Sorceress

JOE:  I saved the best for last, Jennesta, the evil tyrant and sorceress, who has enslaved the orc race and forced them into her war against the Unis (orcs would probably want to fight the Unis regardless, it's jus that Jennesta has the tendency to execute those who don't follow her orders to the letter.) It's almost impossible to talk about the Orcs books without mentioning this character. Not just because she's the main villain, but because of her recreational activities. Her monstrous and gruesome acts are done not only to replenish her magical ability, but to satisfy some horrible need to exert her power over what she considers to be lesser beings. She is not only powerful and cruel but she is uncannily beautiful. And not beautiful a traditional way, but in an unnatural way you just can't put you're finger on, that makes you uneasy. This was the main difficulty in designing her character. I did lots of drawings of Jennesta that just focused or her cruelty and she came out

looking too ugly. Her ugliness needed to be pushed just under the surface. She is also a sexual being and I wanted her sexual power comes from her confidence. I gave he a wide, almost masculine stance, also having her wear next to nothing

doesn't hurt either. 

STAN:  There's a sense in which I love Jennesta.  Though not in a I'd-quite-like-to-meet-her sort of way.  OK, I might have gone a bit over the top with her, a little pantomime, perhaps.  But she is, after all, a villain, and writing villains is often more fun than writing heroes.  It's easy to get carried away.  I'm pleased that Joe managed to make her both alluring and repulsive, and that he overcame the problem of presenting a character with a demanding physical appearance - she being a kind of hybrid.