Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay on Somna

A story is never one story. A story is several stories. It's the story imagined by its author or authors, as is often the case in comics, and it's the story imagined by its many readers. They can be similar or significantly different, but none of them are the same. Never have we been more aware of this phenomenon than when we were talking to Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay about their new comic, Somna.

The DSTLRY series gripped us immediately. One issue in, we found ourselves challenged, wrestling with how these witch trial stories typically propel themselves. Fear and hate are the enemy, but what happens when the paranoia is justified? Both of us interpreted the story differently, but our interpretations differed slightly from Becky Cloonan's headcanon, and hers differed slightly from Tula Lotay's headcanon. Fascinating.

We can agree on Somna's plot. Ingrid is unhappily wed to the town bailiff, who succeeds by sniffing out witches and bringing them to a cleansing fire. His work consumes him, drying his desire for Ingrid and leaving her open to shadowy whispers from a potentially demonic phantom. Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay trade pages throughout, setting barriers between dream and reality before breaking them down in tremendous fashion.

Somna's third and final issue arrives in shops today. It's the culmination of a decade-long journey for Cloonan and Lotay, and they're eager to share their inspirations, interpretations, and intentions with us. Our conversation is spoiler-ish -- we HAD to talk about that last panel, so it's best if you're caught up on the series before diving into our episode.

To continue this discussion, you can find Becky Cloonan on Twitter and Instagram, and Tula Lotay on Twitter and Instagram.

As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books.

• Brad's Referral

• Lisa's Referral

Other Relevant Links:

• Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.