Luke's Nostalgia
This is my place to remember (and share with those interested) some of my creative outputs from 'the old days.'
First up is a 'book' I wrote in 6th grade about Paul Bunyan. Here's the entertainingly terrible cover, the first page, and the illustration for page 3, with the next page bleeding through. I'm sad to admit my drawing skills haven't improved much since then.
Ever played Chip's Challenge? In it, you maneuver a character throughout a tiled level, using items to solve puzzles and mazes, while avoiding enemies. It's like a suped-up version of Sokoban. It inspired me to make my own, similar game called 'Hectic Hank.' I drew out the levels on graph paper to get the tiles aligned correctly. Here's the item guide and two sample levels: L82 and L92. If you know how all the items work and follow yourself through the levels, not only do they make sense, but they're kinda tricky in several spots!
Later, I dabbled in computer programming and did indeed make my own Hectic Hank-style video game! Using the MESH engine, I programmed dozens of new objects and made (with the help of some friends) over 400 new levels in a puzzle game called MESH: Superhero. screenshot one screenshot two screenshot three
Next up, some really old one-shot (Family Circus or Far Side style) cartoon 'jokes' I drew as a kid. Warning: they aren't funny, but as always, drugs help: one two
I always suspected Paul Bunyon was a two-toed, sexless, pasty, ever-grinning freak combing the forrests and fields for short legg-ed folding tables to chop to pieces with a devastating blow from his curving arrow flag.h
Yes, my research on this project was impeccable, and resulted in the most accurate portrayal of the legendary character to ever exist.
This brings back memories of when I used to write and illustrate my own books. Now I've switched to writing gangster movies, but I still have a deep fondness for stories like "Orlo and the Monkeywrench" (actual title of a story I wrote).
I have to say I never illustrated any of my own books, but when I was really small (early 60's), i'd "illustrate" in my mom's sewing manuals. Inside them were all these 50's drawings of kids wearing the clothes you could make with the patterns. I'd draw big looping, peeing penises on them all (male or female) as well what one seeing them today would describe as "dookey balls" coming out of their butts.
Little has changed for me as well; i'm still not potty trained and my wife hides all her magazinges. Thank God for "resident" catalogs!
I don't suppose you'd like to share any of them with us? :-)