Page 109: Orders
Tuesday, December 4th, 2007The first sequel graphic novel, tentatively titled Last Blood: The First Zombie, will feature flashbacks that tell the story of Francis and Sullivan — how they became friends as children, how they built the tunnel for protection against vampires, how they went off to war together, and exactly why they both became the thing they hated and then the most powerful beings on Earth.
The first page of the second GN will hopefully be up by the end of the month. Prior to that, and after this first GN ends with Page 112 in a matter of days, I’m going to be working hard to write the Last Blood screenplay. I’m considering posting some script pages as updates in that time. I won’t post every page, but I’d highlight new scenes that weren’t in the comic and scenes that were significantly altered. Post in the comments if you’d be interested in reading those.
And just to let you know, when Sullivan says “save you” he means all the remaining humans (and vampires), not Math specifically. In the film you’d see that he’s telling this to all the humans gathered around (and Devian listening in from overhead). That line will probably change anyway, though. Not happy with it.
CLICK HERE to see my mouse drawn MS Paint sketch of this page!
December 6th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
I just made a facebook group for this. I figured it’s about time. Maybe this can lessen the amount of questions and wild speculation and cut down on the length on the comments.
If Bobby, Owen, or Anko join, you got admin stasis instantly.
http://bridgewater.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6140619798
Everybody join!
December 6th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Hey, Bobby, just getting curious about this as more and more stuff gets developed around the comic–the FAQ, the forum, the wikipedia article, now a Facebook group–do you have any way of knowing how many readers you actually have? Clearly, the comic’s got me hooked, and apparently a number of people are into it enough to go to this extra trouble, so I’m willing to bet there’s a huge number of never-even-posted-a-comment readers out there as well.
December 6th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
NYAAA! omg update! =^_^=
December 6th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Will there be another “MACK ATTACK”? I mean there has to be at least one more =[. As cool as the vampires may be Mack laid down the law with a friggin axe and normal strength.
December 6th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Since he’s already stated there will be no zombies in the last three pages, I doubt we’ll be seeing any Mack Attacks – unless someone starts slaughtering allies for the heck of it 😛
December 6th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Another great page. Woot!
Later,
December 6th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
I just sent off 110 to Bobby, should be up in a couple hours. It’s pretty sexy, plus it features the return of a much beloved character.
December 6th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
Random guess.
December 6th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Man, this is getting really cool. Hate that it has to end, love that that means the sequel can start!
December 6th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
It starts with an R, but it’s not Rage! If anyone guesses it before the page goes up, they get a cookie. Also, my internet is like broken right now and it’ll be a miracle if this comment even goes through. Haven’t seen the page yet, will soon (HOPEFULLY). Should be up in under an hour!
December 6th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
And while everyone loves BB, AFP, and WLB, personally, I want to more on Eddie, Prissy, and Punk. Maybe throw in a little of Caitlyn. But I like Eddie best. Just something really cool about him. I bet he’s even better with humans than Math. But I could be completely wrong.
December 6th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Bobby, Owen, since you’re both on now, I’d like to personally invite to a Facebook group I made in your creation’s honor.
http://bridgewater.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6140619798
If you’re on Facebook and you join, I’ll give you complete control over it. Consider it another way to keep in touch with us while the comic is on hiatus as well as a way to lessen the number of posts here.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
I despise Facebook and I will never be part of it in any way. Also, internet murdering my soul right now, going insane. It’s mostly Gmail that won’t work right. Think I got a virus or something. Tried to send Owen an e-mail 20 times and it won’t go through, even though blah blah blah blah — insanely annoying. Page 110 looks great, by the way, even though I haven’t had time yet to look all the way through it. Need a slight change to something, though, so hopefully Owen’s around to do it right now. It’s possible we could put it up without the change and then just put in the change later, but I’d really rather not.
I’ve tried to send this comment five times now, each time three minutes go by and then it gives an error message, ugh. Hate everything.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Why do you seem to give the appearance of wanting input from other people about your comic, when all you really want is a bunch of doting fans telling you how great the comic is? Every single attempt at offering any sort of criticism to your comic has been immediately shot down as far as I’ve read. Granted, I haven’t read every single post, but, if you don’t want criticism, just ignore the comments, don’t ask for them then hose them when they are not what you want to hear.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
John, you’re an idiot, Bobby has taken criticism well before, and has taken it well on this very page. He even asks for suggestions on how he can make the story better.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
John: I have never in any conceivable fucking way given the appearance that I want input from other people about my comic. Please try to find one instance of that at all, you lying piece of shit. Obviously banned for lying about me.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
I am guessing Rex returns.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
“It starts with an R, but it’s not Rage! If anyone guesses it before the page goes up, they get a cookie.”
Could it be… Rex?
December 6th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Please tell me it’s the DOG!!!
December 6th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Can’t even edit my post to include the following as opposed to double posting because my damn internet isn’t working right, UGH. I feel like I’m in 1993 or like Hiro slowed down time.
“He even asks for suggestions on how he can make the story better.”
LOL, I do? When? Unless you’re referring to asking the fucking morons on this page for how they’d fix the things they see as problems, but that’s very obviously just because there IS NO SOLUTION to the things they see as problems and there’s no way to fix them — it’s just to show them that what they’re saying is retarded and that they’re just being assholes on purpose.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Just call Micah to fix it.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Changes made, page should hopefully be up soon. I joined that facebook club. I have a love/hate relationship with facebook. Silvier, do you prefer oreo cookies or chocolate chip? Sucks about Bobby’s internet acting up, it’s the most frustrating thing ever when you do most of your work/business online and it goes down. Glad to see some Eddie love, i think he’s got potential to be pretty interesting. The Punk is one of my personal faves and Prissy is cool (yet emotional).
December 6th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
A lot of why I like Eddie is how he just stopped in the middle of it all to mourn his fallen friend (girlfriend?). And you are now an Admin. Thank you for joining.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Darnit. Rex. I spent the last twenty minutes reading comments to see if we ever named the little vampire kid.
And, yay, Owen joined the group.
Sorry about your internet, Bobby. Thrilled to death with the Heroes reference, though.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Dear Mr. Crosby,
I will not claim to be an author when I am not one (yet, at any rate) but I have written enough (on a very informal level) to know something of the feelings aroused by having one’s work open to judgement–particularly to every idiot with an internet connection. My advice is simply ignore those who can’t be bothered to read through all of the comments, and not to even refer them to previous answers–let other posters do that if they persist.
I do have to admit to grave reservations about the banning of those whose criticisms are not in line with your thinking–I understand how upsetting it is (I’m sorry if I sound like a second-rate talk show host–I’m just trying not to give the impression I’m after you personally) to be disagreed with about one’s work, particularly when it is in the final stretch. I honestly don’t see anything in the banned posts to warrant the treatment–they were, at least at first, trying to have an intellectual discussion. Threats and strongarm tactics just make it personal; exercising your authority is tempting but probably works against you, and I’m enjoying both the comics and the posts too much to be happy seeing you waste time exchanging insults. I’m sorry you don’t like unnecessary Latin–I’m quite fond of it myself–but it’s totally legitimate. Try not to hold it against those of us whose love of overcomplicated speech sometimes comes off as pretentious. Most of us don’t mean it and the chap above wasn’t even using it wrong, though others might have; at worst he was misdiagnosing the case.
I disagree with those who use ‘the phrase which must not be spoken’ in a bad way, for reasons stated quite adequately by others, including yourself. I do, however, have one suggestion to make on a more cinematographic level–since you requested any critics, however mild, to come up with alternatives: In the movie, throughout the story, like cutscenes, as someone else imaginatively phrased it with a superficially similar idea, show Sullivan Davis walking (or driving, or whatever) across the terrain. Don’t explain who or what he is–let people assume he’s the big bad coming for them. With Francis having been ‘killed’ at the beginning, people will likely make that assumption–leading to even more surprise when Francis reveals himself. Or else Davis could be kept in the shadows, poorly lit and/or heavily clothed, so that his species/vital status is not readily discernable with any certainty. Keep it mysterious just who’s coming and why. I also think that it’s a good idea to mention Francis in passing just once, as a friend of Davis’. Subtly, you know: nothing to suggest he’s ever going to be important. He’s supposed to come out of left field. Maybe Payne, in a hurried moment, could say something opaque to Devian about ‘our friend’ or something–so quick the audience won’t even notice the first time they see it. Just enough to suggest that our friend AFP knows what he’s buying with his life–I know he knows, and you know he knows, but an audience is likely to be too stupid to appreciate his brilliance (las three words in Peter Lorre voice).
It might also be cool to wait a little longer (in the movie, in the comic it’s perfect how it is) before revealing the connection between vampires and zombies–just wait long enough so an audience has time to wonder what’s causing all this, and then go ‘Oooh, that explains so much’.
These are just suggestions; I can’t imagine you’ll find any of them worth using.
have to say, I usually never comment on anything, but this captures my imaginations. It’s certainly the only excellent ‘serious’ webcomic I’ve ver seen or heard of. I imagine that if you aren’t planning on keeping up the good work on every one else’s say-so you won’t on mine, but nevertheless both you and the artist have my admiration in almost equal measure, for whatever that’s worth.
Incidentally, I’m unlikely to post again, so you can save yourself the trouble of banning me if you feel it called for–which i hope you won’t.
As, therefore, we are unlikely o correspond again,
I have the honour to remain
Your obd’t serv’t
Dr Nikola (not of course my real name)
December 6th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Hmph. I’m afraid I only just read the last few posts about input. I suppose I retract what I said, but I was only ‘thinking aloud’ anyway. In any case tempers seem to be flaring and I reccommend deep breaths and cold water all around. Whatever Shakespeare claimed, a woman scorned has nothing on a writer criticised. In any event I advise those who worry about things like whether the zombies are wasting bullets to chill, and those who find flaws, however minor, with the writing to save everyone the trouble and keep their views to themselves, as they won’t be considered anyway. I think that it’s in everyone’s best interests to go back to using ‘win’ as a noun and commenting on which vampire is the most sexually attractive. It seems to cause fewer conniptions.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
” Silvier, do you prefer oreo cookies or chocolate chip?”
Wewt! I knew it was the must have been the dog, I just couldn’t remember his name, right away. Archive page for the win. I remember reading a Penny Arcade comic about facebook and the guy next to just happened to be on it at the time. It made the strip that much better.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
“Again, someone please tell me how you would improve it.”
My apologies, I didn’t mean that as an example of you asking for criticism or input. I saw it as an example of you taking criticism well (as you argued your case). I still think you take criticism better than most (and certainly better than me).
In any case, I hope your internet problems are fixed soon, that really sucks.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Do zombies (Sullivan’s for example) ever tire? Get fatigued. Sorry if that’s been answered before.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
“I do have to admit to grave reservations about the banning of those whose criticisms are not in line with your thinking”
Fuck you, moron, for lying about me and making it sound like I banned people because they criticized the writing. I banned people for SPECIFICALLY BREAKING THE RULES, doing something that I SPECIFICALLY SAID I’D BAN THEM FOR. Read the fucking posts.
“I understand how upsetting it is to be disagreed with about one’s work”
It may be upsetting to you — it’s not in any way upsetting to me. What’s upsetting to me is when fucking morons like you lie about me.
December 6th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Bobby, while some people are just being assholes to you, most are confused by what they consider an unclear plot. You say that you spelled everything out in previous comics, but if a lot of people still do not understand, I would see what I could to help straighten things out for them. They obviously enjoy your comic or else they would not be here.
Also, by the way, banning and insulting your readers only makes things worse
December 6th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
“Bobby, while some people are just being assholes to you”
“Also, by the way, banning and insulting your readers only makes things worse”
How the fuck does it make things worse to ban the asshole trolls? Also, kill yourself.
“but if a lot of people still do not understand, I would see what I could to help straighten things out for them.”
Uh, what? Have you not read any of my comments where I go into massive detail answering basically anyone’s questions on anything??? And again, kill yourself.
December 6th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
I personally have to say that people need to STFU and just read the comic or read another of the Crosby Bros. work. Sheesh, you people remind of a bad day time drama.
Bobby, this is a wonderful well thought out comic. Your comic isn’t at all rushed, it’s just written like real life. Real life, people, can feel rushed and you can’t do a damn thing about it.
December 6th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
Nice job, as usual, this comic deffintiey does NOT need improvement! Love it!
December 6th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Another great page…. wasn’t Math supposed to return to the fight after he led the humans to the pond?
December 6th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Whoops, my last post is on the wrong page. Sorry guys.
December 7th, 2007 at 8:43 am
drNikola: that was the very definition of tl;dr.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
#1 you shouldn’t have to read the comments to understand the comic
#2 I didn’t say banning trolls makes things worse, I meant insulting people who provide your income is idiotic.
#3 just like to say i’m never visting your site again so don’t bother responding
December 7th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
“you shouldn’t have to read the comments to understand the comic”
We’ve had this discussion 3,000 times. You obviously DON’T NEED TO. You only need to if you want TONS OF SPOILERS FOR LATER. Again, look up the definition of spoiler. This is ALL STUFF THAT WILL BE IN THE COMIC LATER and tons of people have questions about stuff that will SHOW UP LATER. The comic is NOT DONE YET and there are tons of sequels planned. This is literally the 50th time I’ve said this shit.
“I meant insulting people who provide your income is idiotic.”
No, it’s being honest and appropriate to insult asshole trolls like you, and I guarantee doing so increases my income because it makes the true fans respect me more for not being fake and being nice to assholes just to try to get money from them and hope they keep reading the comic and buying things. Keep in mind that the vast majority of comic writers would have never allowed most of these comments to go up in the first place, let alone responded to them. They would have never approved the comments. I allow all criticism of the comic, but when it reaches a point where they’re just annoying everyone and wasting everyone’s time by bashing me personally, as is almost always the case, their true colors show and the only logical option is to ban them as opposed to letting them dominate the comments page. I often wait too long to do so, though, resulting in retarded conversations like this with people like you who have no brain and can’t understand how things work, can’t understand what they just read (the comments, not the comic — but that too!).
“just like to say i’m never visting your site again so don’t bother responding”
Everyone says that and it’s an obvious lie. You’ll come back more than ever now.
December 12th, 2007 at 9:07 am
THIS IS THE BEST PAGE SO FAR!
December 15th, 2007 at 1:37 am
Take da Uzi nine milimeta!
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:03 am
ZARFGH!?!!!??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SULIIVAN DAVIS!!!
Oh, will I never get my zombie hitler??
June 18th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
S.D kicks teh azz 😀