Artists I Like: Ashley Wood

Another artist I don't know anything about is Ashley Wood. I picked up a random issue of Zombies vs. Robots a while back and was pretty impressed with the art.

Wood is an Australian. They turn out some killer shit down under (I'm looking at King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard). Wood's art is what I'd call highly spontaneous, impressionistic, immediate. It's got energy. But it holds together. A powerful combo.

Looks like he works in both traditional and digital media. often mixing the two.

 Oh... one last note. There's another, entirely different comic book artist named Ashely A. Woods. Totally different creator. I bet she gets frustrated because looking up her art you inevitably get Wood's art as well or instead. If I was in that situation I am not sure if I'd consider changing my professional name or not. It's an option. Anyway, she's pretty good too.

The Gloom that Befell My RPG Folder

Hell's bells, I haven't done one of these posts since 2023.

To clarify: My RPG Folder series is where I open my folder of RPG PDFs and randomly click on a few. I give them a once-over scan or read and I write my thoughts pretty much as I'm scanning. These are not full-throated reviews, just "at a glance" thoughts. For fun.

Nobody reads these. I'm literally talking to myself right now. But I'm in that kind of mood. So here we go.

Opening folder... hitting "page down" a few times... double clicking with my eyes closed...

Oh. This one was just a one-page dice template for a custom d10. I'll click on something else...

Files For Everyone: Nashi by Alexander Augunus. Killer cover art by Luis Prado. Interior art by Prado and Chan Yue Rong. We're off to a good start because I have no idea what this is. No memory of picking it up. And it's for Pathfinder, which I've never played.

"Nashi are short, stocky plantigrade humanoids whose body is covered in thick fur that often makes them appear stouter then they are. Although viewed as a disparaging remark by the nashi, the term “raccoon folk” does aptly summarize a typical nashi’s appearance, as they possess furred bodies, long tails, mask-and-ring fur patterns, and nailed digits."

Given that the product came out in the 2010s and features a raccoon-ish character sporting a big gun, I think this was likely inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy. Which is cool. I love that movie.

Um... ok so this is a species for Pathfinder. Now, what I do know about Pathfinder is that it is the spiritual successor to D&D 3.5 edition, being largely the same game by a different name. I missed that whole era of gaming. I ducked out of D&D in the early 90s and didn't really pick it back up until I discovered the OSR in 2013.

The Nashi are an industrious lot. They love hard work and building things. Cool. This is a 21 page PDF and it's packed with info about these critters. From culture to cuisine to ethnic groups. Way more information that I'm comfortable with in an RPG. But I'm happy it exists. Looks like the author went to a lot of trouble to build something fun and detailed. Bravo.

Ok... full confession. I don't just look at whatever I click on. If it looks like something I don't want to talk about right now I just skip it. I just clicked on something that is super slick looking, polished as fuck, and boring as hell to my eyes right now. I'm skipping it.

Next one I clicked on was an ejection of desktop publishing overkill, complete with background imagery that interfered with text. It's also a D&D 5e type thing and I just can't be bothered right now. I'll skip it too.

Oh? What's this? O Povo do Buraco 1 by Carlos Silva, illustrated by Diego Santos. This looks interesting...

Ah, this is a Lamentations zine. But let's carry on anyway. I'm curious.

I won't comment on the writing because I assume the author's first language is not English. I will, however, comment on layout. There are some strange line breaks in here. Such as, on page 2, a line that breaks in the word "where". You never want to line break on a word like that. Super weird.

Since this is a Lamentations zine, it is going to contain references to excrement and sex. In this case, there is a local food (Vatapá) made by some scoundrels and it makes you addicted. One of the side effects is that you have to shit a lot and you might shit your pants. In fact, there are actual rules for it, with a d2 table dictating if you shit your pants or not.

There are a number of weird magic items that do strange things, such as a belt that makes you lose weight every day until you die. Oh, and there's a magic dildo that gets you pregnant with a dog-octopus baby, regardless of your sex. The drawing of this little bastard is actually cute.

But this is not for me. I don't mind the edginess, but often it feels like edginess for the sake of it. And I wouldn't want to play in or run a game where the central theme is shitting your pants and playing with dildos. I did enough of that in junior high.

I wish people would put the publication dates in these things. Maybe I'm stupid but I can't find it. Last update on DTRPG was 2018 so maybe that was it.

This next one is another desktop-publishing-nightmare and it's for Pathfinder and it's over 200 pages. I'm skipping it.

ReMemorex by R. M. Sean Benjamin Jaffe and illustrated by a bunch of people. Looks like 2018.

This is a game inspired by 1980s supernatural fun. Given the date, I'm sure Stranger Things had a large hand in making this game happen. Which is cool. I loved that show too. And I was an 80s kid, so this is supposed to hit me in the feels.

Right off the bat it does not. But lest I sound harsh, let me explain. Though I was a kid in the 80s (turned 10 in 1980), I am also a cynical middle aged man. I am not easily swooned by nostalgia. Especially when it is trendy. I really don't like being pandered to. And I'm not saying this game is doing that. To the contrary, it feels like a really genuine attempt to connect to the vibe of a time.

Ok. The look of the game is pretty classic. I don't love the very light font used, but I respect the late 80s RPG layout. Somehow it reminds me of the original Cyberpunk box set layout, which I owned for a brief time in the late 80s. Not bad.

Oh, funny mistake: The Athlete Type lists Flash Gordon twice in the examples.

Speaking of... So the game is very very simple. You make up a character with three ideas. One is your Type, one is your Training, and one is your Talent. Types include Athlete, Criminal, Brain, Basket Case... basically the cast of Breakfast Club. Next you come up with your Training... the thing you have learned to do. Examples include Techie, Karate Kid, and Meanest Girl. Finally you name your Talent... the thing you're actually really good at.

Then you assign them as Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary. One example given is Ferris Bueller whose 3 things are (in order of importance):

Talent: Getting Away With It

Type: Trickster Prince

Training: High School Hero

Looks like you assign dice to your traits. So I think this is a dice pool type system.

OH... there's a terrible secret... ReMemorex isn't real. I like that. It means you can lean hard into nostalgia and mistaken memories and it's fine. It doesn't matter. Because the setting isn't real.

This is a highly narrative game. It has a lot of rules for players to initiate scenes, call for "Tracking Errors" (nice), and the like. The language is heavily TV-coded. There are Jump Cuts, Montages, and Clip Shows.

Ok, so I'm not going to read all 166 pages of this right now. But I gotta say that my impressions have changed while I've been scanning it. Started out a little weak for me but ended up feeling stronger about it. Went from "I'll never play or run this" to "This is a contender for me to play or run." So check it out.

It has a diagram of an Atari joystick.

Artists I Like: Matthew Allison

This week, take a peek at the art of Matthew Allison, whose work is so deeply associated with his comic Cankor that for a very long time I thought that was his name.

I don't know much about Allison. This Comics Journal piece goes into some detail, in it's own way. I do love the phrase "What Allison seems to share with so many of that first generation of alternative cartoonists is a fixation on the mortification of the flesh."

Anyway, I like the way he draws meticulous, worrisome shadows and lines on these weird loping forms. I do not currently own any of his comics but I am going to remedy that and try to get me mitts on some Cankor issues or a collection. I'll take anything.

Sketchbook vs. Sketchbook

Articka vs. Vanrtto = Articka wins.

I picked up a Vanrtto square hardback sketchbook. I thought it would be BETTER than that Articka, which I love. This feeling was based on the fact that the paper weight is 200 GSM for Vanrtto vs. 180 GSM for Articka.

But paper weight is not the only factor you should consider. Of course, I know this. I strongly prefer smooth paper, such as Bristol. And if you go looking for the Articka book, you will be recommended the Vanrtto book for some reason.

But when you peel off the shrink wrap you'll find an overall flimsier book with very toothy, disappointing paper.

This book is not good for inking.

It's fine for pencil drawing, though. And you can play around and get some nice dry brush effects since the paper is so toothy and rough.

I don't like it. I already bought 2 of them in a set so I'll use them. But god dammit, this is a step down.

Here are a few doodles I did in the new book. Like I said, I'll use them. And I'll enjoy it because I love to draw. But I'm disappointed the paper isn't smooth. I wish sketcbhooks like these would tell you on the cover if they are smooth or not.

Red Sonja ala Frank Thorne

Fat Freddie's Cat from Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers

Cherry Poptart

RIP David Lynch

Storm

Black Pudding Thoughts

The covers to all 8 existing issues of Black Pudding.

Black Pudding issue 1 was published November 28, 2016. In a little under a year, it will celebrate its 10th anniversary. And that blows my mind.

The reception of this zine in the indie RPG and OSR gaming world was very warm. It received a lot of positive reviews and excited replies of "nice work!". That sort of positive feedback made me feel very good about what I was doing. And it still does. I am not an artist who makes a living at art. I create things because I need to and because it keeps me from losing my mind. It's a compulsion to go on a journey and the feedback is part of the journey.

So, thanks for all the kind words over the years. I love hearing your stories of getting copies in the mail and I love seeing the pics of them. I love hearing about the classes and monsters in the books being using in gaming tables in places I've never been and probably will never see. It's uplifting in a way I can't express with words.

From the moment I compiled the first 4 issues of Black Pudding into a single volume, I knew there would a volume 2. But beyond that... I had no plans. Literally no plans. No plan to stop, no plan to continue.

But I love creating this zine. It allowed me to explore ideas and explore this weird world I had in my head all these many years, stretching back as far as the first time I ever played a roleplaying game.

I'm not entirely sure where things go from here. I have ideas. I've been quietly working on a standalone Black Pudding (or Doomslakers) RPG, which is loosely underpinned by the mechanics and game system of my other game GOZR. This is a departure from B/X D&D rules, but I feel strongly that it is a necessary change.

And wouldn't it be kind of cool to have a such a game finished for the 10th anniversary? Just an idea.

I'm also thinking about Black Pudding comics.

But these are topics for a later time. Thanks again!

Artists I Like: Glen Brogan

This week's Artists I Like is Glen Brogan, with whom I am entirely unfamiliar other than seeing his work on Instagram.

I don't actually know anything at all about Glen Brogan. But based on what I've seen, he is drawing digitally in a clean, flat style. And it's awesome. Check out that mothman drawing below! Good stuff.

Looks like he has an art book out there maybe, but the copy I saw was like over $100 so I'm not sure.

Artists I Like: Shawn McManus

Shawn McManus is one of the many artists I discovered via Instagram. I know he has done work for Marvel and DC, I believe, but since I don't keep up with Marvel or DC I would have no idea about that. I just stumbled on his work on Insta and fell in love.

In fact, I went in on his Kickstarter for an Inktober book or two and they were incredible! Expressive, fun, cartoony... his art is inspiring and kind of what I strive for in my own, in many ways. It feels free and relaxed while also being precise and competent. No mean feat.

1970 Gremlin

I was born in 1970. And my first car was a Gremlin. I paid $100 or so and my mom pitched in $100 or so. None of the gauges on it worked. Gas, speed, temp, nothing. No stereo either. But it ran!

I put a little tape deck between the seats and that was my stereo. Loved it. And people kept trying to buy it from me.

I had it for maybe 6 months, then I traded it for a 1980 AMC Spirit and paid $400 difference. That was 1990. Drove that car for about 3 years when the front wheel fell off and I had to get another vehicle.

Ahh... cars. Honestly, they are SO MUCH BETTER today than ever before. In many ways. Tires, for example... night and day. If you didn't experience tires prior to the mid 1980s, consider yourself lucky. I had so many blow outs and leaks it was crazy. These days? Very rare.

Anyway, here's a drawing of a 1970 Gremlin. I'll tag it "hot rod" because that's just what I'm gonna use for all car art posts. Which will probably be rare, as you know.

10 Years

Oh yeah... this blog is over 10 years old. In fact, I missed that anniversary because it happened on April 20th, 2024. Here's my first Doomslakers post ever.

I started this blog purely as a vehicle for talking about RPGs, particularly D&D, Labyrinth Lord, DCC, etc. OSR type shit. But it's also a place for my art and comics and for basically any other thoughts I happen to want to share. Thanks for being here if you are a regular who checks in.

 

Hymla

I posted a bunch of Hymla art here in this Blood Red post.

Considering a Hymla art book. If anyone thinks this is a good idea, comment here or there if you can.

Obviously I love drawing this character and I'll keep doing it no matter if anyone likes it or not. But it would be nice to share the art in a meaningful way, such as in a book.

 

Raven's Dojo Fanart

Every once in a while I get in a mood and want to draw fanart of other peoples' characters. I did that recently with Raven's Dojo, one of the longest-running webcomics of all time. It is an adults-only comic, so beware of that.

Raven Perez is fantastic. 

Dornail the dragon

Rodney, little hero.

Sadie the Princess of Darkness, daughter of Satan.

Here's the bw original of Sadie.