DUDELZ of the Damned | Rosie of the Jungle, Pt. 2
HEY THERE PEOPLE OF TODAY AND ROBOTS OF TOMORROW! IT'S ME, CLARK!
A chill is in the air. You can feel it can't you? Perhaps you even recognize it. That same chill arrives every year right on the dot. With it comes a frightful howl in the moonlight, the only other sound to be heard. Otherwise there is a strange calmness settling around you, like the point of ease before the storm. By now the howling has stopped. It has been replaced by a different sound. Footsteps. Big, heavy, dragging, as if the figure didn't quite know how to use their legs. Perhaps it's a random passerby. Perhaps it's a rotting, frightful feature freshly risen from the grave. Perhaps it's some other, unspeakable horror waiting to pounce! Whatever it is, you're not waiting around to find out! Yet no matter how far you run, it can't be escaped. The chill in the air, the howling of the wind, the heavy footsteps, it all leads back to one thing: October is here! And with it comes the return of the DUDELZ of the Damned!
Yes weirdos, like last year, my approximation of Sketchtober has returned. I call it an proxy because there was no list of prompts. Nah, that'd be too limiting. This is yet another case where I compiled my own list of ideas, sketched them out, then used one color per picture. With all that said, let's see what spoopy scribblings await us today!
Legend says there is an ancient city hidden deep within the jungle of Africa. Many have ventured deep into the wilderness to find it, but seldom have come back successful. Or alive. This fabled city and all of its riches is at risk of becoming lost to time. At least it was until Rosie Stardust found it. Weeks of trekking through the dense jungle and she finally made it onto the ruins of the once grand civilization of Opar. By now it seemed the only things living here were leopards, which probably explained why so few adventurers made it back alive. Luckily this wasn't a problem for the Cosmic Cutie. Yet again her power to befriend any creature came into play proved most valuable as she ventured towards one lonely leopard and offered it some jerky. From then on out she named the lovely beast 'Raul', after the name it made when it snarled. Venturing further into the city, Rosie discovered what appeared to be a ceremonial temple with a large throne in the center. Sitting atop that throne was a scepter with the head of a leopard holding a red sphere in its jaws. One that was calling out to the sentient space-anomaly. Like a voice compelling her forward. Rosie couldn't resist. Wrapping her digits around the staff, her traditional English clothes disappeared in a flash of red light, replaced by a bikini, sarong, bracelets, and a cape! Not only that, but her attitude suddenly felt more wicked. The Spirit of the city's queen had taken hold of the Cosmic Cutie. Who could stop her now?
Eh, I'm sure it'll wear off eventually.
When drawing Rosie as Jane Porter, my initial plan was to sketch a collage of Rosie in the explorer's most iconic outfits. This would include the fancy yellow dress, the tank top and red skirt along with a bunch of Fischer's Lovebird, and finally the sinister styles of Queen La. Sadly that didn't pan out as expected. However, I knew I still wanted to sketch Rosie as the vile ruler of Opar. For those of you who are confused who that even is, she's a villain introduced in the short-lived and underappreciated sequel series, The Legend of Tarzan. In the original book she's a survivor of Atlantis's sinking that escaped to torment Tarzan in Africa. On the show she's a feme fatale who simps for Tarzan, can magically turn leopards into humanoid men under her command, and can become a wandering spirit that possesses people via physical touch. Her most memorable episode is when she does this to Jane, using her as a vessel to resurrect her destroyed oasis. Now this episode is memorable for two reasons: 1) it's a legit great story where Tarzan is pitted against his one true love, and 2) Jane looks stunning in that outfit. Just like I knew Rosie would. Plus the idea of her acting evil is just funny to me. Essentially she'd act like Evil Luz from that AU comic made by @moringmark. Not so much 'evil' as she is 'vaguely anarchistic'. In any case, I am amazed by the final result, as I hoped the rest of you are! And remember: never touch a mystical staff that doesn't belong to you. It could host the soul of a vengeful jungle monarch.
BONUS QUESTION: If you befriended a leopard, what would you name it?
MAY THE GLASSES BE WITH YOU!
(thanks to @burningthrucelluloid for the music suggestion, BTW)
