Bug

Lemme bounce this off you guys:

I’ve been thinking about doing some Bug strips that stay on a particular subject for a full week; like doing a whole week where I riff on going to movie theaters. Stuff like that. I was (and am) a bit worried that devoting a whole week to a subject may turn some people off, but folks seemed to like the Zombie Week I did a while back – though I’m sure that had more to do to people just liking zombies.

I don’t think it’d be a regular thing, just something to break up the monotony every month or so, but who knows? It might be a new way for me to do these strips. I’ve been drawing these strips for around a year and a half now and I still feel like I haven’t gotten a real grasp on how to do it. If memory serves, Trey Parker and Matt Stone (the creators of South Park) said they didn’t really figure out their show until season five or six, and I’m sure this strip will be very different five years from now, both visually and writing-wise.

So what do you guys think?

I’m proud to announce that Bug has won Best Gag-a-Day comic for the 2010 Webcomics List Awards. Click here to check it out.

Thanks to everyone that voted, and thanks to all of you who read my comic and turned it on to a friend. There’s no better advertising than word-of-mouth, and Bug would never have gotten the attention of the nomination committee without you guys spreading the word. I’m truly grateful for each and every one of you.

Also – if any of you catch me shouting “I’m king of the world!” please hit me over the head with a garden shovel.

I was just gonna post this in the Fan Art page but I feel the need to talk about it.

This Christmas was a real bear, mostly due to my own stupidity. Christmas eve was Friday this year, but for some reason I thought it was Thursday. My plan was to go to my parent’s house immediately after work on Thursday – which meant I needed to get Friday’s strip done a day ahead of schedule.

Now, normally it takes me a whole day to crank out a strip. Drawing the strip isn’t too difficult; from blank paper to finished comic is about two hours. What takes all day is the writing. I usually write several drafts of each strip, making hundreds of alterations until the eleventh hour. So the idea of writing and drawing an extra strip, in addition to doing all my Christmas shopping, was daunting. But I was up for the challenge. Eye of the Tiger and all that. So I dove headfirst into my work and, after several late nights, I made it. I got Friday’s strip done by Wednesday night. Big pump-fist. Woo-hoo! I did it!

Now, it’s Thursday morning and I’m at work. I already wrapped presents, packed my suitcase, and loaded my car the night before. I’m feeling good about my accomplishments. Then, the rusty gears in my brain start to turn. I start getting that feeling that something isn’t quite right in Adamville. I check a calendar and realize that I didn’t have to go to my folk’s house till tomorrow. All that work, all that sweat, all that extra effort. For what? For nuthin! I drove home (my home) after work, unloaded my car (because I had stuff I didn’t want in my car overnight) plopped down in my recliner and sulked.

Glad though I am for getting ahead of my work, I’m still bummed. So I was in a slightly crummy mood when I checked my email and saw a message from Simon. Simon had been reading my comic for a while and was kind enough to turn his girlfriend, Kat, on to it. Kat is tremendously talented with a needle and thread. Simon enclosed a pic to show just how talented she is. What I saw changed my mood 180 degrees.

This. This is one of the best Christmas gifts I have ever received: