Posts Tagged ‘shopping’
4 items.
So the holidays are upon us. Geeze, it seems like the season comes faster every year.
Today’s strip is based pretty close to reality. I really do have a Amazon wish-list about that thick. It’s something like 10 pages. A lot of my friends and family were asking me what I wanted for Christmas and my birthday. So instead of trying to keep track of what items I asked for from which people, I just directed them to my wish list.
You wouldn’t believe a lot of the crap I got for having such a lengthy list. But let me tell you, a list like that just doesn’t crop up overnight. It takes several years of careful selection and pruning. I still have some items on there from 2000. Everyone carefully chose to overlook that when ribbing me.
Since this time of year is regularly reserved for family gatherings, I’m predicting a large drop off in traffic. And that’s cool. I mean, for the love of Pete, get offline join the living for a little while. Have some eggnog.
As is such, there will be no strip on Wednesday as I will be away visiting family of my own and have no way to access the site. I looked into an automatic timer to post a strip for Wednesday, but it just wasnt feasible for the moment.
Part of me is kind of bummed that I’m missing a production day. I pride myself on never having missed one since starting back in August. But obviously there are some things that are a little more important and my family would be hella-pissed if I locked myself away in a room for three hours working on “funny pictures”.
To help soften the blow, I’ve added some new interactive features to the site.
You’ve probably noticed the poll near the top of the blog. I know now probably isn’t the best time to introduce this, but it’s been something I’ve wanted to incorporate for a while an figured what the heck. There is background information that explains the question and to help you make a more informed vote. If you could lend me your feedback, it will help me greatly to plot the course of the site.
And, since ’tis always better to give than to receive, we here at Theater Hopper are proud to bring you TWO NEW GAMES playable on the site! You can find them right now on the Bonus Materials page.
Now in addition to wasting your time at work reading the strip, you can hang around and play a game of Memory or Solitaire! We do it because we love you.
Many heartfelt thanks to Jared Brinkmeyer for bringing me these applications for the site. He really went out of the way to contribute something wonderful and exceeded expectations on all points. What made it really special was I never asked him to do this work for me. He did it for the site – and that tells you exactly how awesome he is. Thank you, Jared!
And with that, I say Happy Holidays and I’ll see everyone here on Friday!
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First things first. Can’t forget to feed the monkey. Please vote for Theater Hopper at BuzzComix. We’ve slipped down the list a little ways after being in the second spot on the list for a short while. I know we can rally the troops! And I think you’ll be extra-pleased with today’s incentive voting graphic!
Not much going on with this comic other than how I’m still flabbergasted that such a ridiculous movie like You Got Served could claim the top of the box office this weekend. It’s like I said in Monday’s blog, it’s the Kangaroo Jack of 2004. A film that has no business being foisted upon a mass audience and here it is raking in the dough.
I think the only reason You Got Served did any business is because of the lousy winter weather across the country affecting people’s judgment. I know I’m a little loopy after shoveling my driveway 8 times in 8 days. My forearms are screaming in pain.
Hopefully Barbershop 2 can knock it off it’s perch this weekend. I never got around to seeing the original, but it looks funny as hell. I hope the sequel doesn’t disappoint.
Everyone should take a moment to visit our newest sponsor Exterminatus Now! Using character models from the Sonic the Hedgehog game series, it has a great hand drawn style – very cartoonish, but sharp and detailed. It’s a web comic I think is well worth your time. It updates every Friday. Check it out!
That’s it for now. Sorry I don’t have more amusing anecdotes, but I think all the Excedrin I’m taking for muscle pain is thinning the blood going to my brain.
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Still having a little fun with Shrek 2. Vote for Theater Hopper at buzzComix to see Tom as The Gingerbread Man!
I won’t bore you with more of my opinions about Shrek 2. I mentioned that Cami and I had seen it last Thursday, and what I have to say about it has pretty much been said in blog-form. I just thought it was worthy to tackle in the comic since we were just coming down from a two-week story arc.
Frankly, it’s not surprising to me that Shrek did almost $105 million dollars of business over the three-day weekend. They’ve been hyping this film for so long, I feel like I’ve already seen it seven times!
Today’s comic is no joke. Cami and I went grocery shopping Sunday afternoon and Shrek’s goofy mug was on no less than five of the products we bought. “Shrek Toilet Paper?” C’mon, now that’s just nasty!
Okay, there’s not REALLY any Shrek toilet paper, but would it surprise you if there were? All I’m saying is that the merchandising is way out of control and I’m just going to have to avoid all commerce locations before I start dreaming green!
Onto more pressing matters. I indicated there was some pretty big news last Friday. I know the people in the forums have been buzzing about it. Actually, wildly guessing and pulling their hair out is more appropriate. Well, now I’m ready to share the news.
You might have noticed something different about the little ad next to the comic asking you to send me to Wizard World Chicago. The status bar is now full. In fact, it’s been busted clear off the scale!
You guys are AMAZING. When I last updated the tally on 16th, I had $155. You guys delivered that to me 5 days after I posted my goal. I thought THAT was really impressive. I mean, the convention isn’t until August and I was already more than one-fifth of the way there!
Since the 16th, I continued receiving donations, purchases through the store and advertising reservations. But on the 20th, I received a very shocking bit of news. One kind soul had donated $345!!! Now I’m not sharing this to brag, but in order to publicly thank the individual who topped off the status bar. Unfortunately, he didn’t want me to use his real name. But to that person, this message is for you:
Although I have thanked you PROFUSELY in private e-mails, I wanted you to know that I am announcing to my readership my undying thanks for your kindness. Your contribution will help make Theater Hopper’s presence felt on a larger scale and could potentially open up new avenues of readership. It seems cliche to say, but I can never thank you enough!
By now, you’re probably running the numbers in your head. “Tom, if you had $155 on the 16th, and were donated $345 on the 20th, then shouldn’t that add up to $500 and not $681 like you have listed? What’s that other $181 about?”
I’m glad you asked. Those are the continued contributions of OTHER Theater Hopper fans who have sought to support my goal. They too, I thank. Your support means more to me than you’ll ever know!
When I started this comic almost 2 years ago, I never dreamed that it would find a readership as kind and supportive as the one it has found. It’s because of YOU that I continue to do this strip. In fact, I look forward to it every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I love reading your e-mails and talking to you in the forums. And I know for a fact there isn’t a group of people nicer. I can honestly say I’ve made some great friends thanks to these little doodles. And what better result can you get but that?
THANK YOU!
The other bit of big news I wanted to share is a little more external in influence.
Last week I was reading Chris Ryall’s column “One Hand Clapping” over at Movie Poop Shoot and he was talking about Shrek 2. He mentioned Mike Meyers and his continued insistence on using that horrid Scottish accent in every movie he does. Chris cited the Shrek movies, the Austin Powers franchise – even So I Married An Axe Murderer.
I was elated! Finally someone of my same opinion. I had written a comic long ago addressing the very same issue! I had to share it with Chris.
So I sent an e-mail to Chris telling him about my comic and added a link. I received a very quick reply from Chris thanking me for my comments telling me that he loved the comic! Could he link to it?
It took less than a second for me to scream “YES! YES!”
And so, here we are. Linked today from the weekly question and answer column “Mail Shoot” over at Movie Poop Shoot. Click here for the undeniable proof. I’ve been a big fan of the site for a really long time, so being linked from them is a big deal for me. It’s like being recognized by Newsweek, or something!
So, for all of those new readers checking out the site for the first time, I encourage you to comb through our archives and check out our forums. I know we have a lot of content to wade through, but if you love movies like I do, I’m sure you’ll find something to latch onto.
I would post some links to some of my favorites, but I can see this news post has grown quite large, so I’ll save that for another time!
Until then, things are really coming up roses for Theater Hopper. Again, thanks to everyone for their support and here’s to continued prosperity in the future!
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Nov26
I know there probably won’t be as many people visiting the site today since it’s the day after a holiday. But if you managed to make it to the site today for a dose of funny, I applaud your for your vigilance.
For those of you who are part of our international audience, it occurred to me that you might not be familiar with what “Black Friday” is. Essentially it’s the start of the Christmas buying season in America. It’s the day where retailers have insane sales on all their merchandise and open their stores at five in the morning to try and get a jump on their competitors. Suburban housewives become deal-seeking warriors who claw and scratch for savings. That’s why the comic is funny for me. Heading out into a shopping center on Black Friday kind of *IS* like preparing for war.
Incidentally there are a bunch of movies already with the title Black Friday. But the only one on the IMDB that I thought was worth mentioning was this one starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi from 1940. It’s pretty much a horror story about bad science gone wrong when Karloff implants part of a dead gangster’s brain into a friend who is dying. The result are Jeckll and Hyde mood swings and the half million dollars the gangster has squirreled away. I haven’t seen this movie, but now I’m thinking maybe I should!
Don’t forget that shirts are back on sale. The new “Professional Movie Goer” shirt and hoodie, the “Truman in a Purse” baby doll and – in what looks to be a classic – the “Spoiler” shirt and hoodie which are being offered for a second time.
I know you also don’t want to forget our weekly community event we call The Friday Five that’s being hosted in The THorum. Participating is easy! Just sign up for a THorum account. We ask you five questions, you answer them! It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the community and learn something about the people that are already there! Check it out!
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