But I'm A Cat Person

One tiny crumb of self-awareness at a time.

Cybele having visibly-lighter palms, at least in this scene, is a detail I added in the trade-paperback remastering. It happens IRL, but it’s not a trait I see a lot in cartoons/animation outside of really awful blackface caricatures, so it seemed like a thing to avoid. Then some art by a black character designer came across one of my social-media feeds, with the caption lamenting how nobody does it in a realistic way, and I thought, okay, here’s a non-caricature model I can reference.

I didn’t do it for any of the human characters, like Bianca, because making sure it stayed consistent over the entire course of the comic seemed like too big a job. With the Beings, it can just show up for the length of a given appearance, and even if I forget to draw it the next time, no big deal.

Bennett: I’m not ordering you not to think something! But don’t say it! It’s rude. And slanderous. And wrong! I had a very happy, very traditional marriage!

Cybele: You did?

Bennett: . . . okay, no, I had a terrible angry wreck of a marriage. But the “very traditional” part was true!

Besides, it only went wrong because — If it hadn’t been for — Things would have gotten better! After the baby was born.

Cybele: Is that how it usually works?

Bennett: I — I want you to stop talking now.

You’re going to write something instead? You know all I have to do is not read it, right?

. . . Let me see.

(sniff)

(scribble)

Bennett: Okay, okay, you can say it out loud! Just don’t cry!

Cybele: Thanks, boss! You’re the best ♥