Comrade Hero

You're most welcome. Thanks to all those talented artists who bring my characters to life.

Jeremy never ceases to impress with the work he does on creating wonderful visions.

Heh! I had hoped to have the five sequential pages colored by now, but I'll put them up in due course once they are completed (being flatted and colored as we speak).

David finished coloring the piece tonight, so have uploaded it above

And thank you - you're little gift managed to get through Customs here in New Zealand and was delivered this morning

Thanks muchly

Yay! Glad to hear that it was delivered.

On the flipside being colonized by the British was preferable to being colonized by the French, the Dutch, or the Spanish who had terrible reputations when it came to interacting with indigenous peoples.

And it's the right time of the year to come down to New Zealand - summer is in full swing.

Comrade Hero probably listens to the Red Army Choir and Band belting out a stirring rendition of Varshavyanka.

And then in private he goes to those nice little karaoke bars to sing with great gusto the songs of Frank Sinatra.... and errr.. Don't Stop Believin' by Journey.

Of course not! Your face is safe around me. Did that come out the way it sounds... he he.

But yes ritual cannibalism was practiced by my ancestors before the arrival of Europeans in the 1800's.

The practice was symbolic spiritualism. If you defeated a renowned and/or powerful opponent and ate certain parts of the vanquished body it was believed you gained qualities from that person's spiritual lifeforce - their mana.

Headhunting was also practiced. The shrunken heads (Mokomokai) were treasured by and treated with reverence, but were also sought after as trophies of war by opposing tribes.

The British eliminated all of these practices, but credit must also go to the missionaries who came to Aotearoa/New Zealand and preached the Gospel to the Tangata Whenua (the people of the land).

Funny enough...

I was a farmer's son - and the music I grew up to was typical of the Shearing Gangs that came out each year - Bob Marley, Midnight Oil, UB40, George Thorogood and the Destroyers and the Police.

By the time I hit High School I was pretty much into everything Metallica, and yet I still found the time to perform in the High School Kapa Haka Group and the Taupo and District's Highland Pipe Band.

I got roped into playing guitar for an 'alternative' band when I was 16 that never really went anywhere but I got exposed to The Pixies, Jane's Addiction, Cramps, Misfits, Black Flag, Mud Honey, Nirvana, Chris Knox, PJ Harvey, Liz Phair (pre-commercial stage), Goo Goo Dolls, JPS Experience, Smashing Pumpkins, Straitjacket Fits, The Chills etc.

Of the bands from my High School years, the only ones that I will occasionally listen to are the Pixies, Jane's Addiction and Nirvana.

I pretty much listen to different soundtracks these days - from music compilations to original scores. Hans Zimmer, Carter Burwell and Jesper Kyd are amongst my favorites.

What would Comrade Hero listen to? If I say tacky Euro-rock would you hold that against me. Hah!

Actually I hadn't considered that aspect of Comrade Hero before.

Tena koutou,
(Greetings to three or more)

Nga mihi o te wa me te Tau Hou!
(Wishing You All a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!)

Me te whakaaro nui,
(With kind thoughts)

James.

A little Te Reo Maori (Maori Language) for the Holiday Season.

All the best to you and your loved ones and family this Holiday Season, and may the Year of the Rabbit be especially bountiful for you all.

Agreed. Reminds me of the song by the Cramps - "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns"

Bikini girls with machine guns
Bikini girls with machine guns
All this stuff will kill ya, it's all loaded with fun
Bikini girls with machine guns

Indeed. War Bride tends to be shown lugging around her military grade hardware, so it's not often she is depicted as per the second piece by Jeremy. Glad you liked the first.

Thanks Vex, just been getting a lot of older pieces coming in now - which is very nice indeed!