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        | John Byrne 
   Grumpy Old Guy
 
 Joined: 11 May 2005
 Posts: 135210
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          Now, as a (slightly more mature) fan of storytelling, it is the skilled conveyance of the inner feelings of characters using their body language: these uncertain hands and arms are a delight - kudos to you John!
           | Posted: 01 July 2020 at 5:23am | IP Logged | 1 | post reply |  
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 |  •• Thanks.  When I was starting out I realized I would never be able to capture Kirby's power, or Ditko's quirkiness, or Neal's photorealism, so I looked around for something that could be my own signature, and I settled on subtlety.   Kinda crazy, in a medium like comics, but I really enjoy the body language, the bend of a knee, the turn of a wrist.
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        | Michael Genitempo Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 04 July 2019
 Location: United States
 Posts: 428
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          Although I would have been ok with Lilandra as the dark phoenix host, I have to say that seeing Jean back as dark phoenix just feels more satisfying somehow (like getting the cherry on top of an already delicious ice cream sundae).  Maybe its because we've sorta been waiting (without knowing it in a way) for JB to be drawing these characters again after such a long time.
           | Posted: 01 July 2020 at 6:28am | IP Logged | 2 | post reply |  
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 Only waiting on one more thing, that would make this perfect for me, but I'd understand if the story doesn't go that way.  But if it did, Oh my!
 
 Anyway, it's a real treat.
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        | Andrew Bitner Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 01 June 2004
 Location: United States
 Posts: 7553
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          Re-reading these issues certainly is rewarding. I'm catching things I didn't the first time, and indeed, there is a lot of nuance in these expressions and postures.
           | Posted: 01 July 2020 at 8:30am | IP Logged | 3 | post reply |  
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 |  I'd encourage artists from beginners to veteran professionals to read ELSEWHEN; this is a class in how to tell a story. | 
       
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        | Andrew Bitner Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 01 June 2004
 Location: United States
 Posts: 7553
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          Also noting the essential cruelty of the Phoenix entity, in that it egged Lilandra on into destroying her closest and most loyal friends, devastating her homeworld, and then seeking out Earth, only to be dumped as soon as the Phoenix got what it wanted: Jean.
           | Posted: 01 July 2020 at 8:31am | IP Logged | 4 | post reply |  
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        | John Byrne 
   Grumpy Old Guy
 
 Joined: 11 May 2005
 Posts: 135210
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          Being a force of Nature Phoenix, as I see it/her, is mostly uncaring, tho that can lead to cruelty. The cruelty of an earthquake or a hurricane.
           | Posted: 01 July 2020 at 9:46am | IP Logged | 5 | post reply |  
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 |  A lot like Galactus in that respect. 
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        | Paul Wills Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 18 August 2018
 Location: United States
 Posts: 967
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          Kinda crazy, in a medium like comics, but I really enjoy the body language, the bend of a knee, the turn of a wrist.
           | Posted: 01 July 2020 at 9:49am | IP Logged | 6 | post reply |  
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 |  ----------------------------------------- This is one of the many things that has always appealed to me about your artwork | 
       
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        | Robbie Moubert Byrne Robotics Member
 
   Evertonian
 
 Joined: 16 April 2004
 Location: United Kingdom
 Posts: 1515
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           | Posted: 01 July 2020 at 9:52am | IP Logged | 7 | post reply |  
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| QUOTE: 
 
    
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       | Also noting the essential cruelty of the Phoenix entity, in that it egged Lilandra on into destroying her closest and most loyal friends, devastating her homeworld, and then seeking out Earth, only to be dumped as soon as the Phoenix got what it wanted: Jean. |  |  | Interesting that you read it that way. My impression, based on captions on pages 16 & 17 and her dialogue on page 18, was that once the Phoenix entity had possessed Lilandra it realised her shortcomings and then decides to go after the copy of Jean.
 
 Edited by Robbie Moubert on 01 July 2020 at 9:54am
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        | Andrew Bitner Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 01 June 2004
 Location: United States
 Posts: 7553
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          JB: Being a force of Nature Phoenix, as I see it/her, is mostly uncaring, tho that can lead to cruelty. The cruelty of an earthquake or a hurricane.
           | Posted: 01 July 2020 at 12:28pm | IP Logged | 8 | post reply |  
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 *** 
 That's really interesting. It's also in keeping with how you've described the Phoenix in the past. We humans tend to ascribe descriptions like "cruelty" to something like the Phoenix when, as you say, it simply doesn't care. | 
       
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        | Andrew Bitner Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 01 June 2004
 Location: United States
 Posts: 7553
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          RM: Interesting that you read it that way. My impression, based on captions on pages 16 & 17 and her dialogue on page 18, was that once the Phoenix entity had possessed Lilandra it realised her shortcomings and then decides to go after the copy of Jean.
           | Posted: 01 July 2020 at 12:31pm | IP Logged | 9 | post reply |  
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 |  
 
 *** 
 Another good reason to re-read this series at my leisure.  I took it more as the Phoenix needed a vessel, subverted Lilandra, used a whole lot of force to get out of Shi'Ar space, and went after Jean for reasons of its own.  Lilandra was only a tool to be used. I didn't think it saw Lilandra as a viable partner, but that's just my interpretation. | 
       
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        | Robin Taylor Byrne Robotics Member
 
  
 Joined: 16 April 2004
 Location: Canada
 Posts: 1317
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          I have been LTTP on reading these but holy crap this is exceptional. Back in the 80's JB got shit for bring Jean out of the Bay in the FF but I never had an issue with it. This story is beautifully done and the last page of 12 startled me.
           | Posted: 04 July 2020 at 7:44am | IP Logged | 10 | post reply |  
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        | John Byrne 
   Grumpy Old Guy
 
 Joined: 11 May 2005
 Posts: 135210
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          Back in the 80's JB got shit for bring Jean out of the Bay in the FF but I never had an issue with it.
           | Posted: 04 July 2020 at 8:41am | IP Logged | 11 | post reply |  
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 |  •• Most people didn't, based on the mail.  But those who did were LOUD!!!
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        | John Byrne 
   Grumpy Old Guy
 
 Joined: 11 May 2005
 Posts: 135210
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          Hmmm...
           | Posted: 04 July 2020 at 8:49am | IP Logged | 12 | post reply |  
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 |  Looking ahead, it seems like there's going to be a big "drought" upcoming if I stick to my First Monday policy.  Altho the first Monday in August is only a weekend after the last day of July, the first Monday in September is 10 days after the end of August.
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