Grizzly & The Bear Patrol #4

[kybearfuzz]

I've not been online too much of late because I've been working on issue #4. A while back, I posted an entry asking how folks would like to see my comics, in installments or all at once. I got mixed answers, so I thought I would give the "all at once" folks this issue. Drawing, inking, coloring and lettering 18 pages at one time, plus a cover, was quite a chore, but not so bad either. I was thrilled in that I got the issue done two weeks earlier than I had planned.

This is what I call a "filler issue," meaning that it is pretty much stand-alone. I remember seeing these when I was a kid, usually when a more major story arc was going to happen. It's not a strongly written issue (as much as any of them are). I put a few notes about the issue after the pages, so if you're interested in reading them, just go past page 18.

If you want to see any past issues, just hit the "finished comic" tag at the end of the entry. As usual, big graphics behind the cut (18 pages worth), but all work-safe.







































Notes and such:

• Family: This issue introduced a new character that was mentioned briefly in issue #2, Anna, the daughter of Polar Bear Paul. And while most of you readers might not be so interested in girl in a bikini, I wanted to show one of our heroes is a gay parent. I had a lot of fun thinking up Paul's reactions to his daughter's bikini.
  
  
• Humor: This issue has a bit more humor than past ones, I think. Most of it is in the familial relationship between father Paul and daughter Anna and, of course, that bikini. One of the other plot points I enjoyed including was Zeke and Beulah. I modeled them after some of the couples I've seen in Wal-Mart -- a relatively attractive, blue-collar daddy bear and his overweight, hideous bride in curlers, the latter usually bitching to him incessantly.
  
  
• Settings: I haven't decided exactly WHERE Bruin City is located geographically. I know it's surrounded by woods, near a lake, has a university, etc. I've sort of done this on purpose to allow me to put the city in any geographical situation I want, but it's also limiting. I put them at a lake for this story because if I put them near an ocean, it would limit me from putting them elsewhere later.
  
  
• Questions: While I'm not really doing any of the question month stuff, if anyone has any questions or comments about this or any other issue, just ask.

Comments

[madknits.livejournal.com]

Yay! A new Grizzly Comic! Nice way to start spring break.

2. I love the fact that you're showing a gay dad. And I love that his kid is a daughter. As the Chairman said, "Women hold up half the sky."

3. I have to protect my privacy.
In these shoes? In that bikini? I don't think so.

4. The only thing we know about Bruin City's location is that it's east of the Mississippi, otherwise that radio staion would be K-O-O-F.

5. Not Professor Davis! ONOEZ! He's, like, the hottest prof in the department. All the bears and cubs love attending his lectures.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

And I thought I was the only one up at this hour! And on Spring Break??

I always wanted one of the guys to be a dad. Polar Bear is the oldest of the group, so he seemed like the natural choice. I wanted his daughter to be old enough to interact with the team. She might show up in a later story. It's one of those idea I've had while running the track.

Oooh... how astute are YOU!! I never even thought about the call letters of the radio station being a hint at the city's location, but you're very correct.

And Professor Davis is a hottie, isn't he? I'm sure we'll see him again :)

[madknits.livejournal.com]

Feh, I'm cursed with the get-up-early-gene-no-matter-what-time-of-year-it-is. Besides, I have to write a paper this week, and am having the devil's own time finding an article to review for it.

Anna could be the Grizzly Team's Sassy Straight Gal Pal. Knows all their foibles and loves them anyway.

I want Prof Davis for a class next term! I'm sure I'll learn nothing! Oh, wait. I'm graduating in May. Damn!

[madknits.livejournal.com]

PS: i like the look on Polar's face when he asks his daughter, "what bikini?"

And this is a link to a (gay) knitter I like to read. It's his take on the last Star Trek movie that came out. You might be amused.

http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2009/05/do-gay-martians-have-right-to-marry.html

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

Oh, now that was awesome! I love the twink vs bear parallels he draws :)