Got a few new toys to share today.
Firstly, I created a Selkie facebook page for those that wish to discuss, share, like, and congregate on Facebook. If people wish, I could also use this page as an alternative point of access for new strips.
Also, I will have a new item in the store shortly. I’ve been working on a few Selkie-themed watercolor illustrations, and I have prints on the way for the first one, hopefully ready to go on Thursday. Here is a sneak preview.
Extended Mina dialogue I didn't have room for, for those that like this sort of thing: "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but... well, I believe her story. Plus, she's young, and new, and inexperienced. An incident like this, even if not directly her fault, could destroy her career before it even starts. So, I'm... covering it up... on the condition that she is no longer allowed to take work home."
So I guess it’s all good here…unless another parent freaks.
Or unless the Tea she gets her is sweetened to the wrong level.
Indeed. Unsweetened tea and diabetes are both pretty lame.
Is Jessie a student teacher?
Yep.
Mmmm. Tea. If only it would have been that easy to get out of trouble at my last job. Oh wait, it was. My juniors bribed me with coffee 😀
*Grumble* These kaptcha questions are as bad as Jessie’s girlfriend’s math…
Speaking as one who writes, today’s offering is a good example of reinforcing themes that have previously been introduced in order to keep them relevant. This would actually make it an ideal panel to lead into book two because it reinforces so many details: Selkie’s shoes have made a huge difference to her, Georgie is Selkie’s bestie, Selkie is heavily into cartoons and into fish, Todd is an involved parent. Todd is good-natured. Ms Ashkenazi is a parent herself and is a recurring relevant character. There have been situations at school, et c.
Finally, Dave finishes with a light touch to make us start the day with a smile. This panel would also make a good ending for the introduction sequence of book two – the closing page of book two, chapter one.
Now what I would like to see (in order to reinforce the fact that Selkie should not be withdrawn from this particular school despite her run-ins with the other girls) is some story development where Georgie takes a part that carries the action forward. Georgie is one of the most important people to Selkie, but has not yet been given a lot of cartoon panel time. Now I trust Dave implicitly, so if this is not where he is going that is okay. “The Best Friend” is such a strong trope/stock character that we don’t need to develop Georgie’s character. It might be more important to work on plot development elsewhere in order to keep the story going at a good pace. But my wish list includes some variant on Georgie and Selkie and the pickled limes.
Speaking of wish lists…
*Grumble* My family hasn’t even asked me what I want for Christmas yet. Although possibly this is a good thing because I won’t know the price range until this Thursday…
Thank you, Dave!!
Interesting you mention George’s lack of screen time, because I was actually thinking much the same thing. I’ve got a “playdate” story in the works so Selkie can have some on-screen mingling time with the other kids that isn’t dominated by bullying and trauma.
If not for Mina’s religion I would have suggested a “long island” iced tea was in order.
Iced tea, coffee, smoothies, and other drinks-as-bribes ftw.
Just an interesting tidbit I didn’t catch until now. I did a little looking, and apparently according to the comic’s current time frame, this scene is taking place in the middle of Ramadan. So Mina will either have to wait a few weeks to call in the iced tea, or have Jessie hang around past sunset. XD
Oh, man, I hope it’s the latter. I’m glad Jessie’s not going to lose her job, but having to stick around seems like just the right sort of punishment. (Plus, if my Muslim friends are anything to go by, Mina’s not going to want to wait until after Ramadan for that tea.)
Have we seen Mina’s kid(s) yet? I feel like I remember her having a daughter, but I could be making that up.
Mina’s husband has custody of their daughter, she’s recently divorced or was divorcing (I can’t remember). So the daughter hasn’t been on screen.
We have not yet seen Mina’s daughter, no. And no you’re not making it up, the daughter was mentioned earlier.
Well, she said she owes her an iced tea. As to WHEN said iced tea would be delivered was never specified, or even how. It wasn’t specified if she required freshly made or just a bottle of her favorite, which you could get at any time in the day, but not enjoy until later.
Or she could just take a bottled iced tea and put it in her purse for later.
Aw dude, as someone who participates in this holiday every year, let me tell you, dealing with kids on an empty stomach SUCKS. Your temper gets EXTREMELY short, and you just want to lay around and definitely not talk to some kid’s parents about bullying. I feel so bad for this teacher right now.
I hope Alexis gets in tons of trouble with Jessie over this. Doing that could have easily ruined Jessie’s chances at ever getting a teaching job. Student teachers I’ve met have gotten in much worse trouble over less serious incidents. Jessie has some issues she needs to work on, but I see potential. She needs to get her senses under pressure under control and help with her proneness to speaking without thinking. Some of these parents can be the worst when parent teacher conferences start. Some kids have some very special needs. She’s going to need to be able to handle all that. I’m not an expert teacher or anything, but seeing what my brother has gone through to become a teacher makes me feel for Jessie here.
BTW I hope Mina and Todd get to bond a bit. Even if they don’t become a couple I think a friendship between them would be good.
I just noticed you now have a “Favorite” star by the comic link in Belfry – Congratulations!
Thanks!
Oh, good: Mina did get Jessie’s back on this. They seem to have a pretty good rapport, this incident aside.
Also glad that Todd is satisfied things are resolved for now. Mina has already had a pretty long day…
So I made you some fanart, but I don’t remember my e-mails password to access it so I guess I’ll just link it to you. Sorry.
http://imgur.com/olGt2
Sorry I never scanned it and lined it like I had planned to do so in my art program, but I got lazy.
So cute!
sorry, what’s that artstyle?… reminds me of something, some cartoon somewhere, but I can’t put my finger on it… something about the feet.
I love it though! adorbz!
Panty and Stocking. That wasn’t supposed to be the final piece, but I got lazy and never finished it.
I agree that Jessie needs to have some sort of condition in place that avoids something like this happening again, but the truth is that it would be practically impossible for her to not take her work home. My flatmate is a teacher’s assistant and she has to spend an average of 2-4 hrs a night on preparation, sometimes more, and more then that on the weekends.