Today we’re joined by DarkChibiShadow, who also goes by DCS. DCS is a fantastic visual artist, writer, and game developer who specializes in erotica comics. They are very interested in erotica and sexuality, which informs much of their work. DCS strives to make things that everyone can enjoy, but are particularly dedicated to making things ace people can enjoy. Their stories include a wide variety of ace and aro spectrum characters. DCS also makes a copious amount of SFW comics and games as well. They have recently started SofDelux with their friend Nami, who was interviewed yesterday. The pair of them are a powerhouse, collaborating to make some truly awesome visual novels and games. It’s clear DCS is a passionate and talented artist, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
Hey! I’m DCS, otherwise known as DarkChibiShadow!
When it comes to my art — it’s my life! It has been for so long, ever since I was little.
I would say I mainly make comics with a heaping side of visual novels right now — as well as a ton of different kinds of commissions! I’m basically always working on something!
Right now my biggest focuses are my webcomic, Space School, and my various erotica comics! I update both once a week; with my erotica comics rotating between a cast of characters and stories.
Good ‘ol Space School has been going on for a long while now — and it’s had it’s ups and downs cuz of that. It started out as a really silly RP idea that I then grew super attached to and wanted to make a comic of. (Little did I know at the time just how attached I’d get, haha!)
The main character, Zeggy, is a reflection of me as a teenager struggling to find acceptance among people my age — I was rowdy and way outspoken about my interest in sexuality and I think it drove some people around me batty. (Sorry everyone I hung out with!) Needless to say I uh, understand boundaries a lot better now and am always glad seeing when readers of mine relate to Zeggy in the same way. Plus, it’s got a great ‘lil ace bird boy named Joe, who is very outspoken and a lot of fun. Oh! Alkaline (the love interest) is demisexual as well — with a few other background characters also being on the ace spectrum but they don’t get into it as much during the main plotline.
The comic is very old now — with the beginning being…made by me in my late high school years; but I still love it, and want to finish it one day even if it takes me another five years, haha.
![1. DCS Space School [2017]](https://asexualartists.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/1-dcs-space-school-2017.jpg?w=648)
I’ve made a ton of erotica comics thanks to my Patrons (Love ya! You know who you are!) and I’m always super excited to explore new worlds and characters and see how they fall in love and get down ‘n dirty.
Porn and sexuality have always been a huge thing for me; and something that I always wanted to create. There was just…not a lot of porn out there that made me feel good — despite my interest in it. I’ve just always wanted to create my own little corner of the internet where I could enjoy fun porn and invite people in to enjoy with me.
I’m always really excited and happy when there’s ace people who reach out to me and say they like my porn. Knowing my stuff can help other ace people feels great, honestly! It’s all I ever wanted! I just want to make stuff that’s fun and focuses on characters and romance and having a good time, having a laugh!
Agh — if I go on I’ll definitely write a whole essay about it. Needless to say; I really enjoy erotica and I’m passionate about making more comfortable and fun stuff for me and my fans.
And lastly — but certainly not least — I make visual novels now too!
I believe I started making visual novels in 2016 (around this time of year, actually) with some short fan-games and then went from there.
I had dabbled in making games a bit when I was a teenager but never thought I would be fit for finishing any? I guess I just never thought I’d have an idea that would fit — but once I started thinking of ideas specifically JUST for games; it became a lot easier.
Going from comics to visual novels was actually pretty easy since both involve lots of pictures, and lots of words — but there were definitely things in either that were easier or harder to do depending on the medium.
It’s only been 2 years but I’ve already released or help release a bunch of VN’s! It’s been awesome!
The ones I’m most proud of are Tomai, Disaster Log C, and Mermaid Splash: Passion Festival!
They were all collabs and all super fun and I’m so proud of the final product — check ‘em out if you like stuff that’s goofy, romantic, and not-too-long, haha.
In 2018 I’m expecting to release the first of four games in my “One-Eyed Lee” series of games, titled, “One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party” as well as helping release, A Werewolf Oppunirty, Obviously; which has a massive 30k word count demo out right now. As you can tell by the name, it’s a queer werewolf dating sim and it’s awesome. Check ‘em out!
And as a side note — I always try to include PG-13 options in any game I make so that people who are not comfortable with sexual stuff can avoid it entirely!
I’m really excited to be making visual novels and I’m pumped to make more in the future.
Shout-out to Nami who has taught me basically all there is to know about making games in Ren’py and is probably the sole reason I can keep making them. Love you!!!
What inspires you?
There’s so much that inspires me! My friends, nature, animals, mythology, games, comics, movies, shows — so much!
I’ve always been big into the look of PS2 games and am always kind of searching to emulate that in my style — I think. Games like Shadow of the Colossus, Okage: Shadow King, the Katamari line of games, Dark Cloud, Space Channel 5, Kingdom Hearts — all of those things really inspired me when I was young and still continue to do so!
Right now a BUNCH of indie-games inspire me! Just seeing other game devs go for it and make stuff is…so awesome! Whenever Nami shows me her WIPs I always get excited to work on my own games — and vice versa! Any game that really feels like it was made by a team or person who is really passionate about it shine through to me so much…it’s such a good feeling!
Not to mention all of the good comics out there!
I’ve always been a huge fan of Full Metal Alchemist and for a long time Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure was a huge influence too. (I got into it back in…2008? I think? I was a Junior in High School and BUDDY, was it hard to get back then. Anime fans have it good right now!)
And then as I got into my twenties I finally got into One Piece and it’s soooo good! Plus it’s great that Luffy is basically confirmed as ace-aro, hell yeah!
Other comics like Mushi-shi, Franken Fran, Nana to Kaoru, and a hand full of smaller or one-shot comics have also been a huge influence.
Not to mention all of the doujins and porn and movies and TV shows I like…there’s so much!
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Overwatch, a BUNCH of documentaries — AGH! It’s just all so interesting and exciting!
Every new thing I see and learn about just gives me another fun idea for something to work on! Again, if I keep writing I’ll never stop — there’s too much fun stuff! It’s all so good! I’m so glad people create things!
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I’ve always been an artist — and I don’t remember a time I wasn’t drawing?
I’ve been making comics more “seriously” since the 5th grade and I started posting my comics online when I was a freshmen in High School. Back then, I had a comic I used to update every day! I don’t know how I did it. I was wild.
For a while I wasn’t convinced I could do art full-time just because (at the time) the internet wasn’t where it was right now for freelancers and because so many people around me told me that being an artist wasn’t viable.
So I originally went to community college thinking I would maybe go abroad — but once I saw my girlfriend, Niku, going to art school and doing her best I thought, “If I don’t at least TRY to do what I love for a living — won’t I end up regretting it later on?”
So I said fuck it and started on my way to full-time art!
I was really lucky though. My parents are together still and I’ve got a great support system of family and friends — and not to mention I already had a following from posting my comics back in High School — so I think the stars were just aligned for me. I’ve still got a long way to go!
I think anyone can do what I do! All it takes is working a lot, honestly! As long as you’re finishing work and communicating with people; I think it’s possible!
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Keep at it! If you’re feeling like your art will never find it’s audience — just keep at it!
These things take time — so much time!
I’ve struggled for so long to find people who connect with my art, but I know even more are out there and I just gotta work even harder to find them.
If you draw it…they will come…
You can too! You can make your thing, you can find your people!
Also; try not to be a perfectionist, mmkay?
Finishing your thing is more important than it being “perfect” and often times people will not notice the flaws you do — so just look at that finish line and get to it.
Getting your thing out there and in front of people will make it that much easier to get working on your next project and get better and better.
You got this!
To inspire you, here’s some of my first Webcomic art from 2007:
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I am demisexual~! I also identify as queer, since it’s a nice blanket term for “not straight” and because I’m interested in so many types of people and bodies.
(I’m also genderfluid; but my gender has always been much harder for me than my sexuality, ugh.)
For me– knowing a character, knowing a person is…it’s everything.
I find myself totally not caring about a character until I get to know them, see them, fall in love with them in a way? Then suddenly I’m SO invested in all of the little things they might like to do in bed. Stuff I wasn’t even remotely interested in before I can become interested in because it’s what that character is into — and for me, that’s everything…
When I found out what being demisexual was — it was such a relief; because it perfectly described me and how I felt towards other people and characters. I wish I had known about it when I was a teen!
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
Hmm, in the past I’ve gotten some hate from random people but I think every artist has that to some point. Some people just don’t like your work and…well, that’s really that!
It sucks, and I hate it, but knowing it happens to just about everyone makes it easier!
Otherwise — I have had people question whether “being ace is a thing” in terms of some of my characters; which is annoying but hey!
I’ve also seen some rather un-kind things said in articles about ace-focused media — it sucks!
Typically I tend to keep to my own lane and just focus on my work; that tends to be the easiest way to go about it all.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
That every ace person ever hates sex and anything to do with it!
Being ace, like being anything, is a spectrum! There’s a ton of ace people who like porn and there’s a ton who don’t and I think being able to make spaces for either is a good thing!
I’ve personally had some friends who weren’t interested in porn at all (and were actually kind of repulsed by it) turn a new leaf because they found out porn ISN’T ALL just the typical hentai stuff — it’s a whole range of things! Seeing someone find their kind of porn is so sweet!
It sucks for me knowing that there are people struggling balancing being ace with liking porn or liking sexuality — because I think those two things can totally live in harmony!
Nothing breaks my heart like seeing someone who is ace get asked questions like, “You still like porn? Aren’t you ace?” and “Are you really ace if you like porn?”
Because of COURSE SOMEONE IS STILL ACE IF THEY LIKE PORN! AAAAH!
I’m super interested in porn, in the sexuality of a character — but I am just not that interested in having sex. When I’m super in love with someone — there’s interest — but even then, not that much?! And I think a lot of people feel this way and think maybe it’s not right?! But it’s totally fine!
Also; it’s tough when people expect everyone who is ace to also be aro. It’s seperate!
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
Don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t real and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be loud and proud!
And don’t let anyone tell you it’s a “PHASE” either — even if you eventually find the label isn’t for you — someone saying this to you is bullshit!
Yell you are ace as loud as you want! Put it all over your profile if you want — dye your hair like the ace flag — do it all! BE LOUD, BE PROUD, BE ACE! YEAH!
I’m so proud of you for being you!
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
I’ve got a lot of different sites — some include R18 work and some STRICTLY DON’T so I will organize them as such down below:
PG-13/SFW:
SFW Art Blog
Deviantart
Space School Comic
Sofdelux Studio
R-18/NSFW:
R18 Art Blog
Weasyl
Furaffinity
Comics Masterpost
A mix of PG-13/R-18:
My Itch.io
(My Itch.io includes stuff that is R18 but nothing explicit is shown and everything has a content warning before downloading.)
My Twitter
(I don’t post anything NSFW, but sometimes I like suggestive things and with the way Twitter currently works– that can sometimes be a problem!)
Or, if you want to support me monetarily, here’s some ways!
My Erotica Patreon – My Space School Patreon – My Ko-fi
Commission me! – Hire me for your game!
Any follows, reblogs, retweets, anything like that– always help a ton and keep me making new free stuff for everyone!
Thanks a ton for reading my interview! I hope you found something new you liked!
Thank you, DCS, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Asexual Artists 