FanArt_ink.Furious

MTGinktober feuds on Day 21, "Furious," starring Ghoulcaller Gisa and Stitcher Geralf getting ready to throw down, meanwhile Daxos the Returned and company do their best to break it up!

I was originally unsure whether or not to repeat any characters from last year, but I really, really wanted to redraw these two, not only because I wasn't too happy with last year's effort, but also because these guys really embody the season. A gothy, Hot-Topiccy duo is just perfect this time of year, plus Karla Ortiz's stuff is just killer and this is my way of paying homage to her incredible work and inspiration.

Fun Facts: I originally wanted to have them being broken up by Geralf's Messenger and some other notable zombie, or refereed by Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, but we were short on time as always, and waffling wasn't productive. In fact, before that, in my efforts not to repeat characters, I briefly entertained the idea of having the Twins of Maurer Estate be the feuding duo broken up by Evil Twin and his brother. After that, I thought of the compromise of the kids fighting on behalf of the Cecani siblings, like Pokemon. Still keeping that idea in my back pocket.

Easter Eggs: The background borrows from the Therosian background of Daxos the Returned's art, but also merges in Innistradian influences, like those tombstone with Avacyn's symbol and the onlooking zombies from last year, originally inspired by Ghoulcaller Gisa's background. But I also hid one of my favorite this-should-win-me-the-game-oh-wait-I-just-lost cards from M15 limited, Carrion Crow. I loved how powerful that card seemed it should be, but invariably, I had it the precise turn whenever I needed a blocker...I also used one of my favorite resources for emotional inspiration, the Colbert/Blunt sketch, which I finally got to tackle here. I also wanted to include Gisa's shovel, but couldn't quite work it into their pose, so I stashed in the background, which actually felt fitting.

Anyway, I'm positive I'll be drawing these two Cecanis again at some point. Karla Ortiz knocked it out of the park with them, as she is wont to do, and I had a killer idea for them midway through drawing this...for now, let this year be the year they got caught up over a zoning dispute on who gets to drudge up corpses where.

Not normal,

Reuxben