Tag Archive for war

Beholder Series #13: Blueprint Magazine, “Spirit Issue”, March 2011

March 31, 2011 Beholder Series, Blog, Comic Stuff

The March issue of Blueprint Magazine, volume 10, issue 7, focuses on the theme of “Spirit”.

The direction could have gone in a couple directions, but I stuck to a little short short story that I kinda liked having in the back of my mind.

It’s not a grand idea (at least to me considering the abundance of horror things I’ve read), but one I thought would be fun to capture on Hellmouth. The basic idea is that, instead of a crazy old necromancer, or a skull faced undead lich, or some shadow entity demi-god, playing the role of “battle field warrior recycler”, it would be a religious man intent on fulfilling some sort of faith-based quest… and he and his faith need all the help they can muster up! Even if it’s the dead to rise again! DUM DUM DUM (lightning crackles overhead followed by a crackling boom of thunder)!

Seriously though, it also captures the idea that “with great spirit, no battle is challenge to great to face”. Not like the dead haven’t risen before in religious scripture anyways… why not fill them with the holy spirit of zombieness, right?

Read the “Spirit” Issue on the Blueprint Magazine Website
Read other Beholder strips!

Beholder Series #12: Blueprint Magazine, “Gender Issue”, February 2011

February 24, 2011 Beholder Series, Blog, Comic Stuff

The February issue of Blueprint Magazine, volume 10, issue 6, focuses on the theme of “Gender”.

I was tempted to return to a character introduced last year in the “Sex” issue (October 2009) of Mr. Graystone / Fox Tail, the sexuality-curious doppleganger (a neutral-sex shapeshifter). It would have been fun, but it also would have defeated the purpose of the Beholder Series, which specifically acts as a window into the World of Hellmouth, focusing on new characters and scenarios each time.

The direction I went in instead was to capture a culture on Hellmouth with aspects fashioned after the Sarmatians–where in Greek lore, were the daughters of Amazons and Sythians. This strip features the Visigraad culture, a mix of Nordic and Visigoth, and a warrior from the Wild Lands which mix Russian and Mongol cultural elements. I liked the idea of taking the “becoming a man” scenario (first kill, first battle, first hunt, etc) to the Visigon daughters. I amused myself with the notion that to “become a woman” they had to spill blood in battle (a very male concept of power and might). For a Visigon, I wanted it to represent a requirement or equality from any they should wed.

I swear, if it weren’t for these Beholder strips, these closer looks at the regional cultures of the World of Hellmouth might take another 5 years to record down! Doing hte research for visuals, lore, concepts, design, and history is always the most fun part about creating any new element for Hellmouth. The north has always been put on the back-burner and I’m glad it had a chance to be explored this month.

Read the “Gender” Issue on the Blueprint Magazine Website
Read other Beholder strips!