This comic is inspired by Aikido and the desire to celebrate beauty more diversely. I told someone at my dojo how beautiful his sword work was. I think platonic beauty is not a compliment men get often, which is a bit sad. I tried to explain it, I don't think I did a great job, though I added "it's so pretty!" to my explanation. There is a beauty in focus, attention and purpose. A beauty being absolutely present to the thingness of things, the strength, wisdom and skill to attend to it. It's pretty! And exciting! We should celebrate beauty more in all its forms and for all genders.

And so, when it came to embodying that ideal in a comic, who better than Bunson and Boot?

Celebrate Diverse Beauty Comic Transcript

Bunson: I think you're beautiful
Boot: What? Why would you say that?
Bunson: Because it's true!
Boot: What does beauty mean to you?
Bunson: I like how you focus on stuff dn do stuff. When you zoom you zoom. When you spend time with me you spend time with me.
Bunson: It's lovely and pretty.
Bunson: Boop!

Bunson frolics away

Boot: Beautiful... lovely ... pretty...

Thanks to all my patrons and special big extra thanks to Kate Webb, Matthew Noe, Sandra M. Odell and Erik Owomoyela.