Jake Machen's 'Verdant Dreams' channels retro anime and manga aesthetics

Hull-based comic book artist Jake Machen has released 'Verdant Dreams', a comic collection that authentically mimics the look of 1990s anime magazines and Sonic the Hedgehog picture books, though created entirely in the present day. The work features half-tone textures, bubbly characters, large eyes, action lines, speech bubbles, and onomatopoeic lettering. Machen achieves his style using paper, ink, and pencil, then uses a lightbox for shading and Photoshop to create half-tone patterns. He has built a large visual library by scanning old magazines, comics, and Letraset catalogues. The collection includes direct references to MC Escher's famous stairs artwork, as well as homages to Kirby, Final Fantasy's black mages, and Dragon Ball Z's Shenron. The cover references Nintendo 64 games like Quest 64, Mischief Makers, and Yoshi's Story. Machen cites influences such as Violence Jack, Dragon Ball, and Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. The narrative explores cyberpunk themes and the tension between nature and technology, contrasting with his previous work 'Full Metal Trenchcoat' which had a dense plot set in an invasive technological world. 'Verdant Dreams' adopts a relaxed, decompressed storytelling style.