Yesterday (June 8th) was National Best Friends Day! So please enjoy these two best friends. Doing normal best friend things.

Essex and Pax belong to BLACK CLOAK. If you want to see more of their best friend antics (like staring death in the face and solving murders), you should check out the book. Available at most comic book emporiums.

BLACK CLOAK was drawn by me, written by @1979semifinalist, lettered by Becca Carey, and designed by @rianhughes.

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Description:

An illustration of two characters against a blank background. They are both beat to hell and back. Essex, a dracona/elf hybrid is sitting with her legs out, tiredly wrapping her friend Pax's ankle. Pax, the pixie, is lying on his back as Essex helps him. One arm in a sling, the other gesturing angrily. Yelling his obscenities to god. On the ground near them is a messy first aid kit.

You should see the other guy.

The mermaids of the lagoon wish you a happy Mermay.

Come into the water to celebrate.

Just a bit closer.

Just a smidge.

If you want to see more mermaids, pick up the murder book BLACK CLOAK. They do not commit the murder. But that's not for lack of trying. Available wherever books are sold. (But particularly my storenvy.)

Sabra the mermaid belongs to BLACK CLOAK. Drawn by me, and written by @1979semifinalist. Letters by Becca Carey. Design by @rianhughes.

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Description: An illustration of a small cave opening in a lagoon. Rocks and plants litter the scene. Lurking near the opening of the cave, glaring out, is Sabra, the lead mermaid from BLACK CLOAK. If you can see her, it's already too late.

He's just a weird little guy.

Want to see more of Essex and her weird little guy, Theodore? Pick up the murder book BLACK CLOAK, available wherever murder books are sold.

(Like my storenvy: meredithmcclaren.storenvy.com)

BLACK CLOAK. Written by @1979semifinalist. Drawn by me. Letters by Becca Carey. Design by @rianhughes.

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Description:

An illustration of a bluesky post. It's posted by Essex, the main character of the sci-fi, fantasy, detective book BLACK CLOAK.

In the post, Essex is in the extreme foreground, looking at that camera with a look of consternation. Behind her, we can see her Taka (kinda cat like creature). This is Theodore. He is a teenager. Like all teenagers, he is being a weird little guy. Evidenced by him eating from his food bowl buy laying on the floor with both legs splayed out in a split. It looks very awkward and counterintuitive.

Text above the post reads 'why does he eat like that?'

Is it a phase? Who knows.

Essex is 'that' girlfriend.

Want to see more of Essex and her long suffering girlfriend, Nida? Pick up the murder book BLACK CLOAK, available wherever murder books are sold.

(Like my storenvy: meredithmcclaren.storenvy.com)

BLACK CLOAK. Written by @1979semifinalist. Drawn by me. Letters by Becca Carey. Design by @rianhughes.

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Description

A three panel color comic featuring two characters from the IMAGE scifi, fantasy, detective comic book BLACK CLOAK. The character on the left is Essex, an elf/dracona hybrid with lightly tanned skin and short red hair. She's wearing a bright green jacket. The character on the right is Nida, her dracona girlfriend. Nida is dark skinned with glasses and her hair pulled back in thin dreads.

Panel 1: The two appear to be going in for a romantic kiss. Hearts litter the panel.

Panel 2: Essex ruins the mood by using her position to squish Nida's cheeks into a fish pout. The SFX behind them reads 'SQUUUUISH'. Nida responds with a shocked '!!'

Panel 3: Against a completely blank background, Essex throws her head back in an obnoxious laugh. Tears in her eyes as she continues to squish Nida's face. Nida, who is justifiably annoyed, simply responds: 'i am dumping you forever.'

Essex sleeps like a little weird gremlin.

Want to see more of Essex? Pick up the murder book BLACK CLOAK, available wherever murder books are sold.

(Like my storenvy: meredithmcclaren.storenvy.com)

BLACK CLOAK. Written by Kelly Thompson. Drawn by me. Letters by Becca Carey. Design by Rian Hughes.

Description: An illustration of Essex from the scifi/fantasy/detective comic BLACK CLOAK. Written by Kelly Thompson and drawn by Me. Essex is sleeping in her tiny, passable apartment. She is half on the bed. Her legs are sprawled on the mattress, but her chest and big bat wings are curled up on the ground. Around her are the various effluvia of takeout and previous private investigation cases.

Essex is a great cook.

Good luck to whoever wants the kitchen after her though.

BLACK CLOAK is a murder book available on my Storenvy.

Written by @1979semifinalist, Art by Meredith McClaren, Letters by Becca Carey, Design by Rian Hughes

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Description:

A three panel colored comic.

Panel 1: Essex, the lead for BLACK CLOAK, is intensely taking a picture of something with her futuristic phone/hologram thingie. The sound effect 'click click' sits above her head alongside several sparkles.

Panel 2: The panel shifts to show what Essex is taking pictures of. It's several nicely prepared dishes. There are more sparkles and another 'click click' of a camera shutter as she takes more pictures.

Panel 3: The camera shifts again. Darkened in the extreme foreground is all the kitchen utensils and dishes she used to make dinner. They are stacked messily and forgotten. Who knows when they'll be cleaned. Past the kitchenette, we see several little Essex's bustling around her little dining table to take more pictures from several different angles. 'Click clicks' abound.

Essex can be very cool when she isn't dying.

Essex is from BLACK CLOAK . Artwork by Meredith McClaren

Description: An illustration of Essex from BLACK CLOAK. She's dressed stylish/casual with a large padded purse. In her purse is two taka (they're like magical cats) The old grey one is sitting on top of the younger, smaller white one. Essex is looking away from the audience as she sips bubble tea. Her wings are unfurled but fading out to the side.

BLACK CLOAK v2 TP!

She out!

Go buy.

Written by @1979semifinalist, Drawn by me, Lettered by Becca Carey, and Designed by @rianhughes

Black Cloak v2 is out March 26th! Here's a little video of me adding the final touches to a page.

BLACK CLOAK Written by @1979semifinalist, Drawn by Meredith McClaren, Letters by Becca Carey, Design by @rianhughes.

BLACK CLOAK v2 comes out March 26th!

Please enjoy the moment I realized that I had fleshed out almost an entire page and forgotten THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTER.*

*sweet baby boy

BLACK CLOAK Written by Kelly Thompson, Drawn by Meredith McClaren, Letters by Becca Carey, Design by Rian Hughes

Here's a small process video from BLACK CLOAK issue 11!

BLACK CLOAK v2 will be out April 1st! (You can preorder now wherever books are sold.)

Black Cloak Issue No. 10 out today!

(Here's a couple of my favorite panels.)

Black Cloak #09 is out today!

Here are a couple of my favorite panels, but if you pick up the issue from your local comic book shop, you can see the rest of them! (╹◡◠)

It's BLACK CLOAK day! You can find issue 08 on comic store shelves or on my storenvy. In the meantime, I thought I'd share my favorite panel from this month's issue.

I hope you enjoy!

Hey! The next story arc of BLACK CLOAK lands on shelves tomorrow! Here's a panel I was really proud of.

Remember to pick up BLACK CLOAK #7 from your local comic emporium to get some more!

Preview Page from the next installment of BLACK CLOAK. On shelves August 21st. Written by Kelly Thompson, art by me, letters by Becca Carey, and design by Rian Hughes.

Hey! It's BLACK CLOAK day! Written by Kelly Thompson, drawn by me, letters by Becca Carey, design by Rian Hughes, and Edited by Charles Beacham!