Who should be the focus of the first strip for Book 4? (SPOILERS)

[SteveDJ]

Ok people, we are half way through the hiatus (11 days down, 11 days to go), so I figure it is ok to start this topic (I don't think it has already been done, has it? If so, my appologies.)

Strip #484 ended with a brief look at all the major players. I would not expect that #485, the first strip in the next Book, to do the same. I expect it will just focus on one set of characters.

The question is: Who should that first strip focus on, and why?

Myself, I'm hoping to see Haley and Belkar, and how they are fairing while trapped inside the city.

[Dragon_Keeper]

It could start out with an intermission strip, showing the further adventures of the Order of the Snack

[Korias]

The first strip is going to be of Roy and his dad bickering. Start off where you leave off.

[Dr. Magic]

I would guess Xykon and Redcloak would make the most sense. Everyone else is busy not doing anything - they're actually doing something. Him, OR subplot characters like the Linear Guild or the shadow boat man.

[Tirian]

Mail Call.

[Admiral_Kelly]

Something that comes off as entirely irrelevant.

[Theodoriph]

I have a feeling it will be Haley and Belkar, but really he could pretty much go to anyone. Although learning more about Kubota and the red text guy would be nice.

[Tirian]

I have a feeling it will be Haley and Belkar, but really he could pretty much go to anyone. Although learning more about Kubota and the red text guy would be nice.

I wouldn't bet on it -- there was a really long gap between the first "appearance" of Miko and actually, you know, seeing her. Heck, if Rich decides to make an arc of Roy in the afterlife, this guy might not get revealed until #600.

[Icewalker]

That's a good question...you know...how many subplots of characters are there now?


Redcloak, Xykon, and the MitD all should count as one, I think, as they will soon be together assumably without incident.

Haley, Belkar, and Stiffy.

Elan, Durkon, Vaarsuvius, and Hinjo.

Kubota, the Orc-related Assassin, and the mysterious demony voice guy (soon to be intertwined with the above, I might guess)

Linear Guild.


Oh, and Roy and his dad.



That's all, right?
Kinda reminds me of the Reality Dysfunction books. Anywhere from 3 to about 8 plots running together at any one time, often barely connected (although these are a little more so.)

[Mugen Nightgale]

Rich loves mysterious characters, so i guess it will be Haley and Belkar "surviving". And Roy rolling will saves to "not kill his dad again".

[Theodoriph]

I wouldn't bet on it -- there was a really long gap between the first "appearance" of Miko and actually, you know, seeing her. Heck, if Rich decides to make an arc of Roy in the afterlife, this guy might not get revealed until #600.


Yeah...although he will be trying to kill the order over the next little while, so hopefully it won't be as long as it was with Miko. :smallbiggrin: Unless he's like a Dr. Claw type figure.

[Dragon_Keeper]

Yeah...although he will be trying to kill the order over the next little while, so hopefully it won't be as long as it was with Miko. :smallbiggrin: Unless he's like a Dr. Claw type figure.

Actually it will be Kubota and the Ninja trying to kill the order with the mystery guy working behind the scenes. He probably won't be shown until Kubota is defeated.

[malakim2099]

It should be Roy and Dad (and possibly Miko) dealing with the Afterlife. And possibly Roy needing to do a Quest of some kind, as befits the Heroes' Journey.

Heck, we've had everyone else on screen for a LONG time now without Roy doing anything but playing "Weekend at Bernies". He deserves some face time for the next stretch.

[Tirian]

My hunch is that they're going to put off Roy for a while yet -- when his corpse is finally in a room with a ninth-level cleric and a 5K diamond, then that will be the right time to investigate the issue of whether he wants to come back. I'm sure he will, mind you, but I'm not sure that he realizes that yet.

[Highwarlord]

Somehow, I'm thinking that Roy will find heaven with his dad to seem more like hell.

[David Argall]

Based on past pattern, the next strip will be an intermission strip of some sort. A letters and food break have been used in the past. The new elements to the story have not been introduced for some time. Instead the strips have focused on the party preparing for the next story. That part does not seem to apply here as it seems we have one very large volume cut into two here. So the party is still right in the middle of the action. That suggests few if any preparatory strips.

So of the candidates...

Heaven scene- This can go in anywhere, and given that we now need about 180-200 pages in the new book, this looks like it will be a substantial section. Eventually Roy has to get raised, which gives us a limit and puts it towards the front, but it can be delayed for a long time. But it probably will be largely off plot, so doing it early while getting the kinks out of the plot is quite possible.

Haley and Belkar pretty much have to wait until morning, and thus will likely get little attention for 10-20 strips.

A strip explaining what the lich did ought to get early attention, but there are grounds for delaying this for some time, just to keep us wondering.

MitD meeting Redcloak and/or the lich looks likely as this should happen before Haley gets back in action for example. This is the most likely 1st plot strip.

Properly, nothing should happen at sea. They need some time to plot and recover. But we have been told that mage and cleric are sleeping to recover spells, which very likely means an attack before they wake. So we may see something of Elan vs ninjas, and fairly quickly. That could mean red voice will appear in the first strip, but of course it will not be seen for at least 50 strips.

[slayerx]

I'm saying Roy and his dad... that's something Rich has been putting off since Roy died. I mean, Roy and his dead being together in the after life was a given and yet Rich hasn't shown us anything till the most recent strip. Seems about time to get some Roy panel-time


Yeah...although he will be trying to kill the order over the next little while, so hopefully it won't be as long as it was with Miko. :smallbiggrin: Unless he's like a Dr. Claw type figure.

*gasp* so THAT's where Mr.Scruffy went!

[Sly Reference]

Yeah, there's a good chance that the first strip will be a non sequitur.

But the strip after that will most likely feature Hinjo and the crew on the ship. Why? Because Haley and Belkar are hiding for the night and Xyklon and Redcloak have just Cloistered themselves. They're both in relatively stable, "safe" locations. Hinjo and the refugees are still at sea, with Kotuba and the other lords men likely between them and any safe place. Hinjo and the others have decisions to make NOW.

They're also much more plot-central than, say, Roy and his dad. As amusing as it would be to see how those to get along (or not) and Rich's interpretation of the afterlife, it's not likely going to advance the story or any subplot very much. It would be like focusing on the two old guys in the balcony for the first Muppet Show. Possible, but not the strongest thing the strip could offer.

[TDG]

That's a good question...you know...how many subplots of characters are there now?


Redcloak, Xykon, and the MitD all should count as one, I think, as they will soon be together assumably without incident.

Haley, Belkar, and Stiffy.

Elan, Durkon, Vaarsuvius, and Hinjo.

Kubota, the Orc-related Assassin, and the mysterious demony voice guy (soon to be intertwined with the above, I might guess)

Linear Guild.


Oh, and Roy and his dad.



That's all, right?
Kinda reminds me of the Reality Dysfunction books. Anywhere from 3 to about 8 plots running together at any one time, often barely connected (although these are a little more so.)

"No small matter. Requires a lot of planning. Involves a lot of people. People connected by the slightest of events. Like whispers in the night, in that place that never forgets, even when those people do. It starts with a horse."

Clearly, this quote shows that Windstriker will feature in the first strip

[Lissou]

I vote for CitD and redcloak. because I hope it will be them :p
It sounds likely too, unless their meeting happens off-screen. But it seems to be the only thing that is about to happen in the latest strip, the other characters are pretty much going to have to wait.

Roy in the afterlife sounds possible too. personnally, I'd rather have it that Rich doesn't show it online, and that Roy doesn't want to talk about it, but having it released as a special book. That would be great. One about the afterlife of characters, in general, not only Roy, I mean.

But as Rich said he's not going to work on more projects, I guess it probably won't happen. Too bad.

[phobiandarkmoon]

Actually, there's an additional issue here - who (if anyone)is going to be the main focus of the next book? By which I mean, Roy was the main focus of the second book and had the biggest character change out of it, and likewise Haley was the focus of the third book.

So, assuming we develop one character in particular, we have a choice of Durkon, Vaarsuvius, Belkar and Elan. Assuming we space out the extra stuff so the development happens at important times for those characters (Elan vs his Dad, assuming our projections about him are right; Durkon being back in the dwarven homelands), and given the fact that Belkar is relatively soon to die, I want to back Belkar. On the other hand, Rich has shied away from giving Belkar too much backstory because it makes him tragic, not funny.

Elan would be a good candidate too, as his seperation from Haley makes a good arc to run with, so my money's on him.

But yeah, I'm guessing an intermission strip would be in order. For the one after, I'd go with Haley and Belkar regardless, because it'll be the start of a new book and therefore Rich will probably want a quick 'what's up with everyone' summary for that, so reestablishing that they are in the doodoo is important

[Dunamin]

Haley, Belkar, and Stiffy.
You mean Mr Flopsy of course, O-Chul is Mr Stiffly.

I would say Kubota and associates is the least likely, unless red-voice remains off-panel. I'm hoping for Roy, Eugene, and other local heavenly residents, personally.

Although I definitely want to prioritize focus on the Order, I must admit I'm also very interested in seeing how Hinjo will confront Kubota after this bit (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0453.html).

[TDG]

I vote for CitD and redcloak. because I hope it will be them :p
It sounds likely too, unless their meeting happens off-screen. But it seems to be the only thing that is about to happen in the latest strip, the other characters are pretty much going to have to wait.

Actually, I think that's more likely to happen after a while when Redcloak is struggling to find any information about the gates, then the MitD just wanders in

[Theodoriph]

*gasp* so THAT's where Mr.Scruffy went!

lol. Darn! Now why didn't I think of that?:smallbiggrin:

[Haruki-kun]

I think the first strip should focus on Roy. What with being dead and all.

[Dunesen]

I think having one or two strips about Roy in the afterlife would be intermission enough. There's not much material to be mined from Roy interacting with his dad given how they can still communicate while Roy is alive. So a strip or two of bickering and sarcasm reminds us what's happened to Roy, and then the plot can get back to the living. That's my prediction for next Monday's strip.

I agree that the mysterious red-voiced character is set-up for a later pay-off. V and Durkon are resting to replenish their spells, Elan can't do anything but worry (which could lend itself to a monologue, but I doubt it). Hinjo needs to take care of his people, but as with Roy in the afterlife, I don't see much humor to be gotten out of Hinjo trying to get the boats to land/another country. So I don't except anything from the boat people at first.

Back on land, we have the villains sorting through the spoils of their victory. It's already been established that all they can do now is sit tight and plan out their next move, ie. find out what they can about the remaining two gates and make a plan on how to take one or both. O'Chul's body is the obvious key to this, but I don't think Redcloak reviving and questioning him is as a direct conlict as:

Belkar and Haley hiding out. Being trapped behind enemy lines, dragging a corpse, and trying to stay hidden from a horde of hobgoblins is the best thread established for immediate action. The people in the boats can wait until daybreak, the villains and Roy aren't going anywhere, but B and H have the "now" factor; they don't have time to rest or plan their next move just yet. So I think the most likely choice is that after the Roy strip(s) the action will focus on B and H first. See how they find a safe place to hide until morning, find out V and Durkon can't contact them (possibly), and then work on escaping the city.

Then we can move onto the boat people or the villains (probably the former).

OR, and this just occured to me, we could start out with a one page look at whoever is guarding one of the other two gates. None of the gates have been unattended, so the as-yet-unseen members of the Order of the Scribble are certainly either guarding them themselves or have commissioned someone else to.

[David Argall]

Actually Elan is a good possibility for the first, or an early, strip.

We end with him alone on the deck, so we can have the ninjas show up as the others sleep, or we can have Elan act like Elan and start swimming to shore and Haley.

[Dunesen]

Actually Elan is a good possibility for the first, or an early, strip.

We end with him alone on the deck, so we can have the ninjas show up as the others sleep, or we can have Elan act like Elan and start swimming to shore and Haley.


I don't think that fits with the writing style of the strip. If Elan were to start swimming off, we wouldn't see him leave, we'd see the other characters notice he's gone. Probably after a strip of Hinjo talking to his assistant or V and Durkon talking, then in the last panel we'd see that Elan is gone, making it more surprising.