Making of "Boggart"

I never read any Harry Potter until this year.  J's a huge fan of the movies, so I've seen them all, but evidently I space out when a CGI creature isn't on the screen, because I can't remember much of what happens.  We're on the 4th book now and it's been an absolute joy reading them to 7yo.  He's a very grounded, "old soul" type of kid; into science and not much for whimsy, but these books have really turned him around!  He's suddenly into magic and monsters and musing what it would be like if HE went to Hogwarts. 😍  So of course, when I saw the "Magic" Comictober prompt, I wanted to do something in the Harry Potter universe.

I brainstormed ideas and almost gave up because so many of them needed too long a set up.  I also got a bit stuck because artist Sarah Dunlavey has done a wonderful series of comics making lots of McGonagall cat jokes.

I eventually landed on the Boggart idea, which I was a bit annoying because I'd JUST done the urban legends comic about things kids fear, but the clock was ticking, so I went for it!

My kid drives me nuts by not plugging his Switch in and then freaking out like it's everyone else's fault when it inevitably runs out of batteries.  He's admittedly gotten better about it these days, but I still have PTSD from hearing the low battery sound.  The juxtaposition of such a modern problem in the wizarding world seemed funny.

I tried to tell the story in 4 panels, but it lacked the tension necessary to make the punchline land, so I went for 6.  Vince is a Slytherin as that's what 7yo is according to the online Sorting Hat test.  I gave a nod to McGonagall with Fran's attire.  

I initially had Fran in panel 5, but I felt like seeing her reaction in that panel messed with the final reveal.  I removed her, which let me make that panel smaller and gave me more room to work with in panel 6.

I was a bit disappointed when I flatted the colors out.  It was a lot more drab than I was expecting!  Thankfully the purple shadows helped and adding some red in panel 4 perked things up a bit.