So, let's see how Webster fared, shall we?

Commentary after the jump.

Collins isn't sure of what he's seen, Webster seems pretty certain after a moment of thought.  All the same, he was sure it wasn't all that friendly.  Guess the wolf stuck around to check out his handiwork.

By the by, "Crow Bait" is the name of the first chapter.  You don't get that unless you're reading the actual book, sorry.  But once you hear the phrase, it's pretty clear what it means.  Western idioms were pretty pragmatic like that, though sometimes they had their moments of poetry, rough-hewn as it might be.  The language in MURDER MOON is as fake as any western dialect you're going to hear.  But I tried to make it flow decently and tried to make it sound unique, downplaying the 'pardners' and 'varmints' and other Gabby Hayes-isms.  I've been told by people whose opinions I trust that the dialogue is the best thing about the book.

Which kinda makes me wonder about what the worst thing is.  I try not to dwell on that.

Yes, I named the horse "Joss."  I didn't think of any other famous Joss's that would mind.  If so, I apologize in advance.

As for the rest of it, perhaps a touch obvious.  There's some restating what's going on in the panel, but sometimes a little reinforcement isn't a bad thing.  At least I didn't have Webster pointing into the night and screaming IT'S DARK.  But by the same token, there's a lot of dialogue here.  One of these days I'll get the balance right.

As for me?  I'm writing this while preparing for SDCC, and you'll read it as I make my way back.  I still don't know how I'm getting there.  The drive sounds relaxing, oddly.  But would take a long time.  Well, hopefully I'll decide before it's too late.

EDIT to add that I completely panicked about whether or not I'd actually posted this and had to check from the gate at the airport to make sure that I hadn't spaced out totally.  I guess I'm relieved that I didn't.

Secondarily, belated congratulations to our host site, CBR and Jonah Weiland on their Eisner win for best comics-related publication.  Well-deserved and likely the closest this writer will ever come to that particular stage.  Take a bow and don't forget to remember the moment from time to time, Jonah.