L’ACADEMIE DES ACOLYTES COMIQUES(The Academy of Comic Sidekicks)New York – Paris – FresnoLESSON #48: FrenemiesAn especially useful way to expand your character and break out of purely comic typecasting is to cultivate an opponent, a villain, a useful arch-enemy. Yes, we said “cultivate,” because unless you’re going for the one-shot, “gag-a-day” type of panel, you’re going to need some conflict. For an adventure comic like this one, it’s an absolute necessity. In Capt. Santiago’s case, an old and frail ex-revolutionary still living in the past may not seem on the order of a graduate of Sam’s School for Supervillains, but one does have to start somewhere. Santiago had a secure position with the cast of Annie (and, hopefully, will still have one if the strip is ever rebooted), and while this turn alone may not break her into her own comic, the idea of a former comrade of her late father turned against her makes for good drama. Now, for a TRUE arch-enemy, she need look no further than the gang in North Korea, where she was imprisoned with another Academy graduate, Tom Short, the ordeal of that time nearly costing her life. Adventure comic fans eat this stuff up and ask for seconds…
L’ACADEMIE DES ACOLYTES COMIQUES(The Academy of Comic Sidekicks)New York – Paris – FresnoLESSON #48: FrenemiesAn especially useful way to expand your character and break out of purely comic typecasting is to cultivate an opponent, a villain, a useful arch-enemy. Yes, we said “cultivate,” because unless you’re going for the one-shot, “gag-a-day” type of panel, you’re going to need some conflict. For an adventure comic like this one, it’s an absolute necessity. In Capt. Santiago’s case, an old and frail ex-revolutionary still living in the past may not seem on the order of a graduate of Sam’s School for Supervillains, but one does have to start somewhere. Santiago had a secure position with the cast of Annie (and, hopefully, will still have one if the strip is ever rebooted), and while this turn alone may not break her into her own comic, the idea of a former comrade of her late father turned against her makes for good drama. Now, for a TRUE arch-enemy, she need look no further than the gang in North Korea, where she was imprisoned with another Academy graduate, Tom Short, the ordeal of that time nearly costing her life. Adventure comic fans eat this stuff up and ask for seconds…