Storytellers
Welcome back, Friends. I’ve always thought of myself as a storyteller, and that’s why I fit in so well with my colleagues at Old Mill Road Media. Together, we tell the stories of people, businesses, and non-profit organizations in our community. One of our newest team members, Nick Burchard, is another storyteller like the rest of us. Nick was introduced to me as a videographer, but I soon discovered that he’s also a filmmaker, photographer, graphic designer, and comic artist. He took the headshot of me that you see here! Today, I’m psyched to introduce you to his comic, Vulture Culture, and give you a brief glimpse into the artistic world of Nick’s Tiny Viking Designs.
~Megan Demarest, Editor of The Guide​

Nick started making comics at 3 years old when he penned his first strip, Super Piggy. He’s always been a fan of anthropomorphized animal characters, like Snoopy and Garfield, created by celebrated comic artists Charles Schultz and Jim Davis, respectively. Vulture Culture follows the same vibe, and was inspired by a good friend of Nick’s who works at the quintessential mall shop Hot Topic, a pop-culture and counterculture retail store known for including goth-style clothing and accessories. What kind of animal, he thought, would best represent goth culture and hang out in the world of dying malls? Enter Avril the Vulture, who works at the mall store Hawk Topic, and lives with her Vulture dad, Gene. Nick’s funny and gothic comic tells their story, inviting readers to “follow Gene, Eddie, Avril, and Debbie as they navigate the 'poser' filled culture of their dead mall. These Vultures desperately cling to the fandoms and styles that have long since passed and truly...keep the scene alive!” He’s currently selling SKWAK! The Vulture Culture Omnibus, a labor of love he’s been putting together for the past two years, bringing all his weekly Vulture Culture comics together into one collection.
Any artist will tell you how important it is to have support for their work, especially from friends, family, and local community. Nick cites his parents as two of his biggest champions, explaining that they are quick to offer constructive criticism, showing their support as only caring parents can. If you’d like to support Nick’s art, please visit his Kickstarter campaign for SKWAK! and check out all the fun rewards he has to offer when you contribute to the project.To see more of Nick’s work and view his cool merch, visit here!​
kickstarter.com/projects/tinyviking/skwak-the-vulture-culture-omnibus
