Panel By Panel: Reader Request - "Blessed Days" - How Do You Read It?

Hello everyone, and welcome to Panel by Panel, a periodic exploration of comic panels around The Duck. This week I am tackling yet another reader request! This time I received a request for some feedback by InkyMoondrop regarding a particular page of their comic, Blessed Days. That proved interesting, leading me to consider clarity and panel order regarding non-standard panel arrangements.

Let's look at the page in question.



My immediate question is… what is the reading order of the panel. Is there one? As it stands, I can see at least three potential orders.



This one more or less follows a standard grid's traditional left-to-right reading order. Notice a slight stutter as we move horizontally and ultimately vertically upward periodically to follow a zig-zag path. This was ultimately how I first read the page, but it also gave me pause, leading me to consider the following alternative take.



This one follows the grid system a little better, appearing like a standard grid given an arcing form. I think this one also works, but it wasn't my first impression, so I am unsure how strong it is, nor if it was intended. Of course, I also saw something else.



This one is my favorite, but it is non-standard and seems like it was not an intentional choice. The radiating nature of the panel arrangement makes this one work for me, with each column representing a series of moments that radiate from the origin point. Again, this wasn't the first read I had of the panels.

So, here is what I am curious about: how do you read the page? Please tell me or show me how you approach the panels on reading them. I would also love for InkyMoondrop to share their thoughts on how they expect us to read it. I'd also like to know how they feel about alternative forms of reading the page I suggested here, which might pop up in the comments.

If I may critique here, I am unsure how well this panel arrangement works. Ultimately, I am unsure of the order of events here, which strikes me as a particular issue. Perhaps some insight from the artist might give us more to work with, but as it stands, as interesting as this radial approach is, the sequencing proves more confusing than exciting. I think something neat can be done here, but I may save that for my next article with the original artist's permission.

But please, everyone, let me know how you read the page. I can see more possible sequences here beyond what I already included.

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