Anthropomorphic animal characters
in comics or in animation seem to have been traditionally limited emotionally,
to rather shallow roles . They've never really been limited as far
as subject matter. Violence, usually the humorous slapstick kind,
has always been there. Even sex shows up, usually with a burlesque
humor approach. But serious, deep, gut-wrenching emotions are rare.
And they are even more rarely done well. David Hopkins is one of
the few who combines the artistic ability to draw very expressive characters,
with the willingness to put them into extreme emotional situations.
When it is done right, as it is in David Hopkins work, it's a transforming
experience - like a beautiful passage of music, the characters' love, pain,
or anguish goes straight to your soul.
you
might say, "there's plenty of sex and death and violence out there.
What's different about this guy?". For one thing, he does a good
job of coming up with characters that you care about. Nothing's worse
in a story than to have it filled with characters you can't care about
or have no sympathy for. Even some of the more demonically evil ones
have a vulnerability that makes them very human. They aren't the
typical one-dimensional anime/video game/action-adventure beings.
They are characters you can get involved with. They may be a collection
anthropomorphic furry creatures, but they have more realism and humanity
than most of what passes for drama today.
I don't want to leave you with the impression that Hopkins' work is all on the dark side. Even Jack has some comic relief in it. It fits in well with the other more serious elements. After all, you can't be very close to reality if you can't laugh at yourself.
J.C. Gumbert
One further note: Check out Dave and Katie's work on the links below, and send them money. God knows they deserve it.
David Hopkins Archive (Orlando)
