Hello, I’m Billie! I’ve posted my work on FilthyFigments as Cosmicdanger, but over the last couple years I’ve been slowly transitioning my online presence to Weatherbane! I’m a nonbinary (they/them), aroace, and disabled artist from the States (in the PNW to be exact!). I love a good sci-fi and a good fantasy– and even more than that I love blending genres, like my work Midnight Ranger. When I’m not drawing I love gardening (poorly), playing video games (also poorly), and taking orders from my two cat overlords (excellently).
How long have you been creating comics?
I’ve been creating comics as a whole for about 12 years, or thereabouts. Most of those were short-form stories ranging from 3-8 pages, but FilthyFigments is where I was able to do my first long comic story, Wavelength!
What do you enjoy drawing most?
It’s hard to pick a Most Favorite! On a daily basis for work and personal things, I love adding small details– scuffs and chips on armor, bootlaces in a fun pattern, garbage and graffiti in an alleyway. I do sometimes get a little lost in the weeds with that and spend much more time on a single comic panel or portion of an illustration than I should– but it scratches an itch in my brain. When it comes to stories, I love when a closed off or stoic character gets put into a vulnerable position and has to confront their own feelings– or be confronted by people who care about them.
I do, also, really love when I get to draw erotica for other people– it’s such an amazing feeling to have crafted something that specifically nails the things they’re into, especially when it’s something weird or niche that I may not be into or have even considered!
What are some of your biggest inspirations in your work?
I would say that my very first real stylistic influence (the kind that made me go “I want to draw like that some day!”) originated with and was heavily informed by anime and those how to draw anime books that used to be everywhere. Not to carbon date myself, but no matter how old I get, I can still see the ghost of influence in how I render my art when I’m watching InuYasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Trigun. As for what I draw, I mostly get inspired by things that I’ve watched or read most recently (both books and AO3), games I’ve played, or the wild pervert conversations I’ve had with friends.
What do you like about erotica and/or drawing erotic comics?
I would say that as a writer I love erotica as a facet of character exploration– what does a horny scene say about a character, and how they relate to others? If I took a single moment of their intimacy (is it even an intimate act for them?) and froze it, what would their expressions and what they’re doing say about their relationship with the other person (or persons. Or monster. Or robot. You know how it is.) As an aroace person, I love drawing erotica because as a person who experiences neither sexual nor romantic feelings, it feels like a genre of fiction. I love it in the same way someone might love a giant space robot movie– seems cool but like, damn, I wish sex was a real thing that people could have. Wouldn’t that be neat? And of course as an artist I love drawing erotica/erotic comics because the keysmashes and other reactions fuel me. 🙂
What was your favorite project you’ve worked on for Filthy Figments thus far?
Wavelength, especially the latest chapter for sure! In chapter 3 I introduce Eights, an emotionally withdrawn, cranky, misunderstood robot from the main characters’ past– and then I get to torment him emotionally for 60 pages.
Recommend a few of your favorite Filthy Figments comics from the archive. Tells us WHY you love them.
A Worshippers Gift by Shibara– This comic has such a painterly, soft style that I really adore. Also the fact that it’s a dialogueless comic that still manages to convey everything that needs to be said takes a lot of skill!
The Devil’s Due by CG Houle– Loved the characters, loved the story, and I’m always a big fan og GC Houle’s art.
Any personal projects you’d like to plug?
I’ve got a post-apocalyptic sci-fi + fantasy comic that I’ve been chewing on for a hot minute– it’ll be a little while before I post anything of it, but when I do there will be updates on my tumblr and bluesky!
Where else can readers find you online?
Behold! My carrd: https://weatherbanelinks.carrd.co/
