Innovation's '91 DS Comic, Book 2

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SG #63 from January 1993 shared an almost completely finished version of Page 22:

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With Book 2, Issue 1 moving close to its conclusion, the time has come to start to post the back pages of the issue. First up, the first page of the letters column (twenty-fifth page), though this time around that column is actually being used as the forum for an article written by Maggie Thompson, the author of Book 2. And here's the first page of that article:

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

It's nice how this page features the first panel from Page 6 and the second panel of Page 12 without dialogue written over them...

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And here's the second page (twenty-sixth page) of the article:

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

Though we haven't reached them in the comic yet, it's nice how this page features the third, fourth and fifth panels from Page 24 without dialogue written over them...

And if like Maggie Thompson, you enjoyed Willie on the '91 series, I suspect you'll be happy to see how prominently Willie features in what's to come...

And we get a preview of the cover to Book 2, Issue 2 - though I'm sure no one will be surprised that it didn't actually ship until mid-May...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Pages 27 and 28 of Book 2, Issue 1 are the same ads for the posters and the watches that I shared in reply #146 and reply #139, respectively, in the "Boardindex Page Montage/aka 'Book 1'?" topic for Book 1. Which bring us up to the twenty-ninth page, which is a listing of several of the comics Innovation made available in March of 1993:

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

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And here's the twenty-third page:

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

Note that all the dialogue appeared in the slideshow but the last panel did not...

And on this page it was a publicity shot of Roger that was used for inspiration for his panel...

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And here's the twenty-fourth page:

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

Note that the dialogue and the panels that were not included in the slideshow...

And this page concludes the story portion of Book 2, Issue 1...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Now that the story portion of Book 2, Issue 1 has concluded, here's the unredacted part of what SG #62 had to share along with more of what was shared -

- though Nathan has yet to meet Willie. But that will happen about a third of the way into Issue 2. And we've yet to meet the Grimm sisters. But as we'll see, that will happen directly thereafter...

And the art being referred to in the start of the fourth paragraph is what was shared from SG #62 in reply #38 - and, of course, Page 8 itself in reply #35 (the differences in the bottom right panel notwithstanding)...

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Again, I was left totally confused by this plot.  I know it's impossible to show every panel or page, but here's my summation from what I got from the story.  It's Christmas.  The entire family and staff have departed for other holiday activities leaving Vicki alone at Collinwood.  Meanwhile, some men think the Old House is abandoned and decide to rummage through it to see what they can get.  A lonely Vicki visits and equally lonely Barnabas for some Christmas cheer and then leaves.  The men brake into the Old House and Vicki catches them.  They panic, hit her, and she with a head injury runs away until she almost falls from Widow's Hill, but they save her and one of them takes her back to the Old House to deal with her injuries.  His friends continue to rifle through the Old House until Barnabas catches them.  To save themselves, they state their friend is helping Victoria.  Barnabas lets them go.  The man helping Vicki is then able to call an ambulance and it's apparent he has developed an affection for her.  She is taken away, the man who likes her tells Barnabas not to leave her alone and he promises as much.

Did I get it right?

You came really, really close. Though if you've read what was just posted above, you know now that Nathan had no connection to Pete and Fred prior to witnessing their interaction with Vicki and Pete hitting her with his flashlight. Also, Nathan takes Vicki back to Collinwood to treat her. And after learns about what happened to Vicki, he goes to Collinwood with Pete and Fred and there they learn about Vicki condition. And though it's not as clear as it probably should be, after Vicki is taken away in the ambulance, Barnabas, Nathan, Pete and Fred all go back to the Old House to deal with the Continental cash. And in what seems somewhat out of character for Barnabas, he believes Nathan when he says Pete and Fred seem "harmless enough," completely ignoring the fact that Vicki was "hit a little bit" because of some action on their part (though at least Barnabas never does learn the full detail that Pete hit Vicki with his flashlight and that injury is what led to her almost dying in a fall from Widows' Hill), and he lets Pete and Fred go scot-free... 

[Uncle Roger]

I remember reading that the artist based Nathan's appearance on actor Roger Rees. I wonder if Mr. Rees was ever aware of that.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

SG #63 from January 1993 also shared these blurbs about Book 2 -

- (which use the same description as used in the ad from SG #63 that is shared in reply #5) as well this brief description of Book 2 -

(The above item may not be displaying for you (you may be seeing the sample page shared in reply #60 because I had incorrectly numbered that scan - but I've remedied that). If that's the case, simply clear your browser's cache.)

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And here's most of what else was in SG #63 with regard to the comics -

- and it's interesting that Book 2, Issue 1 came out as the #2 "hottest" when those 12 comic retailer were polled...

(And in case you may be wondering what else might still be in SG #63, there are some bits about Book 2's Issues 2, 3 and 4 that I'm holding back until those issues get posted about...)

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Page 30 is an ad for Anne Rice's The Queen Of The Damned and Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire comics. Page 31 is an ad for the Quantum Leap comic. And Page 32 is an ad for the Beauty And The Beast comic. So, that brings us up to the inside back cover -

(Click here for a 1328X1996 version)

- which is quite similar to the inside back cover for Book 1, Issue 4...

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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))

Not that I'm complaining because I love the character, but it's interesting how Maggie appears on the back cover, yet she was only featured in one panel. Same goes for Willie. Whereas characters like Liz, Roger, Carolyn and David were seen in multiple panels yet none of them are included...

Also, notice how the "A Love Story Beyond Time" tag has been dropped from the back cover though it was a part of three of Book 1's back covers. But then the Barnabas/Vicki relationship isn't as much of a focus in Book 2 as it was in Book 1...

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

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

Hector Gomez' second cover. I think it's an improvement over his cover for Book Two/Issue One...

It's interesting how it's a bit different from what they previewed in Book Two/Issue One

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Here's what SG #63 from January 1993 had to say about the cover for Book 2, Issue 2 -

- though contrary to what it says, no art for the cover was shared in SG #64...

And one thing that's fascinating is that the comic's interior art and story would seem to contradict the cover. But it will be quite a while before we get to the point in Issue 2 where we see that...