Since 2002, Cami’s birthday has shared an update with Theater Hopper two times. Today is the third. As such, it’s become a tradition to acknowledge her birthday in this space. Not simply because it’s a nice thing to do. But because Theater Hopper wouldn’t be half the success it is without her support and it’s good to take time out to celebrate that.

I know today’s comic isn’t gut-busting hilarious. I know the copy in the fourth panel is a little hard to read. But all I wanted to accomplish was some cute relationship banter and celebrate my wife’s special day. Besides, what’s there to say about this week’s new releases? The Wicker Man and Crank are hitting theaters without screenings for reviewers and I don’t think Crossover is on anyone’s radar.

Back to celebrating Cami for a moment. It was her idea to have a week-long Labor Day sale and drop the cost of "Theater Hopper: Year One" to $15 until September 3. It was also her idea to make this adorable Truman doll and offer it as an incentive to people to buy the book this week and have their name placed in a random drawing to win him!

And who hand stitched the little cutie? That’s right. Cami did. She’s an awesome lady.

I don’t have much more to tell you that I haven’t already been talking up this week. The book sale. The hand-made stuffed Truman doll. All that.

I’ve already told you that we’re going to start taking pre-orders for "Theater Hopper: Year Two" on Wednesday, September 6, haven’t I? If so, those of you who wanted in on the Truman doll competition are in luck. Cami’s making SIX MORE of these dolls and we’ll be giving them away each week until September 29 – the end of our sales drive. Three the first week, two the second week and one the last week. So if you want your odds to be good in winning one of these cutie-pies, you gotta get your order in early!

I’m just giving you the head’s up early so you can start saving your money!

Thanks again for your support, guys! It’s been a great week. Let’s go out with a bang!

Today’s comic is an intentional cliffhanger that will lead into a larger story arc. As you know Hollywoodland will be in theaters this weekend and Ben Affleck has a supporting role as George Reeves – the popular actor who portrayed Superman on television in the 1950’s and died under mysterious circumstances. As such (considering our sorrid history with Mr. Affleck), I am compelled to do another story arc featuring his likeness and the epic battle of wits between himself and his primary antagonizer, Jared. So, buckle up. It’s going to be quite a ride!

Putting that aside for the moment, today is a very big day for me and the site. I am proud to announce that the pre-sale for "Theater Hopper: Year Two" is now open!!!

I just put the finishing touches on the cover last night and I’m really happy with the way it turned out. It’s simple, clever and eye-catching. Don’t you agree?

"Year Two" features 153 comics from August 6, 2003 to  August 2, 2004. If you ask me, the writing and art is light years ahead of anything in "Year One" and I’m really proud of the commentaries I’ve put together for it so far.

There will also be 84 bonus sketches I put together during my days where I tried to get you guys to vote for me at those top web comic site listings. Remember those days? This will be the first time that these sketches will be collected in one place. I’m really excited about sharing them with you!

There will also be 7 guest strips from the era as well as an introduction from my lovely wife, Cami.

By the way, did I mention that you can get all of this for only $15 (plus shipping and handling)? We sold "Year One" for $18.95 when we made that available but we’ve dropped the price on "Year Two" because we want you to order today! If you already have a copy of "Year One," you already know all of the great content that’s in it. Now imagine getting that kind of quality, MORE of it and for LESS money!

And speaking of Cami, she’s been working EXTRA hard to bring you guys a special pre-order incentive that can’t be beat!

During our Labor Day sale for "Year One" last week, we were giving away an adorable hand-made Truman doll that Cami stitched together herself. We got a strong reaction from those of you who had already purchased "Year One" who were really bummed that you didn’t have a chance to win this doll.

Well, we heard you and now we have SIX NEW DOLLS to give away!

If you want a chance to win one of these dolls, all you have to do is submit a pre-order for "Theater Hopper: Year Two" before September 29.

Three dolls will be given out for orders placed between September 6 and September 12.

Two dolls will be given out for orders placed between September 13 and September 20.

The last remaining doll will be given out for orders placed between September 20 and September 27.

So, as you can see, your odds of winning a doll are greater if you place your order early on!

And, yes, we’re aware that there are only 5 dolls in the picture. Cami was just putting the finishing touches on the last one shortly after we took this picture!

I’m also pleased to announce that if you have not yet purchased a copy of "Theater Hopper: Year One," we are also offering a specially discounted bundle for those of you who order both "Year One" and "Year Two" together. You can get both books for $25.00 and your name will STILL be tossed into the running for one of the hand-made dolls. How can you possibly say no?

Ladies and gentlemen, I really need your help with this pre-sale to get the book off the ground. We are currently sponsoring a sales drive through September 29. to earn enough money to cover printing costs for "Year Two." That includes pre-sales, all existing merchandise sales and advertising sales. September 29 is the date that the printer needs the artwork delivered to them so that they can return the finished book to me by the first week of November. It’s my plan to take these books to Wizard World Texas and I need your help to do it!

So please, DON’T HESITATE! Place your order today! If we’re lucky and we get the money we need BEFORE the 29th, that means you’ll get your book that much faster. Everyone wins!

For those of you worried about an extended pre-order period like what we had for "Year One," I can tell you that profits from the first book are being turned around and being poured directly into the second book. So we have a head start, but still a long ways to go. As things stand, if if get the books back the first week in November, we’ll drop it in the mail BEFORE we leave for Wizard World Texas. Since we’re not doing sketches as the incentive this time, we’ll pre-label all the envelopes and drop the books in ’em the SECOND they come in. You’ll see your book in two months and that’s a PROMISE.

But only if you order today!

I’ll be working hard to spread this message far and wide, but if you know anyone who you think might be interested, be sure to let them know about what we’re doing. With your help, we can get these books to press in record time!

Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to do this. Publishing "Theater Hopper: Year One" earlier this summer was a great accomplishment in my life. It’s really put a fire under me to make the site more successful and to turn these books out as fast as possible so you can own a piece of Theater Hopper and share it with your friends and family.

Your continued support makes all of this possible and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

THANK YOU!!!

I sincerely hope you’re enjoying part three of this story arc. Or, as I’ve affectionately come to refer to it, "The Close-Up of Jared, Dramatic Lighting EXTRAVAGANZA!!!"

I realize that I was kind of teasing you guys with cliffhanger after cliffhanger, but things should start moving forward now. I want to try and wrap up this arc by Friday.

Since Jared’s plan has been revealed more into today’s comic, I can kind of talk about what I’m trying to do.

Basically, I was examining the whole Jared vs. Ben Affleck confrontation and was curious as to if it was even relevant these days. I mean, this is conflict that has been going on for 4 years and I’m starting to worry that I’ve gone back to the well too many times.

Reviews for Hollywoodland seem to indicate Affleck’s performance as George Reeves is better than the movie it’s stuck in. That’s high praise for a guy that has been box office poison for the last few years. I have to hand it to Affleck. He laid low and made some smart choices. There’s no reason to assume that his career will flounder in a state of Reeves-like stasis and frustration – as much as we wish it were so.

Therefore, is it funny to beat up on a guy who has made some changes for the better? America loves to watch you fail, but they love a comeback even more. I think I’m in real danger of beating a dead horse by continuing to pit these two against each other. Even if the fans like it, there has to be someone a little more relevant to be deserving of this scorn.

Hopefully without giving too much away, this storyline is a means to resolving that situation. I tried to set it up with an air of finality – thus, Jared bringing the gun into play. But I didn’t want to escalate it to the point that he would actually murder Ben Affleck. And that’s what today’s comic was about. A twisted sense of reasoning that would lead Jared to believe that the only way to let Affleck off the hook is to act his way out of an impossible task and somehow proving that his talent was beyond reproach.

It’s a bit ridiculous, I know. And I’m not totally closing the door on Affleck, either. But it might be time to put this concept to rest. Hopefully you guys will enjoy where I’m taking things and how I wrap them up.

OBLIGATORY SHILLING

I can’t let a post go by without mentioning to you the pre-sale of "Theater Hopper: Year Two." Orders continue to be strong, which surprises me a little. I think people who bought "Theater Hopper: Year One" must have enjoyed it enough to give me a second chance! I got a lot of feedback from people on the first book that they were very happily surprised by it’s level of quality. I’m here to tell you that "Year Two" will toe the line in that regard. If you liked the first book, you’ll love the second!

If you don’t have the first book, take advantage of our special discount pricing that bundles "Year One" and "Year Two" together. You get both books for $25 (plus shipping and handling)! It’s a great deal and a savings of nearly ten dollars!

Remember, you have until tomorrow for your one-in-three-shot of winning one of these completely charming hand-made Truman dolls, stitched together by my wife Cami! After Wenesday, your odds drop to one-in-two ad we continue our march to meet our Sales Drive goal by September 29!

Thank you for your support!

Also, please take a moment to welcome our newest sponsor, Comic Pants. It’s a great blog about what’s going on in print comics. You guys should really check it out!

Remember, I have three sponsorship ad spaces left and I’ve also opened up the playing field for larger ads above and to the right of the comic. I’m selling those spots by ad views and it’s a really good deal. Click here to learn more about advertising with Theater Hopper!

Okay, first things first. I was supposed to announce the three winners of the first round of  the hand-made Truman doll give-aways on Wednesday and I didn’t do it. Let me explain.

I had an all-day meeting Wednesday and was nowhere near a computer. Of course, after the all-day meeting, there was "required" all-night socializing. So, I didn’t get the job done.

Why didn’t I announce the winners on Thursday? Well, there was another reason for that, which I will get to later. It’s tied to a larger site announcement that I want to make.

Regardless, the winners of the first round of the give-away are Daniel Longe, Thomas Kelly and Jacob Bond. Their names were pulled from a random drawing of orders submitted between September 6 and September 13. Congratulations to the winners! Your one-of-a-kind creations will be shipped out to you this weekend!

Please keep in mind that there are three dolls left as part of this give-away. Two more will be awarded on September 20 and the last remaining doll will be awarded on September 27. If you want a chance at winning the dolls from the second week of the pre-order, we must recieve your order by Tuesday, September 19!

Sales of "Theater Hopper: Year Two" continue to be strong and I’m getting more and more feedback from people who purchased "Theater Hopper: Year One" every day.

Take, for example, this e-mail I got from Tess Liebersohn:

Simple statements like that really warm my heart and it’s nice to know so many of you are appreciating the work that has gone into the first book. If you like what I’ve done there, you’ll LOVE what I’ve done with the second book. I’ve maintained the level of production and have added more content than before. You’re really getting your money’s worth since I’m only charging $15.00 during the pre-sale.

If you haven’t bought a copy of "Theater Hopper: Year One," please consider our bundle that packages the two books together. You get a great discounted rate – $25.00 for two books. There’s about 450 pages of content there, so you get a lot for the money!

I’ve had lots of people write in and tell me that once they pick "Year One," they can’t put it down and that the commentaries for each strip are worth the price of the book alone. That makes me feel great and I thank you so much for the support.

Things have been going so well for the site lately, I can hardly believe it. To that end, I have an announcement I would like to share with everyone.

Starting Wednesday, September 20, Theater Hopper will appear in the weekly youth publication Juice – an social and entertainment magazine that is an offshoot of The Des Moines Register. I realize this won’t effect the majority of you, but for those of you who live in the Des Moines area, it’s a big deal.

Basically Juice is a magazine that is aimed at 25 to 35 year-olds and tells them what is new and exciting in the Metro area. What bars to go to, what shows are coming to town, the social groups and who is making waves in the community. A lot of people read it and it’s great exposure for the comic.

The way the whole thing started was kind of innocuous. We sent Juice a press release announcing the sale of "Theater Hopper: Year One" after I came back from Wizard World Chicago in early August. We didn’t hear anything from them for a while, tried to follow up, but heard no word.

Then, late last week, I was contacted by one of their reporters who asked me if I would be interested in being interviewed for their "What I’m Into" article. This is a weekly profile of young people in the Metro doing unique things. They’ve featured morning news producers, hair stylists and real estate brokers. They thought what I was doing with the comic was unique and wanted to ask me a few questions. Of course I jumped at the opportunity.

I talked with the reporter about Theater Hopper. How I got started, how long I’ve been doing it, what it has afforded me creatively and socially – it was a great conversation. Afterwords, he sent me a list of "standard questions" to kind of flesh things out a bit. What’s my favorite movies, music, tv… where do I hang out… why did I stay in Des Moines – that kind of thing.

Anyway, one of the questions was "Where do you see yourself in 5 years? (specifically as it pertains to the comic.)"

I have no dellusions of granduer. I’m fairly certain I’m not going to turn Theater Hopper into my job. So I said that I was looking forward to producing more books and getting caught up to the point where I could start producing them annually.

I also told him that it would be interested to see Theater Hopper translated into another medium. Maybe a cartoon or short film. I also expressed interest in having Theater Hopper reproduced in other publications. Jokingly, I said "Is Juice looking for any cartoonists?" Ha, ha.

Well, a few days after submitting my answers to the questionnaire, I get a call back from the reporter. "I talked to my editor," he says. "And he’s interested in running your comic in Juice!"

I was totally floored. For real? You bet. They were serious.

So, long story short, the comic will appear in the magazine on the same day that my profile appears. Afterwords, I will become a fixture at Juice.

It’s a great deal for me because it offers the comic a great deal of extra exposure aimed directly at my audience. Plus, people who read Juice are connected, so who knows what potential relationships could come out of that.

The greatest benefit is that this gives me a foot in the door toward honestly cultivating a large local fanbase. When the reporter asked me if I made comics for people in the Metro, I told him "Actually, the Metro is probably the LAST place that knows about Theater Hopper. I have people ordering shirts from Isreal and the Netherlands, but no one around here seems to know what I do!"

Being given the opportunity to speak directly to people my age in the town I’m from feels great and I don’t intend to waste it.

I just learned today that I will also be blogging on the Juice web site, posting each week’s Theater Hopper comic one day after it appears on the main site (to give incentive for people to check out the comics earlier). There will also be a commenting and feedback section, which is a great advantage because it’s something the current Theater Hopper site presently lacks.

I’m really hoping this opens more doors for Theater Hopper. I’ve been doing the comic for more than four years, but I really haven’t made an effort to generate any press around what I’ve accomplished so far until now. The fact that I have an off-shoot of the largest paper in Iowa sitting up and taking notice is a huge victory for me. It makes me feel like anytihng is possible and I’m ready to see how far this will go.

I’ll be sure to let everyone know when the article is online next week. And when I post next Wednesday’s comic on the Juice web site the following Thursday, it would be really cool if you guys would log on and let everyone in the Des Moines area know exactly what you think of Theater Hopper!

2006 has been the best year for Theater Hopper ever. It keeps getting better and better!