Just experimenting. Not sure what to think yet, though. We'll see. Think I got a little too goofy with the second panel, maybe.
New page, and new vote sketches up, including something I guess you could count as fan art. I wouldn't send it in to the guy, though. Wonderella deserves something a lot more polished. You should read it, you'll see what I mean. It's literally one of the funniest comics out there, no lie.
And before I forget, like last time: Someone asked if we'll ever get to read any of Ben's writing. Honestly, I don't know yet. It's kind of the same way I've been carefully avoiding mentioning anything about how Gene's band sounds. I'm not a musician, I'm not a songwriter, and my grasp of prose is pretty unsatisfactory. And while Ben isn't a savant like Gene is, I'm pretty darn sure he's better at it than me. If the story calls for it, I'll give it a shot, because I should. But anything I'll credit to him will probably be something I'll have to write and re-write and re-re-write for a week in advance. And will probably still come off sounding a little strange. We'll see.
By the way, if you guys ever have the chance to try fresh lychee or rambutan, go for it. I'm all for buying local produce and being a responsible consumer and all. Hell, I'm on my way to the farmer's market right after this post. But until American farmers can grow little Koosh balls that taste like Froot Loops stateside, I'm gonna hafta stay hypocritical.
And it's Stacey for the win!
Really, should have seen that coming.
I mistrust the look on Reagan's face. If she's not actively up to something then it at least heralds an unheard of degree of teasing for Ben later on. I predict at least one 'Girlfriend' joke.
But Reagan has dibs on Ben from way back in March of '06...
I kind of like the aura thing, in the second panel.
I kind of like the aura thing, in the second panel.
YAY FOR LYCHEE!!! New Orleans, LA has Hong Kong Market - a HUGE oriental grocery store the size of a Wal-Mart. I miss lychee soda and jelly straws, but I'm gonna go next week :-)
Lychee = terrific. Last time I had anything like was easily ... what, four years ago? Five?
@ Spike (if she notices this post): Have you considered maybe collaborating with a third party to create 'samples' of some of Ben's writing? That could be interesting, but at the same time, I could easily see why you wouldn't want to let 'Templar' into anybody else's grubby little mitts.
Oh, oh my. I can relate to Scipio's expression there. And Curio is pretty frightening in the last panel.
Lychee is great, I had some in a bubble tea-like drink. I loved the texture it had. It reminds me of pineapple a bit, but thicker and doesn't try to digest you back. I also have some lychee blossom tea. It smells the same as the fruit, but it's kinda hard to brew. First time I got it too strong and it tasted like fabric softener smells.
Just wanted to say I'm loving Templar, Arizona. The writing's excellent and your style is just great!
Mmmm...King Street guilt.
The first background was cool, with the suggestion of tag/graffiti. The second was a little strange, but I was too tickled with the expression on Reagan's face to care. Also, it tickles me that Gene is still trying to figure out a way to not have Ben be totally musically inept. If Gene tries to teach Ben to play the harmonica, I will die laughing. Or I'll start to, but decide that if I continue living, I can see more of this comic. CANT...STAY...AWAY....
Adopted! That's, like, SOOOO cool and edgy! I mean, I thought maybe Ben was like, only half Asian; you know, Polish dad, Chinese mom, or something, but oh my gawd. I had this friend who was adopted. He was a really deep guy, I mean really, and he wrote lots of amazing poetry arghh I can't keep this crap up any longer.
Poor Curio. She's tryin' way, WAY too hard - and wasting the effort on a guy who wouldn't have a clue that there'd be a social stigma to living on King Street.
Holy jesus Curio is an annoying git. I don't know if that's what you're going for, and if it is then it works for the strip, but DAMN.
Honestly that last panel rather off-putting...
hey! If you're looking for a writer I could fill the job description. I am indeed Asian. I get asked whether or not I'm Asian annoyingly often (honestly, my name is VIET), and I happen to be immensly passive in life and likely to smoke later on as Ben is.
I think I've +friended you on Myspace.
samples of my writing::
http://indyfluency.com/all.php?u=70
South Saint Jude in particular has roots in Templar-esque deviance.
- Viet
Lychee is great. Back in college, I'd get cans of one of the lychee drinks (along with the sugar cane and chrysanthemum) and have them as a treat once in a while. Strangely enough, they have LESS sugar than pop despite being sweeter. I need to find some of the good Asian markets here in Chicago before too long.
I have a few friends who have the same overenthusiasm as Curio does, but thankfully none of them are quite as vapid. And I love Reagan's expression - it's a perfect harbinger of the merciless grief she's going to give Ben for it later.
The backgrounds didn't bother me a bit. It's better than just a blank wall, to be sure.
I dunno, despite the fact that she is a little annoying and just a leeeetle hypocritical, I really like Curio in this moment. Part of it's pity, but part of it is that she reminds me so much of a 'intellectual bohemian' stereotype that thinks it understands the plights of the underprivileged, even if the 'underprivileged' don't really care all that much about what she might have to say on the matter. In fact, almost all of Templar has this nice after-aroma of class conflict, though I'm sure that's been pointed out before.
Thanks Spike for answering my questions! I would indeed love to see some of Ben's writing, and should you need a fairly polished prose writer to look over any examples you might right up, I wouldn't mind, though I'd completely understand if you wanted to make everything in Templar totally yours without any outside influence. I must say, it's worked great so far!
Poor Curio. It is so sad watching her put so much effort into being liked. For a total ditz, she seems very sweet. Her level of social awkwardness combined with the fact that she's so physically attractive...I know that girl gets her heart broken on the regular.
Moze seems to have reached a level of lechery that borders on zen. He's gone into filthy and come out the other side. He's sweet, too, in his own perverted way. It's always nice to see someone who is completely comfortable with what he is.
Honestly, I think Moze and Curio's respective levels of comfort with what they are is why Moze is so attractive and Curio isn't. The juxtaposition is even more fun considering that Moze is physically repulsive and Curio is very good-looking.
The comic is inspirational. You set the bar high, for what this is. I try to keep up with you in my own work.
As Dr. Lecter said, "It must be quite something to know you in your private life, Clarice."
I really like the backgrounds, even the little aura thing. It's... I don't know, comic-y. I like weird things like that though.
And Regan's expression reminds me of a person looking at an ugly dog and thinking, "Aww, look, it's trying to be cute." I'm adoring that expression.
And this is the first time I've ever really like Curio. She's a good person, and she means well, she's just not all together... there as far as social goes. Although, I don't know if I'd be able to peronally put up with the constant jabbering as long as Ben. But, then again, I'm not male and standing at boob level. Haha.
I like how glowy Reagen is in the second panel. Combined with her little smirk it makes her look EXTRA SINISTER.
Curio's kind of adorable, with how desperate and weirdly sincere she is.
I really, really, really hate them, I promise. Puppy dog eyes. etc.
Reminds me of the rich kid who transfered to my middle school and then kept insisting that A, he wasn't rich, and B, he was really interested in skateboarding.
I can't stay silent any longer.
I am IN LOVE with this comic and want to have ten BILLION of its illicit trans-dimensional babies.
^___^b
OK, Charmee wins the crazy fan award for that one :)
Spike,
You should come to Hawai'i - here in Hilo, lychee is not only in season, you can get a bag for $2 at the farmer's market.
*chomps on lychee* mmmmmm
-jason
Two words: Lychee Pocky. The strangest combination on Earth. And yet, strangely satisfying.
Love the backgrounds too; they really call attention to what's going on. i.e., the first panel is wild and crazy when Curio's being insane, and the second panel is somewhat conspiratorial...
Damn you, Badger! First Mal, now you're stealing MY ideas!
But yeah, I was thinking third-party, too. My reasoning being that Ben is an outsider to Templar, same as us. Guided by Reagan, we're all getting this same point of view, the same impressions, the same experiences. Someone could write as the comic unfolds and be no further ahead than Ben himself.
I love the aura background as well.
And I love the king street guilt.
And I think Reagan's expression is hilarious. She's like 'haha aww poor guy'.
It's like she pities him for being around somebody so overpoweringly stupid.
*repeats other comments*
But i relly MEAN it.
I like the backgrounds, even the little aura thing.