Posted on 25 October 2023 by JamesHi, James here. You guys know me pretty well already. I am a simple person with a simple dream. To topple the shogunate and usher in a new era of bushido. This is widely understood, but I thought I'd take some time to introduce the creative team behind HS:BC. I've talked about "the team" but just who the hell are these freaks?
Our Art Director Kim is someone you might recognize from a handful of other Homestuck projects. His style is almost instantly recognizable and has helped define a lot of the look of the more recent Homestuck era. Kim runs the art side of things like a well oiled machine. He is organized and efficient. He's spent so much time analyzing what makes Homestuck look so unique, and leads style studies and art jams with the other team members. Kim's panels are dynamic and sharp, and he has been spearheading this sort of new fusion of old and new styles. He is also the one on the team that is the least afraid to tell me when I'm not being funny. This project could not exist without him.
Andi and I have also worked on a number of things together, from Homestuck to personal projects. They're one of my favorite artists and they are a well of creativity. Seeing their designs and sprite work gets me so excited for you guys to see it. They were one of the first people I tapped to draw for me and their ability to style match is absolutely unparalleled. Andi worked with me on the first update and absolutely knocked it out of the park even with my somewhat vague instructions. From character designs to style studies to story brainstorming they sorta do it all. They also draw a lot of clowns in their free time. If that's not training I don't know what is. In many ways, this project could not exist without them.
If you've been around in the fandom for the last few years, you know Chumi already. The worlds #1 Jade Harley fan. Their style is a little softer, and honestly a little cuter but they've really brought their A-game to this project. We've done an upcoming update together, and I'm so excited for everyone to see it. Chumi chips in with design and does a lot of behind the scenes clerical work too. She keeps us on task with check-ins and scheduling meetings. You could say this project could not exist without her.
When Andrew asked me to assemble a team, Haven was the first person I brought up and Andrew immediately agreed. Not only is Haven one of the most talented artists I know, but one of the funniest people I've ever met. Haven's panels are stylish and practically bursting with personality. Haven's writing is thoughtful and quick witted. He has such a good understanding of the characters, and you can always count on him to get a laugh. He's constantly drawing the characters and posting them in the work chat. His passion and hard work energizes the rest of the team in such a way that I don't think this project could exist without him.
Floral is the writer I had the least one-on-one experience with before the project started. She was recommended by several team members during pre-production. I read their work and there is such a delicate and precise touch, coupled with a clear and tremendous amount of care for the characters. I knew they would be in good hands. Floral is creative and deliberate in their writing. They have a clear vision of where the characters need to go and how to get them there. Their dialogue feels natural and really humanizes the cast. If you were to ask me, I don't think this project could happen without her.
What can I say about Miles? Miles has known Andrew and I for years, and has such a natural and charismatic charm to him. I knew him largely as a comedy writer before this but seeing him pour himself into worldbuilding and plot mapping has really inspired me. Miles brings an important element to the team, in that he's kind of a bro. The kind of guy that could probably best some kind of beast in singular combat. His favorite guys are Equius and Dirk. You really need that kind of energy sometimes. Miles's writing is so full of character and charm. I'm excited for you all to see what he has to offer. I personally think this project could not exist without him.
Being on this side of things in this sort of role really makes me appreciate just how hard working and creatively brilliant Andrew was. These are huge shoes to fill. We will do our best, not only to finish the story we inherited but to put our own spin on it as well. There are so many exciting things down the line that may take some time to get to while we do some cleaning up, resolve some loose threads and establish story beats. I've been listening to feedback and while I'm not actually taking suggestions it is genuinely exciting to receive such an overwhelming response. It actually seems like a lot of people are sort of on the same page as the writing team, which is refreshing. I love seeing that you guys care as much as I do. It warms my icy little heart. In that capacity, this project could not exist without you.