Saturday, August 15, 2015

Fantastic Four - The Crash - P. A. Nolte


1/ The moon at night.  A wisp of smoke drifts up from something unseen below the panel's edge.

Caption: "Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable, let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all." ~ Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

2/ Where the smoke is coming from.  The crumpled hull of what was once a mighty spacecraft softly reflects the fire that has claimed the more flammable materials within.  Leaning against what appears to be a mostly intact doorframe is the figure of a man on fire.  He seems unconcerned by the fact, like he has yet to grasp that, yes, he is a man on fire.

Johnny: Is-- Is everyone okay?

To his right, a young woman.  Blonde.  She wears a suit similar to his, constructed to resist the vacuum of space, the pressure of the bottom of the ocean, and who knows what else.  As she props herself up on one arm and rubs her temple with her opposite hand, she glimmers in the light, fading in and out of visibility.

Susan: Reed!  Where's Reed?!  Did he--

In the foreground, a pile of rocks in the shape of a man lunges forward.  How two legs can carry such bulk is anyone's guess, but somehow they do.  Piercing the darkness beyond the crash site, from under a heavy brow of stone, two blue eyes.  The hand that has reached out in front of them is heavy.  Made from the same crude stone as the rest of the figure.  There are only three fingers and a thumb, instead of the usual four.

Ben: Over here!  He doesn't look good...

2 comments:

  1. A lovely page, Phil. The opening quote sets the scene really well, and leads us into a beautifully written near-splash. I like the interspersing of panel description and dialogue. Sets the scene in a way keeping them separate just wouldn't be able to do. I would love to see the artist who could properly render this page.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Grant. I have to admit that this week was giving me quite the challenge. Seeing the new movie only made things worse. Taking things back to the very beginning was a last resort, but I'm glad it worked for at least one person.

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