What started life as my undergrad thesis evolved from a simple point and click adventure game into a vibrant multiplatform brand.
My initial goal was to combine my love of dreams with my love of early point and click adventure games, like Myst and Spelunx. As I put more time into developing the story and characters, Penguin Mansion grew to become something larger than its initial concept.
Inspired by the dreamlike artwork of Winsor McCay’s Little Nemo in Slumberland, and the timelessness of both art and story created by Bill Waterson in his amazing comic Calvin and Hobbes, I began creating Penguin Mansion comics in 2005, but did not begin posting them live until 2008. I have released over 50 comics since I started. Each comic has allowed me to hone not only the characters, but also my comic writing, and artistic skills too.
You can see the changes and growth that my comic took (in both its art and writing) by viewing the comics below or by checking out PenguinMansion.com
First comic. You can see McCay’s influence on the art style
Breaking the 4th wall
Adventure layout
Watercolor on Cold Press Paper
Watercolor on Hot Press Paper
Created using Wacom Screen
Created using iPad Pro + Apple Pencil
The open ended dream like nature of Penguin Mansion lent itself to becoming more than just a webcomic. With the advent of mobile gaming my ideas were free to blossom. As of today only one of my 4 game ideas has been released publicly, Jump Fuzzy Jump. You can check out Jump Fuzzy Jump and the other 3 concepts down below.
Jump Fuzzy Jump was not only my first iOS game, it was also the very first jump rope game on the iOS app store. The game is fun to play, hard to master, but easily becomes addicting. Check out the Jump Fuzzy Jump portfolio page if you want to read more.
Unlike Jump Fuzzy Jump, these games are still just concepts. The titles of these games are: Fuzzy Toss, Umbrella Runner, and Mr. Pickit’s Wild and Wacky Snot Game.
is a mobile running game where your character runs on top of people holding umbrellas in the rain. Your dream guide has taken the form of an umbrella which you use to help float over large pits.
is a puzzle game where you control the living nose Mr. Pickit. Your job is to have Mr Pickit drop the right color snot to remove the snot eaters below.
Jake journeys to the milk lakes of Penguin Mansion. There people with cold cereal for heads live in peace with huge flying cowpig heads who shoot milk out of their udders to fly. But, soon their way of life will be threatened by oatmeal monsters let loose by the boogieman. will jake have the courage and the tastebuds to stand up to these fiends?
Jake befriends a balloon magician, the action figure brayden, and his pal the stuffed bear douglas. Together these three will try and protect Art the balloon Giraffe from being popped by Cal the grumpy cactus and his many ninja flowers. Will they be able to save their new friend? or will someone go POP?
The last comic I created for Penguin Mansion was in 2013. Since then I have been working on my other projects all while honing my artistic skills. I not only have more to say, I now have the ability and skills to better express those thoughts. This is why starting this summer I plan on starting anew with Penguin Mansion. I will begin to create new PM comics and release them when I have enough of a back catalogue. Welcome back Penguin Mansion!
