Boardindex Page Montage/aka 'Book 1'?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

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.

True. Though I do have to admit that anything that takes focus away from Barrettstown is fine with me. I have no problem that that plot won't come back into primary focus again until some point in September - especially when so much of Book 1, Issue 4 is Barrettstown. It gives me time to gird my loins, so to speak, for its return. 

Plus, you've also got flashbacks to the 18th century which were likely deemed necessary to keep Angelique in the book.

I can forgive all the flashbacks mostly because I like what they did with them, both with the ones that explain events in the present that we didn't see as well as events we didn't see in the past. Plus, they're all so much more interesting than Barrettstown.

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.

I am happy that the time to make the comics as high quality as possible was taken. But at the same time I can't help but think that if they had stuck to the original schedule of a new issue every two months, instead of only reaching Book 3, Issue 1, the releases would have gotten all the way through to at least Book 3, Issue 4 before Innovation went under. That way at least three complete stories would have been released rather than leaving Book 3 dangling...

Not to mention subscribers would have gotten their full money's worth...

[Uncle Roger]

I do wonder when they actually planned on resolving the NBC cliffhanger. With the potential Laura story that seemed implied by the artwork that surfaced recently and the proposed collaboration with Lara Parker, who knows how long it would have taken them to get there.
The production delays were very frustrating. I know if they were caused by internal conflicts at Innovation or if the painted artwork took a lot longer to produce than traditional pencil artwork. Delays like that were not unique to Innovation. I remember picking up the first issue of a book called Ms. Mystic. It was an interesting book and I thought that I would enjoy future issues. It was over two years before the second issue came out. I don't think that there was a third one.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

With regard to yesterday's second quote -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Liz: 'YOU MAY BE
SURPRISED TO LEARN WE'VE FOUND INDICATIONS THAT A
NUMBER OF US LOOK STRIKINGLY LIKE ANCESTORS AND
COLLINSPORT RESIDENTS FROM TWO CENTURIES AGO...'

- and today's quote -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Liz: '...DOCTOR HOFFMAN
HAS BEGUN RESEARCHING A BOOK ABOUT COLLINSPORT--
SHE TELLS ME SHE'S FASCINATED BY THE COINCIDENCES
AND GENETICS THAT HAD TO BE AT WORK!'

- isn't it interesting that along with still treating Joe Haskell, working on a cure for Barnabas, and writing a book on her own family, she also manages to work in research on Collins ancestors as well as the residents of Collinsport. Apparently Julia is the most talented of multitaskers. 

It's also interesting that Liz refers to Julia's book as one about Collinsport whereas Julia has always said that her book is about her family in Collinsport, not Collinsport in general. It is called The Hoffman Family In Collinsport after all...

But then, as liberties go in these comics, I suppose all of this may be but a minor issue... Although, in terms of readers who may not be familiar with how various DS actors play roles in both the present and the past, it is a good idea to set up why characters in the past will resemble characters in the present.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Regarding today's quote -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Carolyn: 'MOTHER, YOU
MAKE IT SEEM AS THOUGH WE'VE SOME DEEP, DARK
SECRETS HIDDEN HERE! I THINK DAVID'S ABOUT AS
STRANGE AS WE TEND TO GET, IN COLLINWOOD.
OTHERWISE, LIFE HERE IS PRETTY DULL AND THUDLIKE.'

- little does Carolyn realize how wrong she is, considering they now have a vampire on the estate and shortly David will attempt to kill his father through supernatural means. Hardly "dull and thudlike." Though no one but Willie and Julia know Barnabas' secret - and David has yet to attempt patricide. But with the DS audience knowing those things are happening or soon will happen, it makes Carolyn's remark one of the more interesting if not also ironic bits of dialogue in the comics thusfar...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Regarding today's quote -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Vicki: 'GOOD MORNING,
CAROLYN. SPEAKING OF DAVID-- --MRS. STODDARD, HOW
LONG HAD DAVID BEEN WITHOUT HIS FATHER?'

- the second part of it begins to rework a scene that was scripted, shot and included in the pilot until NBC had it cut to make room for more commercials - though thankfully it was restored for the MPI VHS release. And something that's going to become quite obvious is that the comic actually uses the dialogue as it appears in the pilot rather than as it appears in the script, which means that they had access to the pilot's footage before it was released by MPI.

But anyway, as we went into back in 2015, this is how the scene begins in the pilot's script -

And onto the script's next scene (which is one that only appears in MPI's restored version of the pilot):

39     INT. DRAWING ROOM - NIGHT        Vicki is finishing her tea and Mrs. Johnson's sandwiches with        Elizabeth and Carolyn.

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 21/Scene 39 - Vicki: 'How long has David been without his father?'

comes up.

- and with they exception of directly addressing Liz, nothing about the dialogue is different at this point...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Yesterday I wanted to share a general screen cap just to show what the scene looks like in the pilot for the benefit of those who may not have seen the restored footage on the MPI VHS:

Plus, with regard to yesterday's quote from the comic, I wanted to share the capture/quote from back when we were doing the slideshow for the pilot script:

Page 21/Scene 39 - Vicki: 'How long has David been without
his father?'

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Regarding today's quotes -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Liz: 'OH, ABOUT SIX YEARS.
I BROUGHT HIM BACK FROM ENGLAND, WHERE HIS MOTHER,
LAURA, IS BEING CARED FOR. IT'S BEEN VERY HARD ON HIM.
BUT HE'S A BRIGHT BOY. AND HE HAS AN AMAZING
IMAGINATION.'

- and -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Carolyn's voice: 'MMM...IF
YOU CALL PUTTING GARDEN SNAKES IN MY DRESSER
"IMAGINATION."'

- this is how today's first quote plays in the pilot's script and in the pilot -

- followed by today's second quote -

Page 21/Scene 39 - Liz: 'Almost six years, now. I brought him back from England shortly after his mother... took ill. [Vicki subtly shakes her head, digesting the situation.] LIZ (CONT'D) - 'It's been hard on him. But he's a very bright boy and he has an amazing imagination.'

And the only differences here are that Liz actually says "Oh, it's been about six years, now. I brought him back from England when his mother took ill." And then she continues with "It's been very hard on him. But he's a bright boy and has an amazing imagination."

- and as you can see, the comic uses a combination of the way it's written in the script and they way it's delivered in the pilot - and here's how today's second quote plays in the pilot's script and in the pilot -

Picking up where we left off with Scene 39:

After Liz mentions David's "amazing imagination," Tuesday's quote -

Page 21/Scene 39 - Carolyn: 'If you call putting garden snakes in my dresser imaginative.'

- comes up.

...

And the differences in this section are that Carolyn actually says "Mmm - if you can call putting garden snakes in my dresser imaginative" -

- and as you can see the comic takes the added "Mmm" from the pilot but also changes "imaginative" to "imagination" - and here's how both portions of the scene actually look as they play in the pilot -

Page 21/Scene 39 - Liz: 'Almost six years, now. I brought him
back from England shortly after his mother... took ill. [Vicki
subtly shakes her head, digesting the situation.] LIZ (CONT'D)
- 'It's been hard on him. But he's a very bright boy and he has
an amazing imagination.'

- and -

Page 21/Scene 39 - Carolyn: 'If you call putting garden snakes
in my dresser imaginative.'

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Regarding today's quote -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Roger: 'MY SON? GARDEN
SNAKES? SOUNDS LIKE THE TATTERED OLD HOUSEHOLD IS
OPERATING NORMALLY.'

- it's a complete invention for the comic. This is how the scene plays in the pilot's script when Roger enters -

...

- and then the script continues with:

Roger enters in the b.g.                            LIZ                  Roger, I'd like you to meet Vicki                  Winters.                                     (CONTINUED)        Revised 2/28/90 39     CONTINUED:        He cordially takes her hand.                            ROGER                  I'm Roger Collins, David's father.                            VICKI                  It's nice to meet you.

And the differences in this section are ...  - as Roger enters the drawing room, he delivers an unscripted "Hello" - Liz actually says "Oh, Roger, I'd like you to meet Victoria Winters" -

- and it only makes sense that the comic would give Roger different dialogue there because Vicki has already been living at Collinwood for a while and she doesn't need to be introduced to Roger as she did on her first night at Collinwood...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Regarding today's quote -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Vicki: 'OH, BUT YOU HAVE
A LOVELY HOME, MR. COLLINS.'

- this is how it plays in the pilot's script -

...

And then Vicki continues with Wednesday's quote -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Vicki: 'You have a lovely home.'

...

- and it's delivered exactly that way in the pilot - the "OH, BUT" and the "MR. COLLINS" were added to the comic, with the former no doubt in response to Roger saying in the comic that Collinwood has a "TATTERED OLD HOUSEHOLD" (which actually seems like an odd comment because there's nothing about the '91 Series' Collinwood that's in poor condition) - and here's how that portion of the scene actually looks as it plays in the pilot -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Vicki: 'You have a lovely home.'

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Regarding today's quote -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Roger: 'WELL, THANK YOU.
MY SISTER'S ALWAYS HAD A GIFT FOR MAINTAINING IN
THE GRAND MANNER.'

- this is how it plays in the pilot's script -

...

- after which Roger replies with Thursday's quote -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Roger: 'Thank you. My sister has always had a gift for maintaining the grand style.'

...

- after Vicki compliments Collinwood, Roger actually says "Well, thank you. My sister has always had a gift for maintaining in the grand manner" -

...

- so notice that the comic uses a version that's nearly identical to what Roger actually says in the pilot as he adds a "Well" to the beginning,  the word "in," as in "in the grand", and he changes "style" to "manner" - and here's how that portion of the scene actually looks as it plays in the pilot -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Roger: 'Thank you. My sister has always
had a gift for maintaining the grand style.''

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Regarding today's quote -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 7 - Liz: 'AND WHY NOT? STYLE
SHOULD BE THE DRESS OF THOUGHT. IT TEMPERS LIFE
WITH GRACE--'

- this is how it plays in the pilot's script -

...

- and Liz responds with Friday's quote -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Liz: 'And why not? Style should be the dress of thought. It tempers life with grace.'

...

- and when Liz responds, Roger and Carolyn share an unscripted look as if to say "she's waxing rhapsodic again." ...

- so the script, the pilot and the comic all have the exact same wording - and unfortunately, though, the comic doesn't include a panel of Roger and Carolyn sharing a look as they do in the pilot because that's one of the best moments in the scene, and quite possibly one that was improvised since it doesn't appear in the script - however, here's how Liz' delivery actually looks as it plays in the pilot -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Liz: 'And why not? Style should be the
dress of thought. It tempers life with grace.'

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And here's the seventh page (a bit early - but once again there's 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 this is one of the few times when every bit of dialogue on a page made it into the slideshow...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

SG #61 also shared the artwork for Page 7 without the dialogue:

Though it's funny how about an inch of the right side of the page is cut off...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Regarding today's quotes -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 8 - Liz' voice: '--DON'T YOU
THINK, MISS WINTERS?'

- and -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 8 - Vicki: 'OH, YES, I DO'

- this is how they play in the pilot's script -

...

- and then the script continues with:

LIZ                       (turns to Vicki)                  Don't you think so, Miss Winters?                            VICKI                       (smiles)                  Yes, I do.

... And Liz doesn't look to Vicki when she asks if she agrees because Liz has been looking at her the whole time.

- and as you can see, for some reason the comic drops "so", as in "think so" from Liz' line - and apparently back in 2015 I neglected to point out that in the pilot Vicki adds an "Oh" before her line () - and as you can see, she delivers the line that same way in the comic - and even though neither of those lines were used in the pilot's slideshow, I've taken captures, so here's how both actually look as they play in the pilot -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Liz: (turns to Vicki) 'Don't you think so,
Miss Winters?'

- and -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Vicki: (smiles) 'Yes, I do.'

- and as an aside, I just love the smirk on Carolyn's face when she and Roger exchange knowing glances -

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Regarding today's quote -

Book One/Issue Three/Page 8 - Vicki's voice: 'MAY I ASK IF
THAT'S A SUERAT?'

- this is how it plays in the pilot's script -

Moving on, in reference to Vicki, Scene 39 continues with:

She glances over at a painting.

And that's when Vicki asks Saturday's first quote -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Vicki (CONT'D): 'May I ask if that's a Seurat?'

- and as you can see, the comic and the script have the same line - well, except for a misspelling of the artist's name in one of them - and would it surprise you to know that the misspelling is in the comic? No? I didn't think so. 

But anyway, here's how this portion of the scene plays in the pilot -

Page 22/Scene 39 - Vicki (CONT'D): 'May I ask if that's a
Seurat?'