Speed asked me for a back cover for her funnybook. And what Speed wants, you can betch'er ass Speed gets.
Click for the full image.
Still haven't got her seal approval for it, but I guess it's okay. Tried to work in as many story arcs as possible.
Matt hasn't worked his coloring magic on it just yet, but it's got some promise. Here's to hoping it passes the test.
And Elster is seckseh.
Enter Curio.
Curio Pepper... not her real name, but the name she clubs under... is another immigrant, having relocated to California from Bombay at the tender age of two. Her parents, professional geeks, caught the biggest cash wave out of Silicon Valley, and little Curio's privileged childhood and adolescence wanted for nothing. Unfortunately, it could probably be argued this didn't do much good for her character.
Her tits were a bribe, exchanged for a promise to Mom and Dad that Curio would, at the very least, TRY a year in college at Fallon State in Templar. It wasn't to her liking, and she's currently "on hiatus" from higher education to "find herself." She got the brand new tits all the same, though.
Most of her days are spent in her swanky King Street condo, recovering from her nights of club and bar-hopping with her entourage. When she's feeling especially brave, or has people in tow she'd like to impress, she'll slum in lower middle-class Old Town to show off her "artistic, bohemian" friends. She simply can't imagine anything more glamourous than being best buddies with a real live struggling writer (Ben), a real live musician (Gene), an honest-to-God philosopher (Lorne), and a 100% authentic black person (Scip).
And in case you're wondering where all this is going, sit tight. Not much more left until the main event....
This is Lorne.
Don't laugh. He could probably take your head off with that thing.
Lorne's unequaled mastery of the slingshot is a tidy, convenient metaphor for his approach to life in general. He's a treasure trove of useless information and pointless, antiquated, eccentric, or wholly unnecessary skills. If you need help unclogging your bathroom drain or installing shelves, call the super. But if you're interested in a rundown of the mating habits of Hawaii's extinct avians, the psychology of mylar balloon fetishists, or a detailed analysis of the creation myth of the Yanomami Indians of the Amazon basin... well, Lorne's your man.
He's got numerous degrees in numerous esoteric fields of study, none of which could ever hope to offer him steady employment. How he pays his rent, feeds himself, and keeps his lights on is a topic of considerable speculation among his neighbors.
Lorne's buddies with Ben and Bloom, and a casual acquaintance of Scipio, Sonny, and Gene. He gives Reagan the creeps. He gives the Elliots change.
Sonny Bahzan is the nightmare of many immigrant families made flesh: The completely Americanized child. They didn't even name him Sonny in the first place; it's just that now, it's the only thing he'll answer to.
Born in Mallawi, Egypt, him and a good chunk of his nuclear and extended family packed it in and moved to Templar, Arizona when he was six. The first thing he learned was that America has lots and lots of candy. The second thing he learned is America has lots and lots of appallingly filthy swear words. He's never really fallen out of love with either.
When he's not cramming his weight in taffy down his throat, Sonny's langauge, delivered in perfect English and devoid of any accent, could spontaneously combust sailors. His family can only be grateful that his grandmother has no idea what he's saying in response when they suggest he find a better job, cut down on his Twix consumption, or consider a long-planned marriage to a old country girl back home.
Sonny plays bass guitar in Gene's band, Abide, and plays drifting offense on Scipio's diesel street-hockey team, Whipsmart. He knows Ben, Epiphany and Reagan, and is one of Zora's countless honorary uncles.
