The Long Road Home Discussion Thread

[RUBE]

As for the preview sketches at the end- does anyone else think they recognise the little critter impaled upon the branch?

Spoiler:

Roland's vision of Oy from W&G, perhaps?

I am pretty sure that is right. I wonder if we will see the other things from the vision Roland described in W&G in this upcoming episode as well?

[aurora]

Finally grabbed my copy this afternoon on the way home but probably won't get a chance to read it till next week. How sad is it when you don't have time to read a short comic

[Wuducynn]

Finally grabbed my copy this afternoon on the way home but probably won't get a chance to read it till next week. How sad is it when you don't have time to read a short comic

That sucks my friend. You couldn't even read it before going to sleep?

[douglasesper]

good issue great artwork. i am really happy sheemie is getting his time in the sun hehe
doug

[Wuducynn]

These Dark Tower comics are like a very addicting drug. You get your monthly fix, and die for your next one.

[Brainslinger]

I received mine today (at last).

Very interesting, particularly what happened to Sheemie, although I hope that the events are part of an overall plot rather than just 'he so happened to wander into a Dogan and this is what happened'. I think I like the idea that he was special to start with though and this just enhanced what was there, i.e. likely the 'electricity' rerouting his neural pathways allowing access to a latent talent maybe?

One thing I thought was a bit suspect, and it is a very small thing, is when Reynold's mentions the "Red king's armies." From his perspective, I think it would have made more sense to say "Farson's armies". Yes I know Farson works for the Crimson King, and therefore his armies are effectively CK's too, but I'm not convinced someone further down the chain, like Reynolds... (or even Jonas for that matter, although I wouldn't be surprised if that old rogue suspected) would know this.

As far as the people of this time period are concerned, The Crimson King is a monster of legend. Walter and Farson would know he is still alive and kicking but most others would likely be unaware he is pulling the strings. With the possible exception of the Gunslingers, but it's doubtful even in their case.

The next section of the end story was interesting too,

Spoiler:

tieing in well with a certain tapestry that appeared in a certain restaurant featuring in Song of Susannah and The Dark Tower.

New monsters too.

Spoiler:

What with the description and the purple auras, I wondered if these were vampires we saw in The Dark Tower, but it seems these 'uffis' might be a different kind as well. Then again, if they are the result of a melding of science and magic, and the grandfathers are demons of the prim, could these science part be the generation of the bodies, the magic, the installation of vampire demon spirits?

[Wuducynn]

I received mine today (at last).

Very interesting, particularly what happened to Sheemie, although I hope that the events are part of an overall plot rather than just 'he so happened to wander into a Dogan and this is what happened'. I think I like the idea that he was special to start with though and this just enhanced what was there, i.e. likely the 'electricity' rerouting his neural pathways allowing access to a latent talent maybe?

Well you saw my post in reply to Jayson's about that, its obvious that there is more going on then "it just happened". About the electricity..yeah, thats exactly what I was thinking.

One thing I thought was a bit suspect, and it is a very small thing, is when Reynold's mentions the "Red king's armies." From his perspective, I think it would have made more sense to say "Farson's armies". Yes I know Farson works for the Crimson King, and therefore his armies are effectively CK's too, but I'm not convinced someone further down the chain, like Reynolds... (or even Jonas for that matter, although I wouldn't be surprised if that old rogue suspected) would know this.

This was one of the things I was thinking about also. But if you remember, Steven knew of the CK also. "And the creature that rules them". - Wizard and Glass.

The next section of the end story was interesting too,

Spoiler:

tieing in well with a certain tapestry that appeared in a certain restaurant featuring in Song of Susannah and The Dark Tower.

New monsters too.

Spoiler:

What with the description and the purple auras, I wondered if these were vampires we saw in The Dark Tower, but it seems these 'uffis' might be a different kind as well. Then again, if they are the result of a melding of science and magic, and the grandfathers are demons of the prim, could these science part be the generation of the bodies, the magic, the installation of vampire demon spirits?

I think they're the Grandfathers that the King is having work through these maurauding uffi's. About the tapestry... again same line of thought.

[MaraJShakespeare]

Reading everyone's theories and speculations above just reinforces, for me, what a wonderful thing this series is for us. If not for Marvel, we'd have nothing new to talk about for most of the year, and nothing DT-related at all (especially since it seems that Grant is really dragging its feet on the Rev. Gunslinger/Little Sisters book)! With each new issue I am incredibly pleased to see how well the creative team is translating such an ideosyncratic story into a mostly visual medium, and filling the blanks in Roland's story King left us with. In fact, I'm not sure I'd be happier if King had decided to do it himself with another book; it may well be for the best that he passed the baton and that it wound up being done in a different medium. Just goes to show that something King said in another story years ago is probably true: It is the tale, not he who tells it. . .

[Wuducynn]

(especially since it seems that Grant is really dragging its feet on the Rev. Gunslinger/Little Sisters book)

Yeah no shit hunh? How long have they been saying they were going to do it? Three years now?

With each new issue I am incredibly pleased to see how well the creative team is translating such an ideosyncratic story into a mostly visual medium, and filling the blanks in Roland's story King left us with. In fact, I'm not sure I'd be happier if King had decided to do it himself with another book; it may well be for the best that he passed the baton and that it wound up being done in a different medium. Just goes to show that something King said in another story years ago is probably true: It is the tale, not he who tells it. . .

I am totally impressed with their work and the story, especially the end-stories. I don't agree about him passing the baton though. Even though Furth is writing the end-stories its important to me that King green-light every one because the Dark Tower is HIS story.

[Brainslinger]

I don't agree about him passing the baton though. Even though Furth is writing the end-stories its important to me that King green-light every one because the Dark Tower is HIS story.

I agree. I read in one of the interviews on Lilja's site that he was taking a pretty much a back-seat in these comics though, as he does with film adaptions. "Too many cooks spoil the broth" was the phrase he used.

That being said, I understand the main points are based on an outline by him and he is still down as 'Executive Producer' so I imagine he still has last say on what goes in. Whether or not acts on it though... that's another thing.

I've decided not to worry about it too much now though. It's more Tower stuff, and definitely interesting. Short of another King story, it's a nice thing to go on with.

[Wuducynn]

I think if something really jars against King's Dark Tower story he'll put his foot down.

[Daghain]

I'd agree with that. He's set up some good people to carry the torch, he probably won't have any reason to veto anything, but I'd be willing to be if it was way of his vision, he would.

[Wuducynn]

Have you finally read issue 2, Daghain?

[Daghain]

Don't have it yet. Any. Day. Now.

[dark_hour]

it reall is like a drug, but theres almost too little of it! i get a bus in to the city (takes about 30 minutes) to get my comic every month and i have it read and all before im half way home! anyone else miss spending a day with roland and co. and reading new stuff about em?

like in this one all cuth bert and alain did was

Spoiler:

cross a bridge...granted the bridge in the gunslinger and the one outside lud where quite epic...this one was not

any thoughts?

[MaraJShakespeare]

I'd agree with that. He's set up some good people to carry the torch, he probably won't have any reason to veto anything, but I'd be willing to be if it was way of his vision, he would.

Right. Even though he isn't involved on a daily basis, I don't think any of us would trust it if we didn't know he'd approved everything, and that he'd given them the outline- particularly, the outline of the story he excluded from the books that most of us definitely wanted to read. We're all just very fortunate that King passed this task on to fellow artists with sufficient empathy for the universe he's created. After all, the Dark Tower isn't just another story to its author; it's the backbone of his entire body of work! Had he just given them, say, The Tommyknockers or something, it might've been good but it wouldn't have been a big deal to most of us. I think perhaps King might've given them this part of the Dark Tower because he didn't feel like he even knew exactly what had happened in some of the murkier depths of Roland's past, and that it would be fun to find out the specifics the same way the rest of us have always done: by reading. I suspect he's enjoying being on the other side of it all for a change (especially after all the pressure we put on him over the years to finish the damn thing ), experiencing part of his own creation as a reader rather than having to write it all himself. It just seems to me, knowing what I do of him from his work and the many things he's said over the years, that this sort of turnabout is the sort of thing King would really have fun with. I know if I were in his shoes, I'd be very curious to see what it was like to experience one of my major stories from the reader's side. Wouldn't you?

If you think about it, it's a very generous, self-effacing thing for an artist to do: let other people into one's pre-established creative enterprise as co-authors. It proves (to my satisfaction, at least) that he hasn't been bullshitting us all these years when he says that the story is the most important thing. It's always good to discover that the people you admire really aren't egotistical assholes, isn't it? I'd run ol' Steve for president if I didn't think he was doing more important work already!

[Wuducynn]

I don't like it, but I thought folk would enjoy taking a gander at the variant -

[jayson]

thanks for posting matthew. i'm not too keen on it either. a little too cartoonish for me color-wise.

[Daghain]

Yeah, I'm so-so on it too.

[Brainslinger]

That's a good point actually. Also fits well with something suggested in the last book too,

Spoiler:

that there have been other Kas-ka gans in the past. Makes sense it be a continuing thing before King as it was before.

Hope that didn't come across corny...

[Randall Flagg]

I enjoyed this issue, but did think the dialog in the opening pages were a bit of a political diatribe statement.

[Wuducynn]

That's a good point actually. Also fits well with something suggested in the last book too,

Spoiler:

that there have been other Kas-ka gans in the past. Makes sense it be a continuing thing before King as it was before.

Hope that didn't come across corny...

Brain, will you EVER stop worrying about what other folk think of your opinions?

[jayson]

I enjoyed this issue, but did think the dialog in the opening pages were a bit of a political diatribe statement.

i agree. like most things "said" by the "narrator" of these comics, it read a bit heavy-handed. it is the one element of the whole comic series i am not enjoying.

[Wuducynn]

The narration doesn't bother me. The only thing that bothers me is when it shows that the writers haven't read the series and so make some screw ups that would be obvious if they had done so.

[jayson]

...The only thing that bothers me is when it shows that the writers haven't read the series and so make some screw ups that would be obvious if they had done so.

for example?