I guess the problems going on over at buzzComix has yet to be resolved, but with the help of forumite JClark, we were able to work around the issue. That means you get a BRAND NEW incentive sketch when you vote for Theater Hopper at buzzComix!
The top list was reset on Saturday, so Theater Hopper is no longer in the Top 10. To help motivate you a little bit, I’ve added this handy dynamic graphic that tells you EXACTLY where we stand.
Since you guys went all of last week without an incentive sketch, I wanted to make today’s offering extra special. So I drew a picture of a dog with my head on it. I figure it’s just surreal enough to believe. Check it out!
I plan on talking about Van Helsing all this week, so buckle up. I find the film very polarizing (as illustrated in today’s comic) and rich for mining comic-wise.
I think the premise is good. Take Dracula’s resident monster-killer Van Helsing and put him on the tails of other Universal Studio owned creepy crawlies like Frankenstein and The Wolf Man. If it’s a hit, he can go off to kill The Mummy or The Creature From The Black Lagoon! Really, the possibilities are endless.
But I cringe when I’m reminded that Stephan Sommers is the director. I know a lot of people liked The Mummy and The Mummy Returns (the first one at the VERY least), but as good as some of his shots look effect-wise, his movies lack any real creative soul. I look at all his spectacle splashed across the screen and think “HACK!” I hope Van Helsing proves me wrong. Hugh Jackman is too interesting an action hero to do him wrong.
For those of you who ordered t-shirts, I placed my order with Brunetto over the weekend. No E.T.A. on when they’ll be shipped, but I would like to think by the end of the month.
For those of you who missed the first round of pre-orders, the shirt is still available for those who would like to pre-order by May 31st. At that time, I’ll send out for another batch. I’m sorry that there isn’t a better system for me to utilize, but I can’t afford to sit on a bunch of product that may or may not sell. Pre-orders are the best way for me to produce shirts that I KNOW I’ll get paid for!
More later if I think of it. Sleepy now.
Nothing fancy with today’s incentive sketch. It’s not tied into any movie specifically. But I was sitting around trying to figure out what guise to throw my characters in and realized I hadn’t drawn myself as a pirate! So here you go – Vote for Theater Hopper at buzzComix and see what Tom would look like as a pirate!
So we’re onto part three of our little “Suspension of Disbelief” storyline. Are you enjoying it so far? I know this is kind of outside what I normally do, but it’s nice not to try and come up with a joke at the last minute before strip day. Believe me, some of those comics in the archive reflect that poor planning.
The only problem with doing a more drawn-out story is that I can’t be as timely as I want to be. Troy comes out today and Shrek 2 hits theaters next Wednesday. I guess I’ll have to catch those flicks on the rebound if I want to make fun of them in the comic.
Cami has no interest in seeing Troy and I have to admit I’m not that psyched about it, either. The cast is impressive – Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Peter O’Toole (and directed by Wolfgang Peterson). But frankly, after Gladiator won that Best Picture Oscar in 2001 over Traffic, I’ve kind of lost interest in the “swords and sandals” epics… Best of luck recuperating that $200 million dollar budget, though!
Be sure to check out the forum. We’re playing out weekly community game – The Friday Five. I ask everyone the same five questions. You answer them. Simple really. If you’re not a member of the forum community, now is a good time to check it out. The Friday Five is a really easy way to get to know everyone quickly!
I also want to take time to point out our latest sponsor, Who Gives A Shirt? – quite possibly the greatest name for a small business I’ve yet to come across. If you haven’t guessed already, they specialize in apparel. If you mention Theater Hopper in your order, you’ll get a special discount! How big of a discount? Click on the link to find out!
I also want to say thank you to all the individuals who have been buying advertising, merchandise and especially those who have been donating in an effort to help me boost my Wizard World Chicago Fund. The little status bar I have there really isn’t as pathetic as it looks. I’ll probably updated it sometime later this afternoon.
I spoke to Mitch Clem of Nothing Nice to Say and Barrett’s Lament. He’ll be at Wizard World Chicago as well. We’re trying to arrange it so we can have our booths next to each other on Artist’s Alley. It’s a pretty big event they’re organizing, so we’ll see how that pans out. If that doesn’t work, there’s always the Minneapolis FallCon – which I plan on returning to this year AND I plan on taking more pictures!
That’s about it for now. Have a great weekend! See you here Monday for the continuation of our story!