One more voice has been added to a chorus of people telling me to slow down. Therefore, everything is on hold EXCEPT for Jet-Pack Jenny and the Factor of 01.Don't think that I haven't noticed the few new eyes popping up on the Facebook fan page, and frankly, I'm really liking what I'm producing and the pacing of the story has turned into everything that Virginia Dare lacked.
If a small project comes up that won't get in the way, like the JREF credit card design contest, I'll do those, but I'm not tackling too much, and I'm not tackling it anytime soon.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Not Going To Say Much
I tend to be pretty open and honest, but since I'll eventually do this one in comic form, this'll be a little vague. I've made a change in direction and as a result did some minor editing to the web site this morning. Not a complete overhaul, but you'll see at least one post moved to private, and a couple slightly edited.
Do me a favor, though, when I tell you what it is precisely, do not tell me that you're praying for me. I appreciate the effort, but if you believe in the power of prayer, there a great many other things you should pray for.
Me, I move forward, even if appears that I'm moving backwards.
Do me a favor, though, when I tell you what it is precisely, do not tell me that you're praying for me. I appreciate the effort, but if you believe in the power of prayer, there a great many other things you should pray for.
Me, I move forward, even if appears that I'm moving backwards.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
What Comics Are Capable Of, Part Two
I'm pre-dating this post because I've wanted to share this particular sequence from Omaha the Cat Dancer for quite a while. It has stuck in my head, and by pre-dating it, I don't want to seem to make it apply to anyone in particular, and unintentionally slight anyone. It doesn't apply to anyone in particular.
Being a friend means being there when they need you. It means being there when it's inconvenient for you. In this age of social networking where the term "friend" has been reduced to meaning the same thing as a contact, I've noticed that I get the best support and advice from people who live up to the meaning of "friend."
Being a friend means being there when they need you. It means being there when it's inconvenient for you. In this age of social networking where the term "friend" has been reduced to meaning the same thing as a contact, I've noticed that I get the best support and advice from people who live up to the meaning of "friend."
Saturday, April 3, 2010
What Comics Are Capable Of
I check out a few comics every day, and Least I Could Do is one of them. There are moments capable of with comics, and this is a prime example of one of them.
That being said, I'm going to try to encourage some discussion by asking you guys to add your favorite examples of what comics are capable of. Share in the comments section.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Life Online
Someone once voiced concern to me that I told too much about my life on the Internet. Well, there have been a few hiccups along the way, but I came to the conclusion that as a cartoonist, and now almost primarily an online cartoonist, a lot of my life is out there. Not to mention that a great deal of my personal life goes into my comics, even if they're not autobiographical.
A good cartoonist puts themselves into their work. I did it in Factor of 01 on August 4, 2010 when Tom Winchester says "I've lost my family." Yeah, that panel was all me. I'm currently starting a new autobiographical comic, and the stories I've done in the past that were autobiographical have put me in a position where I have to be completely honest in my personal life. Do I share everything? No, but the stuff that I share I need to be honest about. I still stand by the opinion that I formed ten years ago. If I'm not being honest with my readers, then why in the world would they want to read more from me?
With other people, it's different. I wouldn't include anyone in a story without at least their knowledge. In the case of the current autobiographical project, someone else will probably have a very large role in it. In this case, approval is paramount, but would I compromise the story if they were to veto? I wouldn't compromise, but I would change the structure enough to meet their concerns.
That being said, I follow the rule of behaving as if you were were already at where you wanted to be. I am a cartoonist. Eventually, I would like Jet-Pack Jenny to be better known, and people coming here to read new content to feel included in the discussion around new comics and posts that have to do with the relationship between art and science, skepticism, atheism, and politics. I want people coming here to feel like part of the process, and just like what I did on August 4, 2010, I want people to know that part of me goes into these stories and I want to feel that from time to time, they'll be part of these stories. If things go as planned, the ending to Factor of 01 will actually incorporate an idea from someone else, who made a suggestion for incorporating themes from a sonata. I'm incorporating it not because of who they were, but because it was a great idea.
That's why I life my life online.
A good cartoonist puts themselves into their work. I did it in Factor of 01 on August 4, 2010 when Tom Winchester says "I've lost my family." Yeah, that panel was all me. I'm currently starting a new autobiographical comic, and the stories I've done in the past that were autobiographical have put me in a position where I have to be completely honest in my personal life. Do I share everything? No, but the stuff that I share I need to be honest about. I still stand by the opinion that I formed ten years ago. If I'm not being honest with my readers, then why in the world would they want to read more from me?
With other people, it's different. I wouldn't include anyone in a story without at least their knowledge. In the case of the current autobiographical project, someone else will probably have a very large role in it. In this case, approval is paramount, but would I compromise the story if they were to veto? I wouldn't compromise, but I would change the structure enough to meet their concerns.
That being said, I follow the rule of behaving as if you were were already at where you wanted to be. I am a cartoonist. Eventually, I would like Jet-Pack Jenny to be better known, and people coming here to read new content to feel included in the discussion around new comics and posts that have to do with the relationship between art and science, skepticism, atheism, and politics. I want people coming here to feel like part of the process, and just like what I did on August 4, 2010, I want people to know that part of me goes into these stories and I want to feel that from time to time, they'll be part of these stories. If things go as planned, the ending to Factor of 01 will actually incorporate an idea from someone else, who made a suggestion for incorporating themes from a sonata. I'm incorporating it not because of who they were, but because it was a great idea.
That's why I life my life online.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
There Is No Such Thing As Destiny
Those of you that come here for comics will be saying that I should just be drawing, but this has been sitting in my head for a few days, and this blog is also a home to skepticism, rationalism, and logic, so please bear with me. Those of you that here for skepticism, you're welcome.
James Burke used to host a program call Connections, which detailed how seemingly unrelated historic events of varying magnitude led to a major invention in use today. That's what astounds me, especially given some recent developments in my own life .
You'll hear people, especially people in love, talk about how their current position is destined to happen. Usually this is in relation to their relationships. This is where the skepticism comes in. The natural exercise is that for two people to be destined to meet, fall in love, etc. then their parents had to be destined to meet, and their parents, and so on, until the beginning of time. See how I can have a problem with that?
If we look back at our own lives we see all of these seemingly random events and some of them quite tragic. I've had my share of tragic events - the death of a sibling, a divorce, bouts of financial hardship, pretty much the same things everyone goes through at one point or another. However, there have been really happy occurrences as well. Christians will say "whenever God closes a door, he opens a window." I find that extremely cruel. What higher purpose did the death of my brother serve? Even if it led to me winning a Pulitzer prize, it wouldn't be worth it. I still miss him, although the pain of that loss is greatly diminished today. For it to serve a vague purpose makes God a cruel deity in my opinion.
Even if we don't invoke the deity, calling it the universe instead, destiny, or whatever, you're not doing anything different. It's still invoking magic, and I think watching a few episodes of Connections will show you that there's no such thing as destiny, just a lot of stuff that leads to a series of decisions.
James Burke used to host a program call Connections, which detailed how seemingly unrelated historic events of varying magnitude led to a major invention in use today. That's what astounds me, especially given some recent developments in my own life .
You'll hear people, especially people in love, talk about how their current position is destined to happen. Usually this is in relation to their relationships. This is where the skepticism comes in. The natural exercise is that for two people to be destined to meet, fall in love, etc. then their parents had to be destined to meet, and their parents, and so on, until the beginning of time. See how I can have a problem with that?
If we look back at our own lives we see all of these seemingly random events and some of them quite tragic. I've had my share of tragic events - the death of a sibling, a divorce, bouts of financial hardship, pretty much the same things everyone goes through at one point or another. However, there have been really happy occurrences as well. Christians will say "whenever God closes a door, he opens a window." I find that extremely cruel. What higher purpose did the death of my brother serve? Even if it led to me winning a Pulitzer prize, it wouldn't be worth it. I still miss him, although the pain of that loss is greatly diminished today. For it to serve a vague purpose makes God a cruel deity in my opinion.
Even if we don't invoke the deity, calling it the universe instead, destiny, or whatever, you're not doing anything different. It's still invoking magic, and I think watching a few episodes of Connections will show you that there's no such thing as destiny, just a lot of stuff that leads to a series of decisions.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
And The Streak Falls at Nine Weeks
No new strip this Monday. It's been a busy week, and the weekend is even busier. It's not that I've been letting myself get distracted, I've just gotten too many balls up in the air creatively. You wanna know something, though? I'm happy with having the past two months having new content every week. However, I am going to make you a deal. I will post a redrawing of an older strip, and in exchange, you forgive me. Deal?
I said do we have a deal?
Okay, for Easter Monday, I'll post a new strip AND a redrawn one, as well. Now be happy, that's all you're getting.
I said do we have a deal?
Okay, for Easter Monday, I'll post a new strip AND a redrawn one, as well. Now be happy, that's all you're getting.
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