There’s an early Prince Valiant strip where Foster lays out what’s going to happen in the near future of the story. I remember the first time reading that, and not getting it all because I read too fast and don’t pay attention (it’s a genetic thing, neither my father nor I knew who the Mule was in the Second Foundation book until he revealed himself. My mother and sister, however, had known since the character had first shown up. Two of us were shocked, SHOCKED, that they other two had figured it out. The other two were APPALLED that we hadn’t.)

The next few times I read through PV, I understood what he was doing, and was a little surprised he had that much of a road map for himself that he could plan it out that far in advance. Buuuut, I get where he’s coming from now, it’s not that hard. I don’t know how detailed his plan was, but it’s really not that hard! I know what is going to happen for the foreseeable future, even if I don’t have every single sentence planned out (which may or may not be a bad thing. For me, more editing is good editing) but I’m prepared to fake it until I make it (which, now that I say that, I’m pretty sure is my actual editorial policy).

Some of the plans are hazier than others, but everything up top there, has a name, a place, and an ending, so I’m feeling pretty good about it.