“We’re doing this, Timbo. It’s just one bear… Maybe she won’t notice you. Nobody else does.”
– Timmy Mede

Inspiration and author’s notes

As with many characters in the Spookaluca trilogy, TIMMY’S story originates from my youth.

In the early 1990s, my older brother, Bill, worked a summer construction job for a family friend’s business. He would work during the day, and, in the evenings, we would play video games together; often fighting games with a lot of trash talk between rounds.

I remember one night, during a rather tense match, Bill recounted a story he overheard at the worksite: the tale of Timmy and Tina the Tunabear. It was a simple, four sentence blurb, resulting in uncontrollable laughter… and my loss in battle:

“Little Timmy was sleeping in his bed when two burglars broke in through his window and kidnapped him. From out of the nearby lake arose Tina the Tunabear, dual-wielding 15 lb. tunas in each massive paw. She beat the robbers up and saved him. Giving him a ride on her back all the way to his home.”
– Bill Beebe

More than 30 years later…

As the world of Spookaluca came to life in my mind, Timmy and Tina quickly emerged as heroes at the center of the saga. While their names were inspired by Bill’s tale, I had to create my own characters… And I had lots of questions.

“Yes, perhaps Timmy was kidnapped… But, who was responsible, and why? What makes him so special? What ever happened to the burglars? Yes, Tina rescued him, but what’s up with the tuna fish? Were they alive or dead? And, why was she protecting Timmy in the first place?”

Over the next year, Timmy and Tina grew magnitudes beyond their one-dimensional inspiration into completely new, fully-realized characters.

I developed a detailed backstory for him – from adolescent traumas to high school sports, pets he loved to part-time jobs. For his surname, I found inspiration in Greek mythology; I’ll let you figure that one out.

As his character walked through each scene, I began to recognize Timmy’s distinct set of needs, wants and dreams. He became a living, breathing individual whom I interacted with daily, and eventually fell in love with… I hope you do too.

Designing a reluctant hero

Concept art by Francesco Sala

As Spookaluca’s chosen heir, I knew Timmy’s design had to be memorable, and stand out from other humans. While his distinct blue hair and rainbow shoes would help accomplish this, and were integral to the story, I wanted artwork that could physically capture his insecurities and awkwardness.

My original Timmy design. Clearly my Adobe Illustrator pen tool skills were not up to par.

Standing only 5’4″ tall myself, Timmy needed to be tall and lanky: something I dreamed of becoming since childhood. And, as for the tail? You’ll have to read the story to find out!

One character that stood out in my mind was Eric Forman, from That 70’s Show, played masterfully by Topher Grace. His mannerisms and facial expressions would play through my head as I created Timmy’s initial concept art using Adobe Illustrator. At the time, I was relearning how to use the pen tool after more than a 20-year hiatus from illustration. To top it off, I was horrible with anatomy and physiology; I couldn’t draw human bodies!

So, I turned to a few South American artists I found on Reddit to help Timmy find his physicality. Thanks to the incredibly talented Rafael Dantas and Cleber Junior, Timmy’s design started to solidify. After more rounds of feedback than I care to admit, I struggled to land on the right stylistic approach for my characters. Should they appear more traditional? More cutesy? Anime? Somewhere in between?

Early concept art by Rafael Dantas (left) and Cleber Junior (right)

Ultimately, I was fortunate to stumble upon Francesco Sala’s portfolio via Reddit, and reached out for his take on my friend. From our initial video chat to his first sketches, I knew he was the right choice to bring Timmy (and the rest of my characters) to life. Playful and expressive, Francesco’s artwork captured Timmy’s essence perfectly!

Getting personal

Aside from my numerous food allergies and irritable bowel syndrome, Timmy represents some of the worst, hidden parts of me. He embodies my lingering depression, natural pessimism, fears and phobias. My deep desire for affirmation and belonging. He’s my insecurities, self doubt, anxious and neurotic tendencies that make me cringe… and keep my psychologist in business.

Yet, dig deeper and you’ll see glimpses of the best of me. Like the part of me that, for whatever reason, loves people, even when they hurt me. The part that tries to understand and relate to intentions, rather than actions alone. How I genuinely care about friends, colleagues, family and random strangers. My love and almost spiritual connection with animals and my fur babies. Timmy is my compassion, resilience and hope for a better world.

Timmy’s story is a wild ride of adventure, self-discovery and empowerment. I can’t wait for you to get to know and fall in love with him through his adventures, and misadventures, in Magonia!

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