The Shape of Comics to Come Episode 2 – SEE SAW Comics, Webcomics from the Sequential Artists Workshop

The Shape of Comics to Come Episode 2

Outside on a winding sidewalk path, a man with floppy hair and a dark parted pencil mustache approaches Derek. The man wears a shirt with a large collar and three large decorative buttons, and pinstriped pants. He snaps he fingers with one hand and holds his other up with a limp wrist. He shouts out, "There he is! World's Greatest Dad!" (World's Greatest Dad is drawn in large block letters - the title of this comic is "World's Greatest.") Derek looks over at the man, smiles, and replies, "Haha, Sunny!" He looks relaxed, shoulders back and hands in his jean pockets. He wears a tight-fitting t-shirt with a large number one in the center. The man, Sunny, walks alongside Derek now, standing close. He leans in, eyes closed and chin up, and says, "The last time I saw you was at the art show at Rob Zombie's place. Remember my piece? 'Form of My Depression Celebrated.'" Derek leans away, looking up at his thought bubble, which shows his memory of the piece, a "Pile of dirty laundry with X-mas lights." He looks unimpressed, and replies, "Oh right. Yeh so cool." He turns to Sunny, one hand on his hip and the other scratching his head. He asks, "So, what brings you to town?" Sunny flamboyantly turns to the side and holds his hands up. His eyes are still closed and his chin is up. He replies, "The University of Florida is paying me a few thousand dollars to give a talk about the history and concept of the color white." Stars surround him. Derek replies, "Oh. Wow," and laughs nervously, "Heh." He looks at a loss. Sunny continues, "But I have huge news. I sold a graphic novel to Puffin Books! Ha!"

Sunny wiggles his fingers right in Derek's personal space. He smiles, eyes still closed and chin still up, and says, "If I were to describe my graphic novel about Class & Poverty in 2 words? Maudlin and monochromatic! Imagine Fun Home drawn by Käthe Kollwitz." Derek sighs and with a side-eye looks right at the viewer. "I'm so happy for you," he replies, frowning and looking completely unamused. Sunny reaches up and places a hand on Derek's shoulder. He says, "That's where you come in. I need to study your life. Poverty! Comic as journalism." Derek leans away, arms crossed. He says, "Can I ask how you pitched the book?" Sunny answers, "The publisher & I speak the same language!" His expression has not changed, except he looks more self-satisfied. In a flashback, Sunny stands in an office with a decorative lamp. He stands across from a person with circular glasses, curly hair, and a sweater worn over a striped shirt. This person smiles and says, "We love your graphic novel on the issues of class & poverty. We want to publish it! But we offer no cash advance." Sunny, shoulders back, eyes closed, chin up, smiles and replies, "Wonderful! I don't need the money. This book is more important than cash." They vigorously shake each other's hand and say, "Let's do it!"

Published On: November 22, 2023

Adam as a boy throws several rounds of punches in quick succession. They are drawn as disembodied fists circling out of spiral motion lines. He bares his teeth and scowls, shouting, "Punching machine!"

In big block letters, the title: "Milk." Derek skips exuberantly while holding a leaking trash bag over his shoulder, on his way to the dumpster. Both of his feet are off the ground. Flies circle around the trash bag. He wears an apron over a t-shirt, pants, and loafers. His head is back, facing up towards the sky, and he smiles widely.

Enzo stands in the kitchen, working over a bowl in the sink. He is shirtless but wears an apron and joggers. There is a carton of eggs on the counter.

1. Someone with dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail climbs a tree. They are up in the branches, surrounded by rounded leaves. “May 27. Thursday. Forest class - we learned some irrigation, some pruning. Felt a little weird later, sickish.”

Lynn's brother Adam, as a boy, wears a red vest and black bowtie over a white button-down and black pants. He has on his signature thick, square glasses. He is attempting to tap dance. He looks off balance and awkward. He grimaces.

Sunny, Derek's acquaintance smiles while ringing a doorbell, "DING-DONG." The onomatopoeia is drawn in big block letters. Sunny wears a sweater over a turtleneck. His hair flows effortlessly.

Kim pets her dog on the back. The dog smiles widely at the viewer. "May 21. Did bills, homework in the morning. Worked, then picked mom up at the airport."

Lynn's mom Lorraine uses a handheld vintage film camera: "WRRRRRR."

In block letters, the title sits at the top of the page: "Priority." Derek sits on a stump outside. His knees are tucked close to his chest. He hunches over slightly. He holds his phone to his ear and hides part of his face with his other hand. He looks nervous as he talks to someone on a phone call.

From above, we see spread of fruits and vegetables - pomegranates, pea pods, a mango, a pepper, etc.

Adult Vanessa sits across from her therapist, a woman with a brown bob and bangs, glasses, and a blue suit. The therapist asks, "Is that a FEELING or a THOUGHT?" Vanessa crosses her arms and scowls. "Both!" she replies.

Young Vanessa, with short hair and glasses and a pink one piece swim suit, floats in a tube along a marshy spring. She is drifting into the marsh despite trying to steer with her hands flapping in the water. In a panic, she shouts out to her peers who have floated much farther past her, “Guys!! Wait!”

Outside on a winding sidewalk path, a man with floppy hair and a dark parted pencil mustache approaches Derek. The man wears a shirt with a large collar and three large buttons, and pinstriped pants. He snaps he fingers with one hand and holds his other up with a limp wrist. He shouts out, "There he is! [in big block letters:] World's Greatest Dad!" Derek looks over at the man, smiles, and replies, "Haha, Sunny!" He looks relaxed, shoulders back and hands in his jean pockets. He wears a tight-fitting t-shirt with a large number one in the center.

A hand firmly holds a bunch of lemongrass. There are trees and a fence in the background.

The episode's title is drawn in large block letters: "Modern! Cartoonist" Derek sits on the ground with his legs criss-crossed before some sort of stone altar letting off a thin stream of smoke. Derek appears to be meditating. He wears glasses and a jacket with a large decorative collar and other stylish elements. Text, ranging from speech bubbles to onomatopoeia, surround Derek.

Kim looks at her reflection in the mirror. She has pulled the her shirt sleeve off of her shoulder to examine it. She looks tense. "May 3. Monday. Pulled out a bunch of dead Areca balm branches. Came inside and about 20 minutes later noticed a big bug on my shoulder. Put it in a big jar with water, watched SAW workshop video and started sketching ideas. Sent picture of bug to Tony. He texted back, 'Yikes, it's a bot fly!' I looked it up and panicked, was I bitten? Made an appointment with dermatologist for tomorrow."

An older man, with grey hair that's balded on top, wears dark shades and a green collared shirt. He looks straight ahead as he drives a car. There is a girl in the back and a woman in the passenger seat. The woman says, "To the mall, Jeeves!"

A guy in a blue snow suit races the Iditarod with standard poodles.

Lynn as a young girl wears a pink dance dress, with spaghetti straps and decorative bows, and white tights with the black tap shoes from before. Her hair is tied up in a pony tail with a white ribbon. Her hands are on her hips. She thinks to herself, "shuffle, ball change," "whoops," "step, ball change, step, ball change." An arrow points out that she is "mostly copying the other girls."

Enzo sits on the floor of his room shirtless, back turned to the reader. In front of him is a wall of floating shelves holding books and trinkets. Next to him is a clothes hamper. He is holding a book open. "April 27. Worked. Had an early work meeting. After work, chopped a bunch of Mexican sunflower to feed some plants in need. Enzo dug through his comic collection."

Lynn's brother Adam reaches into a crib and touches baby Lynn's eyes with his "grubby mitts." He says, "Open your eyes, baby sister!"

Enzo waits in a park for Kim to pick him up, on a strip of sidewalk surrounded by grass. He wears a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, all black or simply silhouetted. There are lamp posts and palm trees in the background. "April 20. Worked. Enz left school early, coughing a lot. Went to Mom's while Enz did mock trial. Picked him up from the park."

Vanessa sits on a couch hugging her knees to her chest. A man sits next to her. They both look solemn, and are colored entirely in blue, except for their brown hair.

Vanessa lies in a neon green hospital bed with her legs in stirrups. She is actively in labor. Two people hold onto her legs, encouraging her.

Lorraine wears a pink-orange Butterick 2920 dress and jewelry. She smiles and holds up a dirty martini. She says, "The doctor says it calms my nerves. We won't be out too late."

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.