Transcript: Chapter 2, Episode 2
Blaze says firmly, “I don’t offer my services to the police.
Marsh scowls with pent-up anger.
Marsh lifts Blaze’s folding chair off the ground with him still in it. As Blaze looks startled, Marsh says, “Listen, cupcake. I’ve been patient with you. More patient than I’m being paid to be.”
Marsh slams the chair back on the ground and says “But you better start cooperating.” Blaze grunts and winces from the impact.
Marsh toys with a strand of Blaze’s hair, smirking maliciously as he says, “Because you don’t look like someone who’d do well in prison.”
Blaze appears confident as he thinks to himself, “Really? I think I could summon an entire army of protection in there…” Then, looking more doubtful, he thinks, “Not that I want to find out…”
Marsh holds the sides of Blaze’s chair, looming over him. Marsh’s forearm tattoo is visible. It’s an American flag with a cross superimposed on it, accompanied by text that reads, “Only 1 Nation Under God.” He says, “START. TALKING.” Blaze yells back, “I’ve BEEN talking! It’s 2 in the morning! If you won’t let me leave, then…”
Blaze glares up at Marsh and says, “I’m gonna need a law—“ Marsh cuts him off and yells, “WHAT? Speak up, cupcake. I can’t hear you!”
Blaze pauses, then heatedly asks, “Am I free to go?”
Marsh leans over him uncomfortably close, still holding the sides of his chair, and asks, “Do you feel free to go?”
Blaze stares back, angry tears welling in his eyes.
A dark-skinned man with gray hair and a white shirt appears at the interrogation room door, getting the attention of Detectives Marsh and Williams. He says, “Interview’s over.”
From off panel, the man says, “Blaise Laurent? You can go home.” Marsh, looking stunned and displeased, yells, “WHAT?”
The mustached black man, who wears a gold badge that says “Captain” and a crucifix-shaped tie clip, says, “Sorry, Marsh. Someone’s here to collect the witness.” Within the doorframe behind him, the shoulder of a person in a black dress shirt is visible.
The police chief steps aside, and the person in the black shirt steps into view. He is a young man with slicked-back white hair and long sideburns. He wears a Roman collar and holds a black coat over his arm. His expression is stoic and inscrutable as he looks into the room.
Blaze’s eyes widen, his eyes still brimming with tears, and a look of overwhelming, complex emotion crosses his face. He says, “Judd…”
The police chief stands in front of Blaze in the interrogation room, taking his cuffed hands and holding a key. Behind him, Detectives Marsh and Williams stand by looking disgruntled. The chief says, “Mr. Laurent, please accept our apologies.”
He leans forward to un-cuff Blaze’s wrists, his crucifix-shaped tie clip in clear view. He says, “Father Abraham explained everything to me.”
As he tells Blaze, “You’re being released without charges,” Detective Marsh glowers at him with folded arms, the cross and flag tattoo visible on his forearm.
A logo appears: Into the Smoke. Intothesmokecomic.com
An image shows nine ghost hands converging to pet Otto, a content fat black cat. Each hand has several names written on it. Text reads: Special Thanks to my Patrons. Pledge on Patreon at patreon.com/bob_artist. The words “Pledge on Patreon” are crossed out and replaced with the words, “Pet Otto.” An additional URL reads intothesmokecomic.com.
I can’t pretend not to be excited about this episode. I am UNREASONABLY excited! Because there are not one but two big things I’ve been suffering over having to keep quiet about.
First: Judd. JUDD!!! I know that 99% of y’all know nothing about the guy yet, and I won’t give anything away. But I’ve had this character for as long as I’ve had Blaze, and now that they’ve both appeared in the comic, I can die happy. Oh wait, I can’t because I have to write the rest of the story of them actually interacting with each other. But the point is, he’s here.
As for those of you who have been reading The Clybourn House on Patreon… well, you know more about Judd than he’d want you to know. Chapter 12 of 13 goes up on Friday, and I’d suggest reading it and then coming back to this episode just to take in Blaze’s reaction again. (Psst: The Clybourn House is releasing to all patrons in the pretty near future, so if you can’t manage the Secret Gallery Tier pledge that gets you early access, you’ll have cheaper options soon!)
And SECOND:
I was a little late rolling out the new patron credits sheet that appears at the end of each episode, but I hope it was worth the wait! I’ll have the full back story on the making of the credits sheet in a blog post next week, but for now, I just want to invite any new patrons (or current patrons who missed their chance to sign) to add your name to the patron credits! The image will be updated every 5 or so episodes, and I’d love to see as many people as possible petting Otto. 😀 (And yes, you really do get to “pet” him when you sign the form!)
Into the Smoke is doing unusually well on Top Webcomics this month. On the first day of the month, it peaked at #8, which is crazy. It probably had something to do with the way the votes turned over, but hey I’ll take it; it means lots more exposure for the comic. Big thanks to all of you who voted!! AND we have a new voting incentive! Vote on Top Webcomics to see a sketch of teen Blaze in his ritual robes being a tiny gender creature!
(And why exactly did I randomly do a sketch of teen Blaze in his ritual robes? It’s definitely not because I’m 17K words into a new ITS prose back story about the events leading up to his first time meeting Judd… definitely not…)
Ahhh, this comment’s getting so long. But I have to say – at the last update, I asked for some help in spreading the word about ITS coming back, and y’all were just absolute rockstars. I was blown away by all the support, and it helped so much! So, just wanted to say thank you! <3
Now that I’m not scrambling quite so much to get the next episode out, I’m back with recommended comics! This time, it’s Bad Influence by Lorelli!
Do the end justify the means? The crew of the Crow & Lyre tavern absolutely think so. Sometimes when the system is stacked against you, you break the system. Each crew member is equipped with their own special abilities and they’ll have to work together to get the job done. Tassera leads the crew and keeps the nosy Detective Vale from getting too close. Except, they have a history and while Vale may not get close to solving the case, could he be getting too close to Tass?
Bad Influence is just so fun. It has impeccable RPG vibes, an ensemble of interesting, varied characters with great chemistry, and leads I’d just die for. I love all the characters, but Tass and Vale are especially fun to read together if you enjoy characters who are polar opposites lightly tormenting each other while also being obviously into each other. And they’re also each great characters on their own! I’m really enjoying the comic so far.
Also, I happened to spot a familiar cameo in one of the recent pages… I won’t say which because they’re all worth reading, but… keep an eye out. 🙂 (That was a very fun surprise and I’m still not over it!)
New Episodes Every Other Wednesday
