Page 7— Kali’s complaining highlights how her fevers are consistent and have been affecting her at an abnormal rate that not even her mother understands. Cluing in that her condition isn’t ordinary. But to change the subject, Vianne offers a bedtime story to get her to rest. Kali suggested the mannamong. Since she’s the one who suggested the topic, this implies she’s been told stories about them before and prefers them. This is also to reveal how these two bond in the context of their dialogue. Indicating this is a nightly pastime of theirs.
I want to save the bedtime story for another post in this Comic Commentary series. So I’ll end this post by explaining why I chose to start this comic with Kali and her mother rather than the mannamong right away.
Kali is the central protagonist, and the story is told from her point of view. How she starts this adventure harkens back to the theme of guardians being needed to restore balance from the first page. Kali being sick is not only meant to establish conflict and draw empathy to the reader; it’s also the starting point of what a guardian is in her eyes through her mother.
Kali is introduced as sick, unbalanced, and needs her mother’s care. And as we’ll discuss more in later pages, this connection is the cornerstone of her perspective on what the mannamong are supposed to be. Hence, why they are first explained and defined through her mother. These pages are meant to establish Kali’s expectations towards the mannamong while making the scenes appear organic. After all, a parent nursing their child is universal to anyone. So it starts with a simple, understandable premise before diving into the supernatural, before setting up events to come, and what the message of this story will be about with Kali at the helm.
You’ll get to see this more often, but one of Kali’s consistent behaviors throughout the comic is her dependency on her mother, which is natural for a child going through a hard time. But the important thing to take away from this moment is her feelings of helplessness. It’s the first detail we get reading into this character, and it’ll be a crucial detail in how she develops going forward. Keep that in mind.
Comic Commentary | Mother & Daughter Moment
Coming back to this new series of posts I’m calling Comic Commentary; we continue from where the very first few pages of The Mannamong left off. Vianne and Kali haven’t even had their names addressed yet, but it’s clear they’re mother and daughter as the pages illustrated Vianne’s concern over the girl. In this post, we get to see these following pages define that relationship further and tie it to their situation: Kali’s abnormal fevers.
In contrast to the earlier pages, these pages reflect a more comforting tone with the warm colors and tight space between the mother and child. Taking shelter from the dark storm allows these characters to take a breather and converse. This is when we get to know them and learn how and why they’re in this predicament.
Page 5— I wanted to give the impression that Vianne was an outdoorsy kind of woman. Having her build a tent with other provisions such as a lamp, a bucket, towel, thermometer, and medicine should show she’s prepared whenever going out. Even her jeep’s soft top is tattered. Stating it’s too dangerous to go back down the mountains in that harsh weather is supposed to indicate the storm just got worse while driving. I mean, why would anyone dare to drive through the mountainside with an unguarded railing, prone to rockslides, while there’s a thunderstorm? But going by Kali’s shivering, it’s shown to be an emergency.
Page 6— Kali’s slow speech and high temperature should convey that she needs medical attention if her flushed face and questioning her demise weren’t direct enough. Vianne shrugs off the dire circumstances and tries to get Kali to rest. It’s here the reader also gets a direct confirmation as to why they’re driving through the mountains after seeing Kali’s true condition— they were trying to reach the hospital. Implying they live in these mountains. For this revelation to be revealed only six pages in while telling its story visually in the opening pages is, again, something I’m very proud of. Conveying a relatable situation and to the point is the best of both worlds when it comes to writing.
Comic Commentary | Stormy Night
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