Page Commentary No. 204

Gunwild: Lotsa people being supportive in this one!

Psu: Supportive baps are important. But yeah, lots of nice folks and friends on this page.

Gunwild: Well, Cupcake was foiled in her normal methods, but still! I hope nobody got confused by the picture of her dads talking and thought this was a Harry Potter situation. It's usually good to insist on a "radio" tail to somebody's speech bubble or something to make it clear when they're just on a screen or something... seems obvious, but you never know, given that you're showing a 2D screen on a 2D page!

Psu: I like to think the sepia tones helped. Like the previous flashbacks in this chapter, everything's a little faded. I'm not sure if that reads well for colorblind readers though. That's something I don't have the ability to check for. But our readers are pretty clever. You can usually piece things together with a minimal number of visual clues.

Gunwild: I might be more liable to participate in sporting events if you were allowed to take breaks to go lie in bed and enjoy a nice conversation with friends about our feelings... that'd probably mess up the experience for the spectators though.

Psu: Well... that's what the sports movies are for right? So we can get back to the locker room and talk about our feelings about how this is the most important night in our lives and everything will change if we put our whole butts into it? Wait... is our chapter the exact opposite of that message?

Gunwild: Yeah, kinda. I mean, I love a lot of sports movies, but when I watched Friday Night Lights (the film version), my takeaway was more like... wow, it's awful to stake your entire identity and sense of self-worth and health and future solely on this point of pride. Which is kinda like Maddy and her honor, ya know?

Psu: Weren't they in high school in that movie?

Gunwild: In Friday Night Lights? Yeah. And one of them totally destroyed his leg with no academic or professional prospects or even hobbies to take solace in once he lost football. That about does it for his sense of self-worth, right? Well, anyway, just saying, it's nice for Maddy that she could lose her job or a fencing competition and her dads and friends will still realize she's awesome.

Psu: But if she just gave up without giving a real fight, then I bet Kamsi would be much more upset than she is right now.

Gunwild: Well yeah, she's gotta talk about somethin', it's her job!

Psu: Just like it's the crews job to support their captain. Even if that means doing the yell-y parts and not the hand on the shoulder parts.

Gunwild: Well, it's a profession and a passion for them.

Psu: Bap.

Gunwild: (Watch Varsity Blues instead of Friday Night Lights, it's way awesomer!)