Jackie and Shadow: A Bald Eagle Love Story
You might already be familiar with the viral saga of Jackie and Shadow, a pair of Bald Eagles whose live stream nest-cam has drawn viewers from all over the world. Their story went viral this year as thousands awaited the hatching of their three eggs. After following their channel for a while, I was inspired to create a comic about them.
I started by brainstorming their story and recalling moments that felt important to me. I chose some key moments that I could use to create the arc of the story from last year’s failed nest to this year’s attempt. I drew the whole comic in pencil then inked it using a fountain pen and Noodler’s Lexington Gray ink. The completed page was imported into Procreate where I colored it using Lisa Glanz’ Nitty Gritty Brushbox.
I found it easy to anthropomorphize the Jackie and Shadow’s relationship. They seem to show a real affection toward each other and they have many interactions that seem almost conversational.
While I ended this comic with the pipping of the first egg on March third, there is more to the story. All three eggs hatched and then huge winter storm hit. One of the chicks died during the worst of the weather. Currently, the two remaining eaglets are doing well.
Here’s another bird comic, this one about an American Robin.
