Gold Digger (comic)

For the Kanye West and Jamie Foxx song, see Gold Digger.

Gold Digger is a manga-style comic, written and drawn by Fred Perry, and published by Antarctic Press. It was started in 1993, and tells the story of the extended Diggers family, who live in a fictional version of Atlanta, Georgia.

The idea of Gold Digger was created by Fred Perry during his tour of duty in the First Gulf War. A budding manga artist, Fred realise that his squadmates would pay money for pictures of beautiful women. He put this together with his love of Indiana Jones films to create Gina Diggers, an archeologist/scientist. When he got home, he created a bodyguard named Brittany, who was a werecheetah.

Over 1 miniseries, 1 black-and-white series, and 1 color series, the world of Gina Diggers has grown to include, among many others:

Brianna Diggers, a clone-fusion of Gina and Brittany, now their 'sister'
Theodore Diggers, archmage, father of Gina and stepfather of Brittany
Julia Diggers, martial artist/swordmistress, who recently reversed her age by twenty years thanks to an unexpected side effect of a mysterious holy technique taught to her by her sensei, Master Leep.
Stryyp'Gia(Stripe), a member of the alien Kryn species, Brittany's husband, and former ruler of the mythical city of El Dorado
Jonathan Leonard Diggers, Gina's grandfather, who was turned into a lich by an experimental spell, and later drastically de-powered.
Seance Lei, Theodore's apprentice. Seance has the ability to see the daydreams of others, which he has not yet learned to control.
Genn, a Rakshasa, genderless spawn of the Djinn named Madrid. Rakshasa can alter their shape and gender at will.
Garfield Silvear, a werejaguar. One of Julia's students, and member of the elite Northern Edge Guard who keep the peace in the magical realm of Jade.
Luan and Carla, also Julia's martial arts students. Luan and Gar have a budding romantic relationship.
Penny Pinser, archeologist, formerly Gina's closest rival in the field, now her best friend.
Ace, an (*ahem*)ace pilot, close friend of Gina and Penny's boyfriend.
Charlotte, a bioengineered harpy. Penny's friend and bodyguard.

Thanks to Fred's wide-ranging interests, the stories have ranged to include fantasy, sci-fi, superheroes, and parodies of Thundercats and Voltron. Since then, the stories have started to interwine. A good example of this was the recent revelation that the supervillain Array was one of the Draconic Heirlooms, which were given to them by their creators.

Speculation on the future of the series revolves around

Three alien races from the universe before the Big Bang:the Nomad Artificers (a race of great technological prowess), the Gardeners (who channeled energy from 'universal foci' through symbiotic power-armor), and the Shadows (whose mastery of sixth-dimensional physics allowed them to enter other dimensions), and how they escaped destruction.
Dreadwing, an Iron Dragon, once believed dead, now plotting his revenge against Gina Diggers, using the Draconic Heirlooms (Who is in fact a pawn of Ancient Gina, A version of Gina that was ripped out of the future while preventing the destuction of this universe, being thrown back in time and joined the Nomad Artificers).
The various lycanthrope species, which were created by a mage named Iceron (who is Gothwrain, advisor and slave to the queen of the wererats).
The attempt of Jonathan Diggers to regain his power by kidnapping Brittany's daughter with the intent of using her as a means to immortality. Recently he was defeated for what seems likely to be the final time, and his soul freed from the effects of the spell mishap that turned him into the Lich King. His spirit, unknown to anyone besides Julia Diggers mother, is acting to protect his familiy from a glimpse of a future he saw during his true death.