Boardindex Page Montage/aka 'Book 1'?

[Gerard]

During the Leviathan story line, I always hoped that the show would eventually show the "monster."  I expected a Dunwich Horror type of thing.  I didn't understand, as a kid, the limits of TV shows' budgets.  Even though the monster was never seen and I was, as a kid, disappointed, there was something to be said to things being left to the imagination. 

Gerard

[Josette]

I always thought it was good that they didn't try to show the Leviathan.  They made it out to be so horrible that I don't think they could have come up with anything bad enough.  That was kind of my reaction to the lottery and spending the night in the room.  The results of that were so horrible that when the explanation finally came, it didn't seem terrible enough to have produced such reactions.

[Gerard]

As a kid, Josette, I have to totally agree with you on what was revealed in the room during the lottery storyline.  I was so hyped up to see what was so "horrible" that it caused humans to either die from fright or else go insane and when it was finally shown I though "that's all it was?"  Of course, regarding the Leviathan creature, it would've cost a gazillion dollars in special effects to produce something along the lines of a Dunwich Horror creature rather than something rubber attached to a string.  But being a dumb kid, I didn't take that into account.

Gerard

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And here's the fifth page:

(Click here for a 1328X1996 version (without any of the artifacts that the forum's system created when downsizing the image))

And again, note that some bits of dialogue were not included in the slideshow...

One thing that I do find a bit odd with the dialogue here is if (I'm presuming) Nathaniel knew enough to ask Barnabas for his "cane," why is he referring to it as a "stick" when he hands it over to Swann?

[Josette]

As a kid, Josette, I have to totally agree with you on what was revealed in the room during the lottery storyline.

Of course, regarding the Leviathan creature, it would've cost a gazillion dollars in special effects to produce something along the lines of a Dunwich Horror creature rather than something rubber attached to a string. 
Gerard

Gerard, in the first part it implies that you were disappointed in the explanation for the lottery story as a kid.  Does that mean you changed your mind later?

As to the creature, I still think that even if they could have put that kind of money into it that they couldn't come up with anything horrid enough to meet the expectations they had created.

[Gerard]

I don't know, Josette.  I remember as a yungin' watching the big reveal of what was in the room at the climax and all I could figure out that a spook and two cobweb-covered bodies were the big deals that caused people to die or either go insane and I though "is that all there is?"  I'm not sure, now looking at it in a more "mature" mind if it was a good explanation even considering the limitations in storytelling at that time.  I also clearly remember wondering where '41 PT Quentin, a major character, was, not knowing, of course, that David Selby was in a hospital emergency room at that time having his appendix removed.  I hope ABC included a good health insurance plan for its employees and he got in just under the wire before the entire cast was "laid off" and replaced by Allen Lunden. 

Yes, that Leviathan monster.  What could they have come up with to make it truly terrifying?  It would've cost a fortune   But sometimes the spent a little to create something incredibly scary.  The ghost of Jeremiah really creeped me out.  It was a bunch of food-coloring bloody bandages with some paper mache, but the scene where he captured Angelique and carried her away to bury her alive so frightened me (I was, after all, a kid) that I hid behind a rocking chair and watched it with hands over my eyes, occasionally separating them to see what was happening and then closing them up again.

Gerard

[Mysterious Benefactor]

all I could figure out that a spook and two cobweb-covered bodies were the big deals that caused people to die or either go insane and I though "is that all there is?"

Even though this is definitely OT for this topic, it wasn't just that there were two cobweb-covered bodies, it was that there were two perfectly preserved cobweb-covered bodies - and I also seem to recall that not only were their bodies preserved but their spirits were still "alive" (which was how they were able to possess anyone who touched them). Even Brutus' own loving sister and frequent co-conspirator, Constance, thought he was a monster for having done what he did to James and Amanda - and apparently those who spent time in the room and discovered James and Amanda thought it was monstrous too.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

SG #61 shared the artwork for Page 5 without the dialogue:

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And here's the sixth page (a bit early - but once again there's a lot of extra stuff upcoming):

(Click here for a 1328X1996 version (without any of the artifacts that the forum's system created when downsizing the image))

And take note that all the creatures' dialogue as well as Barnabas' dialogue didn't make the slideshow. Swann and Julia were more important...

[Gerard]

I guess, MB, that, as a kid, I found the climactic reveal of the 1841 PT plot to be too confusing for me.  Heck, as an oldster, I still find it confusing.  But anyway you're right.  Back to the original topic regarding the comic book.  I'll focus on being confused as to what's going on with Julia and Barnabas going back to her home town and Julia not knowing why it's populated with extras from The Lord of the Rings.  Well, she obviously now knows, but she didn't notice it before growing up there?  Let's see what happens next.

Gerard

[Mysterious Benefactor]

SG #61 also shared the artwork for Page 6 without the dialogue:

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I'll focus on being confused as to what's going on with Julia and Barnabas going back to her home town and Julia not knowing why it's populated with extras from The Lord of the Rings.  Well, she obviously now knows, but she didn't notice it before growing up there?  Let's see what happens next.

Actually, save that particular focus for a later time because beginning with tomorrow's slideshow the action shifts back to Collinwood, where it will stay for the rest of this month and beyond into a great deal of next month. Barrettstown will return next month - but briefly - and with the focus on things other than the mutants. They won't actually make a reappearance until September, so anyone who's been hoping for them to take a vacation, your prayers have been answered. 

[Gerard]

Not until September, MB?  Are you serious?  So where are the adorable little things, along with Julia, Barnabas and whomever that guy are going for the rest of the summer?  Do they have a bundled time-share in condos in Wisconsin Dells?  Well, I guess we'll shift back to Collinwood.  Hopefully, David will go over his multiplication charts while in Vicki's summer school. 

Gerard

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If only the mutants did have a time-share and they'd gotten stuck there. But no, they will be back.

As for David, he'll be spoken about, but I don't think he shows up in the flesh again in this particular story...

[Uncle Roger]

I had a problem with the pacing of the book. They would spend a lot of time on one particular plot and then abruptly move onto something else and it seemed to take an eternity to get back to the original storyline. Subplots are part and parcel of comic books and soap operas but they need to be better balanced than they are here. Plus, you've also got flashbacks to the 18th century which were likely deemed necessary to keep Angelique in the book. The story elements don't blend together the way that they should and it keeps the book unfocused. This would have been a bit more acceptable if the book came out a more regular schedule. But there were so many production delays that made the story extremely difficult to follow.