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June 29, 2004
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A discussion on whether or not word balloons need tails when the speaker is off-panel

What is a speech balloon, but a tangible, visible indication of life, springing forth from the page, that which makes art jump, lines grow, causing the two-dimension to grow into a third? I ask you.

And when a character is absent from view, yet chooses to speak, to make his or her presence known, despite being hidden from view? His balloon of course, speaketh for him, announcing his intent to the world.

Our sole indication of such a presence, a tail on said balloon. His anchor to reality, pointing off-panel, without which he goes spinning off into a vortex of time and space.

Let us give our characters their off-panel balloon tails, shall we?

Brian Wood, May 22, 2003

This is the story of Billy Joe and Bobbi Sue; two young lovers with nothing better to do

Augie De Blieck, Jr. reviews Ursula and True Story, Swear to God: 100 Stories in his Pipeline column for the week. It's not a bad job when you can get the Inveterate Crabapple of Love to give a couple of charming, and, yes romantic books the thumb's-up.

Johnny B reads Hench and True Story, Swear to God: 100 Stories and deems them worthy. I particularly liked that he compared Manny to Barry Windsor-Smith.

Comic Book Galaxy's Chris Allen says "Adam Beechen and Manny Bello are unfamiliar names to me, but I’ll keep my eye out for their work from now on, after the excellent job they did on HENCH, an AiT graphic novel."

... and here's a link to Loose Cannon #17 (from May 4, 2001), where you can read all about how much I liked Pittsburgh.


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