SPQR Blues 3 part XC (row 3)

[spqrblues]

I changed the dialogue at the last moment. Not sure about it. It might change again.






Thrills! Chills! And whatnot: Entry #90 is, as you see, three rows long, and some of the upcoming entries might also be multiple rows. Chapter 3 is (planned out to be) 100 parts long, and I fully intend to cover a shocking amount of ground in the next ten parts—I'll start the extremely slow countdown clock now....

The archives, latest pencil sketch, and progress on the upcoming comic all live here • The Speculation thread lives here. I won't read the thread until the end of the chapter, so I heartily encourage you to speculate without me :)

Comments

[kyleen66.livejournal.com]

Mus is trying soooo hard. I love the earnest look between him in his father in Panel three. Mus is young and idealistic while his father is a bit of jaded.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

I always say, idealists grow up into truly dedicated cynics. (Me? Jaded? Yup.)

A cynic?

[(Anonymous)]

Klio, a cynic? Naww, you're just a realist.
Boy talk about a cynical statement. DRW

Re: A cynic?

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

I get all my pesky idealistic urges out of the way by giving them to Mus. Maybe a little bit to Iusta. Then I can feel free to grouse and grumble the day away in real life.

I am slightly less cynical if I've had a morning blueberry muffin. I really shouldn't have tried to start my workday without a tasty blueberry muffin. Or maybe I should just down a pack of sugar, eliminate the middleman.

Re: A cynic?

[b2creative.livejournal.com]

How about banana chocolate chip muffins? I have a bunch of them laying around.

I'm sexually frustrated, so I bake.

Re: A cynic?

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Tempting. I might just drive out there and get some. Then, uhm, drive back here for that pesky job I am expected to go to every day.

Re: A cynic?

[b2creative.livejournal.com]

I wonder how much it would cost to overnight a dozen muffins?

Maybe I could classify it as an urgent medical supply shipment ...

Re: A cynic?

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Potassium supplements. And, uhm, purely medicinal chocolate. To balance out one's blood sugar. Yup. I am veeeery cranky in the morning. Sweet muffins are not only for the benefit of my health, but that of everyone around me.

[(Anonymous)]

Yes! Panel three is an excellent lesson in drama without a word. You've left a ton of space between the characters (even paring down father to a 1/3 profile) but the space is perfect, it graphically represents the pause, the moment of decision in father's heart to hold the truth (the clenched hand) or to reveal the truth (the hand opens in the next panel; and it is a hard truth so the hand also comforts) Drawn with talent and heart, thank you.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Many you're-welcomes. It was a hard scene to draw, and I was still revising it this morning.

Papa Mouse isn't a complete ogre. But he does have very strong convictions he'd like his children to share.

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

Panel III is wonderful -- but I also love the tilt of Papa's head in panels I and II. Funny, just seeing so many different views of him in one row, plus his earnest visage and dialogue, makes me like him very much, even if he is dissing Our Felix. (grin) Mus is so determined in Panel I -- is he gaining some of Felix's steely nerve? Or did he always have it and we didn't notice because we kept thinking he was just the cute little cousin. (double-grin)

Dr. Phil

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Maybe Felix can give Mus some of his steely nerve, and Mus can resupply Felix with the capacity for goofy unconditional love.

It can be just like that Twilight Zone episode where the guy can buy and sell years from his age and other people's emotions. Only without the comeuppance and Rod Serling snark at the end.

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

What do you mean no comeuppance? You've got a bloody volcano lurking off stage left! (cue the volcano) This has Classical Tragedy stamped all over it in at least three alphabets so far -- Roman, Hebrew and what was the other one? Etruscan? (grin)

But I know what you mean...

Dr. Phil

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Oh. Right. Sometimes, I forget about the volcano.

Hmm. These folks are not quite close enough to the ends of their ropes yet for the volcano to blow. Not... quite...