Soup the Comic Strip by Alun Clewe
Comic strip for January 28 2024.
PANEL ONE: The champion rides the giant rat Nezhoni down a city street, with Maiz (still possessed by DeVallon) tied up behind him. Townspeople stare as he goes by. PANEL TWO: The champion stops in front of two men. CHAMPION: The boy is tied up because he's possessed by a malevolent ghost. And yes, I'm riding a giant rat. Does that answer your questions? MAN 1: Hey, I wasn't gonna ask. MAN 2: Oh, I sure was. PANEL THREE: Slightly closer on the champion and the two men. CHAMPION: Maybe you can help me. Do you know of anyone who can exorcise ghosts? MAN 1: Hmm... maybe I do have some idea, at that. PANEL FOUR: Closer on the two men. MAN 1: I think if I were you, I'd go see the old necromancer in Barriton. MAN 2: The necromancer... of DOOM! PANEL FIVE: Close on the champion. CHAMPION: The necromancer of doom? That sounds ominous. Why do they call him that? PANEL SIX: Back to a wider shot of the champion and the two men. The first man looks somewhat exasperated. MAN 1: They DON'T call her that. NO ONE calls her that. Killian here just likes to try to add some extra drama to life. CHAMPION: Uh... okaaay... PANEL SEVEN: Closer on the two men again. MAN 1: Anyway, let's see... okay, you go to the big park near the center of the town. MAN 2: The park... of DOOM! PANEL EIGHT: Angle on the champion, the two men in the right foreground. CHAMPION: More drama? MAN 1: Yeah... ignore him. So, anyway, you go south from the park and take the second right. MAN 2: The second right... of DOOM! PANEL NINE: Close on the two men. MAN 1: No, just the second right. Then look for the house with the yew wreath above the door. MAN 2: Above the door... of DOOM! PANEL TEN: Close on the first man. MAN 1: No, it's just an ordinary door! a perfectly ordinary door! PANEL ELEVEN: The champion starts to ride away. MAN 2: Yes... a perfectly ordinary door of DOOM! MAN 1: You're an idiot, you know that? MAN 2: An idiot of DOOM! MAN 1: No, just the regular kind. CHAMPION: Uh... thanks... we'll be going now...
January 28 2024

There is one thing about this strip that really bothers me, and has almost since immediately after I drew it. You probably would not guess what it is. So I'll tell you.

That guy on the left has some kind of... case of scrolls, or something, on his back. Which is fine. Except that it's apparently held in place by a strap around his neck. Wouldn't that kind of, well, strangle him? Sure, presumably the scrolls are pretty light, but they're not weightless, and having them held up by a strap around the neck seems like... a really bad way of doing things. It just doesn't make any sense, and, like I said, it really bothers me.

Okay, apparently it doesn't bother me quite enough for me to redraw the strip. But still.