Reversal of Fortune

Can't wait for the follow-up, it was a real treat to read the strip each day!

 

I have heard everything about Aayla's death, but I still thinking that they will guive her a chance. There is a lot of people out there thinking how does they will write that Aayla is alive. Be optimists. If she have a great demand, probably the OS will save her.

Also, if Aayla is to survive then I personally hope there will be a good and plausible explanation for her survival, because any incredible and unfeasable stratagem to just bring the character back would in fact cheapen the great character that is Aayla and not be honorable to all the sublime work Jan and John have put into creating and fleshing out her character into such a realistic, multi-dimensional persona.

 

I hate to tell you this, but she is truly dead. There is no coming back from this, seriously. What we did in the strip is basically what was cut from the film. The word was handed down from the very top on this... the top being George himself.

I stated before, I actually censored myself in what I showed in that "death" panel. my original intent was to show her basically cut in half from the heavy blaster fire. I held back out of respect to the fans and to the character. But the violence of her death is shown in that panel also.

Sorry, isanpa... but she's gone.

And no one deserves more respect then Jan and John for the work they put into Aayla. They took an EU character and made her more popular then even some characters in the films... so much so, Lucas put her in the PT. A lot to be said about that. I am hoping that one of these Padawan's makes it beyond the webstrip and into a novel or even the TV series.

 

Sad to finally know she is gone, after the rumours. Although, I anxiously wait for the sequel, Vader dammmit!

 

whens the new one supposed to start up?

 

Sometime in July.

 

Will SW.com run a few features before its release? I hope so, they hyped ROF up quite a lot, and no doubt the sequel will be more popular, as peoples interest in Vader has risen more.

 

Tom, will Vader play a "major" role in this strip or will he merely have a cameo appearance much like Obi-wan and Anakin did in RoF? What about Obi-wan in this strip? Any hope of seeing him return just as quick nod? Thanks.

 

Vader plays a very important Role as far as I can tell. Paul has sent me Part One of the story and it is LOADED with Vader AND Palpatine. This story begins just a few months after the end of EpIII, so we still have a newly suited Vader.

I can tell you that it's freakin' sweet!

I'm loving getting first crack at Post-EpIII Vader and Palpatine! I should be starting to do thumbnails within the next week or so! Just waiting on final approvals.

I would imagine sw.com will post something shortly before the new strip debuts.

Thus far, I can tell you it'll be worth the wait!

Anyone going to San Diego Comic Con?

 

Thanks TDH ... sounds awesome!

 

That is truly sweetness for my eyes. Am eagerly awaiting the webstrip. Will we get to learn how the padawans got off of Felucia...assuming they do?

 

Wow, would this be, then, the first comic book based retelling of Vader post-ROTS? I know that there is lots of stuff planned, and the James Luceno, as well as the stories in Star Wars Visionaries, but is this new webstrip the first real tangible Vader story?

 

Yup.

 

I was unable to prep a new sketchbook for SDCC, but it will be ready for the Fall shows. Should be ready by Sept/Oct.

Had a great show, a GREAT show. I'll just repost what happened here from my live journal post but add to it:

I have done a lot of Cons... A LOT of Cons and this was my 4th year in Artist Alley. This was by far the best I've done.

Between the Parties (3 really good industry parties - Master Replicas, Gentle Giant/Lucasfilm and last nights Graffitti Graphix "End of Con" Party) Seeing footage of "Superman Returns" (OMFGOAPS!!! {oh my **** god on a pogo stick}), Hanging with Adam and Allison (when Adam and I get together, we seem to giggle like crackheads in a crack store "buy 1 get 100 free" sale) Getting to know Jeff Cambell (Adam, Jeff and I geeked out at the GG/LFL party when the 3 of us had a conversation with Ben Burtt and then discussing Comics/Star Wars and Video games)

A MAJOR Highlight was this:
[image=http://www.tomhodges.com/art_posting/Nat-Tom%20small.jpg]

(If the picture tells me anything, I need a diet and exercise program... FAST!)

She was very sweet and I was lucky enough to get in there while they changed film cartridges, so as Adam put it, "We had a moment." LOL

She was seriously so, so sweet. I was lucky enough to get in while they reloaded and I did NOT mention SW, I walked in and said hello, she had a HUGE smile on her face when I told her "Beautiful Girls" was one of my favorite movies... she giggled and said, "WOW! You have such great Energy!" She said I was sweet, Steve Sansweet told her what I do for them and she said it sounded like fun. I was glad not to act like a serious geek and talk Star Wars. She seemed really at ease.

Met with Killian Plunkett... freakin' awesome guy. Wait til I scan the sketch he did for me! He joined a bunch of us for dinner and I wish I had chatted up more with him there, but there will be other shows. Great Guy. David Rabbitte was also in attendence, another fine guy as was Mike Lilly.

Russell WAlks is not only an amazing artist, but a pisser. The guy cracks me up. Hooked Cat (Staggs, who was seated with myself and Adam Hughes in BB all week at Con) and myself up with some beautiful prints and sketchbooks. Matt Busch and Sarah shared a suite with myself, my wife Terri and Cat. I can tell you Matt is awesome and sarah is just plain gorgeous in person and a total sweetheart to boot!

At the GG/LFL party, we all told her she was a J.Scott Campbell drawing... SHE LOOKS JUST LIKE ABBEY CHASE!!!!! NO joke, the SW.com pics do her NO justice... Hell, J Campbell thought she looked exactly like Abbey and HE CREATED HER! I will post pics soon...

I broke my "New Mission Statement" and inked and toned all the sketches. I will likely only do that at shows. I also only did 15 full sketches, which is what I wanted and I was booked by early Friday morning. I will, however, have a new sketchbook by Mid-September and will offer it online through my site... all new material.

So much more... little time... will tell more later

 

Ahhh, sounds amazing, so nice that you got to see Natalie Portman. Well done!

 

Tom, you dawg, you.

 

shouldn't the new strip be starting this week? since it was said it should start up in july?

 

Pay attention to the Official Site this week.

That's about all I can say.

 

I think it's time to move any discussion about the new webstrip to this thread:

Evasive Action Thread