Kisho Rhied

Kisho Rhied is a 20-year-old local cartoonist who is described as eccentric and anti-social. But then again, aren't most artists?

Background
Kisho's artist background began as unsuspecting as most, with his parents encouraging his creativity and buying him luxury art supplies. By the age of 4, he was painting professional-looking portraits of landscapes at an astonishing pace.

At the age of 16, he attended a prestigious art school where he was somehow able to outwit even his professors. This, however, got him into a lot of trouble and affected his reputation, as other penguins were not too fond of his smart-mouthed, know-it-all nature (even though he was right every time). Being forced into social isolation led him to create his comic, Drab Ink, which was an autobiographical yet exaggerated tale of a young puffle discovering he had magical powers that doubled his creative speed and integrity. Drab Ink immediately became a local hit and led him to Keziah, his best friend who is also an eccentric and anti-social artist. The two discussed the social commentary, disturbing imagery, and satirical nature of the comic and even began writing together on occasion. They are often seen together, gossiping about others or drawing some disturbing masterpieces.

Drab Ink
This is Kisho's finest creation, and he is still publishing weekly stories in local newspapers. Drab Ink tells the tale of a young puffle named Pink with magical powers. Pearly Gates, the given name of these powers, allows Pink to see the minds and thoughts of creatures around him. This is visualized by the initially shocking imagery of the victims' faces being transformed into a book. When interviewed about what inspired this, Kisho simply explained:

"I adore penguin-watching and trying to figure them out. You can learn so much from an introductory glance, watching their conversations with others in public, peeking into their homes at night - er, what was the question again? Yes, the effects of Pearly Gates! Don't we all wish we had that power? I always wondered what others were thinking when I was younger, when I was pushed into lockers as a teenager and bullied by teachers for doodling in class. Why would they do such a thing to me, Kisho Rhied? I've never done anything wrong in my entire life."

Kisho then thought for a moment, taking a long sip of his coffee and looking around.

"...but I'm sure if I knew those thoughts, they would hurt me deeply. Some things are better left undiscovered, yes? Oh wait - is that Keziah over there? I've gotta go."

The interviewer was never seen again, but this interview was of course serialized and satirized in the next issue.

Personality
Kisho definitely thinks he is all that. He carries himself as if he is the most important penguin in the world, but realistically, he is still the same loser he was in high school - just with more money and a successful comic series under his belt. He often looks down on others if they express disdain or concern for his work, feeling as though they're just "misguided idiots with no understanding of what art really is." Even if they do want to understand his artistic vision, he has no interest in giving lessons, tours of his office, or workshops for young artists. He has a massive fanbase despite this and is something of a local celebrity.

He is notably eccentric and disturbed, but nowhere near the level that his dear friend Keziah is. He does admire her disregard for sociability and censorship and hopes to be just like her someday.

Interests
It is obvious that Kisho enjoys drawing his comics, but when he is not seated at his desk scribbling away, he has a fondness for traveling, photography, and fashion. Despite the social and inclusive nature of these hobbies, Kisho is drawn to them as other creative venues and inspiration for his comics. He will take photos of random penguins and things he sees, following some to their homes inquisitively, and this often gets him into trouble as he is "invading privacy". This doesn't stop him, though. In building his designer wardrobe, Kisho also racks up a massive debt to pay back to a multitude of stores.

In terms of his travels, the evidence - photos and postcards of foreign lands - is used as décor all around his massive home. He allows himself to be friendly to one person, Keziah, who is the sole recipient of several expensive souvenirs from his adventures.

Finances
As if Kisho would ever discuss the exuberant amounts of money he makes, it is apparent by the way that he dresses in exclusively designer clothes and lives in a three-story home all by himself that he makes a sufficient amount just from the publication and reception of Drab Ink. He does not have the appropriate foresight to plan for his future, however, so he often finds himself in financial ruts that lead him to gambling. One choice encounter with a gambler set his house on fire somehow. He's still ashamed of losing.

As he got older, he decided it was time to really buckle down and be smarter with his finances, even hiring a personal financial assistant who proved herself to be useful to him when he took his first and only class on finances and retirement prep. With his house insurance properly redistributed and damages covered, he began saving a very, very small retirement nest egg. The nest egg was depleted within a month due to his normal spending habits, setting him back to square one. He says this is still a work in progress, as art school doesn't prepare you for the real world.

Trivia

 * He is a parody of Rohan Kishibe from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
 * He most notably hates everyone.
 * Except for his bestie Keziah.
 * It is rumored that he participates in some level of petty theft, but this has not been yet proven. Surely he would have some choice words about this accusation.
 * He has a taste for junk food despite his sophisticated façade.
 * He hates video games and television, claiming that they "disrupt creative flow". He did, however, play Blobs of Fail on behalf of Keziah's begging.
 * Don't tell him you know this, but he is a little bit sour about not being included as a character. Keziah promised he would appear in the "Special Edition", but this edition has yet to be created.