Chris Schweizer
@schweizercomics.bsky.social
Cartoonist/Kentucky Colonel/3x Eisner Award nominee (the Crogan Adventures, the Creeps). Former college professor, former social studies teacher. History buff, but certainly no expert. Hopkins County, KY. He/him
schweizercomics.com
schweizercomics.com
Just a reminder that there's a Will Shakespeare miniseries from the heyday of BBC historicals starring Tim Curry as Shakespeare and Ian McShane as Marlowe, and it's on youtube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpxC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpxC...
December 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Just a reminder that there's a Will Shakespeare miniseries from the heyday of BBC historicals starring Tim Curry as Shakespeare and Ian McShane as Marlowe, and it's on youtube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpxC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpxC...
Didn't really like Maggot's hat and don't know that wide-brims work with the way I draw hobbit ears, so going hatless instead.
December 8, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Didn't really like Maggot's hat and don't know that wide-brims work with the way I draw hobbit ears, so going hatless instead.
More roughs for characters from the pre-Rivendell part of the adventure: the barrow-wight and Farmer Maggot (with Fang, Grip, and Wolf)
December 8, 2025 at 1:42 PM
More roughs for characters from the pre-Rivendell part of the adventure: the barrow-wight and Farmer Maggot (with Fang, Grip, and Wolf)
When the monastery protested, Hans dammed up the nearby river, first depriving the monastery and the town that surrounded it of water, then releasing the water all at once to flood and wreck the town. 2/
December 8, 2025 at 11:31 AM
When the monastery protested, Hans dammed up the nearby river, first depriving the monastery and the town that surrounded it of water, then releasing the water all at once to flood and wreck the town. 2/
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Hans Trapp!
Hans Trapp (once known as Hans Von Trotha) was a German knight in who, in the 1480s, forcibly took possession of a castle fortress that had belonged to a monastery. 1/
Hans Trapp (once known as Hans Von Trotha) was a German knight in who, in the 1480s, forcibly took possession of a castle fortress that had belonged to a monastery. 1/
December 8, 2025 at 11:24 AM
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Hans Trapp!
Hans Trapp (once known as Hans Von Trotha) was a German knight in who, in the 1480s, forcibly took possession of a castle fortress that had belonged to a monastery. 1/
Hans Trapp (once known as Hans Von Trotha) was a German knight in who, in the 1480s, forcibly took possession of a castle fortress that had belonged to a monastery. 1/
The big LOTR set I'm gonna do on Patreon this year ain't just gonna be the main cast folks; here are roughs for Fredegar, Butterbur, Nob, and Bill Ferny.
December 8, 2025 at 2:34 AM
The big LOTR set I'm gonna do on Patreon this year ain't just gonna be the main cast folks; here are roughs for Fredegar, Butterbur, Nob, and Bill Ferny.
The image in my header is a drawing from a trip to north Wales, where I hiked up to the top of that mountain where Merlin saw the red and white dragons fighting.
I fell off the top of said mountain, but not very far (broke my easel, though).
I fell off the top of said mountain, but not very far (broke my easel, though).
December 7, 2025 at 8:15 PM
The image in my header is a drawing from a trip to north Wales, where I hiked up to the top of that mountain where Merlin saw the red and white dragons fighting.
I fell off the top of said mountain, but not very far (broke my easel, though).
I fell off the top of said mountain, but not very far (broke my easel, though).
Got the PDF of CARVED IN STONE: A STORYTELLER'S GUIDE TO THE PICTS; immediately got me looking for some of the folks behind its lovely illustrations. A few on BSKY:
@anineillustration.com
@jagalart.bsky.social
@elemei.bsky.social
@queerwizard.co.uk
@mortiscausa.bsky.social
@toadlett.bsky.social
@anineillustration.com
@jagalart.bsky.social
@elemei.bsky.social
@queerwizard.co.uk
@mortiscausa.bsky.social
@toadlett.bsky.social
December 7, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Got the PDF of CARVED IN STONE: A STORYTELLER'S GUIDE TO THE PICTS; immediately got me looking for some of the folks behind its lovely illustrations. A few on BSKY:
@anineillustration.com
@jagalart.bsky.social
@elemei.bsky.social
@queerwizard.co.uk
@mortiscausa.bsky.social
@toadlett.bsky.social
@anineillustration.com
@jagalart.bsky.social
@elemei.bsky.social
@queerwizard.co.uk
@mortiscausa.bsky.social
@toadlett.bsky.social
I'm (so stupidly, extremely, mind-bogglingly) lucky to have the original of Peter Dennis's cover illustration for FORTRESS OF THE PICTS hanging in the living room (here's an image of it I found online), and I love to grab pict books when I can find 'em.
December 6, 2025 at 11:33 PM
I'm (so stupidly, extremely, mind-bogglingly) lucky to have the original of Peter Dennis's cover illustration for FORTRESS OF THE PICTS hanging in the living room (here's an image of it I found online), and I love to grab pict books when I can find 'em.
Rereading LOTR and the flight to the ford, where the party rushes poisoned-by-an-evil-blade Frodo to Rivendell to heal him of the cursed wound inflicted on him at weathertop, is a little less frantic and harrowing than I remember
December 6, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Rereading LOTR and the flight to the ford, where the party rushes poisoned-by-an-evil-blade Frodo to Rivendell to heal him of the cursed wound inflicted on him at weathertop, is a little less frantic and harrowing than I remember
Piet, for example, is, as a character, great. He ties St. Nicholas to southern (Moorish) Spain, a tie likely finding its origins in artwork depicting Nick with the 3 golden coins he gave to the girls, mistaken for oranges, hence St Nick brings oranges and must live in Spain, where they grow. (cont)
December 6, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Piet, for example, is, as a character, great. He ties St. Nicholas to southern (Moorish) Spain, a tie likely finding its origins in artwork depicting Nick with the 3 golden coins he gave to the girls, mistaken for oranges, hence St Nick brings oranges and must live in Spain, where they grow. (cont)
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Derby Tup!
Many, many years ago, a butcher named Joe Funny, who plied his trade in north Derbyshire, would travel from door to door on New Years’ Eve with his wife, leading a flock of goats a’string. One year, the last goat in this doomed line was Tup. 1/
Many, many years ago, a butcher named Joe Funny, who plied his trade in north Derbyshire, would travel from door to door on New Years’ Eve with his wife, leading a flock of goats a’string. One year, the last goat in this doomed line was Tup. 1/
December 6, 2025 at 4:25 PM
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Derby Tup!
Many, many years ago, a butcher named Joe Funny, who plied his trade in north Derbyshire, would travel from door to door on New Years’ Eve with his wife, leading a flock of goats a’string. One year, the last goat in this doomed line was Tup. 1/
Many, many years ago, a butcher named Joe Funny, who plied his trade in north Derbyshire, would travel from door to door on New Years’ Eve with his wife, leading a flock of goats a’string. One year, the last goat in this doomed line was Tup. 1/
Here's some process stuff for the Belsnickel piece (I share these on my Patreon when I post new figures).
I rarely redo a figure from scratch once I've gotten as far as inks -- usually the pencils tell me when it ain't working -- but this one, I wasn't feeling its first pass.
I rarely redo a figure from scratch once I've gotten as far as inks -- usually the pencils tell me when it ain't working -- but this one, I wasn't feeling its first pass.
December 6, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Here's some process stuff for the Belsnickel piece (I share these on my Patreon when I post new figures).
I rarely redo a figure from scratch once I've gotten as far as inks -- usually the pencils tell me when it ain't working -- but this one, I wasn't feeling its first pass.
I rarely redo a figure from scratch once I've gotten as far as inks -- usually the pencils tell me when it ain't working -- but this one, I wasn't feeling its first pass.
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Belsnickel!
Belsnickel was a hermit in Germany’s large and wild Black Forest, a fur trapper who wanted nothing more than to be left alone, but he lived near the entrance of a cave that children from a nearby village liked to explore. 1/
Belsnickel was a hermit in Germany’s large and wild Black Forest, a fur trapper who wanted nothing more than to be left alone, but he lived near the entrance of a cave that children from a nearby village liked to explore. 1/
December 6, 2025 at 1:15 PM
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Belsnickel!
Belsnickel was a hermit in Germany’s large and wild Black Forest, a fur trapper who wanted nothing more than to be left alone, but he lived near the entrance of a cave that children from a nearby village liked to explore. 1/
Belsnickel was a hermit in Germany’s large and wild Black Forest, a fur trapper who wanted nothing more than to be left alone, but he lived near the entrance of a cave that children from a nearby village liked to explore. 1/
There's no acceptable reason a book with cutaways like this for the movie versions of Bag End and the Chamber of Mazurbul to not exist, y'all
December 5, 2025 at 4:19 PM
There's no acceptable reason a book with cutaways like this for the movie versions of Bag End and the Chamber of Mazurbul to not exist, y'all
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: ILEX and HELIX!
Santa isn't the only one with companions; Mrs. Claus has a few of her own. Among them are Ilex and Helix (the Holly and the Ivy), her oldest & most trusted bosom friends/comrades-in-arms from her days among the Dryads. 1/
Santa isn't the only one with companions; Mrs. Claus has a few of her own. Among them are Ilex and Helix (the Holly and the Ivy), her oldest & most trusted bosom friends/comrades-in-arms from her days among the Dryads. 1/
December 5, 2025 at 3:43 PM
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: ILEX and HELIX!
Santa isn't the only one with companions; Mrs. Claus has a few of her own. Among them are Ilex and Helix (the Holly and the Ivy), her oldest & most trusted bosom friends/comrades-in-arms from her days among the Dryads. 1/
Santa isn't the only one with companions; Mrs. Claus has a few of her own. Among them are Ilex and Helix (the Holly and the Ivy), her oldest & most trusted bosom friends/comrades-in-arms from her days among the Dryads. 1/
Forest pals (first two of a line of six)
December 5, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Forest pals (first two of a line of six)
Seasonally appropriate morning walk
December 5, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Seasonally appropriate morning walk
Well this road seems more like to a stream for the next stretch, glad I wore boots
December 5, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Well this road seems more like to a stream for the next stretch, glad I wore boots
Thus, everyone started calling the angel "Christkindl" which means "Christ Child," & she delivered presents in areas where St. Nick (at least for a while) wasn't welcome.
Eventually Nick & Christkindle became work friends, and now team up for parades and Christkindl Markets. 4/
Eventually Nick & Christkindle became work friends, and now team up for parades and Christkindl Markets. 4/
December 5, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Thus, everyone started calling the angel "Christkindl" which means "Christ Child," & she delivered presents in areas where St. Nick (at least for a while) wasn't welcome.
Eventually Nick & Christkindle became work friends, and now team up for parades and Christkindl Markets. 4/
Eventually Nick & Christkindle became work friends, and now team up for parades and Christkindl Markets. 4/
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Christkindl!
Martin "saints are bad" Luther wanted to ban St. Nick from entering protestant Europe in the 1500s, but knew that many of the people still wanted him to come, and that partisans might help smuggle the jolly old man across the borders. 1/
Martin "saints are bad" Luther wanted to ban St. Nick from entering protestant Europe in the 1500s, but knew that many of the people still wanted him to come, and that partisans might help smuggle the jolly old man across the borders. 1/
December 5, 2025 at 12:27 AM
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Christkindl!
Martin "saints are bad" Luther wanted to ban St. Nick from entering protestant Europe in the 1500s, but knew that many of the people still wanted him to come, and that partisans might help smuggle the jolly old man across the borders. 1/
Martin "saints are bad" Luther wanted to ban St. Nick from entering protestant Europe in the 1500s, but knew that many of the people still wanted him to come, and that partisans might help smuggle the jolly old man across the borders. 1/
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Mother Goodie!
Many, many years ago, Santa was about to make his final stop on Christmas Eve: Campobello Island, in the Canadian Maritimes, where terrible nor'easter was raging. The sea was mountainous in the fierce wind and freezing rain. 1/
Many, many years ago, Santa was about to make his final stop on Christmas Eve: Campobello Island, in the Canadian Maritimes, where terrible nor'easter was raging. The sea was mountainous in the fierce wind and freezing rain. 1/
December 4, 2025 at 1:33 PM
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: Mother Goodie!
Many, many years ago, Santa was about to make his final stop on Christmas Eve: Campobello Island, in the Canadian Maritimes, where terrible nor'easter was raging. The sea was mountainous in the fierce wind and freezing rain. 1/
Many, many years ago, Santa was about to make his final stop on Christmas Eve: Campobello Island, in the Canadian Maritimes, where terrible nor'easter was raging. The sea was mountainous in the fierce wind and freezing rain. 1/
Oh, for sure! Most of the "dark companions" started with the same behavior and costume(s) and gradually assumed unique traits and identities specific to the regions from which they hail, but the similarities are baked in from their inception.
December 4, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Oh, for sure! Most of the "dark companions" started with the same behavior and costume(s) and gradually assumed unique traits and identities specific to the regions from which they hail, but the similarities are baked in from their inception.
… but to instead practice those tenets himself to best right wrong behavior.
He still has his avuncular sense of humor, and likes to put milder scares into wee ones, so expect to get a light whap with his bundle of switches, & a short ride around the room in his basket. 5/end
He still has his avuncular sense of humor, and likes to put milder scares into wee ones, so expect to get a light whap with his bundle of switches, & a short ride around the room in his basket. 5/end
December 3, 2025 at 10:21 PM
… but to instead practice those tenets himself to best right wrong behavior.
He still has his avuncular sense of humor, and likes to put milder scares into wee ones, so expect to get a light whap with his bundle of switches, & a short ride around the room in his basket. 5/end
He still has his avuncular sense of humor, and likes to put milder scares into wee ones, so expect to get a light whap with his bundle of switches, & a short ride around the room in his basket. 5/end
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: The Krampus!
The Krampus was a rural giftgiver who would deliver presents to good Alpine children and stuff the naughty ones into his basket and take them back to his lair, where they would be forced to spend the next year making toys for good kids. 1/
The Krampus was a rural giftgiver who would deliver presents to good Alpine children and stuff the naughty ones into his basket and take them back to his lair, where they would be forced to spend the next year making toys for good kids. 1/
December 3, 2025 at 10:16 PM
#COMPANIONSofCHRISTMAS: The Krampus!
The Krampus was a rural giftgiver who would deliver presents to good Alpine children and stuff the naughty ones into his basket and take them back to his lair, where they would be forced to spend the next year making toys for good kids. 1/
The Krampus was a rural giftgiver who would deliver presents to good Alpine children and stuff the naughty ones into his basket and take them back to his lair, where they would be forced to spend the next year making toys for good kids. 1/