Head into a decaying industrial building filled with near invulnerable monsters? Yeah! Let's do that! Or look for a completely different way to do this. Sometimes, Theresa's got a good head on her shoulders.

I don't know if people have noticed this, but Theresa tends to nibble on her thumb when she's thinking. She's done this in the past and is doing it on this page. Part of creating a character is thinking about body language; How they express themselves with not just their words but with their entire being. Thumb nibbling reflects Theresa considering options. Working through them when she isn't in the middle of a life or death situation.

Next page, we'll be finding out what happened to Chrys and Mandrake! It should be exciting. Chrys is about to get a life lesson.

Katy (Guest) (2011-06-13)


What with the horrors being all about perfection and physical beauty, I'm surprised they live in crumbling industrial edifices ... 

Brand (Guest) (2011-06-13)


I'm personally not too looking forward to the next page. Seeing Chrys in this style is not on my to-do list :(

Which is a shame, cause the art actually isn't -bad-. It's just... At the chance of sounding like a broken record. It doesn't fit :/

Ayshara (Guest) (2011-06-13)


@Brand: I agree, it doesn't and never has. As much as I respect Jessica's work, it is completely off/wrong for the kind of comic this is.

Ayshara (Guest) (2011-06-13)


No offense to either of you but please consider the tone of the comic and think: 'If I do it this way, will I alienate some of my reader base?'. Because by going with a cartoonish style that's what's happening.

rachel (2011-06-14)

I must say I am a bit disappointed that those who have been so supportive previously would choose to single out Jessica's hard work and be so unkind and critical. It's a comic. It has never been done in an air-brushed, photo-realistic style. So it has always been cartoonish. That is a statement of fact and reality. Using that as a bludgeon to criticize someone who is working hard and doing a good job - certainly far better than I could do, and I would guess far better than most of us who follow MoTA could do - seems mean, frankly.

For myself, I want to thank Jessica for volunteering to help J Gray continue to bring this really neat story and its interesting characters and storylines to us. Thank you, Jessica.

OnyxSparrow (Guest) (2011-06-14)


The artstyle "fits" just fine... it's just different, and your reactions are simply because its different. In another 10-15 pages it won't matter anymore. Give them their shot to get used to the new style and ease into the groove. Things will smooth out with more pratice, looks and feels will adapt to set the proper tone, and you'll all get used to it. If there's something specific that you have an opinion on that should be tweeked or improved, awesome let em know and maybe it can be done. If all you wanna do is QQ about there being a new artist and that it looks different, unfortunately for you that's not going to change.

Emma (Guest) (2011-06-14)


The new art style is a bit rounder, with thicker lines than that of the original artist.  That doesn't mean the art style is less appropriate or less impressive than what has come before.

Personally I do have some problems with the art and style but I suspect that's somewhat due to not being used to it, and somewhat because there are things I don't like on an artistic level.

I really appreciate that Jessica stepped in so fast to pick up after the last artist... well, after whatever happened that there needs to be a new artist. :D

Art doesn't affect the storyline and that's why I show up.  I only suspect that Jessica will grow in skill in time and become even more awesome, but even as it is, her art is pretty gosh darned good.

Azure (Guest) (2011-06-14)


Not to criticize Jessica's work, but this page seem strange.  Did Theresa and the Jackal (whose name eludes me at the moment) acquire a force field of some kind?  When their profiles are set against the night background, there's this effect normally reserved for very thin force-fields/ energy shields, etc.  Then again, seeing as Theresa's hair and the Jackal's fur are very close in color to the night sky, it might just be an artifact of the art program she's using.  Considering that the group is going into a "nest of horrors," perhaps writing in an "energy shield" of some kind might not be a bad idea?

David (Guest) (2011-06-14)


really? the picture perfect horrors live in a decaying industrial factory? Not in a suburb with neatly trimmed lawns and two-car garages? Truly, everything about them is unexpected. This is going to be interesting.

There are numerous comments about the art here, but nobody has really gotten to the essence of the issue. We've come to know Theresa as being angsty, rough around the edges, with hair in her face; determined, experienced, and skeptical, and quite masculine. Sarrah and Keith both effectively drew those characteristics into her personality -- she looked that way in the drawings. And the drawings helped develop her character to be the Theresa we know.

Jessica's depiction of Theresa makes her look innocent, even naive. Her hair no longer falls in her face; she looks well-kempt, and not at all rough around the edges. She's lost her masculinity and her angst. It's just not the same character.

Also, William (dogboy) is colored so dark that it's difficult to see him. I have to turn my screen brightness up to see him. But although he is difficult to see, I think Jessica is doing a fine job capturing his personality... although he looks too angry when he doesn't need to be angry.

I think Jessica is perfectly capable of drawing an angsty, skeptical, masculine, scruffy Theresa. She hasn't done so yet, but I wish she would try.

Gillsing (Guest) (2011-06-14)


Out of the three different art styles I think we've seen, I liked the previous one the most. The first one was often a bit too angular for my taste, and this one feels too soft. But I don't have any serious problems with it. Except for the face that Theresa makes in the last panel. It seems too exaggerated. The closed eyes make it look as if she can't control her outburst. As if she's screaming. Which seems to be highly at odds with sneaking around in a dangerous area. It makes her look silly rather than serious. And that just feels wrong for this scene, and for her character. Though it seems to bemuse William, so perhaps we're not supposed to take her too seriously? (I'm kind of used to.)

Art that I don't agree with 100% is still better than no art at all though, so thanks for the art! (I couldn't have done it better myself, as I am no artist. I am a slacker. Art requires far too much effort for my lazy bones.)