I intended that first panel's dialogue to emerge from a faceless mass, but...

Jason clearly drew individual members of the crowd to match the pieces of dialogue floating overhead. CAN YOU MATCH THEM?

Asimov's "crystallization" story refers to one of the early SF conventions, in which a hall was filled well beyond maximum occupancy. I experienced something close to this at a San Diego Comic-Con, where it became almost impossible to move in any direction for half a minute at a time.

Wow, that last panel still carries a charge. Shanna's characterization was head and shoulders above the others at this point.