winter of crows - page 1 (talking to the psychoanalyst) 



sparrow's fall: winter of crows was a while developing in my head. it was a response--an internal one--to my perception of cowardice in addressing the real story of sparrow's fall: christopher's disastrous relationship with Hope. i had 'flirted' with this tale, but had never fully stepped inside it. winter of crows would be my journey there, with a minimum of humorous side-stories. i worked on it through the late winter and spring of 1998; i believe it came out in early summer, say, about may or june. considering that there is more drawing, dialogue, panelling, and almost as many pages as were in all of sparrow's fall before this--and it took fourteen months to create that much--this was a considerable feat for me. response was, largely, quiet. i could count on one hand the number of total strangers who have stopped and talked to me (seriously) about my work. i do not count the 60-year-old johnson county woman who was in the broadway because god likes satire . . . she paused to watch me work, and said, 'ooo! you draw pictures!'

i gave her my best vague smile, and said, 'yes.'

'my granddaughter can draw pictures, too,' she told me.

'really?'

'yes, she's good at it.'

'i see.'

she seemed to expect more, and went away evidently disappointed, but the hell if i knew what she wanted.

the best things i get out of drawing comics are not one-on-one, because no one knows what to say except, 'great job,' or, 'why do you draw so badly? you should take a class.' there was the japanese girl in the gaggle of overseas tourists to picked up an early bound collection and opened it, and instantly started giggling. there was the woman who read the page below as she and her friend were sitting at the table i wished i had, and said to her friend, 'you know, this describes my life exactly.' there was the cold, statuesque betty paige of a rockabilly girl from ATC who strode in, picked up the latest, and strode right out again as if she were on a mission. there are the dozens of people i have see pick up sparrow's fall, randomly, accidentally, and who look at it, and smile or do not, and take it with them.

critical acclaim? not so much. professional success? i think we see where that's going.



anyhow, this first page was painted, except for the lettering, and the layout was copied from early, proto-proto-sparrow's falls that postdate the wretched calyx. i had not, at this time, gone to see a counselor, but this page made for a nice conceit. it doesn't really lead anywhere as far as the story goes, but it did make for a good into . . . in case anyone had forgotten, this is how christopher's life is . . . and mine was.

and so . . .

 

Posted: Tue - May 25, 2004 at 07:36 AM             |

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