Sometimes I'm asked as to what is my favorite thing I've drawn. Well, storywise, this is the one that I am sharing with you now. It appeared in the second tradebook called PLEASANT LIFE: GEEKS GONE WILD. Long since sold out (may be reprinted in another form someday). It was a small thing I did at the end of the book as a tribute to my mother. I wrote Pleasant Life initially because of her dying. The main character LUCAS' mom dies early on in the first book, exactly how my mother died. In effect, I put my story into the story. Those that followed the series early on know that. But what I share with everyone now is my favorite Pleasant Life story. That being this small bit-the Bridge Across Forever.
Bridge Across Forever is a song by the progressive rock supergroup called Transatlantic. And to get the full experience of this small story, you should get ahold of that song somehow and listen to it along while reading this. Allow me to describe the goings on in the pages as you go. Sort of like a music video for the song. (and please note I drew this six years ago now and my art style definitely has improved and changed since then.) Here we go:
--Lucas comes home from his outer life and then is reminded of his mother. He takes a moment to dwell on her and her being gone. The reminder sets him in a reflective mood to where he just wants to jam quietly on some music. There is great distance between him and her in the picture. Quite unreachable. Lucas is the child and his mom the angel and the magic river of no crossing is the distance between them.
--That night he decides to turn in early. He stares at the picture he has of his mom and the last panel echoes the void between them. Physically and in memory and she is unreachable in both. There is no bridge or anything to connect them. The chasm of death and life seperating them.
--He dreams of being in a desert wasteland. Distant sands and magenta winds. He's been here before but doesn't know what its about. Above him he sees the airship of Transatlantic, the bands' symbol. So he knows that its a song he is remembering from one of his favorite groups. Off in the distance he sees something.
--Its a bridge into the next life. Heaven? Forever beyond? He sees a multitude of angels or people standing there. Happy, united. He runs after them. Wanting to see if they know where she is because he knows she is there. They dissipate and go into the clouds beyond. He is not allowed to go. He stops. As the crowd disperses, he is shocked to see someone distant, has stayed behind for one last long look.
--Its his mother. Standing on the bridge into heaven. Giving him one last look, saying goodbye.
So that folks, is my favorite part of my longest running series: Pleasant Life. Hope you enjoyed. Its a lovely song and thats how I always hear it now.
T
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