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I was considering having Alexander with his sword drawn.
Still not sure if this is “too relaxed” or not.
We’ll see how this pans out…and I may go back and change it later, I guess.
Scott
I was considering having Alexander with his sword drawn.
Still not sure if this is “too relaxed” or not.
We’ll see how this pans out…and I may go back and change it later, I guess.
Scott
“No, we weren’t looking for the final tablet, we were looking for the bathroom.”
Hm. I dunno. It depends on what Nick does from here. It appears that he’s trying to bait him at the moment.
I think this works, but does he draw the sword as the Aligator comes closer.
I think Alexander drawing his sword may make sense… I mean, your biggest enemy just showed up while you are in his backyard… you either arm yourself or flee…
If I were creeping around in the enemy’s backyard, I’d probably already have my sword drawn.
definitely needs a sword drawn – the last time he saw the dragon he was breathing fire at his friends.
I think it makes more sense for him not to have his sword drawn. After all, they were supposed to be sneaking around, looking for the tablet before Nicodemus arrived, and it is hard to search with a sword drawn. Also, once Nicodemus arrived, Alexander drawing his sword would just put Felicity more at risk, so it makes sense for him to keep it sheathed (at least until Nicodemus makes a move), in my opinion.
Must…resist…do…not…make…snarky…comment.
Nope–gave in!
Do they really have time for a Diplomacy (r) game just now?
BRILLIANT
Wow. I did not expect this. After reading the comments, I’m honestly not sure whether or not he should have his sword drawn. It works as is, though you could also just have Alex reaching for the sword, but pausing because of Nick’s behavior.
DON’T TRUST THE DRAGON!!!
Maybe make a compromis between the two? You always read in books how a character reaches for his sword when there appears to be a threat but refrains himself from drawining it completely until he is sure of the threat. But that might mean Alexander’s arm will be partly in front of his face, hmm…Like in the 3rd panel, I can definitely see Alexander’s arm going up there.
Actually not having the sword out is sorta in character I think for him. He doesn’t have the combat instincts yet to just draw instantly in the face of danger. I imagine his first thought is along the lines of ‘Oh carp, busted’.
On the other hand, the dragon does seem just a bit too relaxed. Even if he knew about the sneak in, no dragon likes having his hoard rifled through. Even gloating at catching them would be more expected.
And Nice Croc holding a Crock(ery) 😛
I would think his stance (with sword or without) would be directly proportional to the perceived threat. So, if he doesn’t see Nicodemus as a threat, he wouldn’t be worried about drawing his sword. Unless Alexander perceives his own power as so weak that drawing his sword is pointless. Or, Alexander is confident he can get the sword out in a blink of an eye should the need arrive. Or, Alexander is thinking “oh man, we are so screwed, what are we going to do, how did he know we’d be here…” – basic brain overload – in which case the sword would probably come out slow, when he finally realizes the physical danger he is in.
Ummm, or not…
Anyway, I’ve been reading this awesome comic for a while now – thanks for all your hard work!
I am totally with you on th e”oh crap” aspect. I mean you caught clean, no need to really piss off the big lizard just yet.
They’ve seen that diplomacy doesn’t work with Nicodemus. So why bother?
*scratches head* Diplomacy? From ol’ Nic?
Something’s up. Alex and Felicity look far too relaxed….
I’m not fully sold that Nic believes everything from the wraiths.
Draw-and-hit in one movement looks pretty professional. Much more so than drawing the sword for no readily apparent purpose, as a few pages back.
I’m just afraid the poor lad might cut his own head off while at that.
I don’t know. I think it’s fine as is. Nic doesn’t usually talk to them in this way. There’s no fire! So, I think he’d not draw the sword because that might make Nic attack to protect himself.
Nick destroyed the tablet the centaurs had so why would diplomacy work for his tablet?
Diplomacy is the act of being nice until you get a bigger stick.
Get your sword out! Don’t trust that Dragon!!
Eh, I would at least make his fists clenched and arms tense, showing how he is scared/angry and somewhat ready for a battle.
I personally think it’s in character for Alex to have not drawn the sword yet, but I propose a compromise:
Alex with his hand on the sword, preparing to draw it in the first and second panels, hesitating to draw it but still ready to do so if Nicodemus attacks, then getting curious about what Nic has to say and removing his hand in the third or fourth panel. In fact, adjusting the camera angle for the second panel so Nic is further to the right of the panel would probably make this sword-not-quite-ready stance look pretty cool there.
Thanks all!
Love the feedback!
I may let it play out before deciding.
Yeah, I have to agree on that, it would seem more in character for him to be caught off-guard.
That said, he’s gotta show some hesitation in the next page (assuming he’s in the next page). Something along the lines of “……… um, what?”
Because so far, for this scene, he should either be caught totally off-guard, or he SHOULD have the weapon drawn.
Felicity, on the other hand, ought to be in a more combative pose, at least to begin with. She’s shown before that she acts quickly.
Fortunately Nic has kindly brought them a chamber pot.
They do look a bit relaxed, but I think it has more to do with their facial features than the lack of a drawn weapon. Makes me suspect they’re up to something.
Hmm, must say I’m on the fence about sword out versus in. He isn’t sure what is about to happen, he has Felicity to consider (and protect?), and as has been mentioned he isn’t exactly the most experienced in battle. I’d say a lot depends on the next page(s), if Nic or the “guard” are coming in to fight/capture then sure the sword should be coming out.
Also, is Felicity actually grinning in the panel? Are she and Alex looking at each other? “I know something Nic doesn’t know!”
Let’s see…armor that is virtually impenetrable, a sword that can cut through anything, a human that can fly and lift tremendous weights, and a dragon that has repeatedly tried to kill him in the same room…I think Alex needs to get his butt-whup mode kicked into high gear!
Hand reaching up to the sword in the first panel (slightly different angle, perhaps), and dropping again in the third? Possibly it should look as if Alex and Felicity are backing/sidling toward the window; all their previous encounters with Nic have ended with them running away – fast! Their postures do seem a bit too casual and relaxed.
Definitely with sword drawn as he believes himself in a war situation and all his friends are at the moment fighting off arrows etc. After all he isn’t Luke Skywalker is he?
queue boulder through window.
I would think he’d leave his sword in place. He was not expecting Nic and he was probably thinking he’d be digging through a hoard so he would need both hands. Also Dan probably told him not to as I think that this is actually something Dan had planned for. So the James Bond, calm dialog with the enemy with the sexy female at your side thing works.
I hope Felicity does not pull any double or triple agent nonsense though.
I think it’s fine how it it. It give a sense of confusion like “Oh, what now Felicity? This isn’t how it’s supposed to go!” I wouldn’t trust him, considering he RAZED two cities in rage. I’d personally keep my hand on the sword, but I don’ think Alex would think of it.
PSH! Diplomacy is for paladins!
My paladin got a synergy bonus to diplomacy if he had his sword drawn.
Just sayin’.
If there’s one thing D&D has taught me…if you are caught unawares by a big Boss Bad guy and he’s actually talking instead of killing you from the doorway. Keep him talking, and don’t draw your weapon. The moment you draw things go downhill fast, and all posibility of everyone living goes right out the door.
Nicole is intrigued. Continue.
What Anon said! 😀
Hahahaha! 😀
Well, if they do get the board out and set up, they might still be playing by the time the fight outside is resolved, so I think accepting to play a game of Diplomacy (r) is a very good idea…
I think perhaps they should be seen taking a step back to keep their distance, look a bit more wary and concerned, perhaps have Alex’s hand reaching for the sword as the Croc gets closer in a threatening manner, but in no way would he have his sword unsheathed if he is looking around for the tablet when they were not expecting old Nic to be showing up, it would only hinder their search effort.
To me, the lack of drawn sword and relatively calm appearance of the two imply that Alex and Felicity have a plan, and/or aren’t worried about Nic’s sudden appearance. Alex seems more the type to have drawn his sword at Nic’s approach, or at least reached his hand for it, as naraldur suggested.
Very true. But they should perhaps look a bit more worried.
1. Something’s not quite right. Nic seems to be offering them an Urn. Hmmm… Nothing good going on here.
2. Perhaps Nic WANTS them to read the tablet! Because he can’t read it! And then he’d make them tell him what it said. Or something along those lines.
3. At what time does the background change from day to night? It was day a few minutes ago, but now it’s night, and it’s at three thirty. Another time, It was at 6:00 when it switched. Help, please.
LOL!!!!! XD
i think alex should have his sword drawn. nic is going to probably gonna do something sneaking and they are going to fight anyway. he got to be prepared for anything at a split second.
Nick actually has a point. What diplomacy has Alex ever shown? He really does need to learn to be more diplomatic. 😛
I like this idea best. Alex doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who reaches for his sword with confidence (or quickly) when an enemy arrives unexpectedly. Bless him, but he’s a little slow.
My guess is that the remains of the tablet are in the urn…and Nic’s just being a jerk and trying to bait Alex.
I’ve read many of the comments that mention both Alex and Felicity being calm, but I don’t buy it. Yes, Alex looks calm and collected. On the other hand, I’d say that Felicity looks downright scared stiff, in that third panel. Combine that with the way her earlier comment about Nic being such a buffoon was cut off mid-word, I’d say they, or at the very least, she, did not expect Nic to show up just now.
I believe the background goes to day at 0800 (8 AM), and goes to night at 2000 (8 PM), as figured in Central Time Zone.
Of course, your internet cache may hold the images for the page longer, messing with the times.
V w/ soul splice! =D
The lack of physical tensions actually leaves a nice undertone that’s way more intense. Personally anyways.
I personally think he should have his sword drawn. Considering the fact that he isn’t the brightest crayon in the box, he’d keep up his defenses since keeping it sheathed would be the cleverer option (i.e. keep the dragon talking!).
Plus, Nick just made a jab at him about how he hasn’t “discovered” diplomacy yet… so it makes sense to me that he’d have the sword drawn and be ready to fight, instead of keeping it put away for diplomacy’s sake…
Alex: This diplomacy you talk about… It is pure evil!
True, but one thing to consider is that diplomacy is a class skill for dragons, but it isn’t for fighters, so Alex would have to put a ton of ranks into it for it to be useful.
Um…is it just me or is Nick missing his fight wing in the fourth panel?
*right wing
Glorious.
nah, it’s not just you. As far as I can tell he only has one wing in ALL the frames.
1: Left
2L: Right
2R: neither visible (angle? Left?)
3: Left
4: n/a
The Dragon has ONLY ONE wing? HELP!
So many comments … but I’ll go with :
1) First two panels : Alex on the defensive end, reaching with his arm the sword, ready to draw it
2) Third panel: relaxing a bit
3) Last two panels: definitely easying a bit, since it doesn’t seem that Nick is ready to attack, but neither too relaxed since it could be a trick …
My 2 cents 🙂
My thoughts exactly, at the most he should have his hands ‘going to’ that position (pretending to scratch his back scalp perhaps?), because he’s unsure of what exactly he should do. But I think it works as is just as well. Being decisive enough to draw his sword at this stage doesn’t seem very ‘Alex’ frankly.
Oh gods…Nicodemus brought his LAWYER!
First panel, second wing is visible trough the first one and beneath it.
Second panel you can see it right besideh is head.
Thirth panel is indead not visible because of the angle.
4the panel is the angle again, but if you look at his right leg, you can see a bit sticking out, and near his neck on his lefst side aswell. The rest is blocked by the rest of his body in this angle
and a dumb lawyer at that… 😀
Truly, what is in that jar/urn?
1. The last tablet, ground to dust.
2. Poison. “Drink it – or watch Felicity get burnt to ashes!” 🙂
3. Diamonds. A bribe of some kind – “diplomacy”. (see Europa Universalis on how to buy peace)
4. Nothing. Alex and Fel will have to fill it with something valuable in order to rescue something else, that Nic is in possession of.
Very intriguing…!!!
(Do note: my guesses are NEVER right, except once in five years, so you can most likely rule out all of the above!)
Also: It took quite a while before I even noticed that the cro(o)k was carrying an urn. When I saw it, I thought it was part of the background and that it was an illusion that it looked like it was carried – because in an earlier panel, it looked like the front croc carried a spear in his right hand.
I’ve got the game, who wants to play? 🙂
I can’t necessarily speak to Alex’s tactical skills, but I do know one thing – a giant dragon walks through the door, and I know it’s evil? I’m drawing my weapon…
Nicodemus’ line regarding diplomacy would have been a good response (counterpoint? – sorry, I couldn’t resist) to a drawn sword.
bobbi beat me to it.
i think that this situation would definitely be cause for having Alex’s sword drawn. he’s just started a war against the dragon and he’s almost been cornered. and as bobbi said, it makes Nic’s line about diplomacy more effective.
Look at Alex and Felicity’s faces in panel 3….
They are TOTALLY up to something. which would explain why they are so relaxed.
I think this is a perfect stance because so far Alex is to stunned to do anything yet.
Ha!
This.