Snager
chonky crit as requested
Manda is a really fun character, but it was cool to see her… standing up in a more serious way, if that makes sense? I feel like she has more conviction here than she’s had in her other comics, but it doesn’t feel at odds with her random PSAs.
I enjoyed the first part of the comic a lot. I liked the reference to Manda being resurrected in-universe, and the chill late night talks vibe of their conversation. After that though, I wasn’t sure what to feel. The fight was weirdly easy for Manda considering she’s a human facing a cosmic entity. I got a vague sense that she was defeating Oleander through the power of positivity, but if that is the case I think it could have been emphasised more. There was some angelic imagery with her little wings and the bright light, that could have been exaggerated. Or if it wasn’t meant to be angelic, since Manda is already an over the top character, maybe bright lights with smiley faces or bowling alley carpet patterns could have come flying out as she roasted Oleander.
Turning the sword into a skateboard was a cool move though. The big titty sphinxes were great too. As for the flowers… they look like daisies to me?
Minteh - I love the path you took with this comic. It’s really clever how you linked Oleander’s story with Manda’s without Manda even being alive throughout the story! Everything flowed so well and it’s just *chef’s kiss* that Manda’s funeral became a mass one. I think you definitely succeeded in making a short but thoughtful comic.
Another Oleander battle is always a delight to see
Snagger: I am always blown away by your watercolors and this one manages to do that just fine! I like the energy that Manda has and the interaction between the two characters you did great here!
Mints: Oh man! That last page was something else! Great visual storytelling you done and I really like how it was a eulogy. The colors and the lineart are great and I just like the depiction of Oleander your works
You two did great and deserve a pat on the back. but since I can't really travel to where you two are at.... I'll just say that you two blew me away with two amazing stories
an absolutely wonderful battle! snager: i continue to be utterly captivated by the dynamics you can portray in watercolor, both in broad and fine strokes. minty: the story here is excellent and efficient (even if, to nitpick, the choice to use the little pictograms for speech and then explain what the pictograms mean anyway in narration is noticeably less so), and the attention to detail in the inks is admirable!
I really like what you did here, Mints. The idea that Manda, a character I specifically made in contrast to baddies with negative vibes like Oleander, in fact informed OLEANDER'S character within the story, instead. pretty smart. That Oleander likes to THINK of herself as caring and empathetic, but the audience all knows, from her comics so far, that she cannot form an empathy inside her nasty little scull. Her view of humanity is so far off from Manda's, it was hard for me to conceptualize a comic where Manda tolerated being around her more than two pages; eventually settled on the idea that Manda is just trying to weasel self-incriminating evidence from Oleander. BUT you fixed that, by implying Oleander once DID share Manda's view, or was a little closer to it: and that Manda's death explicitly was at least part of the catalyst for the flip. this is so much kinder than what I did with mine, I'm almost ashamed.
I was just out here trying to win myself a sickass sword.
But with your story, you've set up so much potential for Manda to have Drama: that her death indirectly caused someone to go nuts and kill people would probably fuck her up. the idea that she eventually gets back from heaven and Oleander sees she went berserk for no reason has a lot of potential, too. you've really crafted an impressive little piece of character driven story, here and humanized Oleander in ways all the rest of us were hesitant to attempt.
I tried my best to beat you and I'm feeling pretty humbled, especially when I consider your art was 'incomplete' by the way you talked about it. But imo, the strong points of this comic is the story and how well it ties everything together. Yeah, Manda didn't have much agency, but that's kind of the point? the way her picture frame shattered on the last panel helps drive it home that Manda's memory would not be honored. just another reason for her to try to get back to earth.
as for the timeline's not adding up: we can pretend Oleander's crusade began in 1998, or pretend that Manda didn't really die in 1998, or any of an unlimited number of excuses. the point is: Oleander behaves the way she does because nice people like Manda die for no reason.
Of course, because I believe in magic, how I use Manda the rest of the year will depend on the outcome of this match XD and also whether or not I get that sickass sword for her. Hopefully, Oleander will still be kicking around by next October, or ese I'll find a new way to bring Manda back. Or I could just get over it and find a better sword. Or maybe someone will convince me both stories are equal and I should keep the sword. OR
and this is my favorite idea:
We collab a comic that retcons these two concepts into one coherent story, so BOTH versions of facts are corroborated XD Oleander gets her back story, Manda gets her sword. (I can't believe how fast she'd get over everything if she just gets that sickass sword (the sword's name is Justice))
https://youtu.be/GiDsLRQg_g4
Whoa that match was insanely good! The both of you did a great job :'0
I've voted on the first day, but only had the time to comment now.
Snager: Each of your panels were just so beautiful to look at i sometimes had to stop the reading and admire the details of your watercolors, you must've put a lot of effort into each of them and it shows. The story was also so good and funny as always! I love Manda's sudden urge to always send a message to the kids when she has the opportunity and how Oleander gets wrecked by doing the opposite of those tips (that was genius) XD
Minteh: It's so great to have a look at Oleander's past and understand how they developed the ideals they follow in the present and how Manda's tragic death made them only more convinced to free mortals of suffering, i love when people add lore to the characters (specially Oleander who technically belongs to everyone).
The art was also top-notch and i'm seriously amazed at your linework and spot blacks! Man, that ending sent shivers down my spine!
This is going straight to my playlist of fave battles💪🔥
Snager!! You did awesome, that was such a cool read! I said it last night as we were both careening towards the deadline without being sure if we were gonna make it, but thanks for the awesome fight!
I really love your watercolours, they were so moody, and your script came out super good! There were one or two bits where I wasn't sure about the wording but outside of the odd hiccup and re-read it was a super fun read! I know you were worried about the text, the font looks great! You gave a lot of interesting bits of info very casually through the dialogue, Like Oleander meeting up to have talks with youths and 'freeing them from their pain', but with that obviously twisted one-sided view. Super chilling, but I love Manda stepping in to protect and force Oleander to play by her rules.
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