Alzamon || アルサもン || Comics & Character Design
@alzamon.bsky.social
Alberto Gonzalez / Costa Rican 🇨🇷 children's illustrator, middle grade comics author, character designer and multi-trick pony. My nick is my shortened full name. More about me at go.alzamon.com
The circle that was opened to me in 1988 sort of closed last year when a longtime dream of mine finally became true: Visit the Billy Ireland Museum in Columbus, OH, where most of Calvin and Hobbes original strips are kept, preserved and exhibited. You're walking in American comics history there.
November 18, 2025 at 5:20 PM
The circle that was opened to me in 1988 sort of closed last year when a longtime dream of mine finally became true: Visit the Billy Ireland Museum in Columbus, OH, where most of Calvin and Hobbes original strips are kept, preserved and exhibited. You're walking in American comics history there.
I recall very well that I found this first C&H strip repulsive (guess it was Watterson's goal) and the contrast between the hyper realistic renderings of the bug and the crude, in comparison, drawings of the last panel quite odd. Was this supposed to be funny? What is happening here?
November 18, 2025 at 5:20 PM
I recall very well that I found this first C&H strip repulsive (guess it was Watterson's goal) and the contrast between the hyper realistic renderings of the bug and the crude, in comparison, drawings of the last panel quite odd. Was this supposed to be funny? What is happening here?
In the 1980s, Mom was a top executive secretary at the local factory of a certain tire company based in Akron, Ohio. Quite often, top execs brought copies of the Akron Beacon Journal from their flights and, knowing these had comics, asked her to bring them in as they would otherwise be trashed.
November 18, 2025 at 5:20 PM
In the 1980s, Mom was a top executive secretary at the local factory of a certain tire company based in Akron, Ohio. Quite often, top execs brought copies of the Akron Beacon Journal from their flights and, knowing these had comics, asked her to bring them in as they would otherwise be trashed.
40 years of C&H. Holy moley.
Think this deserves to tell you how I first knew about the strip living far away from the US, before Internet, before the books, before all of that.
And this strip here was the very first one I saw of C&H. Talk about an introduction.
(Thread 🧵⬇️)
Think this deserves to tell you how I first knew about the strip living far away from the US, before Internet, before the books, before all of that.
And this strip here was the very first one I saw of C&H. Talk about an introduction.
(Thread 🧵⬇️)
November 18, 2025 at 5:20 PM
40 years of C&H. Holy moley.
Think this deserves to tell you how I first knew about the strip living far away from the US, before Internet, before the books, before all of that.
And this strip here was the very first one I saw of C&H. Talk about an introduction.
(Thread 🧵⬇️)
Think this deserves to tell you how I first knew about the strip living far away from the US, before Internet, before the books, before all of that.
And this strip here was the very first one I saw of C&H. Talk about an introduction.
(Thread 🧵⬇️)
A big clap to me of the past 👏👏 who thought moving all domain and caching management to CF was a genius idea.
(In my defense, half of the internet also did) 🫠
(In my defense, half of the internet also did) 🫠
November 18, 2025 at 1:55 PM
A big clap to me of the past 👏👏 who thought moving all domain and caching management to CF was a genius idea.
(In my defense, half of the internet also did) 🫠
(In my defense, half of the internet also did) 🫠
So, which part of this "middle ground" they're not getting
November 17, 2025 at 10:02 PM
So, which part of this "middle ground" they're not getting
Welp, guess there goes my 22-yr-old "free" hosting which has self-paid through referrals all this time.
It's a not small part of why I've felt free to experiment with websites and vanity web projects, and it couldn't come at a more inconvenient time (for me).
Need to come up with something asap 🥹
It's a not small part of why I've felt free to experiment with websites and vanity web projects, and it couldn't come at a more inconvenient time (for me).
Need to come up with something asap 🥹
November 17, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Welp, guess there goes my 22-yr-old "free" hosting which has self-paid through referrals all this time.
It's a not small part of why I've felt free to experiment with websites and vanity web projects, and it couldn't come at a more inconvenient time (for me).
Need to come up with something asap 🥹
It's a not small part of why I've felt free to experiment with websites and vanity web projects, and it couldn't come at a more inconvenient time (for me).
Need to come up with something asap 🥹
So, this wknd I want to refine the extended synopsis of my GN script and this is how I lay out dialogues, novel-like. I’m not thinking in panels at this point. And yes I use em dashes a lot. You think some editor will dismiss it thinking it’s eye-aye? That strikes me as stupid but I had to ask.
November 15, 2025 at 6:52 PM
So, this wknd I want to refine the extended synopsis of my GN script and this is how I lay out dialogues, novel-like. I’m not thinking in panels at this point. And yes I use em dashes a lot. You think some editor will dismiss it thinking it’s eye-aye? That strikes me as stupid but I had to ask.
"Fun with Peanuts" (fifth, from top) was the one found at my parent's home and which eventually introduced me to the comic and the man. As in the dominoes meme, I got way more of this than I bargained for.
November 13, 2025 at 1:25 PM
"Fun with Peanuts" (fifth, from top) was the one found at my parent's home and which eventually introduced me to the comic and the man. As in the dominoes meme, I got way more of this than I bargained for.
It's this
November 11, 2025 at 12:21 AM
It's this
November 10, 2025 at 5:01 PM
As the rest of family unit wasn't going to let me pass another week without Christmas'ing the house, and I had zero fuel to do anything else, deeds were done and now I just need some season tamales for breakfast 🫔🎄🎅
November 8, 2025 at 4:19 AM
As the rest of family unit wasn't going to let me pass another week without Christmas'ing the house, and I had zero fuel to do anything else, deeds were done and now I just need some season tamales for breakfast 🫔🎄🎅
Today in things happening on my town: A handmade, non-digital drawing contest where they give you 3 hours to make whatever they'll ask you to. While this is not an anti-AI thing in itself, I personally welcome anything that keeps human talent relevant. (and artists retain artwork rights)
November 5, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Today in things happening on my town: A handmade, non-digital drawing contest where they give you 3 hours to make whatever they'll ask you to. While this is not an anti-AI thing in itself, I personally welcome anything that keeps human talent relevant. (and artists retain artwork rights)
So everything is still terrible but I've got some non-terrible news for your Tuesday: I've cleaned up my portfolio act featuring new stuff I've done front and center, a newsletter relaunch (due tomorrow, subscribe! 🙏🏻) and all-around goodness. Like and share! 😬
As always, it's at 👉🏻 alzamon.com
As always, it's at 👉🏻 alzamon.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:11 PM
So everything is still terrible but I've got some non-terrible news for your Tuesday: I've cleaned up my portfolio act featuring new stuff I've done front and center, a newsletter relaunch (due tomorrow, subscribe! 🙏🏻) and all-around goodness. Like and share! 😬
As always, it's at 👉🏻 alzamon.com
As always, it's at 👉🏻 alzamon.com
Good to hear 😊 I also use the keyboard on CSP a lot and got tired of hauling a keyboard everywhere so I got this for the iPad instead. Way cheaper than CSP's own Tabmate and works with any other apps.
www.8bitdo.com/micro/
www.8bitdo.com/micro/
November 4, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Good to hear 😊 I also use the keyboard on CSP a lot and got tired of hauling a keyboard everywhere so I got this for the iPad instead. Way cheaper than CSP's own Tabmate and works with any other apps.
www.8bitdo.com/micro/
www.8bitdo.com/micro/
I think I have a clue but alas, as you say not a thing in the US: the weekly / bi-weekly kid magazines I've seen in Europe (some of my collection in photo). In contrast, the American comics conventions were never adopted in Europe so that's a key factor to consider. (cont'd)
November 1, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I think I have a clue but alas, as you say not a thing in the US: the weekly / bi-weekly kid magazines I've seen in Europe (some of my collection in photo). In contrast, the American comics conventions were never adopted in Europe so that's a key factor to consider. (cont'd)
Good luck to trick-or-treaters tonight! Happy Halloween! 👻🎃
October 31, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Good luck to trick-or-treaters tonight! Happy Halloween! 👻🎃
"A properly designed character should always have a readable silhouette"
October 31, 2025 at 3:44 AM
"A properly designed character should always have a readable silhouette"
Prior to creating Daniel I was fooling around with mice characters, still very influenced by some animated movies I got to know at the time. This (left) is one of his very first drawings around 1994. At right, how he looks today. He got joined by other OC friends over the years.
#dailyOCs
#dailyOCs
October 30, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Prior to creating Daniel I was fooling around with mice characters, still very influenced by some animated movies I got to know at the time. This (left) is one of his very first drawings around 1994. At right, how he looks today. He got joined by other OC friends over the years.
#dailyOCs
#dailyOCs
It's been - what, months? since I last was able to draw something just because, not commissions, not submissions, not pitch material and... well this Watterson quote always lives rent free in my head. (fragment of a longer C&H Sunday strip)
October 30, 2025 at 12:52 AM
It's been - what, months? since I last was able to draw something just because, not commissions, not submissions, not pitch material and... well this Watterson quote always lives rent free in my head. (fragment of a longer C&H Sunday strip)
Mom still calls us spoiled brats because we used to have some of these. I had this Sesame Street clubhouse, the house itself was nearly indestructible and kept it for decades until I had to make space and gifted it to other young hands.
October 29, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Mom still calls us spoiled brats because we used to have some of these. I had this Sesame Street clubhouse, the house itself was nearly indestructible and kept it for decades until I had to make space and gifted it to other young hands.
A common interest helps lots. Granted the physical dimensionality further enriches the rapport and makes the connection really-real, but lacking that, getting along in a civil manner with people does go a long way.
Ergo, be a digital capybara 😅
Ergo, be a digital capybara 😅
October 28, 2025 at 9:17 PM
A common interest helps lots. Granted the physical dimensionality further enriches the rapport and makes the connection really-real, but lacking that, getting along in a civil manner with people does go a long way.
Ergo, be a digital capybara 😅
Ergo, be a digital capybara 😅
Que me aventuré a un pedido transatlántico 🇪🇸 ➡️ 🇨🇷 con @fandogamia.com y me ha hecho feliz por fin tener entre manos la obra de @arkaitzart.bsky.social y @paulacheshire.bsky.social entre otros. Recién terminé Astrid (ya dije que era fan, Arkaitz 👍). Seguimos. 😊
October 28, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Que me aventuré a un pedido transatlántico 🇪🇸 ➡️ 🇨🇷 con @fandogamia.com y me ha hecho feliz por fin tener entre manos la obra de @arkaitzart.bsky.social y @paulacheshire.bsky.social entre otros. Recién terminé Astrid (ya dije que era fan, Arkaitz 👍). Seguimos. 😊
544 pages, I can't even. 🥲
Here's a 400-page gn of a local artist colleague (sadly not on bsky). Told me he did the (detailed, realistic) penciling in 9 months straight. "It was the pandemic and we had nothing else to do" 🙃
Yes the 1950s car is the bookmark. Plenty still riding in Cuba.
Here's a 400-page gn of a local artist colleague (sadly not on bsky). Told me he did the (detailed, realistic) penciling in 9 months straight. "It was the pandemic and we had nothing else to do" 🙃
Yes the 1950s car is the bookmark. Plenty still riding in Cuba.
October 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
544 pages, I can't even. 🥲
Here's a 400-page gn of a local artist colleague (sadly not on bsky). Told me he did the (detailed, realistic) penciling in 9 months straight. "It was the pandemic and we had nothing else to do" 🙃
Yes the 1950s car is the bookmark. Plenty still riding in Cuba.
Here's a 400-page gn of a local artist colleague (sadly not on bsky). Told me he did the (detailed, realistic) penciling in 9 months straight. "It was the pandemic and we had nothing else to do" 🙃
Yes the 1950s car is the bookmark. Plenty still riding in Cuba.
De la misma época y, de lejos, uno de mis juegos favoritos. Una pasada considerando las limitaciones técnicas de entonces.
October 26, 2025 at 7:56 PM
De la misma época y, de lejos, uno de mis juegos favoritos. Una pasada considerando las limitaciones técnicas de entonces.