For a while, a sticking point on my "The Great Unknown = transfeminity" was spender and the shadow spirit. But chapter 7 made me realize: its reflective of his relationship with Penny.
Spender lives with the shadow spirit, and does not understand it. They are trapped together, and he is keeping it there. He doesnt understand its nature, or its intentions.
The same page Penny appears, over spender's shoulder, in around the same spot the shadow spirit was- but this time, spender is darkness, and she is silhouetted in light.
He doesn't understand what she wants. He doesnt understand why she does the things she does, like tattling on him or asking to go with him.
He thinks shes being mean to him, he thinks shes trying to guilt him. But she isnt- she just wants to escape, like him. She wants to get out, but he wont take her with him.
He steals her light, and leaves her in shadow.
She's what he wants to hide, to leave behind for the light, this new world hes a part of and shes not in. Shes Peekaboo's creativity and light, and he is the shadow spirit, living in platos cave, talking to shadows on the wall.
