Behind the Scenes of the Goat: Pope Lick Creek Monster #1, Pages 3 & 5

3 days ago
4 min read

Creative Mussel presents a behind-the-scenes look at the Goat! Enjoy a new look at the incident on the Pope Lick Trestle.

Here's how we work...

Script
THUMBNAILS
Script Comparison
- Allowance for lettering and general feedback
Character Modeling (as needed)
Artwork
- Script comparison and general feedback
Artwork with Lettering
- Script comparison, lettering edits as needed, and general feedback
FINAL ARTWORK

Script by Jay B Kalagayan.

All Artwork by Ethan Pope.

Commentary by Giovani Medina.

PAGE 3 SCRIPT

1- Interior of train car. Sign on wall or door about human trafficking. “SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.” The irony is obvious.

2- Pan up / to side to three security looking guards playing cards. They are sitting at a card table. They have side arms. Rifles slung on the back of their chairs. They either have KROH ball caps on or interesting looking headbands. They have their names on their uniforms.

Ruth, Black, female, manager. Headband.

Rob, White, male, newbie, loud, young. Headband.

Ram, Asian, Indian, male, not much older than Rob. Baseball cap.

ROB: WE’RE GREEN, RUTH! WE GOT THAT BONUS!

RAM: KROH COMPANY HAS TO PAY UP!

RUTH: CASH IN HAND, ROB.

3- Shot of Ruth and Rob. Ruth is putting two cards down on the table.

RUTH: I’LL BELIEVE IT WHEN KROH CO PUTS BONUS GREEN IN MY HAND. GIMME TWO.

ROB: TO CAPTURE PRIME SPECIMENS. THAT’S GOT TO BE BONUS GREEN.

4- Shot of the handle of the Fridge unit on the other side of the room. There’s a handle, there’s a sign:

SIGN LETTERING: CHECK SPECIMEN FOR SEDATION BEFORE OPENING

Through the glass, we see a very human hand. TOO OBVIOUS???

RAM: NO TAG ON THEM EITHER. TWINS BORN IN THE WILD.

THUMBNAILS + FINAL ARTWORK

Thumbnails for Page 3 by Ethan Pope. We are introduced to the guards, who are conversating.

Finals for Page 3 by Ethan Pope. We are introduced to the guards, who are conversating.

The aesthetic and style for the Goat existed nearly from the start. Pope uses his first thumbnail to establish the visuals for the rest of the book. You can already see the prevalence that black takes as a lighting tool within the chapter. Hatching is equally as prevalent here, especially as a tool used to further the movement and grime of the Goat.

Unlike Pope, from script to final page, Kalagayan chooses to restrain his writing. The script places Kroh Co. 's cruelty on full display with the ironic "SEE SOMETHING..." sign and the choice to have a physical hand within the fridge. In the final page, discussion of 'specimens' and 'green' in relation to a fridge with hand prints all over the glass reinforces Kroh's cruelty just as strongly as it had before. The key difference is that in the final page, these are inferences made by the reader, allowing them to feel much more immersed in the world.

PAGE 5 SCRIPT

1- Rob, Helena and Ram are playing cards. They might be leaning a little because of the train braking/slowing down. Highlight’s Rob’s expression of frustration about the train for his line. He might throw his cards on the table.

SOUND FX: A TRAIN SLOWING DOWN. SCEEEEEECH …

ROB: ARGH, THIS TRAIN IS A SNAIL!

RAM: KROH SAID FOR TWO SPECIMENS, ONE BY ROAD, ONE BY RAIL.

2- Rob is standing up and has his weapon in his one hand. Ruth is still seated for her line.

ROB: I’M GETTING SOME AIR. POKE THIS CONDUCTOR.

RUTH: MAKE SURE YOU KEEP YOUR HEADBAND ON.

3- Rob pointing to his headband, behind him, Ram is acting like a drooling, drowsy idiot and has his hand up in the air is is pointing down at Rob’s head.

ROB: I KNOW, I KNOW RUTH.

RAM: HA, WE DON’T WANT YOU DROOLING FROM THE MELON.

4- Rob and Ram looking up towards the ceiling. Ruth is on the side, looking up as well.

SOUND FX: KLAG! KLATTER! OOF! OOF! OOF!

ROB: WHAT’S THAT?

RAM: SOMETHING’S … WALKING ON THE ROOF.

THUMBNAILS + FINAL ARTWORK

Thumbnails for Page 5 by Ethan Pope. The guards hear something creepy on the roof of the train car.

Finals for Page 5 by Ethan Pope. The guards hear something creepy on the roof of the train car.

From the script to the final artwork, a comic is always changing. It's fascinating to see what gets changed compositionally. In the thumbnails, the snaking of the "KLANG" SFX creates a mood of rumbling throughout the train, creating a theme of growing suspense, especially with the three guards all looking towards the reader. In the final artwork, this composition changes for certain effects. Depth is introduced, re-centering Ruth as a key figure in the trio, her reaction having the most focus, while also channeling a feeling of an impending doom with the uncertain statures of Rob and Ram.

Kalagayan makes an equally strong decision in this page by removing the line "KROH SAID FOR TWO SPECIMENS, ONE BY ROAD, ONE BY RAIL." This seems to be an important line, as it explains why the guards keep referring to twins despite only one child appearing in the issue, but it's removal helps the conversation in the page flow in a more natural way, making it feel effortless to read through. Additionally, The meat of the line is not omitted from the full issue, reappearing in a Kroh Co. message transcript, where it serves as a strong cliffhanger for the future endeavors of the Goat.

Want to learn what happened at the Pope Lick Trestle? You can buy The Goat HERE on Ko-fi!

Written by Jay B. Kalagayan

All Artwork by Ethan Pope

Check out more books like The Goat HERE, on the Cryptid Corner