Page 8:

I asked my friend Anna Maltese, a martial arts expert, if a Japanese naval sword
could cut through a chain. Hell no, apparently. There was a glut of swords made at
that time, and they were mostly crap. So no easy way out of the manacles for Doc.
Sorry, Doc.

Pages 9 & 10:

We finally rip Docs shirt. Is everybody happy now? Im sorry it took almost four
whole issues. A good page to mention the fantastic lettering of Taylor Esposito
who accepted SHHRIP as the appropriate sound effect for that. Also, just as Doc
has his trademark sound the trilling he makes while in thought according to
Lester Dent, Sunlight is a growler.

Pages 11, 12, & 13:

I always knew that Amelia would likely not survive my series: the joy of writing
about her, and bringing her back, was always tempered by the knowledge that I
couldnt really write a happy ending to her story because we dont live in a world
where she got that. So I had to write this scene. Maybe Im weak for my own work,
but it was heart-breaking. Daves panel of their last embrace absolutely kills me.
Its perfect. Like everything else he did in this series, its everything I wanted
and better than I could have imagined.

Page 14:
There is a popular 1980s cult film that is an homage to Doc Savage: a movie about
a brilliant scientist/doctor/musician/adventurer who travels the world with a team
of amazing specialists, writing wrongs and fighting supervillains. Dave had to
introduce that concrete wall a few issues back so I could have my little nod
towards Buckaroo Banzai. I thought it would add just the tiny touch of lightness
amid the unfolding tragedy, for the few who recognized the reference.

Page 17:
In the final panel, is Pat referring to her emotional state, or what kind of
bullets she has in her pistol? Or both? Thats up to you to decide for yourself,
dear reader.

Pages 18 & 19:

I did a lot of research on Amelia Earhart for this series, including reading the
recent biography EAST TO The Dawn by Susan Butler. I mostly used this research as a
way to understand Amelia as a person (and a character,) and used very little that
was specific. The one vital discovery in the research was the poem Courage,
which Id never seen before. It is by Amelia Earhart, it is beautiful and I decided
to let it play in silence for the finale, mirroring somewhat the silent dream
sequence that opened the first issue.

Page 20:
And so we come to the end. Evil is defeated, at a terrible cost. Doc can hope that
the last of his lost superweapons has been destroyed and Pat can accept the heroic
fate of her beloved Amelia. As a lifelong James Bond fan, I couldnt resist
captioning this final image certainly inspired on some level by You Only Live
Twice with: The End, But Doc Savage Will Return. Indeed he will, and I hope to be
a part of it when he does.