Where Gulls Cry (a Tolkien fancomic)

[hrymfaxe]

B2MeM Challenge: B2MeM 2015 - Elwing prompt by Zopyrus
Format: Fancomic - watercolor and ink
Genre: General
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nudity and suicidal thoughts
Characters: Elwing, seagulls
Pairings: No
Creators' Notes (optional): Thank you binkaslibrary for the beta, and all the other helpful suggestions! And heartofoshun for a thought-provoking bio on the SWG. More notes

Comments

[tamsinwillougby]

Beautiful and haunting. I love the color scheme you've chosen.

[hrymfaxe]

Thank you so much - I'm glad the moods translated for you. :)

[dawn_felagund]

Having seen this take shape over the past few months, it is incredible to see it finished. And omg, what an amazing piece! It was worth the wait. Absolutely incredible.

The birds give it the sense of constant, chaotic motion atop the peaceful blues. Yet Elwing's voice, in its neat little rectangles, imposes itself on top of that chaos but yet never fully erases it. If that makes sense! As I read through, I kept hearing the noise of gulls. I kept imagining that as the very real backdrop to the "epic sheen" Elwing's tale is given in the Silm, which is in fact one of loneliness, abandonment (in both directions), and yes I agree--madness.

The reality of the birds' "conversation" too seems almost cruel: intended to underscore her crime, both in aiding the breaking of the Ban of the Valar and against her very womanhood, in the form of abandonment of her children.

In short: beautiful, thought-provoking, haunting.

[hrymfaxe]

It has been a joy to share the progress with you, - and necessary to keep momentum going on what turned out to be a very long journey!

I'm glad you mention the chaos of the gulls. I have also tried to vary the layout of each page so not even that stays the same from page to page.

The difference between the epics of the Silm and the reality of the experience is interesting to imagine, and it was a challenge to translate that into these 5 pages, without hitting the reader over the head with my ideas.

Thank you for cheerleading, reading and leaving such a nice comment!

[hhimring]

Poor Elwing--your take on her fate is very compelling and really well handled graphically!

[hrymfaxe]

Poor Elwing indeed!!! I hope she enjoys the flight, and that other days may bring her more joy.

Thank you so much for your kind comment.

[kayleelupin]

Oh my goodness! Breathtaking, powerful, and I could just see it happening this way. Oh, poor Elwing...I wonder if the seabirds meant to torment her in that way...

*Donut the Seagull pokes in front of his Kaylee*

Donut: Mine?

At least my own seagull-muse only wishes for fish and doesn't try to drive me to such thoughts...

Donut: Fish mine? *headtilts at his friends in the comic and tries to lift up Elwing* Elwing Mine?

*absentmindedly strokes Donut's feathers* We hope Ulmo saved Elwing this time too...:(

Kaylee Arafinwiel

[hrymfaxe]

Oh, a seagull muse! How appropriate! :D

Poor Elwing, yes. I hope Ulmo does help her, and that she finds joy again.

Thank you!

[kayleelupin]

Oh, a seagull muse! How appropriate! :D

Well yes, Donut seems to have become my B2MEM muse at least. He first pushed himself into one of my stories last year, and it was about Elwing, too: http://b2mem.livejournal.com/303995.html *hopes you will like*

Kaylee Arafinwiel

(and a hopeful Donut)

P.S. You're welcome! *and Donut tries to give you fish while hunting for his own*

[hrymfaxe]

Oh I did like that! I laughed at the communication attempts - that's probably pretty much how it goes with those birds... And it reminded me that Uinen is pretty awesome, and I should do something with her!

[anonymous]

AWESOME BB

[hrymfaxe]

THANK YOU BEE!