Patron had asked for Shining Knight, but I didn’t know if he meant the original version or the Morrison/Demon Knights version. So I did both. I hope they like it.
Morbin’ Time
Joe Grunenwald has been one of my closest friends for a very long time. It’s a relationship that started out oddly. He was just a kid that worked part-time at my comic shop. But I’ve grown to love him like a brother. He’s been here for me in some of the hardest times of my life and gotten me through.
Now I need to return that kindness.
Joe’s wife, Jennie passed away last week after a long battle with cancer. I regret that I did not ever extend myself enough to be better friends with her, but I knew how much she loved Joe, and he, her. She was an amazing person, and now Joe is going through a pain I cannot ever imagine going through.
I’m an idiot and I’m not great at deep emotional communication. I’m best at service by trying to make people laugh, and all I can do for Joe is offer my friendship and love and hope he is distracted by my idiocy and hopefully make him laugh occasionally.
So, when Joe asked if I wanted to watch Morbius with him – a movie I had literally just watched a few nights before; a movie that is so bad, it’s not even laughably bad – I said “Yes” immediately. Joe invited our friend Jason to join us. We ate incredible Mexican take-out and sat down to watch professional method lump of coal Jared Leto’s masterpiece.
While we watched, I doodled this.
Joe, I love you, sir. I am so sorry for everything you and Jennie went through, but know that you are loved by so many people and that you will get through this, because all those people will help you get there. And you can get sad and you can get angry and you can feel numb, and it’s all okay. Because it fucking sucks. But me, your friends, your family – everyone who understands – we’re here for you. And we’ll try to help make it suck just a little less.
Patreon Reward: Trogdor the Burninator
A different Patron told me once he was worried about picking characters that I specifically wanted to draw. I told him that it’s not about me, you’re the one pledging, you get what you want. It often affords me a chance to draw something I never in a million years would have drawn. Sometimes I find it delightful. Sometimes, it’s Trogdor the Burninator.
The spite for this comes from the fact that I now am aware of and have seen a thing called “Homestar Runner” and I will never be able to get that moment back or appreciate the time I had before I was aware it existed.
But hey, if you want a “Strong Bad” or whatever the heck else, it’s absolutely your choice and I will absolutely do my best.
Spit Gemz (Feat. Dus) – Nemesis Enforcer
Was contacted some time ago by a producer to use a piece of art I made for a hip-hop artist named Spit Gemz. He had a track coming out called Nemesis Enforcer, and they had discovered a sketch from when I did G.I. Joevember. They wanted to know if I could replace the original face with Spit Gemz’. I told them I’d be willing to redraw it so it would look okay (also, was never terribly happy with the original as is), and add any text if they wanted. For some reason they agreed! We sure fooled them all…
The above is the art they used, the text-less version and an alternate layout, just in case.
The track is now available, I’m guessing wherever people get music? I wouldn’t know. With the exception of the Kid Cosmic soundtrack I bought last year, the last time I bought new music was 2004.
If you want art for your band or solo artist’s track or album, please feel free to email me! I’m totally in touch with what the kids like these days.
SuperBatmantern
This Superman/Batman/Green Lantern amalgam appeared in the most recent issue of World’s Finest by Mark Waid & Dan Mora. The series has been a ton of fun lately, and is pretty much exactly what I want out of both Batman and Superman comics. It’s fun, it’s crazy, Supes & Bats are BFFs, and Robin is there too, doing Robin-y stuff! I dig it a lot.
Anyhoo, I saw this design and needed to draw it.
Joker
America’s a joke. Burn it all down, let everyone die.
30. Enigma
Usually I have been very verbose, probably too much when I should have just kept my brainmouth shut. Oddly, I have very little to say about Enigma. It’s maybe one of my favorite comics of all times. Meanwhile, as a straight man, there’s a meaning to this book that I’ll never be able to connect to. But great art connects to it’s audience no matter what, and at the very end of the day, I can say that Enigma made me a lifelong fan of both Peter Milligan and Duncan Fegredo. Aside from Strangers in Paradise, it’s the one series I try to foist on as many people as I can, often finding cheap back issues and giving away sets.
Also, if you’re a comic fan recommending Watchmen as “the greatest comic ever”, get the fuck out, ya basic prick.
Happy Pride!
I’ll shut up now.
29. Cobweb
I know very little about Cobweb, other than she was created by Melinda Gebbe & Alan Moore as part of Tomorrow Stories, and is a lesbian.
So as I’ve been going through this month, picking characters I’d like to draw or wanted to draw, and finding inspiration on various lists of queer characters, I stumbled onto a thing where “X Character has only ever been shown in hetero relationships, but Y Creator said on Twitter once ‘I dunno, they could be bi/pan/whatever’.”
I found that very frustrating. I did my best to pick only characters that were absolutely confirmed and shown in continuity to be queer. Like… on the page, published and everything, they say “I am this” or are shown in relationships or even just flirting or whatever. Just, I wanted solid confirmation, not just Fabian Nicieza – who hasn’t worked on Deadpool in years – saying that Deadpool is pan, but there are no comics actually proving it. Y’know?
There’s also a few I didn’t pick because I was like “clearly some sweaty horny creeper dude came up with this.” Like Rainmaker. Or Black Cat. Not to say they couldn’t be the focus of good stories in the future, but there are better examples that don’t scream “straight guy with lesbian fantasies”.
Imma be surprised if the few queer people I know will want to still associate with me on July 1st.
28. Hulkling
I got… nothin’.
27. The Ray
He’s called The Ray, and his name is Ray!
Can’t remember when he was re-introduced into the current DC continuity – if it was before or after his appearances in the CW shows – but he’s the perfect kind of character to retcon in almost any way. Beloved by some, I’m sure, but still obscure, and yet still has some name recognition. I was never a huge fan, but loved his visuals, and I did genuinely get excited when he appeared on the CW shows.
I will say, I also liked the New52 version, but he never really made a splash, so Ray-Ray is a welcome presence.
I’m sure someone’s mad he’s gay now, but fuck those assholes.