Oculama

I wanted twists and turns and that's what you brought in spades and I'm stoked to see it! It's interesting to see that Valeric is still struggling with the weight of his actions from adventures past. It must feel like the world is against him, constantly putting sacrificial pawns in his way every time he becomes proactive in his heroics, yet with someone with so much power, where it seems like the only responsible thing to do IS to act, is it objectively worse to stand aside and do nothing, or to try something that might backfire and make the situation even worse? It's a genuinely intriguing kind of trolley problem, and I'm just as interested in how Fabulous fits into this arc if the story continues (what ever it is it would be Fabulous, no doubt)

I don't have a lot to say but please take that as a good thing here: The quality is still strong, the writing and humor still strong, everything you've presented is still just as good with no loss of presentation or technique, it makes me pine for what the ending would have been. Panel 3 of Page 7 was an A+ expert visual gag. I would love to see a re-submission of this comic in the future with the remaining pages if you two felt up for it.

One of the most pleasant OC reads I've enjoyed of late here - and an improvement on an already strong first round, IMO!

The character work done with Kalkyza and DT is never loud or overt in the writing here, but I find it impressive nonetheless. The rapport between them builds really naturally on smatterings of understated but very well-crafted dialogue, and I've found myself buying into them as a duo much more readily than I expected.

Kal, especially, shines in this comic. The panels spent on her interfacing with and discussing her conversation with the comet chaser in the first two pages is time well spent, and is some of the best character establishing work I've seen in an OCT. It goes a long way not just in developing her, but in endearing her intentions to the reader. DT doesn't have quite as much to do here, but I still greatly enjoy their back-and-forth on page 3 as they set off after Arkeis and co. - as I mentioned above, the rapport is understated, but enjoyable; they sound like two folks who've been co-working for some time and are good at doing so.

Overall, I've also really enjoyed their role not as chasers for the sake of getting wishes, but moderators trying to keep everyone safe during the Jericho's circuit. It's worked great in your own comics, and inspired some great takes on your opponents' side as well.

Which is not to say you don't get some nice writing in on your opponents! I was really charmed by the transition from DT smack-talking their ship for being outdated to Doc taking vocal pride in it's old-school nature. The bit with the hot-tub was rather cheeky, but spot-on for Doc, and I appreciated his little bout of embarrassment when questioned on it.

Overall, I think "understated" best describes what's so strong about this comic, and where it's appeal lies. It's quite a funny comic, truly, but it's jokes are never gut busters, nor do they need to be. The little visual gags are great gigglers, from Kal pulling DT's tail to DT slamming the door in Sal's face (personal favorite), and the jokes on the opponent's side are low-key sort of thinkers (i.e. the meditation baths) that aren't hitting the reader over the head with a punchline, but pulling a smile from their faces nonetheless. A succession of sensible chuckles, if you will, which makes for an exceptionally pleasant read.

I had a lot of fun reading this comic, and I hope you both will pat yourselves on the back and take some rest for the voting period!

The opening sequence (CHOICE use of Toni and Rod) is an impressively tidy intro for your opponents. You establish Kal and DT as incredibly effective at what they do (great use of the premise that Locky and Cro established), and enthusiastic to boot, with each representing a different temperament thereat, all in one page.

And the TWIST! It genuinely wasn't on my radar, even having read previous comics with Valaric, that it was possible there could be such a blind spot in his plans, noble though they are. His mounting uncertainty and borderline panic, first under Kal and DT's questioning, then under Rana's continued scrutiny, is palpable, and had me leaning forward in my seat as I read.

(One note here - the charts we see showing the movement of the Jericho during that former sequence do a good job fulfilling there purpose alongside the dialogue bubbles explaining what we're looking at. All the same, they might stand to be a bit more illustrative on their own, which is to say, giving a little extra thought to how clearly the intent of the information shown comes across in the absence of the dialogue spelling it out)

Rana's questioning of Valaric and her ultimate decision to bet on his visions is the real heart of the comic, imo. She shows a keenness of judgement throughout the comic, putting to rest any of the doubts the reader may have had about her from the first round, and the fact that it's Doc's simple, straightforward (and purehearted? hm) belief in Arkeis that tips the scales for her taking action and promising to do something to help them get away is really sweet.

(And, of course, Rana looks SUPER cool delivering on that promise - her pose on top of the ship is a top-notch panel)

I'm of two minds on the final page. One one hand, I can't help but feel that getting a panel of DT and Kal's reactions post-Rana impact would've added a needed bit of closure to the ending. On the the other hand, you've put in a lot of hard work on the comics so far really integrating your opponents thoughtfully into the comet chase, so I almost expect these three to make a re-appearance in the final round somehow, in which case the closure is not really so needed.

And on another another hand, having the departure and escape be as sudden as it is does cultivate a mood that fits where the characters find themselves by the comics end, which is to say Doc and Valaric have very suddenly and unexpectedly lost a companion and had their expectations of what they were accomplishing thrown awry, so the last page really does work in that regard, I'm just not completely sure I love it.

Tremendous stuff overall, between the twist, the character work, and the overall polish on this comic. I'm really, really enjoying Doc and Valaric' journey in this tourney!

This could've been a great round, I'm sure of it!
Even as it is, what art and writing does exist is amazing.
I like the atmosphere of comfortable rapport that surrounds this whole piece, and you have some stand out jokes.
I especially like the Devil's Tooth and Kalkyza discussing how badly the other team's ship is constructed only to cut to Doctor Fabulous saying "God, she still runs like a stallion."
I kind of hope we get a finished version at some point.

This one's a great mix of comedy and drama.
Both the jokes and the dramatic beats land hard.
The reveal that their magic is actually causing the thing they're trying to prevent is lovely, and the reveal of this dark, ruthless side of Valaric's character is intriguing. Between his refusal to acknowledge he might be wrong and his leaving Rana behind, he's striking a much more complex figure than the heroic and wise one we've seen thus far.

Lucky and Cro - I know you said you weren't able to finish the scipt but this is a SOLID entry. The vibrant colors and expressiveness of the characters really made this comic come alive. I got a few laughs from the writing too and totally did not expect that Saal cameo. Of course I wished it was longer because you got me anticipating what happens next. What could Dr Fabulous' wish be? Would this set them off on a wild intergalactic chase or an unlikely alliance to keep Junction safe?

Devil's Tooth and Kalkyza is such a great duo. Just enough balance of comedy and competence to get the job done in the most entertaining way possible. I surely look forward to seeing more intergalactic adventures of them together.

And oh yeah, you got me craving stir-fry too!

Eric and Arkeis - I gotta say, I've been looking forward to the next chapter in your story and this new twist got me even more excited for it. It's great to see a new side to Valaric's character here. He is stubborn and his reliance on magic made him unable to admit that he could be making a mistake. The art is solid as usual and I loved the cameo of Toni and Rod in the first page. DT and Kalkyza provided a different perspective on this whole Jericho debacle - lending their expertise to give us an insight on what could be happening! One thing of crit though is that I felt that Rana was convinced too easily to change her mind to the point of 'sacrificing' herself for Valaric's cause. I do understand that they have a past of working together so the trust is already there. For new readers though, it might've felt too easy/quick.

It's refreshing to see Fabulous and Valaric seemingly take the opposite roles here. Fabulous appeared sympathetic while Valaric is focused on his goal, even to the point of relentlessness. It makes their relationship complex and future actions unpredictable!

I still love the way you guys draw these! Secretly I had hoped we'd be paired in this round, but hopefully in the future we can all work together! Even if it's unfinished the narrative direction seems very clear and the characters all have a well communicated dynamic which I always love seeing in these four way comics. The use of paneling and speech bubbling also makes it really easy to read and adds that extra layer onto what is already a great read. I hope you get another shot at working together! (maybe with us...!)

Awesome comic again! It's great seeing some action break out and how everyone's processing the difficult developments that are occurring! I agree with the sentiment that seeing this other perspective on the comet challenge makes your storyline really stand out in this tournament. The artistry is great too, I'm always enjoying seeing what's going on in each panel and can really see the movement of the characters and greater composition at work. Also happy to get a cameo!!

I have no idea if this was the plan from the start having our dearly departed make one badass swordsmith sacrifice, but man- what a way to go out. I love that this bit of "You're the problem" news puts the whole expedition in doubt. ARE they causing the problem? Are they deluding themselves in doing more good than harm? I love that there isn't a definite answer in this round, and as a reader you can really leave it up for debate. We wont know until something happens- which is great incentive to leave those of us wanting more. I have to commend the coloring. I don't know if its silly to say, but the wombo combo of the inks and color lends itself to something akin to the 90's Disney Adventures comics. The style is so reminiscent, it almost feels like reading an old school comic. Leaning into this with an old school space captains uniform and an even older space rocket really brings that vibe home.

While I'm sad to see you didn't get to tell all the tale you wanted, its great to see your art fusion powers continue to shine. The marriage of your inks colors and humor continues to be on point. It was great to see Saal for one last humorous jab. Kal and Dev have just become *friends* over the course of this tourney and as a reader I'm finding their teamwork and synergy something I'm rooting for. May be a nice reflection of the artist team if you two are working this well. I certainly hope you both definitely collab again in future tourneys or even personal comic exploits because I'd love to see it.

It's a shame that you couldn't fully finish the original script. Since the ending was a bit abrupt, I naturally find myself wanting more, but what you do have is so colorful and fun! I love your color choices and the expressiveness of the characters, though Dr. Fabulous really steals the show with his flambouyous presence. He was such a delight the whole time he was in focus. The continuity of Saal still being on the ship is a nice touch, too.

Love the Rod and Toni cameo! As always, the art is great. I especially love the lighting, it feels very immersive. The twist that Valaric's magic is actually affecting the comet's tragectory makes for great drama. It's nice to see your Round 1 opponents still getting the spotlight in this round too, with Rana Mu's sacrifice being pivotal to the group's victory. I would have liked seeing a bit more Dr Fabulous, but considering the more serious turn the story has taken, it makes sense for his silliness to take a back seat this time.

Great job you two! Though there’s no shading, I find that I’m not missing it too too much because there’s a certain softness that I enjoy with your work. The story’s short and sweet and to the point, and I’m having fun reading yalls comics. I’m enjoying that this pair is not in it to win it in a way, that they’re just doing their job to the best of their ability. Very eager to see more, so keep at it~!

I enjoyed this comic a lot from you both! Really love the rendering and backgrounds, they always sell me on the setting so much. Loved the new digs for Dr. Fabulous, gave me subtle Star Trek energy. The fact that this group isn’t after the wish itself intrigues me but I’m also sent wondering but in a good way about what they’re gonna do next. Can’t wait to see more, so keep up the good work!

Its a shame we wont get to see how that stir fry turned out :( But! never the less still a good entry and follow through up to the cut off you 2 have been doing great work this tourney and the quality didnt drop in this round either even if unfinished I enjoyed seeing kal doing her job and getting a little bit of insight into DT mentality plus always funny to see someone ignore Saal lol great work

I don't know if I should vote cause that panel with Rana diving at the ship was pretty cool! as with the last round and like your opponents your artstyle is always a real treat to see and Ill never turn down the chance to sing your praises. the story picking up in pace is good but I do feel like the story for this one round didnt quite so much use your opponents to do a match more so it used them to move the plot along if that makes sense? An amazing and solid round of course but I do think that it felt more so on getting to an explosive conclusion over a deeper usage of what the opponents had going on with their end.

I really liked the dialogue in this one. The dynamic between your two characters feels incredibly organic. While not much ends up happening in this comic, I didn't really find it a problem as the laid back nature of these comics is a refreshing thing to see in these tournaments. The art is also top notch and very pleasing to the eyes. Overall great work you two! You make a great pair and I hope to see more from you two in the future even outside this tournament.

This was an interesting buildup for your story and I'm interesting in seeing where you're going with this should you continue. The ending felt a little abrupt but for the most part the pacing beyond that was well done. I feel like I'm not giving the art enough credit on these comics because I've just gotten so used to you two making consistently great art all the time. While the ending isn't quite a cliffhanger I am still hooked to this story and am curious where you two are going with it!

Ah, unfortunate news on the comic being cut short. Hope nothing bad happened.

I do like the friction between Kalkyza's procedural preferences and DT's action preferences.

Almost all the hanger-ons(Temptation, Rana, Saal) still hanging out even if just to add slightly more gags does also amuse me.

Everyone is quite expressive throughout this which is something i can appreciate. Even smaller individual panels are full of character.

I can only speculate on what kind of setups would have been in store with this comic. I'd suspect that meditation spring would come back into play.

Noooo they impounded the junker ship! Oh well at least they're getting picked up.

The doubt on Valaric's ability to foresee the future is a nice little bite of tension. Are those panels from previous Oculama tourneys?

Admittedly i did need to refer to past material to remember that's supposed to be Rana.

It does feel like Rana hopping out was almost just to show off Rana's powers in a very very brief encounter but on 2nd thought...who's piloting the vessel now?