Page Commentary No. 287

Gunwild: If you keep track, yeah, the two swords Maddy used up until this point in the comic did indeed have cross-guards that "point" in different directions.

Psu: Yep! And I quite frequently mixed them up. But I remember when I had to draw Maddy with another sword after losing her first one, I figured I could just flip around the cross-guard and then bam. New sword design! Though only one of them is really good at blocking other swords from reaching your wrist. You'll just have to try them both to find out which one.

Gunwild: The hell? Did she get them at that smithy where one blacksmith always lies and one always tells the truth? I hate that place!

Psu: But hey, at least you're getting two for the price of one. I think... I can't be sure if that deal was a lie or not...

Gunwild: I've never said "toodle-oo" in earnest, seems fun though.

Psu: Kidding aside, I'm really proud of this page. I think it's also one of the few times we really let someone's acting do all the work. Panels 2, 3, and 4 are really nice. And I can't remember how we figured on having Kreuz interjecting but it's such a fun way to break up the tension.

Gunwild: It was a good way to dispose of her for the moment, but I think I talked you out of having her say something less all-ages? Which was probably funny.

Psu: Eh, subtly implying the possibility of lewdness can often be better than outright spelling it out. And that probably fits the vibe of the comic better! Even our pinups never really get THAT kinda sexy. And we wouldn't want to derail the scene too hard. We just needed a way to continue the conversation, after Cassiopeia for once in her life didn't have anything to say.

Gunwild: Katya Kreuz should appear again, sure she started out as a pinup design but she makes organized crime fun!

Psu: Criminals having a second life outside of their illegal activities and being shown to be sometimes goofy sometimes sexy at home? I feel like that fits our brand for sure.

Gunwild: I'm not sure if that fits the definition of a multidimensional character, but it's more than one trait, so I'm counting it. (edited)

Psu: On the style in this page, I think this is one of Cassiopeia's best costumes. The pearlescent material is so pretty. It also would be nearly impossible for me to get it across in black and white. It took me a little while to figure out how to render it but once I came up with a method that wouldn't take forever but it was worth it.

Gunwild: Did you know the word "pearlescent" is less than 100 years old?

Psu: It's hard to imagine that pearls only came into existence back then...

Gunwild: Well I think they wanted to describe modern, shiny lacquers in a cool-sounding way.

Psu: And sell it to all the happening cool lady and gents comin out of the speak easies and the so ons and so forths.

Gunwild: You got the years right and everything!

Psu: Hacha cha charleston!

Gunwild: Okay now you're just naming things you know from Gatsby.

Psu: I love that book cover...