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Comic completed on August 30th 2022

Pepper

Ran out of time for full reviews but this was a great match! Loved the horrible giant psychic bug AND the horrible psychic trauma from bugs both!

Rivana

Wow, what a match up. You two really brought it this round!

Sparkle Magic Didi™

FRICK these are both so goooooooood

Jojo

wow what a match these two comics are incredible

Wolkemesser

After seeing what you both did with your first round opponents' characters, I'm frightened and excited to see what you can do to each other's. Stay strong in comic-land!

NonbinaryFinery

I am slightly terrified.

Voting is closed.

Wolkemesser

Good colors here. Outstanding colors that do so much to animate equally standout compositions (That soul contract panel was OUTSTANDING). The story itself/ situation with [REDACTED] and the Mosquito Clean was a *little* tough to follow among the fruits of this visual cornucopia, but the overall story was easy enough and interesting enough to track, even if some of the details required a second pass. Most of all I really enjoyed how well you grounded these two characters in this chaotic shared universe taking shape here. It feels like an important chapter not just for the bug killer, but for a multiverse at large.

Wolkemesser

The storytelling has really jumped up here from the round 1; there's a tremendous amount of action afoot, and per your previous stuff, the colors are 100% on point.The narrative does still have a bit of a jerkiness to it; I get the impression of a movie where scenes have been cut out so that I'm seeing the various action high points with the transition needed to smooth it out cut away, which does still interfere a bit with following the tale. Similarly, the composition of the shots makes it tough to get an idea of the layout of the in-universe elements. Regardless, still a big step up, and your bug designs are a delight; Starship Troopers worthy, I'd even say!

Spiral_Joe

I always appreciate your colour choices and the this one is no exception. The pinks and purples really help set the otherworldly tone and the way you even use it in the speech bubbles really gives it a cohesive effect. A minor issue is that there are a couple spelling mistakes but nothing that really causes confusion. Good balance between dialogue and fighting! You gave both yours and your opponents characters space to establish a rapport and fight without derailing the story. Really interested in the ending you setup with [Redacted], hope to see where you're going with the memory angle.

Spiral_Joe

As nice as a straight up fight is I appreciate you cutting to the meat of the conflict and directly to the post fight dialogue to both setup [Redacted] as this cold calculated individual as well as giving some insight about bug killer's backstory. Honestly loved Bug killer's internal monologue as it very succinctly sets up the relentless vibe of a single minded person that has a very defined goal/obsession. The ending is very funny, especially with how serious the bit before it is but I was still left with the feeling that I would have liked to see a bit more of a resolution. Despite that I think you did an amazing job characterizing both characters in a very specific type of moment, with neither really stealing the spotlight. Excited to see more of Bug Killer!

GoldenOwl

Iv said it before, but your colours are MARVELOUS. My eyes were just bathing in the brilliance. Panel 9 on page 3? Terrific. That first panel on page 5? *chef's kiss*. Also your action is super fun and intense, and you packed so much in there! My only note I think would be that sometimes there was a little too much packed in. The panels flowed well, but sometimes it could have used less of them, or less detail in them, so the action could have had more room to breath. Occasionally my eye lost important details and actions (Mainly on page 2 and 5) for this reason. But that didnt majorly detract from the experience! I loved the writing, and the feature on Bug-Killer and their attitude really shone through that dialogue. As always a great pleasure to experience your work, keep going!

GoldenOwl

Just stunning visual language. Your aesthetic sense is mind blowing, from the colour pallets to the panel flow and composition. Totally engrossing and stellar work. The story was very engaging, and its always a tricky thing to pull off the 'thrown-right-into-the-action' device. You do it very well, providing clues and character quirks for both the participants. The only thing I found myself looking for was just tad more context. The mystery is very thick still, which is great, but as a reader I tend have trouble diving into a story fully without just a little bit of (admittedly) 'hand-holding' as to what's going on and whos doing it. This wasn't egregious here, but thought I should mention it. Otherwise, your style and flow are marvelous and exciting and I am VERY excited to see more!

skwid

The biggest thing I can think of having finished this comics is "good lord that was a lot of panels"! I think a lot of this comic could be condensed down to show more "stuff" in less panels. A bigger panel can show a large chunk of conversation than five bubbles that only have one or two speech bubbles in them. You lose out on showing more unique actions, but also get to show off more environment and better orient the scene in space, so it's a trade-off.

A battle on a moving vehicle is an extremely fun action set piece, but in my opinion, the page comps don't do it justice. I want to see big dramatic impact panels! slanted panels jamming into each other! You do eventually introduce stuff like this on page 4 but I think it can come in sooner considering how quick the action comes into this comic AND I think you can go bigger with it. Find some reference on your favourite action scenes and pay attention to how panels are tilted and slanted to convey effect, because it's not arbitrary!

The writing in this comic was a little hammy at times, but it communicated the story well. There were a few grammatical slipups and typos here and there - a lack of punctuation at the end of your speech bubbles was a common one. But overall I like it!

skwid

The first thing I'll say here is that I'm already seeing that quite a lot of people are pushing for a kind of Sci-fi-come-Kafka nightmare multiverse controlled by brutal pan-dimensional bureaucratic hegemonies as a 'vibe', but your single line of Arthropod Annihilator's reality being 'privatised' is by far the most chilling and efficient example of that I've seen thus far. Other competitors would do well to take note!

Your page comps are great, especially at conveying fast paced, punchy action, which is used to great effect here. The colour choices are extremely intelligent and I'm still not sure how you choose when, where and what to colour, but by god does it work. The roughness of the lines feels incredibly confident and the entire comic flows very naturally. I'm a huge fan of the slight style shift you incorporate for the ghosts.

Punchline endings that intentionally take all the air out of the plot's sails are really hard to pull off, but you did it! I think it's because 'this is out of my dept.' plays off so well with [REDACTED]'s character. A stunningly efficient end to an already virtuoso comic.

Rivana

Artwork - I can't help but just be drawn in by your comic the moment I see your artwork. There's a looseness to it but also packs a lot of character. Then you give us these exquisite detail on panels you want to be highlighted like the Mosquito Queen on the 3rd panel page 3. Your color choices aren't based on 'realism' per se but damn are they so effective. Great choice painting those panels with the 'spirits'! Really gave them an eerie/out-of-this-world aura. The panel with 'Tak' on page 4 did confuse me though. I wasn't sure what happened there but the next one informed me that Bug Killer grappled and pulled a road sign it looks like. But yeah lots of creativity poured into this all around. Your art is so visually exciting. I love it.

Story - Your writing is top-notch. The dialogue is very engaging and got me hooked on the story right away. I do kind of wish I've seen more integration with Redacted's personal storyline though that would weave the two characters together further in the future (I am just a sucker for connecting stories). I am very intrigued by this Soul Contract thing that's going on. I am mighty invested in Bug Killer's story even more!

Amazing round from you once again! You're really killing it. Bravo!

Rivana

Art - Love the color choices you made once again. The greens (esp on Bug Killer) pop perfectly against the reddish/purple/pink bg. I think you could push your SFX more. I barely saw the "STAB" sfx on page 2 panel 2 but you did make up for it in the last panel on the same page with the "CRASH" sfx and that epic explosion on page 5!. The font for the alien bug is relatively hard to read at first glance but nothing too worrisome as I am able to figure it out upon closer look. Just something to watch for next time!

Story - The plot started out simple. Just a run-of-the-mill team-up mission to kill a common foe. However, I like how you slowly integrated [Redacted]'s past into the mold. Memories resurfacing on how Bug Killer reminded [Redacted] of someone important in the past that prompted her to act in a way that would draw suspicion from her superiors. I am intrigued by this development for sure.

I think you got a stronger showing in this round! Love seeing the improvements you had and the details you were able to put in, I think your time management has been excellent too! Great work!

Piñata

NONBINARYFINERY- I know when I go into a Hella comic for the Inaugural, I am reading something from someone who is utterly on fire for the love of the craft. You don't hold back and really celebrate your opponents- especially when they inspire you as Bug Killer clearly has. The acid palatte almost feels like a love letter to the character and Redacted just so happens to compliment really well.

I think if I had a note, it'd be to try and give some solidity to your coloring. You have a handle of and knack for this general spongey bleedy coloring, which is fine, but in some instances and panels muddies up the waters and leaves me as a reader trying to discern what's what by way of figures, backgrounds ,elements and objects. You have the beginnings of it on the sixth panel of page 3, but I'd love to see you push it. A great rim light like that needs and equally dramatic cast of shadow to really make it pop.

I'm aware this page minimum is tight and you had QUITE the story to tell, but I'd give your pages room to breathe. You pack in so many panels that are just too small to fully appreciate what's going on in them that I find your crowded word bubbles competing for space with the art.

Piñata

MYETH- The style of this paneling is just fun. It utterly fits Bug Killers gritty style where a nice and neat panel wouldn't. I see you tried to neaten it up as we got further along in the story, but I'd advise you not to- it works! Its great that even in these little inconsequential things you are infusing your story elements in a way that makes the whole page such a treat. Also I may be overthinking this, but that contract pull Redacted does on page one looks SUSPICIOULSY like a rising sun. Like a certain religious symbol from a certain Luke Peters-y Inaugural evangelist.. HM!
I thought Killer was just another scrungly runaway, but this definitely left me leaning in and asking more questions. Gotta love when a comic does that.

Ninja

Wow I really love this comic. That first page is really nice, the bottom panel gives me such huge metroidvania vibes, like I want to play a game that looks like that it's amazing. great job on the rendering of this comic. It's really impressive at how much you were able to fit into this comic, it is absolutely jammed pack. I think the page limit hurts the comic since you have a lot of stuff packed into this comic we don't really get to breath on it. Like I would've loved to have had the last page split into two cause there's a fair amount of stuff there but with the page limit it kinda makes that impossible. Really good job on this, you did a great job loved the comic.

Ninja

Wow Myeth this is a really impressive comic. I really love the composition of all of the pages. that soul contract panel is really fucking impressive the second I saw it I knew you were going to go crazy on this comic and you did not disappoint. There's a few of the internal dialogue which is little hard to read because of the font and the colour you used for it in some parts. particularly I think the first page is a bit hard to read, and on the final page "insects carved me up alive" is rough. Apart from that this is a really really really good comic the writing is exactly what I love and your rendering is absolutely superb on this. The panel of Redacted on the top of page 2 is fucking sick. I love it so much great job on this Myeth!

Sparkle Magic Didi™

GODDDDDDDDDDDDD what a great fight from both of you!! You comic is badass, even if the bugs are ooky! I love how your color palette is neon on neon on neon, but you balanced it well enough that it doesn't feel obnoxious or overwhelming. I already told you, but I think your action is rad, and you really made both of your characters feel like badasses. The pacing and layout of page 4 is so cool!! The reflected part of the two characters readying their attack is just, *chefs kiss* That slowdown of the bomb flying at the bug queen and then the payoff of page 5 is so goooood! I think the colors on that one hurt my eyes a little, but it was supposed to. It was a bomb exploding! [Redacted] is the ultimate badass, not just walking away from an explosion, but teleporting away and getting a beer. I love the hints at a more developing story for [Redacted] too! Just. Awesome job. Seriously!

Sparkle Magic Didi™

GOD WHAT A COOL FIGHT WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING TO ME?? Seriously, great work! You set the atmosphere beautifully, I love how your color palette goes from more subdued with pops of bright colors to just full send neon as Bug Killer comes to and gets ready to kick ass. And that Soul Contract panel? Get out of heeeeere that's so cool! I want to be able to have the kind of action shots and wicked angles you have going on here. And the design of the Mosquito Queen! The sudden rush of spirits coming to BK's aid was a cool reveal, and I love how [Redacted] just says, "Yeah, nope." It felt a bit abrupt as an ending, but was also funny and tbh probably the right call for her. I honestly can't wait to see more of what's going on with Bug Killer, this was such a cool turn of events!

Eric

You're doing some great work with these colors, again. I liked the action you were working with here, definitely different feel compared to your round one comic and I think you're doing a good job getting more development with the 'assassin' angle. I'm curious to see where you plan to take [Redacted] next since there's clearly a good shadow organization above them.

There are some issues here with the story you're attempting to tell and it's strictly within the paneling. You're giving incredibly anemic spacing to some parts and far more massive spots than is necessary. It is stunting your storytelling a bit. Those panels being much smaller than others is going to naturally cause people to pass over them in due to the small amount they take up. I would challenge you to try approaching your next comic with manga style dimensions and telling a story with less and larger panels. There are plenty of examples there to look at out there and I would really recommend it.

Overall, this was a very solid story and your colors are still looking fly. Keep up the good work!

Eric

An excellent opportunity to tell some BUGKILLER history. I loved this one and despite that there wasn't any specific action involved in this, there was plenty of tension coming from the pages. I love your color choices, very excellent selection you've gone with. You did a great job giving us some to chew on and I think you did a great job setting that up. I'm hoping we can get some more action in the future since we've seen a lot of good establishment, but I want to see some bugs killed soon. This was a very nice comic, you did a great job!