Book 1 – Ch.1 – Pg.15
Elliwiny: You know, I think back then I was really nervous about giving speech bubbles room so that they wouldn’t overlap the art and overcompensated, which is why you see these panels that are maybe not zoomed in enough for maximum impact, or panels where the empty space doesn’t serve the composition. I’m not like, putting myself down or anything – in my opinion, page composition is one of the most challenging aspects of comics art – I just think it’s kind of cool to see how this skill develops over the course of the book.
Elli, you are absolutely right with your observations.
On the other hand, in the top panels, it looks like he’s looking at this word balloons, floating above his head, in exasperation; and even, in the third panel, playing ball with it, almost like if Atlas wanted to have fun with his burden. Which fits into Jack’s way of thinking, or rather acting-without-thinking: What does strategy and policy even mean to a loose cannon guy?
Was that an jerk\asshole detector? Or just forgot about his keys. Either, good to get the guards used to crap happening so they will be in the habit of ignoring him :}