Clan Destine #5 the Finale!

[wonderdallas]

Well, it's been another great ride and I'm so sad to see CD going back into limbo. I really hope there will be another round or fifty because the Clan Destines deserve to have their story told.

The art was fantastic and the scripting was incredible.

I was nervous about how the whole thing was going to be wrapped up because there was just so many plotlines in play. I must say I was alittle disappointed to see Adam return at the last second to save the day. It was just too much like the end of the first "Lenz" arc. My opinion is that Alan is THE master of the build up but that his finales are alittle weak in comparison. Kay didn't even get a single line ......Tral's death was off screen.... no real explaination as to the disturbence in Yden..... Griffen was kinda Necrom-esque. yada yada

I felt the Guild was the most interesting part of the series and wondered how they would work into the finale. Then there were vampires and Inhumans and the Omegans and Yden....it was alot of stuff! All cool but all could have had more time to breath. Instead it felt like each mini-arc got wrapped up abruptly....this should have been a 12 issue arc.

Sounds like I'm let down? Only slightly because in comparison this last five issues were FAR FAR better than anything else I'm reading. I'd happily give up all my other titles just to have an ongoing CD/Davis series. It's like a great gourmet meal that was abit too small compared to a bunch of frozen burritos.

I loved seeing Excalibur! Rachel Rachel Rachel! God I miss her. Loved seeing Mum! That first image of her was so gorgeous! Loved Kay's history as a Japanese Princess and Vampire. Awesome!

MORE MORE MORE! please.



-Dallas

[A.D.fan]

This issue, like the entire series was beautiful. But, it did feel rushed. However, I don't think that was Alan's fault. I just believe Marvel limited what he could do with this series, and so, Alan had to work with what he was given. I wish DC would let him create his own characters in that universe, or one of the companies would give him a place in one of their creator owned imprints.

I am sad that it's over, and I can't wait to see Alan's work again!

[Alan Davis]

If there is any fault in the way the story was paced its all mine. The only restriction imposed on me by Marvel editorial was that the first issue had to be fully accessible to new readers—a regular first issue.
My only regret is that I approached the five issue arc as a prologue to a series rather than a mini-series with full closure. Stories rarely fit comfortably into a 22 page format and I could have used two or three extra pages in each of the last two issues—And I was offered the opportunity of a sixth issue-- but I’d rather tell a fast, tight paced story than to pad it. In this instance I hoped the frenetic pace and onion layered activity would create an individual mood/identity while avoiding the usual clichés and neat conclusions. I know a few people put the pieces together and saw what was really going on but perhaps I was trying to be too clever.

Alan

[wonderdallas]

I've never been accussed of being clever so it wouldn't surprise me if I missed a point or two.

After rereading, I'm assuming the trouble in Yden was due to Griffin's manipulations of the Destine family. Could you explain the "lightning" that hit Adam? Was it generated by Griffin or by Albert's magic as a way to teleport Adam away from the UNSEEN attack by Griffin. Why I ask, is up till then, Griffin's affect on the Destines was invisible and when Adam appeared in the Monastery, the young monk mentioned a strange light. Then when Griffin was genie-fied, it also appeared as lightning-esque.... so, just wondering.

I did feel that the pacing was kinda Silver/Golden Age in the way it moved quickly from one crisis to the next...but not just one story per issue. It was a neat combination of a more modern "woven" tale and the neat wrap up style of a bygone era.

Alan, you mentioned this series as a prologue and that you feel regret in that approach. My question is, did these last 5 issues follow the map you had originally laid out when the first CD series was (potentially) an ongoing series?

I LOVED the last page. The Vincent story is such a tease! I also loved the line about Mum not really being "here....she can't..." which I took as Walter (I think he said it) catching himself from telling the kids something he didn't want them to know. ?

Will we see more Clan Destine? Please tell me yes!

Great work as usual.

-Dallas

[Alan Davis]

Dallas, You maybe didn’t miss any of the points but, since so much of Destine’s nature (Adam and Elalyth’s in particular) was only hinted at, you haven’t enough information to put the pieces together-- Which is why I said I regretted approaching the series as a prologue rather than a mini-series.

Yes the trouble in Yden was caused by Griffin activating the clones— And the lightning was a by-product of that process which Adam ‘intercepted’. Ditto Griffin’s transformation. The how and why is related to what the Omegans noticed about Adam in their scans. The flash Lobsang saw was Albert’s spell/magic.

Yes this five issue arc did follow my original plan—with a few alterations to fit the relaunch.

Walter’s remark is another piece of the puzzle and linked to the event on the last page.

Alan

[Paul G]

I've been playing catch up on my monthly reading. I just finished issue five and I enjoyed it. While it wraps up this story, it leaves room for more mini-series. Let's hope there isn't a ten year wait for the next one. I long for the days when all comics had this much story and excitement in each issue. I think modern readers have become too accustomed to the decompressed storytelling in most comics. I'm for less padding and more action! Keep up the great work, Alan.