NBA Playoffs: Miami Heat the New Kings of the NBA?

So, I’m Ryan, and this is kind of a pilot program of sorts—a test go-round to see what kind of response we get with a B/R cartoonist and a weekly strip. 

The above is the inaugural entry in that weekly strip, which I’m thinking we’ll call "the Bleacher Retort."

I hope it goes well, for if it doesn’t I will be unemployed.

Now, if you’d allow me to put on my curator’s hat for a moment—the pictorial etymology of the subject matter is twofold:

1. As a lifelong Cleveland fan, it’s possible that I’m still dealing with some unresolved issues re: the Heat. Thus, I was looking for a way to encapsulate my feelings of betrayal, inadequacy and potentially misdirected all-encompassing hatred into what is hopefully a thoughtful and therapeutic piece of art.

2. My editor told me to do it. 

Both of those things contributed.

We used this picture—King LeBron, rookie year—as our jumping off point.

My friend, the enormously talented AJS helped me out/colored the thing in its entirety, and she is freaking amazing. As are, I begrudgingly admit, the Heat.

Thank you Aron, thank you Rollin, and thank you everyone else for reading.

Signed,

Ryan “Chicago Bulls fan by default” Braun

Editor’s notes:

- The actual picture is a little bigger, and was made with pencil, Photoshop, and vitriol. 

- Should you want to purchase a print of the picture, you can get one shipped to your house for $15.00.

- Should you want to purchase an autographed print of the picture, you can get one shipped to your house for $14.95.