Movin’ On

As I announced last week on the website, my current project is over. You know, those one page gags I put out on Mondays. Yes, they’re done. It’s been a lot of fun, and I’ve learned a lot. But in my gut I knew it was time for something new. I’ve been working on a new web comic, one with a narrative, called Egghead. Actually, Egghead was the first comic I ever worked on. I wrote the script, and a friend of mine was set to draw it. But when they stepped down, I put Egghead away, because it didn’t feel right to have anyone else pencil the story.

Now, after a year and a half of writing and drawing my own comics, I think I’m ready; I’ll be drawing the strip myself. I went through and redesigned the characters to fit my style, and re purposed the script so it will work in the comics strip format. So, it will be a weekly story, each new comic will advance the plot. I got a lot of inspiration from reading E.C. Seagar’s Popeye comics. I tried to have the look and feel of an old timey comic strip (minus the part where I drew it digitally).

Anyway, to give some context here, Egghead is the story of a doctor who is a walking egg. He doesn’t know how it happened, he’s got hardly any memory. The story is set in 1910, and follows his adventures as he faces hardship and alienation, along with his faithful companion, Homer. That might sound a little heavy, what with the themes of difference and the rigid old time world of the early 1900s, but it’s a comedy. Well, I mean, I hope it’s a comedy. We’ll see if it makes you laugh. Anyway, I think the look of this comic will help the setting. Everything is olden times! Here’s a sneak peak at the main hombres in the strip.

These two were drawn traditional style (by hand) as I broke in a new pen brush, so things are subject to change, mostly Homer’s mustache, yikes! Look for the comic to start next week!

Like I said, I had a lot of fun working on my web comics, but I felt the call for something with an on going story. And I just felt, in my gut, that it was time to move on. This is not to say that I won’t ever go back. Egghead might be a total failure, I can’t say for sure. But until then, on to new things.

And that doesn’t just mean Egghead.

When I was drawing my web comics, I came to find there were characters that I really liked. Characters that I would pop up in different stories. Thus, I decided that I would take my favorite characters, and redesign them. See, I wasn’t too found of my drawing style, I thought I could try something more stylistic. So, I’ve been giving my old characters new looks in preparation for another new story. I have always liked stories about small towns, where everyone knows each other, and things are interconnected (that Twin Peaks vibe), and I’ve of course always liked comedy. So, I’m taking my old characters and putting them all in the same town: Beacon Valley. I won’t say too much about it, but will be showing bits of art as I go along. I see each issue as several short stories, all around the town, focusing on different characters. We’ll see how they live, how they interact, and hopefully they’ll make you laugh. Comedy is pretty dang hard to write. But nothing can stop me.

Of course, I’ll still be working with other people as well, to put out new Short Stacks, and more Bearded Comic Book Enthusiast (after all, what’s easier to draw than yourself?) In addition, I’m looking to release a new blog every week, now, too. So they’ll be shorter. I haven’t worked out the schedule yet, but I’m thinking comic Monday, blog Wednesday, and I’m still working on something for Friday to even things out. Perhaps a comic/graphic novel review, or a free draw of the day type thing.

So it looks like I’ll be busier than ever (I say that, but I bet it will mostly be watching cartoons and drawing every now and then). But you know, I’ve been at this for a couple years now, and I’m constantly learning, and reshaping how Hot Cakes works, so now it’s time to really get things going.

I thank everyone who has followed me on this journey so far. I thank you for reading my comics, and encouraging me. It’s always scary to start something new, but this is the time, and I can’t back down now. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and I’ll see you real soon.