Archive for September, 2002
20 items.
Many apologies for posting the strip late today. So late in fact, many of you are probably laying eyes on it for the first time Tuesday.
I was under the assumption that Monday being Labor Day and all, not many people would be visiting the site. How wrong I was when I checked my counter logs and recoiled when over 90 people had stopped by. That’s like throwing a kegger and forgetting the keg. Oopsie! Forty lashes with a wet noodle for me.
I probably would have been quicker with today’s strip if there wasn’t such a complete void where my multiplex used to be. FearDotCom was the only new release this weekend and I wasn’t exactly hyped to see it. I could have taken the extended weekend to catch up on flicks I missed, but looking back on the last 4 weeks, there hasn’t been much worth catching up on.
You’d think the delay would result in an especially witty toon today, but I’m sorry it didn’t work that way. I know writing about the lack of good movies seems like a cop out, but I’m not the only one taking this route.
At least this time out, you get a new character! Yes, meet Jimmy – the hapless movie theater employee. He’s very much the “Leave it to Beaver” type. I figured I was overdue introducing a new element to the strip and figuring that for the amount of time these characters are supposed to be spending in theaters, a new foil was appropriate.
It will become more evident as Jimmy makes more appearances, but the concept behind his character is that he’s a theater worker who actually enjoys his job – quite a departure from most of the popcorn jockeys I’ve encountered. Stick around to read more of his exploits.
I’ll have more later, but I’m off to enjoy the dwindling hours of the holiday and conversely, the summer.
Wednesday’s strip will be on time. I promise.
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I thought I would take the opportunity to stumble in here this morning to wish a happy-belated-digital birthday to my wife Cami. Her birthday was Sunday and I wanted to declare my love and well wishes in front of the world! Happy Birthday, honey!
I won’t divulge her age because a gentleman never speaks for a lady. I also won’t give out her work e-mail address so everyone can send her birthday wishes because that’s just common sense.
HOWEVER, if you’d like to swing over to the forums, she has an account there and you can wish her well through her personal message box. I don’t know how often she goes into the forums to check those things, but maybe now that I’ve put out the call for response front and center, she’ll drop by and pick up her messages. Maybe if you’re REALLY nice, she might put together her first post for this area!
Shout-outs to a couple of new link-buddies.
Be sure to check out The Misc. I think the writing is really sharp. The art has attitude and you can tell these guys are having fun.
Also stop and visit Tribbel. Their site design is rock-solid and I was immediately attracted to it. The strip is also very cute and nicely put together. Props to the Tribbel crew for the introductory Flash movie that starts things off right. Makes me wish I came up with it first… or knew Flash.
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For the record, the characters in today’s strip didn’t shrink, but are resting in a giant soda. Just spelling it out for the extremely literal among you.
It’s weird what emerges when you’re staring into the infinite abyss of a blank piece of paper. Today’s toon is the result of just such a journey.
I’m enjoying this current “summer fun” arc – if you can call it that. Of course, I’m not enjoying it quite as much as the idea that I would ever wear a hot pink tank top and neon green shorts.
If I can sneak our newest character Jimmy into every strip this week, I think I’m going to do it. If for the sake of continuity.
I’m adding some new interactive elements to the site. Everyone should check out our new free for all links section. There are a few tweaks left to be made, but I think it’s a great opportunity to allow the readers of the site to indirectly express themselves.
The concept is simple. Visit the free for all links, add a link to a site within one of the categories, then tent you fingers and fiendishly grin as you unleash the most awesome web site onto an unsuspecting public. I’m implementing the feature in hopes of being clued in on some of the best corners of the net I’ve yet to unearth.
I’ll be monitoring this area closely and have set up some roadblocks to prevent you from log-jamming the area with crap links or pop-ups. Don’t even think about adding links to dirty picture sites. I’ve got all your mothers phone numbers and I’m not afraid to tattle on you. How did I get all of you mothers phone numbers? That’s for me to know and for you to find out.
Anyway, check it out. It should be fun. It’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of diversified content I have planned for the site. Stay tuned.
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Sep06
It’s official: I’ve lost my mind.
I feel like I kind of painted myself into a corner with this week’s story arc. I mean, once you have your characters sitting in a giant cup of soda, you’ve gotta carry it through to it’s natural conclusion, you know?
Things are beginning to shape up movie-wise. I think all we have is this weekend and then the slump will be over. All I have to say is thank God there wasn’t a baseball strike because people would have found no solace in the nation’s movie theaters. They probably would have taken to hunting man for sport just to stave off the boredom.
Is anyone planning on seeing Swimfan this weekend? I can save you some time. It’s just like Fatal Attraction except with teenagers and more chlorine. Do yourself a favor and rent the original Glenn Close/Michael Douglas thriller. It won’t be IGNORED, people.
What about this weekend’s other new release, City by the Sea. They’ve got a good cast lined up for this one. DeNiro and Frances McDormand are on board. Unfortunately, the list of movies DeNiro has done that are just like this is as long as my arm.
You know, for a web comic that advocates movies, I’ve sure been bashing them a lot lately. Ah, well. I know what I’m doing this weekend. Going to see Tool tonight and tomorrow… I’m going to the zoo. Yup.
I’ll be back later.
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Looks like we’ve got another war of words brewing in the magical land of the Web Comic Kingdom.
Mitch over at Nothing Nice to Say took a swipe at Movie Comics concerning a dispute over votes at Top Web Comics.
Do you see what I’m talking about with this voting crap, people?! It breeds nothing but dissent among the ranks! It’s not like anyone gets free cookies when they’re voted number one. Loosen up!
I can’t say he was justified, but if I were to pick sides, I’d step in line with Mitch. He’s a friend of the site and give me good linkage.
In the interest of diplomacy within strips of similar genre, I’ll keep my personal feelings regarding Movie Comics to myself. But isn’t it suspicious that there are no banners on their links page for either this site or Movie Punks? Just thinking out loud…
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If you’re a fan of either Exploding Dog or Diesel Sweeties then you’ll recognize the guest star in today’s strip. I decided to pledge allegiance to to the Red Robot World Domination campaign Sam has established. I thought it was a cool idea to try and have other creative individuals incorporate in another artist’s character that is virtually without template into their work to see what they come up with.
It’s not too dissimilar from the Re-Imaginings project Zach of No Pants Tuesday has whipped up, but I’m still waiting to be added to the roster of talent already aligned with the project. If you’re reading this, Zach, I’m waiting! 🙂
That, and I finally got to sneak the term “scroto-clamping” into a strip.
Has anyone else noticed that the strip is getting more violent lately? Jared seems to be getting abused with some regularity these days. I think Carrington got into the same tangle not long ago. I should take his route and start developing, you know… plot.
I got a chance to see Tool on Friday and it was a great show. Much better than the last time I saw them almost a year ago in Cedar Rapids. I freelance as a music reviewer for the Des Moines Register and they were cool enough to get me seats in the second row of the promenade. Not within spitting distance, but a better view then those poor chumps slugging it out in the pit.
Something I think is great about seeing Tool live is that there are always these meatheads in attendance who expect some sort of rock-’em sock-’em hardcore experience and are instead confronted with something far more cerebral. The end up being lulled by spectacle.
Tool is 10 times more intelligent than people give them credit for. Watching them makes me thankful I’m able to express myself creatively. Granted, I’m no Hemmingway, but some people live their whole lives subjugated by the false notion that they aren’t creative. You have two hands and a mind. Use them to leave something indelible – even if you’re convinced it’s no good.
My story is running today, so if you live in Iowa, check it out. Eventually, they will archive it on their web site, but I’ll probably have it posted to my other site – an online music magazine called Not Your Zine. If you’re bored, drop by.
More later if the mood strikes.
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For those of you interested in reading the Tool review I slapped together for the Des Moines Register, they’ve already archived the story on their web site. You can find it here.
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This is the strip Cami has been bugging me to do ever since I started Theater Hopper. Whether or not she appreciates the punch line, I’ll have to wait until later to find out.
But seriously, ever since I put the strip together, she’s been bugging me to stick our 7 month old beagle Truman into a strip. She’s also been bugging me to make a Julia Roberts joke. This is odd because, to my knowledge, she’s a fan. How else can I explain to my friends that Runaway Bride is in our DVD collection? It wasn’t one of my picks!
Regardless, I was happy to sling tiny pebbles at that goofball smile of hers. The woman has a grin like the Joker with teeth the size of piano keys. I’ve seen less ivory on elephants.
I hate Julia Roberts.
Those of you who watch the news might be aware that today is the one year anniversary of a rather significant event in our history. I have nothing to say about it really. Why add to the chorus of talking heads?
However, I will say this. Life is short. Love your family. Trust in your friends. Go outside and be a citizen of the world. Time is against you. Giving anything less than your all is a waste of your time. Laugh, love, experience. Live.
To you and yours; Love, Luck, Hope and Faith.
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I’ve been slacking off lately when it comes to giving shout-outs to all the new friends I’m making in the online comic community. Though it is a tad impersonal, the following is a list of sites you should be visiting daily if you aren’t already:
Movie Comics, Force Monkeys, Dead Beef, VG Cats, The Misc, Tribble, Modern Physics, Think Tank, Screw High
If you have your own comic web site and are interested in taking part in our Link Exchange Program, contact me and we’ll set it up.
And while we’re on the subject of links, it would benefit everyone who visits to check out our Free For All Links section. The concept is simple. You have a link, you add it. The scripting takes care of the rest!
It’s a cool feature and will put some of the content control in the hands of the users. Check it out!
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It’s Friday the 13th kids. Don’t walk under ladders or none of that crap. In the very least, do your best to avoid being hacked to pieces by any goalie mask wearing momma’s boy while camping at Camp Crystal Lake this weekend – I think we all know who I’m talking about.
Too bad I forgot today was Friday the 13th until after I finished inking, coloring and lettering today’s strip. I might have been able to get a good joke out of it. Oh, well.
I wish I could explain the conversational thread that birthed this joke and held its hand through the evolutionary process, but truthfully, I wouldn’t know where to begin. Let’s just presume that I’m brilliant and this isn’t some sort of grabbing-at-straws attempt at humor as I sit stranded, wallowing in post-summer cinematic crappola.
I’m just hoping there are Cinemark theaters near where you live. I had to pick a chain that I presumed was nationwide to make the joke work. It doesn’t hurt that the name “mark” is part of their moniker. “Mark” is a real name, isn’t it?
I feel like I should be making some sort of big play for the funny. Especially on a Friday post. I’d like to think Theater Hopper is the place you come to before kicking your weekend off right. Either us, or maybe E!’s Wild On…
Until I can think of something else, I bid you fare-thee-wells.
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