The Epilogue: "Literally, your actual ass." - Page 14

nyttyn · 06-02-2010, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mondt

So FF12 and 13 are a waste?

Was that the punchline?

The universe hates black mage.

The Manic Magician · 06-02-2010, 06:47 AM

I'm sure this is becoming a bit of a broken record, but here I am, another member who never got around registering until the end of a good thing. The end of a great thing if you want to get technical about it. For every beginning there is an end, for what has once begun must come to its conclusion. I knew this day was coming, I both looked forward to it and dreaded it all at the same time. The end meant closure, knowledge of where the story was meant to wrap its final words. It's like reading an absolutely fantastic book; you rush through it, eating up every word and every detail, completely transfixed with the story, the characters and the writing. Your need for more cannot be gratified quick enough, no reading speed fast enough to sate the desire to know what lies on that next page.

But then, before you know the story has no more pages to give, you are forced to look down on the final page in the entire story, words closing the story forever more and with this bittersweet knowledge you look back on the path you have come and wish that it could have been longer. Could have been more. Now that the end is clear, you feel as though you have tread recklessly fast to the final paragraph in this beautiful story. I have had the absolute pleasure of reading dozens of books like this in my lifetime, but this is the first time I have ever read a webcomic and had that same feeling dwelling within my gut. I knew this day would come, the ending an inevitable of a wonderful story. Now that the end is undeniably come, I feel both content and saddened; fulfilled but panged.

I guess you can say I am in mourning, for a friend that used to be and now, shall be nothing more than memory.

I can go back and read it all again; undoubtedly I will. The jokes will make me laugh, the irony that is hidden beneath every plot will make me smile. I will find myself rooting for the light heroes, no matter how terrible their deeds. I will cheer for the triumphs, laugh at their follies, smile knowingly when their deeds' earnings come back down on them again and boo when they are truly put through unjust conflict. I will continue to pass the story along to others and speak of this webcomic like any book I cherish. Much of the story has become a part of me, just like other epic tales that I have so loyally followed. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays held meaning for me, and now once more they simply be what they were before- days of the week, that come and go unnoticed but for other rare few events worth noting.

I was not an original follower, I am sad to say. The story was over five years in when I first stumbled upon it, catching word of it from the Dead Ale Wives 8bit reenactment on Newgrounds and a couple other references following. However, once exposed, I found myself reading hundreds of pages daily, around school and work, enjoying the story that unfolded and epic tale that will be forever remembered.

Someone mentioned that Black mage showed no change, I respectfully disagree, his interactions with fighter show a great deal of change. Much the same as the beginning, fighter goes on and on about adventure, and Black mage grumbles and argues. The scenario is the same, but is mannerisms have changed. The implied tone is less than evil, simply annoyed. No threats, no inner dialogues about destruction and death, just simple pessimism. The whole of his person cannot shift, but at the core, he seems to have come to terms with a lot about himself. The only character left completely unchanged appeared to be fighter, albeit his Sword chucks.

Thank you for all the years, Brian. Your effort never went unnoticed or unappreciated by myself or others I have turned into followers.

Sorry for the long post, but I guess I have some years to make up for.

PS: Should all the pages be redrawn, would an 8bit book collection be more feasible? I know I would purchase one, no matter the cost, if one were ever to become available.

MSperoni · 06-02-2010, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Manic Magician

... no matter the cost...

I can't help but read this as if Optimus Prime were saying it.

Geminex · 06-02-2010, 07:12 AM

Having 8-bit theatre redrawn by Matt Speroni is the right of all sentient beings!

Edit:
And am I the only one thinking that some of the Speroni art totally needs to be amongst the selection of art on the top left hand side?

Greenjolt · 06-02-2010, 07:28 AM

just the way the characters would wind up after the chaos insident....or at least the way it should be. none of them have changed lol just perfect. the art was amazing brian. fighter's and BM's ending, i cant think of any other way they should have wound up. lol back to the armor of invincibility it would seem. if only BM had agreed to the soldier recruitment thing, he wouldve been like cloud, only more evil and powerfull...well not physically powerfull i guess.

thanks brian, may God bless your future

MSperoni · 06-02-2010, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geminex

And am I the only one thinking that some of the Speroni art totally needs to be amongst the selection of art on the top left hand side?

There's a pic of Wong that sometimes pops up, but I think a White Mage pic taken from the Epiclogue and plopped up there would be cute

I wonder, if (big if) I were to do another hand-drawn page of 8-bit what the best page for it would be?

Meister · 06-02-2010, 08:09 AM

One of those from the time where Black Mage was in full Evil Energies mode and started team killing. Started team killing more effectively than usual, that is. Or something from the class change arc, Red Mage mimicking a Hadoken. Might as well go all out is what I'm saying.

Geminex · 06-02-2010, 08:16 AM

Yeah, I was thinking a white-mage. Though there's close-ups of every light warrior in the epilogue, we could do all of them. WM from panel 3 or 19 (where she's talking about finding thief). RM from panel 10, where he has his fingers steepled, and they're talking about why he doesn't hate WM. Thief from panel 23, that's really the only close-up we have of him. Fighter and BM from panels 31 and 32, respectively. Both, because their expression totally match their character there.
And by "we" I mean "somebody else".

Quote:

I wonder, if (big if) I were to do another hand-drawn page of 8-bit what the best page for it would be?

I have no idea. Maybe the ones were BM goes all epic-evil and kills the fiends? We'd get a view of super-powered black mage, the light warrior, and the fiends. And the dark warriors too? I'm not sure.
But anyway, that's just off the top of my head. There's gotta be a few people who're re-reading the comics now that they've concluded. Perhapse they could make some suggestions.

No matter which page you choose, it'd be awesome. Obviously. Go Matt!

Edit: Ninja'd by Meister. Yeah, those parts. They'd work really well in non-sprite-based art. A lot of the other scenes might be cool, but might not really capture the... spirit? of the comic. I dunno. Does it have spirit? Does it have a soul?
Anyway, you get my point.

MSperoni · 06-02-2010, 08:39 AM

I could post a poll with 1224 options

It'd be a hell of a poll!

KillBill · 06-02-2010, 08:54 AM

I want to see all 1224 pages hand-drawn by tomorrow! Chop chop!

06-02-2010, 06:47 AM	#132
The Manic Magician Goomba Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 2	Long Ass Post From the One Post Wonder I'm sure this is becoming a bit of a broken record, but here I am, another member who never got around registering until the end of a good thing. The end of a great thing if you want to get technical about it. For every beginning there is an end, for what has once begun must come to its conclusion. I knew this day was coming, I both looked forward to it and dreaded it all at the same time. The end meant closure, knowledge of where the story was meant to wrap its final words. It's like reading an absolutely fantastic book; you rush through it, eating up every word and every detail, completely transfixed with the story, the characters and the writing. Your need for more cannot be gratified quick enough, no reading speed fast enough to sate the desire to know what lies on that next page. But then, before you know the story has no more pages to give, you are forced to look down on the final page in the entire story, words closing the story forever more and with this bittersweet knowledge you look back on the path you have come and wish that it could have been longer. Could have been more. Now that the end is clear, you feel as though you have tread recklessly fast to the final paragraph in this beautiful story. I have had the absolute pleasure of reading dozens of books like this in my lifetime, but this is the first time I have ever read a webcomic and had that same feeling dwelling within my gut. I knew this day would come, the ending an inevitable of a wonderful story. Now that the end is undeniably come, I feel both content and saddened; fulfilled but panged. I guess you can say I am in mourning, for a friend that used to be and now, shall be nothing more than memory. I can go back and read it all again; undoubtedly I will. The jokes will make me laugh, the irony that is hidden beneath every plot will make me smile. I will find myself rooting for the light heroes, no matter how terrible their deeds. I will cheer for the triumphs, laugh at their follies, smile knowingly when their deeds' earnings come back down on them again and boo when they are truly put through unjust conflict. I will continue to pass the story along to others and speak of this webcomic like any book I cherish. Much of the story has become a part of me, just like other epic tales that I have so loyally followed. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays held meaning for me, and now once more they simply be what they were before- days of the week, that come and go unnoticed but for other rare few events worth noting. I was not an original follower, I am sad to say. The story was over five years in when I first stumbled upon it, catching word of it from the Dead Ale Wives 8bit reenactment on Newgrounds and a couple other references following. However, once exposed, I found myself reading hundreds of pages daily, around school and work, enjoying the story that unfolded and epic tale that will be forever remembered. Someone mentioned that Black mage showed no change, I respectfully disagree, his interactions with fighter show a great deal of change. Much the same as the beginning, fighter goes on and on about adventure, and Black mage grumbles and argues. The scenario is the same, but is mannerisms have changed. The implied tone is less than evil, simply annoyed. No threats, no inner dialogues about destruction and death, just simple pessimism. The whole of his person cannot shift, but at the core, he seems to have come to terms with a lot about himself. The only character left completely unchanged appeared to be fighter, albeit his Sword chucks. Thank you for all the years, Brian. Your effort never went unnoticed or unappreciated by myself or others I have turned into followers. Sorry for the long post, but I guess I have some years to make up for. PS: Should all the pages be redrawn, would an 8bit book collection be more feasible? I know I would purchase one, no matter the cost, if one were ever to become available.

06-02-2010, 07:12 AM	#134
Geminex SOM3WH3R3 Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4,606	Having 8-bit theatre redrawn by Matt Speroni is the right of all sentient beings! Edit: And am I the only one thinking that some of the Speroni art totally needs to be amongst the selection of art on the top left hand side? Last edited by Geminex; 06-02-2010 at 07:16 AM.

06-02-2010, 07:28 AM	#135
Greenjolt Troopa Join Date: May 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 37	just the way the characters would wind up after the chaos insident....or at least the way it should be. none of them have changed lol just perfect. the art was amazing brian. fighter's and BM's ending, i cant think of any other way they should have wound up. lol back to the armor of invincibility it would seem. if only BM had agreed to the soldier recruitment thing, he wouldve been like cloud, only more evil and powerfull...well not physically powerfull i guess. thanks brian, may God bless your future __________________ I have all the answers in my head. I just havn't found them yet.

06-02-2010, 08:39 AM	#139
MSperoni Artist and Writer of Comics Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 2,666	I could post a poll with 1224 options It'd be a hell of a poll! __________________ I do commissions! So Email me if you'd like anything and we'll work out the details! matts_1104@yahoo.com Follow me on Twitter for Dreadful news and random info! (though mostly it's just me babbling about nerd-stuff) http://twitter.com/#!/mSperoni Check out my Deviant Art page if you'd like to see other pictures I've made! http://exmile.deviantart.com/ Follow The Dreadful on Facebook!

06-02-2010, 08:09 AM	#137
Meister Pure joy Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 10,689	One of those from the time where Black Mage was in full Evil Energies mode and started team killing. Started team killing more effectively than usual, that is. Or something from the class change arc, Red Mage mimicking a Hadoken. Might as well go all out is what I'm saying.

06-02-2010, 08:54 AM	#140
KillBill Troopa Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 71	I want to see all 1224 pages hand-drawn by tomorrow! Chop chop!