I personally love the way he (John Smith) drops in this information as IndigoPrime say he drops you into a fully formed world. He also helps you work it out. I find it brilliant that he manages to weave in all the 'clues' you need to suss out what's going on, what all the dialogue refers to without it all getting very expositiony. He makes it all seem so natural and therefore so real. I do have to work at it but comics are often berated for taking such a short time to get through for so much pay out. So I for one don't mind the fact that his writing may take me a couple of goes to get (or at least reach a reading of that I'm happy with and feel I understand). The reward for this is a much richer, more real (in his very unreal worlds) experience.
Compare what he does to say what Ian Edgington does in Ampney. So often he'll have two characters actually discussing straight out for a good page or two what exactly the big snake demon beastie is and what its up to. He does it entertainingly enough but with none of the subtly that Smith employees. Smith leds the reader to almost being the second party in the conversation. To ask the questions and find the answers, which I think are all there.
Hah! Ello, John S - big deal, eh? I'm suffering from Blue Screen of Death at the momement - but you mde me laugh!
You've got it, man: drop 'em in at the deep end - and if they can't swin, like I can't, well then, tough.... this story may take yonks to write. Bear with me. Oh, and haven't you all watched "Breaking Bad" yet, you idiots? It's so brilliantly done and written, I don't know why I bother...
