Better late than never, right? The American Labor Day holiday prevented me from uploading on time Monday morning, but technically it’s still Monday, Central Standard Time – So it’s not too late!

I got to thinking about my latest creation – Swearin’ Granny – and immediately it occurred to me with whom she would get along famously. Of course, I can’t ∗tell∗ you that information. You have to vote for Theater Hopper on Webcomics List to see the incentive sketch that reveals it!

The Webcomics List calendar recently reset and Theater Hopper is currently in the number eight slot. While it pleases me to see my compatriot Joe Love Crappy Movies rockin’ the number four spot, there’s no reason we can mobilize and show good ol’ Joe Dunn how it’s dunn! Er… I mean “done.” I realize that I’ve been away for a while, so maybe you guys are out of habit, but I hear voting is just like riding a bicycle.

Speaking of which, being away from the pen and ink for so long really put some fear into me. I started sketching and felt that things were too loose. “Too sloppy” might be a more accurate term. But as I started laying down inks, today’s strip started to tighten up. I’m pretty happy with the results. I need to do more comics that feature Jimmy strictly.

I’m starting to get the itch to do a longer story line, but I don’t know about what. I suppose I have a few ideas rolling around in my head, but I don’t know what I want to roll with. Maybe I want to do something short-term. Maybe I want to do something a little more richly detailed. At any rate, I want to be sure I sit down and write out the motivations for the characters, the scenes, the setting and the dialouge all in advance so that there is a pre-determined time line and structure to this thing. Last time I took a swing at a big storyline, it alienated a few people. I want to see if I can tweak my storytelling methods and produce something a little more economical. Time to get on the horse again. Be on the lookout.

No real news to report. I think I’m still recovering from the month of August. It was hectic to say the least.

Things we kicked off with a trip to Wizard World Chicago. Which – as much fun as it is and as much as it is ∗a kind∗ of vacation, it’s also work.

The following weekend Cami and I were in Kansas City to see Ben Folds. If I had my druthers, I wouldn’t have stacked two road trips over back-to-back weekends, but we had not other opportunity to see him live and I wasn’t going to pass it up.

The week after that, my Grandpa died. I think it goes without saying what kind of upheaval that puts your life into. Needless to say, there is an aftermath all of us are still struggling with and need to remain available for.

The last week of August saw me on a business trip to Columbus, Ohio for the company I do the nine to five for. Again, more travel. I was excited by the opportunity. Actually, I treated it like an honor – and investment they were showing in me to be presented to higher-ups within the organization. I was very focused on presenting the best of myself possible. And, naturally, there is some stress associated with that.

September looks less hectic, but I’m still easing into the month with a lot of tasks to handle. I have to drive my car an hour away from home to have the air conditioning fixed. They’re giving me a loaner that I can drive and I’ll drop it off on Friday when I pick up my repaired car and Cami and I see Henry Rollins in the same town doing a spoken word show that night. Very excited for that. It’s probably my seventh or eighth time seeing him live. On the weekend, we’re traveling again to Iowa City – about one and a half, two hours away – to see some friends and the new home they purchased.

Running, running, running.

There are so many things I want to do with the comic and the site. I want to put up the long-absent Bonus Materials pages. I want to flesh out the links pages. There are still some small details like graphics that I wanted to dot the sub pages with and big details like revising the store with new pricing and throwing in pictures of readers like YOU who have been sending my pictures of you wearing my shirts.

I’d love to do a new shirt design, too. I’ve been coming up with great ideas, but not the time to sit down and do them right.

There are only 24 hours in a day. If I had 28, I still wouldn’t get to do everything I want to do. It’s frustrating, but it also makes me feel alive. Connected. Invigorated. Important.

There is no reason to be bored in this world. There is always more work to be done.

Sorry this post wasn’t more about movies, but I think every so often I have to leave everything in my head on the slate so I can clear some space and move on to more important things.

I feel a sea change coming on for the site and I want to have things in place so I am prepared.

Thanks for your patience and understanding. I think this is going to be a lot of fun.