Thought Congestion

August 27th, 2019 Barry Posted in Becky Hawkins collaborations | No Comments »

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Another collaboration with Becky Hawkins! This one was written by me, and drawn by Becky.

TRANSCRIPT OF COMIC

The comic has four panels.

PANEL 1

The panel shows backed-up traffic on an overpass in the foreground. In the background, we can see more backed-up highways, and behind that the buildings of a small city, including a white building with a big dome on top and a US flag – i.e., a government building. Two word balloons come from that building. The balloons belong to characters I will call MAYOR and NERD.

MAYOR: The city just spent half a billion widening roads. But we still have traffic congestion!

NERD: Well, Mr. Mayor, studies show that adding lanes doesn’t fix traffic.

PANEL 2

Inside the mayor’s office. There is a big curtained window and a fancy executive desk with a big leather chair. In front of the desk is the Mayor – a man in a suit with gray hair – and a woman who is a nerd, by which I mean she’s wearing glasses, has her hair in a bun, and is carrying a stack of three-ring binders.

The Mayor is making a “stop talking” gesture, holding up a hand flat in front of the nerd’s face. The mayor looks angry, and his eyes are bloodshot.

NERD: People’s capacity to drive is greater than our capacity to build roads, so-

MAYOR: Blah blah blah! We’ve got to do something!

PANEL 3

The mayor, now looking happy, makes a big sweeping gesture with his hand, causing the surprised nerd to drop her binders.

NERD: Um…

MAYOR: I’ve got it!

PANEL 4

The mayor and the nerd are now on stage, the mayor behind the podium and the nerd to one side and behind him. There is a cheering crowd watching the mayor speak.

The Mayor is waving a hand grandly as he speaks. The nerd is face-palming.

MAYOR: Good news, citizens! We’re widening the roads again!