Since "being green" is all the rage these days, I decided to recycle an illustration!I was looking at the original Whalen drawing and realized that it almost looked like a page from a kid's book. So I tweaked it a little, added some text, and presto! Instant Little Golden Book page.
I was looking over the copy I wrote and it just now struck me that his full name is apparently Whalen McBlowhole. Didn't really plan that, but I like it.
I'd like to make a full-blown story, but I don't really have any ideas for one. It's much easier to make one page and give the illusion that there's a whole book out there somewhere.
I know! Whalen could go on an adventure and learn that the most important thing is being true to yourself. Or that everybody's different and that's OK.
Drawn in Photoshop on the graphic tablet.
story idea:
ReplyDeleteeskimo boy eats some bad whale blubber and goes to bed with a tummy ache.
has nightmares all night long.
wakes up with huge whale for a head.
His friends shun him because he repulses them.
fire breaks out and threatens town.
Whalen swallows up a whole lake full of water and blows it through his spout. he saves all but one. the friendly and beloved Hobo Joe who roamed the neighborhood.
Although Whalen failed to save everyone, he still did a fine job and expects this to win the favor of his friends.
they kind of, sort of befriend him again, but it's not the same.
they notice how he got sick and spewed ambergris when he saw Hobo Joe's corpse.
when the kids learn how valuable ambergris is, they enduce vomiting on Whalen by slipping ipecac into his ice cream.
although whalen is constantly sick, he's happy because now his friends talk to him. he likes being friends with them because now they are rich from all the ambergris sales, and it's like a status symbol to be friends with the rich kids.
I really like this character! There is something horrifying but sweet about him. Maybe a type of story where he keeps saving the day, but all of his noble actions are known only to himself. To the world, he is a monster. The idea is that doing good has to be it's own reward. Sappy, but I really like it! Nice work.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback, guys! Interesting ideas. I honestly never thought about any plans for Whalen past this one page.
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