Author Archive: Dan Jensen
Aspiring Illustrator, Hobby Gamer, and Professional Procrastinator.
#11 – InFester
While Fester’s methods might clash with some more conservative members of the animal hero alliance, known as the ARK, he gets results. Â A member of the City Sector of the ARK, Fester is the company spy. Â Through his taming hoods, he can use his rodent friends to infiltrate enemy territory and gather intel or just reek havoc. Â Simple, but effective.
#10 – The Stallion
Renown Flamenco dancer by night, champion of animal justice by day. Â The Stallion is a mysterious figure, even to his fellow heroes. Â But what is known is his unmatched speed and agility. Â Criminals need not run once The Stallion rears on the horizon.
#9 – Naurand the Officer
A soon to be graduate of the Windsoar Adventure Academy, Naurand is just about ready to lead his own guild into battle! Â He’s known to be arrogant by his fellow classmates, but his logic and strategy go unmatched. Â He has aspirations of one day reigning over a kingdom of followers, but for now will relish the journey.
#8 – Steel Wool
When they put up a Nuclear Power Plant mere miles away from his ranch, Hank Eustice was angry. Â When a radiation leak killed his entire flock of sheep, Hank Eustice was devastated. Â When he found his dead sheep continued to produce wool, Hank Eustice was confused. Â When he discovered this wool was nearly indestructible, Hank Eustice set out for revenge!
Hank’s suit of radioactive wool, which he coins “Fluff of Justice”, is soft as a cloud, but can bare any blow, blast, or bullet. Â With it, he becomes Steel Wool, an unstoppable force for animal justice!
#7 – Ricky the Ranger
Another student of the Windsoar Academy. Â Ricky, or “Rickety” as he’s more commonly known, is training to be a ranger. Â He’s quite a marksman, believe it or not, but he’s just so darn nervous all the time! Â He could be the next Robin Hood, if he would just calm down a little…
#6 – Mushroom Enthusiast, Osh Tillford
You need mushrooms? Â Osh is your guy! Â This little forest imp knows all there is to know about mushrooms. Â All sorts, shapes, and sizes. Â Making a stew? Â Try the Lowland Brown! Â Brewing some poison? Â A Violet Fissure is all you need! Â Just looking for a good time? Â Well sir/ma’am, he’s got those, too!
#5 – Molly the (Student) Mage
A student at the Windsoar Adventure Academy for Young Adventurers (WAAfYA), Molly is well on her way to becoming a fine sorceress. Â She is well versed in the Elemental Arts, but studies a little Black Magic on the side, just for kicks. Â Upon graduation, she hopes to form a mighty guild with some of her fellow classmates and slay many a foul beast!
#4 – Lemmy and Yhal
Lemmy (the turtle) finds Yhaluthonin (the snail) lost and alone one evening on his nightly round of his village perimeter. Â Yhal comes from a clan of snail known well for their skills in magic, and by the trolls of the forest, for their psychedelic properties. Â Yhal tells Lemmy how a band of greedy forest trolls raided his den and snatched up his friends and family and pleads for his help. Â The two join forces and set out for adventure.
Technically two characters, but they work as a cohesive unit. Â Lemmy is the brute force, Yhal works his mystics to cast spells and such in aid of Lemmy.
#3 – “The Widow”
Jane was once a happy wife. Â Married to a brilliant engineer, two wonderful (most of the time) kids, and a respectable estate. Â But the old west being the wild place it was, that all came crashing down when a posse of men attacked their home. Â Jane’s husband was murdered and her children kidnapped. Â Now this once pleasant housewife must set out, learn the dirty ways of the west, and save what’s left of her family.
#2 – Manny
“You saved my life last night.”
“Wish I hadn’t…” Manny grumbled into his beer.
“You didn’t give me a chance to thank you, not that I ever could.”
“Well don’t mention it, that’s fine for me.”
“Let me buy you a round! Hey!”  The man waves down the bartender.  “Two cold ones for the hero here!  This man saved my life!”
Manny grits his teeth and downs the rest of his drink. He slides off the barstool and scoops an arm around his new “friend”, pulling him toward the door. “Hold those beers, Frank, I’ll be right back.”  he says with a motion of his hand.
The two step out into the cool autumn night. The small town streets are quiet.  Manny leads the man around the corner of the building and releases him, giving him a slight nudge towards the wall. He turns his back to the man and shoves his hands into his jean pockets. “Listen, kid. I understand you are grateful. What I did for you. But… I… Look. Just keep your mouth shut about me, ok?”
“I don’t understand… you’re a hero!”
Manny winces at the word.
“I saw what you did. What you could do! You’re special, you could… I dunno… save people! Save lives! Change things!”
Manny turns to face the man.  “Oh, just like that? That simple huh?”
The man shrugs.  “Well… no, not simple, I guess. But you could, if you wanted to! I believe that!”
“And if I didn’t?”
“What?”
“What if I didn’t want all that. What if… I couldn’t…?”
“But you’re unstoppable… how could you not?”
“I just can’t.”
“But I watched you–“
“I CAN’T!  I just… I can’t live up to that! I can’t be that perfect hero! What if I lose, huh?
Hell, WHAT IF I WIN?!  What if I save the day? What then? Then I’m famous. A household name. Everyone wants my help. And what if I can’t help them?!”
“No one’s asking you to be perfect…”
“Aren’t they?! They want a hero! They EXPECT a hero! What if I can’t be that hero? It doesn’t always work the way you saw it. I can’t WANT to do what I do…  Yet I have this talent. This gift. I can’t NOT want it!  I can’t keep it bottled in, to let it rot and eat at me… but I can’t face it. That… that FEAR that I might win. That I might rise to the top. That I might become that great hero…
And that I might fall… I might lose it all because my sick sense of pride or perfection or..or FEAR… decided I couldn’t.
If this world really needs a hero… it can’t be me. I just don’t deserve it.”
—
Just a concept I’ve been drumming about. Â Sort of inspired by feelings about my work and that slump funk I find myself falling into more and more often these days. Â Also just intrigued by the whole “flawed, would-be hero” angle.
Manny is just trying to be the average joe, working as a garbage man and keeping a low profile despite his super human strength and impenetrable skin. Â In any other circumstance, this would lead to greatness. Â However, Manny is a troubled man, plagued by hesitance and self doubt. Â But that’s worked fine for him for the past 39 years.
#1 – The Bearded Menace
Figured I’d get this guy out of the way. Â The Bearded Menace spawned from the name of my portfolio site (http://www.beardedmenace.com), and when I first dreamed him up, he was to be more or less the mascot for the whole operation. Â I eventually went a different route, and little Menace here took a seat on the back burner for a while. Â But, here he is now, in a finalized state! Â I’m still debating his main color, I guess, but brown will do fine for now.
As a creature, The Bearded Menace is a grumpy, quiet type. Â His past times include loafing about and gnawing on things. Â He prefers sweets, but will chew on anything he deems to look tasty, or that offends him to look at. Â That is to say he’s not too picky. Â A short, stocky thing, he relies on his magnificent facial locks to woo those around him. Â He can usually be found wandering his natural habitat of dense forest or traversing rocky mountains.
30 Characters Challenger: Dan Jensen
What a grinning idiot...
Hey folks! Â I’m Dan! Â I’m 24, a Gemini, and I like relaxing, playing video games, and am quite fond of cookies. Â You should date me because I have a giant– Huh? Â Oh this is the 30 Characters thing? Â Oh right right. Â Sorry bout that!
Anyway, I’m here cause I just love doodling characters. Â I do it a lot! Â Or at least I used to. Â I’ve reached a deficit in my character output these days, and I am hoping to rekindle that fire with this challenge. Â Also looking forward to discovering new, exciting, and wacky characters, and seeing the characters they create!
My main passion is just simple illustration, but I dabble in animation and comics now and again. Â I’m attacking this Challenge with little plan. Â The first week is bound to be super random, whatever compels me as I sit down to the drawing board. Â Perhaps in later weeks I will construct some sort of theme, only time will tell!
Until then, hoping to have fun and good luck to you all!
#30Characters Chatter…