Almanac – Potatoes
February 26th, 2015So with all the discussion of potatoes on Chapter 10, Page 15, I thought I would address potatoes briefly in the Almanac.
The Almanac is a bit short this week because Diane, Steph, Julie, and I are busy working on the Volume 2 Kickstarter for Snow by Night. We’re hoping to have it launch in early March. Wait, that’s next week? Eek! I need to work faster!
Chapter 10, Page 16
February 24th, 2015Antoine shows Vivienne and Jassart the archives on Chapter 10, Page 16. There are upsides and downsides to having a great spirit who is the patron of arts and sciences. On one hand the savants write down a lot of things; on the other hand, they write down a lot of things. To see what lies in store for Jassart and Vivienne on the next page, please vote for Snow by Night on Top Web Comics.
In other news, Snow by Night will be joining the other creators of Reverie Comics at AwesomeCon! Come see us and say hello. We’ll be doing panels, selling books, and just talking with fans.
Chapter 10, Page 15
February 23rd, 2015Antoine is easily distracted by potatoes on Chapter 10, Page 15. Vivienne probably should be more interested in potatoes. If the French had adopted that tuber, the nobility (of which Vivienne is a part) may have prevented the French Revolution, as the failed wheat harvests played a large role in formenting discontent. Yes, it’s related to nightshade, and yes its fruit, leaves, and stems are toxic. But really, isn’t a little poison worth the French fries?
On a side note, Germany adopted the potato during the 18th century because of marauding foragers for the armies of all the wars in the 1700s. They could empty barns and burn crops, but digging up all the potatoes was too much work and you can’t really set fire to a potato field like you can with a wheat field. So that’s why Germany and eastern Europe became famous for their potato dishes while France did not. Potatoes fried in the French manner did not happen until near the end of the century.
When we were thumbnailing out this page, Julie, Diane, and I had a long conversation about whether Antoine would be waxing poetic over potatoes or corn. We eventually settled on potatoes because (1) potatoes are funnier than corn, and (2) people in Québéc at this time would be aware of maize while potatoes are much more exotic. Julie captured the struggle of potato versus corn in today’s vote incentive on Top Web Comics.
Almanac – Arctic
February 20th, 2015It’s pretty cold here tonight. Around -14 Celsius as this “Polar Vortex” passes overhead. This got me thinking about the arctic so that’s our Almanac entry tonight – the Arctic Zone!
This page in the Almanac has only had the Torrid Zone on it for a while. We need some cold balance. So come learn about the wonders of the frigid north of Ultima Thule, where the plants are tiny, the bears are hungry, and explorers look mighty tasty. If you reach the North Pole, you can achieve immortality by staying there all year. I suppose you could chance it and leave one night a year if you had an extremely important obligation.
Chapter 10, Page 14
February 18th, 2015Jassart’s presence does not go unnoticed by Antoine on Chapter 10, Page 14. His previous interactions with Jassart were not exactly the best. That’s okay. Vivienne has a solution that mollifies the old sage.
Julie gave me a beautiful panel on the next page that looks like a cut scene. I couldn’t resist. To see for yourself, please vote for Snow by Night on Top Web Comics.
I’m planning out the Kickstarter campaign for Volume 2. A lot of the prep work is done. I’m typing up the description for the campaign page as well as all the rewards. I’m hoping to have it start around the end of the month or early March.
Chapter 10, Page 13
February 15th, 2015Vivienne and Jassart pay a visit to the Museum of Sherbourg on Chapter 10, Page 13. They recruit the services of Antoine Dupuis to help them. To see how that goes, please vote for Snow by Night on Top Web Comics.
Almanac – Garthmoor
February 13th, 2015Since Cienan showed up for a bit, I decided to talk about Cienan’s homeland of Garthmoor in the Almanac. Its lands are invaded. Its poets are often quoted. There’s a little something for the warmonger and the pacifist.
This one took a bit to write, which is why it’s so late. I spent way too much time deciding if I liked Garthans or Garthmans more. I like the sound of Garthman, but it sounds like they’re all dudes. The m sound was a nod to the moor part of the rootword. I could go with Garthmoorans. Then it sounds like an insult. Amy is suggesting Garthmoormans. I think she’s teasing me.
Chapter 10, Page 12
February 10th, 2015Cienan has some words of advice for Jacqueline on Chapter 10, Page 12. His words are troubling for Vivienne’s aide-de-camp even if they are informative. Our scene shifts next week. To see who’s back, please vote for Snow by Night on Top Web Comics.
