Archive for February, 2005
23 items.
Happy Groundhog’s Day, everyone! “Don’t drive angry! DON’T drive angry!”
Why don’t we celebrate the special occasion by voting for Theater Hopper at buzzComix. The list reset on Tuesday and now with Order of the Stick out of the way, we can make a real push for the top spot. Wouldn’t that be a great way to celebrate 6 more weeks of winter?
Speaking of winter, is the chill surrounding Cami and Charlie’s relationship begining to thaw? (Ooo! Nice transition!) Charlie’s slowly letting Cami in on what happened to her in Tinsletown. The ultimate secret will shock you! Sure, moral erosion as a reason to move back home is as good as any you’ll hear, but what was the straw that broke the camel’s back? What caused Charlie to pack it in. What… or WHO was the cataylst for this life-change? You WILL find out on Friday! That’s a promise!
I know some of you are probably anxious to figure out who the winner is of the original artwork I used to create this awesome desktop wallpaper:
If you recalled, I recently announced that everyone who made a purchase from or a donation to the site in the month of January would have their name tossed into a hat for a chance to win the artwork in a raffle.
Well, I haven’t drawn a name yet. First I need to finish designing a few more buttons. Once those go up for sale, I need to draw Februrary’s raffle artwork, color it and place the new desktop wallpaper in the Walk of Fame for people to preview. Once that’s ready to go, I can do the January raffle and make the happy announcement here. So hold on to your hats, it’s coming.
Things have been so hectic at work lately that I’m parsing back my social schedule to give me time to recover. I’ve intentially left this Saturday free from errands or socail obligations. I should have some free time to get these things done then.
In the meantime, are you checking out Nothing Nice to Say since Mitch started it up again on Monday? And I hope you’re not neglecting Joe and Monkey since Zach took the reigns back from Mitch starting today!
I love promoting my partners in crime…
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I don’t have a lot of commentary right now because it’s late and I’m pretty tired. I want to make sure that when I post something about today’s comic that it makes a little sense because, obviously, this is a pretty big turn of events.
So now that Charlie’s secret is out of the bag, I’m going to let all of you marinate that idea in your head’s for a while. If you want to talk about it in The THorum, you’re more than welcome to.
If you’re looking to kill a little time in the interm, you can always vote for Theater Hopper at buzzComix. Today’s incentive sketch poses the question, “If Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were better known as ‘Bennifer’, what would Ben and Charlie be nicknamed by the tabloiid media?”
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I guess it probably would have been a better idea to have written something about Charlie’s big secret on Friday when it was more at the front of my mind rather than waiting. Now it’s kind of slipped my mind what I wanted to say. Exposure to the reaction that could be found in the THorum probably didn’t help me to find a concise statement to make because now I feel like I’m being REactive rather than PROactive. But let’s see if I can squeeze one out anyway.
Pretty much everything about Charlie’s introduction has let up to this point. I knew from the beginning that she would have a shady past and that she was returning to Iowa to escape it.
In the original drafts, Charlie was coming back from Hollywood divorced from a man she met while she was there. It would become her intention to keep it a secret from Cami and wall herself off from her out of shame that she could not be successful in an area that Cami had succeeded. Namely – a happy marriage.
Thank goodness for “real-life” Cami who suggested that her lost love become Theater Hopper antagonist extraordinaire Ben Affleck.
I felt the original idea was good. A bit melodramatic, perhaps a little uninspired, but serviceable. Cami came along and knocked it out of the park by suggesting Affleck be Charlie’s foil. So many brilliant story concepts sprang from that simple suggestion. I imagine the rest of you can envision what Jared might do with that information once he got a hold of it.
I don’t want to tip too much of my hand, but I’ll share that we’re nearing the end stretch of the arc. The immediate future calls for the retelling of Charlie’s relationship with Affleck and the eventual escape of Charlie and Cami from the women’s restroom. After that, I’ll probably begin to steer the comic back into more topical and timely humor centered on current releases and entertainment news. Subsequent storylines have been born from this experiment, but I can wait to tell them.
At any rate, for those of you who were having a hard time adapting to the new format or those of you who were getting annoyed with how long it was taking me to tell Charlie’s secret are satisfied with the payoff.
I think I’ve learned a lesson in economical storytelling, but I don’t regret any of the decisions I’ve made up until this point. Good, bad or ugly – the feedback I’m getting shows a genuine investment in Charlie as a character and ultimately, that was my goal. To introduce a new voice to the comic and to have you guys adopt her and believe in her as readily as you do Tom, Cami, Jared or Jimmy. So far, so good.
Hmm. Looks like I found what I was going to say after all!
With that out of the way, I think everyone needs to check out or new sponsor Nothing Nice to Say!
You’d have to be living under a rock not to know that Mitch Clem made one of the best comic strips around for a while and he had a good run. I don’t think I’ve met another creator whose fans have anticipated his return of for so long. People who were kind of aware that Mitch and I ran in the same circles quasi-professionally/quasi-socially would write me e-mails asking when he was bringing NN2S back. I would tell them I didn’t know, but I was in the same boat, just as anxious to see him put pen to paper again.
Some people are reacting to Mitch’s return with skepticism, which disappoints me. Personally, I know Mitch is going to knock it out of the park this time around. We’ve had conversations and his enthusiasm for this work is palpable. He’s ready to rock and he doesn’t need doubt bringing him down.
Three cheers for the return of Nothing Nice to Say! And, hell. Check out Mitch’s other comic, The Coffee Achievers, too – while you’re at it!
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I did something pretty stupid today. I forgot to upload the comic. It’s finished. Ready to go, I swear. But it’s at home. And I’m at work. And I can’t fix it from here.
So everyone please be patient while I bang my head on the desk. The comic will be uploaded the minute I get home from work today. I promise.
Thanks for your understanding. It’s been… a stressful few weeks.
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Although I worked on today’s comic in advance, I did not prepare a Monday morning blog. Currently, I am suffering the after-effects of a Super Bowl party and the over-consumption of too many libations, meat and cheese. As such, my comments will be brief.
But real quick: Was it just me, or were the advertisements during this year’s game some of the lamest you’ve ever seen? Not a lick of creativity between any of them.
That aside, anyone looking for commentary regarding the revelation of Charlie’s big secret last Friday need only click the “BACK” link located directly below the comic. I added some words of not-so-much wisdom over the weekend.
Today’s buzzComix incentive sketch has nothing to do with today’s comic (as is typically the tradition). But instead the rough pencils for February’s raffle artwork. It’s a scene from the upcoming Keanu Reeves’ Constantine. Don’t ask me what it is with all the comic book inspired drawings (last month was Elektra). I guess it must be the season for obscure sequential art caricatures.
At any rate, I provided a scene still from the movie that I’m using as my frame of reference. It’s been showing up in all the television advertisements and the trailer, so I gather it must be a “signature scene”. I think the artwork is coming along very nicely. I was excited about it and wanted to share it. Vote for Theater Hopper if you want to see it.
I had some thoughts about Constantine the movie – mostly relating to how fans of the original Vertigo comic book are upset that the character has been taken out of his London setting and his trademark blonde hair replaced by Reeves’ jet black dye job. But ultimately I conceded to the fact that once Reeves’ was cast, so was a limited range for the adaptation.
Will the movie be any good? Hard to tell. It clearly won’t be as good as the comic books. But maybe they’ll take things in a direction we don’t expect.
Something else unexpected… Cami said she was interested in seeing the movie. The ads led her to believe it’s about talking to the dead – a subject that fascinates her. Not entirely correct, but not entirely incorrect. Maybe it’ll be something to see. Goodness knows there hasn’t been much else worth watching these last few months…
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Feb09
Part of me wonders if it’s okay to write this bizarre re-telling of recent pop culture history to fit the mold of my storyline. I mean, celebrity or not, these are ∗REAL∗ people and conceivable ∗REAL∗ emotions were involved.
But then I think about the little perks the come with celebrity. Any time I read an article about an actor who is presenting the Best Supporting Actor trophy at the Golden Globe Awards and then talk about a $37,890 gift basket the receive for doing so, I start to think that this kind of dissection of their personal lives is a fair, Faustian bargain.
I watched The Matrix Revolutions tonight while drawing the strip. Like many, I remember being thoroughly let down when it came out in October of 2003. I didn’t buy it on DVD and I hadn’t watched it since that time. Tonight it popped up on HBO, so I decided to leave it on as background noise while I worked.
I don’t know why, but it played much better for me the second time on the small screen. I don’t know if that’s because my television did a better job of hiding the CGI (especially in the final airborne battle between Smith and Neo) or if because the “story” had time to permeate my brain in the near year and a half since I last viewed it.
More than likely the story didn’t miraculously achieve cohesion. More than likely it was a case of absence making the heart grow fonder.
Even though the last two movies landed with an incredible THUD! compared to the first, there is no disputing that The Wachowski’s created a visual style that will be referenced for the next 50 years. It’s just too bad they decided on putting the sizzle before the steak in the latter chapters.
I won’t pontificate beyond that. Too much has already been made about the subject and by more dedicated observers than I.
In other Keanu related news, his new movie Constantine opens this weekend. It’s the story of irreverent supernatural detective who has literally been to hell and back. And just in time for Valentine’s Day!
Today’s buzzComix incentive sketch (and future Donator’s exclusive desktop wallpaper) pays tribute to the upcoming film. I know I already showed you this drawing, but that was the ROUGH PENCILS! Since reaction to the piece was really positive, I thought everyone might get a kick out of seeing the final inks. Plus, the image in its entirety, not the close-up I took of the pencils. I don’t know. Maybe you’ll enjoy watching the artwork progress.
Later.
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Feb11
If it seems like it’s coming out of left field for Ben Affleck to suddenly want to become a professional poker player, remember that he won $356,400 in a poker tournament last June. That achievement also earned him a spot at the World Poker Tour Championship in Las Vegas this April.
That’s a lot of scratch. Who knows? It could seriously be a profitable alternative to being a movie star. Certainly seems that way with the line of turkeys he’s pinched off into theaters.
Oh, and so you know I’m not making it up, Affleck ∗did∗ win an Oscar for Best Screenwriting in 1998 for Good Will Hunting. I know most movie fans are already hip to this. I just thought it seemed so long ago and he hasn’t done anything as worth-while since, it’s kind of hard to believe…
I was really pleased with how the last splash panel turned out. In fact, I was pleased with it before I drew it. I had a vision in my head and it was GLORIOUS!
That’s why I planned ahead and drew the last panel large-scale. 11″ x 17″, to be exact. On a sheet of heavy-duty Bristol board.
In fact, I’m auctioning off the original artwork to the highest bidder.
Here’s the deal: I’m about to reserve a table in Artist’s Alley at the Planet Comicon comic book convention being held in Kansas City April 2-3. Tables cost $125 and I need a little bit of cash to cover the bases. I figured an art auction was a quick means to that end.
Kansas City is going to be my first stop on my slightly more ambitious convention tour this year. I’ll be visiting K.C. in April, Chicago in August and Minneapolis in October. Sorry I can’t make it anywhere on the East or West coast this year. The only conventions I can afford to go to are within driving distance. But since last year I only did Chicago, it’s important to me that this larger ground assult get off on the right foot.
Think about it. This is a totally unique opportunity for you to own a piece of Theater Hopper history. Our newsest character Charlie beating the snot out of Ben Affleck with his own Best Screenwriting Oscar. It doesn’t get much more specific than that.
If you love Theater Hopper (or maybe just hate Ben Affleck) this is an original piece of art well worth owning.
It will be signed by me and mailed First Class in a heavy cardboard tube to prevent bending or creasing. And because I’m such a good guy, I’m won’t even charge for shipping! Hell, I’ll even throw in some stickers and a set of 1″ buttons to the lucky winner. THAT’S HOW NICE I AM!
The auction ends one week from today. So, what are you waiting for? GET BIDDING
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Happy Valentine’s Day, all. For those of you who don’t celebrate our little Hallmark tradition… then I guess your Monday will really suck!
I’ll be back with more comments later, but in the meantime, why don’t you vote for Theater Hopper at buzzComix and take a gander at just how flimsy those compressed sawdust doors Cami was talking about…
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Feb14
I realize today’s comic isn’t fall down funny, but I needed a way to set the scene back to the present so everyone knew Cami and Charlie were still stuck in the bathroom.
We’re nearing the home stretch, folks. Expect to see Cami and Charlie free from their water house prison by the end of the week. Give me another week for a little recap and we’re onto more topical humor!
Incidentally, I got a lot of positive feedback for last Friday’s comic. People really seem to like it when I bash Ben Affleck around. Is it possible that I may actually start feeling sorry for the guy? I mean, he gets beat up A LOT in this comic.
…
NAH!
Truthfully, I should do a comic where Ben Affleck gets beat up in new an imaginative ways each week and have that be the concept. For as much positive feedback I get when I do it, I gather it would be the most popular thing on the web.
At any rate, this is a good opportunity to mention that the artwork that was used in that splash panel of last Friday’s comic is actually up for auction. So if you ever wanted to own an original piece of artwork by yours truly, here’s your chance.
The auction ends on Friday, so step up to the plate now and blow away the competition with an awesome bid that will leave the competition to cry to Mommy.
Cami and I saw Hitch this weekend. Normally, I have a very low tolerance for Will Smith movies. ESPECIALLY when he’s in action hero mode. I didn’t like him in Independence Day or I, Robot pretty much for the same reason I didn’t enjoy Bruce Willis as an action hero in the early Die Hard days. Too glib. Too cocky. I couldn’t relate.
That aside, romantic-comedy Will Smith is one charming bastard. Despite a little too much monloguing about love and the effects there-of, I found myself really enjoying the film. Of course, it didn’t hurt that they filmed in a lot of “off-the-beaten-path” locales in New York City. Watching the movie made me want to go back there in the worst way. I love that town.
And speaking of New York City, did you know there is a really excellent web comic about life in that fair metropolis? It’s a little obtuse in and of the fact that it stars an Alien and Predator action figure, so you think it’s going to be about one thing, when it’s really about another. But what is irrefutable is that the comic is drop-down hilarious and altogether brilliant. It’s Alien Loves Predator and you need to check it out.
Actually, the thrid panel of today’s comic kind of reminded me of something I did a while ago, and I thought that was really cool. I think Bernie did it better.
Now how’s THAT for a seuge way?!
I still haven’t had a chance to color in that Constantine artwork I did for a February’s desktop wallpaper. Which means since I haven’t replaced the Elektra wallpaper that I can’t do the raffle to see who walks home with the original art. I don’t know when I can get to it, but hopefully soon.
Anyway, I just want to remind people that I’m composing these original works as incentive for you to buy stuff, donate or advertise with us. Anyone who gives Theater Hopper money for ANYTHING in the course of a given month will have their name put into a raffle to win some original artwork. All the details are at the bottom of the Walk of Fame page if you want the skinny. At the end of the year, I’m going to take all of the artwork and pull it together for a great 2006 calendar. Cool, eh?
I was going to talk a little bit about how I’ve been dreaming about redesigning the site. The layout would remain pretty similar, but I’m getting tired of the dark grey color scheme. I’m thinking of something brighter and, frankly, something where the elements fit a little better together. I’ve been practicing my skills in cascading style sheets and sketching out rough ideas, so maybe someday soon you’ll come back to the site and it will have a whole new paint job!
I think I’m going to end with that. I’m a little tired of typing now. Ta!
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I just realized in my previous post that the link that I ∗thought∗ was taking you to the eBay auction for the artwork used in last Friday’s strip actually just took you to… last Friday’s strip.
There are less than 3 days for you to get this ORIGINAL piece of Theater Hopper artwork. I’d really love to see some frenzied bidding on this one because it is my intention to use the profits to help pay my way to the Kansas City Planet Comicon comic book convention this coming April 2-3.
I also have ambitions to film not only my appearance at this convention, but two other Midwest conventions I plan on attending this summer in hopes to assemble the footage and create a NEW documentary to sell by the end of the year. My good friend Jared is the director and we’re hoping to capture the experience of the convention circuit and give everyone a little behind-the-scenes understanding of this facet of Theater Hopper’s grassroots promotion efforts!
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