Program 002
As the ice melts to Spring here, just below the arctic, quietly “Gnar Pig Imprint” begins to rise once again with it’s developmental projects…
“from the mountain to the mind.”
After a delayed start to the 2025 year (see the previous entry) production has finally resumed on finishing “Taiga,” and moving toward the next project that looms quietly on the horizon. Last year saw the completion and limited release of Program 001: Re-Genesis. Part one in the Taiga graphic novel. A testing of the waters. It was surprisingly met with more than positive reviews. I can honestly say the response was a much welcomed surprise and more than I could have ever expected.
“Taiga,” outside of expressing a vision of story, was created in an attempt at departing from my usual approach to the comic medium, both in line-on-page and expression of story. Art-house in spirit, it pulled from influences that I normal don’t visit in my day to day work. Like anything that’s completely different, you can’t predict the reactions it will illicit, especially if there is a genre of expectation.
I like to think that the best summary of the type of stories I usually create is “fun.” Action based with a bit of a humor and a wink to the reader through storytelling and energy on the pages. “Taiga” is definitely not that. It walks on the precipice of an unexplainable darkness. I had to completely change my creative mindset for this project.
It’s an attempt at being in the headspace of a character I refer to as “The Being.” An artificial organism as it grapples with the construct of it’s own existence. Delving deep into the idea of self to express a wonder of purpose and design.
Program 001 puts the reader in the perspective of the protagonist, a being in human female design, that is overwhelmed with it’s own sudden existence. Attempting to finding answers to those questions that sometimes manifest their own answers through the environs encountered.
Pausing your cosmic view for a moment, what if organic life could simply be summarized as an exertion of energy. Energy that could be programmed on a cellular or atomic level. In “Taiga’s” case re-generate an artificial mechanism of organic design. Consciousness is eventually achieved through proper sampling and modeling of said organism; homo sapiens in this case. Thus resulting in a range of emotions and responses; curiousness, questioning, fear,… rage. Through the mechanisms of its own existence a “purpose” is learned and the world is observed through its programmed objective. Given the current state of the overall planetary ecosystem, you have to ask how would a biologic resurrected from a 30 thousand year dirt-nap respond? Probably not very well, right? If I say any more in my long winded write-up here I think I’ll be spoiling it. Ultimately, “Taiga” is a question about nature of existence.
There is so much about “Taiga” that I want to delve into. I’ve put so much creative energy into the conception or at least catalyst of ideas. But I’m a proof of concept kind of guy and even though words are wonderful to hear. They tend to ring hollow. Right now you can read all of “Taiga” Program 001: Re-Genesis and the new pages of 002: Observations as they post via the Gnar Pig Imprint patreon. There is a paywall of five dollars; I know… it should be free, but its rough out here for creatives these days. If you’re old school, like myself, you’re a print kind of person. The feel of the pages between your fingers, kind of animal. There was a limited printing of Program 001 out there in wild, but during “Free Comic Book Day” the remaining stock completely sold out. I’ll be doing another print run here soon, so hold onto your butts.
A lot more is planned for this year with already some big announcements just beyond the ridge, but for now one story at a time.
Gnar, the Taiga, pig.
Back-Breaker….
I broke my back…. Not exactly how I wanted to start the 2025 year off.
In a nutshell; I had an accident around New Years resulting in a fractured spine. Then being a boy of the 80’s/90’s I tried to apply the proverbial “walk it off.” Tough it out; business as usual; nobody needs to know…. Turns out, that’s not really a great way to handle such an injury (admittedly this was not the smartest course of action on my part). So after some doctor mandated time off, I’m back in the studio and ready to get some work done. Still broken and behind the eight ball of the always evolving industry, but at least I’m back functioning.
I’m here. And it’s time to make the donuts, once again.
With the ever-shifting tectonic plates of the comic industry (good, bad, and in-between) it has been my method-of-madness to have an ever constant of multiple irons in the creative fire. One of the current projects that’s being currently released and re-released into the wilds of comic shops everywhere is “The First Americans” from L.A. based publisher Critical Entertainment.
Written by Chris Reda, with myself on art; F.A. is a survival/adventure series that’s rooted in speculative prehistory. It follows the first peoples who chose to take the long arduous migratory walk from Asia, across Beringia, and into North America. Braving the wilds of new lands and reaching the very limits of the human condition.
Issues #1 and #2 are being rereleased with a series of variant covers (the carousel above) while I’m finishing the double sized issues of #3 and #4 over the next couple months.
Illustrating the series there was a very specific goal in mind. I wanted the book to have a very different feel from my usual interior work. The story concept is very unique for the casual American comic rack, so the line execution needed to exhibit just that. I looked to artists like Serio Toppi and Michael Zulli. Two artists who maximize the atmospheric experience through ink on the page. They achieve an organic affect that sucks in the reader in with a visual narrative that flows like a wild river. Always smooth, but always unpredictable. I don’t know if I’m necessarily hitting that vibe especially at their level, but the reference seems to be having an effect on my own results. So something is definitely happening at my end of the pen.
“First Americans” is currently being distributed everywhere comics are sold and can be ordered through your local shops.
Note: It’s been a long time since I maintained a blog. It was how I got my career going way, way, back. With the algorithms and trends of social media always in constant a state of change this might be a better avenue to reprise a voice for my work once again. So here’s to more.
Gnar the broken pig.