A lot of the process focused on Barney, but Norma is the character I’m most proud of for a few reasons. One is that when I wrote the webcomics, I tried to make her “hashtag relatable.” I just thought this was everyone’s experience of life. So many people reached out and said, “Hey, I headcanonned her as autistic!” or “Great representation of anxiety.” I got so many comments like that when we came to write the show, I thought, Norma is autistic.
Another reason I’m so proud is that I had constantly pitched shows of characters like her as the lead, and I always got the note about how female characters need to be more fun and less anxious. “Why is she so annoying? Why is she so this and that?” It always bothered me because I kept seeing these characters come out whose only flaw is that they’re a bit clumsy, but they’re super fun, awesome, great, great, great. I get it, but my experience of childhood and when I think of what it was like to be a kid, I just think of sad, lonely and awkward — and I think you can make a fun show out of that.
Birthday gift for my dear friend @nalak-bel who owns @1940s-onceler ♥
• The Rust Factory - Norma II (<- BONUSES, illustrations in color)
I don't always get the chance to do big works, but when I can, I do! I'm happy to develop The Rust Factory's universe a little more in their golden years (1940-1950 and after…). Even though we obviously only show small Lorax-related moments (hello, other story version safely tucked away in our files), I thought it was nice to reveal a little more about Coal (@chimneycoal-yuntzler) and Nathan's (@1940s-onceler) private life.
It was time to show a little Normaler!!! I love the idea of having a Norma in The Rust Factory. I love the idea of having a chubby Norma because she's so cute like that in the movie! It couldn't be any other way and I'm personally very much looking forward to seeing her again in the rp, if Nathan manages to reconnect with her.
It'll give me a chance to draw Norma more often.
Originally, this scene in the TRF roleplay took place during their bath; but I wasn't going to draw two naked people…
… not here.
There are children.
Ahem.
Anyway.
That explains why Nathan dives his head into the fountain one moment: he's supposed to immerse himself completely in his bath!
I think that's a pretty funny annecdote. That, and the fact that even in his bath, Nathan Cole is still enjoying a big end-of-day cigar, having amassed a few thousand dollars in the process.
Coal isn't the type to be jealous of the private life Nathan had before her; in fact, she has a permanent form of admiration for him. He represents the perfect American dream for her: a country boy who came from nothing and made his fortune through sheer will and hard work. And even if she sometimes needs to stop flattering his over-inflated ego, she knows she'll always be a solid shoulder for him to lean on and confide his doubts. Especially when he's being melodramatic, RIGHT? What a baby. I love him.
The cover image is a sketch I started… a year ago? Almost?
Two divas meet: Marlene Dietrich congratulates Maria Callas backstage at the Metropolitan Opera on October 29, 1956, after Callas made her debut in Norma. Between them is her husband, Batista Meneghini.
Respectfully, I want him to **** ** **** * **** ****** and **** ** *** ***** *****. But respectfully, obviously. 🙄 And like one hug from him would solve my problems. But I also want him to **** **, respectfully.