“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” page 48

I originally was pretty lazy with the drawing of the moon, but Jenn told me I wasn’t getting away with it, so I tried harder.

“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” page 47

In Mirka’s imagination, even monsters wear hats or yamakas, if they’re male. (In the original version of this page, one of the monsters was wearing a black hat, but that monster ended up on the cutting room floor at some point.)

That last monster, the thing with the polka dotted skin and guts spilling out, was weirdly fun to draw.

“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” page 46

“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” page 45

I have to thank my friend Bean, who knitted and knitted while I snapped about a hundred photos of her hands.

“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” Page 44

My friend Rachel Swirsky assisted enormously with the writing on this page.

“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” Page 43

Another page in which I like how the drawing came out — especially panel 2, and the close-up of the yarn in the final panel.

Next week: Things get weird.

“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” Page 42

Panel four of this page is one of my favorite panels in the entire comic. I’m not totally sure why.

Also, speed lines? Have got to be the easiest background in the world to draw.

“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” Page 41

Sorry this one’s a few days late — I forgot to put it up!

“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” Page 40

“How Mirka Got Her Sword,” Page 39

This page was fun to draw. I love the way Mirka’s expression came out in panel 3.

This page used two photo references for figure poses. For panel four, I owe thanks yet again to Dylan Meconis for her willingness to hold any fool pose I ask for.

For panel five, I used a photo I found in an earlier edition of this book. I bought that book years ago, because it has reference photos of a smallish woman posing with a sword, which I thought would come in handy. But so far, this page is the only time I’ve ever used it.