It appears that the fantasy comic Dominic Deegan is ramping up toward another epic storyline… meaning that the comic will return its focus on its titular character Dominic. I have to admit I’m not sure where the aversion to Dominic comes from; perhaps it’s due to the inherent smugness of the character, or how he always saves the day when push comes to shove. Yet for the most part he’s not come out of this unscathed. Sure, some of the consequences he’s suffered seem fairly lackluster (such as infertility). But he’s also crippled now, reliant on an artificial limb to get around. Mind you, this is only a physical constraint, but it does show that Michael Terracciano isn’t averse to having his protagonists suffer consequences for their actions, no matter how well meant.
Perhaps the best example of this lies with the most recent update. I was quite surprised to see several prominent secondary characters being torn asunder by one of the Archmages… all on the apparent bequest of the former Archmage of the Fifth Circle, David Johann. Whether or not Luna’s friends actually die in this assault remains to be seen (though it looks like two of the characters have had holes blown into them and lost limbs in this assault… sure, they’re werewolves, but they’re not immortal. What’s more, their enemy operates on a scale so minute that they may be unable to detect him… at least not until it’s too late.
The deaths of these characters would be an effective storytelling tool in returning the focus of the story to the Beast, the eldritch abomination that has been causing trouble since the end of the War in Hell storyline. I must admit, however, that while Dominic might be the titular character of the comic, I’d be more interested in seeing a different Deegan take center stage for this story arc: Miranda Deegan, Dominic’s mother. Given the fact the other archmages seem to being drawn into the conspiracy surrounding the Beast, she would be the logical choice for this storyline’s protagonist. It would also give her a chance to shine in the limelight; while she’s played a role in several stories, she’s rarely taken center stage. This storyline seems well suited for her; the fact that Dominic wouldn’t be the hero that saves the day once more would be icing on the cake.