[blog] Year 3, Comic 22 - Cup - I
★ Notes on Year 3, Comic 22 - Cup I - Playoffs ★
☆ ☆ ☆ NOTES ☆ ☆ ☆
✓ You really went and called this one “Cup I”, huh? And now we wait. This is the last batch of comics in Bitty's penultimate year at Samwell. Obviously, there'll be a Cup II. But a Cup III? A Cup IV??? Cup Part XI—Bitty is a junior forever???
✓ How's Jack doing? Could be better and getting better.
✓ Yeah...still going through it, huh? Yeah. :/
✓ But...they're winning? They're up 3-1? Why is Jack freaking out? Even though the Falconers are a game away from heading to the last round of the Stanley Cup, even though they'd have to lose 3 games in the row, even though they've probably outplayed the other team at every turn—even though the worst is improbable? Jack is zero-ing in on the fact that the worst is not impossible. It could happen. And that sucks. Furthermore, the worst is not just losing the Cup—it's losing everything. Which again—improbable but not impossible. His mind suddenly and inexplicably guarantees him that if the Falconers lose, then that spiral will not end. Not only will the Falconers lose, but Jack will lose it all—his NHL career, the respect of his friends and family, Bitty, and the meaning in his life. That sudden vortex seems in no way a figment but a reality and that sucks and that's anxiety.
And I can only imagine for a professional athlete like Jack too, the worst moments are off the ice, when you're just....waiting. It's all of the jitters of a possibly once-in-a-lifetime event combined with all of the intensity of uncontrollable mental self-sabotage. And that sucks more still. But it's something that he works through in this comic. He's not sequestered to a loading dock (twice this happened?) or locked up in his room—he's trudging through it all with Bitty. We can always be grateful to have friends and family around when we're going through anxious moments! At the very least!
✓ What's up with the panel devoted to Bitty's phone and his lock screen? You know that page? Other than the lighting change on that page and some suggestions of rain, I wanted to show that time had passed. It's a sequential art thing? If you show a clock, you're showing time? (You can kind of see the “6:37” changing to “6:38”.) Bitty's lock screen is a selfie at Lardo's graduation taken by Shitty. Here it is:
This picture doesn't make sense because it was taken in May—when Jack and the Falcs were far along in the playoffs. Where's the beard, Jack??? Huh???
✓ Are we going to address Jack's whole hair situation? The chop? The beard? Oof, yeah, this is the first comic where Jack is boy-band-bangless. They'll grow back! (Maybe? Please vote.) I'm also totally ignoring the reality of true playoff beards and making Jack's facial hair permanently groomed through comic-magic. I reject the chaos of the post-season neckbeard! Let us usher in a new era of jawlines and hope! *cheering*
✓ Bitty's making sandwiches for all of the Falconers...? Some of the Falconers. And some of management. And definitely for one of the equipment guys. And four of these sandwiches are just for Tater who can comfortably eat them in three terrifying bites.
✓ Geez, is Bitty gonna cry in every episode from now on or something? Haha, wow! Yes.
✓ --wait wha? huh?
☆Up next: Finals and phone calls.
☆ ☆ ☆ NEWS ☆ ☆ ☆
☆ I've been interviewed by a few people!
- Check out my interview on the Puck Soup Podcast, where Greg asked a bunch of thoughtful questions! He was super kind and we had ourselves a laugh. (Who's writing the Bitty & Deadpool team-up comic guys?)
- I talked to Comicosity too! I finally reveal who’s my favorite character to write. *gasp*
☆ New York City Comic Con was a BLAST. Seriously, THANK you all for coming out in droves!
I....am done with conventions for 2017. *praise hands emoji* No more plane rides and airports! ...But I'm already looking forward to 2018. Though nothing's set in stone, here's the tentative lineup for the next round of conventions:
- Emerald City Comic Con 2018
- Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2018
- Anime Expo 2018!
You can always check out my website for updates -> ngoziu.com
☆ Other than that...keep a close eye on this site for updates on the STORE. ALSO? The end of Bitty's junior year (not the NEXT update, but the ones following) will have multiple updates spread out over a week or so! (Or that's the plan!) Thank you as always for reading! ✓