Page Commentary No. 314 (Patreon)

Brellom: Who's that guy standing behind peia in panels 2 and 3? Dude just appeared from outta nowhere... And he took Zeke's hat!

Psu: ... OH I GET THE JOKE. Heh.

Gunwild: Zeke may be referring to the constellation Taurus or something else called that, who knows? I just knew I couldn't resist the runner we have of Cassiopeia definitely seeing Zeke's face as distinctive and expressive. Want to explain some of the outfit choices here?

Psu: I'll explain the outfit choices if you describe more of the story telling choices. Like the Tiki guy was all you.

Gunwild: Having a robot bartender is a sci-fi classic, but as you may be aware the artificially-Polynesian "Tiki" party/drink culture made a resurgence a bit ago. I've always found it interesting and sometimes charming despite itself. And I genuinely think you could make bank with a talking tiki idol that recommends/serves drinks! Even I want one, and all it'd do is pour me Diet Pepsi.

Psu: Hey... has every single bartender in our comic been some kinda fun alien or robot or something? I wouldn't mind if that's a thing.

Gunwild: It's a way to keep the appearance of the drinking silly and fun, instead of, well, realistic (much like Tiki culture)! I honestly wouldn't have gotten as granular talking about the rum here as I did, as a mention of an old-fashioned spirit is not very all-ages space-futurey. But since I evoke the British Navy in Space thing all over the comic, it felt like the right choice.

Psu: I get the feeling you have a lot more British Navy lore that will still end up in the comic. Meanwhile, I think my lore is less educated. Costume 3 for Cassiopeia is Snooki. One of the great New Jerseysians.

Gunwild: Hey, that's good, though. I'm inspired by dusty history, but your observations are of the living world!

Psu: Like Gawr Gura and One Piece guy for the other costumes. Zeke is just a hipster at heart, I'm afraid to say.

Gunwild: Using souvenir magnets for his eyewear is the kind of inspired detail that us pros call the "Psu Touch" though. By which I mean it's visually clever and something I'd never have thought of.

Psu: Look... sometimes being an artist is about finding creative solutions for unusual problems. Like... Zeke. He doesn't have ears. How do you put glasses on that for a disguise? Well... I could think of at least one way...

Gunwild: Would you like to make clear to the audience that you do actually know the name of "One Piece Guy" or...?

Psu: He took a bite of gum gum.

Gunwild: Oh also, I don't know what zoconuts taste like, but they sound futuristic.

Psu: Sometimes when you need to remind people that they're not just looking at a boardwalk getaway on earth, you add some robot bartenders or make up a space coconut. Creative solutions for unusual problems.

Gunwild: It was the most alien-sounding letter to start the word with that still sounded similar, I felt!

Psu: Zounds are important.