Nick Anderson
@nickonripple.bsky.social
Autistic egg farmer/creator of Planet Ripple, a graphic novel series. He/him
God Maine’s pretty
November 20, 2024 at 11:41 PM
God Maine’s pretty
Minnow's current look and machine. Their bionic limbs and onesie are designed to match so it looks like they're just wearing one cohesive suit.
October 24, 2024 at 2:48 AM
Minnow's current look and machine. Their bionic limbs and onesie are designed to match so it looks like they're just wearing one cohesive suit.
I love them, fans love them, but I couldn't articulate WHY until one pointed out, "Well, they're both autistic." We NEVER see that. It's always one autistic character and a "normal" one who has to parent them. Most writers assume "If they're BOTH like that, they'll be dysfunctional!"
Not these two.
Not these two.
October 20, 2024 at 2:52 AM
I love them, fans love them, but I couldn't articulate WHY until one pointed out, "Well, they're both autistic." We NEVER see that. It's always one autistic character and a "normal" one who has to parent them. Most writers assume "If they're BOTH like that, they'll be dysfunctional!"
Not these two.
Not these two.
I'm 113 pages into volume 10, sandwiched between two scenes I've been itching to put to paper for several years. This volume's been full of such moments. It's gonna be a big one.
Here's a not-too-spoilerish spread from early in the book.
Here's a not-too-spoilerish spread from early in the book.
October 18, 2024 at 7:51 PM
I'm 113 pages into volume 10, sandwiched between two scenes I've been itching to put to paper for several years. This volume's been full of such moments. It's gonna be a big one.
Here's a not-too-spoilerish spread from early in the book.
Here's a not-too-spoilerish spread from early in the book.
For those just tuning in, this is the kind of stuff I draw. Ocean-themed metal monstrosities and autistic NB cyborgs.
October 18, 2024 at 7:29 PM
For those just tuning in, this is the kind of stuff I draw. Ocean-themed metal monstrosities and autistic NB cyborgs.
My work on display in Times Square. December 13th, 2023.
December 28, 2023 at 4:57 PM
My work on display in Times Square. December 13th, 2023.
I made 2nd place at The Bookfest Fall 2023 Awards!
October 22, 2023 at 11:38 PM
I made 2nd place at The Bookfest Fall 2023 Awards!
10/ If it goes that way tho, that's some irony. A fem character that dudes can't read because she's "too androgynous" being drawn more.... refined(?) over time only to wind up being NB after all? We'll see. How do you feel about Minnow? /End
August 17, 2023 at 9:13 PM
10/ If it goes that way tho, that's some irony. A fem character that dudes can't read because she's "too androgynous" being drawn more.... refined(?) over time only to wind up being NB after all? We'll see. How do you feel about Minnow? /End
9/ So... yeah. Thinking about it. Not some big dramatic scene where she comes out to her loved ones. It might be as simple as other characters referring to Minnow as "they/them" half the time (like, fem pronouns would still be optional).
August 17, 2023 at 9:12 PM
9/ So... yeah. Thinking about it. Not some big dramatic scene where she comes out to her loved ones. It might be as simple as other characters referring to Minnow as "they/them" half the time (like, fem pronouns would still be optional).
8/ While Minnow started out cis, I have been told by a few over the years that she has "big enby energy", and the more I've thought about it... yeah. I see it. And I like it.
August 17, 2023 at 9:11 PM
8/ While Minnow started out cis, I have been told by a few over the years that she has "big enby energy", and the more I've thought about it... yeah. I see it. And I like it.
7/ Even so... while I intended Minnow to be a very ho-hum, plain-Jane "girl next door" type with short brown hair, tired eyes, freckles and a kinda stumpy body, they always come out beautiful. Minnow's just too powerful for their beauty to not show. But yeah.... about that...
August 17, 2023 at 9:11 PM
7/ Even so... while I intended Minnow to be a very ho-hum, plain-Jane "girl next door" type with short brown hair, tired eyes, freckles and a kinda stumpy body, they always come out beautiful. Minnow's just too powerful for their beauty to not show. But yeah.... about that...
6/ -who aren't versed in art like this, have an easier time "reading" Minnow than guys who grew up spoiled by characters like Catwoman and torpedo-tits anime ladies. Grown-ass men who can't make heads or tails of anything less blatant than that.
August 17, 2023 at 9:10 PM
6/ -who aren't versed in art like this, have an easier time "reading" Minnow than guys who grew up spoiled by characters like Catwoman and torpedo-tits anime ladies. Grown-ass men who can't make heads or tails of anything less blatant than that.
5/ It's also a GENERATIONAL THING. Any time older people, 60-70 see Minnow, before I even mention pronouns they can immediately tell without those "necessary" gender signifiers making her feminine "enough." People who may never've picked up a comic or graphic novel in their life-
August 17, 2023 at 9:10 PM
5/ It's also a GENERATIONAL THING. Any time older people, 60-70 see Minnow, before I even mention pronouns they can immediately tell without those "necessary" gender signifiers making her feminine "enough." People who may never've picked up a comic or graphic novel in their life-
4/ The men reacted like that, but whether Minnow was cis or trans, the women in the call had NO TROUBLE telling she was a woman. It was only the guys being weird about it. So of course, I assumed it was just a sexism thing.
But, and here's where it gets funny-
But, and here's where it gets funny-
August 17, 2023 at 9:09 PM
4/ The men reacted like that, but whether Minnow was cis or trans, the women in the call had NO TROUBLE telling she was a woman. It was only the guys being weird about it. So of course, I assumed it was just a sexism thing.
But, and here's where it gets funny-
But, and here's where it gets funny-
3/ "Nah but man, you've gotta understand. In a visual medium like comic books, you NEED to draw those gender signifiers to communicate the character's gender to the reader... otherwise, how are they supposed to know?"
I dunno, read the dialog to see their pronouns??
I dunno, read the dialog to see their pronouns??
August 17, 2023 at 9:08 PM
3/ "Nah but man, you've gotta understand. In a visual medium like comic books, you NEED to draw those gender signifiers to communicate the character's gender to the reader... otherwise, how are they supposed to know?"
I dunno, read the dialog to see their pronouns??
I dunno, read the dialog to see their pronouns??
2/ One guy's like "Hold on, hold on... not to be rude, but is that character a she?" I go "Yeah," and another guy's "THAT'S A DUDE, DOOD!! WHERE'RE HER EYELASHES?? WHERE ARE HER BOOOOBS?" I say something like, "She isn't Mrs. Pac-man," and another, slightly more polite guy goes-
August 17, 2023 at 9:07 PM
2/ One guy's like "Hold on, hold on... not to be rude, but is that character a she?" I go "Yeah," and another guy's "THAT'S A DUDE, DOOD!! WHERE'RE HER EYELASHES?? WHERE ARE HER BOOOOBS?" I say something like, "She isn't Mrs. Pac-man," and another, slightly more polite guy goes-
Thread/ Story time. When I first revealed Minnow in 2017, I wasn't sure how she'd be received. One day, I was on discord with 17 strangers. 13 were (as far as I know) cishet dudes, 4 were women. The reactions were... something. Read on.
August 17, 2023 at 9:06 PM
Thread/ Story time. When I first revealed Minnow in 2017, I wasn't sure how she'd be received. One day, I was on discord with 17 strangers. 13 were (as far as I know) cishet dudes, 4 were women. The reactions were... something. Read on.
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)
August 4, 2023 at 4:49 AM
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)
Both are autistic. I didn't plan 'em being together, they just wound up like that, and it's pretty special. We don't often see two disabled partners in fiction 'cause writers figure if at least one isn't "normal" enough to mommy the other, they'll both be completely dysfunctional. Not these cyborgs!
August 4, 2023 at 12:46 AM
Both are autistic. I didn't plan 'em being together, they just wound up like that, and it's pretty special. We don't often see two disabled partners in fiction 'cause writers figure if at least one isn't "normal" enough to mommy the other, they'll both be completely dysfunctional. Not these cyborgs!
Just Minnow being chill
July 28, 2023 at 1:05 AM
Just Minnow being chill
