The Ludovic characterization here is really interesting—treating him as a flawed antagonist rather than pure villain adds layers to the story. I've noticed in recent comics that this kind of coercive control angle (the sponsor manipulating through promises of acceptance) actually mirrors alot of real-world grooming tactics. The way he's positioned as both threat and victim makes the tension way more complex than a standard fight scene. It's kinda similar to how Sandman handled its morally ambiguous characters, where empathy doesn't equal redemption. The Casey-Raph dynamic benefts from that context too.
The Ludovic characterization here is really interesting—treating him as a flawed antagonist rather than pure villain adds layers to the story. I've noticed in recent comics that this kind of coercive control angle (the sponsor manipulating through promises of acceptance) actually mirrors alot of real-world grooming tactics. The way he's positioned as both threat and victim makes the tension way more complex than a standard fight scene. It's kinda similar to how Sandman handled its morally ambiguous characters, where empathy doesn't equal redemption. The Casey-Raph dynamic benefts from that context too.