Patch Zircher
@patrickzircher.bsky.social
Writer. Artist. Colorist. Making new Solomon Kane adventures and Savage Sword of Conan stories for Heroic Signature & Titan Comics!
Drawn hundreds of comics for 'the other guys'.
Drawn hundreds of comics for 'the other guys'.
Pinned
Patch Zircher
@patrickzircher.bsky.social
· Dec 17
Writing, drawing, and coloring the adventures of Solomon Kane -- living Sword of Vengeance who wanders a fantastical 16th century.
I am also writing stories for The Savage Sword of Conan magazine, published by Heroic and Titan comics.
I love making these stories.
Thank you for looking.
I am also writing stories for The Savage Sword of Conan magazine, published by Heroic and Titan comics.
I love making these stories.
Thank you for looking.
:)
Thank you.
You'd think, with this amount of control, the story would be 'locked down'. But "it's alive!"-- scenes still shift and change, undergo refinement, nearly every day.
🎵
From my heart and from my hand
Plastic tubes and pots and pans
Bits and pieces
Bits and pieces
--and creation
🎵
Thank you.
You'd think, with this amount of control, the story would be 'locked down'. But "it's alive!"-- scenes still shift and change, undergo refinement, nearly every day.
🎵
From my heart and from my hand
Plastic tubes and pots and pans
Bits and pieces
Bits and pieces
--and creation
🎵
I love the One Man Army Corp deployment in your comics.
February 3, 2026 at 5:43 PM
:)
Thank you.
You'd think, with this amount of control, the story would be 'locked down'. But "it's alive!"-- scenes still shift and change, undergo refinement, nearly every day.
🎵
From my heart and from my hand
Plastic tubes and pots and pans
Bits and pieces
Bits and pieces
--and creation
🎵
Thank you.
You'd think, with this amount of control, the story would be 'locked down'. But "it's alive!"-- scenes still shift and change, undergo refinement, nearly every day.
🎵
From my heart and from my hand
Plastic tubes and pots and pans
Bits and pieces
Bits and pieces
--and creation
🎵
Reposted by Patch Zircher
In 1946, cartoonist & illustrator Noel Sickles was sent by Life magazine to sketch the Nuremberg trials. Here is his sketch of the execution of Joachim Von Ribbentrop, who claimed at trial that his boss had made all of the important decisions, & that he was only following orders.
December 2, 2024 at 9:15 AM
In 1946, cartoonist & illustrator Noel Sickles was sent by Life magazine to sketch the Nuremberg trials. Here is his sketch of the execution of Joachim Von Ribbentrop, who claimed at trial that his boss had made all of the important decisions, & that he was only following orders.
Be as self-satisfied and happy as my cat is when she pushes the bathroom door open.
February 3, 2026 at 10:47 AM
Be as self-satisfied and happy as my cat is when she pushes the bathroom door open.
Thanks :)
There's a mistake almost all schools make regarding essay writing. They don't encourage a love of essay reading first.
Enjoying reading essays is how I learned to enjoy writing them.
There's a mistake almost all schools make regarding essay writing. They don't encourage a love of essay reading first.
Enjoying reading essays is how I learned to enjoy writing them.
We weren't discouraged to write, we were made to write a LOT of essays instead of creative works.
Your school benefited the world greatly.
Your school benefited the world greatly.
February 3, 2026 at 7:57 AM
Thanks :)
There's a mistake almost all schools make regarding essay writing. They don't encourage a love of essay reading first.
Enjoying reading essays is how I learned to enjoy writing them.
There's a mistake almost all schools make regarding essay writing. They don't encourage a love of essay reading first.
Enjoying reading essays is how I learned to enjoy writing them.
I should teach people how to make comics.
It's not about then was good, now is bad.
Or now is good, then was bad.
It's about recognizing the good and applying it, wherever (whenever) it comes from.
It's not about then was good, now is bad.
Or now is good, then was bad.
It's about recognizing the good and applying it, wherever (whenever) it comes from.
February 3, 2026 at 7:43 AM
I should teach people how to make comics.
It's not about then was good, now is bad.
Or now is good, then was bad.
It's about recognizing the good and applying it, wherever (whenever) it comes from.
It's not about then was good, now is bad.
Or now is good, then was bad.
It's about recognizing the good and applying it, wherever (whenever) it comes from.
I love that colorist.
It's me :)
It's me :)
That mountain is great. You and the colorist both did an excellent job.
February 3, 2026 at 7:30 AM
I love that colorist.
It's me :)
It's me :)
These two pages demonstrate how I feel about it.
Drawing a background is important.
Focus-- and having just a suggestive background is also important.
Drawing a background is important.
Focus-- and having just a suggestive background is also important.
February 3, 2026 at 7:20 AM
These two pages demonstrate how I feel about it.
Drawing a background is important.
Focus-- and having just a suggestive background is also important.
Drawing a background is important.
Focus-- and having just a suggestive background is also important.
Really, 99% of what i post is intended as "this is how I'd do it" not "this is right and that is wrong".
It just gets tiresome to constantly qualify or excuse what I say. The downside of posting rather than face-to-face conversation, where a quick smile, grin, or shrug waves away contentiousness.
It just gets tiresome to constantly qualify or excuse what I say. The downside of posting rather than face-to-face conversation, where a quick smile, grin, or shrug waves away contentiousness.
There is a wide world of difference between “this is how I’d do it” and “this is right/wrong,” and so I like how you’re phrasing it because that helps me clarify it in my own head!
February 3, 2026 at 5:54 AM
Really, 99% of what i post is intended as "this is how I'd do it" not "this is right and that is wrong".
It just gets tiresome to constantly qualify or excuse what I say. The downside of posting rather than face-to-face conversation, where a quick smile, grin, or shrug waves away contentiousness.
It just gets tiresome to constantly qualify or excuse what I say. The downside of posting rather than face-to-face conversation, where a quick smile, grin, or shrug waves away contentiousness.
Just smelled fresh baked glazed donut so strongly I craved it.
There isn't one anywhere in the house.
This is, I guess, Phantosmia. I get it with whiskey, cigarettes, tuna noodle casserole, movie popcorn.
Apparently it's not good, as much as I kinda enjoy it:
There isn't one anywhere in the house.
This is, I guess, Phantosmia. I get it with whiskey, cigarettes, tuna noodle casserole, movie popcorn.
Apparently it's not good, as much as I kinda enjoy it:
February 3, 2026 at 5:46 AM
Just smelled fresh baked glazed donut so strongly I craved it.
There isn't one anywhere in the house.
This is, I guess, Phantosmia. I get it with whiskey, cigarettes, tuna noodle casserole, movie popcorn.
Apparently it's not good, as much as I kinda enjoy it:
There isn't one anywhere in the house.
This is, I guess, Phantosmia. I get it with whiskey, cigarettes, tuna noodle casserole, movie popcorn.
Apparently it's not good, as much as I kinda enjoy it:
Almost every time I ask Laura to take a reference photo (which isn't often or she'd remember) I have to say chest level, shoot from the chest level or even midriff.
It's one of the first things mentioned in most cinematography books.
The camera is lower than the eye throughout most movies we watch.
It's one of the first things mentioned in most cinematography books.
The camera is lower than the eye throughout most movies we watch.
February 3, 2026 at 5:25 AM
Almost every time I ask Laura to take a reference photo (which isn't often or she'd remember) I have to say chest level, shoot from the chest level or even midriff.
It's one of the first things mentioned in most cinematography books.
The camera is lower than the eye throughout most movies we watch.
It's one of the first things mentioned in most cinematography books.
The camera is lower than the eye throughout most movies we watch.
I agree. It's actually nervy that Kubrick chose that one-perspective shot so often. It's kind of 'alien' to how we think, and how we look around at the world, not centering our focus all the time.
This is extremely interesting to me because, as someone who’s not a professional artist, I find myself drifting against that sort of composition even while taking a photograph. I kinda increasingly like things off-center.
(Not like I’m looking at using Dutch angles all the time or anything.)
(Not like I’m looking at using Dutch angles all the time or anything.)
February 3, 2026 at 4:56 AM
I agree. It's actually nervy that Kubrick chose that one-perspective shot so often. It's kind of 'alien' to how we think, and how we look around at the world, not centering our focus all the time.
The older I get, the more I want to draw one-point perspective comic panels, the 'Kubrick' shot.
I don't know why, maybe there's an appeal to being unflinchingly direct, exposed. Or it's the anti-thesis of superhero work, which bounces everywhere. Or the attraction you feel to calm as you get older.
I don't know why, maybe there's an appeal to being unflinchingly direct, exposed. Or it's the anti-thesis of superhero work, which bounces everywhere. Or the attraction you feel to calm as you get older.
February 3, 2026 at 3:27 AM
The older I get, the more I want to draw one-point perspective comic panels, the 'Kubrick' shot.
I don't know why, maybe there's an appeal to being unflinchingly direct, exposed. Or it's the anti-thesis of superhero work, which bounces everywhere. Or the attraction you feel to calm as you get older.
I don't know why, maybe there's an appeal to being unflinchingly direct, exposed. Or it's the anti-thesis of superhero work, which bounces everywhere. Or the attraction you feel to calm as you get older.
There's so often two kinds of brain power.
The kid who gets "A+"s in English/Writing-related classes but stares at Algebra and Geometry like "Why are you doing this to me."
And the math wiz who screams at a Creative Writing course, "There are no definitive answers! That's just your opinion!"
The kid who gets "A+"s in English/Writing-related classes but stares at Algebra and Geometry like "Why are you doing this to me."
And the math wiz who screams at a Creative Writing course, "There are no definitive answers! That's just your opinion!"
February 3, 2026 at 2:49 AM
There's so often two kinds of brain power.
The kid who gets "A+"s in English/Writing-related classes but stares at Algebra and Geometry like "Why are you doing this to me."
And the math wiz who screams at a Creative Writing course, "There are no definitive answers! That's just your opinion!"
The kid who gets "A+"s in English/Writing-related classes but stares at Algebra and Geometry like "Why are you doing this to me."
And the math wiz who screams at a Creative Writing course, "There are no definitive answers! That's just your opinion!"
My wife arched her eyebrow when I bought this.
She knew.
She knew.
I bought Paradox: The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics.
And even though it's written in approachable language, about half way in I realized I'm more feeble-minded than I thought.
And even though it's written in approachable language, about half way in I realized I'm more feeble-minded than I thought.
February 3, 2026 at 2:35 AM
My wife arched her eyebrow when I bought this.
She knew.
She knew.
Whenever I think, "Hey, I'm pretty smart", I look at math formulas and return to normal.
February 3, 2026 at 2:16 AM
Whenever I think, "Hey, I'm pretty smart", I look at math formulas and return to normal.
It's like were in suspended animation-- except we're aging.
I regret to inform you that “1979” by Smashing Pumpkins was released in 1996, which is now 30 years ago. Meaning a similar song released in 2026 would be called “2009”
February 3, 2026 at 2:03 AM
It's like were in suspended animation-- except we're aging.
Reposted by Patch Zircher
One more by the great Raymond Carver
February 2, 2026 at 3:43 PM
One more by the great Raymond Carver
Reposted by Patch Zircher
Historians? I’m here now and can’t believe it!
February 2, 2026 at 9:18 PM
Historians? I’m here now and can’t believe it!
Assisting with inking over the pencils was a more common duty in the old American studios of the 30s thru 60s.
Even then there weren't many studios.
If an artist could draw great backgrounds, they could almost always draw the whole strip.
Drawing a street scene is no walk in the park.
Even then there weren't many studios.
If an artist could draw great backgrounds, they could almost always draw the whole strip.
Drawing a street scene is no walk in the park.
Thanks. I've wondered if when artists had assistants back in the day if one of their responsibilities was backgrounds (to some extent anyway).
February 3, 2026 at 12:18 AM
Assisting with inking over the pencils was a more common duty in the old American studios of the 30s thru 60s.
Even then there weren't many studios.
If an artist could draw great backgrounds, they could almost always draw the whole strip.
Drawing a street scene is no walk in the park.
Even then there weren't many studios.
If an artist could draw great backgrounds, they could almost always draw the whole strip.
Drawing a street scene is no walk in the park.
Reposted by Patch Zircher
Sherlock Holmes
Art by Jordi Bernet
Art by Jordi Bernet
February 2, 2026 at 11:11 PM
Sherlock Holmes
Art by Jordi Bernet
Art by Jordi Bernet
Background artist as a separate profession in comics has always been rare in American and European comics. There were a handful in the 90s. No more than that.
Were background artists prevalent in the 90s?
February 2, 2026 at 11:25 PM
Background artist as a separate profession in comics has always been rare in American and European comics. There were a handful in the 90s. No more than that.
Most artists struggle more with interior pages than pin-ups, but Billy Graham's best work is his interior pages. He just came alive when putting story elements together.
February 2, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Most artists struggle more with interior pages than pin-ups, but Billy Graham's best work is his interior pages. He just came alive when putting story elements together.
Reposted by Patch Zircher
Billy also drew a published CONAN Portfolio. en.todocoleccion.net/collectable/...
Conan - The Thing in the Crypt, de Billy Graham - Portafolio con seis láminas originales
Conan - The Thing in the Crypt, de Billy Graham - Portafolio con seis láminas originales
en.todocoleccion.net
February 2, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Billy also drew a published CONAN Portfolio. en.todocoleccion.net/collectable/...
Strange you mentioned that. Billy graham did draw Conan, in 1968 for editor Ted White and Fantastic magazine.
White hated it, wrote an apology to the readers, and fired Graham.
Now that's getting thrown under the bus.
White hated it, wrote an apology to the readers, and fired Graham.
Now that's getting thrown under the bus.
February 2, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Strange you mentioned that. Billy graham did draw Conan, in 1968 for editor Ted White and Fantastic magazine.
White hated it, wrote an apology to the readers, and fired Graham.
Now that's getting thrown under the bus.
White hated it, wrote an apology to the readers, and fired Graham.
Now that's getting thrown under the bus.
US Flag Code considers it desecration of the flag if it is altered in any way.
Patriot.
Patriot.
February 2, 2026 at 12:45 PM
US Flag Code considers it desecration of the flag if it is altered in any way.
Patriot.
Patriot.