Steeped in the lore of [Star Wars](https://creators.vice.com/en_us/article/we-spoke-to-the-curator-of-an-online-archive-of-star-wars-art), [Dungeons & Dragons](https://creators.vice.com/en_us/article/ryan-devoto-insane-dungeons-dragons-model), and [rock'n'roll history](https://creators.vice.com/en_us/article/my-ramones-first-tour-photo-book-danny-fields), [Brooke Penrose](https://www.instagram.com/brookepenrose/) draws detailed heroes, villains, and monsters with backstories as rowdy as their line work.

In September 2016, the Australian illustrator began a daily monster challenge called the Monster Drawing Club. In the beginning, he fleshed-out fusions between rockstars and mythical beasts, including a Phish-inspired Fishoid, a vampire that loves Batman, and a Pumpkinhead chopping his own head off with a guitar. When the month ended, he began other challenges to generate ideas.

Part of the joy in Penrose's work appears in the detailed captions that accompany each grizzled figure. He describes demons, goblins, and creatures problems with romance, bad timing, and politics, in a way forgiving them for their "otherness." His imagination earned him gigs designing posters for bands like La Bastard and The Scouts, as well as his own group Saint Jude. He's currently working on _The Post-Apocalyptic Coloring Book_, which you can sneak peek along with his monster mashups in the Instagrams below.

Art for Kids: Wither Storm (minecraft). The first thing this guy absorbed as he was changed from minor threat to major player, was a factory manufacturing the vinyl reissue of the Beastie Boys' "License to Ill". All that raw party power sent the Wither into a storm of epic proportions. Now he's on a rampage across America in search of the original pressing of every Beastie album, while busting out mad 80s rhymes for anyone who'll listen! Time to shake your rump, it's an egg raid on mojo!!
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UPDATE: I made him brown because an all black monster is really boring to draw #pen #artforkids #minecraft #beastieboys #marker #pencil #illustration #wither #witherstorm

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Art for Kids: Wither Storm (minecraft). The first thing this guy absorbed as he was changed from minor threat to major player, was a…”

Bot-Jockies are usually big tough thugs, riding monstrous armed killing machines. But Sal is different. She learnt her grease monkeying from her dad and cobbled together her chicken walker from the rusted remains of an old scout bot. It may not win any beauty contests, but it's fast and packs quite a punch. If you need someone run down out on the scorched plains, there are a lot worse options than hiring Sal and Rooster. And you won't have to deal with some braindead masher who brings your quarry back in pieces. Sal will get the job done quick and neat. .
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#pen #postapocalyptic #illustration #art

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Bot-Jockies are usually big tough thugs, riding monstrous armed killing machines. But Sal is different. She learnt her grease monkeying…”

SOTBGC, day 27: X-Ray Kid. In the bad old days of the 1990s, the city of St Petersburg was a haven for gangsters, thieves and trouble of all lawless kinds. Then came Gamma X. A costumed superhero specialising in control of the mysterious X-Ray, he used his technological superiority to keep the innocent safe and the criminals at bay. For 20 years the people have felt safe, shielded from the worst terrors of the night. But Gamma X has grown old and the mantle of hero has passed to his reluctant son, Kid X-Ray. Kid has always questioned his fathers use of x-ray beams on his enemies, yet always these concerns have been pushed aside by Gamma X as irrelevant in the fight against evil. But now Kid X-Ray is in charge and he's about to experience the full horror and excruciating agony of having his flesh momentarily torn from his bones and displaced into another dimension, as Kid X-Ray turns his fathers XDominator Blaster on himself... #inktober #marker #pen #drawlloween #sotbgc #seasonofthebadguysclub #xraykid #art

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “SOTBGC, day 27: X-Ray Kid. In the bad old days of the 1990s, the city of St Petersburg was a haven for gangsters, thieves and trouble of…”

The Shoggoth's spawning name was Gruunathulatchii, but when he's at his friends place listening to Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy or Black Tape for a Blue Girl, he calls himself Dark Willow. No one back home in Yoggoth understands him like his human friends. .
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Congratulations to @chimpchomp for getting the 5K giveaway. Here's your drawing, a Goth Shoggoth. I'll do another giveaway soon, maybe a caption contest and I'm also looking to do some merch and art prints, so stay tuned. Love you guys. 
#pen #marker #cthulhu #lovecraft #hplovecraft #inktober #art #giveaway #goth #drawlloween

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “The Shoggoth's spawning name was Gruunathulatchii, but when he's at his friends place listening to Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy or Black…”

Lifeform Drawing Club: Slasher. In the space of just a few years Anton Billings, crawled out of a Tokyo sewer, a skinny, white, abandoned army brat, and became The Slasher, lead guitarist in the biggest band in the world, Rose Love Cannon. His rise to the top coincided with a number of unsolved and particularly brutal murders around the world, the locations of the victims mirroring the route Rose Love Cannon would take for each epic tour. And while The Slashers penchant for blades, especially handmade sushi knives he would forge himself (an ancient art he learnt among the secret Itamae of Japan's dank underground), which he would juggle while shredding brutal guitar licks, certainly put him in to the gaze of Interpol, nothing could ever be proven. The Slasher was too big. He covered his tracks too well. And most police were frankly huge Rose Love Cannon fans. #rocknroll #pen #art #illustration #marker #lifeformdrawingclub #lifeform @lifeform.co #slasher @slash

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Lifeform Drawing Club: Slasher. In the space of just a few years Anton Billings, crawled out of a Tokyo sewer, a skinny, white, abandoned…”

WIP commission. Really enjoying this one. Not sure when I'll get to share it with you. Getting some psychedelic / Adventure Time shapes going. #art #pen #marker #illustration #wip #commission #rocknroll

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “WIP commission. Really enjoying this one. Not sure when I'll get to share it with you. Getting some psychedelic / Adventure Time shapes…”

Mab's Drawlloween Club, day 23: Ravens. Farrowind, warrior and hero of the Great Tree stands above the broken body of his younger brother Thorowane. They were attacked while travelling on a secret diplomatic mission, with a message from their King Glarrow seeking dire aid from the people of the Red Chest. The robins are small, but brave, and the help of their warriors might lift the siege that has left the Great Tree in such desperate need. All around the trunk and sweeping branches of the Raven's mighty home, thousands of foul Bellbirds have created a nearly impenetrable cordon, trapping the Ravens in their hollows. Many strong sallies of black hued knights have tried to break the tweeters lines, but their numbers are too great and always the Ravens are beaten back with much loss. At last King Glarrow sent his finest warrior, Farrowind the Uncaught, to try to bring back help. Farrowind decided to take his young brother Thorowane with him. It was time for the fluffling to finally leave the safety of the nest. Their escape was unseen, or so they thought, and not more than seven leagues from their home, the air around them erupted with the high pitched battle cry of a Bellbird horde. They flew for their lives, but Thorowane was struck by an arrow and fell. When Farrowind landed, his brothers body was still. No time for tears. They would be together in the next life. He drew his sword and prepared to sell his own life dearly. #mabsdrawlloweenclub #art #marker #pen #inktober  #drawlloween #ravens

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Mab's Drawlloween Club, day 23: Ravens. Farrowind, warrior and hero of the Great Tree stands above the broken body of his younger brother…”

Sayonara pal!
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Haven't had much time for colour lately, but I'm enjoying doing black and white again #postapocalyptic #pen #art #illustration #drawing

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Sayonara pal! . . Haven't had much time for colour lately, but I'm enjoying doing black and white again #postapocalyptic #pen #art…”

Gutt Ghost zine commission in colour. Check my earlier post for her full back story and follow @enzogarza for updates on his great comic. #digitalcolor #drawing #illustration #pen #guttghost #gutghost

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Gutt Ghost zine commission in colour. Check my earlier post for her full back story and follow @enzogarza for updates on his great comic.…”

Lifeform Drawing Club: Lifeform. Lieutenant Andrew Martin had been missing from the Mars Mission base camp for 6 hours when Major Susan Patton fell into the concealed cave and landed with a thump twenty feet below surface. As soon as she could stand she assessed her containment suit for compromise. So far so good. Three hours air remaining. That's ok too. Radio? Fucked. That's not so good. The hole she'd tumbled down was way too steep to climb and her right leg was aching from where she'd landed on it. Nothing for it but to find another way out. She started off down the nearest opening. It was hard going and almost pitch black, but eventually a light started to show ahead of her. Rounding a corner she saw the figure. Standing still in a field of iridescent fungus that was growing from the floor of a huge cavern was Andrew. Or at least it seemed to be. She recognised his nametag and the ultraviolet power guitar Lt. Martin used for Martian gas extraction was still attached to the containment suit. But the very moment she cried out she saw the garish amorphous growth sprouting from all over his head and back. The figure hadn't moved until now, when it slowly began to turn its helmet towards her and Susan saw the face inside. If only her radio had been working. As it was her scream never left the cave. 
#lifeform #lifeformdrawingclub @lifeform.co #illustration #pen #marker

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Lifeform Drawing Club: Lifeform. Lieutenant Andrew Martin had been missing from the Mars Mission base camp for 6 hours when Major Susan…”

Lifeform Drawing Club, DOGT: From town to town, as long as you have booze, electricity and are willing to stay up all night listening to the loudest and dirtiest of post-crisis rock'n'roll, The Defenders Of Good Times (D.O.G.T) will be there. They'll drink your town dry and leave every pair of legs aching from the boogie, but if you have trouble from raiders, desert rats or biker gangs, in the morning they will grind those punks to sand. Debbie (guitar) is the leader, a stone cold wizard on the strings and lethal with her pump action; Olga (bass) is all goofs, beer sculling and deafening fuzz until the shit kicks off, when she's been known to tear open a few new assholes with her bare hands; Greta (singer) is the pacifist of the group, she has a mean set of lungs and would rather drink than bash heads, but if anyone messes with her sisters she doesn't hesitate to get to work; and Tog (drums), definitely fucking mental. They are the DOGT and they've come to kick some ass. .
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#postapocalyptic #illustration #drawing #pen #art #lifeform #lifeformdrawingclub @lifeform.co

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Lifeform Drawing Club, DOGT: From town to town, as long as you have booze, electricity and are willing to stay up all night listening to…”

Monster Drawing Club, day 11: Hand of Doom. As night fell and the blood moon rose high above the ancient decadent city of Thargarlon, the young apprentice sorcerer decided the time had come. He had made every preparation necessary for so dangerous a summoning. Or so he thought. The circle of holding he had drawn with powdered bone, ash and chalk was very nearly as perfect as those he had seen his master make on other portentous nights. But just as he drew the final mysterious sigil, the sleeve of his robe scuffed a tiny smear in the powder. So small a thing would matter little for the lesser demons and beasts that he had often witnessed appear bound within a similar circle, but tonight he was not summoning some hellish nothing. He was tearing forth a great power from its dark smokey home. And so evil and mighty a force would require perfection to contain it. The young sorcerer began his incantations. Hours passed, until with only moments of moonlight remaining, a dark pall of pungent, sulphurous smoke forming in the exact centre of the circle, marked the impending arrival of the demon he sought. His voice rose to an inhuman shriek and with a rush of foul air, the candles were snuffed out and the room was dark. He shuffled backwards till his fumbling hands found the tinder box and he managed to light a candle. Turning to the circle he saw it, the great creature he had ripped from its hellish hole; the Hand of Doom. Now he would have all he desired. Now he would be master. But his smile of triumph faded as he saw where the thing was standing. It was not in the centre of the circle. As his cold hands dropped the candle and its light extinguished, the Hand of Doom turned its four baleful eyes his way and stepped slowly towards him. 
#dungeondegenerates #monsterdrawingclub #art #marker #pen #inktober  #drawlloween #dungeonsanddragons #handofdoom

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Monster Drawing Club, day 11: Hand of Doom. As night fell and the blood moon rose high above the ancient decadent city of Thargarlon, the…”

SOTBGC, day 3: Bonehead. A thousand years after the great cataclysm, rock'n'roll was dead. It's gods were distant hazy memories. It's sounds forgotten. But it's crumbling monuments remained: the faded edifice of a HardRock Cafe; the shattered stones of the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame; and the huge stone head of Axl Rose, lying where it fell, half submerged in the San Francisco Bay. The mysterious Techno-Mages of the deep desert had been working for years to return some genre of rock'n'roll to the land. With each success came hideous failure. Finally they thought they'd done it. They grafted the ancient skull of Brendan Supression of the band Eddy Current Suppression Ring to a stolen body and set him to work to recreate the Sound of Power. But the cosmic forces of rock were too much for even this once great performer, and as the punk magic wove a storm of energy around him, the mad automaton lost control and tore it's head off with a sickening scream. The winds ceased and again the land was quiet. 
#sotbgc #seasonofthebadguysclub #art #marker #pen #inktober  #drawlloween #bonehead #eddiecurrent #eddiecurrentsupressionring

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “SOTBGC, day 3: Bonehead. A thousand years after the great cataclysm, rock'n'roll was dead. It's gods were distant hazy memories. It's…”

Monster Drawing Club, day 29: Vampire. Ronny wasn't like the other vampires. He wasn't into hanging around in castles, wearing evening dress or menacing virgins through bedroom windows. He didn't like The Cure or The Sisters of Mercy. He wasn't a goth. Ronny was a punk. He liked busy clubs and rock'n'roll. And Ronny didn't really go in for blood and horror either. He liked beer and ciggies. A vampire can survive on anything really. It's not about the blood. It's about the obsession. Ronny's obsession was with good times. He may be terrifying, but if you want a good night out and need to see some loud punk rock, you could do worse than meet at Ronny Von Schturm's grave. #monsterdrawingclub #dungeonsanddragons #art #pen #markers #dungeondegenerates #vampire #punk

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Monster Drawing Club, day 29: Vampire. Ronny wasn't like the other vampires. He wasn't into hanging around in castles, wearing evening…”

Monster Drawing Club, day 19: Fishoid. Ronnie Von Starlight, deep swimmer, fast hands, mystic sounds, cosmic journeys. When a band needs the best keyboard player, they call on Ronnie. If they can stomach his odour of rotten fish or ignore his rather more unsavoury eating habits, then they'll never find a better synthman. Just forget the groupies that go in but never seem to come out of his room. It's life on the road man. Rock'n'Roll needs its sacrifices and its gods. #dungeondegenerates #dungeonsanddragons #drawing #art #pen #marker #monsterdrawingclub #fishoid #nord

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Monster Drawing Club, day 19: Fishoid. Ronnie Von Starlight, deep swimmer, fast hands, mystic sounds, cosmic journeys. When a band needs…”

Monster Drawing Club, day 30: Punkinhead. In 1978 the best band in town were The Cracks. A bratty group of monster's kids, they played a loud and catchy brand of punk that was starting to get the attention of taste makers like John Peel and Caroline Coon. It wasn't just their music either. The band were notorious for their chaotic live shows. Their antics would increase in danger and mayhem with each performance. At their most notorious, and unfortunately their last gig, bass player Biggs Brain, son of Pumpkinhead, swung his bass so hard he knocked his own head off. The audience were showered in slimy seeds and chunks of pumpkin. And that was it for the band. Biggs was the main song writer and they just couldn't continue without him. The media stopped paying attention and they sunk back into obscurity. #monsterdrawingclub #dungeonsanddragons #art #pen #markers #dungeondegenerates #punkinhead #pumpkin #pumpkinhead #punk

Brooke Penrose (Captain B) on Instagram: “Monster Drawing Club, day 30: Punkinhead. In 1978 the best band in town were The Cracks. A bratty group of monster's kids, they played a…”

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These Gnarly Rock'N'Roll Illustrations Do the Monster Mash

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These Gnarly Rock'N'Roll Illustrations Do the Monster Mash

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