A Hiatus…

An update. The shortish-hiatus is now a regular sized hiatus. I have been knocked for a loop recently with what I’m guessing was a spider bite. Without going into too much detail, there was leg-swelling, pain, some nausea and dizziness, and a lot sleeping more than I have per day in about… well, I can’t honestly remember when I slept this much. It made for less than productive time.

Right now, I’m still recovering. Pain is gone, and swelling is down… ish. All other symptoms are gone, too, praise God and His Infinite Mercy.

I am trying to get things back up and running. Thanks for your patience.

- Billy

Not Strip 83

There is a very interesting back and forth going on over at the DC Comics Message boards… and it has been going on since last September.

I’ve read a lot of creator blogs and message boards over the years, but this one with Dwayne McDuffie is maybe the best. All too often, these turn into snide comment or ego stroking threads, but, for the most part, this one has avoided that. Plus, Dwayne McDuffie is honest and doesn’t whine about decisions he has no control over. It is a nice change from the usual.

Of course, there is plenty he can’t talk about, but he is willing to share a lot. The thread is approaching 70 pages right now, which means there is plenty to read there.

So, I’ll cut this short! See you on Thursday!

Strip 82

Ooh, stop the presses! Two in a row! Woo hoo!

Yeah, I know, today’s strip may have thrown some folks, with the turn of events… but I’m not going to talk too much about that for now.

I once asked a friend “Who is your favorite character in comics?” After he answered, I followed up with, “Okay, when you think about it, who is REALLY your favorite character in comics?”

It wasn’t that I didn’t believe him – it is just that I have noticed that people often claim a favorite character, but when you look at their buying habits or collections, it turns out there is a more prevalent character.

Take me for example. I used to say that Firestorm was my favorite character, but when I looked at my actual comic book collection, toys, and original art, I had far more Spider-Man than anything else. A Spider-Man comic was my first comic ever, so I suppose there shouldn’t be a real surprise there.

Lately, though, I’m wondering about even Spider-Man, as my collection is bending toward a large amount of Batman. As I mentioned previously, I have several of the 30 inch figures, but I also have a lot of smaller action figures, as well as original art, almost the entire collection of Batman: Black & White statues, and I’m pretty sure I even have a Batman lunchbox.

Of course, going back to Firestorm, there is not nearly enough merchandise out there for him to dominate my collection, so maybe he really is my favorite character, despite what my collection reflects.

Or maybe it is Steve Rogers as The Captain. Or The Phantom. Or D-Man. Or M.O.D.O.K.

I’m pretty sure it is one of those seven. I’ll have to think about it.

See you all on Tuesday!

Strip 81

Hey, look, a comic strip!

Okay, we appear to be back up and running. Thanks to all for the patience.

I have recently acquired several large Batmen.

That’s right. Batmen.

With the recent (-ish) wave of big superhero films, Wal*Mart had a few exclusive large action figures. The first, I believe, was a 30 inch tall Spider-Man that came out with the second Spidey film. Then came a 26 inch Thing with the Fantastic Four film, and about the same time, a 30 inch Batman, courtesy of Batman Begins. I own each of these.

(On a side note, with The Dark Knight, another 30 inch Batman was released, but it was a Toys R Us exclusive… and, yes, I have it.)

About a year ago, I managed to secure a second Spider-Man at a great price. My intention is to customize it, and make it into the black costumed Spidey from the atrocious third film. Hey, the film stunk, but the costume was pretty cool!

The major issue is that it won’t be a simple repaint. I mean, I could do that, and may end up just doing that, but I’d really like to change the spider-emblems to match the black version of the costume. And, yes, in case you didn’t notice, the spiders changed with the black costume. And, yes, I’m probably the only person that would care.

Well, I haven’t done anything with it yet, because I’m kinda nervous about the destruction that could happen as I try to modify this massive figure.

Enter, Batman.

Over the last month, and by no real intention (other than getting a good deal), I have purchased three of the Batman Begins 30 inch figures. (I didn’t intend to buy three… I thought for sure I would be outbid for at least one… but I wasn’t… so, yeah, three.)

I have decided that these will be my first modification projects, to help ease me into it.

The first project is simple – just a repaint. I’m going to take one of the figures and just paint a gray costume onto it. It will just be a version of the modern comic costume (with the armorish look). It should be straightforward and relatively simple.

The next project? I’m going to go for a more traditional blue/gray Batman. This will involve more painting, some sewing (to make a new blue cape), and a little sanding and molding. The sanding and molding will be for the bat-emblem, changing it from the solid, stark bat, to the bat symbol with the yellow oval around it.

The last project? I’m still debating a bit, but I’m leaning toward turning one of these guys into Space Ghost. But that is a ways off, for now.

Any other suggestions? Feel free to let me know.

I’ll see you all on Thursday!

Yeah, and I’ve got some swamp land I’d like to sell you, too…

No doubt, you noticed I didn’t get a strip up last Thursday.

Things are not going to get any better this week. Real world commitments have hit, and hit hard. I’ve got work, meetings at work, and I’m training someone this week as well. In short, I’m stretched to the breaking point this week, and I know I’m not going to get the strip up.

We will be back next Tuesday, though. I won’t let it go any longer than that.

Not Just Yet…

The strip should be back up and running on Thursday. Sorry about the delay, folks!

Well, that didn’t work.

My plans for an alternate means of posting didn’t quite work out. So, we’ll try again next week, okay?

Boy, this whole webcomics thing would sure be easier if I didn’t need computers!

In the meantime, I want to wish you all a very blessed Resurrection Sunday (AKA, Easter). I hope we all take time to remember God’s ultimate gift to us – the gift of His Son, who died to reunite us with our Creator.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

God bless, and I’ll see you next week.

A Slight Delay

Howdy, folks!

Okay, this is just a quick heads up. This past weekend, the main computer at home finally and completely gave up the ghost. You’ll remember that it “died” back in December, but we got it revived enough to allow internet access… and not much else.

Since getting the strip started up again, you’ll also remember that I’ve been working on the strip on my laptop and posting it via the almost dead computer. Yes, it is a complicated two computer set up, but I’ve been happy just protecting my laptop from the scourge of virus attacks that are around every corner on the interweb.

Problem is… my ramp onto the information superhighway is now gone. This next weekend, I’m going out and buying a new desktop computer (yes… my second computer purchase since the beginning of the year… I hear with six you get eggrolls)… but that does little for today, right?

Well, I’m trying to work that out. Right now, I’m posting this on a borrowed computer, but it doesn’t really have any way to access a data drive or disk where I can save my strip and post. Yeah, I know… what kind of computer doesn’t have those things? But, far be it from me to complain since it is one up on the computers I have, because it does at least have access to the ‘net.

I will be looking for somewhere to post in my weird off hours as a worker of midnights. I think I’ll have today’s strip up on Wednesday, and the next strip on Thursday or Friday, depending on what I manage to get done.

Thanks again for your patience with what is becoming the least reliable webcomic in existence!

- Billy

Strip 80

Welcome to Thursday, folks!

I gotta say – if nothing else, dropping down to two strips a week (for a little while, anyway) has improved my disposition! I’m much happier about the last couple of strips than I was previously.

There are additional changes that I have planned over the next little bit. My goal is a more consistent style of art to be used throughout the strip, and I think I’ll be able to focus a little more on that now.

As I said, I’m happier with these last couple of strips. The art style is more… smooth. I think that is because I’m more comfortable with it. When I first began the strip, I had in my mind a certain style I wanted to use… but I can’t say I was ever comfortable, really comfortable with it. I will admit, this leans a little more cartoony than previously… but some of my favorite artists are like that, and I’m okay with that. Hopefully you won’t mind too much.

Okay, I gotta jet! I’ll see you all next week! God bless!

Strip 79

Welcome to the first Tuesday strip!

You may have already noticed a slight change in art style for this strip. It is not your imagination.

I didn’t set out with the goal to change the style at all when I did this strip. As a matter of fact, I wanted to hold off any style changes for the sake of cohesiveness until the next adventure.

And, then I thought, nope.

Really, I did.

As I look over the strip, I’ve changed a little since the beginning all along, so it isn’t that big a deal. And, I figure, I’m only 70-odd strips in. I don’t have a set style yet.

There are things I prefer with what I did for this strip, and some things I don’t like. So, there will continue to be changes. And, trying to hold them off until later? Not gonna happen. I need to put things into practice, find what I like, what I don’t, and not continue doing this strip in some aping of what I was doing when I first started it.

It won’t always be smooth… but I think in the long run, it will work out better for me and the strip.

Okay, then, I’ll see you on Thursday peoples!