The Gonterman Archive

It might be hard to believe, but there was a time when the Internet was a far simpler place. Not just in terms of tone, or naive discourse, but visually. If an early website wanted to deliver information, it was text based, images being a luxury on any single page. After all, how could a 28.8kbps modem possibly handle a deluge of visual stimulation? If you had more than a handful of images, and they were larger than a postage stamp? People would call you out. If you did have an image archive, you’d better believe you were throwing that in a plain directory, with the most detailed of descriptions to give your visitor fair warning as to what they would click in advance.

Yet even with these restrictions, art still flourished. Before the World Wide Web came to be in 1991, webcomics existed, sent along on digital bulletin boards and Usenet to be downloaded at the user’s convenience. But in the brave new world of the Internet, there was suddenly a convenient way to display these images to the masses. No longer did one need to land a job at a comic book company, or invest in self-publishing. All you needed was a scanner, the ftp space, and a dream big enough to push you to success.

It was this wild world that David Gonterman logged onto, when webcomics were still a curiosity. Simply anything being released on a regular schedule was enough for it to garner one’s attention. At first, any piece of art that Davey would create was simply a few images that tied into whatever fanfic he was working on at the time. But soon the bug bit. And why not? He had a long term love affair with Marvel Comics. He would reference both old and new books in his own work. He fancied himself an artist, he could do it just like his heroes.

The art rolled out. Turning to Blood and Metal Alpha, he began making a comic book styled adaptation. He scanned the comic strip he drew for his college newspaper, starring Johnathan Brisby. He reacted to the death of Princess Sally Acorn. It would not be long before he sketched out webcomics that went beyond direct adaptation. Sailor Moon: USA and Sonic: The Mobius Chronicles were brand new stories inspired by his earlier fanfics. Original ideas began pouring out, including the long running Foxfire strip. For better or worse, these comics caught people’s attention. Gonterman had an audience, one that would read his work scattered on a number of AOL Hometown accounts.

For better or worse, gaining an audience also meant that he caught the attention of a wave of detractors, creating webpages to tear apart his sequential art. Gonterman reacted in a vocal fashion, drawing up the infamous stand alone book, NiTRO. The purpose of it was to shed his growing reputation, to prove that he was more than a fanfic author. His earlier works disappeared, being replaced by newer strips uploaded to his official sites. Though he dabbled in prose, he continued to define himself as a cartoonist. The Internet’s most dangerous. As the years went on, he also began revisiting his earlier original ideas, rebooting Foxfire and once again looking for the best way to tell the tale of Johnny Briz. However...

To date, none of Gonterman’s long running webcomics have ever reached an ending. To be fair, he is not the only one online who has embarked on telling a long-form narrative only to abandon it midway through. But the possibility of any of his comic offerings reaching any sort of satisfactory conclusion, including The Ballad of Johnny Briz, has dropped exponentially. In early 2015, the final strip of Johnny Briz was posted on Deviantart, and in 2016 he declared that he was done with webcomics as a whole. After one too many troll comments on his account, Davey finally threw in the towel.

There’s always the possibility that Gonterman may return to the visual arts at some point, but aside from a few standalone drawings, he has stayed true to his word. Below is all that remains of his comic-telling career, in chronological order.

Sally Acorn Protest Comic (1997)

The oldest Gonterman comic known to still exist, the title is self explanatory. Well, if you’re familiar with Sonic the Hedgehog. The Archie version. Circa 1997.

Sailor Moon USA (1997)

After watching the entire series once more, a Sailor Moon fan laments there’s nothing else for him to watch. Suddenly, from out of the sky, Serena crashes into St. Louis, Missouri, right into David’s arms. One talking cat later, and he discovers the Negaverse has returned in full force.
Note: Unfortunately, the only issue that currently exists is the first, in an edited form. This version, “MiST on the Ghost Planet,” is presented without further commentary, and will be replaced in the event the original is ever rediscovered.

• Episode 201

Sonic: The Mobius Chronicles (1997)

Take one part SatAM Sonic, one part the Sonic OVA, sprinkle in some Fleetway, and what do you get? Something that is all parts Gonterman. A thousand years into the future, Julian Kintobor and his son David wake up in a world populated by anthropomorphic beings. One explosion later, Dr. Robotnik comes into being, ready to rule all he sees. That is, unless the Freedom Fighters and one Davey Krockett are able to save the day.

Kitsune .44 (1997)

Scrott Trucker, a member of the Texas Rangers, attempts to outrun a tornado, with little success. Finding himself in Japan 400 years in the past, he is accepted by the townspeople after a single act of heroism. Gonterman’s first wholly original work, only one issue was ever released.

Ninja High School (1997)

A four-page “demo comic,” only the last page is known to exist. Yes, that is an Animaniacs reference.

Foxfire (1998)

David Gonterman’s original comic masterpiece. Jim Goodlow, a local cartoonist, tries to make it big by showing off his work at the St. Louis Comic-con. After an unexpected cameo by Stan Lee, Jim finds something even more unexpected - a living alien fursuit trying to save the world from another living alien fursuit. The archive available here, “FoxFire Comic Strip 2.0,” features a handful of early strips that were remastered during the year 2000. The original versions of those strips are currently lost.

NiGHTS: The Third Dreamer (1998)

If you were a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog in the mid-90’s, it was impossible not to be aware of NiGHTS into Dreams. Developed by Sonic Team, it was the group’s first offering on the Sega Saturn. In the absence of a mainline Sonic game, much of the fandom gravitated towards the experimental flight platform experience. Did Gonterman own the game? Only he knows for sure. But he certainly read the mini-series by Archie, and was overcome with the urge to continue the story. Even if he only wrote one issue.

NiTRO (1998)

This is it - the centerpiece of the NiTRO saga. Featuring David Gonterman as a purposeful self-insertion, he faces his creations and critics alike, while trapped on the satellite that opened the door for his work to be criticized, often in the attempt at humor. Trying to understand his place on the Internet and look towards the future, this comic becomes a fascinating look at Gonterman’s first transitional period as an artist.

Fauna Force (1999)

The start of a new era in the art of David Gonterman. Wanting to move away from his fanfic driven work of the 90’s, he also wanted to prove himself as a legitimate creator. Johnathan Brisby, magician mouse and still a Rats of NIMH fan character, stumbles across the evil Animaster, a lion who is turning humans into furries against their will. Designed as direct competition against the Sonic the Hedgehog comic book, Fauna Force only lasted three issues.

Night Soldiers (2000)

Meet Richard Kronos. With a promising football career ahead of him, he broke his leg during his first game. Distraught, he meets Lady Shazell, a mysterious wicca with extraordinary powers. Things take a turn when Richard is able to transform into Star Mech Kronos. This isn’t your mother’s Sailor Moon, but if it was that would be strange.
Contains one image that might be NSFW.

BakaBreakers (2001-2002)

The year was 2001. Reality television was taking the airwaves by storm. Looking for any concept to work, producers created the short lived FOX show Murder in Small Town X. Naturally, Davey made a comic based on it, featuring Adam Packbell and his android girlfriend.

Planeswalker (2002-2003)

One of Gonterman’s longer running projects, a love letter to Magic: The Gathering. A simple card game in our world, what if it was actually real? Well, Jamie McIndy discovers this to be the case, finding a book that grants her the power (and the soul) of The Planeswalker. Shades of the Yu-Gi-Oh! series soon come into play, with elaborate card battles from professional duelists, including one named David...

BakaBreakers v2 (2003)

While focusing his energy on Planeswalker, Gonterman still had a BakaBreaker itch to scratch. Reimagining it as a side-story that would tie into Planeswalker, this form would be short lived, abandoned for yet another retooling of the premise, Livewire Latte. Only one strip is known to have survived.

Livewire Latte (2003-2005)

The third attempt at following the life of Adam Packbell in comic book form. Taking its name from a once-short lived Mountain Dew variant, the webcomic follows the avatar of David Gonterman, proprietor of the anime-themed coffee shop BakaBreakers. Also featuring Johnny Briz as a supporting cast member, the comic starts off with a healthy number of references to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy before becoming a prelude to Gonterman’s first full length novel, Lost Boy Found.

Scarlet P.I. (2004-2008)

In the year 2000, David Gonterman put his original webcomic, Foxfire, on hiatus. Four years later, he dusted off the concept, relaunching it as Scarlet, P.I. Still starring Jim Goodlow, he is no longer a cartoonist, but instead a recent graduate of the police academy, desperate for a job in law enforcement. His fate forever changes once he discovers a fursuit that just happens to talk...

Commissioned Comics (2008, 2009, 2011-2013)

During his active period on DeviantArt, David Gonterman uploaded a handful of short comics, all commissioned by others. Fair warning, there are NSFW drawings in here, along with themes that may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

The Ballad of Johnny Briz (2012-2015)

To date, the final webcomic David Gonterman has written. In a world where hand drawn animation has fallen to the wayside, a young woman and her new mouse friend try to bring back the spirit of the classic Disney shorts from the 1920’s and 30’s. Yet another retelling of the Johnny Briz story, it’s fitting that it ends where it all began - with a mouse.

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