "Shinobi Fist: Legend of the Badass Ninja" we were going to have the glove activate when Eddie says "Shinobi." So during this scene, after he wakes up, Sam would have said something along the lines of, "Hey, that's a rad glove. It kinda makes you look like Dude Shinobi." And Eddie would have responded with, "I don't look like Dude Shinobi." But of course, upon saying "Shinobi" he would undergo the transformation into a magical ninja (without the satanic element, since we hadn't decided on that yet). Then Sam would have exclaimed, "See?! You totally look like Dude Shinobi!" Har-har. We would have also made it so that for awhile he thinks the activation word is "Dude Shinobi." It would have taken him awhile to figure out that it was just "Shinobi."

Once we decided to change Eddie from a "normal" ninja into an infernal ninja, that's when we decided to re-think how the glove gets activated, and we came up with this.

Another bit of trivia. When we decided to add the satanic element to Eddie's glove, we briefly considered calling the comic something like "Demon Fist: Legend of the Badass Ninja" but we discovered that there's already a comic called Demon Fist, so there went that idea.

Very cool stuff.  I always assumed it would activate in a tense situation like another altercation with Dean or something similar to that.  I like all the names and modifications you guys have taken on this journey.  Your willingness to share the creation process is awesome.  I like to think that someday when this comic is the biggest thing in the world that reporters will be coming to some of us "fans" for comments being those of us that have been here from the beginning will be Satan Ninja "experts".

[Rijst]

Very cool stuff

Very cool stuff.  I always assumed it would activate in a tense situation like another altercation with Dean or something similar to that.  I like all the names and modifications you guys have taken on this journey.  Your willingness to share the creation process is awesome.  I like to think that someday when this comic is the biggest thing in the world that reporters will be coming to some of us "fans" for comments being those of us that have been here from the beginning will be Satan Ninja "experts".

Either that or we'll become like those Star Trek nerds: Completely detached from reality, discussing the physics of curious phenomena shown in the comic and taken seriously by nobody but other SN8Xies..

[Michigander1911]

Either that or we'll become like those Star Trek nerds: Completely detached from reality, discussing the physics of curious phenomena shown in the comic and taken seriously by nobody but other SN8Xies..

Nah we're way cooler than that.  Seriously though if I ever turn into that kinda nerd someone throat punch me. 

[aett]

Hmm, starting to see a connection between Minxy's music and the Satan Ninjas, beyond just the Satan connection. Or I could be making connections that don't exist again.

Do I even have to mention the awesome colors? Fuck I love that '80s neon pink.

I'm glad the characters aren't spending too much time trying to work out what the hell is going on and just trying to take care of it as soon as they can. It can be hard to tell when you read one page a week, but the comic has really good pacing. I know that if I were to buy a single completed issue, I would be very satisfied with the sheer amount of content and quality.

Babe Alert: what is happening

i feel weak

so very weak

[Michigander1911]

Babe Alert: what is happening

i feel weak

so very weak

Yeah what the hell is going on it's been 4 weeks now of sausage fest Eddie and Sam. (unless you count the album artwork)

[Adam Dravian]

I'm glad the characters aren't spending too much time trying to work out what the hell is going on and just trying to take care of it as soon as they can. It can be hard to tell when you read one page a week, but the comic has really good pacing. I know that if I were to buy a single completed issue, I would be very satisfied with the sheer amount of content and quality.

That's really great to hear. Er, read. Thanks!

Babe Alert: what is happening

i feel weak

so very weak

Jessica plans to make a few babe posters for Eddie's room. As soon as we put out the final page for issue 2 next week, getting all of Eddie's revamped posters in place will be a top priority. So eventually these pages will get a healthy dose of boobage, no worries.