Tying a lot of things together on this page. Visually and ethically, as these things go.

This page, more than any other in “Cabin Fever,” reminds me of that old saw that film directors will watch their movies without sound – that it’s the best way to make sure their story makes sense. I think I’ve also heard they’ll listen to the audio without the visuals? But I’m less sure on that point.

In light of that idea, I struggle with this page: it’s the only page on which I’m not convinced the story “makes sense” without the text. Of course I can tell what’s happening on the page; I wrote it and drew it. And it’s difficult for my editors to make judgments on that sort of thing, since most of them have been corrupted by seeing storyboards and scripts and the page throughout the production process.

Hmm. I don’t want to dwell on this sort of thing – to be honest I’d rather just sing RACIANTAU’s praises down here non-stop. And I’m very proud of this page for a number of reasons I won’t go into detail on. I suppose I bring this up to humanize the creator (which is for all you know a bear in pajamas) and to give amateur and aspiring artists out there something to feel good about.

I used to love reading through comics and nitpicking tiny mistakes and details, areas where lines crossed over others, repeated backgrounds, what I thought was “overly simplistic” art. Those sorts of activities inspired me with a confidence that, looking back on my art from those days, was in many ways wholly undeserved. By now I find that sort of exercise inherently vapid and narcissistic, but if it’s the sort of thing you still like doing, forget I said that and more power to you. I offer my own art up for relentless criticism. I hope it inspires you to create something beautiful. I hope you’ll share it with me when it’s finished.