by Prince Blanche » Tue Jul 04, 2017 3:37 pm
I think this tone shift helps update the storytelling and style a lot AND makes it far more streamlined and easy to digest. Admittedly, something I've felt rereading the old comics is that they sometimes get too dense in terms of either text usage (not so much dialogue but simply using too many text bubbles) or using too many small frames when a single large one could easily fit the scene. NOW, the limitations of being an indie comic certainly were at play AND it didn't deter at all from being interesting and good, but the current style helps the story's pace and development to run far more smoothly.
The art style also brings out well the facial expressions and combat scenes, which while relatively simple right now, get a stronger sense of pacing and dynamism than in earlier comics (the previous comics' fight scenes were pretty amazing, but looking at the last issue and this one, we're seeing what time has done to improve both script-writing and art in this regard). I feel the series has matured a lot, while retaining its original presentation as being mainly directed at teens, in that sense.
As for Amber's character arc, I've always thought that the RPs and Fanfics, while generally used to flesh out character development and backgrounds, were deutero-canon, and while elements would crop up in canon proper and maybe it would be entirely validated by canon or Word of Verdant, I find it's actually interesting to see how Verdant develops his take on the fan created characters rather than how close he keeps them to original intent. I like to see her development here because it's like seeing the differences between say O5 Jean Grey and the traditionally seen Jean Grey, but I'm glad at least there's window for elements of the deutero-canon to show up in canon per se.
(I've spent way too many years up at TV Tropes, does it show?)