Page Commentary No. 222

Gunwild: Even in a tense cover of gun-pointing and menacing shadows, Cassiopeia sticks out her tongue to aim.

Psu: Okay, I gotta say, I'm still pretty proud of this cover. The dynamic angle. The title. The way we have JUST enough information to know it appears to be Motor Minx in the shadows. I liked the comments on this cover, cause it was just enough misdirection. We got to reference a totally different science fiction story, but then our actual plot goes for something else entirely.

Gunwild: Yeah, I think the title came to me when I was like, "Wait, can I just Cassiopeia-up a preexisting title? Will anyone stop me?" And nobody did. I like her Capering Coat. It's good for capers, heists, escapades...

Psu: Frankly, we got a good response for it! So if anything we should just steal more titles. Also, I figured Cassiopeia needed something with pocket space. Plus it was more of a noire/dark story and those are two good excuses for a trenchy coat.

Gunwild: I still like "For the Flan Who Has Everything" a little more as a title but I realize that one's esoteric. Also I'm not sure I had planned to write the coat into the story but I definitely must have after seeing this cover.

Psu: Pockets are important for gadgets and snacks! We didn't really need the latter but you never know. Cassiopeia could've had a whole part of the story where she shared some gum with everyone in between the pages. Anyway, I think we can talk about the story in the next few pages. This was one of the few stories I think we talked about, in person. We live pretty far away and aren't like... frequent flyers. So actually hashing stories with each other in person was rare.

Gunwild: Yeah. And mostly I just listen because to ideas because Psu is a better talker, which I hope is okay, because listening to things is how I start brewing them into the stories that actually end up written.

Psu: This is like that joke in Family Guy where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were writing Good Will Hunting. I'm Ben in this analogy, just saying to put my name in the writing credits while I sit at the window blabbing about junk and Gunwild actually has a word processor open.

Gunwild: I mean whatever, they both got the Oscar, I'm down. But I would say, aspiring comic writers out there, find out what your collaborator would enjoy drawing - like a buncha killer cyborgs, or a head annoyed to have lost its body. Including those things in your script is how to get their best work out of them.

Psu: And comic artists, remember, you control the means of production! And uh... quick. Gun. How do I make this joke about capitalism/comic art actually funny?

Gunwild: I could write you something... FOR MONEY.

Psu:  We should say happy new year!

Gunwild: Happy new year, patrons. We do this because we love it, but we CAN do it because you help us.

Psu: And also I like drawing bunches of killer cyborgs.