Archive for June, 2010
3 items.
Guy! I am starting my new job and catching up on stuff around the house. For example, I spent five hours weeding this week (no kidding). Things are coming along great and I am ready to draw more for your entertainment. Well, I’m ready to draw more for my entertainment. I post it online in hopes that someone else is entertained, but I really do it for me. If you don’t find it funny, then you’re nothing like me. You can breathe a sigh of relief. Trust me, you don’t want that.
But short post long, I will be returning to the drawing board and the next post will be Wednesday July 14th, just two short weeks away. I am definitely in a lot better frame of mind now, and there is no significant chance that I will decide to end it at this point. That’s a good thing as I see it, because I think we can all agree on one thing: If there’s one thing the Internet is short on, it’s poorly-executed amateur comics by young, white males.
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.
Some of you may be wondering why you haven’t seen an update recently, and why updates have been irregular lately. Others probably haven’t noticed at all, as it seems many people catch up a month at a time. That’s cool, I do that sometimes. Just so everyone knows, I’m shelving the comic for an indefinite period of time. I’m thinking mid-July at the latest, but I can’t say for sure.
I am not creating the comic I want to create. I am not giving you my best work. I never set out for this to be my magnum opus of course, but I still expect it to reflect my work towards improvement. I have been taking shortcuts and putting out comics simply to have an update, and that is wrong. It doesn’t help me get better, and it doesn’t give you the entertainment you’ve come to expect. Worse, for you new readers you expect less out of me, which doesn’t keep me on my creative toes.
I simply have hit a creative wall. There is so much going on right now that I need time to regroup and recalibrate. It’s not a time issue, in fact I spent a good 15 hours this week playing Red Dead Redemption. That’s enough for three comics, at least. I have been putting out garbage, detritus which shames me, and I can’t in good conscience keep doing so.
There’s a small chance I may end the comic. Unlikely, but possible. If so, I’ll undoubtedly replace it with some other creative endeavor. Also, I will have a proper ending. I don’t know how long it will run, but I know how I want it to end and I will give you that satisfaction. You should be comforted by that. At least, that was my intent.
I hope you, my loyal readers, understand. If not, well, I didn’t give you much to go on besides “I don’t want to, wah wah wah”. I can’t say I blame you for not understanding. But if you don’t understand, I do request your patience. As always, I am available by e-mail and I highly encourage you to follow me on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/LouManglass). Any comic news appears there first, so it’s worth checking out.
I will most likely be making changes in the next few months as well, as I decide what kind of future I want for my comic. I have a small (but awesome!) readership, so commercializing it is right out at this point. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t start advertising and such. A change I am most likely going to make is closing down my Facebook site. I have someone in mind to start a fan page which everyone can follow, and I will post instructions as to how to get my comic’s RSS feed integrated in to your Facebook, er, whatever it’s called. I may even create a Facebook app, if that’s your thing. I don’t know yet, but know that if I do close the Facebook account I will not leave you Facebookers hanging. If anything, I’ll give you more options.
That’s all for now. If you have any questions, I always accept comments. Please e-mail, call, tweet, what-have-you and I shall respond.
Thanks for all the laughs, guys! I remain yours,
Lou