Well, we’ve been getting a lot of new readers lately, so we decided to put together a post about our favorites here at Brat-halla… episodes, storylines, and characters. This is mostly a jumping off point for everyone to discuss their faves here because we’d really like to hear about your favorites too (so be sure to let us know what they are in the comments).
Seth:
fav individual episodes:
#5 – I have always loved this one. It just holds a special spot in my heart, the art’s not that good, hell the storytelling is subpar, but there’s just something about this page. Maybe it’s the unintentional creation of our foe.
#75 – When I realized that we were going to have Thor using Baldur as a bat/club I couldn’t stop laughing for a week.
#200 – seen from Thor’s point of view, as he finally gets the power of mjollnir…it made me so proud.
#301 – it’s a chick fight in the shower… ‘nuf said.fav. storylines
Winter break was one of my favorite story lines I think, because artistically I felt like I was finally starting to come into my own. I started expressing more of the kids individual personalities and having a blast doing the work.
The Pantheon Games was good for me too. Again, it’s because of the kids and the way we got to showcase each of them in all their glory and shortcomings. I also ventured into the all digital medium during this story arc, so that was kind of monumental for me as well.fav. characters
Thor. I love Thor because he was the first for me. Thor, then Loki. It was fun taking the Marvel Universe Thor that I grew up with and loved and making him the runt. He’s just too damn cute.
Hel. I have to love Hel the way I do, because she’s so fun to draw. I basically based her likeness on my wife. That and I love the interaction between her and Hod.
Hod. I connected with Hod almost immediately. I think it had a lot to do with his "googley" eyes.
we had to visually show him as blind, and it just seemed like a good idea at the time.
Hermod. I can’t quite put my finger on Hermod, but he sure is fun to draw.
Anthony:
Top 5 episodes:
1: #311 – CASUALTY: I love this episode because it all comes together so fantastically. Everything… the script, the art, even my colors… it all just works. And it’s got some real weight to it, too.
2: #255 – TROUBLED NIGHT: The introduction of Pookah. What else is there to say?
3: #337 – WHILE DAD’S AWAY: Frigg in THAT dress, and a sad ending for Odineye. I really feel for him in the next to last panel.
4: #211 – CHARM’S STILL THERE: Bare nekkid faerie goddesses, and one hell of a pratfall gag from Jeff and Seth. Love it.
5: #219 – FINALLY WISE: Becaushe even when shhhhe’s been on the pishh, Frigg ish shtill the goddess what kicksh the most butt, quiz-wise!
My favourite storyline would have to be MJOLLNIR MADNESS and TWILIGHT OF THE HOD combined, because they’re kind of linked. It’s a great script, and a well conceived story that twists back on itself. How many other comic writers have the guts to wipe out the end of a story that’s only just finished?
Plus, I’d made a couple of small tweaks to my coloring and I felt that it finally did justice to Seth’s artwork, and really popped off the page.
And, of course, I finally got to play with Arazel and Xarenia. Those two are just fun in the extreme. That was the most fun story to work on… so far.
Top 5 characters
1: Odineye – Because, I’m constantly amazed at how Seth gets an eyeball to emote.
2: Frigg – Because she’s feisty, funny and fearsome. And let’s not forget foxy.
3: Pookah – Because he’s just so much darned fun to play with!
4: Arazel and Xarenia – Again, because they’re great fun, and I loved reading all the little swipes they take at each other. Yet they wouldn’t work apart.
5: Odin – Because, for a supposedly all knowing all father, he sure cocks it up a lot!
Jeff:
Favorite Episodes:
Skuul: Not a Spy (#107) – It’s not often you get to parody Monty Python and Emmit Otter’s Jug Band Christmas in the same episode.
Legend of the Goat, Part 4 (#52) - This is the storyline where I decided to have fun with narration and this episode with the fun rhyming was the epitome of that.
Norse Force: My Lovely Hel (#148) – It still makes me sad… Hod was that close to being with his dream girl, but not quite close enough.
Pantheon Games: A Gifted Thor (#200) – Yeah, Thor getting Mjollnir for the first time. Definitely a great moment.
Twilight of the Hod: Cleena’s Wave (#301) – Just piecing together so many different mythos for this one episode was a challenge but also a lot of fun. We had Greek, Chinese, Loa, and Celtic characters working for a common goal here.
Twilight of the Hod: Casualty (#311) – You know it had to happen, but mixing Seth’s artwork with a modified version of the tale from the Eddas turned into something more powerful than I originally imagined.
Favorite Storylines:
Pantheon Games – Just working with all the different myths in this one was fun for a research junky like me. Plus, developing more of Balder’s character made it interesting to see readers start to take more of an interest in him.
Mjollnir Madness – The new outfits, the crazy druid, the "puppies", Arazel & Xarenia, the crazy dungeon crawl, the way they defeated the dragon, and Sif getting some notice from Thor (finally). What’s not to like?
Favorite Characters:
Thor – The mighty munchkin. He’s adorable, impulsive and super strong. What a fun combo there.
Loki – I like Loki because I try to keep him closer to the original Loki’s personality where he’s a prankster (and a bit self-serving) but deep down he has the same heroic attributes as the other Norse gods.
Hod – Who knew a character so little mentioned in the Eddas could become such a strong regular character? But I always found it odd how little is mentioned of him considering how much winter affected the followers of the Norse.
Frigg – Well, her basic personality is patterned after my wife (aside from the heavy drinking).
Rayna (my wife):
Episodes:
#5 The Search for Ultimate Wisdom– Because Jeff added "Odin, Fetchez la vache", just for me.
#14 Godsco Part 2– The introduction of Zeus and Hera, and an indication of how the Norse pantheon was viewed by the other pantheons.
#64 Career Daze Part 8– Jeff listened to my suggestion that the brats dress the part.
#214 Pantheon Games, Mischief’s in the Air– The ping-pong game and the sweat shop were my ideas.
#292 Twiglight of the Hod, Giving Thor the Willies– Arazel was my D&D character, that I lovingly created before Jeff usurped her.
Storyline:
The Pantheon Games. My suggestion.
Characters:
Arazel. See above
On the plus side, she can’t really accuse me of never listening to her. ^_^
Favourite Epidoses:
Episode #107 – Skuul – Not a Spy (I always love when Monty Python – and other shows/comics – meets Brat-Halla!!!
Episode #134 – Norse Force – Ravens from Home (all that work, undone in a single moment LOL)
Episode #198 – Pantheon Games – Parade of the Gods (Greeks and Romans… just buaaa haa haa)
Episode #295 – Twilight of the Hod – In the Closet (YES I finally got my growth spurt).
Favourite Storyline:
The Pantheon Games – I love seeing how each of the various other Gods were done, which god went up against who… and the whole Bueaty contest was brilliant!… I especially loved the Greek and Romans… oh and lest we forget the STS’s LOL
Favourite Characters:
Loki – He had always been one of my favourite Gods, and seeing how he loves dolls, well that is just too adoreable for me, and makes me love him all that much more
Hod – I think I more attune with Hod as I too am “visually impaired” (yes I am legally blind and need special software just to see my screen). That and the way he can just make everything work to his advantage… even over Loki! And he’s cute too (well, as much a comic artist can make something cute LOL).
Frigg – She kind of reminds me a little of myself (in her Mom mode)… but mostly it’s because she’s as much a mead addict as I am (hic).
When I was first scripting #198, I was worried I was being too subtle about it and that people wouldn’t get it, and I almost edited it out of there before sending the script to Seth. But I’m glad I left it in… it still makes me chuckle when I read it.
hello, new reader here. I stumbled onto this site a while ago, but never really mustered up the courage to post anything.
favorite episodes:
episode #71: Career Daze-Ritual of Divination: “OK, it looks like we need to perform…..the ritual of divination.”
“Ooooh, the ritual!”
=P
episode #335: Backup Dad-Stealth Dad: poor odineye! I love how the stairs went from ‘creak, creak’ to ‘KABOOM!’ XD
favorite storylines:
the pantheon games: I was wondering how the different pantheons interacted with each other, if at all.
hod’s comics: they brighten my fridays considerably.
favorite characters:
Hod: love his comics
Hel: she really knows how to babysit. XD
I’m glad you posted. The ritual of divination was a fun one. That whole rock-paper-scissors thing just hit me out of the blue and we ran with it. Seth did a great job portraying that in the artwork, and you have to have a lot of confidence in your artist to turn him loose on a script that says “show them playing rock-paper-scissors” in a single panel.
And even though I missed last week’s Hod’s Comic, there will definitely be one tomorrow.
cool! I didn’t know the ‘ritual of divination’ was rock-paper-scissors. XD
I can’t wait. hey, it’s frigg’s day the 13th, again. quick balder, hide!
I love the whole Pantheon Games story arc. I think that has to be my favourite storyline of them all.
And of course, Hod’s comics. Love ‘em. Love Hod…adore Hod.
I had a blind character in a group story/artistic endeavour. Even with my not so great drawing skills I drew my blind charcter without pupils and that seemed to get the message across that he was blind. All the other artists picked up on this and drew him the same way. It was rather cool.
But I do love Hod’s googly eyes. Everything about Hod is six ways to awesome.
And Baldur. Heh, although Thor rocks too, and Odin, and Loki (and his love of Barbies), and Hel…oh what the hey, I love ‘em all!
I’ve absolutely loved Seth’s design for Hod from the very beginning, and it’s good to hear other people like it too.
I actually love how in the earliest strips, Hod is just there in the background. He doesn’t do much, but he’s there and then BLAM! you hit us with him and he came out a strong and solid and fully developed character. That’s damn fine writing right there!
And grown up Hod is all hot! I absolutely love his design from little wee guy to full on “adult”. The art is awesome but how he’s written too really makes him work.
I also love Thor’s development. That whole sequence when he’s given Mjolnir by Odin, absolutely brililant. I love how you took the whole thing from his point of view.
My favourite episodes
#68 – Career Daze, Pt 12: I am reminded of a battle in 585 BC where an eclipse caused a battle between the Lydians and Medes to suddenly stop. This particular eclipse has the opposite effect, as seen in the following strips. I’m still laughing every time I see it.
#174 – Winter Break – Deal or No Deal: This is why I love Hod. He’s always seemingly harmless in the background, getting picked on and whatnot. Then he innocently does what he knows best and everyone runs for cover. Or at least he used to be innocent. Sorta. I think he’s straddling the fence between both sides of the issue right now and Twilight of the Hod just shows one future where things could go wrong. Hod’s role in Ragnarok is enough to make him a tragic character.
#10 – Babysitter Hel, Part 1: After this and a certain movie, I’m never gonna be able to look at an apple pie without getting the giggles. Good thing my favourite is lemon.
On another note, this reminds me of all the “Rosalyn” episodes of Calvin and Hobbes. I know why, but I don’t understand the connection.
#13 – Godsco, Pt 1: They’re gods, how big is this frickin’ parking lot?
#134 – Norse Force – Ravens From Home: And here I thought it was just conflicting personalities. I’d wonder how he does it, but then again I’ve read all the Hod comics.
Favourite Storylines
Pantheon Games: The largest storyline, tons of new characters(wouldn’t hate to see Baron Samedi again though) and Fenrir as a commentator? Awesome.
Norse Force: Hod meeting the Chinese Pantheon. Who’s learning from who? Also, nice intro at the beginning, that and Twilight of the Hod make me wish I had looked into Thor comics as a kid.
Characters
Hod – Great expanding darknesses and terrors come in small packages. Always fear the quiet ones. A blind man sees what those with perfect vision overlook. I don’t really need to mention more, do I?
Tyr- Somehow a stereotypical pacifistic personality doesn’t quite mesh well in Norse mythology. Thank you for doing the impossible.
Thor – It’s really hard to dislike the little guy. I kinda miss his braids though. Don’t know if it makes him Celtic, but it does make him visibly different from all the other children.
The dumb black-haired valkyrie – Not all dumb blondes need to be blonde.
Fenrir – Party animal. Rockstar. Larger than life. Even without being the child of Loki, he’d be a menace to society. Well, as long as you don’t like his music or narrow minded. Though I have to admit you’d have to want to be very open-minded to work with him or be his friend. No wonder they say Tyr is the bravest of the Norse.