These Readers Made a Piranhamoose Demolition Derby Car

A few months ago, I got the kind of email that you want to get, when you are in the position I am in.

It began like so:

David,

I am putting together a demo derby car for my wife to run here at the end of August. I was wondering if you would be willing to grant me permission to paint Piranhamoose on it.

My response was:

I’m dismayed that you have not already completed said car so I can see it. This sounds like the best idea I have ever heard of.

The writer was Wondermark reader Justin R., Esq. And a heap of pictures arrived soon thereafter! Justin described the Piranhamoosification thusly:

I started with a 1991 Cadillac Brougham. A steel monster of a Cadillac that began life as the top-of-the-line model that year. The height of luxury.

derby1

We installed a small block Chevy V8 with headers out the hood, an inboard mounted fuel cell, and a semi-truck battery. Couple of safety features, then it was time for the paint.

derby2

derby11

I began by taking my favorite two images of the Emperor of the Food Chain. The hood is adapted from the picture on the T-shirt, and the trunk from Captain Pike’s Final Wish.

derby3

I first drew a simple version of your original on drafting paper, before expanding the drawings onto poster board. Then, from the poster board, I razored out stencils and used them to spray paint the outlines.

derby12

derby4

Once I layered the colors I wanted, I finished the detail with paint pens. Then I added the “gwarrhh” just for the fun of it.

derby5

derby6

derby13

derby7

The woman in some of the shots is my lovely wife and avid Piranhamoose fan. She is also the driver of this majestic beast.

That was all. Then, in the far-off distance, a sound… Was that a shrieking of metal? A bestial howl to the brackish Yukon moon? The simultaneous roar of a thousand slavering, oil-thirsty mudthusiasts, bearing witness to the ferocity of the beast that put the car back in carnage?

The pictures that followed told the whole grisly tale…

derby8

derby9

As promised, here are some “after” photos of the car. It performed in the spirit of the Piranhamoose, devouring many cars before ultimately being brought down. My wife placed sixth in a field of 22.

derby10

Thanks again. Next time it will be Sharkhawk!

Justin, please pass on congratulations to your wife for a fine performance on the field of battle, and congratulations as well to all of us, who have won a prize of sorts just by getting to see this happen. Well done, all.

Previously: Piranhamoose in brass / Piranhamoose in pumpkin / Piranhamoose in lights / Piranhamoose on your body that GLOWS IN THE DARK


Obligatory Puzzle Update: With just under three weeks remaining in the Kickstarter campaign for my Victorian jigsaw puzzles, I am doing a bit of “Viral Marketing”.

A new Piranhamoose-O’Lantern

Check out this great Piranhamoose-O’Lantern from reader Sarah Z., who says “I was inspired by last year’s piranhamoose-o-lanterns!”

By which, of course, she means THESE.

I’m not a very skilled pumpkin-carver myself, but here’s the one I made this year:

It was at my wife’s work, where lots of people from the office made their own! I liked this one best, from one of her co-workers:

It looks like it’s saying “sssshhhhhsffffftttttt”

Just imagine that outside your window right now.

Real faint, but in a quiet moment, distinct:

sssshhhhhsffffftttttt

Free Piranhamoose Holiday Card Download!

In the frozen North…it is ALWAYS Christmas.

This wonderful illustration was created by Emily Partridge! Emily has just co-edited Ahoy Booty, aka “The Buttzine,” a collection of comics and short pieces all about butts. I have a comic in it too! You can get your copy here.

You can download this image and print it out to make DIY holiday cards, if you like! Here are two letter-sized PDF files, one with a large image (fold the paper in half to make a card), and one with smaller images (cut the paper in half to make two cards). Enjoy!