Episode 138: “Why do you defend a monster?”

This is episode 138 of The Middle Age. You can read the story from the beginning here.

Shop talk: Phew! This one took a while to complete! I ended up scrapping and redrawing this episode over and over again – but I’m so happy with how the cartooning and coloring came together: from Quimp’s blocking of the axe and telegraphing his next move in panel one, to the hunter standing on the corpse of his comrade as he tries in vain to remove the Blade of Woe in panel two, to the reaction of the punched hunter in panel three, and ending with the weird M.C. Escher-like agressive-stepping-out-of-the-panel- but -being-behind-the-weapons in panel four.

I ended up spending ten hours today coloring it (with breaks for many coffees and a chicken burrito). I saved screen caps for many of the various incarnations of panel one and will share those and all the line art on Patreon. Storywise, I’m happy to give our hero more chances to show that while he’s older, he’s still formidable even without the Woeblade. :)

I hope you like how it turned out.

Big big thanks to new Patreon supporter Jeff! I lent Jeff’s name to the fallen dragon hunter in panel two. :) The Middle Age is made possible by my wonderful and kind supporters on Patreon!

Thank you all again!

— Steve @theSteveConley