I imagine that this one makes a record-breakingly low amount of sense if you happened to miss the previous one.
I like how this page turned out, and I really just totally enjoy spending time with these characters.
Thanks to Lilzilla for submitting the bonus mail question here! And to everyone who’s sent one in that I haven’t used: you’re no less appreciated, and every time I receive one it’s a total highlight in the day.
Oh yeah, and in other general news of what I’m up to, I’ve joined this fun new weekly illustration blog called 1by7 that’s run by some friends of mine. The piece I did for it this week (probably NSFW) is here.
It’s been ages, but it’s time to do another mailbag comic (and one that’s gonna span two pages)! Kat, if you’re out there, thanks for this prompt. Foxy speaks the truth here: Domme has indeed gotten the most mail of all the characters. I thought it was time to let her answer one (and then promptly have the comic swerve off in another direction. A costume direction.)
This has been a bit of a lousy week for me — so, I think I want to take a moment here to appreciate some goodness:
The brilliant Jeanne Thornton is one of my favorite human beings, and is part of the collective that puts out the ROCKSALT alt-comics paper that my stuff has been appearing in far from home — my valentines are in the latest issue. She’s also the cartoonist who I would declare to have custody of the BVB universe if I died or something, for whatever that’s worth.
Justin Pierce, the mad genius behind The Non-Adventures of Wonderella, is one of the smartest and funniest people I know — and we’ve known each other over ten years now. Our overall aesthetics and sensibilities are so different, but whenever we have conversations about comix (or whatever else) they’re great — and friend, you are appreciated.
Finishing off this roundup adorably (and I’d link to these people if they had links!): Sarah has done some more awesome BVB pixel art (heeee! Lookit that Turpentine!), and Lillie made a Honey Hart My Little Pony!
I couldn’t not do this. The whole aesthetic of this comic year-round is super-girly and covered in hearts — of COURSE it would have elementary school style valentine cards. There’s also something charming to me about the fact that these mostly aren’t even jokes. That’s how this always went down: you bought like a 24-pack of valentines featuring characters from a cartoon franchise you liked, and each one had a little character illustration paired with a vaguely flirty sentiment like “Oh hey, VALENTINE, I think you’re SWELL”.
Here they are separately for purposes of, I dunno, sending to your cartoon-band-loving sweetheart or something. Plus: two bonus ones! For those of you keeping score, we’re going to consider everything taking place here to not be canonical events.
Oh yeah, and you might notice that I contextualized these with a url. That’s my valentine present to this comic (we’ve had so much fun together! Swoon!) — it’s now got an alternate address that’s easier to remember and type and etc. We’ll see whether I actually move everything over to that root directory instead of just directing it…I’m wary of messing with the database that powers this thing.
Also: I got on this serious kick of drawing variations on multiple characters sharing sodas Archie-style, and I have a couple more in my sketchbook that I didn’t even use.
She’s getting there, in her own way.
This has got to be one of the most convoluted, busy-assed page layouts I’ve ever done. Meh, it’s kind of operating on dream logic, right?
And yes, “Heidi” is indeed her non-stage name. The complete roll call for our main two bands when they’re waiting in line at the grocery store wearing their civilian pants is Heidi, Carrie, Courtney, Roy, Clementine, Nick, Dominique, and Mallory. This info has come up in the established canon before, but it’s mostly a rare occurrence.
Bonus obsessive stock-taking: by my count, the only other characters who’ve appeared and been addressed by name are Ian, Stacey, Damon, and Billy, all of which are their real first names (albeit including one who’s not using his real last name).
What makes this one work, I think, is that the previous one it’s based on is one of the least suggestive BVBs ever (at least in terms of Honey vs. Turpentine, and, um, not counting the panel with Foxy sitting on the amp. But really, it was mostly a literal thing about being unsafe with electricity.)
Also: I think I’m going to set myself a schedule to motivate me to do these with more regularly. Right now I’m thinking about every Monday — I’ll put up an official…thing…to confirm it when I decide.
