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Panel one: Staging question. Why does he approach the bars (at the front of the cave) from the side, after just having hidden Little sister in what looked before like the back part of the cave? (just curious)
Panel two:
I like it as such. There ought to be an intensity of expression in those eyes that's worth at least a half a page of text (The old picture=1000 word rule.)
Panel three:
I don't like the dialogue. It's German-American Earth slang from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is clearly not any "Earth" with which we are (as yet) familiar. How does an extra-terrestrial race of magic-using big cats absorb and use Earth slang? It may be "easy" and it may have the correct emotional tone, but something like this is (for me) abrupt, and it pulls me out of their world and back into parts of the mundane world. Instead of going the easy route, make the first words we hear from this character something that speaks about him, in the way he speaks. Character, Character, Character toujours Character!
Panel four:
Okay, as I suspected- Slaves. Perfectly serviceable story mechanism. But I'm afraid their rather unwholesome keeper has a point. Slaves, in any idiom, rarely get to set their own work schedules. If they could, would not the entire family (minus Little Sister perhaps) have gone out to labor together? Perhaps there to plot a gaol break for Little Sister and a dash toward freedom?
Panel five: Interesting. Implying a sort of symbiotic relationship between captors (who cannot hunt apparently) and those who (being at the top of the local food chain) can.. Fascinating.. The only question is why, with a dash of what tossed in.
-Why, if they depend upon slaves for food, do the Big Cats willingly supply it? If I were a slave under that condition, I'd let my captors starve until they were weak enough to kill, break gaol, and that would be the end of my enslavement. I refuse to hunt. So, they kill me. Is life as a slave so much better for these Big Cats? If so, why? What force makes them suffer to live with such humiliation? If the captors kill the Big cats for refusing to hunt, do the captors not starve eventually also?
I simply don't understand what the "binding" is for an arrangement like this. Cats who hunt willingly are not slaves, Cats who give up their kills willingly are not slaves. Some-thing- must exist whereby the Cats are made to give up "the lion's share" of what they hunt and kill to their captors. The Captors must keep their hunters in top form- which they have, from the looks and attitude of Older Brother, who looks like he could wrestle a wildebeest two out of three falls to a kill. So the Cats are getting fed too, and enough to keep them well.
But there is no "glue", or at least not enough yet to make this workable and believable. I know, Exposition is a "bear", but you're halfway done with the most important pages for this story that will ever be done- the first ten-, and the only thing holding things together partway for me, is that I like the last two characters I've encountered. About the two in the beginning, with the frozen bug, I'm- forgive me- neither hot nor cold- Their connection if any to what's gone on so far is perplexing to me- but I know you had to do exposition on the magical end of things.
I like the graphic style of the characters. You handle them very well, and the fact that you enjoy what you're doing shows in the work. But the story as presented, while it may be clear to you, isn't clear to me, This comes from a basic lack of understanding character motivation based on what you have done so far.
Now, I LOVE a complex story. Twist me, turn me, wrap me up and roll me around all you want, and I'll love you for it. But make sure that I can relate in a clear, strong, active, and emotional way to the characters and what they are going thru, so I can Identify with their problems, hopes, and conflicts that drive the story.
The reason I've done all this thru all six pages, is that I see great hope and potential in these characters, and yes, even in the story, as well as in your other works. I could just sit back and write the usual one or two line "so cool" comment common to so many, but I sense you are a storyteller, and from one storyteller to another, I feel your work and effort deserves praise, a touch of help (because we all need that now and again) and a doff of my chapeau for trying to make a fine effort. Some of my comments have been negative,but I do not wish to discourage you in the least. Please do keep on, I shall be waiting for the next pages eagerly.
All my best for a bright future, I'll be watching you
-
Panel 5.. Well he wants to get out to search for his parents, but the boars won't let them out. So the lion is trying to tease the pigs by promising to return food in the hope they will let him through.
thank you for the crits! I will work on it when I find the time
While I cannot speak for others, I understand the comic is still in its early stages. As the audience I think it's important to remember we don’t always have to be given every detail. As the author, you’re allowed to withhold as much or as little as you please. Critiques should be saved till the end or at least until we, as the audience, know more about the world your painting. Keep in mind, I am not saying the above critique does not have a few good points, but ultimately, this is YOUR story, we are merely its observers.
I look forward to stalking your comic in the future. <3
Oh I do accept any critique I get, I just decide if I agree with it or not. The guy above made some well points. But I will edit the comic sometime later because I want to continue. That some things are not clear may be explained later, because the whole comic is not 6 pages XD