References For Anomaly Diversion!!!

Yeah, perfectly logical.

Sniper doesn't have any skincare although he spent all of his life frying inder the sun. Bro's gonna die from cancer once the respawn machine is off. He also smokes, pretty excessively, I assume. Always dehydrated (saturated color of jarate). Probably eats the same foods (just meat he hunted down and nothing else? Veggies who?). Doesn't exercise. Plus he's a lonely loner abd there's no way he's not struggling mentally too (definitely affects your physical body in many ways).

And Scout is very healthy compared to that. Always running, keeps himself fresh and flexible. Doesn't smoke (or at least very little, unless he wouldn't be able to run that fast and for so long). Very active and reactive, so I'd say his a pretty happy guy overall. Can't really say anything about other habits, but I'm guessing he knows how to keep himself happy, he's a sport junkie after all.

So it's neither a secret nor a mystery why one of them is an early grandpa and the other one is a babyface. We're comparing neglected houseplant to a dandelion.

Okay, so ykno how in game cosmetics, Sniper looks a lot older than Scout? Well, not to sound like a nerd but a possible reason for this is the difference between their lifestyles.

Sniper grew up in Australia and now he's in New Mexico, that's a lot of sun, and I doubt that man has taken proper steps to avoid sun damage. He's in decent shape, but not like Scout, speaking of which, he grew up in Boston, and as far as I know, it doesn't get too sunny there. He also runs like, a lot.

I know this doesn't explain everything and it could be more comprehensive and less "thrown together last minute" but I don't feel like it. Yall get the gist.

My, my, well, I don't have hopes for the official comics but I am willing to explore this topic further.

Aside from Sniper, what are others' wounds that made them join this blasphemous corporation?? People don't pay much attention to it but how did the mercs join Mann Co. in the first place? They didn't just go there, knocked on the door and asked for employment, right? So what are the backstories?

I'm guessing Mann Co. wanted the best of the best men out there, but those who would actually take insane risks of their lives. This kind of reminds me of Portal but instead of Olympic champions and astronauts, Mann Co. wanted ABNORMAL men. What that means exactly is still an open question for now. But hear me out, Valve heroes are never trained fighters, they are just very desperate and have no other choice but to proceed.

Why would mercs be different?

I mean, is any one of them a certified fighter? I mean yeah, Engineer has 11 PhDs but he's still more of a mad scientist rather than a formal doc. Any other?? Soldier who has never been in a war, Medic with no license, unregistered demolition, mental hospital refugee, Scout who is just a street boy wtf is he doing at the frontline??

Smells fishy, isn't it?

They wouldn't be here if they were really trained professionals. So that's why I assume they got here because they had no other place to go. And Surprisingly, in here, they got everything they wished for.

(these are my headcanons that I tried to build based on logic, however, their bases aren't exactly stable, keep in mind)

Sniper wanted to be violent legally, so he doesn't think about his moral struggles anymore (except when he talks to his dad in the phone).

Scout was a school dropout who didn't have many options of what to work as. Although, while they were always diners and gas stations, his family of million brothers pushed him and his pride down, so in order to become a bigger man in society's eyes, he applied to military service. Probably meant to Korea or Vietnam but was redirected to Mann Co. instead.

Heavy had really difficult clashes with the Soviet Government (being a national enemy by many articles) he went to make money to US. He was probably known by Mann Co. even before his change of settlement, they knew the story about the Gulag demolition/escape, so they got interested in this person's potential.

While not being a nazi himself, Medic worked in the closed german experimental camps because it was the only place his unlicensed ass could apply (fleeing country in the wartime wasn't an option). And they needed mad scientist. However, instead of using prisoners as a resource, he made them super humans (baboon hearts kind of shit) so these prisoners killed the security guards and escaped. To avoid state persecution, Medic immigrated to America where was known and got invited to work for we-know-who.

Engineer's work is generational.

I don't know much about Demoman's lore (it's a little confusing) but "a reckless alcoholic extremist who desperately needs a job" sounds perfect for who they were looking for.

Spy is obviously not a real spy but rather a skillful conman who made through life by stealing, pretending and seducing rich women. Mafia history might be there too. But he wasn't invincible and the police was a pretty serious problem for him, so joining a secretive organisation was a solid solution. (Plus, someone could make a funny thing by setting up him and Scout together, because they knew.)

Pyro was a person who spent all their life in a mental hospital, seen as dangerous to society/unadjusted. Mann Co. reached to them and gave them a chance, which turned out great.

Soldier, too, was either a mental hospital often guest, a prisoner or a simple local crazy man who has severe amnesia and violent behavior. Good option too.

It's not a place where you could just ask to be employed, as not everyone actually could. It was some kind of a "safe heaven" for those who didn't have another place in the world. It was an insane but a very effective move by Administrator, who wanted this team of abnormal men to unite against something Big and Important ™ of which we still know nothing about. Does it make sense?

You know, I don't see a lot of people talking about this moment in the TF2 comics right here, seconds after Sniper realizes he's actually from New Zealand. Does anyone else think about how freaking insecure Sniper must have been growing up?

I know it has a somewhat comedic tone but I can't help but think about poor Sniper as a kid wondering why he was so different but never knowing why. With other Aussies being huge and muscular he must have thought something was wrong with him. And I feel like you can actually see the relief on his face in the bottom panel.

Also, side note, I love the bit about him throwing rocks from a tree which absolutely foreshadows his future as a sniper. His whole thing is shooting people from far away because he was never built to go on the offensive.

Just wanted to say I loved your portal crossover drawings with TF2 a while back. Cave and Caroline looked spectacular (as did all the Tf2 crew)!

Thank you so much!

I love how similar portal 2 and tf2 are in many aspects, like. The eccentric moron CEO? The assistant who doesn't respect herself but will do anything for her boss? Wacky ass inventions? Random superpower elements (moon rocks, australium)? Medical malpractice (mantis dna / baboon hearts)???

If you think about it, Black Mesa also is a hilariously dumb facility. Like, they weren't even joking as much in hlvrai, what the hell are those pira cutter rooms? Random goo crushing press? Nothing is OSHA approved. Wtf are these for?😭

The orangeboxverse is just inherently funny.

Daisy, daisy...

Interloper C was truly something...

2024 Summary

Starts in May because I drew nothing earlier.

Last year (I barely even remember those times) I was so burned out by drawing, I used to put too much effort in it and then not be satisfied anyway, so I snapped and decided to not draw ever again. 2023 summary was uneventful. I've lost faith in my skills.

Even a year into the fandom, I didn't believe I was able to draw these characters and I didn't want to (I was scared). I decided that I'll be known there solely by my writing... Until one day I actually tried and, wait a minute... I CAN?????

I'm still not in a warm relationship with drawing as I used to be back in the day, I still don't draw for enjoyment but only for the end result. But I'm glad that I'm welcomed here with what it is. 💔

Happy new year!!!

Jesus fucking Christ????????

Cemetery of Doves

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