Missy Mossy

[Edit 2021 - The shockwave file is available HERE on my Patreon]

I've just completed a new animation for Loop De Loop.
I recommend that you watch the animation before continuing reading this post....

A still from the Animation for Loop De Loop for the theme "Play".

If you've had a look and my animation, here is some background info....
The Voidhauler Captain first appeared in his bath of Kloob Fluid in issue two of the original Zooniverse series. His job is to lug uninhabited planetorbs across the void for attachment to the Animoid Rimworlds. It's boring work as most of the flight is done on auto pilot, so the driver has to find ways to occupy his time. This Captain plays with puppets while inebriating himself by sucking on Kloob Fluid fermented by his own perspiration.

The Voidhauler driver from issue #2 of the Zooniverse series.

In 1990 I composed a Missy Mossy poem and dearly wanted to see it in comic form.
Now, twenty two years later I have gone one step better by animating it.
Here is the poem as I originally wrote it...

The Missy Mossy poem as I wrote it when I was 27 years old.

So what is Kloob fluid made from? Kloobs of course! A race of sentient plantoids. Their berries are pressed into a juice that is sold through illegal markets. I've been working on a story where the Kren Patrol infiltrate the trade on killing Kloobs for their tasty and highly addictive juice.

A Kloob, poachers are pushing their population towards extinction.

Pirateers

[Edit 2021 - Shockwave file available HERE on my Patreon]

It is illegal to scour mine living planets in the Zooniverse, but that doesn't stop Pirateers from hiding in dust clouds picking off newborn orbs spat out by the Birthbone in the Nursery Region. Sifting through rock for precious minerals and metals, the Pirateers work in clans often made up of mercenaries. The most popular clans have the best medical benefits, the largest clan also offers dental coverage. The fact that most Pirateers are terrified of Dentists doesn't seem to be a deterrent, they just seem to like the concept of a dental plan even though none of them take advantage of the offer. It turns out that clanzoon Dentists are more bloodthirsty than the meanest Pirateer.

A still taken from the Zooniverse animation on LoopDeLoop's Rock theme 2012

Below is the original sketch for the Pirateer from the animation he is loosely based off a Studio Head that I once had the misfortune to work for.

Original design of the Pirateer.

Another still from the Rock animation at LoopDeLoop. Showing a scour miner in action. It was quite a big moment to see this image moving after having it in my files for so long. These giant ships, almost the size of a planetoid, are so vast that entire clans can live inside them. These factory vehicles often carry armies of craftzoons who produce dazzlingly beautiful artifacts from the raw ores. A steady flow of shipments are freighted from the Scouring vessels to the black markets and illegal auction houses. Any unusable rock dust is vented into the void, further cloaking their operation.

The original images below were printed in issue #4 of my self published Zoonimedia Magazine in 1995, the magazine was renamed Artopia Quarterly for issue #5.

Original art created in 1991, but published in 1995 in Zoonimedia Magazine.

The Birthbone

[Edit 2021 - shockwave file now available HERE on my Patreon] 

The Birthbone is a tree like structure that runs the length of the Zooniverse and is the source of all planets and suns which grow like boils on it's surface as eggs. After hatching the protective membrane shell breaks off, or absorbed, and the infant planet bursts into life, or the proto-sun ignites for the first time. The Birthbone concept is a very old idea that I've always wanted to explain in more detail, my latest animation on LoopDeLoop serves as a basic introduction to it's workings.

The Birthbone. A still from the animated short 2012.

The first reference to the Birthbone in print was in issue six of the mini-series. I've reworked this panel to give you a taste of how I want to recolor the original series digitally and republish it as a collected book. No publishers are interested yet.

A panel from the Zooniverse comic series 1987

In the above panel you can clearly see baby planets forming on the surface of the Birthbone. The panel below was from the first page of the follow up book Age Old Enemies, that was unpublished. Here you can see a boil being formed on the lower right branch. I'm still coloring this page, but I'll show you what I have so far. French publisher Guy Delcourt was in possession of the original line art which I left with him in good faith as I hoped he would be publishing the book. Unfortunately I only have a photocopy to work from. I'm assuming the original art has been long discarded.

An unpublished panel from Age Old Enemies 1991