West of Bathurst

The Massey Winter Ball is actually happening even as I upload this comic. The theme is, indeed, "The Roaring Twenties: The Golden Age of Travel." I believe a martini party is included, which--considering that prohibition was in place in the 1920s--implies a certain illegality, despite the whole "golden age of travel" theme. Perhaps the party simply takes place in one of the Canadian provinces that repealed prohibition in the mid-1920s, or perhaps the whole event is being run by gangsters. I would vote for the latter possibility, simply because it's more exciting.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Panel 1: In the title panel of this Sunday-style colour comic, Marie, dressed as a flapper, narrows her eyes at Steve and Baldwin, who are wearing 1920s-style suits and hats as they clink wine glasses. The title reads: "West of Bathurst by Kari Maaren."

Panel 2: The Davies College foyer is decorated with a mural depicting a cityscape at night. Marie, in ordinary clothes, approaches Steve and Baldwin, who are dressed in suits and hats.

Marie: Oh, hey, guys. Going to the Winter Ball?

Baldwin: In a way.

Panel 3:

Marie: In a...?

Baldwin: Well, we didn't buy tickets, but it's a Roaring Twenties theme.

Panel 4:

Steve: We feel it's not accurate enough.

Baldwin: Oh, sure, the decor works, and there's swing dancing, and people are in period dress...

Panel 5:

Baldwin: ...But there's one essential aspect of the period that's missing:

Panel 6: They both pull out multiple toy guns.

Steve and Baldwin: Organised crime.

Panel 7: Marie walks away as mayhem erupts behind her.

Marie: Sometimes, I really don't miss living here.

Baldwin [off panel]: You wants the illegal booze, doll? No problem.

One of the guns goes "rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat" as someone lets out a shriek.

Alt-Text: Everything's better with gangsters. Well, that's actually not even a little bit true.

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