Unity/Sweetheart Sketch
Shaenon here. Thought we’d share some random sketches and stuff on Sundays.
This was one of the earliest sketches I sent Jeffrey when we started tossing around ideas for Skin Horse. Sweetheart was much more long-muzzled and aquiline in these early doodles. Eventually I started making her look more like a sled dog. I still don’t feel like I have a handle on her visually, but hopefully I’ll get better with time.
Unity’s character design reflects my deep-seated desire to draw the hairstyles of two of my favorite comic-book villainesses, Harley Quinn and the obscure Marvel character Deadly Nightshade.
Meanwhile, Channing says: I really like this picture. I used it as my desktop for a while. My early drafts of Unity were written with the presumption that she’d be wearing a trenchcoat or something, which is all well and good, because, hey, trenchcoat, but I fell in love with the sweatshirt look the moment I saw it. This is an outfit that screams “I’m still a juvenile delinquent at heart!” which really worked into my portion of her scripting well.
Sweetheart here pictured is, as Shaenon notes above, not a terribly good snow dog. She looks kind of like a Sloughie, but then there’s that tail and chest ruff which suggest a Collie-like component to her as well. It’s an attractive but not terribly practical build for the environment she comes from, and all in all, I’m happy with the changes that took place for the “final” version.
Justin Grubbs (the_purple_knight) says: This is the absolutely coolest thing ever. I’m getting the first post in because I accidentally got switched over to this at exactly midnight. I haven’t really got much to say, I just thought this was cool.
Dave Van Domelen (dvandom) says: Heh. I just finished reading a Deadly Nightshade story (Essential Power Man and Iron Fist vol 1). Deadly Nightshade, the most dangerous jailbait in the Marvel U. (Okay, she’s an adult now, but she was 16 when she first faced Captain America.)
Rachel (admiralshazbot) says:
This early Sweetheart looks much more like a dog who should be named “Sweetheart.” She’s almost Disneyish, but in a good way.
I can’t wait to find out more about Unity. (Heh, I finally got the pun in her name tonight.)
Rachel S. (masamage) says:
Hey, if anyone has a picture of Deadly Nightshade, consider uploading it to Wikipedia, because I’ve just discovered her article doesn’t have one. 🙂
So It Begins (soitbegins) says: So her name really is Sweetheart. I was wondering.
Ed Gedeon (eddurd) says:
Cool t-shirt under the hoodie. Did she knit it herself? Do people keep asking her “You knit tee?” Is that why she’s so violent? Should I shut up now?
No, no, no, and yes.
Ed Gedeon (eddurd) says: P.S. I finished my broccoli.
Steve Ford (sford) says: The new Sweetheart is better for the comic. For one thing, for all her beauty and grace, the sketched version is NOT the type of dog who would climb up on a roof. Also, her broad face and square muzzle will give you much more canvass on which to be expressive.
bzzzzd (bzzzzd) says:
The original Sweetheart looks like a transgenic Bambi.
And I think either Mr. Ed’s monitor is fuzzy or mine is too small, ‘cuz I can’t tell the shirt is knitted.
bzzzzd (bzzzzd) says:
“The original Sweetheart looks like a transgenic Bambi.”
Dear God, did I say that out loud? Please forgive me, Shaenon, really. And for misspelling your name in a previous post. And for drooling all over the screen while reading certain previous strip strips. And for stealing that nickel when I was five. And for sounding like Dave when Helen was having her way with him in her lab (actually I was rather jealous at the time, esp. later hehehehe).
Ed Gedeon (eddurd) says: bzzzzd: You called me “Mr. Ed”. Please put your affairs in order; your days are numbered.
Justin Grubbs (the_purple_knight) says: Actually I do have something to say now. I was kind of hoping for at least one mailbag day. I mean, without mailbag day we would never have met Dave Barker. How can this comic survive without something random and pointless like that? I just don’t know. On the other hand I’m sure the authors do.
Justin Grubbs (the_purple_knight) says:
Oh, and is Unity’s light hair blonde or white?
Justin Grubbs (the_purple_knight) says: And what does the K in Shaenon’s name stand for?
Justin Grubbs (the_purple_knight) says: And I want a cookie too.
Rockphed (rockphed) says:
“The original Sweetheart looks like a transgenic Bambi.”
I noticed that too. I think it looks creepy.
Looked up Deadly Nightshade. Yes, some resemblance, especially to some of the images.