Created by Ngozi Ukazu, Check, Please! is the story of Eric “Bitty” Bittle, former figure skater and baking enthusiast, as he navigates through his college years on a varsity male hockey team full of big, supportive, and emotional jocks.
What do the background transitions say about Bitty’s emotions?
Bitty’s journey of self-acceptance is well-represented with the transition between the second and fourth panels. In panel two, he’s focused on his notes, not looking at Shitty, and surrounded by speech bubbles. This carefully crafted speech is his lifeline, the way to rationalize his thoughts and feelings about his coming out to his team and himself. The speech bubbles wind around him, not only protecting him but also blinding him from realizing what’s out there: an understanding friend and his own open potential.
Credit: Ngozi Ukazu
Bitty is staring off to the middle distance against a background of a milky-blue winter sky and leafless tress.
Bitty: *sigh* I guess what I’m trying to say is - - I’m gay.
Panel two ends with Shitty calling out Bitty’s name to calm him down, and this serves as a blunt visual and audible break in Bitty’s crafted rambling. Panel three shows Bitty from Shitty’s point-of-view, between two simple speech bubbles, against a simple backdrop of the winter sky. Bitty took his eyes off his notes, and said the words he had to say all along. The transition from the visually loaded panel before to the serene panel after it is stark. It showcases the sense of relief and potential Bitty has in life moving forward once he stops trying to overly control the situation.
Credit: Ngozi Ukazu
Shitty continues to sit on the backrest of the bench, with a happy look on his face, while Bitty continues to stare off, relived and surprisingly happy.
Shitty: Oh, cool, bro!
Bitty: Wow, that was the first time I ever said that out loud to anyone. To myself. Those exact words.
Shitty: Well, thanks for trusting me with the moment, man! ‘Preciate it.
Bitty: Wow.
Shitty: Yup.
Bitty: Why the hell did that take the entire semester?
Panel 4 takes the reader back to ground level, to a new Bitty. He’s livid in his newfound truth, and Shitty continues to be his support in the background. While Bitty still doesn’t look at Shitty though, it’s different this time. Instead of focusing on his notes to ease the blow on Shitty, Bitty’s looking off to the distance, away from Shitty and his notes. He is relishing in this moment for himself before he has to bring himself back comepltely.