Too tired for any comments. Besides, I should be drawing a space comic now (and keeping track of at least 5 other deadlines…)

A miracle – I’m updating!

Poor Falco. But let’s face it, he was being a real rompicoglioni. Who told him to use Ettore’s Bugatti as a soapbox, anyway? So there’s no need to worry – as the Italians say, “rompicoglioni non muoiono mai”.

Click to view larger.

But for Falco… Even before the war, a decent cassock would cost 65 Fr., and his meager scholarship has certainly not been updated to catch up with the rising costs of living. No wonder he needs a part-time job or two. (Those kid gloves and that silk cincture… not exactly standard equipment for a simple deacon!)

Observe, too, how expensive the ladies’ shoes are in comparison. The worth of their undergarments must remain a mystery, but I would guess that Mayann wears the skimpiest and most expensive ones…

Inspired by this front page of Le Petit Journal, July 4th, 1920.

Frohes Fest – Happy Holidays – Glad Helg – Onnellisia Pyhiä …
Whatever you are celebrating.

I’m a bit late for Christmas, but not too late for Japanese New Year, which of course must be celebrated with – Mochi.

They’re not that different after all – wouldn’t it be sweet if they’d just get along?…

Guappo is a term of endearment or an insult, depending on whom you ask. It’s a Neapolitan word of (possibly) Spanish origin, meaning a handsome young man and an honourable gangster. Some claim that the English racist slur “wop” comes from guappo, but others say that it all started in 19th century Spain where Italian seasonal workers were derisively called guapos (pretty boys) by the local men for some funny reason.

Chapter 5 continues with 2 more teaser panels. I’m also testing my very own font, based on my handwriting. Here are the uppercase letters. You can spot an alternative capital I if you look closely.

These 3 panels (with the previous one) summarize a bit simplistically but neatly Italian politics in the very early 1920’s, before big M’s infamous March on Rome. In spite of being a rebel state, Ginestra is just a miniature copy of Mamma Italia.

I won’t be able to post on all the days of December, but here is the first window of the Goldenbird Advent Calendar… A preview of page 2 (yes, i know, I haven’t inked more of it ;_;) of chapter 5. Remember where we left off?

More on Advent Calendars, for the heathen.

Name the characters whose eyes you see above! It’s nice how humans (and dogs!) belong to a small gene pool but still manage to show beautiful variation in their phenotype. Dog eyes, by the way, differ from human eyes in interesting ways – the tapetum lucidum, which reflects light, gives a dog’s eye colour an iridescent effect which can be seen up close. I was always fascinated by the irises of our Akita Mitsu, which were dark brown but softly scintillating in rainbow colours. I’ve tried to imitate that effect to give Mochi’s eye an ominous glow.

Colouring is fun, but so time-consuming… I guess I just need more practice.

Not again!

In every story and every chapter there are some pet scenes that I dream of drawing, that I have figured out in my head long before I came up with the story that they are embedded in. To be honest, I’m more interested in scenes and situations than story lines or single pictures. The challenge is to bring up the patience and skills necessary to get the reader to the right point in the right way. This is one of the scenes I have been waiting for.

Click the category “Nyarlathotep” for the whole story from the beginning.