I finally managed to pull off the page I've been practically dreaming of since the start of the comic. I don't know why, but it makes me feel like I've reached my first major milestone.  More than chapter breaks, which are more convieniece than anything else, reaching the major scenes and 'Ah Ha' moments have a great sense of acomplishment.

Beyond that, the doublepage spread is something I don't think I will be attempting again anytime soon. I really, really wanted to get it out for the week it was due, but of course the production timing of it happened to coincide with my trip to Birmingham, UK for the 100th international Rotary Convevtion (Amazing, by the way, just absolutely straight up amazing.) As it was it was down to the wire. 

I'm really greatful for the fans I have - so far they've been pretty straight up amazing. But the reception of milestones always makes me a little nervous. I'm especially nervous about this page, since there are alot of subtle (and not subtle) details in it that are kind of critical to the story - there are so many hints in it from which you can infer the construction of the world that this comic inhabits. I'm not sure if revealing them here is enough, or if I should do some more obvious re-enforcing of some things later. Either way, the groundwork has been laid, and I can do what I can.  I expect quite a bit more world building to be revealed in this chapter.

Writing is HARD. Writing is even harder when you have half a script already and only 3/4 of the knowledge of where it was supposed to go. It's even harder when you want to go back through pages you already drew and re write them while sticking hard and fast to one's own laziness and lack of desire to redraw them.

From this you must gather that I've chosen to attempt to continue the comic on my own, without Jia. Her lack of willingness to come forward and discuss the future of the comic tells me that she feels that there isn't one. If this isn't true well...

In any case, Now I have writing duties as well, and I don't know how this will affect the future of the comic. My major problem is that I don't want to start writing lots of random shit and then go back afterwards to make it all fit the end, or find that the end I end up deciding on. That and the fact that I'm dissatisfied with the original ending right now.

Plus I keep wanting to write the really cool climactic scenes and dodge the slower, plot building scenes. It is very frustrating.

On the plus side, I LOVE world building, even when it relies heavily on source material. After all, the 'city of St. Laurence' the setting of our comic is my own little fictional place with which to play. ( double checking this, there are cities called st. Laurence in existence, but none of them sit where MY st. Laurence is going so I'm in the clear)

Also extra, possibly unrelated side note which wasn't relavent at the start of this entry: Cough medicine and wine don't mix. Or they mix a little too well if you catch my drift.