Once again, we'd like to thank Core of Wolf Eclipse for turning in this excellent finale.
Again, this is one of these things that wasn't exactly planned, but it seemed absolutely appropriate that the Green Avenger be the one to save the multiverse. And even more appropriately, it was Rachel herself who stopped the Smiling Man from beyond the grave.
But wait! The fat lady has not sung. Porky Pig hasn't burst through the drum yet. We're not done wrapping this up just yet. Tune in this Thursday for a little something extra. We've got ourselves an epilogue coming.
Don'tcha dare miss it.
And for further awesomeness, go check out a new Bad Guy High Adventures!
All things considered, Smiley's exile is pretty rough. Not another human soul around. You don't realize how dependent we are on being social until there's no one else around. Maybe he can take in a wolf cub or something to keep him company, but he's definitely in for some misery ahead.
I'm a bit surprised that none of the heroes suggested a harsher punishment, something more final. I grant that in comic books, villains are never executed, because that means they can't return, but MindMistress has been known to use some rather drastic measures herself. This includes the torments she has planned for Bloodlust, and his body count is not so high.
I was hoping no one would take it was TOO easy a fate for him---after all, he killed thousands (including alternates of our heroes) and enslaved billions on his world...but hey, it's solitary confinement with absolutely no hope of parole. That's what they did with Charles Manson. Short of killing him out right, there's nothing more that can be done with him.
And I rather like having a moment of clarity and actual remorse. Not everyone is a total psychopath or monomaniac like the Joker or Doctor Doom. Now, his wife's death obviously unhinged him, and I SURE wouldn't trust him to reform permanently and not fall into old patterns and keep all his powers---but by himself? Powerless? For the rest of his life?
Yeah, it worked for me. There he can slowly regain his sanity, over time. He USED to be a hero, once. He was driven mad by his wife's death. Only his wife's words could have stopped him---and only his wife's words and memory and time will really heal him.
There was a great issue of SPECTRE where Jim Corrigan made the Joker sane, and he screamed, "WHAT HAVE I DONE!" remembering all the people he killed. (Grant Morrison did the same in JLA, but less dramatically and effectively.) He went into catatonia afterwards, and of course, later relapsed into madness. But we didn't want an ongoing villain forever and ever. We wanted a RESOLUTION.
What Sebastian Sandberg wrote made me realize how good Crossoverlord writing team is. Two weeks ago Ultimate Comics Avengers was trying to pull something like that - shift reader's opinion of character first shown as complete monster and made them feel sorry for him. You guys succeed where popular, well-selling writer whose comics are turned into the movies one after another, failed. That's awesome.
This page got me right here. *pounds the right side of the chest*
Once, I despised the Smiling Man as a complete monster. Now, I feel happy for him. This punishment truly is the best solution for all. And it takes a great set of writers to provoke such a reevaluation of opinion on a character.
It may not be quite over yet, but this has been one heck of a ride. Everyone, EXCELLENT work!
We're not QUITE finished. There will be at least three more pages. One extra-long one Thursday, by me, and if all goes well, one on Tuesday and one on Thursday of next week. Goodbyes and ramifications of this.
But yes, this is the Smiling Man's end.
Nice ending!!!
so the smiling man will be known now as the crying man, what about all the remaining Reds ???
is there going to be a last adventure??( may I suggest spring break dimension beach party)
-will Goldie comeback and become the mastermind behind all this without explanation
nICE WORK, now I have an urge to read the archives again.
CartoonistWill at 3:48PM, May 6, 2010
Very nice. I like.
Xade at 6:47AM, May 5, 2010
weird Al did do a song about the minnow, I forgot what it was but he did do a song about them, just not in those words, so yeah Gilligan's Isle
algeya at 7:11PM, May 4, 2010
ps.- love to read the comments beside the comic
alschroeder at 6:06PM, May 4, 2010
Weird Al? Gilligan's Island, Dude!
anonymous at 3:59PM, May 4, 2010
I like the Weird Al reference from Lisa.
TuuronTour at 9:49AM, May 4, 2010
It's so true.. the pen is mightier than the sword. Strong ending.
Neilsama at 8:47AM, May 4, 2010
All things considered, Smiley's exile is pretty rough. Not another human soul around. You don't realize how dependent we are on being social until there's no one else around. Maybe he can take in a wolf cub or something to keep him company, but he's definitely in for some misery ahead.
alschroeder at 8:09AM, May 4, 2010
Ahhhhhh, but you don't know what she has planned for Bloodlust. I do. And he's effectively neutralized. He can't kill any more.
zodo at 7:48AM, May 4, 2010
I'm a bit surprised that none of the heroes suggested a harsher punishment, something more final. I grant that in comic books, villains are never executed, because that means they can't return, but MindMistress has been known to use some rather drastic measures herself. This includes the torments she has planned for Bloodlust, and his body count is not so high.
alschroeder at 7:21AM, May 4, 2010
I was hoping no one would take it was TOO easy a fate for him---after all, he killed thousands (including alternates of our heroes) and enslaved billions on his world...but hey, it's solitary confinement with absolutely no hope of parole. That's what they did with Charles Manson. Short of killing him out right, there's nothing more that can be done with him. And I rather like having a moment of clarity and actual remorse. Not everyone is a total psychopath or monomaniac like the Joker or Doctor Doom. Now, his wife's death obviously unhinged him, and I SURE wouldn't trust him to reform permanently and not fall into old patterns and keep all his powers---but by himself? Powerless? For the rest of his life? Yeah, it worked for me. There he can slowly regain his sanity, over time. He USED to be a hero, once. He was driven mad by his wife's death. Only his wife's words could have stopped him---and only his wife's words and memory and time will really heal him. There was a great issue of SPECTRE where Jim Corrigan made the Joker sane, and he screamed, "WHAT HAVE I DONE!" remembering all the people he killed. (Grant Morrison did the same in JLA, but less dramatically and effectively.) He went into catatonia afterwards, and of course, later relapsed into madness. But we didn't want an ongoing villain forever and ever. We wanted a RESOLUTION.
God of War at 7:16AM, May 4, 2010
What Sebastian Sandberg wrote made me realize how good Crossoverlord writing team is. Two weeks ago Ultimate Comics Avengers was trying to pull something like that - shift reader's opinion of character first shown as complete monster and made them feel sorry for him. You guys succeed where popular, well-selling writer whose comics are turned into the movies one after another, failed. That's awesome.
Sebastian_Sandberg at 4:00AM, May 4, 2010
This page got me right here. *pounds the right side of the chest* Once, I despised the Smiling Man as a complete monster. Now, I feel happy for him. This punishment truly is the best solution for all. And it takes a great set of writers to provoke such a reevaluation of opinion on a character. It may not be quite over yet, but this has been one heck of a ride. Everyone, EXCELLENT work!
God of War at 3:39AM, May 4, 2010
I just love that ending of Smiling Man's story, is very strong and smart.
alschroeder at 2:43AM, May 4, 2010
We're not QUITE finished. There will be at least three more pages. One extra-long one Thursday, by me, and if all goes well, one on Tuesday and one on Thursday of next week. Goodbyes and ramifications of this. But yes, this is the Smiling Man's end.
AzuJOD at 1:07AM, May 4, 2010
That man may have nearly destroyed the multiverse... but I can't help to feel sorry for him.
DAJB at 11:35PM, May 3, 2010
Aaaaw.
algeya at 10:10PM, May 3, 2010
Nice ending!!! so the smiling man will be known now as the crying man, what about all the remaining Reds ??? is there going to be a last adventure??( may I suggest spring break dimension beach party) -will Goldie comeback and become the mastermind behind all this without explanation nICE WORK, now I have an urge to read the archives again.