<Lots of self-indulgent musings today!> The drawings of Mark in the first two panels are pretty well conceived and executed, especially the bottom-up view of Mark in panel 2. Jules Rivera used to feature varying perspectives more often, but she still brings it out when needed. And this views suggests a sense of the dramatic that the image of Tad fails to provide in panel 4. That seems to be a deliberate choice: Tad Crass’ image lacks that dignity. It’s just an angry guy. I can’t go any farther on this; it may just be projection on my part.

Take panel 3: a seemingly incompetent drawing. How can we reconcile these conflicting drawings? We’ve seen time and time again that Rivera is less successful in drawing figures in the “middle ground”, that space between the close-up and the more distant view. So, I have to assume this is a deliberate choice on the part of Rivera. Could Rivera have drawn Mark and Tad more competently, less childishly? Yes! But could this childish drawing in panel 3 be meant to symbolize their childish behavior? Well, if my earlier interpretation of Mark’s and Tad’s faces have any merit at all, then I can’t totally dismiss this idea about panel 3. But I have nothing secure to go on.

Okay, that’s about it. I wonder how Rivera will wrap up this scene on Saturday. Will the fighters stand by Mark or by Tad? Will they just wonder what the heck is going and wander off, looking for the next competition? Or maybe they will descend enforce on Mark and Tad and give them both a sound drubbing for wasting their time and ruining the contest.