Inktober Part Three

No. 23-34 | The Later Years

Well, folks, I friggin did it.

The third and FINAL part of Bonesick x Inktober is finished. (If you missed Part One or Part Two, jump there first.)

Long Post Alert! Jump on over to the actual Substack post to consume the whole thing.

Life lessons?

Back in Part Two, I explained how these Toby flashbacks inside the Sicada Box aren’t just random access memories. They tell a chronological mini-story arc within the bigger Bonesick arc. With that said my five-day break became seven days as I legit struggle-bussed my way through Part Three’s architecture. Between scenes that begged to be illustrated, a soundtrack that needed to make sense, the correct minor arcana Tarot (with no repeats), dialog that didn’t feel cliché, and an ending that’s not really an ending but a hint to the very beginning? Felt like a Wembanyama-sized order.

StoryWheel to the rescue! Thanks to my new-old friend, Jule Kucera!

Admittedly, as you scroll, this mini-arc is missing beams, studs, two zebras, and screws. It’s as if you’ve stumbled upon someone’s secret mental diary, but a ton of the pages are gone, so you have to make a bunch of assumptions. If you’re new here, don’t fret, you discover these missing pages as the rest of Bonesick unfolds, starting with The Reboot.

So let’s get on with it, man.

Structure Refresher

As a reminder, each Inktober panel includes:
(1) a Minor Arcana [Ace through King] Tarot Card reference that connects to…
(2) a past Toby memory,
(3) a tiny piece of dialogue,
(4) and an accompanying song.

Onward…

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Inktober x Bonesick — 23

Ace of Swords:  New ways of thinking, mental clarity, time to take action.

Soundtrack: “One Way Trigger” — The Strokes (Listen on YouTube)

“That the new guy?”
“Yep, started last week. Rad dragon, bro!”

Inktober x Bonesick — 24

Knight of Swords (Reversed): Restless and frustrated, stuck and simultaneously barreling in the wrong direction.

Soundtrack: “Best Disaster” — Cuco (Listen on YouTube)

"—Attention passengers, if you missed your connection, depart for the Red Line at the next stop—"

Inktober x Bonesick — 25

Two of Wands: Risks taken, leaving comfort zone to embark on a new path.

Soundtrack: “I’ll Be The Death of You” — I Break Horses (Listen on YouTube)

“So it’s gonna help?”
“Haven’t had any complaints.”

Inktober x Bonesick — 26

Six of Swords: A delicate state of transition nestled between emotional baggage and opportunities for expansion.

Soundtrack: “Are You Someplace Else?” — Dinner Set Gang (Listen on YouTube)

“Safe travels. Mind the gap.”

Inktober x Bonesick — 27

Seven of Swords: Deception, secrets, and self-doubt, a classic case of Imposter Syndrome.

Soundtrack: “Little Secrets” — Passion Pit (Listen on YouTube)

“To Corporate! Congrats, Toby.”
“Yeah, don’t forget about us down here!”

Inktober x Bonesick — 28

Seven of Pentacles (Reversed): A lack of rewards, questioning current investment.

Soundtrack: “Knowitall” — Phantom Planet (Listen on YouTube)

"Just hand it off to Toby, he always comes through in a rush."

Inktober x Bonesick — 29

Nine of Wands: Test of faith, courage in the face of a final challenge.

Soundtrack: “Need You Around” — Smoking Popes (Listen on YouTube)

"...I took it as a sign. Here goes…"

Inktober x Bonesick — 30

Ten of Swords: The inevitably painful rock bottom.

Soundtrack: “Cold (The Blanck Mass recording)” — The Editors (Listen on YouTube)

“So this is where it ends, Toby. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I were you.”

Inktober x Bonesick — 31

Seven of Cups: A bounty of scintillating gifts — beware of detrimental illusions.

Soundtrack: “Terrible Lie” — Nine Inch Nails (Listen on YouTube)

“Sure, I’ll try anything.”

Inktober x Bonesick — 32

Ace of Wands (Reversed): Marooned with a rudderless sense of purpose. Despite all attempts, progress seems futile. 

Soundtrack: “I Believe” — Ghost (Listen on YouTube)

"If I could just start over...”

Inktober x Bonesick — 33

Nine of Swords: Crushing internal turmoil, guilt, and despair.

Soundtrack: “A Bad Dream” — Keane (Listen on YouTube)

“...what a fucking disaster.”

Inktober x Bonesick — 34

Eight of Cups: No hope of rehabilitation from this toxic state of being. There’s nothing left for you here.

Soundtrack: “Fast Slow Disco” — St. Vincent (Listen on YouTube)

“I’m so glad I came,
but I can’t wait to leave.”

Eggs n things

Fewer pop culture eggs this time around, and more references to previous Bonesick panels, Tarot, and episodes from the past. Here are a few noteworthy clues and callouts:

• Before Toby was banished to cube life in the creative department of Nüch’s grocery conglomerate division, he was a humble sign artist, a nod to Trader Joe’s.

• The doctor is in! “The Fix,” featured in Panels 24–32 as a menacing, sticky, stringy red mass is not drugs per se—at least not specifically—but rather the prescriptive escapes that often lure us into a false sense of security and then cling on for dear life.

• Panel 32 is Toby at the apex of this “I’ll try anything” approach, so I tried to cram as much trendy Fixe du Jour as I could (many of which I’ve tried myself). And while Toby’s mohawk shave exudes Travis Bickle vibes, it’s more likely he tried to be a transcendental monk for a hot minute.

• Panel 29/30’s letters are prominently featured in Tarot 06 | The Broken. 29’s upside-down barely legible page hints at what’s up with Toby’s mom these days.

• Head back to Panel 17 for a reminder of what Toby’s neighborhood block looked like in his hey day. This image is directly inspired by a specific row of homes in Gary, Indiana. Abandonment is obviously a huge theme in Bonesick, so Toby and Angela had to grow up in a city like Gary. As I’ve mentioned before, I have a deep soft spot for the people of Gary's grit and perseverance. Google Maps allows you to travel back in time. Presently, while Toby’s block is worse for wear, Angela’s block called for historical preservation.

Soundtrack

Man, I worked my ass off to make this soundtrack fit, not just the mood, but the narrative of Part Three. One perfect industrial masterpiece captures Bonesick’s very core, its essence. (And also a song I would absolutely go deaf to because it’s always cranked waaaay beyond 11). So, if you were to listen to one song from the batch, it’s Day 31 “Terrible Lie” by Nine Inch Nails. Whether you’ve lost your Faith or you’re just having a shitty day, this one always comes through in a pinch.

Enjoy the rest of the “I Need You Around” mix on Spotify:

Season Finale

Biggest sigh. That’s a wrap, folks. All said and done—from planning to drawing—this project took around 150 hours. You’re thinking to yourself: girl, you’re insane. But I love it. After not seriously drawing for nearly half my life, the fact that little square panels came out of my brain, into my hand, onto a screen, and now exist in the vast sea of human creation? Just happy to be here. Plus I’m grateful for the TIME I get to do such a weird thing.

AND I can’t tell you how grateful I am for those of you who plodded alongside me for the past month and a half… email responses, comments, a text photo of a watch pop-up notification of one of my panels (!!!)

Truth be told, though, as the holiday and my lightpainting season ramp up, I’m headed into Substack hibernation. With some time off ahead of me, my Big Fat Goal is to nail down the rest of the story outline. Then I can finally start to trickle out Act II at the turn of the year. If you’re new to the Bonesick canon, you can tide yourself over here:

Questions? Concerns! (I’m good!) I’d love to hear from YOU! Did any particular aspect of this Inktober project stand out? Fave panels? Looking forward to the return of SkinFree Toby? If you were to dedicate yourself to a 150-hour project for 4-6 weeks, what would it be? How do you [REALLY] feel about taking breaks to recharge and reset? Leave your thoughts in the comments or email directly!