Patreon Reward: Trogdor the Burninator

  • Filed under Artwork

  • July 13, 2022

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

  • Filed under Artwork

  • July 12, 2022

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

  • Filed under Artwork

  • July 10, 2022

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.

26. Shining Knight

Sir Ystin/Ystina was introduced by Grant Morrison in the Seven Soldiers series, but I recall that being more she was presented as a girl who disguised herself as a male in order to fight as a Knight, before being tossed through time.

However, in the New 52 universe, Ystina was characterized as a biological female who identified as male (I guess? I read one issue of Demon Knights and don’t recall him being in it). Writer Paul Cornell explicitly stated that Shining Knight was transgender. I’m a bit surprised Morrison didn’t just go with that, as they have a history with that type of character. But maybe DC editorial wouldn’t let them at the time, and were maybe more open to the idea when the New 52 was starting? Who knows. Anyhoo, the New 52 was generally awful, but did leave behind a few good remnants.

25. Flash

Always Wally, except sometimes not, but Never Barry.

In that “sometimes not” section we have Jess Chambers, a Flash from an alternate Earth. They showed up in the Future State event, but possibly elsewhere? I read their story from the 2021 DC Pride book and enjoyed it quite a bit, and I really like their take on The Flash costume. I oddly get John Fox vibes from it, another sharp-looking Future Flash. They are also featured in a book called Teen Justice that takes place on their original Earth (11) before they crossed over to the main DC Earth and going by the name Kid Quick. But I went with the Flash version here.

Comics is confusing.

But hey! At least we now have an unproblematic non-binary genderfluid Flash we can all admire and accept!