New 52

 There are times when you read a script and you know that the writer had the best intentions, but that the storytelling is missing the visual mark.  The visual mark is that the story would read well without dialogue.  A story should be visually arresting, able to be read and understood without words explaining what you are seeing.

I should have done a lot better -- I tried to get a couple special techniques to work. I drew the magic items on one page and the figures on another page and tried to merge the two.  I didn't want to cover the figure (when I should have) and so I chose and angle that would allow the figure to be seen and the magic items to circle.

I did have an ethical problem drawing a suicide attempt.  I don't agree with that being in a comic book.  I didn't know it at the time, but I am now aware that I have a limit to certain types of brutality and violence.  Someone who magically survives a suicide attempt sends the wrong message.  To me the problem is that writers try to make villains evil and it is cartoon evil.  No criminal would work for someone who casually kills his cronies.  Evil doesn't have to be over the top to be perceived as evil.  It's not necesary to show a man beating a woman or have a character being raped.  Everybody wants to write Watchmen and they misunderstand what it was about.  It was what it was because it was meant to be a limited series, it's affect wasn't meant to go beyond the 12 issues in which it appeared.

I could have improved on the storytelling.

I should have made the environments richer.  The room should look like it has a story to tell all by itself and I didn't show what I was really thinking.  I was imagining Dr. Fate's tower with magic from the ages and across countries -- Lantern's from Japan, shields from Africa, stone pillars from the Incan empire, Jack Kirby artifacts all over.

I missed the mark on the atmosphere of this story I should have pulled back and given you a feel for Dr.Fate's tower.  One of my favorite characters visually, but I have never really read any series about him.  I think because most of the series try to do too much.  He has Super strength and flight without the helmet, and magic powers with the helmet, but they always try to change his origin or something.  Explore the man so people can relate to him, then work the magic, so people are interested in it.  Magical characters do sell or we wouldn't have Harry Potter books, so obviously it is the handling of the character.

I should have really worked the lighting, this should have been a dark nightmarish experience.  I should have pushed the angles more, really gone for Kelley Jones thing.

I'm getting excited intellectually analyzing this thing, maybe I will revisit it.