Our main characters and their bands seem to exist in these relatively small scenes and circles, and I’ve always thought it all seemed relatively detached from whatever  this universe’s actual mainstream is (Candy Hearts too, even though they were accused of being too radio friendly) — so, hey, what gets massive national airplay on their crummy commercial rock radio? What contemporary bands make Turpentine visibly frown when their hit singles come on in the laundromat? Answer: the headliners of SUMMERAMA FEST.

I’m pretty happy with that flyer. I think I captured what I was going for.

Finally finally finally, new page! I’m pretty sure this is most lighthearted comic you’ll see all week that has a character lying in broken glass.

Ok! Sorry for the delays — I’m back from my own little trip (in which no comix work got done, despite best intentions), and back on track.

This one’s the kind of page I live for. Naming and drawing a set of characters, showing existing characters looking different at different moments in time, implying a bunch of new avenues of backstory but leaving most of it open, looking at in-universe pictures of some kind…
Credit: This mailbag question (which I would’ve found a way to do eventually even if it hadn’t been asked!) actually came from comix artist & writer Jeanne Thornton, who’s a really essential friend in my life. I can easily imagine the alternate universe where she and I started some kind of aesthetically weird band.

And so we wrap up this episode! This is one thing I for sure have in common with Honey Hart (and the majority of BVB characters): there’s no “might” about whether I’ll have fun wearing some over-the-top costume accessory if the opportunity is presented.

(Also: while I was working on this, I just constantly kept thinking about the Letters From The Princess in Super Mario Bros. 3.)