Author: softmanpillowboy

Posted on June 27, 2020 by softmanpillowboy

Finally, our first multi-part comic comes to an end! You can read Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 over here.

Fun fact: I realized that in the previous parts, there were a few moments where Softboy wasn’t holding the Dick Deadeye hat. I decided to make these errors an official part of the comic by having Softboy canonically drop the hat.

Also, this is the first real story-related appearance for the Butterfly Bear! Their Josephine costume is based on the HMS Pinafore production that inspired this whole comic.

If you liked this adventure and want to see more, make sure to follow this blog, or consider visiting my Ko-Fi page. 

Posted on June 20, 2020 by softmanpillowboy

We’re back to our regularly scheduled programming with Part 4 of our first multi-part comic, in which I apparently decided to not use any backgrounds whatsoever. You can find Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, and Part 5 here!

Fun facts: If you’re wondering who is directing the Chrisville Theater Society’s production of HMS Pinafore, it’s (obviously) Chris. However, it’s not unheard of for a toy to direct a show. 

In panel 5, Chris is reading the Gilbert and Sullivan treasury that can be spotted in Part 1.

Since I was running out of time to finish the comic this week, the penultimate panel contains a modified reused illustration from my thesis project, The Adventures of Softboy Pillowman.

If you don’t want to miss the next part, make sure to follow this blog! And please consider visiting my Ko-Fi page. 

Posted on June 13, 2020 by softmanpillowboy

A little something special for Pride Month! Softboy Pillowman says gay rights :3

We’ll be back with regular comics next week, so stay tuned. 

Fun fact: Each of the toys in this drawing are representing their specific identities. (Softboy and Madame Croc are trans, Leo is bi, and the Butterfly Bear is genderfluid). Even if you don’t see your specific pride colors here, rest assured that Softboy Pillowman and the rest of the toys in Chrisville support all parts of the LGBT community. 

If you like this art, make sure to follow the blog and consider visiting my Ko-Fi page. 

Posted on June 6, 2020 by softmanpillowboy

It looks like today, we have a very special comic indeed.

From the ages of 5-12, I wanted to be a police officer. For years, I dreamed of this because I wanted to save people. I wanted to defend my community from “bad guys”, to help bring justice and order to a chaotic world.

Now, I’ve grown up and I know better. 

Racism and police brutality may be hard to talk about, but it is utterly cruel to condone their existence in our lives. Our police system has become so racist and corrupt that countless officers mistreat and murder innocent people of color, and now they are attacking peaceful protesters without a shred of guilt or hesitation. It’s impossible to believe in the forces of law and order when these deaths are allowed to continue with little justice done in their aftermath, or when police assault protestors and reporters with tear gas and brute force, all to make way for an egotistical idiot’s photo-op.

Parents, talk to your kids about this. It’s a heartbreaking subject, but it’s an important one. Teach them that while racism and police brutality are undoubtedly a part of our lives, they don’t have to be. Teach them that they can fight to make things better, even if they are unable to attend a protest. Teach them that they have the right to grow up to be respected adults in a much more peaceful world.

If you have the money to spare, then please consider donating to charities that support the black community (such as Black Lives Matter, Color of Change, and Black Visions Collective) and bail funds for protestors, as well as the George Floyd Memorial Fund to support the Floyd family. Feel free to find and share even more places to support in the fight against injustice and oppressive systems.

Posted on May 30, 2020 by softmanpillowboy

It’s time for part three of our first multi-comic story, in which I realize that it’s hard to keep coming up with exciting angles for a conversation between two people. You can find Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 4 here, and Part 5 here.

Fun facts: Here is the first appearance of another background character: Wagon Wheels the Yeti. She is a very sweet cryptid plushie and another blatant Classic Doctor Who reference. She has been cast as a member of the female chorus for this production of HMS Pinafore.

The Chrisville Theater Society’s production bears many visual resemblances to a version of HMS Pinafore that I was in a year ago. (In fact, Softboy is playing my role as a member of the chorus.) The costumes in the comic are only half-finished, but most are clearly inspired by what we wore then. However, Madame Croc’s Little Buttercup costume and Wagon Wheel’s sister/cousin/aunt costume are of my own design. 

If you don’t want to miss the next part, make sure to follow this blog! And please consider visiting my Ko-Fi page.

Posted on May 23, 2020 by softmanpillowboy
image
image

Here’s the second installment of our first multi-part story! You can read the first part here, the third part here, the fourth part here, and the fifth part here.

Fun fact: If these comics were allowed to go into PG-13 territory, Dirk would’ve used a much more obvious and naughty insult for the HMS Pinafore’s name. (Actually, if you would like to see a “Softboy After Bedtime” segment featuring jokes that were cut for being too mature, let me know!)

If you don’t want to miss the next part, make sure to follow this blog! And please consider visiting my Ko-Fi page.

Posted on May 16, 2020 by softmanpillowboy

Get ready for our first multi-part comic everybody! This takes place before the residents of Chrisville learn about the lockdown, which can be seen here. You can find the second part here, the third part here, the fourth part here, and the fifth part here.

Fun facts: As you can see, a couple of new (as in, not previously introduced) residents of Chrisville are in the male chorus of the Chrisville Theater Society’s production of HMS Pinafore. Their names are Velvel Fox and Jamie McBear, and they actually play a small part in the original Softboy trilogy I wrote for my thesis. I didn’t write/draw individual introductions for them, though, because I haven’t yet planned for them to have major roles in the comic. 

Also, the book the Theater Society is reading from is based on a real collection of Gilbert and Sullivan music and librettos that I have at home. 

If you don’t want to miss the next part, make sure to follow this blog! And please consider visiting my Ko-Fi page. 

Posted on May 9, 2020 by softmanpillowboy

SOFTBOY NO

Chris hasn’t been to a funeral yet, so he only has a small idea of what happens during them. He assumes that there’s a part where you get snacks and drinks. Having so many people show up for a long period of time and not having refreshments? Now that would be miserable.

Fun(?) fact: If you’re wondering how a toy can “die,” this was due to Squeaky Jr accidentally coming into contact with a dog. Dogs may be cute, but you never want to risk putting a plush toy near one. 

If you like this comic, be sure to follow the blog or visit my Ko-Fi page!

Posted on May 2, 2020 by softmanpillowboy

More tales from the Chrisville quarantine! Technically, all of the toys could be considered as “living together,” since they all live in Chris’s bedroom. However, Softboy and Leo live in the same cardboard box house, which is what Leo is referring to. Also, if you’re wondering how a plush lion toy has an armchair, Chris will occasionally ask his parents for dollhouse furniture so he doesn’t have to handmake every single part of Chrisville. 

Fun facts: if you look closely, you can see that the “Funnies” strips are 1) a Loss reference (I’m so sorry) and 2) a rudimentary comic from the in-universe Grumpy Grey franchise (I believe I’ve mentioned it before; basically it’s this universe’s equivalent of Garfield)

Also, this was my most recent homework assignment for my Experimental Narratives class! We had to write and illustrate a 4-panel comic. I tried my best to do something that played with the format and boundaries of a 4-panel comic, and then realized I’d rather draw original fluff instead. (My classmates were largely underwhelmed. I am unappreciated in my time.)

If you like this comic, remember to follow the blog or visit my Ko-Fi page!

Posted on April 25, 2020 by softmanpillowboy

Guess who finally watched a production of The Phantom of the Opera on YouTube?

I feel it is important to note that Softboy and Leo don’t see the relationship between the Phantom and Christine as particularly romantic, and especially not something to strive for. This is not so much a couples’ casting, and more of a “we wanted to perform this song together because we find it fun” casting. Also, if the Chrisville Theater Society were to put on their own production of Phantom, Dirk would be the best fit for the title role. (And Christine’s role would most likely go to the Butterfly Bear)

The main reason Softboy loves casting himself as Phantom and Leo as Christine is because Leo has a very pretty voice, and there’s nothing Softboy loves more than shouting “SING FOR MEEEEE!” while Leo does the tricky part of “The Phantom of the Opera” (in a lower register).