Elephant Town Chapter 8 (pages 25-26)

Right there with ya, girlf. I'm trying to channel all my introvert friends for Miranda, but you know I'm a Nicole when it comes to parties. ;)

Danielle Corsetto

And me? On the other hand? A wave of nostalgia passes over me as I look at that packed scene...poignant longing for those good ol days of being in a crush of bodies all vibing to each other's energy... ...anyone? Just me? 🤷‍♀️

Cat McAteer

Ugh. Poor Miranda. Nope-ing out of a party she was dragged to was definitely her best course, and I'm so glad she chose that! Can definitely tell that you put some time and effort into the party scene! It was time well spent, even if you did wash over it all.

Faith Nelson

That is a positive wake of gettin'-the-hell-outta-Dodge that Miranda is leaving behind her. I love that you've not only made an actual gap in the party zone, but differentiated it with the coloring as well. It's like Miranda's energy is washing over everyone as she powerboats out of there. If that were me, I'd be in tears by now.

Ruth Merriam

Interesting! It's possible that I have a little more affection for cigarette smoke because it was everywhere when I was a wee lad. That is, hell no to a smoke-filled casino...but if I'm walking outside on a sunny summer day, a quick passing whiff of a cigarette takes me back to big family cookouts and playing with my cousins.

Andy Ihnatko

I really appreciate Miranda nope-ing out and putting self care above politeness to her friend that has not been kind to her tonight! I know the friend doesn't see it that way, but hopefully she will get it in the future...

Amy Crook

Love the crowd scene. The angle of the shot, the care you took to make each person an actual individual with a unique face, hair style, body type, and clothes made me think of Will Eisner's art. Impressive work.

Charles Lobdell

Oh cloves!! YES. I "smoked" cloves for one summer, when I spent my break working at Cedar Point in 2002. By "smoked" I mean I didn't inhale; I just wanted the taste. I smoked 'em like little delicious cigars. Enjoy your first LARP in forever!

Danielle Corsetto

The crowd scene is great. Still mad at Miranda's friend for dragging her to the party... but at least she got to hear the song...

Hugh Eckert

Same. Except for cloves. The LARP I've been in since 1995 has a lot of smokers, but most of them have switched to vaping... far more tolerable. We're having our first (in person) game in 1 1/2 years soon... hope the trend has continued.

Hugh Eckert

THE CROWD!!!!!! Love those colors

You and Miranda both!!

Danielle Corsetto

I thought about it long an' hard. ;)

Danielle Corsetto

Thank you A LOT, Pavel, it's the toughest part of the process!

Danielle Corsetto

Oh funny, as a non-smoker (of either), I strangely LOVE the smell of pot, but HATE the smell of regular cigarettes. I'd love to make a joke about how that makes me perfectly suited to live in this college town, but unfortunately most of my friends smoke cigarettes more often than they smoke pot. Blugh.

Danielle Corsetto

As an occasional pot smoker. I CANNOT with the smell unless I'm participating, especially if it's cheap shit weed... And the cheap shit weed is so much worse a smell when you know it can be so much better. Not that everyone has access to *good* weed, even in a legal market it's Spensive.

Melody

That crowd scene is gorgeous - and the colors work SO well in contrast to the calm, peaceful outdoor retreat! I think I inhaled as soon as Miranda got outside XD

That bong sound is *chef's kiss*

Cab

Team Miranda.

Can I just say that I am totally *loving* the coloring of every part of this story? Simply wonderful!

Pavel Curtis

And: holy buh-JEEZ-us are you giving me flashbacks. The intense crowding and the pot smoke...either one would have made me pull the EJECT handle on a party. (I imagine that one of the benefits of being a pot smoker is being the only one in the room who isn't bothered by the intense, oily STANK that overwhelms the whole place within seconds of sparking it up. Cigarette smoke smells like a refreshing wisp of incense by comparison.)

Andy Ihnatko