Sunflower and the Dead Sisters #39 & #40

Another double update for Sunflower — the SECOND this month, although this time for a different reason.

#39 – https://www.claycomix.com/sunflower/posts/39/

#40 – https://www.claycomix.com/sunflower/posts/40/

I had originally drawn what was to become #40. But when I was finishing it up I realized it might be a too sudden introduction to Daffodil, who was talked about for a panel in #36. I needed another strip before the Daffodil strip to make her sudden appearance in the strip feel better transitioned. But — I also knew that if I didn’t start and finish this new strip before the deadline, I would have nothing for the deadline — only a Daffodil strip not ready to be shown. So I quickly put together #39, not really having a grasp on the dialogue before drawing it, which is why the dialogue is not really good, especially in the last panel. But I think it does its job and the Daffodil strip is better transitioned into the series.

As for #40, way back this was one of the original ideas for Sunflower when I was putting the strip together, way back when the idea was she would go to the bar alone and just be antagonistic to everyone. The original premise for Sunflower was that she was this absolutely cynical person along the lines of Wednesday from the Addams Family. And she was going to deliver a set of lines closely resembling these but in a mean-spirited way.  Then as I started drawing the strip and Marigold got involved it was going to Marigold that was going to deliver these lines, around the same time as the “Smile” strip. It got pushed back AGAIN and it seemed these lines were never going to be used.

When I was putting together the character of Daffodil. initially she was just going to be as angry and cynical as Marigold, but step it up even further.  This isn’t a really good way to create characters and I was stuck on Daffodil until I saw a picture on the internet of this woman with a very kind smile. And immediately it struck me that this has to be Daffodil. Then I remembered the lines I was going to give Sunflower and Marigold and I thought why not give it to her? But instead of delivering them cynically, she can deliver them earnestly, like she’s reliving a horrible trauma and doing her best to make it seem like it’s no big deal. Then I knew I had the character. So welcome Daffodil!