Issue 1 - Video Dreamer - Page 22 - Birthday Dream

[Adam Dravian]

The final page of issue 1 also happens to be another one of our favorites.

In my initial script it was just going to be a splash page of the glove resting on the forest floor, but after we added the arcade scene and Eddie's dream, it seemed more fitting to end the issue by returning to Eddie's slumber fantasy. Especially since the last half of the issue is dominated by Viper and we didn't want to give the impression that Viper was the comic's main character.

The design on Satan Ninja's second form is a little different from what was shown earlier, because Jessica drew this page before deciding to go back and re-do the pixel art for his second form. We decided to let the discrepancy slide since it's subtle and it's a dream, which rarely reflects reality with much accuracy.

[Rijst]

I was expecting Eddie to pick up the glove by now, but of course he's not even awake yet.

Any particular reason Dad Shinobi is eating Satan Ninja's heart?

[Adam Dravian]

This started off as a ten-page prologue and we planned on Eddie getting the glove by the end of the "Issue 01" that would have followed. But then we decided to expand the prologue, and it evolved into our current Issue 01.

But anyway, we'll get around to Satan Ninja Eddie in issue two. I'm not a fan of rushing things.

As for the heart thing, uh... Jessica would have to speak for that.

[Jessica Safron]

I wrote the middle three panels of this page. My line of thinking was aimed toward Double Dragon and the fact that we have this buff action hero who just defeated a monster. I wanted to have some kind of dreamily weird, brutal sight-gag going on as Eddie and Dude talked. So, I originally had Predator in mind and was going to have Dude harvest Satan Ninja's skull and spine. We decided that would be too reminiscent of Mortal Kombat, especially with Eddie's dream being video game inspired, and Mortal Kombat came out in 1992.

The heart thing is also 80s, but also still MK-like, but I think it came down to the heart thing being easier to draw than the spine thing. Also, the eating adds an extra level of funny fucked-upness.

Actually, when we went to Midoricon, more than one person looked at the first couple pages of Issue 1 and said something along the lines of "Oh yeah, the arcade stuff is so 80s. Like Mortal Kombat!" Whatever, MK is sweet so I'll let them think that.

Talking about Predator has just reminded me of an amazing video Adam and I saw a few years back. Enjoy Predator the Musical.

[Rijst]

Stop shaving you don't have a beard

This is quite well done actually!

Also, the eating adds an extra level of funny fucked-upness.

Yes, yes it does. Especially the nonchalant way he throws it away is spot on.. 

[Jessica Safron]

Stop shaving you don't have a beard

This is quite well done actually!

The beard line was always my favorite. So good!

Also, the eating adds an extra level of funny fucked-upness.

Yes, yes it does. Especially the nonchalant way he throws it away is spot on.. 

Haha, yeah, what the hell is wrong with you, Dream Shinobi? I can't pat myself on the back too hard, though, because the lower half of Eddie's body in the left panel has always bothered the heck out of me. Maybe I'll fix it someday.

[Rijst]

You mean his waist line?

[Jessica Safron]

You mean his waist line?

There's something weird going on with his waist and his pelvis. It's like... Satan Ninja grabbed Eddie, wrapping one of his massive hands around Ed's entire pelvis, squeezed really hard, and pulled, stretching Eddie out from the waist down like Silly Putty.

[Adam Dravian]

There's something weird going on with his waist and his pelvis. It's like... Satan Ninja grabbed Eddie, wrapping one of his massive hands around Ed's entire pelvis, squeezed really hard, and pulled, stretching Eddie out from the waist down like Silly Putty.

Maybe that's totally what happened. It's a dream, after all.

[Rijst]

It would also explain why, unlike dad shinobi, he's not very hungry..