Endtown by Aaron Neathery for January 20, 2012

Oh man, if the topsiders aren’t already on top of the PT, they’d best try and make a break for it. It’s doubtful that they’d make it, but I can’t see any other way out of it. (Unless either Petey escapes the MUTTs and helps them, or the new PT decides to take off with the mutants and help them escape.

I am blown away by the detail in the first two panels! Amazing stuff there, Aaron!

The Endtown mini-comic that I produced for Comicpalooza 2011 is now available to YOU for the offensively low price of $2.50 (price includes s&h, international add $1 for each copy ordered ). Besides sporting a snazzy full color cover, it contains an all-new 22 page story that is available nowhere else. And just because I feel like doing it, I’ll sign and personalize (if desired) each and every copy I mail out. Simply pay via PayPal using my email address, aaronneathery@gmail.com, and be sure to include your mailing address. If you can’t pay with PayPal, send payment to:Aaron NeatheryPO Box 920558Houston, TX 77292And, just so you know, I’m completely open to donations. The cat and mouse that live in my head will thank you. :-).. and original Endtown art is still for sale. Contact me for details @ aaronneathery@gmail.com

Thanks, Bronkster.. :-)

Tried to figure out what all the lines are on the first two panels. It took me a second to realize that’s looking out from the TS’ers point of view. Nice touch.

Try as I might, I can’t see any way out of this. Maybe a chance of escape for one or two members of the team, if they’re lucky, but for the large number of combatants from the many and diverse mutant colonies, who have died or are about to die, I can’t see any salvation. It’s turning out worse than I’d ever imagined.This much is the truth to which I cling, regardless: Aaron Neathery is this imaginary world’s consummate story crafter, who does nothing in the telling unless it has heart and soul. If he doesn’t give us the happy ending that we want, he’ll give the good ending we deserve. I have enough faith in him that he will NOT let us down. There WILL be an uplifting conclusion to this. He WILL provide the vindication for our sticking with him to the end. He has it worked out, I know it deep to my core. I just can’t see it myself, not right now.Hold the faith, fellow Endtowners. This story is making me really sad. That’s what’s so wonderful about it. In a few weeks from now, it will be a time for relief and rejoicing. Right now, it is a time for tears.

NEATHERY’S WAR, to the tune of “Knockin’ on heaven’s door” by Bob Dylanhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJpB_AEZf6ULet the fire rain down on me.I can’t fight it any more.Take my tears and set them free.Feel like sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s War.Sob sob sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s WarSob sob sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s WarSob sob sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s WarSob sob sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s WarHead is restin’ on my knee.Pages layin’ on the floor.Eyes so red, too red to see.Can’t stop sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s War.Sob sob sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s WarSob sob sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s WarSob sob sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s WarSob sob sobbin’ on Neath’ry’s War

There is more going on than meets the eye here, total double bind where in. We are only seeing a part of it. Just wait for the plot twist.

Man I HATE Fridays! Are we transitioning from “Countdown” to “Philomena’s Last Stand” ? I am really starting to get the feeling that not everyone is getting out alive. Will “Captain” Flask go down with the ship? As twisted as she has become, Flask has good down deep. We saw it at the end of “Gustine’s Quest”. I don’t know what Aaron may have up his sleeve, but he has certainly outdone even himself with this little weekend stopping point! This isn’t just another cliffhanger, we’re dangling from the lip of the bloody Grand Canyon!

This has to be some kind of record. Flask has been in the room without speaking for 14 straight frames!

Hold on, Jenner….We’ll get that good ending. Maybe not happy for all but I doubt if everyone will undergo trepanation…….Mr Neathery!! curse your cliffhangers and thanks for a nailbiter of a story!

Everyone, just remember the old adage – “It’s always darkest before it goes completely pitch black.” Remember the ending of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”? Our heroes will get out like that.

In Panel 1, Wally is looking up, instead of at the screen. Does he hear something up on the roof?

do they know something about flask to make her tell them where endtown is or want to get something else out of her

seems hes about to offer something to her in exchange of something she knows it can be how to find the underground towns or something else

because if they just wanted all of them dead he wouldve ordered the ones outside to attack them by now

I agree … the art in first two panels is fantastic. That’s a very difficult effect to accomplish in B/W.

I have a feeling that we are about to get another demonstration of the considerable talents and abilities of Wally Wallechinsky. But I could be mistaken. Another observation is that our heroes are in a pickle in part due to the over-confidence of Captain Flask. But their salvation could happen because of the over-confidence of their Topsider antagonist. We shall see.

BTW, outstanding artwork and storyline, Aaron. It is fascinating to be pulled into a compelling story such as this, and to be aware that you are being pulled in as it happens. And I am amazed at the amount of the story that is told with no words or caption, just with the images. Outstanding work, sir!

There is another angle that hasn’t been discussed yet, I think. What about dustcrawlers? Mallard was able to have live pictures of the launch site via dustcrawler, so why couldn’t they have been following everything that has happened so far back in Endtown Security? I have no idea what assets (if any) Mallard might have to call on, but they can communicate with other sites to coordinate actions. It may not be the most likely scenario, but it is within the realm of possibility that some form of rescue attempt may be underway. We can only hope…

i hope he sent al and justine

i want to see those 2 again

who knows? maybe they are already rescuing petey

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that technique used before. Aaron’s storytelling is innovative but so is his artwork. Those two panels must have taken a lot of thought & time to execute.

I don’t know why, but I had a feeling the infamous line “Cat got your tongue?” was going to get in there somewhere.Even though this can’t be the end of our story… Even though there is certainly going to be some miraculous turn of event that will give the Endtowners the chance they need to make it through this (I’m still hoping for at least sub-terranian creature to come up for some air!), and even though we have to wait an entire weekend for it, one thing seems absolutely certain…For Flask to stand that still and that silent for so long… I fear she is beyond reach (more so…).

Oh! By the way…Well done, Mr. Neathery, for the way you have us observing our heroes from the Topsider’s point of view. And the way you’ve written this story… I am so glad I have added this to my list of favourites.KEEP ON WRITING…(and drawing, as well!)

And then Flask smiles, and the Topsider gets nervous… “I was counting on you counting on me being overconfident and screwing up… Of course I knew you wouldn’t continue my project, but I had to get close to your fake command center to use its console to really hack your systems…” “Nooo…! But your attack on the rocket… Your reprogramming the chip! I saw…”“What you saw through the transport. I didn’t really think talking it onto our side would be THAT easy. Oh, by the way, thank you for giving us a surveillance satellite to watch you with.”“W-what are you going to do with ME?”“Sometimes there are collateral damages, Linda… And sometimes there are collateral assets…”

Looks like it’s time for a Corbomite maneuver.

BTW, be sure and stop by to say howdy to Linda on the Underground…

Such an immersive comic. I find it interesting how so many of us have taken to identifying ourselves with the characters using terms like “we” and “our”. Its a great indication of the quality of writing and artwork. Seeing as how “our” boy, Wally, has a penchant for getting out of really tough situations and there is the unknown of what’s going on with Petey, I think there is sufficient reason to hope for a positive ending to this negative turn of events.

There’s still Petey, and like Batman, he can breathe in space. So if he can get up there, he can still find a way to disable or destroy the rocket or satellite.

AARON NEATHERY IS BATTLING THROUGH SOME SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS. PLEASE BUY STUFF FROM HIM, SO HE CAN PAY HIS MEDICAL BILLS AND KEEP DRAWING ENDTOWN.(pardon the capitals, but this is important)(he will get better, by the way)

I wonder if Flask will make a “Let them go, take me” kind of plea. She is crazy, but she seems to have some sort of honour as well (twisted though it may be)…

Oh those poor humans Flask wanted to wipe out, she is such a monster! Get a clue you wheenies and grow up, it’s kill or be killed in this world.

BTW, I’d hate to see Flask buy the farm as well, but ( barring a miraculous Neathery plot twist) things seem to be trending in that direction. Only time will tell (cause Aaron sure won’t :-) )

Is she sweating or crying or both. It isn’t easy to lose is it. Poor Flask. OK, where is Petey? With all those poor mutts attached. Let us know he is safe and/or sorry? That might be a good next Friday torture/ At least for me.. Love your work, love your art, love your creativeness. A fantasy almost fact.

1)Where is Level Head?!? 2) I SMELL AN EISNER!!! :D

@dadof3: True enough, but I have the feeling Flask is more valuable to them alive than dead. She could make a case for “Let them go and I’ll come quietly, or don’t let them go and I’ll go down fighting”. The TS’ers may agree simply out of arrogance – they are probably pretty confident that even if Wally, Holly & Linda were to go free today they’d get them in the end, but they can’t risk killing/losing Flask (again)Jeez, I’ve read a lot of comics and a lot of novels and I can’t think of any of them that have ever left me on edge and wanting more like Endtown does. This is one of the few features I ever comment on, and is certainly the only one I return to several times a day just to read others’ comments. Judging by the comments posted here daily I’d say I’m not the only one. Very masterful storytelling, Mr. Neatherley, and as those top two panels show (although it was obvious even before those two panels), very masterful artwork as well. Very masterful indeed.Now if only we could get the whole adventure, from day one, back when Al and that other guy were foraging for food, in book form…

Not only does the comic writer have to end the story with the heros intact, but must not make the continuation of the comic impossible.

Unless that is exactly what is desired.

Amazing technique

There have been stories where everyone dies, as a prelude to a larger story to take place years later when everyone else is dealing with the consequences and have greater trials to overcome.

yea. generally not comics, though.

It’s it odd the Topsider Sounds almost too reasonable here? Captain Flask has a conflict inside her And she’s got every reason to fear She would rage at the comm, but she’s frozen Paralized, light a rabbit in lights Now she’s stuck on the path that she’s chosen Maybe she’s fought the last of her fights Still there’s Petey, a noble wild factor Who we like, and who’s good in a pinch While Flask lets the Topsider distract her He would fight — but he can’t budge an inch Note that Flask’s not a “good guy” — we’re willing To see her, somehow, meet this fate But for Holly and Wally: No killing! Come on Petey, before it’s too late! =|====/ Level Head Vote for Endtown 2.0 And for Doc Rat, too The Endtown Forum