The Shape of Comics to Come Episode 16 – SEE SAW Comics, Webcomics from the Sequential Artists Workshop

The Shape of Comics to Come Episode 16

The title of this episode is in the top right margin: "Iris" 1. Derek is back in bed, looking in a state of panic: he is on his stomach, head turned to the side facing the reader. He is clinging to his pillow behind him; in this pose, only his eyes, which are wide open, are visible. Jasper sits on the foot of his bed, elbow-deep in a bag of popcorn, which he munches on. Derek says, “I feel like I can never relax. I’m constantly low-key aware of stuff I need to do. I’m tryin’ to do some fourth dimensional propulsion by imagining a future where I’ve done it all. Finished.” Chewing, Jasper replies, “So like, manifesting?” 2. Derek sits up in bed, brows furrowed and frowning indignantly. He shouts, in big block letters, “IT’S NOT MANIFESTING!” Jasper leans his head back, chin up high and eyes closed. Popcorn in hand and crumbs coming out of his mouth, he replies, “IDK. Sounds a lot like manifesting to me.” 3. Jasper’s older sister now stands beside them, holding up a piece of paper towards Derek, who reaches for it and sighs. She says, “Dad! Can you sign this? Did you guys buy groceries?” Jasper audibly gulps, looking guilty as he chews on his popcorn.

4. We zoom in on just Jasper and his sister. Jasper now sits on his knees, smiling with his mouth open while chewing on popcorn. He looks up at his sister and says, “A song came on when we were in the freezer section, and dad started crying. So, we left.” His sister holds her hand on her hip, still holding the piece of paper. She raises an eyebrow, smiles, and says, “A song? Let me guess. Was it…” 5. We zoom out again so Derek is back in the frame. His oldest kid, in big block letters, says, “IRIS by the GOO GOO DOLLS.” She and Jasper both smile widely, gesturing with their hands, leaning back and posing as if they are dancing. Derek is lying back down again, frowning and scowling slightly; a little puff of smoke hangs above his head - he is fuming. 6. From off panel, Derek’s third kid calls out, “Did the Goo Goo Dolls make Dad cry again?” Jasper and his sister are howling with laughter, heads kicked back and mouths wide open: “HA HA! LOL” Derek sits up completely in bed, turning his back on them and holding his arms straight out. He throws his head back, mouth wide open, and huffs, “IT’S A VERY POWERFUL BALLAD!!”

Published On: January 17, 2024

Stylistically rendered with bright, flat colors, simplified shapes, and no line work: a man faces the reader across a cyan background with pink buildings and peach clouds. He stands on a pink road between cyan sidewalks. He is wearing aviator sunglasses and has a thick mustache with a stubbly chin. He wears a blue and black coat over a white Armani t-shirt; his hands are in his jacket pockets, to his side. We see down to his knees before the image cuts off. He is rendered with blue hair, peach skin, and a pink nose. He has an air of intimidating confidence.

Lorraine sits next to Lynn’s dad, both looking like young twenty-somethings. They are both dressed in formal wear - Lorraine in a floral print dress, Lynn’s dad in a suit and tie - and they smile for the camera.

Kim is reading from a book opened to a page full of pictures of different kinds of mushrooms. She is lounging, wearing comfy pants and sitting with her knees up. “September 8. Ordered mushroom cultivating supplies after doing some research. Worked until 7 p.m.”

Kim tends to a rack of bananas hanging from a rod in her house. “September 7. Felt crappy again. Made a big wall calendar to help manage time. Had class today.”

A zoomed in view of hands holding a plant’s steam with a leaf attached. In the background are more leaves and plants. “August 27.”

A sepia-toned family photograph, showing five people in formal wear posing stiffly for the camera.

Kim stands among banana trees outside. She is looking down, where a rack of bananas lies at her feet. “August 21. Worked. Blue java rack fell prematurely.”

From behind, we see Kim bend over as she steps into her bathtub. She is naked. “August 15. Sunday. Painted. Bath.”

Derek is in bed lying on his stomach. He holds the pillow over his head, pencil in hand, so he is buried under his blanket and pillow. In the background, the word "FLUSH" is written in large block letters. Derek asks, “What’s the point?”

1. Rory sits in the corner of a large sectional couch, holding her phone close to her face. She is covered in pillows. “August 9. Worked. I had planned on meeting Mom and Rory at the pool after but it was closed. Told my work I’ll need Mondays off (class).”

Close up of Lorraine's hand aggressively crushing her cigarette in her blue ash tray, surrounded by dramatic lighting and jagged lines.

Jasper sits on the foot of Derek's bed, elbow-deep in a bag of popcorn, which he munches on. He stares ahead blankly while chewing.

1. From behind, we see Kim sitting at a desk in a swivel office chair. She is bare foot. She sits in front of a keyboard using a computer mouse. A dog stands behind her, looking to the side. A dark, round table takes up the left foreground, balancing out the panel. “August 2. Worked. Went to UTC Mall after class to get school clothes for Enzo. August 3. Class down in Naples. Finished my journals at 7p.m. Sammi and Carlye took Enzo to registration at school.”

Young Lynn, in full color, looks at herself in an oval-shaped mirror, smoking a cigarette. Her head is tilted slightly to the side and she is smiling with her lips puffed out a bit. She thinks to herself, "I look so cool."

Derek is lying in bed, completely covered by his comforter and the pillow on top of his head. He huffs a “(muffled) SIGH” (drawn in big block letters). From off panel, one of his kids calls, “Dad?”

1. A man, who is only visible by the torso, holds a black and white kitten in his arms like he’s cradling a baby. The kitten’s head is smaller than his hand. He is petting the cat’s head with one finger. “July 27. Class in Naples, more food forest install. Met up with Tony on campus and had a meeting with my advisor. Then we went to the FGCU FF. Tony’s parents got a new kitten.”

1. A close-up view of two mushrooms with umbrella-like caps and long stems. The mushrooms are surrounded by twigs on the ground and a saw palmetto frond above them. “July 20.”

Derek is tucked in bed, lying down on his back with his head on his pillow and blankets pulled up to his neck. He yawns loudly (drawn in block letters). A light is shining on him and chatter comes from off panel.

1. An opossum stands chest to the ground in a spot of light; the rest of the background is dark. Their mouth is open so they look like they are almost smiling. Kim points to the opossum and labels them “Odetta” with a heart. “July 14. Last day in KY. Flew home after a delay involving landing gear. Unpacked, turned the compost pile. It’s good to be home.”

1. Kim lies down on the foot of her bed. She is on her stomach, resting on her elbows. Her head is tilted slightly to the side and she leans her cheek on her hands. She is wearing a black short-sleeve shirt, dark pants, and socks. She smiles softly. One of her dogs rests their head on her back. “July 8. Class in Naples. Bought ‘Sacred Economics’ to read on our trip.”

Two young women sit on the floor in front of a door. The one on the left has long, dark, wavy hair. It is worn down, past the shoulders, except for a bun on top. She is wearing glasses, a short sleeve shirt, and dark pants. The one on the right has long dark straight hair worn in a ponytail with a scrunchy. She is holding up a cat in her arms and kissing their chest. "July 2"

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