Forget continuity: these three installments are examples of JOHNtinuity. Though they were developed in two different years, the impulse behind their creation was the same: Flo and I were tired at the end of the year and wanted one or two extra updates to cover the holidays, but we didn’t want to burden John with too many expectations, so we just asked him to do “whatever.” As seen here, John’s “whatever” is truly something to behold.

The “Tectonicalia” penciled in the third image here became essentially a rough draft of Traal.

For me, the main image has a little “the lion shall lay down with the lamb” energy. Not because the Champions and ex-Peacemakers are together: those two groups have been at peace for a while. But seeing Bandit sharing the ice with Syr’Nj and Byron…that’s what makes this image impossible, strictly speaking, if it takes place anytime after Best’s Mercury look began. It’s impossible…but it’s still nice to think about.

Ditto Frigg singing along with Best on any Axemas carols that aren’t the special dirty-lyrics versions.