DKA Presents - "Batman Beyond: Stripped" Talkback - FINALE (January 24th)

[ShadowStar]

OK, please forgive me for the double post, but I was just wondering if you guys are planning on finishing this on the upcoming anniversary of when you started it. A shameless attempt, I know. Well, I'm on a temporary break from exams and looking for entertainment, so you can't blame me for trying.

 

[James]

OK, please forgive me for the double post, but I was just wondering if you guys are planning on finishing this on the upcoming anniversary of when you started it. A shameless attempt, I know. Well, I'm on a temporary break from exams and looking for entertainment, so you can't blame me for trying.

Kris has been taking a naughty break honing some colouring techniques, so he's aware he's slightly behind, but I don't think he should be long.

 

[adoptedBatpuppy]

Wow! This strip just keeps getting better and better. I didn't expect Alfred not to be around anymore. I can see why Bruce took all the blame on himself, but Dick really tried to patch things up the best he could, with the help of Leslie and Barbara. What happened to JLU? Is there going to be an explanation for Terry's death? Who was the services held for? That girl who kept staring at Terry looked a lot like Melanie, but I think it's Kara.
The strips are a little hard to read when there are blue backgrounds. I just hope I understand everything that's going on. Keep up the good work!

 

[James]

Wow! This strip just keeps getting better and better.

Great to be finishing on a high note!

I can see why Bruce took all the blame on himself, but Dick really tried to patch things up the best he could, with the help of Leslie and Barbara.

While Bruce is very logical, he is bloody minded. One could say when he makes his mind up, he's a hard man to convince otherwise. Also the fact that the older you get, the more set you often become. I like to think even by this point in the flashback, he's becoming less flexible, and without Alfred around to nudge him in the right direction, he's lost that one person who really seemed to have a profound affect on Bruce's fixed judgments. IMO.

What happened to JLU?

As Terry said last issue, they were at Tea's funeral. In the original outline, Barb would have given Clark a slap too for his long term refusal to recognize Tea's attempts to find redemption.

Is there going to be an explanation for Terry's death?

Issue 12 of the DKA comic showed how Terry died, and how Terry came back to life is explained in the strip through the Spectre's interference - looking for a soul of vengeance.

Who was the services held for?

Tea - Kara's not so evil now clone.

That girl who kept staring at Terry looked a lot like Melanie, but I think it's Kara.

On the ball and from the future, yes you are right. Come to see her "sister's" send off.

The strips are a little hard to read when there are blue backgrounds. I just hope I understand everything that's going on. Keep up the good work!

That's because I overload the strips with info that Kris has to make the type smaller to fit. My fault! Glad you enjoyed!

 

[Reverend]

Kris has been taking a naughty break honing some colouring techniques, so he's aware he's slightly behind, but I don't think he should be long.

I prefer the term "Colouring Superpowers".

I didn't expect Alfred not to be around anymore.

Seriously? I mean the bloke was getting on to 70 at least, back in the day and that was 40-50 years ago at this point. Plus I'm pretty sure Bruce & Barb spoke of him in the past tense in BB.

What happened to JLU?

They're back from whatever dimension Le Fey stuck them in, along with the Metrotower one would presume.

Is there going to be an explanation for Terry's death?

Read #69 again.

Who was the services held for?

See above.

hat girl who kept staring at Terry looked a lot like Melanie, but I think it's Kara.

The two big clues here are; who's funeral is it and who's standing right next to her? The little clue is what colour jacket is she wearing?
Also, Melanie's hair is a much lighter shade of blonde.

 

[Reverend]

Next strip is done and has been sent off to James, so watch this space!

One more to go and then I'm FREE!

 

[James]

Maybe two, remember?

But yes, its in Bird Boy's hands now.

 

[Mr. A]

Figured I’d post my thoughts before the next strip comes out…

It’s an accomplishment that in only a small appearance “The Plague” casts so chilling a shadow. We only see him for one panel, but his presence hangs over the entire strip and indeed a good amount of “Stripped” itself. He’s truly a disturbing character, especially for the DCAU.

Fortunately we also see an example of his complete opposite.
In nearly every incarnation of Batman, Alfred provides humanity: he is the field medic, the voice of conscience and self-sacrifice working in the background amidst the “War on Crime”. As such, he dies doing exactly what he has always done, seeing to the details others neglect and protecting human life. It’s a better character showcase for him than nearly any episode of BTAS or TNBA.

But though Alfred’s story was especially poignant the aftermath was even darker.
The line “didn’t stop him from breaking my jaw in three places, though” was especially jolting.
I had to read it twice just to get the full impact:
This is Bruce, for all intents and purposes, beating his own son to a pulp, not because Dick has committed a crime, but because he has made a mistake (If it can even be said he made a mistake).
This is Bruce Wayne, the damaged orphan finally giving into his sense of loss, his sorrow, his rage. And as always he takes it out on those close to him.
This is the turning point that leads to an elderly Bruce Wayne alone in his mansion, broken and alone, with no friends, and more importantly, no family.
The ultimate tragedy of course is that if Alfred had been there, he most likely could have prevented it, diffused the situation with a few well-chosen words. His death really does mark the end of the Bat-team.

While the art was as usual spot-on the last two panels was especially nice, especially the concluding shot of Dana.
…
[FONT=&quot] Oh hey, she finally woke up (after a couple years). Good for her! [/FONT]

 

[James]

While the art was as usual spot-on the last two panels was especially nice, especially the concluding shot of Dana.
…
[FONT=&quot] Oh hey, she finally woke up (after a couple years). Good for her! [/FONT]

Lol. It has been a couple of years. I think that's her first coherent sentence in the whole of DKA.

 

[Reverend]

Lol. It has been a couple of years. I think that's her first coherent sentence in the whole of DKA.

Which makes what she has to say all the more ironic!

 

[ShadowStar]

Next strip is done and has been sent off to James, so watch this space!

One more to go and then I'm FREE!

AWESOME!

... But don't forget about the possible 73rd strip, plus maybe a retrospective.

 

[ShadowStar]

Where be the new strip?

 

[Bird Boy]

CLICK BANNER ABOVE FOR THE BRAND NEW EPISODE (January 21st)
​

Where be the new strip?

It was in my inbox for two days. Sorry about that guys, I've been doing homework for the past...well, two weeks now.

 

[ShadowStar]

Wow. So I guess Dick will become the Spectre now? And it sounds like he's a father! He must have had a child with Starfire! The allusion to "Old Wounds" was handled very well - I liked that part of the exchange. The fatal disease angle has come out of left field, but it's cool because hopefully the Spectre will do a swap. I wasn't truly fond of Bruce permanently becoming the Spectre, so this might be a better solution. I suppose we're done with Terry and Dana; I doubt they'll be in the final strip, but I don't mind. Ironic that Dick continues to get strip-time when he's not a favourite of yours! I look forward to the finale! This has been nothing short of awesome so far. In 3 days it will be the anniversary of when Stripped started... Think you might be able to make that deadline?

 

[Mr. A]

Wow, the Spectre's kind of a jerk isn't he? At least he and Bruce have that in common.

Dick's daughter's name is Mar'i, huh? Nice homage to Kingdom Come (I guess the more things in the multiverse change, the more they stay the same. )

Poor Grayson. I'm glad he got the chance for a nice final speech though, complete with a father/son reunion and a dignified march into the distance. (I'm still going to pretend he and Barbabra get back together before he passes ...It will just happen "off camera" ).

In all seriousness, I've really enjoyed your take on the character. Dick Grayson was always one of my favorite parts of the DCAU and its great to see him given such a nice showcase. Like the rest of "Stripped" his story has been a great ride.

 

[James]

The fatal disease angle has come out of left field, but it's cool because hopefully the Spectre will do a swap.

Left field? I felt it was a pretty good motivator for Dick's reappearance (given we get the impression in BB and this strip that Dick doesn't really venture into Gotham much) and the frailty of age; that these characters are on their "final chapters". Plus it might tick people off - and I do enjoy doing that.

I wasn't truly fond of Bruce permanently becoming the Spectre, so this might be a better solution.

As I said - I like to tick people off. As for the Spectre, in the end you have two evils to recouncile. The Bruce being trapped into selling his soul, isn't nice, nor is Terry remaining dead. In the end, the latter is priority for the story; that Terry must come back to give the reader's their worth in following the damn thing, but you need to justify that - for to have his return come with no price, belittles the notion of Terry's death in the first place, it cheapens it. So somethings have to balance out. The question of the Spectre resolution and Dick's frailty all balance out that payoff of Terry's return. You need some ying if you are going to give out the yang!

I suppose we're done with Terry and Dana; I doubt they'll be in the final strip, but I don't mind. Ironic that Dick continues to get strip-time when he's not a favourite of yours!

Lol. True. But yes, we're done with Terry and Dana. We've left them in an ambiguous spot that ties up with "Epilogue".

I look forward to the finale! This has been nothing short of awesome so far. In 3 days it will be the anniversary of when Stripped started... Think you might be able to make that deadline?

Depends on Kris!

Wow, the Spectre's kind of a jerk isn't he? At least he and Bruce have that in common.

That's a given. To be fair to Spectre, his motivations are so beyond the emotional crutches of humanity, he's not really a jerk, just alien to the sentiments we embrace. Not sure what Bruce's excuse is.

Poor Grayson. I'm glad he got the chance for a nice final speech though, complete with a father/son reunion and a dignified march into the distance. (I'm still going to pretend he and Barbabra get back together before he passes ...It will just happen "off camera" ).

Yah, Barb is waiting behind a tree for a nearby grab. Yes, we needed to finish the strip off with a decent and poignant encounter between the two strip stars (which have had very little time in each other's company. Bruce was sort of the star for the first half of the strip then Dick took over for the final half - and here they get to say what they need to.

In all seriousness, I've really enjoyed your take on the character. Dick Grayson was always one of my favorite parts of the DCAU and its great to see him given such a nice showcase. Like the rest of "Stripped" his story has been a great ride.

Must confess, I can see far more depth in Dick since writing this, and enjoyed having a more.. mixed character to toy with. He's been a lot of fun in the strip, and I think Kris has had some fun on some dialogue edits with him as well. Bitter old Dick - ahem - has a lot of potential. A pity they never used him in DCAU.

 

[Reverend]

And it sounds like he's a father! He must have had a child with Starfire!

Yes, that is the implication. Originally, way back when we started this we were characterising Dick as this bitter, somewhat washed up sickly
old man who was very much still hung up on his issues with Bruce. Along the way though I think both James and myself have softened our attitude towards him and by this point I especially felt that for him to still, after nearly half a century be hung up over his issues with Bruce started to feel slightly petty and childish, on it's own. By slipping in this bit about having an estranged daughter (presumably grown up and living on Tamaran with her mother) seamed go give his troubles a little more maturity and perhaps give him an edge where he sees Bruce's failing as a father reflecting his own, perhaps even softening his view of Bruce having gone through a similar ordeal of having (at least in his mind) failed as a parent.

I suppose we're done with Terry and Dana; I doubt they'll be in the final strip, but I don't mind.

Correct, as James said we're done with this part of their story. To be honest it's the "guy in rubber suit effect" again. Nothing either James or myself can come up with can compare to the imagination of the audience as to what's going on in the cave right now. Why do you think Bruce is hiding outside in the grounds rather than in the mansion?
Yes, that particular discussion is best left to the imagination!

In all seriousness tough, for at least a year that's exactly how we envisaged the last panel of Terry's story to be. Dana sat in Bruce's chair in the cave, grinning like a maniac. To me that seamed the most satisfying end, particularly as has been noted before, the poor girl has been out of it since mid way through RotJ and here she gets the final word in.

Wow, the Spectre's kind of a jerk isn't he? At least he and Bruce have that in common.

As James points out, he's not entirely human so you can't judge him by the same standard. More to the point he was just making an observation that is quite true. Dick will die, as will we all.

Dick's daughter's name is Mar'i, huh? Nice homage to Kingdom Come

Well, if you're going to steal, might as well nick something worth having.

Yah, Barb is waiting behind a tree for a nearby grab. Yes, we needed to finish the strip off with a decent and poignant encounter between the two strip stars (which have had very little time in each other's company.

This is where I must disagree with James (and where James usually hits me with a stick.) To be, Dick and Barb are ancient history and at this point are more family than ex-lovers. That ship sailed long ago...then got hit by an iceberg and had a film with DiCaprio made about it...but I digress.

Having said that it is a shame we didn't have more scenes between the two of them but other than that little bit after "young" Bruce is carted off, there's just no place to fit in into the story.

I look forward to the finale! This has been nothing short of awesome so far. In 3 days it will be the anniversary of when Stripped started... Think you might be able to make that deadline?

Depends on Kris!

Check your inbox!

 

[ShadowStar]

Check your inbox!

... Does that mean it's done?

 

[James]

... Does that mean it's done?

The artwork has been coloured, but at time of typing, he's not sent the lettered version, so no, not quite - but close.

 

[Reverend]

Check you inbox AGAIN!