Breaking Patterns, Recaps, Fighting and a Bullet to the Brain

ADVENTURES IN PULP WRITER'S COMMENTARY
FOUR HORSEMEN PAGES 8 THROUGH 11

http://adventuresinpulp.com/the-four-horsemen-week-8/
http://adventuresinpulp.com/the-four-horsemen-week-9/
http://adventuresinpulp.com/the-four-horsemen-page-10/
http://adventuresinpulp.com/the-four-horsemen-page-11/

Our heroes arrive on page 8. Matt suggested that we break the rhythm of the right/left of the large images because it looked like it didn't flow story-wise, and he was quite right, so we shifted it to the center, and it works great.

On page 9, I basically give a reminder recap of part one (pages 1-3) of our story and add in some new exposition to keep it fresh for readers as well as revisiting a seed that was planted that would play out later on. I liked the idea that the warriors are pulled out of time right before their deaths. This basically put them on borrowed time and gives them more incentive to fight.

Page 10: They fight. What can I say? It's an action page and Matt crushes it.

Finally, on page 11 we hit our climax, it's a little bit more cramped than previous pages as we veer away from the established pattern but it still has a pattern. The flying bullet panel is just below the panel where it is fired. The "smile" panel is just above the "important blow" panel. Our heroes, even on the run and in defeat, get a little victory at this point, and again Matt's work is excellent and his paneling is pitch perfect. If you will notice I specifically wanted the black Viet Nam era soldier to be helping the white Confederate cowboy character. What can I say, I just really like the irony. It is no coincidence that when the "important blow" is struck it comes from such an unlikely duo working together. To me as a writer is was subtle, but perhaps the most important part of the whole story. A simple message tucked into a little panel: If we can put aside our hate we can achieve things because we are stronger together than apart. If you take nothing else from this little tale, please take that.

With the action climax wrapping up we're now ready for the final two pages, that includes another set of "Adventures In Pulp" style twists to wrap it all up. Before I go, I will say that writing can be so much fun.  Where else can you plan to shoot someone in the head, have someone else carry it out, and NOT be charged with murder or conspiracy to commit murder. That begs the question: Am I entertaining you by writing this stuff or by reading my stuff or are you just keeping me from becoming a fully functioning psychopath? It doesn't really make a good advertisement does it: "Keep a killer where he belongs: behind the keyboard! Read Adventures in Pulp!"