Writing fights and when professionals let you down
So I'm reading Batgirl 007 (should I make a James bond joke now?) and I just had to stop because one page threw me RIGHT out of the story. Specifically what was said. Now, the image sequence isn't exactly specific.... so let me explain.
Batgirl decides that she's going to spar with Black Canary. During the spar, Dinah gets her in an arm lock and Bab's somersaults out of it. Dinah's comment is "Somersault to break an arm hold. Weird, but impressive." And I'm left sitting here going what the HELL?! That IS how you break an arm lock....assuming you have the space and leverage to make it happen. Yes there ARE other things you can do (hopefully) but the use of a somersault (with kick going over for good measure) was one of the first things I was taught to get me out of an arm lock pin. Hell if you're in such a pin the body WANTS to somersault out because that would relieve the pressure!
It would have to be a forward somersault, just because that's how the human body works. And it's hard to tell in the panel if she's moving forwards or trying to flip over backwards, which would NOT work, no matter hot double jointed.
I get that not everyone practices martial arts, but it's really disappointing me when it's so obvious that they writer doesn't know what they are talking about. I'm a fight scene beta for a couple of folks, because they want to make sure that what they write makes sense and won't throw the reader out of the story. And that's for fanficcers, the folks who AREN'T getting paid for their work. You'd think that a professional would use a similar resource.
Batgirl decides that she's going to spar with Black Canary. During the spar, Dinah gets her in an arm lock and Bab's somersaults out of it. Dinah's comment is "Somersault to break an arm hold. Weird, but impressive." And I'm left sitting here going what the HELL?! That IS how you break an arm lock....assuming you have the space and leverage to make it happen. Yes there ARE other things you can do (hopefully) but the use of a somersault (with kick going over for good measure) was one of the first things I was taught to get me out of an arm lock pin. Hell if you're in such a pin the body WANTS to somersault out because that would relieve the pressure!
It would have to be a forward somersault, just because that's how the human body works. And it's hard to tell in the panel if she's moving forwards or trying to flip over backwards, which would NOT work, no matter hot double jointed.
I get that not everyone practices martial arts, but it's really disappointing me when it's so obvious that they writer doesn't know what they are talking about. I'm a fight scene beta for a couple of folks, because they want to make sure that what they write makes sense and won't throw the reader out of the story. And that's for fanficcers, the folks who AREN'T getting paid for their work. You'd think that a professional would use a similar resource.