Marlin's Art

“Let Me Help (You Get Through Classic Lit)”

My piece for the AOSR Zine, 2023! @aosrenaissance

When you are dyslexic, a ‘stack of books with legs’ is a logical partner. Kirk thinks the most romantic sentence in the English language is "Let me help”, but Spock knows it is “Let me read to you”... even if he has a habit of falling asleep.

Close-ups, because why not

“Let Me Help (You Get Through Classic Lit)”

My piece for the AOSR Zine, 2023! @aosrenaissance

When you are dyslexic, a ‘stack of books with legs’ is a logical partner. Kirk thinks the most romantic sentence in the English language is "Let me help”, but Spock knows it is “Let me read to you”... even if he has a habit of falling asleep.

Beaming Up

Trektober Day 19: Transporter. Spirktober Day 19: Protect.

Beaming Up

Trektober Day 19: Transporter. Spirktober Day 19: Protect.

Reference

Kirk gets a little jumpy on away missions…

I started drawing this a year ago and lost the save file when my computer was acting up, but I just found a screenshot of it thanks to @upper-pylon-3 and decided to clean it up a little.

[ID] An abstract digital watercolour painting which shows Kirk knocking Spock to the ground, on a green planet with a pastel green sky. Their faces haven’t been drawn. They’re both dressed in their blue and gold Starfleet uniforms, and surrounded by tall blue and green grasses. A watermark in the bottom right corner reads “marlinspirkhall”. [End ID]

(Content warning for blood and injury, blood tw).

Like Chess

This was my contribution to the 2021 This Simple Feeling Zine, issues #6. When the mods asked me if I wanted to make a 2-page spread, I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to draw. My mum suggested I draw something I’d already written, and I knew immediately I’d want to adapt “I Don’t Know”.

Thank you so much to the mods at @thissimplefeelingzine for letting me adapt it into a comic, and for all your guidance and help. It was really fun to create this a few months ago, and it’s so exciting to be able to hold an actual, physical zine I contributed to in my hands!

[ID] A Star Trek fan comic shows Kirk and Spock playing chess, and close ups on their eyes. The caption reads “Life, like chess, is a sort of dance…” And there is a close-up on Kirk’s hand, moving a chess piece. In the next panel, he is looking to the side and smirking as he says “Checkmate, Spock.” In the next panel, Kirk and Spock are standing in an alien ballroom, and Kirk extends a hand to Spock, who has his hands behind his back. Text reads “… A series of carefully-planned misstepps and stumbles,” and there is a close-up of Spock reaching out to take his hand. The next panel shows a purple background, where Kirk is coughing in the middle of a plume of smoke, and a red explosion behind him. Comic script reads “BANG!” in all-caps. A text box reads “After all, they say walking is just a series of controlled falls.” There is a close up of Spock looking concerned, as his hair is blown about by the explosion. In the next frame, he is supporting an injured Kirk, whose shirt sleeve has been ripped off. There are several gashes on his forearm, and the skin behind it looks burned. Kirk is touching his forehead with a hand and looks dazed, and his eyes are closed. There are more marks and scratches on the left side of his face (the viewer’s right), and a cut on his lip. The next panel shows him waking up in a hospital bed to realise that Spock is at his side, and he’s fallen asleep in a chair. He has a blanket wrapped around him. There are plants in the background and a large window looks out onto space. In the next panel, Kirk looks up. He has deep bags under his eyes, and he says “what do you want, Spock?” There’s a close up on Spock’s eyes as he replies “I do not know.” Then, the next panel cuts to him looking away, and pursing his lips as he looks pensive. A text box reads “But, he does.”

The second page opens with a shot of Kirk and Spock facing each other across the engine room, making intense eye contact. The warp drive is behind them, glowing warmly, and several textboxes read: “There are countless ways to mishear one another in life, but particularly on a starship. Misinterpretations… the hum of the engines can follow you anywhere. Even when you’re not aware of it, it’s there. In the background. Unspoken.” These are interspersed with images of Kirk and Spock’s eyes darting around as they try not to make eye contact with one another. The next panel shows Spock waking up in bed. The caption reads: “How Spock came to be curled up in The Captain’s bed, I’m sure you can guess.” It then shows an image of Kirk asleep on his side, with his hand curled up next to his head. Caption reads: “Perhaps there was a certain logic to it… Perhaps there wasn’t. And that’s why he felt the urge to go.” The next image shows Spock wearing pyjama bottoms with little pictures of the Enterprise on them, climbing out of bed. The next image shows a Vulcan Harp being packed into a harp case by Spock’s hands. The caption reads: “Before Spock departs for Gol, there is one perculiarity in Jim’s… Closing statement.” Spock tugs up his sleeves, and the next image shows a door hissing open, accompanied by a loud hiss, stylised onomatopoeically as “TSCHHHHT!” Outside the door, Spock hesitates, and closes his eyes for a moment. The caption reads “He doesn’t plan to return.” Then, the next image shows Spock sitting in bed in The Motion Picture, and giving Kirk the side-eye. The caption reads “But Life, like chess” [/text] and shows an image of Kirk and Spock kissing over a chess table, “Has a certain pattern to it.” The final panel shows Spock walking through a doorway wearing his black robes from TMP, as he clasps hands with Kirk. A watermark at the bottom of the page reads Marlinspirkhall 2021. [/End ID]

Sometimes drawing alternate universe comics is a wonderful excuse to do horrific and garish uniform redesigns

[ID] A three-panel comic which shows Spock, with long hair, sitting in a purple chair. He’s wearing a red uniform with a blue sash. Kirk is wearing a light blue shirt with dark blue sections. Text reads: Spock: “Initially, you claimed to be innocent of the crime for which you were convicted; but later changed your plea to one of guilty. Why?” Kirk: Does it really matter now, Captain? Besides, what difference would it make? I was convicted, wasn’t I?“ [End ID]

Touch

Would you like another preview? Slices of a comic by @marlinspirkhall​ (here & on insta, @/song_trek on twitter)!  TSFZi6 preorders open thru Aug1    https://thissimplefeelingzine.bigcartel.com

Keep reading

Flowers I drew for a project which got cancelled. Sunflowers for Kirk, and forgetmenots for Spock. Also shout out to @thesadchicken because I’m pretty sure they’ve used the latter idea in one of their fics before <3

[Image ID: A cartoon of Spock and Kirk in teal and purple robes respectively. Spock looks at Kirk and says: “Ashayam, there is something on your face”, to which Kirk replies: “Oh?”. Spock then holds his arm out and says “a kiss”, pressing two fingers to Kirk’s cheek in a Vulcan kiss. Kirk laughs. Watermarks read @marlinspirkhall and @marlinsart . End ID]

Milkshake, Diner.

I’ve been drawing this on and off since December. My art style was in the middle of changing at the time, so it’s a little different to my usual offerings, neither here nor there. I’m hoping the slightly unfocused, abstract style fits the vibes of this fic. I’ve tried to include some zoomed-in pictures of details I’m proud of, like the little innaccurate pepsi/cola branded clock.

- Killer Plants From Outer Space! by @cowboyjimkirk

[Long Image ID:] An image of a throwback/retro American-style 1950’s diner, set in the 23rd century. James T Kirk and Spock share a booth in the centre of the frame, and Kirk is resting his head on Spock’s shoulder, his eyes closed, looking peaceful. Kirk has entwined his hands around Spock’s arm.

Spock is looking to the left, towards the door (his left, the viewers’ right) with an uncomfortable expression (due to the story’s context.) The door is transparent glass, and you can see the stars outside and a nebula in the sky, which is probably inaccurate to Iowa. Sorry, stargazers! There’s also a railing outside due to the promenade, and a few telegraph poles stretching into the distance, over a grassy hill.

Spock is wearing a green shirt, and Kirk a blue one. Two milkshakes are set on the table in front of them, and there’s a strawberry poking out of the one on the left. The wall of the diner is a dark, reddish brown, separated into four panels of wood, all of which feature alternating diamond patterns. Beneath this is a beige wooden skirting board.

There is a jukebox on the wall, near the door. There is a circular table and chair just in front which is obscured by the back of the booth. The booth seating is comprised of an alternating cream and red colour, as are the barstools behind it. The bar reaches out of frame to the left. There’s a menu on the wall which reads:

“Menu. Beef burger. "Beef” (in quotation marks) Burger. Cheese burger. “Cheese” (in quotation marks) Burger. “Just Lettuce” (in quotation marks). Sundaes. Cocktails. Cola. Today’s Special: Gazpacho Soup. Ask about our allergen information.“ [End Menu Text]

To the left of the menu is a light blue clock, with red text which reads "Drink Branded Cola, An Ancient Earth Delicacy.” The text is written in cursive and underlined with white. There is also a Neon Sign on the wall just above Kirk and Spock’s heads which reads “Elma’s” and is written in reddish-pink Neon cursive.

There is a blue checkered frescoe on the ceiling. [End Image ID]

Milkshake, Diner.

I’ve been drawing this on and off since December. My art style was in the middle of changing at the time, so it’s a little different to my usual offerings, neither here nor there. I’m hoping the slightly unfocused, abstract style fits the vibes of this fic. I’ve tried to include some zoomed-in pictures of details I’m proud of, like the little innaccurate pepsi/cola branded clock.

- Killer Plants From Outer Space! by @cowboyjimkirk