Transcript

Panel 1.
Smoke curls down to a cigarette in an elegant cigarette holder, held by a feminine hand.

Panel 2.
Hattie Ledford stands in the foreground, holding the cigarette. Behind her, we see Chester's bare back as his gets up from the bed.
Hattie: "You're disgusting."

Panel 3.
Chester in shadow in the foreground while we see Hattie looking out the window while she smokes.
Chester: "Not any more so than you, Dollface. Come now, don't mar our night over this."

Panel 4.
Chester, his back still to us, pulls his shirt on while Hattie turns, frowning.
Chester: "Besides, aren't you the married one? No judgment from me, but if you don't like men then why cavort with me in the first place? Though I suppose you'll turn the question back on me."
Hattie: "Who do you--"

Page 162
Posted on June 25, 2026 by Melissa J

Today's page marks the start of Issue 5! This is all new material not yet printed in the books, so it's very exciting. As part of our "Year of Black Ball" it was very important for me to start moving into Issue 5 and getting new pages posted on a regular schedule, so I'm really glad I've been able to do that so far. 

The plan is to finish drawing and putting together all the pages before I would try and run another Kickstarter, and to focus on a "webcomic first" strategy again when it comes to Black Ball. Webcomics are how Emily and Chester's adventure started, so it's fitting to be making a sort of "return" to digital first publishing. I hope you will continue to enjoy the story as we cruise to the exciting finale! Though we still have Issue 6 after this...

You can keep up with all the process and behind the scenes of making Black Ball on my substack! Delivered every week to your inbox with lots of comics goodness!

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