The Beats

verias

So, something I don't think a lot of people take into consideration with comics is the "beats". Timing is very important in pacing, and sometimes you have to set up a potential timing mechanism to help express the passage of time.

For this entire sequence, the pacer is actually the blinking red lights, and you'll notice that they don't always kick on in every-other panel. Some actions happen faster than others, and some slower, so I've attempted to use this as a way of expressing the rapid passage of time with the pages during this shootout.

Particularly here on this page, the "beat" is important, to denote that there is a brief moment where Kietra and Aleena pause with their guns aimed at the final alien just inside the bay. Now, what they've done here is anyone's guess. Were they considering defying the client's orders for no survivors? Were they chewing bubble gum? Perhaps they were just letting the alien agonize over his impending demise. Who can say?

In any case, hope you guys enjoy the page, and we'll see you on Thursday, in which I return to J's written script!

Keith W.