Innovation's '91 DS Comic, Book 2

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Page 31 is an ad for Innovation's Beauty and the Beast poster and Page 32 is the same ad I'd mentioned in reply #71 that appeared in Book 2, Issue 1 for Anne Rice's The Queen Of The Damned and Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire comics. Which brings us up to the inside back cover -

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

- which is quite similar to the inside back covers for Book 2, Issues 1(reply #7`) & 2(reply #160) - though note that the updated dates/location for the '93 Fest are now listed. And for anyone who doesn't remember why the Fest was moved that year or may not have even realized that it was moved, here's what SG #64 reported:

(I have very fond memories of Fests at the Vista Hotel at the World Trade Center. And little did we know in '93 that that wouldn't be the last time the World Trade Center would be targeted or that the 2001 Fest would be the last one held there...  )

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And here's the back cover:

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

Unlike how Book 1 had four completely unique back covers, for some reason Book 2 has only three. Though, if you look closely, while the back covers for Issues 1 & 3 are quite similar, when it comes to Issue 3 the background color is darker and the print for the character's names is higher in the boxes, so they didn't just print the exact same cover for both Issues 1 & 3...

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Here's the front cover of Book Two/Issue Four -

(Click here for a 1328X1996 version)

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Here's what SG #63 had to say about the cover for Book 2, Issue 4:

and here's the version of the cover that SG #64 shared:

Obviously it's a misprint on SG's part that it's the cover for "Book 2/#3".

And considering that Book 2, Issue 3 didn't come out until August, obviously Book 2, Issue 4 didn't come out in July. Subscription copies shipped in October...

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And here's the inside cover -

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

I wish they would get their 1990 and 1991 straight. When the show started it was 1990. 1991 was reached at some point during the 10 weeks of Barnabas' treatment that we didn't see, which means this comic depicted Christmas 1990, not 1991. If that had been the case then the latter two thirds of the show would have taken place in 1992, and that would have contradicted a remark Vicki makes to Peter while in 1790. And the odd thing is David Campiti seems to get everything right at least half the time, particularly when making comments for ShadowGram. Why isn't he consistent? Who knows? And what's worse is the comics seemingly always get it wrong...

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Here's the first page:

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

Note the two bits of dialogue and the four panels that weren't included in the slideshow...

And, of course, Nathan runs out into the storm that we saw no sign of on the '91 Series when we saw this night at the beginning of Hour 4 (Ep 3). But whatever...

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Here are the second and third pages:

(Click here for a 2656X1996 version)

Obviously one can't miss Willie and Barnabas on Page 2 or the insert of Nathan on Page 3. Willie and Barnabas weren't included with Julia in yesterday's graphic because of the writing over Barnabas. And, of course, the insert of Nathan wasn't because there's no dialogue. Though when it comes to dialogue, there's a bit of a problem with Julia's - and we'll deal with that once Part Four picks up and concludes the opening sequence of Hour 4 of the series...

And no doubt fans of the '91 Series will realize the pose Jose Pimentel gave Julia on Page 3 is based off of one of the many stills from the series...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Part Four:

Picking up from where we left off in reply #265 with Julia watching Barnabas' reaction to the injection, and as Barnabas begins to gasp a bit -

- Willie takes notice with concern -

- and soon Barnabas has a more pronounced reaction as he explains -

Barnabas: 'Hot tentacles stretch upwards.'

- and Julia studies him closely -

- followed by an agitated Barnabas saying -

Barnabas: 'A knife...a knife slices through my arm.'

- Julia appears a bit puzzled and certainly concerned -

- and next an even more agitated Barnabas explains -

Barnabas: 'Now it's cutting through my shoulder.'

- after which Julia looks up toward Willie -

- and then Willie down to her -

- and then back to Barnabas -

- and as Barnabas has an even more pronounced reaction, he gasps further and announces -

Barnabas: 'My blood boils.'

- and after Julia continues to study him with deep concern -

- Barnabas falls backward -

- prompting Julia to move closer -

To be continued in Part Four, part two...

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Part Four, part two:

Picking up from where we left off, as Barnabas winces from the pain he's experiencing -

- Willie also moves in closer -

- after which Julia examines Barnabas and sees that his eyes have rolled up -

- which prompts Willie to look more concerned -

- followed by Julia checking the temperature of Barnabas' forehead -

- and her looking concerned afterward -

- but soon Barnabas begins to open his eyes -

- prompting Willie to swallow hard -

- and after Barnabas comes around a bit, he announces -

Barnabas: 'Gone. ... Pain gone.'

- and after Willie continues to look on -

- Barnabas then announces -

Barnabas: 'Silver in my veins.'

- and after Julia takes that description in, Barnabas begins with -

Barnabas: 'One day...'

- and concludes with a smile -

Barnabas: '...we will see the dawn together.'

- which Julia is very pleased to hear -

End of sequence.

(And once again I apologize for taking captures from the DVD set with its incorrect color timing and aspect ratio rather than the VHS with its correct color timing and aspect ratio. But it's such a hassle to set up a VCR for captures - and even though I've made digital copies of the tapes, and even though I've looked for those copies in tons of places, I'm still not quite sure where I've stored them...)

So, we can easily see that the comic barely touches on how the sequence actually plays in Hour 4 (Ep 3) of the '91 Series. And worst of all, the comic not only completely ignores the huge amount of stress Barnabas is under waiting for the injection but also his violent reaction to the serum. But given how all that actually happens on the show, I have no idea what to think of the Book 2, Issue 4's depiction on Pages 2 and 3 of Willie (who the comic completely ignored was even present for the injection and its aftermath), Barnabas and Julia simply standing around with Julia declining having Willie walk her home. On the show Barnabas can barely speak after the injection. And considering events related to the injection play concurrently in Issues 3 & 4 with the events involving Nathan and the Grimm sisters, it's obvious that it can't be that there's a possibly that more time passed in the comic between Barnabas' injection and his offer that Willie take Julia home. But obviously we're supposed to forget all about how things play out on the show in favor of accepting Issue 4's grossly simplified take on how the injection goes down much more smoothly. Again, so much for the comics keeping exactly within the continuity of the actual show. Adding the snowstorm is but a minor departure by comparison...

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Continuing with more of the ads for the '91 Series tapes from the MPI's 1993 catalogue, here's the ad for Sept -

(Click here for a 792X1600 version (without any of the artifacts that the forum's system created when downsizing the image))

- and, again, it just so happens that tape was released 26 years ago today.

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Here's the fourth page:

(Click here for a 1328X1996 version)

Note the dialogue and the five panels that weren't included in the slideshow...

I hope Julia wore boots when she left with Willie for the Old House. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Here's the fifth page:

(Click here for a 1328X1996 version)

Note the dialogue and the four panels that weren't included in the slideshow...

And I was unable to get a complete translation for Thenno's "ZHNA AEIAETE" so in the first panel we may have actually learned a Greek swear.    And how mild or strong it is we may never know unless someone who speaks Greek comes along to tell us...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It wasn't until after I posted today's scan/quote that I realized that if one takes things out on context and simply relies on the quote and a perception of the expressions on Willie and Nathan's faces -

Book Two/Issue Four/Page 6 - Willie: 'HANG ON, NATHAN!
GOTTA GET THESE WET THINGS OFF!'

- the situation could easily be interpreted in a way that the comic never intended. 

[Gothick]

When I saw the painting, even with just the detail part you posted, I immediately thought "Good for Willie! He's getting lucky tonight!"

Maybe the artist simply liked painting semi-nude men? The artistic challenge. Yeah, it's all about the art. And the aesthetics. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The look on Nathan's face could easily be interpreted as him enjoying having Willie undress up. 

Maybe the artist simply liked painting semi-nude men? The artistic challenge. Yeah, it's all about the art. And the aesthetics. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

You might be on to something because we'll be seeing a lot of semi-nude Nathan in upcoming panels, particularly on Page 12...