Tonight is “the night”! Merry Christmas and Gruss Vom Krampus!
Once again, the MoonBlimp was passed over for Santa’s lead in favor of Rudolph. However, it seems the Krampus always needs a ride or a place to dump the bad kids! š I would never have expected that there was such an enthusiastic audience for all things Krampus. I think this is becoming “a thing” for me, and I’m not sad about it. Thank you for a great year and a wonderful Christmas season.
Enjoy your families the next few days. I’ll drop an update early next week!
The Hidden Legions (THL) is a 36-page “Limited Edition” one-shot comic, written and illustrated by yours truly, David Patton. THL is a physical 5″x5″ print version of the original webcomic by MoonBlimp. Because of its celebrity status as the first project, only 50 of these signed editions will be available outside of mass press runs.
THL takes place during WWI and is the opening story of the main character Collete. THL is interesting not just because of the fictional story itself but in the non-fiction associated with its creation. One would-be artist’s journey from not knowing anything to kind of knowing something. The webcomic was initially intended to stand alone and has sat dormant since 2018, but now we are saying why not? Why not release this to the world. Trust me; there are many reasons.
There is no way to say this other than to come right out and say it. This comic isnāt the best technically, artistically, or by any other accepted measure of what is or isnāt good. When I decided that I wanted to explore comics as a storytelling medium, I knew basically nothing about it. I had to begin as most do using nothing but my experience as a reader, Google, and some instructional videos. As someone with a creative career foundation before jumping into comics, I came with the correct growth mindset. Part of that growth mindset was knowing that if I was going to grow, get feedback, and ultimately get better, I would have to be vulnerable.
To that end, The Hidden Legion (THL) was originally released between December 2016 and August 2018 on Instagram. Thatās right. I put it right out there. You can think of THL as a webcomic of sorts. I tried to get one out as often as I could as I learned and struggled to communicate with the pen. However, from the very first frame (Somewhere in Paris), I realized I was in over my head. I had the will, but I didnāt have the skill or even enough knowledge to fully comprehend what I didnāt know.
So I worked and studied hard, all while continuing to make errors. But I didnāt stop to correct them. Instead, I kept pressing the story forward. Artist friends all told me this was the right of passage. The journey of self-discovery and finding your style, and I do have to agree with that. The proportional errors, the shoddy line work, the horrid framing, rough and laughable dialog are all necessary to learn and presented in their pure and unedited form.
As for the story, I initially picked this as somewhat disposable. What I mean is, I like period pieces, and you will see that throughout my catalog. However, I assumed (and still do) that the whole Uber-Soldat, Fascist evil doctor trope had been done so many ways that no one would care if this didnāt go anywhere. In other words, a perfect throw-away story while I figure out if I can do this medium or not. But then something happened. I really ended up loving this character Collete and her story. Much of which I should mention, you will learn nothing about in the following pages. That said, I have plans for Collete and her companion Eli that extend into other future projects. So the partial story here will serve as a fun easter egg for those āin the knowā when the more fabulous adventures of THL are finally released.
If you decide to read this story, I know you’ll have many questions. Thatās understandable. Why is that guy running around trying to inject people? What is La Societe? Why is Eliās Springfield called Agnes, and whatās up with Colleteās crazy rifle? Two additional frames remain unfinished of this original work. However, those wonāt help to answer these and the many other questions Iām sure you’ll have. Iām saving those answers for a future book when THL returns to properly tell the story of Collete.
There is much to unpack, but I will answer one of those questions. Colleteās rifle is a modified version of the Model 1888 commission rifle, also known as the Gewehr 88. There are a few reasons she uses that rifle, including the axe-style bayonet attachment.
Please let me know your thoughts by either joining my newsletter Voyages via the website or emailing me directly. As always, thank you for your support!
Halloween may have been over for awhile now but for those who love it the remnants still remain. There’s the decorations that linger just a little too long but there’s also the two horrible pumpkins on the lawn that I haven’t thrown out yet since the 31st. My wife who’s the musician in the family, left a witch’s hat on top of her Takemine which inspired the below study. I will miss you Halloween. But that’s not all….
All creatives that are passionate about what they do have a tendency to push themselves just a little too hard. The most common result is creative burnout which can manifest itself in different forms and for very different reasons. Creative burnout is manageable if your capable of seeing it coming however, most experts agree you shouldn’t hibernate. Well, that’s exactly what I did through the month of October. While possibly not healthy, it was the perfect amount of self pity, restructuring of goals, and putting new deposits the passion bank. Fortunately for me, I am capable of creating my own light even when there are no laurels to be thrown for my achievements. However, I have learned repeatedly that I do have a pacing issue. As I’ve said before, this is a voyage. There is no destination where this voyage ends. It about the drive to keep going and enjoy the view along the way.
If you’re on my mailing list, you are already aware that I gave everyone a FREE 8×10 (includes shipping) of any art I have published on the website, Instagram, or other platforms. Hopefully, you were one of the many fans who took advantage of that offer!
As I had said to subscribers, I didn’t expect to be in the print business with Moonblimp. However, a friend and a fan recently asked me for one. He’d been watching me develop my art on these projects, and I was humbled. After thinking about it, I decided to see for myself what a physical print might look like. Here is “Eyes Wilhelm” in a frame.
Eyeser Wilhelm 8×10
“Eyeser” is printed on acid-free 100% cotton rag cardstock (96lbs) for a museum-quality feel. I’m doing glossy’s too!
“Radio Head a.k.a Death by Walkman”
After the giveaway, I did launch an Etsy site featuring only the most developed art. It’s a different strategy as most of the art I’ve created so far is for comics, not illustration. That being said, I’ve launched small and will continue to add pieces as I continue to develop the stories and books I have in production. Here’s where you can find the Etsy store:
I have recently added a piece called “The Mask.” He’s a character inspired by the upcoming season but a story character too. Speaking of, perhaps there’s someone in your life that would like a creepy print this Halloween? There are a few in there to choose from, but I’m also running a grand opening sale of 20% off. Subscribers to my newsletter Voyages are getting additional discounts as well.
No buzzkill intended, but a friend died recently. I would share that she was full of life and would hate for this to be a downer for anyone. I created this tribute art as a way to say goodbye but not forever. I believe this is how she saw herself- a powerful shield maiden who fought to protect her kin. True to her warrior spirit, she approached every obstacle with confidence, determination, and hope. In what would be the final battle, she fought to the last breath, surrounded by friends and family. It falls on those of us who remain to write her saga about who she was, how she loved, and how she touched our lives.
I hope you enjoy the art. More updates are coming to your mailbox soon!
If you’re subscribed to Voyages then you already heard this but for those who aren’t… After some informal polling of supporters and friends, I decided to postpone the production schedule on 21 Steezy Snuffs to advance Inchi. This story is overdue, and it seems the time has come to get it in your hands!
The good news is I’ve been working hard the last few weeks to blow the dust off the pages in the archive. In addition, I penciled some new ones and brought the ink quality to the bare minimum so I could tell you this.
I’m gifting you the first ten pages right now!Ā But to be clear, they are black and white, the art and dialog are not final, and there are errors.Ā So why do this?Ā I’m hoping that if you read the front end, it will get you excited to want to read more! Plus, it’s always been my plan to bring you along on these voyages. š
A Printers Format Copy
As a reminder, Inchi (ink-e) is an action fantasy based in Venice with a historical twist. Inchi is born of mysterious circumstances and immediately thrust into an ancient dilemma. An eclectic group of cursed humans finds the delicate balance of keeping the peace is now disturbed with Inchi’s arrival.
Originally Done As Potential Cover Art (I have abandoned this!)
The first ten will get you started and Iāll keep you updated as we move forward. Grab your download right now by joining my mailing list.
The Will-o’-the-wisp is a folk tale present in many cultures around the world. For most people, the only familiarity with this strange and otherworldly being is from Disney/Pixar’s Brave. In Brave, Merida meets the more benevolent version of the Wisp, but the folk tales send us a warning.
Disney/Pixar’s Brave
The Wisp is characterized in at least a dozen ways in as many places around the world. In one version, a man who made a deal with the devil. In another, unbaptized trapped souls attempt to lure people into the water for a chance at redemption. Whatever the interpretation, you don’t want to meet the Malevolent Wisp.
In 21 Steezy Snuffs, I put a new updated twist on the Wisp. As the title suggests, he is not the forgiving kind. I look forward to bringing you this story and many more this spring!
If you like free stuff and you want Artbooks and Comics, I have something for you. I mentioned earlier, MoonBlimp is releasing its first product this spring. I want to keep you in the know, but I’m also aware of how lame joining mailing lists are. So if your willing and interested, I’d love to hear from you, and in exchange, I’ll start by sending you this 3-Page digital! It’s called Voyages, and it chronicles the journey leading up to 21 Steezy Snuffs, the current project.
It’s just one of the many free things I’d like to give to people interested in learning more about MoonBlimp. I’ll send updates and other goodies to you without abusing your trust on the regular.
