Upping the Publishing Schedule in 2010

I'm toying with the idea of adding another day of publishing new content to my webcomic in the New Year, with a twist. I'd have to be nuts to try and merely double my output, based on the time it takes to produce the core, "main" comic.

So, I'm exploring ways to quickly produce a Saturday/weekend edition. These would be one-panel gags like the one above that have nothing to do with the core comic's characters or stories. The influences are numerous: the great Gary Larsen (hey - did you know he didn't start cartooning the "Far Side" till he was forty?) and contemporaries like Mike Gruhn of WebDonuts , Crow of Nicky510, and Joe Combs' Rusty The Wonderdog.

The plan so far addresses my chief concerns:

• They have to be mostly completed by hand, typically while waiting between chauffering the kids around on Saturday. That drawing will be scanned with very quick Photoshop digital inking. If it takes more than an hour of computer time, I'm doing it wrong.
• B/W using a lot of silhouettes and hand-lettering. Maybe half-tones.
• Hosting another website and domain is just not something I want to do so I'll offer it on weekends on the main comic website. Keep it simple, stupid.
  
• Obviously some Saturdays, especially during holidays, get nuts. So while a full buffer isn't desirable... having a few in my back pocket probably isn't a bad idea either.
  
• Finally - and most importantly - I can do the topical humor I've been craving. The pitfall of filling a "buffer" for the main comic months in advance is the inability to riff on some controversy (Tiger Woods, anyone), or passing Internet meme when it's fresh.

Wish me luck, it's not a whole lot of extra work, but once I get an idea in my head like this, it's usually stuck there.

There is only one thing in the New Year that could put the kibosh on this aspiration, but more about that if it happens.

P.S. If you missed the point of the sample comic above, read more here.

Fort Hood Victim: Justin DeCrow

Justin DeCrow, 32
Evans, Georgia

Fort Hood Victim: John Gaffaney

John Gaffaney, 56
Sierra Mesa, California

Fort Hood Victim: Kham Xiong

Kham Xiong, 23
St. Paul, Minnesota

Fort Hood Victim: Michael Cahill

Michael Cahill, 62
Spokane, Washington

What are you thankful for?

As we embark on another long distance drive to celebrate Thanksgiving by over-eating I tend to try and meditate about what I'm thankful for.

First and foremost, my wife and kids - no surprise here. My siblings and my Mom, who am I looking forward to being reunited with since we've become far-flung, are naturally "up there".

Secondly, I'm very grateful to my employers at Slingo, Inc. Sal Falciglia is a class act who was the creator of the wildly successful game that has enabled me to be one of those rare individuals who enjoy what they do; furthermore the firm's GM Eric Lamendola has shown a compassion and empathy for the artists and taken care of us in stand-up ways. Two class acts and I'm fortunate to be associated with both.

I can't wait to get to work, and when the day is done, I can't wait to get home to my family.

Finally, I must acknowledge my sister-in-law and her husband Wasfi. Despite the challenges they both face, I never need to worry about the care of my children. I am eternally grateful. Help yourself to anything in the fridge!

So, what are you thankful for?

Have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving.

Fort Hood Victim: Francheska Velez

Francheska Velez, 21
Chicago, Illinois