Althea, 2017: Nightmare (transcript)

How to read this transcript: An overall description is provided to give a sense of the style and aesthetic of the comic for those who are unable to view the images. The transcript is then broken down by page and by panel. Individual panels are denoted by page#.panel# (ex: 1.3 is page one, panel three). Any words spoken in the panel are written after this #.# signifier, followed by a bracketed description of actions occuring or other important visual changes.

Overall description: Both pages of this comic are laid out in a grid of eight evenly sized panels per page. All panels are black and white line drawings of a non-binary white person, Althea, sitting in a chair with a leather jacket draped over it. They have short, wavy hair that is buzzed on the sides, wear glasses, and are wearing a long-sleeved henley with the top button undone and a t-shirt under it. The drawings are simplified but naturalistic. The figure is shown from roughly the waist up as they speak toward the viewer. Speech bubbles are outlined in black and text is handwritten in all caps.

Page One:

1.1: *sigh* [scratches the back of their head]

1.2: So... I had a dream a few nights ago... Um...

1.3: It was kind of a... nuclear holocaust type situation.

1.4: And, um. People's hair and teeth are falling out, and, um...

1.5: [closes their eyes, their forehead creasing, and rests their right hand against their face]

1.6: *sigh* [opens their eyes and stares off to the right, hand still cupping their jaw]

1.7: My, uh, I grew up in New York, right near Indian Point.* Um. And my parents still live there. [gestures with both hands as though grasping for words]

*An aging nuclear facility. After years of protest, it's scheduled to shut down by 2021. We'll see. [this text is in an inset box at the bottom of the panel]

1.8: And that's true, that's - hah - still true, that's not part of my dream. [places their right hand over their mouth]

Page Two:

2.1: But in my dream... I mean, it's... it's a nuclear holocaust, and cell phones aren't working. Uhm. [sits up straight and gestures dramatically with both hands, which blur from the action]

2.2: And I'm just trying to figure out... Can I still get to them? Can I still get in touch with them? [looks off to the right, eyebrows furrowed and mouth set]

2.3: ...Is it even worth it to try? Is there any point... in going? [looking earnestly toward the viewer and gesturing with both hands, fingers spread and palms up, hands blurring slightly]

2.4: *sigh* [rubs the back of their neck with their right hand, lips pursed in distress, looking off to the left]

2.5: [wiping at their face beneath their glasses with their right hand, looking resigned and quietly upset]

2.6: [looking to the right, mouth tightly shut, looking quietly upset]

2.7: Is there any... Is there any point. [not quite looking at the viewer, looking tired and resigned]

2.8: [head angled to the left, looking down and to the left, slumped, upset, and defeated]