Panel 2: Not too big of a SPOILER, I think, to hint that something is up with the way that Emp's hand are tied in this shot—or untied, at least partially.

Note that, in the previous paragraph, I initially mistyped "SPOLIER" instead of "SPOILER", as I am infuriatingly prone to do. Dagnabbit!

Note also that, between panels 3 and 4, you can see the sudden transition between the two different ways I draw Emp's lips—thin and cartoony in panel 3, then Big & Pouty (yet also cartoony) in panel 4. More recently, I've added a third Emp Lip Depiction Mode used mainly for extreme close-ups; this variation I call "Mostly Realistic Lips", as it's derived from my photoreference-based life drawing studies.

Why do I indulge in such variations in how I depict Emp? Because I can, folks! I like switching things up from time to time to keep myself interested as an artist; consistency just for consistency's sake is, IMHO, an overrated trait in comics artwork.

Today’s Patreon update: Open slot in the weekly schedule today! Pretty sure I’ll be posting something for the semi-recurrent Design Tuesdays feature.

-Adam Warren