Associated Student Bodies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Associated Student Bodies is a furry gay-themed comic book, written by Lance Rund and drawn by Chris McKinley. The anthology also features several secondary stories drawn by Terrie Smith and other guest artists. Published by Arclight Press.
Originally published in January of 1998, the quarterly comic featured a variety of guest artists and writers producing several anthology, short stories surrounding the lives of a group of gay men living at Hillard Hall on the fictional Leland University campus. All of the characters are represented by humanoid animals ("anthropomorphics") dealing with slice-of-life/coming out issues.
In spring 2004, a hardcover compilation of the 8 issues of the comic book was released entitled The ASB Yearbook.
Fans and collectors often point to a related publication, Circles, as the successor to Associated Student Bodies, being both anthropomorphic in nature and dealing with gay characters in slice-of-life situations. Circles obviously both pokes fun at and honors ASB.
Associated Student Bodies serves many differing purposes, it appeals to members of the furry fandom, of course. However, it also appeals to homosexuals that are having a difficult time with their sexuality. The broad spectrum of topics, from gay violence to coming out, that ASB deals with makes it appealing to many demographics, even straight allies of homosexuals.
Contents |
[edit] Comics
The current comic releases in the series are:
- Associated Student Bodies issues #1-8
- Associated Student Bodies - 2004 Yearbook Edition
- Associated Student Bodies - The Lion in Winter (Mini story)
- Associated Student Bodies - The Boys of Summer (Mini Story)
[edit] Portfolios
There are many portfolios featuring drawings of the ASB cast... Most of them drawn by McKinley but there are also drawings by other artists such as Terrie Smith.
- Associated Student Bodies - Freshman Year - 1998
- Associated Student Bodies - Caught on Camera - 1999
- Associated Student Bodies - Clothing Optional - 2000
- Associated Student Bodies - Intellectual Stimulation - 2001
- Associated Student Bodies - Things You Never Thought You'd See - 2002
- Associated Student Bodies - Secret Fantasies - 2003
- Associated Student Bodies - Money Shots - 2004
- Associated Student Bodies - Lend the Man a Hand - 2005
- Associated Student Bodies - Cats and Dogs
- Associated Student Bodies - Paper Dolls
- Associated Student Bodies - Behind This Desk I'm Naked
[edit] Characters
[edit] Major characters
Associated Student Bodies has a wide range of characters varying heavily in appearance, personalities, and even species.
- Daniel King: Lion
Daniel is the protagonist of ASB. He starts the story as a freshman at Leland University and after going through twists and turns in his life, starting with his realization of his own homosexuality (despite his Christian-conservative upbringing), becomes a better person and finds a lifelong partner in his roommate Marcus Paxten. Daniel is characterized as being a basically good-natured boy who is experiencing a newfound sexual freedom which college affords with some trepidation. In the beginning of the comic Daniel appears somewhat naive but rapidly develops interests. Daniel is undecided in his major and his open nature often causes him to act passive and uncertain, however throughout the comic he also begins to develop a backbone.
Daniel's relationship with Marcus Paxten develops rapidly over the course of the first two comics and begins to show signs of deterioration during the last two, though the two manage to pull things back together and obviously intend on keeping things that way. Their relationship throughout the comic's run was by no means mutually exclusive and the two often slept around with others until the concluding comics when the two decide to make their relationship solid.
- Marcus Paxten: Wolf
Marcus is Daniel's roommate and lover. He was abused as a child by his father, and developed drinking problems which mirrored his father's alcoholism. When he was old enough, he fought back against his father and came to leave his old house and join the military and, after being discharged for his homosexuality, he came to Leland for his secondary education, majoring in political science. He has a genuine sense of caring, and was concerned for the wellbeing of Daniel since the first day he met him. Being as loving as he is, if provoked or threatened his wolf instincts can come out. At the start of the comics, Marcus is a senior at Leland University and because Daniel is a freshman this will prove to be a problem later in the story. (Issue 8) Marcus's character changed through the issues, most notably in appearance. From issue 1 to issue 3 he changed a great deal. Described by McKinley as, "This isn't the Marcus that beats up jocks with a broken chair leg... Not yet."
Marcus is characterized as being strong, slightly overbearing in demeanor but with a genuinely nice personality that in some cases masks deeper problems. His childhood has caused him to have a violent temperament at times and lashed out physically against people on numerous occasions. Marcus seems to sincerely care for Daniel and ends the comic seeking to change his behavior in order to make their relationship last.
- Steven Paris: Rough Collie
Steven is the only straight male at Hillard East, though his manner of dress and behavior at times leads one to suspect that he is in fact gay. Steven does not seem to have a steady girlfriend throughout the comics, though he is partnered with an unnamed tiger in issue 2. He is considered by Ricky to be extremely attractive and is the focus of a profound crush, which Steven does not reciprocate, though he does seem to have a great deal of compassion and love for Ricky. Steven is a junior who is majoring in pre-medicine.
As a character, Steven considers the others at Leyland University as close friends who he cares about deeply, though he often feels left out as he is heterosexual and all his dorm mates with the exception of Tina, are gay. Not much is known about his past, though he once posed nude for photographs taken by one of his ex-girlfriends.
- Tina Devereaux: Striped Skunk
Tina is the RA for Hillard East, and acts true to her dorm-mother position. She is often in the background caring for her fellow tennants and trying to help put out the fires the other boys have started. Otherwise, her demeanor seems to have her acting like "one of the guys". Tina is never shown dating someone, though in one issue she has sex with Ricky in order to prove a point.
- Nigel Churchill: Wolf
Nigel is a stuck-up young man who comes from a rich family that thinks spending time in the on campus dorms will teach him a lesson in humility. Nigel is gay though, and is attracted to some of the other guys, but is too proud to ever pursue them. He always enjoys messing with Marcus in some way or another, as they are both wolves.
- Charles "Tiny" Morton: Hyena
Known as "Tiny" by all of his friends (gay or otherwise), he is a football star, owing in part to his large size. He came to college to play football and play football he does, but his academics could use some work. He tries very hard and gets passing grades but sometimes gets discouraged when things don’t work out right. His lover is Ricky.
- Ricky Sebastian: Raccoon
Ricky is described by his creator as "the...well, I don’t know exactly what to call him. He’s the resident drag queen/full of energy raccoon/feminine male/god knows what else." He is the most stereotypically gay of the group. He is a rather "swishy" character and frequently dresses in provocative clothing and flirts with any male he meets. He is majoring in Astrophysics and is dating Tiny.
- David Mears: Bengal Tiger
David is the manly man of the group at Hillard; he is a very buff, very tall tiger. He has a dominance fetish and turns to Vince to fulfill that fetish. He frequents leather bars and likes to poke fun at anyone that he can. He is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. David is the archetype of a gay butch/bear.
- Vincent Donneman: Whitetail Deer
Vince is an art prodigy, and is always seen writing or sketching. In the comics Vince is usually shown in some form of sexual activity, and usually with David. He is majoring in Fine Arts. Vince is the archetype of the sensitive artist.
- Gerald Anton: Cat
On the outside, Gerald is your standard, run-of-the-mill goth. But under all of that he is actually a nice guy, not that he’d ever tell anybody that. He loves to write poetry no matter where he is, and he is majoring in Literature. His family is actually richer than Nigel’s, and that drives Nigel mad according to Marcus. Gerald is the archetype of a moody goth.
- Timothy Montgomery: Meerkat
Timothy is the gay-pride rally leader of the group, he is never to be outspoken and will gather a group of people if he feels there is a cause to support. He despises being called "Timmy". Timothy is the archetype of (at times rabid) gay rights activists. The images on his tee-shirts perpetually shift from one frame to the next, displaying random pro-gay activist slogans or icons, adding to this impression.
- Alex Infantino: Red Fox
Alex comes across to many as vain and narcissistic because of his obsession with fashion, but Alex means no harm by it. In the words of his creator, "He just wants to look good." He is majoring in Mathematics, but he would rather major in a creative field such as Fine Arts or Fashion Design. He is currently dating Thomas. He is the archetype of the gay metrosexual.
- Thomas Carey: Red Fox
Thomas is the huggable, chubby (ASB's creator has made a point of noting that Thomas is not obese), loveable fox that is majoring in Computer Science. He is known for being a geek, and is introduced in the first comic when he says "Live long and perspire!" He’s extremely friendly and cares deeply about all of his fellow residents, especially his boyfriend, Alex. According to the ASB website, Thomas suffers from self-image issues and, occasionally, depression, despite his normally playful attitude. Thomas is the archetype of the fun-loving (and in this case, gay) geek.
Daniel's parents are both lions who appear briefly in issue 1, have a longer part in issue 5, and have major parts in issues 7 and 8. No allusion is made to their careers, though by their manner of dress and home it is likely they are both working class and may work at white collar jobs. Mr. King is a stern man who disciplines his children through religion when he deems such "punishment" necessary. He is extremely homophobic and demands much of his children.
Mrs. King seems to be an aside character to the story, managing things behind the scenes and trying to repair the damage when Mr. King oversteps his bounds and causes problems within the family.
- The Priest: Wolf
The (unnamed) priest is a wolf, like Daniel's lover Marcus. The two look similar enough that when Daniel runs away and the priest meets him at the cathedral Daniel thinks that it is actually Marcus that had come to find him. Representing a higher moral authority, the priest has a large impact upon Daniel's father and acts as a mediator between the two. Eventually with the priest's help, Daniel manages to convince his father to accept his lifestyle.
[edit] Minor characters
This section is about some of the other characters featured in ASB.
- Allison Boyd: Lioness
Allison is Daniel's literature class partner in issue 4 who becomes romantically interested in Daniel, despite his oblivious disregard.
- Erik (?): Jack Russel Terrier
Erik is believed to be the name of the bartender of the Stonewall Bistro in which the short "Coyote Rose" takes place in issue 2. He is believed to have once had a relationship with travelling musician Scratch Rose though his current partner is Jeffrey.
- Roy: Lion
Roy is the leather aficionado lion that Daniel meets at the San Tomas gay pride rally and gives him a piggyback ride through the parade. Roy also appears later in issue 5 of the comic at a leather bar that David takes him to.
- Scratch Rose (Randy): Coyote
Scratch Rose (actual name possibly "Randy") was the former lover of Erik the bartender.
- Karl: German Shepherd
Karl is Gerald's gay lover and one of the main characters of the "Poetic Justice" scene drawn by Roz Gibson. If you want to see Gerald and Karl in "action" check out the 2000, 2002, and 2005 folios.
- Cliff: Kangaroo
Cliff is Timmy's partner from the issue 3 sequence "It's Raining Men". Timmy falls off Cliff while on the roof of the dorm building.
- Jeffrey: Unknown Species
Jeffrey is mentioned in issue 2 as the current lover of Erik, the bartender.
- Julian: White Leopard
Julian is a homosexual counsellor that speaks with and leads the Leland College Gay and Lesbian support group in issue 2.
[edit] Plot
The primary story that holds the 8-issues of the comic book together is the tale of young Danny King (a lion) going to Leland University and away from home for the first time. He finds himself assigned to residence at Hillard Hall, a place notorious in the student body as being "the gay dorm." Danny's roommate is Marcus Paxten, a wolf who takes a rather immediate liking to the young man.
Over time, Danny discovers that he, himself, is gay and his whole life has changed as he attempts to balance classes, a boyfriend, and his secret with a conservative family, religious dogma, and the bewildering diversity of the gay community.
They will be broken into issues and then into sequences...
[edit] Issue 1
[edit] New Student Orientation
Drawn by Chris McKinley, written by Lance Rund
As the reader is introduced to the main character, Daniel King, for the first time they can determine that his parents will play a role later in the stories. This is because they see the couple only briefly, but can already tell a little bit about Daniel's family life. As they exit, Daniel goes into the dormitory and meets Tina. She gives him some forms to fill out and tells him that his room mate will be Marcus. As Daniel goes up to his floor, we're introduced to David wearing only his underpants, and Vince who is naked.
Daniel puts his belongings into his room and goes to registration where the reader meets Steven for the first time. Already one can begin to pick up on certain quirks of the animals at Hillard. Steven takes Daniel out for a bite to eat and they return to the dorms where we meet Marcus. After they talk for a bit, we find out exactly what is "Different" about Hillard, all of its residents (excluding Steven) are homosexual. After a brief run in with Ricky, the two go to the dorm meeting.
The meeting consists of the entire group introducing themselves to each other as well as to the reader. We meet every major character that lives at Hillard and a brief synopsis regarding their personalities and quirks.
After a brief encounter with David the curious Daniel begins to think, and begins to masturbate. He is seen by Marcus who is aroused by this.
As a few panels of Daniel's various escapades around the campus go by, we are then greeted by a scene involving Daniel and Marcus talking about the whole "gay" thing as they put it. As the conversation escalates it turns into Marcus making his first advance onto Daniel, and finally into Marcus and Daniel's first sexual encounter. The first printing has it off panel and just skips to the ending, however the second printing features an extra page which includes the entire sexual encounter.
[edit] Issue 2
[edit] Chrysalis
Drawn by Chris McKinley, written by Lance Rund
This sequence begins with two panels of Daniel's random nightmare. He then wakes up and reassures himself that it was only a dream, as he comes to terms with the fact that he actually had sex with Marcus the previous night, he gets up and tries to slip away. As he does so, Marcus wakes up and tries to confront Daniel about what happened the previous night. After a page and a half of Daniel in class he returns to his room and talks with Marcus, who consequently gives him a card to the "Leland Gay and Lesbian Alliance". Daniel decides to attend the meeting which is being held later in the day.
As Daniel goes into the group he is greeted with some kind words from strangers and friends alike, one of them being Thomas. The reader is then introduced to Julian, the homosexual councellor, who appears only in this scene. He gets the group into a discussion for a while and then they depart. As Daniel goes back into his room the second sex scene between Daniel and Marcus is shown.
Next the reader is shown a two page shot of a gay pride parade, and then of Daniel and Marcus talking on the sidewalk. They begin to talk about the parade and the people, and then the reader is introduced to Roy the Lion who plays a few minor roles later in the comic. Roy offers to have Daniel march with him at the rally, and after Daniel declines both Roy and Marcus ask him "why?". When Daniel can't come up with a definitive answer he decides to give it a shot. Finally, the reader sees Roy carrying Daniel in a piggyback position.
[edit] Peeping Bandit
Art by Terrie Smith, Lettering by Glen Wooten, Written by Lance Rund
This side story drawn by Terrie Smith introduces the reader to the mini-conflict which is Ricky's crush on Steven. it simply involves Steven bringing a Tigress to his dorm room and Ricky spying on them.
[edit] Coyote Rose
Art by Chris McKinley, Written by Lance Rund
Once again a side story featuring a few new characters, the reader meets Randy (a.k.a. Scratch Rose) as he steps off of a hitch-hiked ride and enters a bistro called the "Stonewall Bistro". As it turns out, Randy had a previous relationship with the bartender, Erik. He glances over at Marcus and Daniel and thinks that they have a better chance at a relationship than he and Erik did. He then buys them a drink and tips his hat as he leaves the bistro.
[edit] Issue 3
[edit] Hopes and Fears
Art by Chris McKinley, Written by Lance Rund
In a comic dealing with homosexuality in a way such as ASB does, touching on the growing issue of gay violence is practically inevitable. The scene starts off with Daniel waiting for Marcus at a bus stop as three guys walk up to him talking about how manly they are and of their sexual experiences. One of them bumps into Daniel, and they exchange a few lines of dialogue. After one of them finds a picture of Daniel at the gay pride parade on the front page of a newspaper they begin to push him around. As one of them shoves Daniel to the ground, Marcus breaks a leg off of a chair and comes to his rescue. The following few pages depict Marcus violently attacking the jocks.
After that scene ends and Daniel and Marcus are walking back to Hillard, Marcus tells Daniel about his abusive childhood. As the two enter the dorm and walk past a few people, they finally get to their room where Daniel cleans up Marcus' wounds. Around that time, Timmy comes in and inquires about the ambulance which pulled up down the street. After he finds out about what happened, he proceeds to call a dorm meeting about it. Tiny exits when he decides to meet with the jocks himself.
The next scene indicates that differences between even the closest of friends can bring out unwanted circumstances. As Steven comes in and asks what he can do, Nigel quickly tells him to go away by saying "This doesn't concern you, het boy". Ricky "tries" to hurt Nigel and runs off, Nigel attempting to chase after him but quickly being stopped by Marcus. As they all continue to argue, Ricky comforts Steven. The next page transitions back to the discussion at hand as Steven and Ricky re-enter and Nigel apologizes. The reader then finds out that Tiny had left to get revenge on the jocks. After another page or so of discussion and the general consensus is that the jock's won't try anything again, everything is once again good for the students of Hillard.
[edit] Things That go "Hump" in the Night
Art by Jonas Silver, written by Lance Rund
This mini-sequence drawn by Jonas Silver takes place around Halloween and simply exists to provide some much needed relief from the seriousness of the previous scene.
[edit] It's Raining Men
Art by Chris McKinley, written by Lance Rund
Another comic relief sequence, but this one also offers a look into the personalities of all of the characters. The reader learns that Vince is the artist of the group, which is good because up until now not much was known about him. We also learn that Daniel is very innovative, and that Steven is somewhat of a tease.
If you look hard enough you'll notice that McKinley changed his drawing style for this sequence: instead of his normal style he uses a lot of hatching and crosshatching for the shading. McKinley described it as the sequence he would most likely redo if given the chance.
[edit] Issue 4
[edit] Sugar And Spice
Story by Lance Rund, Art by Chris Mckinley
In this story we meet Allison when she and Daniel are paired as English partners. They share an obvious mutual attraction. Danny describes her to Marcus while the two are making love. Later Allison comes on to Danny who tells her of his preference and they remain friends. At the end it is revealed that Marcus and Allison used to date.
[edit] Redemption
Story by Robin Leigh, Art by Frank Gembeck
This story involves Tiny trying to live down the jock stereotype and dealing with the fact that he hurt his teammates after their encounter with Daniel.
[edit] Fire eaters
Story by Lance Rund, Art by Chris Mckinley
In this humorus story, David challenges Danny to a pepper-eating contest not knowing Danny grew up on spicy foods and loves them.
[edit] Cherry on top
Story by Lance Rund, Art by Chuck Davies
A one-page story where Ricky shows Danny how fast he can drink a frozen drink and then gets a "Brain Freezy".
[edit] Scrapbook
Story by Lance Rund, Art by Terrie Smith
Ricky buys a Playgal Magazine: College Edition and spots Steven in it. When he tells Steven he feels like he gave the photo to everyone but him, Steven decides to let Ricky take personal photos of him.
[edit] Issue 5
To be completed soon.
[edit] Issue 6
To be completed soon.
[edit] Issue 7
To be completed soon.
[edit] Issue 8
To be completed soon.
