Today’s post is all about owls. Specifically, owls in Indiana. And owls in comics. And owls in Indiana in comics …
I have written an owl into Kekionga #2 . Admittedly, it’s sort of at the last minute, but I haven’t pencilled any of the pages in which the owl now appears, except the back cover, where he or she should be quite easy to add. I know, it’s dumb to still be fiddling with the script while actually pencilling the comic, but I say if the owl makes for a better story then I’m going with the owl.
Which leaves me nosing through bird books and trolling Google Images trying to figure out what kind of owl this owl might be. I’ve narrowed it down to a Great Horned Owl, an Eastern Screech Owl, or a Barn Owl. All three are common in this part of the country, and I’ve seen all three wild within 200 miles of Kekionga’s (imaginary) location, so I think any one can be justified. Now I’m trying to figure out which owl is the right owl.
In case you are not an owl maven, here is a Great Horned Owl
http://wwwstatic.kern.org/images/calmzoo/greathornedowl001.jpg
An Eastern Screech
http://h1.ripway.com/Scouts463/Birds/screech-owl-1.jpg
and a Barn Owl
http://www.message-wildlife-art.co.uk/Images/Bird%20Pics/Barn%20Owl%20Large.jpg
The Great Horned Owl is the owliest owl, perhaps even the default owl. It’s the owl people think of when they hear the word. As such, it is probably too obvious.
The Screech Owl is also very owly looking, but much smaller. I think it is big enough to do everything I need it to do in the story, though.
Then there is the Barn Owl. I really like Barn Owls because they are so strange looking– they look like ghosts, or moths, and fly so silently.
Using a Barn Owl would give my story a spooky, ethereal quality, while the other two owls are more woodsy, wild, and basically normal. The Screech or Horned Owls will support the themes of the story, the Barn Owl would provide a counterpoint.
So, which owl? Anyone wanting to offer an opinion on the matter is welcome to post, or email the usual address.
Thanks for owling with me today.
Sharkipede
That screech owl picture looks sooo cute!!!
I think you should use the owl that best serves the story…but I’m not sure which owl that could be. If any of the three owls would work, I say go for the Barn Owl, because it sounds like you would most enjoy drawing the Barn Owl.
I’d say go for the Eastern Screech–it sounds like the Barn Owl, as cool and spooky as it is, might overshadow the themes of the story. Plus it’s appropriately owly and really cute.
Thanks to everyone who made owl comments here and via other sources like email and even real telephone calls.
I’ve decided to go with the screech owl in this story. Jen is right– I would really like drawing the Barn Owl, and maybe I will do a story with one sometime. Rob, in his comment above, gets close to what I ended up thinking– some times you can just have too damn much symbolism.
Plus the screech owl is awfully cute, and fun to draw in his (or her) own way.