I like the feel of this cliffhanger: it uses the slightly off-balance feeling of the rest of the chapter to its advantage. (“We’re not SUPPOSED to wait till halfway through to start an adventure! We’re not supposed to have started without some flash-forward or somebody narrating! Are we even supposed to BE ALIVE??”)

In line with what I said before, Byron is the last to be isolated as he closes his eyes in frustration while Best and Syr focus on each other. Even during the frantic scanning of the room in panels 4 and 6, the other duos don’t both look away from each other at the same time for more than a second.

The original idea for the closing image was more abstract: “Small, horizontal page-width panel. We see a many-sided reflective surface like quartz crystal, but its only reflections of any members of the group are vague flesh-colored bits and pieces. We might be viewing the trap from above its ceiling or underneath its floor.” It was probably Phil’s initiative to add the speech balloons, which was a brilliant touch.