The Process: Second That Emotion

(Note: This is an entry in an ongoing series of bringing a new twist to an old story.)

Still Life's auction for Gigi Gutierrez' final pose has begun. Her friend Diane Westerbrook feels powerless, knowing that any minute a winning bid will be offered to keep Gigi's beautiful body as a permanently petrified prize. However, in the nick of time someone gives Diane hope to save Gigi:

Lettering is important here.  Varying the lettering allows the mind's ear hear the words (and sounds) in a way without actually hearing the sound. It's the job of the letterer to add a distinctive flavor and emotion from a script that may start off bland -- not that my script for Pretty Vacant: Final Repose Part II was boring in any way -- but the technique saved me a panel by not having to show the actual message on Diane's phone.

This technique also works in media other than comics.  Time and money is saved on a television show by not having to film a seperate scene with a message on a phone.  This is smartly done on the BBC-PBS series "Sherlock":

And I must give a tip of my baseball cap to perhaps the most influential film of all time, Citizen Kane.  The literary device of using lettering to futher the plot owes a debt of gratitude to that movie:

Good lettering may never be given its due (Lord knows I've ranted about it enough), but somedays it can be fun!

And kudos to you if you know the song that this post's title was based!

Previous Process Entry

When I Say Run, Run! – An Overview of “Sherlock” Series 2

Dominatrix Irene Adler blackmails the British Royal Family by holding compromising photos of a young female royal in her mobile phone.  The government’s top troubleshooter, Mycroft Holmes, has no choice but to involve his brilliant yet arrogant younger brother, Sherlock, and his partner, Dr. John Watson. 

The game is back!

We’ve waited far too long for the joint BBC-PBS production of “Sherlock” to resume, but it is well worth the wait!  Having watched the English telecasts before its American debut on PBS this weekend I am fortunate to blog in advance about the three episode series inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s well-known stories: A Scandal In Belgravia, The Hounds of Baskerville and The Reichenbach Fall.

Co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss lovingly adhere to Doyle’s original tales yet give them a modern twist.  John maintains a hugely popular blog on Sherlock’s cases, while Sherlock to his annoyance is linked to wearing a deerstalker cap.  Baskerville is no longer a person (it’s a military base for animal experimentation), and Reichenbach Falls is only in a painting.  Fitting for writers from the BBC’s superb series “Doctor Who”, Moffat and Gatiss give us magical moments of brilliance (Sherlock deducing Adler’s pass code on her phone), silliness (“Sherlock Holmes, put some clothes on!”) and wit (“Smart is the new sexy”).

Yet what makes “Sherlock” must-see viewing is how astonishing the acting matches up with the writing.  Benedict Cumberbatch is weirdly wonderful as Sherlock.  Martin Freeman’s John convinces us that he’s the best friend a genius can have.  Andrew Scott plays a truly frightening Moriaty.  Yet it is Louise Brealey’s Molly Hooper -- a character created specifically for this show-- that stood out for me.  Her quiet intelligence and steadfast loyalty to Sherlock propelled her from invisible pushover to major partner by the series’ cliffhanger. 

What I like most about the end of the series was that the cliffhanger was resolved but we are not yet told how.  That leaves me with my only criticism of the series: it was way too short.  Unfortunately, the high quality of “Sherlock” leaves viewers wanting more.  To me, that’s the sign of a great television show! 

Previous Sherlock Entry