Apologies for the delay of this news post. I meant to post it earlier this evening but was held up partially by the conversation I was having with Cami about it, partially out of fear and partially by denial. However, I need to get this information out there and I need to get it over with.
So, effective immediately, Theater Hopper comic updates will be scaled back to once a week with comics running every Wednesday.
The reason for this change is simple. Since Henry was born, it is important for me to keep my focus on him and the well-being of my family. For a short period of time, I deluded myself into thinking this was possible while continuing to maintain three full-color updates a week. After nine weeks with Henry in our lives, it has become clear to me this is no longer the case.
While I have proven that it is physically possible for me to create three comics a week, emotionally I was short shrifting my family and that is unacceptable. These delusions of grandeur led me to believe that I could have it all. Unfortunately, I did not weigh the complete cost of my actions.
This decision has been over four months in the making. I agonized about it before Henry was born and continued to question myself after. A large part of my reluctance to do the right thing was the deep sense of responsibility I felt for you – the reader. Over the last four and a half years, your generosity and support has kept this site going and I consider myself lucky to have some of the nicest fans anyone can hope for. I pride myself on the fact that Theater Hopper has been largely immune from the some of the more juvenile and petty aspects of fandom in this genre and that can all be attributed to you.
However, my life has entered into a new phase that unfortunately eclipses that . If Theater Hopper were all that I did, this wouldn’t be an issue. But between a full-time career outside the home, being a responsible father and contributing member of my family and being a cartoonist… well, there’s only so much room in my life.
In a way, I knew something like this would happen someday. In interviews I’ve given in the past, people would ask me how long I planned to continue Theater Hopper. I was realistic about it. I would tell them that I would probably have kids and then stop.
Well, I’m not stopping entirely and that’s the compromise. For now, this is a short term solution that hopefully leaves the window open for me to come back to it full time. I find it a much more attractive option than going on a semi-permanent hiatus or closing the doors completely.
I also want to let you know that even though I am reducing my comic output to once a week, that will not alter the three-times-a-week update schedule for the site at large. I still want you to continue checking in as I plan to continue supplementing things with sketches for the immediate future and DVD and movie reviews in the near future. In the coming weeks and months, it is my goal to restructure Theater Hopper to become more than just as web comic, but to become a multi-dimensional piece that covers many different aspects of movies.
I know to some of you, this might sound counter-intuitive to the reasons I gave you for reducing the output of comics. If I’m only updating comics once a week to be with my family, why am I replacing it with new and varied content. The answer is simple. Sketches I can do anywhere. DVD and movie reviews I can do anywhere. All of these options take CONSIDERABLY less time than a full-color comic that takes a few hours each night to complete. Writing for me has been no great trick. I think I can communicate my ideas clearly and quickly. The evolution of my art has been much more of a struggle.
Please bear with me while I make this transition into a new role. With any luck, Theater Hopper will become more of a resource to film as well as an entertaining commentary on it. I appreciate your patience and understanding and hope that you continue to check the site.
Thank you for your support. I look forward to entering into this new phase of Theater Hopper with you!
