FAQ About My Writing and Comics

For no reasons, a FAQ about my comics and writing I have gotten in general

1: What is (blank) about?

A: "Muzzle" is a parody/dramedy/fictional account of my life. Shade is about a ex-con (wrongfully accused) turned psychologist that becomes a superhero. I Am Nothing is about the "survivors" of the mysterious town of Minxton.

Goria is about Jacob Nathaniel/Nathaniel Andrews, who after a "cure" seemingly fails to kill a virus he's infected, he "dies." After his death, the "cure" rebuilds his body to its needs: making his skin turn into tendrils, leaving behind open wounds deep enough to expose muscle. After his father is killed, Nathaniel assumes an new identity, a starts to, unwittingly, fight the evil that seems to seeping to city of LaFayette, including a demon who thinks Hell isn't cruel enough, a fallen angel wanting to become God, and several others that are Infected.

2: Who is your favorite character to write?

A: This is another one I'm going to separate.

For "Muzzle," most people would think Patty because of her sheer insanity, or Binkie, because I've known her for so long. Actually, it's Jenna, because of her abrasive sense of humor, and trying to hide her old career.

For Shade, hero-wise, obviously Shade/Dr. Sam Garrison is due to his wise-cracking persona outside of the mask, and professionalism inside the mask. Villain-wise, it's a rough choice, but I'm going to have to say Psycho,being, well, psycho.

For Goria: Hero: You would think Nathaniel, being, you know, Goria. It's actually a villain who becomes good (which is hinted the entire time she's around): Ivy de la Rossi/Gomorrah. She can be so cruel and sadistic, but so sweet and caring. It's fun writing a character that seems to develop constantly, and she does it more than anyone else. Villain: Hodge Podge, due to the fact that as insane he is, you never know how insane he really is at that moment. You comes in a close second, because it has so many bizarre, funny, yet, horrific moments.

3: Who is your favorite character to draw?

"Muzzle": Patty by far, due to the piercings, and the pink hair. She's also the hardest to draw.

Shade: I'll get back to you.

Goria: Hero: Again, Gomorrah. The piercings and tattoos (and scars) make her a challenge, but she's well worth it. Villain: Either Azrael, due to the details of bone and muscle on her, or Pandora. Pandora, as physically hideous as she is, is a treat to draw because she's designed to look as insane as she is.

4: Who was the hardest Goria character to design?

A: Mimic was a pain to design, simply because I was tossed up between two different design choices. Gomorrah was a pain because of the tattoos. But, the hardest to design was Samael/Julian Dyson Hayes. Human form: wears a business suit. Demon form... um... big. That was it for a while.

5: Who was the easiest Goria character to design?

A: Mystery came to mind when I was playing Guitar Hero: Van Halen. Goria came naturally. But, the easiest character to design was Jillian Dyer. After seeing her inspiration, she just flowed on to the paper.

6: Why don't you respond?

A: Sorry, I was busy. ...What? Some one may ask? :P

7: Where do you get your inspiration?

A: I don't know. Sometimes, things to mind, and I have to draw them. Other times, I'm working with a concept for years until it falls into place.

8: What other media have you thought of trying to work in?

A: Aside from comics, I've always loved to write. I've written stories, poems, and lyrics. Oddly enough, though, I've always wanted to design characters and write a game. In fact, I Am Nothing was originally a game concept.

9: What is your favorite artist/comic/comic artist/graphic novel?

Artist: Salvadore Dali

Comic: Tossed up between Spider-Man and Legends of the Dark Knight.

Comic artist: As much as I like Brian Haberline's realism, and Ryan Bodemheim's style, I'm going to have say Greg Capullo.

Graphic novel: Surprisingly, not Watchmen, though I do love it. I would say Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth or How Loathsome.

10: Is it hard to design the creatures for I Am Nothing? What's your inspiration for them?

A: Yes, it is hard, but rewarding. My general rule is the harding something is, the more rewarding it is. My inspiration for them is pretty varied. "The Emaciated," a creature that vomits up its intestines to use as a weapon (and represents bulimia), came from a nightmare, as well as the "Missing," which represents child abuse. "The Victim" was the result of seeing the aftermath of when one of friends was raped, and was meant to represent the vast negative effects rape has on the victims. "The Masques" were inspired by an Anatomy Coloring Book used for colleges. "The Unnamed" was inspired by the stretched faces in the original Doom game. Others just happened.

Concept Gallery: The Victim from "I Am Nothing"

All right, so I've been away from here for a while, and I apologize. I've been busy with reviewing, school, drill, and a project I've been debating starting for pretty close to nine months. The project is I Am Nothing, a post-Cthulhu horror that people have tried to describe as the deranged love-child of H.P. Lovecraft and Silent Hill. In I Am Nothing, the city of Minxton has a secret. Several secrets, actually, according to the people who've suffered inside its borders. At times, the fine folks of Minxton shows their true colors; they become creatures that represent what they suffer or how they made others suffer. Each story of the I Am Nothing mythos follows a person that tries to escape, or ends up in the town unwittingly and is struggling with survival.

Unlike Goria, I Am Nothing has a mix of realism with a surreal aesthetic. The citizens aren't the only surreal part of the town, as the town can seemingly become a living being as well. But, more on that. Here, I want to talk about some monster concepts. Since it is extremely rare that I draw monsters, feedback is appreciated. Happily, this the blog where I get positive feedback, too.

Let's start with where I started: "The Victim." Initially, I made her look like a female silhouette from a distance, with her knees touching, arms crossed, and slouching. Upon closer examination, clear veins course her black body, pumping a viscous, white fluid through her body. Her face, marked with the veins, has one eye, wide in perpetual expression of fear, yet seems to glaring as well.

Everything for the initial pose of the Victim suggests what she has suffered: she was raped. The notes on the sketch reveal some secrets, though. When her prey is turned away, her arms unfold in a fluid motion, and her legs separate, though stay bent at the knees. What I don't have in the notes is the blade that comes from her pelvic area. When she attacks, she tackles her prey, and... well... do I have to spell it out?

At first glance, while scary looking, the Victim seems harmless. The character sees her, is scared at first, but puts their guard down when she seems to cower away from them. When she attacks, though, her method can suggest something worse than our first impression. Is the Victim waiting to take revenge on anyone that represents her attacker? Or is the Victim the attacker, suffering a punishment for their crime, yet driven to do it again out of pure rage caused by the punishment?

This may be controversial, but that's part of what makes I Am Nothing scary. Topics that are taboo are put to light (I'm currently working on one with a closeted gay main character, a trio of college students who made an amateur porn site, and a convict who killed his own mother), and the characters beliefs, warped or not, are shown by both the monsters actions and appearances. Keep an eye out for more on this topic, because next time, we're talking eating disorder.