4.20 - Spotlight on Eric Richard Bittle

So, that Ferrari tease back in 4.18 had me up the wall with curiosity and speculation. But now with the missing 4.19 comic, we’re my hunches correct?? Will we be seeing a parse kegster crash 2.0 in the book? All your updates have been watering my crops, and feeding my children, just fantastic work!

I really enjoyed this one! I work in sports news so I always love this type of angle. Also, I'm so proud of Bitty (and Dex!) for all their growth!

Well I could not possibly love this update more 😭😭😭😭

Sylvia Hunter

Ugh this is beautiful ❤️ I really feel the build-up here — in Bitty’s emotional growth, the whole team’s, and the Bitty Wins arc!! (Also, not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but it looks like there’s an e missing in the last line of page 8 in “there”!)

IM SO EMO ABT THIS I’M SO PROUD?? MY BBY BOY IS ALL GROWN UP 😩 Also at first I didn’t get what the letters were and was like “is Jack... writing old school love letters or something” then I read a comment that they were fan letters and honestly that’s like a hundred times better?? I DUNNO WHAT IM GONNA DO WHEN THIS COMIC ENDS i love it so much 😩💛

Look! at that grown! up! face! in the next to last panel! OMG.

I love this. Am I paranoid or should that "off the record" worry us? I'm not sure what Bitty said that could go amiss, but maybe less than 100% rah rah they'll do their best will be an issue? But yay DEX!

I thought they were. Imagine if high school Bitty had had someone like him to look up to. MY HEART!

This is fucking gorgeous and to juxtapose the interview with his determination and frustration and tears and joy and EUHGELHFREKLJLKEF I'm just dead, here lies myself with love bursting out of my heart.

Ugh, the juxtaposition of what he's really dealing with versus the public face he's putting on so that he doesn't show any weakness to those assholes! The faceless people going after Jack, too - and how on earth can his only line be "Sorry, Bits" yet I can feel his powerlessness, not being able to fix it or even be there in person and having to console Bitty over the phone? Between Dinner with Marty and Summer with Jack (not to mention Hi Honey), you can see how much better he is at physically consoling than making words on a phone, and he must hate this so much.

I'm so proud of Bitty. This was a great and wholesome interview.

Octavia Atlas

I'm not crying, you're crying. All kidding aside, this is poignant and lovely and it's wonderful to see how much Bitty has grown, how strong he can be (but yes, he still has feelings and they can get hurt.) And above all, how respected and loved he is by his teams---SMH and Falcs alike. Thanks, Ngozi.

Are those fan letters in the third panel? That’s amazing! Otherwise I agree with everything that’s already been said. Thank you for this, Ngozi!

I used to think of Bitty as "that sweet boy," but now he's a man with a plan. This is such a great update. Bitty fully prepared to take no one's shit when he shows his public face, but in private, it still hurts. Even so, he's going to tough it through. Loved the one drawing of Jack, with what looked like an entire crew of evil demons (reminds me of the ones from the film "Ghost") prepared to get him.

These are always so wonderful to read! I'm going to be sad when this is finally over.

Jim Avery

Aaahhh Bitty! I love the way you portray all the different facets of his person now in the roles he has to play. Like brave face on the ice, inspirational role model for younger queer people, a supportive boyfriend to Jack, and still pleasant and polite to represent himself and his team in an interview. Not only is it a great way to showcase the depth of his character, but it really builds the tension and pressure in every aspect of this story! Also, I have not forgotten, the fact the Bitty has to deal with this AND write a thesis?? I am currently mid-thesis and I feel like my brain is about to explode lol and my life is not nearly as exciting as Bitty’s 😂 Thank you for sharing this with us ❤️ I’m so excited for the rest of this story (and future stories to come)!

You're totally right! noted!

Ngozi

Is it weird to be so proud of a fictional character. I’ve been reading so long that I feel like I’ve actually been watching Bitty grow as a person in real time and this comic just shows so clearly how far he has come as a person. It’s not that everything is perfect; he’s clearly struggling with this, but he’s so far from the Bitty that we saw sniffling behind Faber after the meeting with the coaches early in year 2. ❤️

In the panel where Dex sticks up for Bitty the line “you’ll always get negative comments” seems to have some weird spacing compared to the other lines.

This is beautiful! ❤️❤️❤️

Ngozi, this was beautiful. Thanks for the amazing storytelling, it’s a great way to start the day. Also, my boi Dex has come a long way. Love it.

Esteban

This has my entire heart and I love Bitty!! So much!! Ugh that's the kind of queer inspiration I needed this morning.

I’m in love with this update 😭😭 I love that last quote and now I’m crying because the end is nigh.

Maria Harrington

:) Thanks so much. Bitty is a LEADER!!! And Dex is just extremely exhausted and uninterested in homophobia.

Ngozi

He has grown!! They'll have to hit him harder than that...

Ngozi

Off-season is impending!! :^)))))))))) As much as Check, Please! is a done story, it would be nice to share some slice-of-life stories here on the patreon at some point. There's a LOT of story that I haven't delved into.

Ngozi

haha, loving the codenames for these hockey boys. Dex is just exhausted with these dudes. "Listen I thought baking was strange THREE YEARS AGO CATCH UP"

Ngozi

aww!! I appreciate your heartfelt reaction. 😿 Thank you. Honestly, this story is about Bitty learning to love himself and to be strong for himself. All of the drama that happens on the ice is kind of an externalization of that?? He's the first out NCAA Division I men's hockey Captain! He has kinda already won in some aspects? So win or lose, I think that growth is important. I'm glad it's felt like a journey!

Ngozi

Coming back to say that I can't stop thinking about Bitty skating THROUGH all those hits! Fainting goat status: revoked.

Wonderful! So lovely to see how much Bitty has grown. And loved Dex sticking up for him 🙂

Thank you for reading! AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY

Ngozi

Thanks so much. (Dex's arc is complete!) 😆

Ngozi

"If you're saying to yourself, 'hey! wheres comic 4.19?' That was the Parse comic exclusive to the book. I'll throw it up online eventually one day probably eventually." I'll share that comic later--thank you so much for reading!!

Ngozi

Thank you for reading!! CHRIS CHOW DESERVES 100 HUGS...And homophobic jerks deserve 100 NOs

Ngozi

I really wanted to show that he's got folks on his team who have his back. Someone's gotta protect the ERB!

Ngozi

So is Bitty, if we're being honest XD

Ngozi

Let's all hug that boy! 😔

Ngozi

Aw, thanks so much. I'M TRYING MY BEST

Ngozi

Ah, that was the intent!! Bitty's ready to fight but also--eek! Thanks for reading. :)

Ngozi

What a delightful start to my day!

Cathy Berner

Ngozi I am IN LITERAL TEARS on the bus to work!!!!!!! This might be my absolute favorite update yet. The strength that Bitty shows in this is the most inspiring thing about the whole comic. Year 1 we had this timid, anxious, closeted boy who was thinking about quitting his team because things were difficult. It’s been the most amazing experience to see him grow into the man we see in this update, who is having more thrown at him than he probably ever has and stands there saying “it’s tough, but you’re tougher.” I want SMH to win more than ever now, but even if they don’t it won’t matter, because Bitty is where he needs to be. I want this for him, but he’ll be able to handle a loss and lead his team through it as well. And I never expected to feel like this, that I could be satisfied with a loss at the end, but I totally could be because of how beautifully you’ve done this story. You did it with Jack, and now again with Bitty- it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, you’re more than the game, you can make it through either way. 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

i love my baby boy and my big boy (bitty & dex obv) i hope dex breaks every one of those guys' noses

UGh I just want it to already be off-season so these boys can rest, relax, and recover (&Bits/Jack can finally LIVE without GPAs hanging over someone's head, maybe? Idk their post-grad aspirations). I just love how much everyone has grown as a character and Samwell as a team. It's ridiculous how much I want slice-of-life of every single character in this universe. What did the coaches think of these dumb boys in love?? How is Coach dealing with his own locker room full of dumb sports boys? idk just... i love everyone in this club

S R

Wow, the feels in this one. Bitty's worries, Chowder crying (My poor favourite child..), Dex standing up for Bitty and more, so elegantly interspersed with the interview. I just love it all.

Raylen

KICK THEIR BUTTS, BITTY 😤😤😤

Ready to Fight some homophobic hockey players for sure. Also, is this one supposed to be 4.19? The last one you posted was 4.18!

Bitty! Dexy! Ah!

I am so full of emotion. So much pride for Bitty. Also murderous rage for the homophobic jerks in the other team. Also CHRISTOPHER CHOW LET ME HUG YOU!!

Oh Bitty😢. I want to protect our boy.

Oh honey! 🥺 I‘m ready to punch some hockey players.

((Hugs Bitty)) you got this, honey!

TD Keh

I love these boys just... so much. Your writing is EXCELLENT and my heart is full.

I’m distraught and love this update at the same time