DKA Presents - "Batman Beyond: Stripped" Talkback, Part 2 (Spoilers)

[Reverend]

Yeah, that's in the next one which has indeed been coloured, as has the one after that and the one after that is about half done.

Lettering only takes an hour or so, especially if I don't spell check or look for typos, which is, well, often and after I take a hatchet to James's carefully crafted script it hardly takes any time at all.

 

[DBZALLSTAR]

As always, it was worth the wait, but I'm ready for the next strip. However, I know that genius can't be rushed.

 

[Reverend]

The next strip has been mailed to James, so barring any typos I missed (there's usually at least one) it should be up soonish.

 

[James]

I've just sent it to Bird Boy to be uploaded. Been on holiday. Sorry for the delay!

 

[Bird Boy]

CLICK BANNER ABOVE FOR THE BRAND NEW EPISODE (December 5th)
​

Whoops. I posted it yesterday and completely forgot to post that fact in here.

 

[ShadowStar]

They left Kara?! Why?! Oh well... The part with Scarecrow was pretty funny... but why can't Le Fey just fly after them? I'm assuming that Terry's gone with them, but how they're gonna get out of this one, I don't know...

Also, there seems to be something off, continuity-wise. In the black and white segment of "Epilogue" that was supposed to be a 'what-if' scenario, Dana knew Terry's secret. However, we don't know whether she ever found out in reality. Presumably, she did. So when Terry came back to life in the last strip and Max blurted out his name... did Dana find out at last?

Part of me is a little disappointed that Scarecrow will be trapped there with Le Fey, because I really wanted Terry to kick his arse for what he did to his "carcass". *shudders*

 

[James]

They left Kara?! Why?! Oh well... The part with Scarecrow was pretty funny... but why can't Le Fey just fly after them? I'm assuming that Terry's gone with them, but how they're gonna get out of this one, I don't know...

Maybe it was impressed clearly enough, but as Terry said in the previous strip, they have to move quickly, and with most of the party hardly at their peak and weak from being held by Le Fey, the priority is to get the living on board. The best Barbara can give Kara is a farewell and a jacket burial.

Yes, in the show they'd probably move the body, I sort of felt that realistically, given they are in a rush, Terry would be carting the living to the Batplane rather than dragging the dead as well.

Also, there seems to be something off, continuity-wise. In the black and white segment of "Epilogue" that was supposed to be a 'what-if' scenario, Dana knew Terry's secret. However, we don't know whether she ever found out in reality. Presumably, she did. So when Terry came back to life in the last strip and Max blurted out his name... did Dana find out at last?

We have more to come on the character resolutions. Again, this was written prior to Epilogue, so don't expect perfect syncronicity - especially over a point which was ambiguous in the episode. There is one small shot in the previous strip, tiny as it is and engulfed in the nullsphere's ethereal glow, of Terry holding Dana up on his shoulder, so whose to say how much she'll remember of the instance...if she gets back...

Part of me is a little disappointed that Scarecrow will be trapped there with Le Fey, because I really wanted Terry to kick his arse for what he did to his "carcass". *shudders*

We never went for big fights. She'd already been beaten by the Spectre, so this was more an epilogue. Terry gets his blow through the head which I felt was a nice "screw you" moment. As Kara and Spectre said in the previous strips, the Spectre's nullsphere was created to contain and strip Le Fey of her godly powers. Her abilities have been muted and as the sphere closes - as Dick says - even her normal magic will cease. The only reason she still exists is because of the eternal nature of the sphere.

 

[Reverend]

They left Kara?! Why?!

You have any idea how much a full blooded Kryptonian weighs? Too much for a bunch of old people and teenagers suffering from post traumatic stress. Plus there's a bit of a time crunch so no time to dawdle.

The part with Scarecrow was pretty funny... but why can't Le Fey just fly after them?

In James original script it's revealed that Dick intentionally dumped him behind. I thought it'd be funnier and slightly more ironic if Scarecrow thinks he's escaped only to get left behind in the freaky white place.
As for Le Fey, she's been depowerfied.

Also, there seems to be something off, continuity-wise. In the black and white segment of "Epilogue" that was supposed to be a 'what-if' scenario, Dana knew Terry's secret. However, we don't know whether she ever found out in reality. Presumably, she did. So when Terry came back to life in the last strip and Max blurted out his name... did Dana find out at last?

Hmm, that one might have slipped us by....or did it? Wait & see. Seriously, I can't remember. Bare in mind though Dana has been out of it for a while so isn't exactly switched on at this point plus all this was planned out before Epilogue aired!

Part of me is a little disappointed that Scarecrow will be trapped there with Le Fey, because I really wanted Terry to kick his arse for what he did to his "carcass". *shudders*

Well he's not the Spirit of Vengeance any more, so he'll have to deal with it. Besides, I rather think he'd be more bothered by what was done to Dana.
Poor girl, she's been in and out of consciousness since half way through RotJ.

[EDIT] that's what I get for waiting to spell check, James goes and beats me to it!

 

[James]

You have any idea how much a full blooded Kryptonian weighs? Too much for a bunch of old people and teenagers suffering from post traumatic stress. Plus there's a bit of a time crunch so no time to dawdle.

Absolutely. Man, those female krypto thighs weigh a ton alone.

In James original script it's revealed that Dick intentionally dumped him behind. I thought it'd be funnier and slightly more ironic if Scarecrow thinks he's escaped only to get left behind in the freaky white place.
As for Le Fey, she's been depowerfied.

Yeah, I like this way too. Mine was a little darker with Dick kicking Scarecrow out. Personally, I found that personally more satisfying, but as always Kris finds something perhaps a little more in tune with DCAU but keeping the humour factor.

I always wanted Scarecrow and Le Fey to be jointly saying "Who the %^*! are you?", but that would be a little too far much...

Well he's not the Spirit of Vengeance any more, so he'll have to deal with it. Besides, I rather think he'd be more bothered by what was done to Dana.

Yah, I think it might have originally been in an early draft - or maybe in the script descrip that Terry has a green glow when he returns as he has been returned by the Spectre on the terms of a bargain, a bargain which delivers Terry and his friends in return for Bruce's soul. Seemed logical that Terry might have a hand tipped in favour of his success over Le Fey by the Spectre. This power would not remain beyond its necessity. While we don't explain this, given the nature of the pact and the visual element, I think there is just about enough to carry the plotpoint without patronizing the reader.

Poor girl, she's been in and out of consciousness since half way through RotJ.

I think its hilarious that she's not had one cognitive moment in the entire DKA run.

[EDIT] that's what I get for waiting to spell check, James goes and beats me to it![/QUOTE]

 

[Reverend]

Here's a little something to keep you folks interested while you wait for the next strip and since we only really got to show it off in one panel...

It's a set of alternative designs and colour schemes for Kara/Tea's "Superwoman Beyond" costume.
I think the one we ended up going with was #1 sans the cape and a slightly darker shade of blue on the tights.

 

[ShadowStar]

Awesome designs. They even eclipse some of the real DCAU designs in my eyes. Great stuff. I'm really looking forward to the next strip. I guess it'll be a straight run of strips through to the end, since there are only six left?

 

[James]

Awesome designs. They even eclipse some of the real DCAU designs in my eyes. Great stuff. I'm really looking forward to the next strip. I guess it'll be a straight run of strips through to the end, since there are only six left?

Depends on Kris. Well, I'm looking at an extra strip which is more a bookend to DKA rather than specifically related to the story itself, but yes we have around 5-6 left. I can't honestly recall the precise number.

We have one more that will go up tomorrow night.

 

[Mr. A]

Wow, Thanks for the bonus material there are some really neat, and very different looking costumes in there. Design number seven almost looks like a "Legion of Superheroes" costume. I do like the first one though - equal parts Galatea, Power Girl and Batman Beyond era Superman. (Its nice he let her wear the S-shield )
I love these little extras (I'm proud to have copies of both versions of strip number 36 ).

Looking back I keep finding more and more little hints that Kara was actually Galatea, from the short hair to her brash temperament. (Enough to make me bang my head for not picking it up earlier anyway)

As for strip #66, Great job as always, with nice character moments for Dick and Barb. For somebody who's supposedly not a fan of the Former Boy Wonder, you sure do have a knack for writing cool moments for him. It really does make me regret never seeing an official DCAU take on the character (and dread seeing the end of his appearances in Stripped).
At the risk of sounding like a broken record I hope we learn more about the mysterious exchange from way back in the beginning where he and Bruce talk about the person Dick appears to have killed (even if only as another message board extra).

Its funny, but even before I read the commentary I kind of had a suspicion that Dick might have had something to do with Scarecrow's exit. (Ya know there's nothing in the strip's dialogue that explicitly says he didn't kick him out when no one was looking )
Its a truly great ironic punishment for both of the self-proclaimed Gods to be stuck as absolute rulers of...absolutely nothing. (also nice continuity with Scarecrow's one eye, a detail I didn't pick up till my second reading)

Lastly, James, going by your sig, would I be wrong in detecting another Jeeves and Bertie fan?

 

[James]

Wow, Thanks for the bonus material there are some really neat, and very different looking costumes in there. Design number seven almost looks like a "Legion of Superheroes" costume. I do like the first one though - equal parts Galatea, Power Girl and Batman Beyond era Superman. (Its nice he let her wear the S-shield )
I love these little extras (I'm proud to have copies of both versions of strip number 36 ).

Kris' work on Tea's costume is brilliant, and it was not out of maliciousness that I didn't really find room to give it a visual note in the strip, just hard to find the room in these strips for such a showcase and of course, finding time to seriously look at rendering these great models. I'm glad he's posted them here. Certainly worth looking at.

[quote[Looking back I keep finding more and more little hints that Kara was actually Galatea, from the short hair to her brash temperament. (Enough to make me bang my head for not picking it up earlier anyway)[/quote]

That was the intention - we wanted there to be enough clues on a second run, though we were terrified - with this and the Spectre's debut - that people would get it before the reveal.

As for strip #66, Great job as always, with nice character moments for Dick and Barb. For somebody who's supposedly not a fan of the Former Boy Wonder, you sure do have a knack for writing cool moments for him. It really does make me regret never seeing an official DCAU take on the character (and dread seeing the end of his appearances in Stripped).

Yeah, I find that pretty unbelievable as well. I think I've always found bitter characters more interesting than gung ho apple pie ones, by TNBA, Dick was actually becoming a really interesting and attractive character - just a pity they couldn't give him a less interesting and more attractive haircut...

At the risk of sounding like a broken record I hope we learn more about the mysterious exchange from way back in the beginning where he and Bruce talk about the person Dick appears to have killed (even if only as another message board extra).

Have no fear, there will be a commentary on that, be it on message board or strip I will not say as of yet.

Its funny, but even before I read the commentary I kind of had a suspicion that Dick might have had something to do with Scarecrow's exit. (Ya know there's nothing in the strip's dialogue that explicitly says he didn't kick him out when no one was looking )

Fair point! That's good, because I've always liked the idea that Dick would kick him out. I kind of feel he's the only one who would have the backbone to do it, and just deal with the personal moral baggage that comes with it. I like the idea that Dick isn't hard and unfeeling to his old morality, he just accepts and deals with it. He'd feel bad for throwing Scarecrow out, as young Dick would, but he could now reconcile the pain as a necessity and carry the guilt effortlessly - maybe even better that Bruce.

Its a truly great ironic punishment for both of the self-proclaimed Gods to be stuck as absolute rulers of...absolutely nothing. (also nice continuity with Scarecrow's one eye, a detail I didn't pick up till my second reading)

Someone who thinks alike. And of course, Scarecrow, from taking satisfaction of inducing fear from all around, he's left in a dimension with no one to take a fix from (I hardly think Scarecrow will get much luck with Le Fey). Both suffer their ultimate punishments.

Lastly, James, going by your sig, would I be wrong in detecting another Jeeves and Bertie fan?

Big Wodehouse fan period. Actually a little more of a Brandings Castle fan these days, but yes, I've always been a big Jeeves and Wooster fanatic.

Discussion to be continued in DKA Presents - "Batman Beyond: Stripped" Talkback, Part 3 (Spoilers).

Thread closed.