Archive for ‘Comics’
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And away we go! I have to be honest, that I did not make this up, but I thought it set the mood nicely. This is actually a conversation that occurred with a nephew of mine. It’s fun to think how much kids think of their parents and their abilities. I have gone to great pains to change the names and appearances of those in today’s strip…
…mainly so that I don’t have to hear the complaints about how I drew them wrong! 
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…Aaaaaaand we’re back! And very happy to be so. The few days off really gave me so time to think this thing through, and I’m really excited about it.
So… continuity ahead. You have been warned. This is actually going to be a looooooooong story which will spin out over the next few months, so you might want to grab a beverage.
As it is going to be a long, (mostly) self-contained story, it seemed only appropriate to start with a cover (bonus points to those who get the reference… it’s meant to be fairly obvious). I had actually originally had a cut-away in the back of the treasure chest revealing the spring loaded blades inside waiting to impale anyone foolish enough to open the thing, but pulled it this morning and re-drew the foreground image as it seemed… too explicit a presentation. The title would seem sufficient to convey the idea without needed to actually show the trap. Thoughts?
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First I’d like to apologize for the stagnant state of Slightly Off-Topic over the last month or so. The monkey of life has been slinging his fair share of poo in our direction over the last several weeks (culminating in a family funeral this coming weekend), and it feels like the hard we push to stay afloat, the faster we sink.
So… because I love Slightly Off-Topic and am really excited about the coming storyline, I’ve decided to just pause for a couple days. Rather than continue to make promises about updates that I’m just going to miss, I am skipping Sunday and just working on getting the drawings done right for the storyline launch. I realize that I’m only skipping one day, but releasing that deadline will actually give me time to take my prepared sketches and get some proper cartooning done, so that I can deliver the strips on time (even during the upcoming travel). And I’d rather skip that one day, then continue to put out filler-quality material while I put off the real work.
Again, I apologize for the erratic updates as of late. Clearly I am no Howard Taylor or Ryan Sohmer. Thanks for sticking with me.
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I am slipping folks. I was all set to post the next ‘Tao’ when I realized that it was Cinco de Mayo. I try not to let major holidays go by around here without sending a card, so thank God for lunch breaks!
We do actually do that, by the way… and to complete the circle, we hit the Irish pub every Chinese New Year. People still celebrate, and we don’t have to wait for an hour to get a table. It works.
So, ‘Tao’ on Sunday, and the new storyline begins Tuesday. May God have mercy on us all…
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Seriously, people? What are these hotels thinking?
I enjoy providing lodging to our guests. I just wish there was a way we could get them to clean their navels a bit better…
It’s the only thing that makes sense to me. Regardless, having returned from my travels it seems a good time to share a few of these travel nuggets as I gear up for this year’s exercise in continuity. I’ve got quite a storyline planned, and it will take a number of weeks, but will find ways to fit in a few random gags during the interim so as not to lose our standing as a gag-a-day comic.
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Enough travel delays! Yes, I’ve once again grabbed a marker and tried to figure out how people do it in the analog world. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again… real life needs a zoom tool!… and an undo! How do people who work with ink manage it?!? Eve when I’m doing well, my last line will invariably be on awful, jaggedy mess that just ruins everything!
I’m told practice makes perfect, of course, but at the moment, Laurie is using my drawing table for a puzzle. I’ll need to encourage her to finish, I guess. Until then, I’ll just stick with the wacom.
Oh… and in all fairness to the drag show, Jer does look awesome in a dress, but I’ll stick with the coding and comicking panels for the time being…
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Happy Easter to you all!
My Easter gift was supposed to be that of a child, but due to a slight change of plans, I don’t get to pick Brit up until Wednesday, and have to leave for Illinois today, so I’ll be on the road. I will however get the actual strips uploaded tonight, so that I don’t run in to the usual traveling issues as I did last week.
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Sad news today. Elisabeth Sladen lost her battle with cancer today. She will, of course, forever be remembered as Sarah Jane Smith… greatest of the companions, and to be honest, a bit of an adolescent crush. My apologies to Ms. Sladen as accurate portraiture is not amongst my skills, but this is how I always remember her… in those goofy overalls of that yellow slicker!
I must admit that the news came as a surprise… it just never occurred to me that she would die any time soon. Score yet another point for Kirk, I guess…
Here’s to you, Ms. Sladen. Thank you. Rest in peace.
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That’s it… it’s official… I’m getting slower. This strip took me almost an entire day to complete… yikes!
Regardless, the taxes are filed, and all is well with the world. This year was decidedly less painful that previous years thanks to a tuition deduction, but still… ouch…
For the record, I’ve never actually had a colonoscopy, but I imagine this is how it goes. I’m actually starting to get a bit nervous about going to the doctor… I’m approaching that age, and he’s starting to give me… a look… it’s very uncomfortable…
…but probably less so than the colonoscopy is going to be…
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And we’re back in the saddle. Resizing lettering continues to frustrate. I’m going to have to seek out an expert.
In any case, you have to hand it to Governor Rick, the man has a plan for Michigan… a wicked scary plan, but a plan none-the-less. The guy has only been in charge a few weeks, and he already has sweeping authority to dismiss local governments at a whim and appoint emergency managers (be they human or corporation). It’s amazing. I’ve actually been looking at the criteria required to declare the necessary “state of emergency”. There are, in fact, a list of criteria that would have to be met, and they all sound very reasonable until you get to that last little line where the requirement is that the Governor need only suspect that the current city government (or other public body such as school districts, public utilities, etc) policies would incur a debt.
Well he can suspect anything…
It will be interesting to see if any of these powers are actually used, and the ensuing court battle that follows. Dismissing an elected body and appointing someone (or something) that is not answerable to the governed seems… contrary to the constitution somehow… we shall see.
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