Comic Report #76 - Team Meeting (Patreon)

Hello again!  I've got another page started to share today!  I also have two other articles I'd like to write up as well so I'm gonna just hop right to it without any further ado.

When I plan a page out I always want some major important thing to be the focus of the page, the reason that page exists.  I'd wanted to wrap up the diner scene in one more page and move on to the next scene but I couldn't fit everything I needed to into just the one page, so I've split it up into two to close out this little arc.  The important thing I need to do with this page is introduce Sally and expand on Doris's history with Lizzie.  I also want to give time and breathing room for Sally to follow up on her connection to Monday, who she admires for saving her life at the very beginning of the comic, so jamming that all into one page wasn't really feasible.  

At the top of the page the first two panels are a follow-up to the end of the last page.  Doris had been telling Lizzie about how she wanted someone to help pick up some of her hours at the diner, so they brought in Sally, one of the older kids from town.  Doris introduces the two, and Lizzie gives her new coworker a warm reception.

Second row of panels, Doris explains how she remembers when Lizzie was fresh-faced, with big aspirations of being some kind of successful writer, how she took her under her wing and look at her now.  Lizzie is a bit put off at the implication that she isn't still trying to pursue her craft.  Sally's amused by her new friends' antics.

Next row down is the big twist shot:  Doris continues and mentions how since she trained Lizzie so good, Lizzie will do just fine training Sally for the job.  Lizzie gets a slap on the back and a "wait, what?" sort of moment- normally Doris calls out and makes Lizzie pick up her workload, but today the master has innovated and come into work on Lizzie's shift, dumping the extra work of training Sally onto her plate.  Truly at the pinnacle of her craft.

Last row of the comic has Doris taking off her apron, giving them a wave and disappearing out the front door, leaving the pair somewhat bamboozled by what just happened.  Letting this page introduce Sally but give Doris her moment to flex and bail is, I think, the best way to split the page I wanted to make.  Then, after I get this page squared away, on the next page I can focus on Sally and reintegrating her into the modern setting of the comic, since she is a deep, deep legacy character.  I gotta make sure she is properly included and give her a moment to gush about Monday to a woman who has only known Monday as a big jerk.

That's the rundown on these pencils.  There's a lot of fairly easy backgrounds to paint in this page so it shouldn't be too long for me to finish.  I have a pile of other work I need to juggle, though, but I should have a substantial amount of it done by next Friday.  Until then, thanks for sticking around.  Take care.