Angels Dark and Dumb

Winnie’s Wonders: Medusa, Margery, and Movie Misfires

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Yes, I know—it’s well past time for a new blog post, and I’ve got plenty to share. Between creating new art, collaborating on book covers, and suffering through a disappointing horror flick, these wonders are a mix of myth, monsters, and mild movie regret.

1. Medusa and Her Snaky Entourage

First up: a Medusa piece I finished last month. This was such a fun project that really pushed my skills in blending AI elements with Photoshop. I’ve officially given up on Adobe Firefly for horror work—it just can’t deliver the kind of dark, eerie stuff I want (apparently, “terrifying” violates their community standards). But building a base image in Photoshop and then layering in AI additions gave me the flexibility I needed to get closer to my vision.

Snakes, stone stairs, and a looming warrior figure in the background… I wanted a sense of tension, like the moment before everything goes terribly wrong. The whole piece taught me a lot about composition and how to better control AI-generated elements. Medusa might be misunderstood, but here? She’s ready to reclaim her throne.

2. Angels Dark and Dumb Update

If you’ve been following my Angels Dark and Dumb series, you’ll be happy to hear things are moving forward—especially on the cover front. The cover artist is adding a Minotaur and a black warrior into the design, and honestly, it’s been so much fun to see her bring these characters to life. There’s nothing like seeing the visuals in your head get transformed into art by Rebecca Treadway at Nekadu Shop. She does some amazing pre-made covers if you’re in the market for your book.

3. The Gorge… or The Snore?

And now, onto a review I wish I didn’t have to write: The Gorge. I had high hopes for this one, but it took forever for anything interesting to happen. It’s supposed to be a horror film, but instead, we get stuck in a drawn-out romance between the leads that slows everything down. I’m all for character depth and emotional stakes—but if I’m watching horror, I need the creepy stuff to show up before the hour mark.

There are flashes of good moments here and there, but they’re buried beneath a romance that should’ve been trimmed by a solid thirty minutes. If you’re looking for scares, tension, or even a thrill, this movie is more gorge than gorgeous—just a big yawning gap of wasted potential.

And a Happy April Fools’ Day

Oh, and let’s not forget—it’s April Fools’ Day! The one day a year where you have full permission to question everything, side-eye every announcement, and triple-check that your coffee hasn’t been replaced with pickle juice. Have you pulled any pranks today? Been pranked? Hopefully your day is filled with more laughs than groans.

That’s it for now! Between mythological monster art, demonic book cover design, and a few cinematic disappointments, I’ve definitely kept things spooky and strange around here. As always, if there’s something you want me to create, write about, or rant over, let me know. And if you have a favorite female horror icon you want to see Nagel-ified, shoot me a message—I’m still adding to the list.

Winnie’s Weekly Wonders: Time Machine back to 1986 with Class of Nuke ‘Em High

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Not much artwork to brag about this week. It was a week of catching up on marketing activities and editing other people’s work. Not always the most fun, but something that must be done.

Class of Nuke ‘Em High (1986) Review

I watched a few horror movies while posting on social media. Puppet Master, one of my favorite horror movies, was one of them. Considering the title above and the picture to the right, the main feature was Class of Nuke ‘Em High. Wasn’t my first time watching the movie, but it had been many years since I’d seen it back when it was first released.

If you’re a fan of 1980s horror comedies, it’s a cult classic that delivers a delightful blend of absurdity and nostalgia. My favorite students in the movie is a reminder of the the weird shit I used to wear in high school.

The cheesy FX is delightfully low-budget and campy, adding to the film’s charm. From grotesque mutations to exaggerated explosions, the special effects perfectly capture the outrageous spirit of 80s B-movies. The movie oozes with an 80s vibe—from the neon colors and wild fashion to the punk rock soundtrack. It’s a time capsule that transports you back to my era of carefree fun and unapologetic camp. Despite its horror label, it leans heavily into comedy, especially with the bad boy/girl characters. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, often stemming from the absurd situations and the characters’ over-the-top reactions.

While the acting contributes to the film’s campy appeal, some viewers might find it lacking. But in the realm of Troma films, the less-than-stellar acting is almost a feature, not a bug. For a movie with a radioactive premise, I expected a bit more gore. The film delivers some gruesome scenes, but it’s relatively tame compared to other entries in the genre.

Overall, “Class of Nuke ‘Em High” is a fun, nostalgic ride that captures the essence of 80s horror comedies. If you enjoy cheesy effects, a vibrant 80s setting, and a healthy dose of absurd humor, this film is a must-watch. Just grab some popcorn and prepare for a radioactive good time!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Winnie’s Weekly Wonders: What I’ve Loved and Achieved

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It’s been a productive and entertaining week, and I’m thrilled to share what I’ve been up to and what I highly recommend you check out.

The collage to the right was a quick compilation I threw together a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I’ve been incredibly busy with writing that my art projects are suffering, although I do love the way this collage turned out.

I’ve made significant strides in the third book of my series. Barry’s journey is becoming more intense as he continues to absorb Azael’s powers. The plot is thickening, and I’m excited about the twists and turns that lie ahead.

    I recently finished watching the new TV show “Ted,” and I absolutely loved it! The show is a breath of fresh air in the TV landscape. The show masterfully blends humor and heart, delivering a story that is both touching and hilarious. The characters are richly developed, each bringing their unique quirks and charms to the screen. The writing is sharp, and the performances are outstanding, making it easy to get hooked from the first episode. And it’s trashy, a must for me! If you’re looking for a feel-good show that will make you laugh, “Ted” is a must-watch!

    That’s all for this week, folks! Keep following your passions, and don’t forget to take some time for yourself. Whether it’s diving into a new book, catching up on a show, or simply enjoying a moment of peace, make sure you’re nurturing your soul.

    Where have I been? Dabbling in the Occult…Collage

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    WOW! Didn’t realize it’s been a month since my last post. Where have I been? Well, creating the collage to the left is one thing I’ve been up to. I love this one, although it took forever to come together. I started with just the star carved in wood background and placed all the other items, so this one was very involved.

    Watched a few horror shows/movies worth watching. In Dark Harvest there’s a “deadly annual ritual in a small town and Sawtooth Jack, rises from the cornfields and challenges the town’s teenage boys in a bloody battle of survival.” All around good acting, characters, effects, etc. Generally a slasher movie if you like that sort of movie, which I was up for when I watched. Also appreciated that they set it in the 1940s.

    Also enjoyed Midnight Mass, “an isolated island community experiences miraculous events – and frightening omens – after the arrival of a charismatic, mysterious young priest.” Overall great story line with well rounded characters. Very much about relationships with horror around holding on to the past.

    Making some progress on The Pumpkin and the Jinn. New page to show off. Here, the pumpkin wishes himself into a dark truck on the way to market. He’s not very happy about it. I just noticed I haven’t added tears to this one, so back to that page for some more details.

    I’ve been having a lot more fun with Adobe’s Firefly AI image generator. If you’d like to see more fun with the Grim Reaper, drop by my Instagram account. There are also a few more for the Heaven and Hell series there.

    So, I’ve been pretty busy with art projects. Not so busy with writing, although I have been playing with a few AI text generators, including EditPad, Sudowrite, and Claude. Really love how Sudowrite works, so I’m thinking of writing a series with it. EditPad is good for a blog post and I’m pretty impressed with how little editing I need to do with what it generates for free. I need to spend more time on Claude, but I did ask it to write a story about Nita, who will serve Satan by running his restaurant on Earth in her own series after the end of the Angels Dark and Dumb first trilogy is complete in The Corner of Hell and Second Chances. I gave it no history about the series, so it made everything up including the main character’s name. Here’s the prompt and the story if you’re interested in reading it. The story’s not that interesting and doesn’t have much of a plot, but it’s well written.

    Here is a fantasy story about a waitress who works in Satan’s diner, and is a God-created daughter of light possessed by a demon:

    The Fallen Daughter

    Amara had been an angel once – a pure daughter of light created by God himself to bring joy and grace to the mortal realm. But that had all changed the night the demon Malacai invaded her celestial form, twisting her brilliant aura into smoldering embers of corruption.

    Now she walked among the denizens of the underworld, trapped as a server at Lucifer’s Pit Stop Diner on the outskirts of Hell. Her once radiant beauty was still evident beneath the demonic possession – flowing blonde locks, porcelain skin, and haunting azure eyes. But they stood in stark contrast to the infernal diner and its customers.

    “Order up!” growled the flaming cook, Belior, sliding a platter of molten lava cakes onto the scorching hot counter. Amara snatched it up, the searing heat not even fazing her tainted flesh.

    She wove between the booths packed with belching hellhounds, cackling witches, and foul-mouthed dwarven miners fresh off the night shift. Reaching a secluded corner table, she stopped before its solitary occupant – a wizened demon with ash-gray skin and curved horns protruding from a misshapen skull.

    “Your desssssert,” Amara hissed, her voice a mixture of celestial harmony and demonic rasp as Malacai’s influence briefly flickered across her face.

    The demon barely looked up from the arcane tome he was studying. With a clawed hand, he waved her off in clear dismissal. Amara’s jaw clenched in frustration. Even in this wretched place, she refused to be treated like a common servant.

    Defiantly, she slammed the molten lava cakes down on the table, splattering small globs across the demon’s precious book. He reared back with a animalistic snarl of rage. Before he could utter a curse, Amara locked eyes with him, her irises pulsing brilliant blue for just a moment.

    The demon instantly calmed, his anger melting away into an almost trancelike calm. With a slight nod, he returned to his studies as if nothing had occurred. Amara spun on her heel and continued on her rounds, a small smile playing across her lush lips.

    The demon’s willpower was negligible compared to the strength of angelic mind control granted by her divine origins. Malacai’s possession had robbed her of so much light and goodness, but some holy powers still lingered. One day she would break free from this wicked place, Amara vowed to herself. One day soon.

    Thank God The Holidays Are Over!

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    Quick update this week, mainly because I’m been working on this and that and recovering from the holidays as we all are. I’ve been eating way too much crap, so my year starts with a detox.

    This week’s collage is Barry and a hellhound he runs into in the first book. The beast gets the better of him, as do most of the bad guys in Call for Obstruction. I like to think that Barry would have a hellhound as a pet in a future book. Not sure how to write it in yet though.

    Watched about the worst holiday horror movie this week. The Curse of Jack Frost came out last year, and it has that same slow motion problem. Jack Frost wasn’t at all frightening, and too obvious a guy in a mask. The storyline was lacking and the characters were annoying. Boy can I pick ’em. The only written reviews for this movie are 1 out of 10 on IMDB, and they were generous. Give me some credit for sitting through the entire movie. But I do give credit to anyone who finishes a film and gets it out there. It’s a huge accomplishment. In this case, you can only hope they learn from their mistakes and make it better the next time.

    All I got this week. HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s going to be a good one!