The first 8 pages of Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn & illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze, a new queer graphic novel currently in production based on Homer's The Iliad.
Achilles and Patroclus was originally a play by James T. Washburn of @magpieartistsensemble, but Chess first encountered it as an opera in the Seattle Creation Lab of 2020-21. "I was in love with the text," they said. "The music too, but there was this intimate vulnerability between these characters that survived when blown up to a grand scale. It's hard to write like that. I was in love with the poetry of it all."
When James of Magpie sought to bring the text to visual life in the form of a graphic novel, he noted that "Magpie received a lot of artist applications for Achilles and Patroclus, but once we saw Chess's, there was no question in anyone's mind. Their work is visceral yet elegant - the perfect balance for a story where violence and tenderness intertwine."
Read Part 2 here.
For now, only these 8 pages will be made public until the project is finished and in physical print. If you'd like to read the rest of each page as they update, you can subscribe to Magpie Artists Ensemble Ko-Fi or to Chess's Patreon. If you want to peek at the paneling drafts, those are available only on Chess's Patreon.
If you would like to help bring this project to life but can't afford to financially support us, please spread this post around and give this page a follow to keep up with our announcements! Getting this project in front of more eyes is more important than you know, so thank you.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 32, panel 2, from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
Achilles, despite his demigod nature, is bested by the mortal Patroclus. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Pages 16-22 of Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn & illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze, a new queer graphic novel currently in production based on Homer's The Iliad.
Read Part 1 here.
Read Part 2 here.
Happy Pride Month! To celebrate, here are two men in love. The artist affectionately refers to this scene as "The Orange Scene," and it is one of their favorites so far.
Achilles and Patroclus is traditionally painted with ink paints, pencil, micron pen, and colored pencils, with minor digital editing for adding text, speech bubbles, panel lines, and minor corrections. Absolutely zero AI is used anywhere in the process, and both the author and the artist are staunchly anti AI.
Scenes will be dropped around every six months. If you are donating to the artist's Patreon or to the author's KoFi, you got to see these pages several months early, with annotations. (For example, did you notice that the story depicted on the vase on page 16 is of the Three Fates?) If you would like to read the full pages as they update, you can subscribe to Magpie Artists Ensemble Ko-Fi or to Chess's Patreon. If you want to peek at the paneling drafts, those are available only on Chess's Patreon.
If you would like to help bring this project to life but can't afford to financially support us, please spread this post around and give this page a follow to keep up with our announcements! Getting this project in front of more eyes is more important than you know, so thank you.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 31, panel 3, from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
The young men continue to spar: the only way they know how to be close. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
SCENE 3 WILL BE POSTED IN JUNE!
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 30, panel 2, from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
Patroclus expresses some frustrations with the young immortal in his mind, but his thoughts quickly turn to something far more tender. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 29, panels 1 & 2, from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
The two young men flirt in the only way they really know how: at the tip of a sword. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 28, panel 1, from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
Achilles takes up a wooden sword and openly challenges Patroclus as the two young men limber up. Some romances are accompanied by competitive jeers and bruising. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 27, top of page, from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
Achilles watches Patroclus spar and is entranced by his grace. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 26, bottom of page, from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
The object of Achilles' affection: Patroclus's swift and graceful movements. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
You already know the story. You will die. Everyone you love will also die. You will lose them forever. You will be sad and angry. You will weep. You will bargain. You will make demands. You will beg. You will pray. It will make no difference. Nothing you can do will bring them back. You know this. Your knowing changes nothing. This poem will make you understand this unfathomable truth again and again, as if for the very first time.
Emily Wilson, an excerpt of her introduction to The Iliad
Page 25, panel 1 from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
Even nature recognizes Achilles' beauty and frames him like the demigod he is. Yet Achilles could not be bothered with that; his eyes are on something much more precious. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Pages 9-15 of Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn & illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze, a new queer graphic novel currently in production based on Homer's The Iliad.
Read Part 1 here.
Read Part 3 here.
Achilles and Patroclus is traditionally painted with ink paints, pencil, micron pen, and colored pencils, with minor digital editing for adding text, speech bubbles, panel lines, and minor corrections. Absolutely zero AI is used anywhere in the process, and both the author and the artist are staunchly anti AI.
As promised with the new year, scenes will be dropped every few months as they are completed, and a few months after the last page goes up on Patreon and Ko-Fi. If you'd like to read the rest of each page as they update, you can subscribe to Magpie Artists Ensemble Ko-Fi or to Chess's Patreon. If you want to peek at the paneling drafts, those are available only on Chess's Patreon.
If you would like to help bring this project to life but can't afford to financially support us, please spread this post around and give this page a follow to keep up with our announcements! Getting this project in front of more eyes is more important than you know, so thank you.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 24, panel 3 from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
The last page of 2025! James remarked that Achilles looks statuesque in this panel, something more than human, something that lasts longer than flesh. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 23, panel 2 from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
We flash back to younger days again, Patroclus wielding his wooden sword in practice. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 22, panel 4 from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
Achilles has made his decision to go to war, and Patroclus will always be close behind. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 21, panel 3 from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
Patroclus tempts Achilles with a happy ending: a happy life in obscurity, but there is no way Achilles will let Patroclus go to war alone. Perhaps if he had, things would have ended differently. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
Page 20, panels 4&5 from Achilles and Patroclus, written by James T. Washburn and illustrated by Chess Amadé Albaneze.
Achilles reveals the second half of his mother's prophecy, which is ultimately the path he chooses. Panel 4 references this famous statue. Painted in various inks, micron pen, and colored pencils. Digitally edited for some minor lighting effects.
If you'd like to see the full page, head to James's Ko-Fi or Chess's Patreon. The first 8 pages are available in full here on Tumblr.
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist born and raised in Seattle. His work is predicated on the idea that a story is best told with many voices, and he is deeply influenced by his Queer, artistic, and Polish communities, and his experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history. His work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.
Washburn is the Founding Artistic Director of @magpieartistsensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling.
Chess Amadé Albaneze (he/she/they) has been creating comics since 2009, and their current projects other than A&P include the comic @hooffellas and the queer paranormal DND-style podcast @dandiesindanger. They are an American genderfluid trans masc artist, composer, and performer whose music was performed in the SO Creation Lab and whose voice work can be heard in @janellefeng's short film La Mort de Robespierre.
