Page 71 of Keeping TimePage 72 of Keeping Time

Transcript

PAGE 71

A single image splash page of a three-story apartment building against a backdrop of a pale sky. The tree outside the building has already lost its leaves, heralding in the oncoming winter. The chapter title reads, "CHAPTER 3: RUDDERLESS."

Beneath it, the narration reads, "I've had a realization recently."

PAGE 72

Panel 1: A close-up of an older woman's snarl, her nose wrinkling as her lips curl. She says, "Messy."

Panel 2: Cardboard boxes carefully marked 'DVD' and 'LIVING ROOM' with an arrow to let him know which way is up sit in the corner of Daniel's apartment living room. The narration reads, "I lived my life like I was always preparing for a piano recital."

Panel 3: More carefully marked boxes sit against a wall. Trash bags that've already been tied wait next to them. The narration continues, "(Well. I guess I pretty much was.)"

Panel 4: A close-up of the eye of the woman from the first panel. She's looking down and to the side at something that's clearly displeasing her. "Lazy."

Panel 4: Now we see the woman in her entirety: Daniel's mother, Emi. She is thin and petite, and wears a sensible turtleneck tucked into a pencil skirt with simple earrings. Her hair is a short bob that she keeps carefully tucked behind one ear. She folds her arms across her chest and complains, "Daniel. Your apartment is a pigsty. How can you live like this?"

Panel 5: Daniel is sitting at a table, his elbows resting on the surface as he steeples his hands over his nose. Evidence of the work he was doing before he was interrupted by his mother's visit lie on the table in front of him: a laptop, a takeout cup of coffee, a pair of scissors he was likely using to break down cardboard boxes.

Daniel grimaces as he says, "Mom. I told you I’m still unpacking." In smaller letters, in an aside, he mutters, "It hasn’t even been three days since I signed the lease…"
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Posted on January 7, 2025 by Kody

Happy New Year! I'm so excited to be back with Chapter 3.

Thanks so much for all the love everyone left on the guest comics than ran over our winter break. (And if you missed them, maybe check them out? 👀)

I've mentioned before, but every chapter is named after a song that's thematically related to that chapter. This time it's "Rudderless" by The Lemonheads, of which I am especially partial to this demo version.

I'll let you folks draw your own conclusions on whether this song is more for how this chapter plays out for Denver or for Daniel...! 

Hopefully this chapter (and this scene!) is also when it becomes clear that each of Then timelines is proceeding in reverse chronological order. I got into it on the Coffee-Comics-Metal podcast with Don Cardenas I mentioned some time ago, but there's absolutely a reason this comic is called Keeping Time. (If you want to listen to me ramble about the reason, we get into it on the podcast around 0:47:50! Otherwise, sit tight, because I'm about to type it out, haha!)

Both Denver and Daniel's individual Then timelines are moving reverse chronologically, with each scene moving further back in time. The joint Now is progressing chronologically, like normal! Eventually, both of their Thens will take us back to high school, where we'll likely learn whatever it was that sent their lives careening apart....

Lastly, I'm pretty excited to finally introduce Daniel's family. If you're new here or if you need a refresher, here's everyone who makes up the Akutagawas:

A character concept sheet of a Japanese-American family. The text reads, "THE AKUTAGAWAS. David (59) - uses work as an excuse to avoid going home. Emi (61) - should have listened to her mother and married Aaron Yang instead. Daniel (23) - has not had a good night's sleep in years. Possibly ever. Alex (would have been 23, died age 17) - liked judo lessons more than Daniel did."

Alright, that's enough for me. One last reminder, we're going down to a once-a-week on Tuesday update schedule for the forseeable future (until I can build up my page buffer...). So we'll be back next week Tuesday, 1/13! See you then!