Monday, January 09, 2012

Unfinished, unnamed hillfolk comic

So I've had this comic idea that I've wanted to do for a few years now, but I can't seem to get it started. I have the three main characters more or less figured out, but I can't seem to get the story or style nailed down.


If this comic actually existed, it'd be about three girls living in the Appalachian Mountains, sometime around the year 1900. I guess it's kind of inspired by all the things that they sing about in old country songs...religion, heartache, murder, mental illness, etc. All my favorite things.

There's Cora, a fire and brimstone fanatic who cuts her own hair and sometimes does bad things, like set fires to stuff. She's basically good though. And the most fun to draw.


Her "friend" is Shah, who lives alone in the mountains making moonshine and fighting off the inbred cannibals who live nearby. Shah likes animals and shooting people.


The third character is a mysterious girl with no memory of her life before being found on a riverbank by Cora. She goes by the name Everlovin' and has a sweet and naive personality, but also some pretty weird habits that suggest her life before half-drowning was shady.


It feels a little foolish to even share this stuff, since I haven't done anything besides doodle the characters. I have a very convoluted outline written out, but it's definitely not really a real "thing" yet. But I guess I'm sort of attached to the characters anyhow, since I've been drawing them for a long time now. And maybe sharing stuff will inspire me to get off my butt and make something.



The style I draw the girls in keeps changing every time I draw something new. I don't know which direction to go. The ones above are only a month old or so, and this one below is a few years old.



Teeny little sketchbook hillies.



The story I want to tell is a little darker than I'm used to, but I also like light-hearted things, so for a while I played with the idea of doing separate little comics that had the same characters, only as possums.


I like how ugly they are. I did some of them as different types of animals too, but I like the possum ones better.


So, that's all for now. I've got tons more drawings hidden in boxes all over my new apartment, so maybe if people are interested in this idea I'll get them all scanned and maybe talk about the characters a little more. I'd love feedback on this. I'm really not sure if this is the sort of thing that only appeals to me, or what. I still want to make this a finished thing, even if it is.

Thanks for coming back! 2012 is the year for getting back into drawing! A two year break is too long. No more lazy drawing for me. I hope.


35 comments:

Trevour said...

I like it! That's a wonderful trio of characters you got there - I can only imagine the types of stories you can come up with. A darker tone sounds interesting too, but would be funny to see the occasional slapstick (if that's even what you had in mind). I say go for it! It's too good of a concept - 2012 IS the year to draw and get stuff done after all! I need to do the same. :-)

Daron Leah Nefcy said...

You're got to finish it! Every time you post sketches of these gals I get excited. Its too fun, I just know there is an awesome story in there :)

Paulino said...

Loved the three of them! And going into darker material sounds so great. I'd love to see this getting made :c

nagyaron said...

Awesome!
From what I understand, Sha's character has a little bit of a Huckleberry Finn kinda thing going for her. Cora And Everlovin' seem cool too.
What's their approximate age? Do they live in some kind of small community or by themselves?
I really like the setting, and the first doodle with the spirits floating about. So anyways, I'm looking forward to see more.

Dympna said...

There is something about these characters that brings up the feeling of my childhood, I don't know what exactly. But they seem like the kind of characters I would've adored when I was 10-11 years old.

David Martingale said...

Love that top one, and the possums.

Needles G.'s Urban Exploits said...

2012 is deffinately the time to burst out those ideas that have been sitting in your mind all the time not manifesting. Finishing it would really be cool, your style really works with these southerners, Go for it!

Pedro Vargas said...

Great drawings, Katie! I always love your usage of colors. Love that first one and the one with Everlovin' and the fox is beautiful. I like the characters a lot and the idea is very fresh. I say definitely develop them some more. Maybe you can make a story about how they met? Like we could see how it happens. They're so different from one another that I think it'd be kinda interesting to see how they first encountered each other.

ErikDesignwork said...

Well to me your sketches are very appealing and i love your style!
I especially like Shah! ^^

Honestly the stuff about lazyness and the unfinished story thats in your head...its exactly the same with me.

Would be cool to see more of your stuff!

Dharmabum said...

Your drawings and art work are always so very distinctive. Look forward to a new story. Religious intolerance and fear, weird ghostly folk tales and creatures in the Appalachians, perhaps only one of the characters who can see/deal with the anthropomorphic animals, and the unsettling arena of the Appalachians. Yeah, my mom grew up there - shudder - there is lot's of atmosphere in that region. Look forward to your starting the first story this week! ;)

Ron said...

I don't think it's silly at all to share these ideas in their most basic form. Ya got more moxie than I would in this day and age where EVERYONE has an opinion on EVERYTHING, qualified or not (mostly not) heh, so good for you! Love the idea and characters but I hope to see some kick ass stories in there and not your run-of-the-mill hillbilly jokes. You rock Katie!

Ashley said...

I would love to read more about these ladies! I grew up/live in the deep south, so I have a real soft spot for nutters. Since this idea is very character-driven, maybe you could make the comic more like a slice-of-life piece—although, with decidedly less fluff. It seems like you already have some hilarious shenanigans cooked up.

Tii said...

This looks wonderfully interesting! Please update with more? 8D

Nilu Crocodilu' said...

...written by William Burroughs :)

BlakeJ said...

Katie, let me just say your drawings are excellent, and I think these characters are worthy of a story.

I would suggest just drawing/writing out the first chapter - use your research of the time period, your personal experiences and creativity to just hammer out chapter 1. People will forgive things like stylistic change and character evolution, and love organic, relatable, human things.

So I say don't hesitate, just start doing the story. (It's how I am most productive, and I tend to slack off sometimes too).

Your Internet Pal,
Blake

Unknown said...

The new ones feel more introspective and gothy almost, and the old ones seem more manic and fun. Is mixing styles out? That's something I liked about FLCL, The Maxx, and Ren & Stimpy, that you never knew what even the main character was going to look like from moment to moment.

garpygarp said...

wow
they are all really cool.
i love your work!

Unknown said...

Wow! You have some great drawing here Katie.

Seo Kim said...

This sounds so cool. Loooove that angels drawing!! super excited!

Operation GutterBall said...

Love your art!! Self publish this definitely, tho I must say the Opossum designs of these characters are tops in my book! They have that perfect blend as if it was from a Moomin type book, or a Japanese folk tale. Awesome stuff regardless.

Dylan said...

I would totally read that! Sounds awesome and I love the characters!

Corey M. said...

I wouldn't mine seeing a hillfolk comic book from you, and I'm from west virginia!

Camila Carmona said...

Oh katie.. your drawings make me smile everytime I look at them. Please continue the project, I can't waiting for :)

Ms. Stackattack (Emily Stackhouse) said...

I LOVE this idea! You're already so close to having it done! I mean, this makes me feel really lazy. I totally work backwards from love for the characters. I think having the love, first and foremost will catapult you through the rest! Do it!

She-Thing said...

This tastes sooooooo good. So, so good. Beautiful!!

Jesse Soto said...

These gals have a lot of personality! The moment I laid eyes on them I feel excited and glued to seeing what they do next. I think with this kind of reaction from most people you can safely start with small shenanigans. Don't worry, the characters will probably light the way and you'll get a strong plot at some point. Please! get this started!

Erik D. Martin said...

so awesome!

bn said...

I would buy that comic forty-eight times.

Skid Knee said...

This would be so great, you need to do it! If you did it in the style that you have in your doodles that would be really fun. I love the way your doodles look, I also love your finished stuff. But something about your doodles have so much life in them, they're great.

Molly said...

I want to see more of these characters, Katie!

turner mark jacobs said...

Snake handling in the pentacostal church got started about that time/area, that could be some fertile ground for research. Love the ideas and drawings so far.

Exactly Whom You'd Expect said...

You have to do this! Your outline is brilliant! Religion, heartbreak, murder, mental illness. I want to see this drawn so bad. I'm already in love with the characters. Seems like you could have a lot of fun with a project like this.

Exactly Whom You'd Expect said...

You HAVE to do this! Religion, heartbreak, murder, mental illness. Your outline is brilliant, and I love the idea of it being dark. I'm already in love with the characters and premises. Cannibals, memory loss, fanaticism. Sounds like an enjoyable project to work on, too. Please do us the grand favor of drawing/writing this.

Shelley Whiting's art said...

I love your drawings. They are very fun and lively. Beautiful and charming work.

Unknown said...

I LOVE this idea! You're already so close to having it done! I mean, this makes me feel really lazy. I totally work backwards from love for the characters. I think having the love, first and foremost will catapult you through the rest! Do it!