John Buscema - Thor 247 p2

Page c panel 1 - another suspensful bit where were not sure if Firelord is still under hypnosis or what - note the expression on the girl's face - pretty worried but still defiant - panel 2 - fire is exagerated for dramatic effect - jewel hidden fromview for suspense... panel 3 - good body language on girl - hair, flame and hand all intertwine to focus attention on jewel, Firelord neutral body language for suspense... panel 4 - enlarged, tensed hand perfectly illustrates girl's desperate action and domineering character, links Firelord's face( expression is neutral yet somewhat willful) with his hand (that's holding the jewel). Page c panel 5 - close-up of fist - climax - as the latina girl's plans definitively crumble, dig the almost symbolic focus as the source of her powers and plans are crushed. panel6 - essentially the same as panel 1 - except expressions and composition show a reversed balance of power - this is the fourthclose-up of her face over 3 pages and one can see a progression of her expression from defiant to defeated panel 7 - quick-cut transition - great dynamic shot - creates a new tense situation... /  

stuff:

Page 33 of that strip I'm doing, fresh off the griddle... introducing Wulfgar the Dane and another character known only as 'The Masked Knight'...

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John Buscema - Thor 247 p1

  a mexican stand-off sequence that John Buscema drew inThor#247. It strikes me as a real cool bit of storytelling business. I'm not saying that the Marvel style is the only way to layout a story - to me, there are many ways to skin a cat, but for this particular type of scene, I do feel that it's exceptionally well handled... / Page a - a catfight with knives - that's freaky! The revolutionario pulls out a gun - OK - Classic Mexican standoff (figuratively and literally) - dig the 4-panel zoom with that cool eye closeup - with Jane's face reflected in the eye - that's cherché! Then suddenly... (to be continued tomorrow..) /Stuff: / Here's the 'new' Skylark : http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/ulluxyl.html 

 Page b - Panel 1 - big Kirby climax panel (Thor breaks free from mind-control)- great diagonal 'x' composition - but he also winds up hammer - creates tension... Panel 2 ... release - a hammer flying - clever - prolongs the suspense of the standoff... Panel 3 - another Kirby climax panel - cool how the unusual overhead view allows for justapostion of gun, hammer, and hand in one focused area - panel 4 - Basically the same panel as in page a, panel 3 (repetition of a dramatic image reinforces suspense) . Great facial expression - Defiant but getting worried... knife keeps suspense going... panel 5 - arms and knife bring focus on jewel - Jane is shown in-between grabbing the jewel and pulling it off - more suspense... panel 6 - Dramatic fire in foreground - Fire, action line and straps all converge focus on jewel - action shows thrown object in mid-flight... more suspense... Buscema is milking this for all its worth...