www.thistledown.org

I recall the moment when I first realized that I had found something really special in karl kerschl’s web comic, the abominable charles christopher. I had read the strip off and on, having followed a link to it from another web comic (can’t recall which one now), but it hadn’t really settled in as a regular read for me. But sometime in early spring 2008, I came across 2 strips from abominable CC that really pulled me in, both from an early story line where our hero, charles, is ascending the mountain w/ townsen the arctic fox pup tagging along for the ride.

The first strip I read was a funny moment when they are both frightened by the wind:

http://www.abominable.cc/2008/01/23/31/

the second strip is really just a wallpaper picture, not telling a story per se, or perhaps it’s still telling a great story after all:

http://www.abominable.cc/2007/12/26/27/

in combination, these 2 episodes personify for me what I like so much about kerschl’s work. the story that is unfolding staggers, almost dizzyingly, from silly fun to sad to sweet to transcendent on a weekly basis … but always beautifully drawn.

over the course of the strip, kerschl has been slowly and episodically developing the back story to a supporting character in the strip, vivol, the bear who lives in the forest and is a kind of leader/wise elder to the rest of the forest creatures. I was in the mood tonight to go back and read them in sequence and, while I was at it, bookmark them for future reference.

And that is what this post really is about.

the story of vivol and moonbear

http://www.abominable.cc/2007/12/12/25/

http://www.abominable.cc/2007/12/19/26/

http://www.abominable.cc/2008/02/13/34/

http://www.abominable.cc/2008/04/30/the-story-of-vivol-moon-bear-part-three/

http://www.abominable.cc/2008/11/05/the-story-of-vivol-moon-bear-part-four/

(and that’s it! he hasn’t picked this plot line back up yet)

and, on a final note, if you’re wondering who or what on earth abominable charles christopher actually is, I leave you with a bit of philosophizing on charles’ nature by Owl:

http://www.abominable.cc/comics/2007-09-26.jpg