I admit, sometimes I feel like I’m making all this up as I go. I’m not, believe me… but on the other hand, I do allow for a certain amount of malleability in getting from Idea A to Publication B. Still, here I am, greatly cognizant of the need to be putting a bow on these last several issues with the thought of eventual collection into a second print volume. The first compromise on that point was letting seven issues extend into eight, since I wasn’t feeling the closure yet. Now comes the second compromise, where after seven episodes of exactly 24 installments, this eighth episode since the end of the first volume will now be extending past that. I mean, these are all self-inflicted constraints. I’m making the rules and so I can damn well break them if I have the notion. And man, do I have the notion. I wrestled with the idea of stopping here, this week, at the 24th “page.” Dawn had no objections, but as I nudged and smudged and hemmed and hawed at my draft, it just didn’t click. The gut said no, despite last week’s comic finally coming full circle and presenting the teaser image at the beginning of episode 14 in context. It was certainly tempting what with the day job being a busy time right now, but nah, there’s a few more pages needed. By the end of those pages I hope to have a good, worthwhile arc completed, even if it might not be as clear-cut as the first. No going back on the decision now, in any case. Onwards!