What Readers Will Not See

Readers of this graphic novel will not see three things.

1.  Dr. Q silent while students riff on his memes. He makes his appearance in the first panel of every page and remains out of sight for the next 5 panels. Time freezes for Dr. Q. He begins a sentence, time stops while students jabber among themselves, then the camera swings back to him while he finishes his sentence. Because of this my script wouldn't work as a stage play. What audience wants to watch Doc Q stand mute while students chatter?

2.  The time lapses between panels. What occurs within each panel is real time; what occurs between panels are momentary, day, or weekend breaks. The empty space between panels could contain tests, attendance, announcements, or other lectures. We don't see Dr. Q or the students entering the room, taking their seats, or leaving the classroom. 

3. Dr. Q's other lectures. I acted the part of Dr. Q and read his lecture (using my most professorial voice) and it took about twenty minutes. In the graphic novel Dr. Q gives his lecture over the course of twelve weeks. Since I’m recording only what Doc Q says in Ecclesiastes, and since that text does not fill twelve weeks, he must say things not covered in the graphic novel.

This stretching and squishing of time is tricky. Time is linear, clocks and calendars tick away as time passes. Alert readers will wonder what Doc Q says that isn't recorded in the novel. But I’m counting on this not happening. Most readers will focus on what they see and not what they don’t see. 

Making this book cover only twenty minutes of time isn't an option since that’d be too boring. I want students to change seating arrangements, change clothes, change moods, and eventually change attitudes about faith, despair, and hope and I need weeks for this to happen.

Somebody in ancient history divided Ecclesiastes into twelve chapters. One commentator divided it into twenty-four sections. I got creative and divided it into 52 separate lectures (discreet thought units), each of which will cover one day. This means 52 changes demarcated by changes in background colors, seating arrangement, and clothing. Let's hope it works.