Thanks for the wonderful reception to the launch of our comic Gumball Man. Sorry to leave you in the proverbial gutter since. The next page shall appear right here in your inbox in 1 week — on April 26th.
As previously mentioned, the gutter is the space between panels… a space where a lot can happen in the reader’s mind. I just never expected my friends to be so gutter-minded in corresponding their expectations as to what awaits our fair youth Timothy.
Take it easy, folks. Some of you make us feel like we can’t tell a story featuring a secreting stranger guiding a child into a public bathroom anymore. I’m sure the lad will be fine… I hope…. Either way, we will find out soon.
Despite the depravity unleashed within the headspace of my nearest and dearest, Trina and I — Tyler — are very charged up by the positive response to our last post where we unveiled the world we are creating. Sincerest of thanks for the flattering outreach and genuine enthusiasm. As predicted, everyone is as excited to see what Trina is cooking up for this story as I am.
While we are in the proverbial gutter waiting for more, Trina preemptively made the attached video where we can see her at work. A peek into the process behind page 1, panel 4.
Check it out above ⬆️⬆️
In the video, not only do we get to see Todd being brought to life for his first appearance, but Trina angled the shot to include L’il Timothy AND slapped on some gumball-pink nail polish for the occasion.
Full disclosure: I thought that last observation marked a moment of personal growth for me given my pattern of past failure in noticing the polish selections of the various fingernail painters whom have orbited my self-absorbed existence. Painted nails are typically presented to me with disappointment towards my not noticing, matched only by the disappointment at my muted reaction once brought to my attention. I assumed my actual noticing of Trina’s perfectly occasioned decoration of a keratin canvas would absolve me of all past transgressions. Here is a transcription of her reaction to judge for yourself: “What” “Where!” “Did I? Lol”
Let me know how this should be interpreted in the comments. (or if you’d like to ask Trina any questions about what it is like to be fucking awesome at art)
For those curious as to the origins of the catchy tune playing beneath the video, I invite you to check out the music of Good Hive with this link: 'Candy' official music video
The candy sweet vocals belong to Jamal Semaan on the left. Coating his throat with actual candy on the right is the musician Curta. If you are reading this, there is an incredibly high probability that you were “hipped” to our Substack after the drop of page 1 by Curta himself.
Curta is a big supporter of Gumball Man and we very much appreciate him. However, the enthusiasm ran away with him upon hearing we would have no page to meet his fix this week. The fiend began frantically trying to create Gumball Man art of his own with a collaborator befitting such back alley desperation:
My casual threat of lawsuit (as previously stated will be handled by our very own AI Lawyer) did not deter his craven need for more Gumball Man:
For those of you human “legal types” who will claim I am clearly egging him on with specific requests — Know that I have but one goal: To prove there is currently no Gumball Man like ours in the rendering database of other’s creativity known as AI Art.
And I am frankly offended by the suggestion that I am using the attention drawing AI Controversy and word combos like “David Mazzucchelli art”, or “Brian Bolland art” to rick-roll could be Substack subscribers into discovering and following our work.
But in the event that is what happened — and you are deeply digging the vibe of Curta’s relationship with the ingenuity regurgitation system — and also loved the new box-office smash ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ (which I just processed literally has the word “Movie” in the title) — then perhaps a sneak peek at the process behind Curta’s own potential comic will be of interest:
Wario, Mike Tyson, and blaspheme? Hitting on all key-word cylinders if you ask me.
Who is stealing from who now?
Fret not — we have pure, uncut Trina Dasgupta art headed your way NEXT WEEK with scripts by me, the other TD, Tyler Danna.
If you would like to glance at Trina’s creative playground in the meantime — where she occasionally posts experimental sketches when breaking loose from an impressive career creating both animation AND comics.. you can scope her instagram here: Trinscope
Thank you so much for being an early, patient supporter as we get the result of this endlessly rewarding collaboration up to speed —
-The TDs
If you don’t like the comic, at least come back for future installments of my rambling to learn how Curta has pledged his body to the project as an offering.
LIFE IN THE GUTTER