Zed Comic Art Analysis – let’s look that is hidden from us in plain sight
So in my last Zed discussion thread Odin mentioned that the comic has some visual ester eggs hidden and I actually said I wouldn’t look for these… but I totally lied. So here are my thoughts to the visuals in the comic. If you found something worth mentioning, feel free to drop a comment!
Zed has reasons for what he's doing... which none of you have guessed yet. (And there's a bunch of visual easter eggs and clues in all the issues no one has noticed yet.) Let's just say Zed is highly motivated, and trying to do something beyond catching Jhin. Yes, Zed hates traditions but his honor and his reputation mean everything to Zed, so if it came to it ... probably he would have honored that pledge.
The beautiful use of ionians landmark and culture
Okay, this not really a “hidden” thing but still should be mentioned. One of the best thing in League is how every region has their special aesthetic you can recognize. Ionia is not different.
We have shots like this which shows us the flora and fauna of Ionia.
I could write a really long post where I list every single of them, but I will not. I will just post a few more examples but I really love how beautiful and colorful Ionia is and how well the comic portraits it.
For example, we can see the houses which are built via the wood bending to not hurt the trees.
A different example would be the shot of Zed going to Kinkou temple, you can see the Swirl Rock Formation and the common temple structure.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/468671979269128194/672099412947763220/Zed_Comic_Art_Dusk.jpg
Also, some of the NPCs in the comic are actually not new, there are on the Ionian people character sheet from the map.
(Second left from the top and first left from the bot).
As I said, there are many of these things and I won’t list all of these, this would be too much, even for me. If you want to look for yourself, the images I used here are from the Ionian region on the map.
Kayn’s growing corruption
Rhaast maybe still hasn’t got his deserved speaking role, but we all know he is still there. We can see how his corruption starts from covering Kayn’s forearm to almost his complete arm now.
The Symbol of Kinkou
Not sure if you can count it as a visual easter egg or not, but we got the official symbol of Kinkou in the comic as well. We can see it on Zed’s old scalpel and amulet. It is nothing ground breaking but I like having such a small but nice things hidden in plain sight.
Zed and the use of lighting during the inspection of Jhin’s work
This is an interesting use of lightning, you can see the stark contrast of Zed which is “enlighted” by the lamps while both Kayn and Jovn being in the shadow. Consider this use of lighting only happens in the panel where the three finds Khada Jhin work, we can assume it is subtle writing. Zed is in the light because he KNOWS that he sees. He recognizes the handiwork and is not in the dark like Kayn and Jovn, which never have seen Jhin’s work before.
Khada Jhin and his use of lamps
4 Step Cadence perfectly pointed in the discord/boards out that Jhin hides his lantern in almost all times he appeared, including his symbol a few times in the comic. There are various instances you can see it, which shows how meticulously Jhin works in details.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/468671979269128194/672104760488493096/Jhin.jpg
A Screenshot out of the cinematic Awaken. Look at the markings on the gun.
The use of color during the Zed vs Kusho encounter
Another lovely touch of visual story telling is the slow but constant change of the sky, turning from bright orange to dark blue during Zed’s encounter with Master Kusho. Dusk is often use as metaphor for change and it is so incredible fitting that Zed came during the day and the night begins with the (bloody) creation of his own Order.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/468671979269128194/672105639790510093/Zed_Comic_Art_Dusk.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/468671979269128194/672105726784831488/Zed_Comic_Art_Dusk2.jpg
Speaking of the use of color, we have to talk about this one as well. Zed, mostly shown in the black-white shades is a quite fitting for his further character. For Zed, the world is mostly in black-white – you either fight for the same cause like he does or you are his enemy. There is almost no in-between for Zed.
Any soul who threatened his homeland, or stood idle in its defense, was marked for death without mercy—including native vastaya who wavered in their allegiance.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/468671979269128194/672106060743442473/Zed_Comic_Art_Dusk3.jpg
Kusho as physical barrier between Zed and Shen
Okay, last topic of this thread and probably the most far-fetched of all these. If you look at the shots which we have between these three, I noticed that Kusho is mostly always placed between both Shen and Zed. Again, this could mean nothing. But at the same time, it does make me wonder. What was Kusho’s opinion that both, Zed and Shen, were so close to each other? Was he ever afraid that their relationship could become a problem because both of them would be unable to reach the state of emotionless he need for the future Eye of Twilight? How would Shen (or Zed) react to see their best friend turning into an emotionless being for the purpose of balance? Maybe I read too much into it, but somehow my gut feeling says that even without Jhin the “who will become the Eye of Twilight” would have ended badly. Both Zed and Shen feel too much, both would have to forsake a part of them to become something they are not. Do I read too much into it? I’m almost certain but there is a strange cruelty in the title “Eye of the Twilight”.
So, that’s it. Did you find something visual interesting I didn’t notice? Feel free to post it in the commands!
