Tick - Big Blue Destiny #1 -
Arachnida
-Eli Stone
No, I'm not Ben Edlund. Neither are the other artists and
writers currently working on Tick comic projects. We will
never be Ben. No one will ever be Ben. Me?... Well, I'm
just plain Eli Stone. And I'm okay with that. Are you?
Let's face it, Tick heads, Ben is a man of mystery with
his fingers in a lot of little pies and only two pairs of
pants. Who knows what he's up to? All we know for sure is
that at this very moment he's not making comic books. But
most great comic book epics have required the
participation of a number of people in order to keep the
home fires burning. It's simply a matter of choosing the
right person or persons to pass the torch to. And as far
as this series goes, Ben has passed that white-hot torch
to me that I may set blazing fire to all your homes!
(Metaphorically speaking, for the most part.) Yeah, I
know, "big shoes to fill" and all that garbage.
I'm not worried in the least. You know why? Because when
I write, Ben Edlund laughs. And if its good enough
for him, it damn well better be good enough for you! As
for my art, it's getting better by the day.
Now, if youve sufficiently adjusted to that
transition, I'll move on to head game number two;
"Where are we?" Between the twelve original
Edlund issues, the Karma Tornado adventures and the
television series, I'm sure your heads are reeling with
countless queries concerning continuity. I don't blame
anyone who read The Tick's Back #0 and was confused as to
exactly where and when that story took place. Let me do
my best to clarify the universe in which I write...
Ben left The Tick and Arthur in New York with a freshly-
usurped Tick Cave, lots of crimefighting accouterments
and a confrontation with the infamous Terror and his
Evileers in the offing Karma Tornado was sort of a
continuity crazy guilt, taking place not only in New York
AND The City but in outer space to boot. The TV show is a
whole other deal. Tick fans, I know youre not
stupid. We all realize that certain concessions have to
be made for television with regards to the age of the
viewing audience, time constraints and the like. Also,
due to a sticky licensing web that even I don't
understand, the TV show and this comic book may not be
able to share certain supporting characters. Hey, I love
the show, too. But let's try to view this comic book and
the TV show as companion pieces to each other and not
trip over the details.
The comic book you are now sweating on, The Tick: Big
Blue Destiny, takes place AFTER the events in both Ben
Edlund's issues and the Karma Tornado series. We find our
designless duo back in The City living in Arthur's small
apartment, scraping to get by on whatever is left of
Arthur's savings. So what happened to the mansion in New
York and all that good evil-busting gear? I dunno. Ask
Ben. As far as I'm concerned, The Tick doesn't need
gadgets to make him mighty anyway. The villains of The
City are scarce and must each have a purpose for their
wicked ways and a twisted history to back it up. The moon
still says "CHA" and I haven't forgotten about
the fact that The Tick is, in truth, an escapee from an
insane asylum. Really, I'm trying to get in touch with
Ben Edlund's original Tick concept as much as I possibly
can. I'm takin' it back to the streets, boys!
Now you know the score. This was all "very right
brain stuff." In the next installment of Arachnida I
promise I'll lighten up a little. I'm doing my very best
to make you laugh and I'm constantly trying to strengthen
my grip on both pencil and brush. We at New England
Comics encourage you to write to us concerning this new
series and I, personally, welcome your criticism as long
as you have only positive things to say. I have to go pee
now.
From "The Ticks Back"
Issue Zero, August 1997, by New England Comics.
Reprinted without permission...
More information on the Tick is available from New England
Comics.
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Added February 1, 1998.
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