Now that the current story arc with our new band of new characters is done, I thought I’d share a bit of the story behind these characters. That is, the real life inspiration for each of them rather stories that I can tell in the comic itself. So, with that said, let’s go one by one.
(LOH-seer) She’s based on the lead singer of the UK band Drill Queen. There’s not much info floating around the internet about them as of yet (rumor has it, tho, they’re working on an album, so there’s that). But, my main motivation for including her is that I absolutely love their song Born Depressed. I sometimes don’t really need much motivation to make someone into a character. Her name means “Flame”.
As some of you guessed it, she’s based on cartoonist extraordinare Monica Ray. I met Monica at SPX this year. I knew about her from Penny Arcade’s reality show Strip Search. She’s super awesome and a sweet individual, full of energy and good vibes towards everyone. She’s super fun to hang out with and she’s a great artist. The only thing I regret with the story is that I didn’t get to showcase her full personality as she is in real life, but, now that all of them are part of the cast, I can do it in the future. Her name means “Merry”.
(lay-VAY-nayz) She’s not really based on anyone in particular, but on some women I’ve met through my life. Sometimes too stubborn for their own good but always with good intentions and caring for their friends. Again, one I failed to showcase in full. Although, subtle details as her not removing her hood, or her expressions when they’re told the reason people don’t show up at the forest, while everyone feels kinda of ashamed, she doesn’t really find anything wrong with it. Her name means “Happiness”.
She’s based on a very good friend of mine. Her real life self is a model, a trust worthy friend and a loving and dedicated mother. Joking one day while talking she asked me when was I going to include her in any of my comics. Once again, I don’t need too much motivation to include someone. Her name means “Archer” (thing I was supposed to play for from the beginning, then forgot and then included at the end).
(PRON-sheh-uhs) Another one who’s not based on anyone specific. While I could name the women that inspired Levenez, I don’t think I can with her. I just wrote her as I’d write any other character. What I CAN point out is where her apperance came from: My character from Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. While playing the game, I kept thinking on how cool could it be for me to write and draw a Monster Hunter story with her as the main character (as I’ve progressed through with my friends, I’ve made her “fluent” in every weapon in the game). Then I thought that, while not impossible, it would take me ages to achieve that, so why not include her in one of my own stories. As she mentions it in the comic, her name means “Free”.
Another subtle thing that I left there throughout the story line is the titles for each page. All of them are titles of songs by the band Ween. No real reason, I just like the band.
As of why make it a group of only female characters. Why not? I know it’s historically inaccurate (no matter how much mainstream media tries to include a sassy female hero in their medieval stories, fact is, women weren’t treated so fairly back then), but historical innacuracy is out bread and butter here. But still, that’s why they had to hide their voices and under the hoods. In the end, it didn’t really matter if they are women or not, they are people who treat each other (and others) as people too. And hey, I liked the fact that I didn’t have to draw them in skimpy outfits and showing cleavage for the readers to take them seriously.
Mario A.~
That was a fun read. Should try and think more of basing some characters on people I know, if only because it’d make it easier to write some characteristics.
(As for making characters BE people you know, I avoid that more so. You never know if you’re never going to talk to them again and makes things awkward for your stories)
I’ve thought about that, losing those friendships and never talking to them again. The real people serve as inspiration, not guidelines, that’s why you can take them any direction you want. And, if they still get mad, you can write them off the stories.
Para un “chismoso” como yo esto es bastante atractivo, jeje, aparte de muy util a la hora de saber la motivación de los personajes, chido.
Oye, y muy buena la rolita de Drill Queen… soy fan.
Y originalmente solo tenia planeado que fuera una mujer en la historia (Lasair), queria incorporar de alguna manera a la persona real en el comic. Luego recorde lo que mi amiga me habia dicho de cuando la ponia a ella y decidi que mejor fuera un grupo.
From some of my studies, I am becoming convinced that Western history is one long string of women getting more and more oppressed. Compare the rights of women in early America to that in medieval France. We suck. Had to read a book about an English town during the Reformation. Most of the information was drawn from accounts written by the village vicar. Kind of freaky how women were sidelined. Went from having actual responsibility and voice in town affairs to basically nothing. Still nowhere near equal, but our recent history is much worse than we like to think.
Well, even in early civilizations, qere they were considered actual goddesses because they could create life. But yeah, even back then, they had activities, but while still being represed, they could contribute but not take action (that’s one thing I kinda failed at explaining that they had to pretend to be men to be able to be feared and respected). And like you said, sadly, it’s not great either right now for women. They have more rights and freedom to do what they want, but they keep having to break down walls to get where they want. It wasn’t long ago that they were merely considered as a comodity, just “the wife” or “the girlfriend”.