This week, AIPT can share a preview of Rogue Sun #19, which is done in a flipbook format so that you can read the story from the perspectives of both lead characters (father and son). The series follows Dylan, who acquired a super suit his father used as one of the more famous superheroes. Little did he know that his late father could speak to him once he put it on! It’s a series I’ve rather liked since the first issue.
It’s always exciting when comics play with form and format, showing us how comics can do things no other type of storytelling can. Written by Ryan Parrott and Nick Cotton with art by Marco Renna, it’s well worth checking out, even if you haven’t been reading the series.
Parrott told us, “The concept of turning a single comic issue into a palindrome flipbook is something I’ve wanted to do for over a decade, mainly because it leans into one of the truly unique aspects of the medium: The contrast and relationship between art and lettering. By changing a single caption or the dialogue in a panel, you can cause the reader to perceive the art differently… and yet I’ve never seen it used that way to reveal character. So when we decided to bring Dylan’s father back into the story, it felt like the perfect way to show how Dylan and Marcus had both changed.”
He continued, “Usually they’re pretty outspoken with one another, but in this case, we could use the dueling inner monologues to reveal their true feelings, both in what they do and don’t say. It was our hope that using this narrative device would not only allow us to stretch our legs creatively, but also provide a deeper understanding of Dylan and Marcus’ relationship because it has and always will be the spine of ‘Rogue Sun.'”
Check out a preview below to see the cool concept come to life. It includes a cover swap and some fancy caption use.
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