Alright, you punks and art freaks! Maverick Lobo here, back for another week of sonic chaos and creative explosions! Last week we cranked the volume to 11, and this week, we're diving headfirst into the gnarly origins of yours truly – Marek Lobo! Get ready for the story of how this skateboarding, werewolf artist dude came to be! No time to waste, let's shred!
Okay, so, like, duh! Maverick Lobo owes a HUGE shout-out to Weregarurumon from Digimon! That blue furred dude totally blew my mind back in '99! That whole Digimon scene is pure gold. But yo, Maverick ain't just a copycat! This ain't just about lookin' cool, it's about diggin' deeper, ya know?
Rewind to Fall 2023, things were getting heavy, man! I was at a total dead end. All my big plans, my wildest dreams? They were crashin' and burnin' big time. I was ready to throw in the towel, write it all off as some dumb fantasy cooked up by a clueless kid. Thought I was just never gonna make it.
Ever since graduating MCAD in '17, I've been slammin' through different scenes: webcomics, commissions, coding, developing small businesses, graphic design/craftmaking, dance company chaos, even a college coordinator gig. I had a few wins here and there, but nothing ever stuck. So, there I was, fall of '23, jobless and staring into the abyss! Was I gonna sell out and become some corporate drone the rest of my life? NO WAY! It was time to go all in, do whatever it takes to make this crazy dream a reality!
The key was seeing the opening when everyone else was blind! My bro told me about a janitor gig at the local schools. The catch? You only gotta clean for a few hours, then the rest of the day is YOURS! As long as you're not causing trouble or makin' enemies. Dude, it was perfect! I could hustle and pay the bills while secretly leveling up my art skills on the clock! It was like being back in college, but with less homework and more freedom to be a creative weirdo!
Okay, yeah, the job was totally gross, like, next-level yuck! I could tell you stories that would curl your fur! But it did the trick. Day in, day out, I was glued to online courses, art books, and coding tutorials. I became a freakin' animation, illustration, and programming ninja! (Yeah, I even built this site myself, BOOM!) I learned a ton of new skills and tricks that I never would have touched otherwise and I got in the best shape of my life with the amount of time it gave me to train. It gave me the freedom to get seriously creative, but I'm getting off track...
That fall 2023, I was just starting out in the position and trying to come up with the grand plan: what would the end goal look like, and what would it be as/under? I wanted a fresh start, or dare I say at the time, a final start – a brand-new mascot or persona that I would build around. Trying to figure out that process was absolutely agonizing; choice paralysis is very real, but it led to a journey of inward introspection. See my earlier blog.
I've been through a whole graveyard of "sonas" before, each one a learning experience in face-planting! After weeks of analyzing what worked and what totally failed, I had an epiphany: to really make it as a creator, I gotta compromise. What the fans want and what I dig don't always match up, so I had to find that sweet spot where it's still authentic, but also totally rad for everyone else.
At first, I wanted to base my character on Incineroar, but let's be real, Nintendo's lawyers are like a pack of rabid wolves. I couldn't touch that concept with a ten-foot pole and still reach my goals.
So, I looked to Digimon, which has always been a source of inspiration. The funny thing is, even then Maverick wasn't the winner! I was going to go with a Leomon based design. But after Snap from ByCats4Cats gave me the boot, I went home, and that very night I created Maverick Lobo.
The reason I went full-on Weregarurumon-inspired is that it nailed that compromise thing AND stayed true to my roots in the furry fandom and the whole TF (Transformation) scene. Those guys are all about exploring crazy ideas and stories about change. I was a TF artist and fan way before anything else, so basically... this let me embrace my inner werewolf, haha!
There's a creative theory that says nothing's ever truly original. Everything you make is gonna remind someone of something else. And that connection is what makes your work relatable and recognizable. When I was cookin' up Maverick's design, I knew I had to make it different enough from the big brand to avoid getting sued into oblivion! The trick was to keep that familiar vibe while making it totally my own thing.
I was definitely aiming for that werewolf aesthetic, 'cause it's a classic look in both Weregarurumon and furry art. Plus, my projects are all about transformation, so it just fit! The whole beastly thing – exaggerating the muscles, adding claws, fangs, and fur – was a must. By then, I was really vibing with the whole "free-spirit, lone wolf" persona for Maverick.
An artist named Jubilations had the ultimate blueprint for a "good guy" werewolf design. Total respect to that talented artist!
Here's a funny twist: Maverick was originally gonna be a biker (you can still see the echoes of that in his wrist bracelets). But then I was first on the scene at a motorcycle accident that November, and after seeing that carnage, I totally ditched the biker dream. (Everyone survived, thankfully.) Plus, after trying out for FWA 2024, I realized a leather vest is way too hot and heavy for pulling off high-energy fursuit moves, so I swapped it out for the denim vest.
The Converse sneakers were a double win! They're a nod to the whole skater punk scene, plus, there's this company in India that makes custom shoes to protect fursuit feet from getting trashed when you're out and about. Not only do they look totally rad and fit the character's vibe, but I thought they'd be a cool way to stand out from both Weregarurumon AND the thousands of other sonas out there.
Basically, I wanted Maverick to be a strong, leader-type dude who's not afraid to do his own thing. Something fun and cool, something that makes people feel good, even just a little bit.
And you know what? It's workin'! The response to Maverick's design has been way more positive than anything I've done before. Even people outside the fandom think he's unique and rad, which is exactly what I was going for!
But listen up! Creating a killer mascot design and crafting the perfect personality was only half the battle! There's still a TON of stuff I needed to do to kickstart this dream. But we'll dive into that madness later. Stay tuned, you punks! Keep creating, keep shredding, and stay wild! Maverick Lobo, signing off!
Don't forget to check out my Patreon and Newsletter for more content!