Let me cut to the chase: I have resigned my current job and accepting a new one. Everything is official, and the new job starts next week. This has been a long process of begging my employers for a promotion, working extra-hard on projects, applying for many jobs in the evenings, and trying to figure out how to do this and keep a precarious household budget in check. You know, the stuff that every household goes through at some point in time. The last month has been particularly trying, but now I am getting to the point where I can make the transition to new employment and try to reclaim my life and my comic.
What does this mean for the comic? Well, not much. While I start my new job next week, it will still be a transitional period for me. I’ll be learning all sorts of new software, new protocols, new everythings. I am guessing that the comic won’t resume until mid-July as estimated earlier. Nothing will change in content, at least nothing related to a job switch. These characters were never autobiographical, and my life change isn’t theirs. I have simply been working hard at getting my professional life straightened out so I can enjoy my personal life more.
Of course, that will probably come across in the comic, but it will not be a driving factor of story lines. So, the comic will definitely see a positive impact from these changes. Also, being occupied by working matters has taught me how to scribble down quick doodles where and when I can. This is a good habit, one that keeps me drawing. In fact, I’m probably drawing as much if not more than when I do the comic! If I could put that time to good use, I would, but unfortunately it’s a minute here, a minute there, whenever I have it with whatever I have. I can’t do any quality, finished work that way. That being said, all that scribbling will show through in higher-quality comics over time. Despite the fact that there will be no immediate payoff for taking this new job in comic terms, it will prove to have been a positive move over time.
Thanks for staying tuned. You guys are awesome.
–Lou
* You may have noticed this is a “State of the Artist” post, not a “State of the Comic” post. This post was all about me, baby, and I wanted to punctuate that. Unfortunately, there’s no punctuation mark that says, “What has two fingers and is making huge life changes? This cartoonist here, baby!” That is why I settled with the title I did. Trust me, if that punctuation mark comes in to being, I’ll find use for it.
