Skroode

Salty miscommunication

27 January 2020

So it’s happened. Color has entered the process. For why not.

When I began this it was an exercise limited to black and white, testing the waters. Eventually it became a Thing, and then some hatching and noodling was added. Eventually after that grey washes.

And here we are at the dawn of color.

To be honest the comic audience has been very….niche. So in the interest of shaking up 2020 and perhaps a new direction, trying something different. Partly to expand the comic itself, also to get my hands on this pen tablet that someone was so very kind to hand off to me and has spent far too much time languishing next to the video cabinet. It was done in ink on bristol, with a gray ink wash for some shading then colored in ye digital. Who knows perhaps at some point it will be soup to nuts digital, but I do so much love the feel of an ink brush so, hard to say.

I have been thinking about the future of this comic and discussing comic lifespan, weighing options and thoughts about where, if anywhere, this is headed. There were a few thoughts about putting the Pin of Fate on this and trying another comic, another format. Still uncommitted, but the other ideas may not be ripe so onward we go.

What y’all thankful for?

27 November 2019

Aloha and Happy Thanksgiving.

Yes I am still here. Going to shift to a different format to accommodate the modern reader.

Captain Thanksween continues to guard the sacred border betwixt the Santa and the Pumpkin, bless him.

Uncanny Valley of the Dolls in 4D

29 October 2019

And here it is, suddenly the High Holiday is upon us. Seems my initial InkTober steam has run out, although partially it was to get a Halloween comic ready in time. As usual, the theory of “make quick comics for holidays” evolved into a complicated test of comic fortitude as I continue feeling out this ink wash angle. It was incredibly fun to do.

At Finster’s tonight it’s attack of the scary dolls and doll related entities. Who are these strange, stunted spooks? I AM GLAD YOU ASKED AS HERE IS A HANDY KEY I MADE FOR YOU BECAUSE I CARE FOR YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH:

Pinhead from Puppet Master (1989): I’ve never seen this movie but have been aware of it since it came out. The aggressively possessed puppets of André Toulon.
Tunneler from Puppet Master (1989): I should find it and watch it. The concept disturbs me.
Blade from Puppet Master (1989): And stop motion for the win am I right?
Fats from Magic (1978): I watched this movie years ago and the preview still creeps me out. The movie is equally unsettling.
Chucky from Child’s Play (1988): Another character from the age when horror movie creeps could get a run of films with deteriorating value without much effort. Not a slam.
Pinocchio from……Pinocchio (1940): I’m sure there is someone, somewhere who finds Pinocchio scary. I will say any movie where a boy turns into a donkey and never turns back is clearly the type of thing that sits in a kid’s subconscious for a long time.
Tiffany from Bride of Chucky (1998): You have to admire the legs that the concept of “The Bride of….” has had over the years in movies.
Otto from The Great Gabbo (1929): Safe to say the first freaky puppet of film. Arguably the great-great-great-great-grandfather of…
Billy from Saw (2004): The latest real iconic doll. You see that face and you know you’re gonna have a bad day. Although you will spend half as much on shoes from now on.
Brick Bardo from Dollman (1991): Okay technically a real person, but the right size and it’s in the name.
Robert the haunted doll: The real deal and the most well known. Ironically the most innocent looking of the group but with the most frightening reputation.
Annabelle the haunted doll: Two things to know about the haunted doll in the movie franchise – one, she is real and two, she looks nothing like that freaky prop. She is actually a Raggedy Ann Doll. Which honestly is way more scary if you take even five minutes to think about it.
Zuni fetish doll from The Trilogy of Terror (1975): The most terrifying of the bunch, hands down. Brought to life from Richard Matheson‘s short story Prey. If you have ever seen this this detestable thing running around shrieking it is burned into your brain. High grade nightmare fuel. Find it and watch it. Why should i bear this burden alone?
The clown doll from Poltergeist (1982): Next to the melting face the most upsetting part of that movie. From the first look you knew this little creep was going to do something horrible before the end credit. What decent parent would even buy this for a kid? Child abuse is what it is.
Talky Tina from the Twilight Zone episode Living Doll (1963): This is why I don’t buy my kids any toys with a face. You want to end up like Telly Savalas? Then don’t buy dolls and for God’s sake don’t join the Russian army and board a train with a prehistoric creature in a big wooden box. It’s just common sense people.

If you’re up for more Hallow-skroode-een check out the Halloween archive yonder.

So Oíche Shamhna Shona Duit. Keep the gold chain on the doll.

Unacceptable hypotheses

16 September 2019

Still constructing these semi autobiographical nihilistic pieces of cartoonery on a semi-inconsistent basis.

Many things demanding time and attention. And then musing over one of those periods all too common to those adrift in this comic nonsense: what is up exactly with this here and where is it going and should it continue etc etc. Long moments of unsurety.

But it continues anon. I suppose it is one of the parts of having this weird need to make stuff and throw it out into the world. Which may be enough.