Archive for November 17th, 2011

#16 – Mindy Vright

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

Mindy Vright was a promising young demon hunter, employed to the Dreamland Organization. She was known for her handling of human-like demons – from masqueraders to undead to the Caviers, Mindy had a knack for picking out monsters hiding among us. She was not known for her physical strength, but for her stealth and precision.

The D.O. lost a valuable member when Mindy died on the job. She disappeared when she went to track down the demon lord Cheshiredame, and was promptly killed in combat with her. However, while her death was confirmed, her body was never recovered, and there have been rumors that she’s been seen walking amongst the living again…

#16: The Deceased Brother

| November 17, 2011 | 1 Comment

The Deceased Brother of The Emperor. Twins at birth, but unfortunately the older of the two (this one), was born blind. Impeded by his blindness to become heir of the empire, he eventually takes his own life. It’s a pity the younger one has no desire to rule the empire his brother left behind.

I’m never painting like this again….for a character concept, this is too much.

#16 Kialks – Envoy

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

“Emperor, it has been ninety-nine years since we were conquered. Last night, Latrek of the Lowlands died. His name should be of no consequence to you or your courtiers. The only notable thing about him was his age. He was one hundred and one, making him the oldest of our entire race by more than a decade. His passing means that no living man, woman or child of my race has ever known a free breath or taken a step that wasn’t allowed to them.

“As a general rule, I admit that our slavery has not been exceptionally brutal. While some masters have delighted in hunting us like wild game, the vast majority our content to leave us to labor in their fields and factories for their profit. The deaths caused by the harsh conditions and long hours are even mourned by the overseers, placed as little red marks in their books and recorded as lost capital.. No, it is not hatred or derision that marks our enslavement, but apathy.

“Some would even argue that the interference of the Holathk Empire has elevated us. Brought us new technology and taken us to frontiers of the universe that we would not have reached on our own for many centuries. While I must concede that is true, it is felt by the majority of us that it would have been better to wallow in the mud for eternity than be dragged to the stars in chains.

“Now tonight, on your celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of our surrender, as the envoys of my race have done for one hundred years, I will entreat you. Please let our people go.”

#16 – Loch THIS!

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

You ever wonder why only a handful of people have “seen” Nessy?  It’s cuz Nessy doesn’t want to be seen, she’s a secret operative of the Scottish government.  What’s worse than a “mythological creature” that many claim doesn’t exist…. a “mythological creature” that many claim that doesn’t exist… with a LAZER BEAM ATTACHED TO IT’S HEAD!

#16

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

You don’t want to find this guy in your shoes in the morning (and he loves the taste of stale feet).

Day 17 – Chilbilly

| November 17, 2011 | 1 Comment

Chillbilly - one evil snowman!

 

Day15- Jimmy “Buckwheat” Franconie

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

 

Buckwheat Franconie was a Mob boss in the early 30’s that controlled a large portion of the upper east side. In the five family feud of ’37 Buckwheat was taken hostage by the Cascaronie family. Before the families could come to an agreement, he was murdered in a way intended to prolong agony and death. It later became know as “The Buckwheat.” The Cascaronie family and this technique inspired Christopher Walken’s character in “Things to do in Denver When You’re Dead.”

#17 Destiny

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

Des-T’ne is the sole survivor of an alien planet on the outskirts of our solar system. On her planet she was an princess of a royal family. She’s just turned 18 and has been living on Earth for at least five years. She takes herself very seriously and at first didn’t want to be a hero. with her friends she have made in New York City where she currently lives to go to college, and she’s known by an alias, Amanda Jones to those out of her circle in order to not bring too much attention. The media calls her Destiny after she introduced herself to a newspaper reporter.

Height:5’7 Weight:120 lbs. Age 18

Powers:

Super strength, Speed and agility, able to see three dimensionally when focus carefully, healing factor.

Personality:

Very positive, optimistic, giving, at times having a tamper.

Day #16 James Zombie

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Melissa Lackman, for the pic of your son that I used for this zombie design.

Day 16: Hosc Atylo

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

Character #16, Hosc Atylo. Taking a break from the moe girls *coughcatherinearielmirandamirakaetc* and making a monster. Last name is pronounced “Ah-tai-low”, made to sound like it’s short for what he is exactly, “A tylosaurus”. This guy has a role in my Venomamillia series.

Hosc is one of many “fossil freaks”, a derogatory term used to describe old species like dinosaurs and what-not that are still thriving. He once served as a waiter and guard at a restaurant run by a few other fossil freaks. After an incident, everyone abandoned it, and now Hosc just lives in the run down joint, fixing it where he can. He is very strong, and can lift a car if needed. If he charges at something, he has to hit his mark or else he just stumbles over from lack of planning. Hosc can be quite clumsy and hard-headed.

Day #15 Melissa Zombie

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Melissa Lackman, for your childhood pic that I used for this zombie design.

Day 14-Stanley the Snobby Mortician

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

 

This is Stanley. He is a man of rather short stature. He works as a mortician, and feels that because he makes everyone look so magnificent for their funeral, he is the bees knees.

Day #14 Victor Gutierrez

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victor Gutierrez

  • Hispanic who is far removed from his culture (bigotry still exists in this future society)
  • Can’t roll his ‘R’s in his last name “Gutierrez”
  • Has worked hard to earn his place in society, even if it meant stepping on others in the process
  • Ambitious
  • Looks down on the poor and uneducated
  • Makes things happen
  • Worked his way out of lower class and thinks that there is no reason why anyone else couldn’t do the same
  • On the outside, Victor is an upstanding citizen
  • However, in a tight situation, i.e., zombie outbreak, he cannot be trusted
  • People have a bad feeling about him, though they may not be able to give a rational explanation
  • Victor talks down to Willie, ordering him to “Fix this”, or “Clean up that”
  • Victory resents Willie for earning his way to live on Titan and would do anything to tarnish Willie’s reputation (Thomas may kill Victor since he befriends Willie)

17 Lindy the Giant Handler

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

17 Lindy the Giant Handler
Lindy is still a child, but she is able to outwit the frost giant that happens to molest her town. Everyone but Lindy fears the frost giant and she’s taken it upon herself to take care of him.

#17: Axel

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

Look, puppies! Well, one puppy in particular, actually. This is Axel, a fun little guy who is energetic, playful, and sweet, all wrapped up in his spotted fur. And don’t forget his big mouth, designed especially for yapping and eating, some of his favoritest activities–besides making new friends, that is!

 

 

 

#17 – Charon – Boatman of the Afterlife of Last Resort

| November 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

Charon ©2010-2011 ~fo3the13th (JOEL AMAT GÜELL)

A Cappuccino with Charon

I was sitting in my favorite coffee shop, dodging my workplace, when I saw Him come in. I wasn’t quite sure what I was seeing at first, because, well, this is San Francisco, and you are liable to see almost anything here. He was wearing the equivalent of a long ragged cloak, stained with age and reeking of an unspeakable odor.

It was the scent of a recently opened grave, and while I had not been near one in a while, I had put a dead raccoon in my garbage can once and left it there for a week in the hot sun. Worst thing I have ever smelled. I was only too happy when the garbage man came. It was worse than that. No one else seemed to notice.

His cloak hid is face, but it was safe to assume I didn’t really want to look too deep in there, anyway. He was carrying a pole with a strange watermark on it and two runnels near the top. His hands were strong looking, like a weightlifter’s, with veins running through them. I could not see much else of him, but he was big, much bigger than I had imagined him to be.

See, I figured this had to be the Boatman of the River Styx.

“Cappuccino,” he said in a scary baritone.

“Four seventy-five, please.”

“Surely you jest?” was his response.

“Uh. Yes.”

He reached into his pocket and put pennies on the counter. Lots of pennies.

“Sir, we can’t take those.”

“They’re still currency, aren’t they?”

“Sir, they’re pennies.”

“I get paid in pennies.”

“Excuse me, miss, I will take care of this.” I found myself reaching into my pocket and paying with a five. “Keep the change.” The crowd was getting kind of hostile, and I wasn’t sure what might happen if he got pissed off. He looked at her, reached across the counter with his large, ham-like hand, and touched her chin.

“Rebecca Montez, angry boyfriend, six years from now, lamp. Unfortunate.” She looked at him as if he were crazy, but did not move. Almost as if she were under a spell.

He turned to me and said, “Thank you, Daniel Simmons.”

“How do you know my name?” I already knew the answer.

“I know all of your names.” That voice was really starting to work me. The rhythm of the shop resumed and people went back to typing.

“What are they seeing? How is it only I can see you?”

“Cappuccino, up.”

“Uh, that’s you.”

“Let’s sit and talk, Daniel Simmons.”

“Okaaaaay.” Didn’t like where this was going.

I sat down at the table and tried to hide my face behind the screen of my laptop so I could resist the temptation to look into his cowl. He reached across the table and closed my laptop, gently.

“So, Charon, can I call you Charon? What brings you up for coffee? And why is it no one else can see you?”
“Mmmmm. Good cappuccino. Very nice.” The cup disappeared into his cowl and did not come back out. “People deny their mortality. Part of my gift, people simply refuse to see Death for what it is, a part of Life. No one can see me because to them, I am some unfortunate hobo having coffee with an overdressed preppy. That would be you. As to why I am here? I need a guide, and since you can see me, you are volunteered.”

“And I can see you because?”

“Embolism, three weeks from now.”

Sobering. What could I know about that he would need a guide for?

“I am looking to franchise my infernal service.”

“Excuse me?”

“Earth is very busy these days, lots of dying, and humans keep making new ways to kill each other off. I can’t keep up. Look at this bicep.” He pulled back his sleeve and showed me this massive arm that would not have looked out of place on the Incredible Hulk. “Go on, touch it.”

“Um, no thanks.”

“I used to be scraps of bone and flesh; now I have biceps from pushing that thing.” He points outside the window.
For a moment I saw the flash of a large gondola-like boat, about the size of an eighteen wheeler. Off in the distance, I could see people, thousands of them, tens of thousands, standing patiently, wearing clothing from what looked like medieval times. When I looked harder, I could see dozens of different eras standing and waiting patiently for their turn to cross into the Afterlife. Then the street returned to its mundane appearance.

“Yes, I just cleared the backlog from the Black Plague last week. Do you know how long it takes to move seventy five million people by gondola? But I still have the Civil War, the Spanish Flu, World Wars I and II, Korea and every other little bush conflict modern governments feel justified in creating.” He was starting to sound a little hysterical and maybe pissed off.

“Uh, what about other death-oriented entities like yourself? Aren’t there others out there harvesting the dead?”

“Valkyries are still working, but they only want the valiant dead, so they swoop in and pluck one guy out of thousands, put him on their flying horse and they’re gone. I’ve tried shouting out, ‘Hey, you could grab a few more,’ but they keep mentioning something about Valhalla having a quality assurance clause, and then they’re gone.

When I complained to the Niflheim Residency Committee, they indicated they aren’t responsible for all of these people. They closed their doors when the last of the Vikings bought the farm. Something about Niflheim having a purity standard.”

“There are certainly other death agents, yes?”

“Heaven only takes devout Christians. Let’s just say that number isn’t going up. Same with the other sects. People don’t seem to have a desire for really rigid religious structures anymore, so most of those places are closing their doors, or waiting for a management decision from on high. Hell, well, it’s just overflowing. They even changed the sign. Used to say ‘Abandon hope all ye who enter here.’ Now it says, ‘Abandon hope all ye who thought to enter here. Entry denied due to overcrowding.’ So, I keep going, moving the Dead into their afterlife of Last Resort. But I am starting to fall behind, so I hoped someone here might have some idea how to franchise this operation.”

“So you’re hoping to find people willing to help you ferry the Dead, for a fee. What kind of benefits would you be offering? You need a good benefits package if you are trying to recruit these days.”

“I am not trying to enter into management. I do not want to take responsibility for their work. I want to hand off a section of the workload to other interested parties.”

“That’s the problem. Who’s going to be interested in buying into a business where your job is to move the Dead across the River Styx into the Afterlife of Last Resort? What do they get out of the deal?”

“As long as they work for the Company, they can avoid dying of anything, as long as they manage their company effectively. If I have to pick up their slack, I will carry them across the Threshold myself. I am not interested in who they hire, as long as they get the job done.”

“Effectively immortal, long term job security, open hours, free hand in hiring, no micromanaging. I think I am going to quit my job. Okay, what’s the cost to buy into this program?”

“Two pennies.”

This guy has no money sense. How can you run a business on two pennies a soul? “Okay, first things first. We’re going to get you a suit and a bath. After that we are going to work together is to increase the cost of dying. What we need to do is get a cut of the funeral home business…”

First Appearance: A Cappuccino with Charon appears in my debut series of short stories called Hayward’s Reach available from Amazon.

About the Art: Charon is a very popular guy on the internet. I found many pictures of him but nothing that quite did him justice the way I wanted. I decided on this one by fo3the13th because he showed him as a muscular man rather than a skeleton pushing a boat. I liked the somber tones and clean lines. Joel Amat Guell is a professional artist and retains all copyrights to his art.