After the End …and the Duck is on Patreon!
All stories must come to an end somewhere - whether it's a “just another day” ending, an “everybody dies” denouement, or the always wonderful “it was all a dream”. Or maybe it's just the end of this adventure, with another ...

After the End
Banes at 12:00AM, Oct. 4, 2018White Swan, Black Swan
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Sept. 29, 2018
In Swan Lake, the black swan Odile is transformed by her warlock father into the white swan, Odette, and posing as Odette she tricks the prince into breaking his oath to the white swan- because clearly making life-binding oaths to a woman you know so little you can mistake her ...
Before the Beginning
Banes at 12:00AM, Sept. 27, 2018
One of the great things about the original Star Wars movies was the strong sense of a grand, adventurous, and terrible history before the movie started. So much is hinted at through Obi Wan Kenobi about the Jedi Knights, Anakin Skywalker, great friendships, laser swords, and terrible war and loss ...
White Hats
Banes at 5:04AM, Sept. 20, 2018
When Superman returned to the big screen ten years ago or so in “Superman Returns”, the movie was intended to be a direct sequel to the two original movies with Christopher Reeve. I was surprised at how mopey and depressing the movie felt.
Which is to say, the movie felt ...
80 Years of Superman
Banes at 12:00AM, Sept. 13, 2018
2018 marks the 80th birthday of the big guy himself - the OG superhero.
Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938.
Actually, there were precursors to Superman. But he popularized and defined the ‘Superhero’ character-type and genre. He was the template for countless characters who came later, with his ...
The Sacrificial Lion
Tantz_Aerine at 6:09PM, Aug. 31, 2018
One of the toughest tropes in any kind of narrative work, from novels to comics to movies is the Sacrificial Lion - but not for what might be an obvious reason: having to axe a top tier character. It's because the trope is something that will affect and carry through ...
Give it Your Best Shot
Banes at 12:00AM, Aug. 30, 2018Ironically, no picture this time…and it's a Newspost about pitchers!
Beyond writing our stories and characters, figuring out our plots and dialogue and character design, and all the other stuff that goes into creating a comic, we have to choose our shots. Our camera angles.
Very much like ...
Hopes n Fears
Banes at 12:00AM, Aug. 23, 2018At the end of Annie Hall, Woody Allen's character writes a play that recreates his breakup with Annie. But in the fictional version, they stay together and the romance continues. Woody is apologetic to the movie's audience and says “What can I say; it was my first play ...
Making Bad Guys Intimidating
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Aug. 4, 2018
Every hero goes up against a villain. Every protagonist against an antagonist. This is the main clash that drives your story, any story, forward be it slice of life or epic drama.
One of the elements that can make this driving force compelling, that will make the clash interesting and ...