So here is where I want to start planting the seeds for the long term storytelling. Because each short story from Black Diamond Western’s original stories were self-contained, I have to find little places to drop hints and clues to the overarching plotline. In BDW, like most comics from before the “Marvel Age”, there WAS no large storyarc. Stories were self-contained and episodic and there was no development. With Ace of Diamonds, though, I want to have some character development and discovery.

I know who Ace is, and his background. And there’s a couple different villains who will be crossing his path, but it wasn’t until I realized that Ace’s closest friend should know more than he lets on that the storytelling really started to gel. Once that factor became a part of things, some of the other elements started sliding into place. By making Ace’s partner a little more sinister, or at least not completely trustworthy, I found the engine needed to reveal plot elements to you, Gentle Readers.

~ Ben