Is it a cop-out to give the Benbot an On/Off switch? A little bit, yeah. But let’s be truthful: there’s no way I was going to turn this into a 15-strip story arc about a time-displaced Benbot and his dire warnings.

Also, when I stopped to consider the mystery of the Dustin Hoffman “fiasco,” the promise of that supposed tragedy was more entertaining to me.

That said, don’t expect a story line where we travel to 1982 and witness the incident first-hand.

In summation, move along now. Nothing to see here. Well, nothing to see except the incentive image I put together for you. Another illustration of the T-800 endoskeleton skull. Of the three I’ve drawn this week, I think it’s the best yet. To see it, vote for Theater Hopper at Top Web Comics.

Quick sidebar about the incentive sketches… Usually I draw something that is a continuation of the joke from that day’s comic. But lately, I’ve become more interested in drawing characters or scenes from the movies I’m referencing. I’m interesting in hearing what you guys like – a tacked on joke drawn in the usual Theater Hopper style, or a more detailed illustration like the last three I’ve drawn this week?

Because here’s the other thing: I’ve been drawing these cards on the 4 X 6 card stock I take with me to conventions and use to draw the sketches I sell and they actually look like the images you see over at Top Web Comics. They have the blue border, the logo in the corner and even a little synopsis on the back of what Theater Hopper is with the URL and a box where I add my signature.

The sketches I do at conventions are open-ended. They can be whatever the customer asks for. Looking over this last batch of drawings, I’m thinking that these are illustrations I could take with me to conventions and sell out of the box. (Either sell them at conventions or here on the site.) I’m thinking that I would have a better chance at selling a stand-alone image of a movie character than a continuation of a joke from a specific comic the customer may or may not have ever read.

So I guess the other question is, of the sketches I’m drawing as incentive images, do you think you would buy them if I sold them on the site or at a convention? They’d be cheap (probably no more than $5 or so) and they’d be unique. A custom illustration that will never be reprinted anywhere else – A fun bit of Theater Hopper you can own for yourself!

Let me know what you guys think, because I believe I might be onto something here.

Back to talking about movies… As you know Terminator Salvation comes out today and I am… excited? I say “excited” with trepidation because reviews have been lukewarm.

I’m trying to go into the movie with a clean slate, but Warner Bros. isn’t making that easy. Among the myriad of movie blogs I follow, there seems to be new clips from the movie being released daily. Whenever I see a studio release a stream of clips online, I immediately become cautious. From a marketing perspective, I understand what they’re doing. They’re seeding the internet the hope that interest will spring up from it. If a clip becomes viral, even better.

But what a lot of these movie blogs do is round up these clips and put them in one spot. Trailer Addict has 7 pages of Terminator Salvation clips. 7 pages of clips, TV spots, trailers and extended trailers. So, effectively, a potential ticket buyer could watch 10 to 20 minutes of the movie before they even set foot inside a theater.

And studios are worried about piracy? Gimme a break. They’re ruining movies for fans just as much as anyone else.

The last movie that did this was X-Men Origins: Wolverine – and we all know how that turned out. That, and you can’t force something to be viral. Believe me, I’ve tried.

I’m not seeing Terminator Salvation until Sunday night and usually by then the studios can estimate the film’s weekend box office. If the film is running cool, it will probably lower my expectations to see it. Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe I’ll walk out of it having been pleasantly surprised.

But this is a Terminator movie. Shouldn’t I be more excited to see it regardless of reviews and preview clips and tie-ins and promotions?

Let me know your thoughts about Terminator Salvation. Have you been doing a good job avoiding the clips online? Did you even know there was that much material out there? Do you find it excessive? Do you think movie studios are giving away the store or do you appreciate the extra content and their attempts to woo you into the theater?

Also be sure to let me know what you think about the direction of the incentive sketches: A one panel gag or a stand alone image of a famous movie character? Would you buy a 4 X 6 from the Theater Hopper store or at a convention for less than $5?

Let me know what you think and, if you’re in the US, have a safe Memorial Day weekend!