I ended up expanding this scene, adding a page that wasn’t there in the original draft. If I were a professional comic book writer, and had some overworked team of art-monkeys doing my dirty work, I’d decompress even further: Vish’s transformation—certainly an important event—would probably receive a full splash page, with all sorts of steam and machinery and carefully-shaded clavicles. As-is, we move right along, and I always feel a bit righteous keeping even major plot events to the grid, like I just eschewed beef brisket in favor of a daikon salad.
I also expanded the page for two other related reasons. First, I wanted to practice my expressions, and second, I like the chance to tell a joke (even a rather thin one), despite all the action. My previous comic had a lot more humor, and sometimes WPK feels a bit oppressively grim to me, and its breakneck pace emphasizes that feeling. I never spend five pages just hanging around at the inn, trading irrelevant stories; there’s always plot to get through. But occasionally I’ll give myself five or six panels of breathing space.
Oh dear gods, I hope this joke keeps getting pushed *laughs*. Something oddly charming about her height coming as a surprise.