Stick Figure Literature

Brighid’s Prank

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 1 Comment

BrighidsPrank

FIRST OFF: Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

SECOND OFF: I was looking up Roman holidays, because being the nerd that I am I try to pay attention to these things and I found out there was a celebration to Dionysos/Bacchus in March called the Lupercalia. I was trying to figure out what date it would line up with with the modern calendar and it turns out it would probably have started 16 March in the evening and continued on into 17 March, which, as many of you know,  is the supposed birth date of St. Patrick and when many people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by getting super smashed drunk and eating and having parades – not entirely unlike the ancient Lupercalia. So, of course, immediately my brain imagined this scene.

Have a good day lovelies! 😀

To Read the Next #tiatnr post, The Melodrama of Aphrodite, Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 3.2: Diomedes vs. Aeneas

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

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Ah, their obsession with horses. Although looking at Sthenelus’ bat-like-horse-ish-monstrosities, it makes more sense.

Also, Diomedes is holding a giant rock, NOT a giant potato. I just wanted to make that clear.

I don’t have much else to say with this one. Another short post. I have written the script for the next few posts so hopefully next week I won’t be as rushed, drawing comics THE DAY THEY Are DUE, but I doubt it, since I have EVEN MORE hours next week. UGH. But also YAY because monies.

You may be wondering Will We Ever Finish Chapter Five? The answer is absolutely not. Haha, just kidding. I have scripted out up to part 6.1 and I think I can finish it by 7.2 *fingers crossed* It will be the longest chapter so far, taking two months instead of one UGH. And I don’t think Chapter Six is going to be too much shorter. I was hoping to be finishing up Chapter 12 in August/September, but I don’t think that’s likely. Not unless further chapters are much shorter. But *shrugs* Who knows. ANYWAY. I shall stop rambling now and post this bad boy. Have a good day my lovelies! *throws eco-friendly glitter and poofs away*

To Read The Melodrama of Aphrodite Click HERE.

To Read a Random Comic about Brighid and St. Patrick’s Day Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 2.2: This Here Bow

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

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My translation uses the phrase “Full Speed Ahead” and it was too perfect I had to steal it. Thank you Stanley Lombardo.

I love Pandarus. He ended up having this random dialect. I honestly thought the introduction to Aeneas would be more momentous since he ends up having a whole epic written about him, but he sort of just appears, pushing his way through the crowd (because, remember, the Trojan soldiers have been retreating and they are really close together against the city wall). And then Pandarus steals the show. But that’s okay. I could have condensed this scene, but I really wanted my little Panda Man to have his moment to shine. We will give him this. Because he will not be given much more. *sniff sniff*

To Read The Death of Pandarus Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 2.1: The Wounding of Diomedes

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

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I know he’s violent and kills way too many Trojans, but I still love Diomedes. Notice he is still stealing horses. [If, you are curious, the names of the men he is standing on in the last frame are as follows: Astynous, Hypeiron, Abas, Polyidus, Xanthos and Thooan (who were brothers), Echemmon and Chromius (sons of Priam whose horse Diomedes steals).]

Also, Sthenelus amuses me.

ALSO: don’t forget I am changing to Monday & Wednesday postings (which is why this is posted on a Monday).

ALSO ALSO: Have a good day, lovelies!

To Read This Here Bow Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 1.2: The Death of Trojans

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

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Athena randomly being angry at Ares and pulling him aside seems kind of sudden and odd – – until we remember that Athena just gave the Argives an advantage and wants to be sure Ares doesn’t think to do the same. She wants the Argives to have as much time as possible to kill as many Trojans as possible.

I find Idomeneus to be slightly unhinged and his brother Meriones as being a bit bloodthirsty. I also see both counting the deaths they deal as sacrifices to their gods. I’m not sure why I’m thinking this? I don’t know much about early Crete… But that’s what Idomeneus is doing in the fourth panel, looking up to his god and trying to honour Him with Phaestus’ death. I’m not sure that Phaestus appreciates this…

Honestly, this part of the story I find to be very depressing and I found myself emotional as I drew it. Homer gives us these little windows into the lives of the Trojans who are being killed. The question is why? Are we supposed to feel bad for them? To see their deaths as useless and pointless? Or maybe it’s supposed to make us feel like their deaths are valid. Phereclus has a really horribly painful death – – but he IS the one who made the ships for Paris, so this war is, in some respects, his fault. Pedaeus is an illegitimate son. And yet… Phaestus was just a local Trojan ally. Odios probably was as well. Scamandrios has dedicated himself to Artemis, which means he would have been a young, virgin dude who really had no business being at war. Hypsenor was the son of a priest. Did any of these guys really deserve to die? I think Homer is saying, “Absolutely not.” Which. Is not surprising. The Iliad is usually thought of as a Greek work, because it has come down to us from Greeks. However, Homer is said to be from Lydia. Lydia is in Asia Minor. He was from the same area as Trojans. The Iliad is often way more pro-Trojan than pro-Achaean/Argive/Greek. The Greeks are vicious and bloodthirsty and angry and cruel. The Trojans are merely trying to defend their city.

I think this is especially clear when we consider the final panel. The Argives toil in war, but the Trojans that they have just killed? They are traders and merchants, craftsmen and artisans, farmers and shepherds. They are innocent.

To Read The Wounding of Diomedes Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 1.1: Diomedes Descends

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 3 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read Book 4 Recap Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

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I find it interesting that Athena chooses Diomedes to grant special strength to, considering how she is the patron of Odysseus all throughout the Odyssey, one might think that Odysseus gets to be the hero. HOWEVER, Odysseus is less war hero and more tactician, when Diomedes, well, I believe Diomedes is able to more easily connect with the spiritual world. I think he’s the only Argive who would be able to receive the gift Athena gives him – – but this is all conjecture.

ALSO, Phegeus’ brother Idaeus should never have left his brother’s body behind. The fact that Hephaistos is willing to save this coward does NOT leave him in a good light. BUT, I really like that Hephaistos is shown as being compassionate and that we have a glimpse of him grieving. I drew Idaeus to look a bit like Hephaistos in order to show the almost familial connection he has with the god-smith.

ALSO, this is not the first time Diomedes steals horses and it won’t be the last. He is ALWAYS stealing horses. Always. I’m not entirely sure why this is important, but eventually I’ll figure it out and share the information with you.

ALSO, I enjoy Panic and Terror.

As a side note: I’m probably going to shift to posting on Mondays and Wednesdays (with the Occasional Friday), since I’m going to start posting Random Writing Prompts over at the NaomiRuth Facebook page.

To Read The Death of Trojans Click HERE.

Book 4, Part 3.2: Revenge Pleases Eris

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

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I love how Homer wraps up this mini story about Simoeisius inside of this great epic about war and rage. The image of this young dead boy as this rotting tree trunk is visually engaging and I wish I could paint better, because I would paint this scene.

The idea of death begetting more death and how revenge only results in more pain and more grief comes out so clearly in this mini Odysseus moment.

On a less serious note: when Apollo is shouting at the Trojans all I could imagine was that scene from the Princess Bride when the guy at the gate keeps shouting: “Stand your ground, men! Stand your ground!” Which was fairly distracting while I was drawing that panel. I had to re-draw Apollo because it was so bad the first time.

I was not expecting Eris to have the presence that She does, but it’s appropriate, and I have a feeling She’s going to continue to pop up unexpectedly.

AND that’s it for Book 4. We will have a recap on Friday of what all happened in Book 4 and then we shall continue on to Book 5 on Sunday. Book 5 is centered on Diomedes. I have drafted the script for Parts 1.1 and 1.2. ALSO, Aeneas is going to show up, FINALLY.

To Read Book 4: Recap Click HERE.
To Start Book 5, Diomedes Descends Click HERE.

Book 4, Part 3.1: First Blood

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

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While I have been incredibly affected by my reading of The War of Achilles by Caroline Alexander, I have to say re-reading this chapter really makes me look at it through the anti-war lens. People die, horrible, in stupid, useless deaths, for no good reason at all. Again and again we are told the victim’s names, their stories – – especially the Trojan.

More death is coming in 3.2: Revenge Pleases Eris.

Book 4, Part 2.2: Agamemnon is Annoying and Eris Awaits

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

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Don’t mess with Odysseus, hehehe…

ALSO, I drew Diomedes with a little bit of scruff to show that time has past, because I feel like so much time has gone by with people just staring at each other or being dramatic.

Sthenelus looks a lot like how I drew Macbeth back when I was teaching. Whoops.

Also, also: yes. I have a ridiculous love of Alliteration that borders on the absurd. Shhh…

In the second to last panel you will see Terror and Panic. Panic actually showed up riding a horse in one of the previous posts. If you can find him you will prove that you have way too much time on your hands. Haha… Ahem. Sorry. One day I will actually have prizes of some sort that I will award you. I’ll be working on that this month *fingers crossed*

ANYWAYS. Next week will be “First Blood” and everything gets serious for awhile. If there is humour it will be rather macabre. BUT ALSO DIOMODES is going to be starring in most of Book 5 & 6, so we can all look forward to that.

Thank you, lovelies, and have a wonderful rest of your day!

To Read First Blood Click HERE.