How we suffer for our art

So I actually drew some stuff today, but I can't get into Site Admin, so I can't post it to the site.

Hopefully this little problem will correct itself in the next couple of days, as I feel rather creative and might actually be able to get some comics done while I'm on my little mini-vacation.

The hardest button to button

Sorry about the radio silence and general lack of comicage. Teaching summer school is a lot more involved than I remember it being (maybe because I'm teaching writing this year instead of just journalism). That, coupled with my extreme lack of car air conditioning, renders me quite tired when I get home. I generally feel like just taking a cold shower and sitting naked under the AC until the world goes away or my wife gets home.

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out a way to get back into the groove. I've been producing stuff in fits and starts for the past year or so anyway, and that bugs me. I've sorta got the next few comics in the Earl blogging storyline figured out, but I need to sit down and actually draw them.

On the positive side, I'm taking a few days off next week to relax with the missus. Maybe that's the break I need to get my creative juices bubblin' again.

"Go For It"

Much like the Monkey, I'm not receiving messages in my bar of deodorant. I don't know exactly what it wants me to "go for," as it were...putting on deodorant, I guess, or possibly it's some personal hygiene form of the fortune cookie telling me it's time to aim high and just "go for it." I dunno. Either way, it is vaguely disconcerting being given instructions by a stick of something I rub under my arms on a daily basis.

Already got two comics drawn for the upcoming week with more in the wings. I had a creative burst last night and scripted about a dozen or so comics. Thing is, a lot of them I realized wouldn't work in the context of what I've already started for this current storyline, so I've got the groundwork for a future storyline already done now, I guess. I've also got my bearings on the current storyline now, so I should be able to get back up to speed and get some comics cranked out for your viewing pleasure.

Is it just me?

I can't get access to Dim Bulb right now. Don't know if the site itself is down or if the computers at school just suck. Regardless, I did upload a comic for today, so let me know if you can see it (I won't be home for a few hours, so I can't really check myself).

Hmmm....

Site appears to be down. I don't know why this is. I'd assume the Monkey might know, but that would be giving him credit (and I dunno if I want to take that risk).

Should have some real, honest-to-God comics up next week. Honest.

"Let Me Draw You"

These are all things my wife's actually said. Really.

I don't know why the site's not auto-updating. I had everything uploaded on Sunday, but things weren't updating like they're supposed to. I've had to manually update the comic both times this week. Weird.

Dirty Frank

Sorry about the lack of comic on Friday. I've got two comics done and uploaded for Monday and Wednesday, and should be able to complete another comic by Friday.

Been watching a lot of Scrubs, as we apparently purchased all five season sets during the course of the month. It's a damn fine show, I have to say. Though I do wonder how someone as oblivious as JD obviously is could have made it through med school and become a doctor.

Michelle just keeps wondering when it'll be revealed that JD is schizophrenic and the entire show actually took place inside his mind and that the various characters are all just aspects of his fractured psyche. I'm thinking series' finale.

Living in a goldfish bowl

My wife decided we needed an aquarium and some fish and stuff. So we've got fish now. This is exciting.

Comic's already drawn and uploaded for Monday. Shouldn't have too much trouble getting a full three comics this week...depending on my ability to come up with what to do next, granted.

Shooka Shooka

Next comic on Wednesday. Based on a true story, even.

Honest.

Life ain't too shabby. I'm goin' camping Thursday with the school, so that should be...interesting.

Ka-bread

New comic was uploaded this evening. It'll post tomorrow. Still trying to work out a new update schedule. I like the old MWF routine, but will it work for what I'm doing now? Remains to be seen.

Also: tomorrow's comic taken almost verbatim from a phone conversation my wife had with her youngest sister this evening. The Brancos are weird people, folks. Weird people.

Is that Supertramp I hear?

I feel like I'm really getting a handle on the tablet thing. It takes me about the same length of time to get a drawing done this way as with pen and paper, except I can go back and redraw something if it turns out wrong without having to scrap the whole comic.

The one disadvantage so far is I can't figure out how to make a box for the panels. So far I've just hand-drawn (well, with the tablet) the panels, but you can see that hasn't been very effective or nice-looking. What I may try to do is use a straight-edge with the tablet stylus and see if that works.

The other difficulty is judging size issues. I know the past couple of comics have been either too big or too small. I'm still getting a feel for how that works, too. The problem, really, is that my laptop is a widescreen, so it fits on my computer screen perfectly. On computers with a regular screen and lower resolution? Not so much. Guess I'll have to figure out how to compensate for that.

I'm enjoying the tablet so far, though. My hope is to improve enough that I can start adding things like color to it, too.

Tablet tablet tablet tablet

I got a tablet.

It rocks.

I'm still learning to use it.

Comic-thingie tomorrow.

Maybe real comic Wednesday.

Commence Transmission

My unintended (but ultimately beneficial) hiatus is nearing its end. I should be able to get the tablet by the end of next week, and as soon as I've got some grasp of how the thing works, I'll be posting comics again.

The break's really recharged my creative batteries and got me excited to draw again. I spent my time doing random sketches without any goal or purpose, and the results were that my art improved a bit and I slightly redesigned some characters.

The real question before me, though, is whether or not to continue doing Crooked Halo.

Don't get me wrong: I love doing the comic, I love the characters and everything, but I'm not sure what else I can really do with them or where to take them. Additionally, I've got plans in the works for a comic based on the conversations of my wife and a few of our friends that I'm really excited about. The thematic content and style would be totally different from what I'm currently doing, which is probably part of the draw.

I'd love to be able to do both, but will I have the time to devote to such endeavours? I'd want to keep Crooked Halo on the three-days-a-week schedule, but what about the new comic? Once a week? Twice? Three times? I don't know if I could keep up with that.

We'll just have to see what happens. I really don't want to abandon Crooked Halo. I'm very attached to the comic and the characters, and I think I could come up with further stuff for them. I think there's still potential, even if I'm not sure what to do next.

What I know for certain is that there'll definitely be new comics up before the end of April. Otherwise, I might turn into the Monkey or something.

"How cruel and melodramatic fate is!"

Further car troubles (to the tune of a busted radiator at the cost of $520) have postponed the purchase of a tablet until after Michelle's next paycheck. So in a couple of weeks, I'll have it in hand...I hope.

Honestly, I don't like this delay any more than you guys. But hey, when your car demands repairs, you really don't have a choice.

But why would I want to use toilet paper someone else has already used?

Still no comics, for which I apologize. I'm gonna try to go out and buy the tablet next week, wife willing.

Car repairs were effected for less than I originally figured, but it was still $1600. Ouch.

Also, the wife wants us to switch to recycled toilet paper. Personally, I feel that if it's already been used, it's taken all the crap it's gonna take. Really.

But I'm not against recycling or working to help the environment. We don't leave lights on when we're not in a room, we wash our clothes in cold water (and I only do a load of laundry when it's a full load), we recycle our papers and bottles (both plastic and glass), and Michelle got a Terra Pass for her car (you donate a specific amount of money based on your CO2 emissions and they balance out the bad electricity we use here by using cleaner, environmentally-friendly fuels in developing nations. I need to do the same, 'cause it's a groovy idea). So yeah, I like trying to do my part, I just don't feel that my part requires sacrificing decent toilet paper.

Yes, today's newspost was the one where you learned things about me you didn't really care to learn. Suck it up and deal with it.

Could it be?!

There is the possibility of new comics as early as next Monday.

Stranger things have happened, y'know.

Update

So here's the deal: I still don't have a program to update the comic with. I can't find the program I used to use, and the other programs I wanted to try (Corel Draw, Adobe Photoshop) are cost-prohibitive.

But take heart! I'm getting money from my mother and grandparents for my birthday next week, and I plan to take that cash and invest in a tablet attachment for my computer. Apple makes a couple of nice ones in my price range, as it turns out. Soon as I have that in my hot little hands, I can get to work on more comics for all ya'll.

Long story short: we're on hiatus until the beginning of April or so. I'll try to maybe get some of those comics Adam drew for me several months back posted so you've got something new to look at. 'Sides, it's a neat little side story featuring a character that never really got his chance.

Nooooooooo!

So, comic's on hold until I can find the software CD for the program I use to put together the comic.

No, Monkey, this has nothing to do with the fact that I switched to a Mac. I'd have the same issue if I was using a PC.

I've got about a week's worth of comics drawn and a few more sketched out, so there shouldn't be any interruption once I get the software I need. Thanks for bearing with me.

The Great Switcheroo

So we're using Macs at Casa de Cricket now.

Yeah, we made the switch to Macs from PCs this weekend, and I haven't got the the scanner set up with it yet. Hopefully you'll have a comic tomorrow night.

Hurray for Apple!

Rag on the Monkey

A quick glance at the Monkey's rantspace shows you what he's been up to rather than drawing comics: watching TV and taking cute pictures of his kid.

Well, he has drawn some comics in the past year or so. I think I've got most of 'em saved in email somewhere. I'll start posting them to alternate with my own comics as soon as I've finished this storyline.

*insert maniacal laughter*

Zounds

I'm still right on target with comics this week. Today's is already up, and I'm going to try to get the rest of the comics for this week (and maybe even next week) done tomorrow night in class (God, I'm such a bad influence for my own students. "What'd you do in class last night, Mr. Cottrell?" "Well, Little Timmy, I drew three comics and scripted five more!" "But isn't it a class on postsecondary and transition services for students with disabilities?" "Shut up, Little Timmy").

Anyway, expect the flow of comics to continue unabated. This storyline's coming to a close real soon, if I can get it to work out properly.

"I shot 'im, but I didn't mean to kill 'im!"

I made it back from New York City. The Big Apple didn't devour me whole, but I did eat at a Mob-owned restaurant. That was pretty cool.

Comic for Wednesday is ready. Comics for Friday and Monday are also scanned and ready to be uploaded, so even though I'm gonna be gone Thursday and Friday on a school ski trip, you'll still get a comic. Aren't you lucky?

"Start spreadin' the news..."

Sorry about the lack of comic today. Didn't have internet all day for some reason, and I was busy running errands and trying to make the apartment look presentable.

Heading to New York City tomorrow for the long weekend, so if you get a comic on Monday, it'll be late. Just a heads up.

"VD" can mean so many things...

Comic's up now. Had it all drawn and stuff last night, but forgot to scan it and load it to the site. It's there now for your viewing pleasure.

Had a snow day today. We're having another tomorrow. Everything the students learned the first two days of school is just leaking out the side of their heads as I type, I'm sure.

Why am I suddenly stylish?

Comic will go up this afternoon after work. It's already drawn, I just decided quality time with the wife was more important last night than scanning. Yeah, I know, where the hell are my priorities.

Let It Snow, Bi-atch

The best thing about being a teacher? Snow days.

Comic will be up this afternoon. I'm takin' the wife down to a job interview 'cause she doesn't like to drive in the snow. Can't say I blame her for that, really.

"Where's that confounded bridge?"

So yeah, you're probably wondering what the hell happened. It's simple, really: real life interfered. I've been busy dealing with some real-life issues the past week or so, not the least of which was our cable modem deciding it didn't want to let us access the internet anymore. I was able to get a couple of comics drawn up and saved onto my flash drive, then upload them at work, but the lack of working internet at home is a huge pain in my ass.

I'm going to try to get the internet working at home again in the next few days. I'm already starting to go into withdrawals.

And Monkey: considering the last time you really updated was December of 2005, I don't think you've got a lot of finger pointing room.

Oops`

So yeah, I meant to have a comic up Wednesday. Had it drawn and everything. But Tuesday night was more draining than I'd planned, so I didn't get it posted before I crashed.

Wednesday itself dawned with me rethinking the comic I'd drawn. I came up with a better idea. I sketched it out, then didn't get a chance last night to actually draw the thing.

So yeah, comic idea is in hand, but comic is not yet done. I'll try to get it done this evening, God willing.

Yowza

I had a busy weekend. Let's just say I had a legitimate reason for not having today's comic up on time (though it is up now, along with a drawing illustrating my excuse).

So yeah, while other webcomics guys are far behind the curve, merely proposing within the past week, I'm so far ahead it's not even funny: I got freakin' married over the weekend. So ha!

Ahead?!

You'll be pleased to hear that Wednesday's comic is already drawn.

Not scanned or uploaded, mind you, but drawn.

This is a step in the right direction to creating the elusive...buffer.

"The hem of your garment"

Tomorrow's comic is uploaded to the server! Also, I got the next three weeks' worth of comics scripted out in a halfway satisfactory manner, so hopefully there should be no more delays or lulls in updates. I'm feeling a renewed sense of creativity and energy, I'm liking what I've got going on with the story, and all is groovy.

2007

Happy New Year, folks. Comic will resume on Wednesday. Figured most people wouldn't be coming to visit the site on New Year's Day anyway, and I still need to draw the final panel anyway.

But hey! I sorta know what I'm doing now, so that's good.

Back in action

Aaaaand we're back on the air...er, internet. I finally have an internet connection at the new apartment and my computer all set up, so you finally get a new comic! Aren't you lucky?

Anyway, we're nearing the end of 2006. It's been a hell of a year for me: getting a girlfriend (and now fiancee), hitting 500 comics, advancing and progressing so much in my teaching career...things are going well for me.

I hope everyone else had a fantastic 2006. Sure, there are lots of things wrong with the world (Bush, I'm lookin' at you), we lost some big names this year (Gerald R. Ford and James Brown just this week, eesh), but we gotta press on and see that 2007 improves upon this year. Otherwise, what's the point, right?

Been Movin'

Sorry about the lack of comics. We got all moved in, now I'm just having to unpack stuff and put modular furniture together. I should have the desk together tonight and the computer set up, but I don't know that this'll mean a comic for you tomorrow. Definitely one by Friday, though. Thanks for bearing with me, folks.

What Would MacGuyver Do?

I'm pretty sure the source of MacGuyver's power (and his innate ability to do anything with just a paperclip, a rubber band, and a chewing gum wrapper) was his mullet. I mean, that man had some hair. I'd fear his offspring, wouldn't you?

Movin' Blues

Monday's comic is filler due to the fact that I spent all day Sunday dealing with car trouble and getting furniture (dude, we got some good deals on furniture today, lemme tell ya). I'll try to have a real comic on Wednesday. Barring that, I'll have another real-life adventure comic for you.

A Busy December

God, is it December already? Sure doesn't feel like it outside. I know folks back in Oklahoma/Texas/Kansas are getting several inches of snow (which is, y'know, kinda unusual for those places. Especially Texas. They're not supposed to even know that stuff can fall from the sky), but it was in the 70s today here in Northern Virginia. Dunno what the hell is up with that.

Admittedly, the temperature is supposed to drop off this weekend and feel more like late autumn. We'll see how that goes.

December is going to be a ridiculously busy month for me. Michelle (the world's best fiancee) and I have planned a tentative trip up to New York to visit her family next weekend. The weekend after that is Moving Day, when we move into our new apartment (with the aid of several friends and coworkers). A week and a half after that, it's Christmas (and another probable trip up to that which was once New Amsterdam) and New Year's. Wild.

So yeah, comics may be spotty in the coming weeks (especially depending on when they get the internet connected at the new apartment. Hopefully it'll be up and running when we move in; we'll see what happens). I'll try my best to get comics done ahead of time so I've got some cushion, but who knows if that'll happen or not. Wish me luck (or guest strips. Those'd be good, too).

It's Been There

What? The comic's totally been up all day. You just didn't see it. Yeah. The reason you didn't see it is not--I repeat, NOT--because I was playing Final Fantasy XII last night and didn't get the comic drawn before going to bed. Has nothing to do with that.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have more Final Fantasy XII to be playing...I mean, um...

*runs away*

Gobble-Gobble Hey

Happy Thanksgiving, folks. Go enjoy turkey day.

Granted, if you don't live in the United States and/or don't celebrate this holiday, kindly ignore this message and go about your business.

Anyway, I'm off to have Thanksgiving Dinner with my fiancee's family. Should be a hell of an experience.

Whug

Comic's up now. Forgot to put it together earlier this week, and I was busy with crap last night and crashed before I could get it made. Next comic is already in the works for Friday.

Comics Ahoy!

Not one, but two comics for your enjoyment (since I didn't get one up on Friday).

Wednesday's comic is already scanned, I just have to clean it up and add text and upload it.

Friday will see a comic as well, if for no other reason than the fact that it's Thanksgiving weekend and I have part of Wednesday and all of Thursday and Friday off from school (huzzah!).

Anyway, enjoy. I think I'm finally figuring out where I want this storyline to really go.

Delay!

Friday's comic is in the works. I'll have it by the end of the day, honest.

Spellin'

So Monday's comic featured an unfortunate typo on my part. Today's comic features not a typo, but a purposely misspelt bastardization of "protege." Greta would pronounce it with a hard "g" and a long "e" at the end.

Advance Notice

If there's no comic tomorrow, it's because I died of sleep deprivation and education classes. Avenge me against whichever you prefer.

Sleddin'

So I didn't get a comic made for Friday, in part because of (1) my fiancee buying me Final Fantasy XII Thursday night and (2) having to calculate grades Friday night. Anyway, here's a bit o' filler until I can get something put together for Monday. It's ink on some heavy-weight paper and colored with crayon (yes, crayon. Sometimes the old methods are the best methods. Plus, the school's marker and colored pencil selections are kinda skimpy). I'm actually pretty happy with the way the image turned out. If anyone were interested, I might be willing to part with it.

Writer's Block? Who, ME?

So yeah, there should've been a comic on Friday, but I came up short on what to do the comic about. I'd kinda worked my way into a corner with the storyline, getting some stuff set up and ready for major revelations and all that jazz, but then I drew a blank on where to take it next. When I finally came up with an idea Saturday, I couldn't draw for crap. Plus, the idea wasn't all that good.

However! things improved today. While I was showering this morning, I came up with something that should work great for the next several comics. It's always a good idea to have a direction for the storyline, I think, 'cause then I know where it ought to go.

Anyway, I'm working on a comic for Monday right now. Hopefully I won't fall behind again.

Oops

Yeah, didn't get the comic made last night, obviously. But it's done and should be up now, I think.

As a peace offering, please accept this alternate version of today's comic with a very different new foster family for the beleaguered Cletus.

In order for the comic to make any sense in either form, you have to realize two things:

1) The Hatfields and the McCoys are two families in West Virginia that started a feud way back in the 1800s over someone stealing someone else's pig or something similar. They're not really sure anymore, though I did read something a couple of years back about how they've take the feud out of the shootin' at each other stage and have upgraded to the suein' each other stage, so that's progress for you.

2) Hank McCoy is also known as Beast in the X-Men. For shame if you did not know that. And if you don't know who Magneto is...well, what the hell are you doing reading a webcomic at all?

Haroom

Sorry, didn't get a comic done for Friday. Had school and then class afterwards, so I didn't get home until almost 9.30. Then I had to spend some quality time with the fiancee, so I didn't get this done. Anyway, I'll try to get one done after work tomorrow. I've already got the comic in mind, so hopefully it'll be quick.

Curiosity

So folks, I was just wondering: I'm looking to make some extra cash, what with having a wedding to save up for and everything, and I was just curious if there were anyone out there interested in original art at a reasonable rate? If so, feel free to email me at crookedhalo42 [at] yahoo [dot] com. Make sure to put "Crooked Halo" or "Dim Bulb Comics" in your subject line so I don't accidentally delete it.

Urinal Socks

True story. I swear to high holy Heaven, this actually happened when I was in college. There I was at the urinals in our dorm, minding and doing my own business, when in waltzes one of the other guys on our floor. He sees a pair of socks sitting on top of the urinal next to the one I was using and exclaims, "Hey, free socks!" He proceeds to grab the socks and leave. I tremble to think of what he used those things for.

In case you don't read the other blog, I'm now engaged. I'm just as surprised as you are.

The James Dean of the Webcomic World

If I've been a little quiet lately, it's mostly because I've got a lot on my plate and I'm lucky to be getting the comics cranked out on time, let alone write something entertaining or meaningful down here. I'm teaching full-time, taking two night classes towards my lincensure/Master's of Education (because that's exactly what I need: another degree), spending time with my girlfriend, playing my guitar...there's hardly enough hours in the day, y'know? But I'm doing what I can to keep up with it all.

However, I did notice a big jump in visitors the other day, but there's nothing showing where they came from. Maybe a bunch of you just decided to show up again, all on the same day? I dunno. But we're back up in triple-digits again (the mid-100s), so that's groovy. If you just suddenly decided to return to the fold, welcome. If you're new here and someone twisted your arm/threatened you with phyiscal violence if you didn't read my comic, welcome as well.

I've seen the "secret project" Adam's been working on. Y'know, the stuff he's been cranking out with relative speed but hasn't been showing to people? Yeah, I'm getting to read what he's doing, and I find it pretty damn good. Boy hasn't lost a step despite not posting a regular comic for nigh-on a year now.

I've got a three-day weekend this weekend, what with Monday being the holiday for that jerk who doesn't deserve a holiday. Oh well; I'll take the day off, regardless of whether or not Columbus was deserving of his own day.

Milestones

So Wednesday will mark the 500th Crooked Halo on Keenspace/Comic Genesis. Hard to believe I've made that many of them. Seems like just yesterday that Adam and I signed up for the site and he got everything up and running. My art's improved quite a bit in the last five hundred or so strips. For instance, everyone's necks have gotten thicker (so they're not pencil-necked geeks anymore, just geeks). Earl got something resembling a real haircut. I still don't do many backgrounds, but that's just my way. I've told some fun stories, had some great gags (in my opinion), and basically had a blast doing the comic. There've been times it's felt more like an obligation than a hobby, but for the most part I've always looked forward to drawing each new comic.

Anyway, here's to 500 more! Hope you'll stick around for those.

Free Radical

If you ever get the chance to see the Flaming Lips in concert, do so. I don't care who you have to kill, maul, or trick to get tickets, just get them. Then have an Epic Experience. You'll thank me later.

Technical Difficulties

So yeah, the site may be down for 24-48 hours while Adam gets rid of the .comicgenesis part of our URL. I'll post the comic as usual, and probably throw a link up in here so you guys can still see the comic on Friday. Please bear with us while we get this set up. It'll be worth it in the end.

"Bomb in my temple"

So I had a comic drawn for today. Honest. Drew it on Monday, but didn't scan or upload it.

And last night I had a headache that would've killed a normal man. Killed him, I say.

So yeah, comic will go up when I get home from work. I've already got Friday's comic sketched out, so it shouldn't take me too long to get it done as well.

A-yup

Nothing says "closure" like insurance fraud.

I really enjoyed doing the Deity Kit storyline. I think it turned out fantastic. Some of the art was maybe a little rough and rushed, but for the most part the results were exactly what I wanted. And that's never a bad thing.

Of course, now I have to think of what to do next...

"Boom, Like That"

Happy Labor Day, folks! I know I appreciated the three-day weekend before school begins in earnest. All the little young'uns show up ready to learn again tomorrow (in theory, anyway). I've got new coworkers, we've got a few new students, and I get to teach some different classes. Should be fun.

A few comic links to get you through the long, lonely nights:

Order of the Stick is hilarious if you've ever played a traditional roleplaying game. Even if you haven't, it's still pretty damn funny (you'll just get more of the jokes if you have, that's all).

girl/robot is twisted, in a good way. Seeing innocence die over there on a daily basis is funny as hell, for some reason.

Eight to One is finally updating regularly again, and yeahduff has lost none of his game.

The long-running Adventurers! is drawing to a close. Go check it out before the final credits roll.

Alright, back to loafing about and enjoying the gorgeous weather. Maybe I'll go play my guitar outside for awhile. Later, folks.

IOU

...one comic. I'll get it drawn sometime Saturday and have it posted hopefully.

Where'd everyone go?

Seriously, we've gone from 160 average daily readers a few months ago to about 90. Is it just 'cause it's summer? Or are people not digging what I've been doing lately? Are folks annoyed that Monkey hasn't updated since Christmas? What's the deal, yo?

Honestly, part of me cares about our reader numbers and part of me doesn't. I like to think that what I do (and, of course, what Monkey does when he does comics) is worth reading and that people would want to check it out, but it's sorta depressing when we lose so many readers. Part of it might be, of course, that my update schedule's been a little Piro-like lately, but c'mon, it hasn't been that bad (honestly, I've done more comics in the past three months than Megatokyo has in the past six).

I know it sounds like I'm whining, but I'm really not. I'm mostly just curious. Those of you who are still with us: what do you like about what we're doing? What would you like to see different? What could we improve/change/go back to to make things better? Seriously, y'all are usually pretty quiet, but I'd really like to hear from some of you on this. Drop a line in the comments or email me at crookedhalo42[at]yahoo[dot]com.

What I did on MY Vacation (significantly less interesting than Monkey's trip)

So I got home from Oklahoma last night. A week and a half visiting with family and some friends. I heard some good music, ate some good food, had some good conversations, played some pretty poor pool (turns out I am not a billiards pro, but a guy who did very poorly in geometry). I got to see all the relatives, hung out with some friends I hadn't expected to see, and got fed everywhere I went. Highly enjoyable, even if there was too much driving back and forth across the state of Oklahoma and up into Kansas.


Anyway, expect comics soon. Tomorrow, as a matter of fact.

A Veritable Burst of Creativity

So I got all the comics for the coming week and a half drawn this weekend, most of them on Sunday evening. It was a nice how fast and free the comics seemed to come, and the art was flowing pretty well, too. I've uploaded Monday's, and I'll put together and upload everything else in the morning before I leave for Oklahoma.

Probably won't have good internet connection while I'm back home, but I'll try to check in while I can. Try not to wreck anything while I'm gone, folks.

Craptastic

Internet was down at the apartment all night, so no comic despite the fact that I got one drawn last night. Hopefully we'll have a connection when I get home and I can upload it then.

Redemption Songs

Okay, got not one but two comics uploaded for Monday. I was going to set one of them as last Friday's comic, but I figured this was a better way to make sure folks actually got to see them both.

Now I probably need to go draw a bunch more so that there are plenty of comics to cover my trip to Oklahoma...unless I could get really lucky and get guest comics for that week and a half (yeah, right).

Delay

Comic delayed on account of me not being able to hold a pen last night. I went rock climbing with the school yesterday afternoon, and now I ache all up and down my arms. I'll try to get something done while at work and have a comic for you tonight, but I make no promises today.

Blast from the past!

So I got today's comic uploaded as well as a "treat": a page from the ol' sketchbook o' doom. The page contains a couple of rough comics from my original conception of the Mercenary Missionary storyline, well before I'd even though of incorporating it into the Deity Kit story (or before I'd even thought of a Deity Kit). The dates on the two comics place them in July of 2003, so the idea's been kicking around for some time (that would've been the summer Clyde was staying with me in Norman. The Mercenary Missionary story was originally his idea). I think what I've done with the story is much stronger now than it was in 2003. I've grown as a storyteller.

Not that that's necessarily saying a whole lot, mind you.

Also, today's actual comic features three cameos by real people I know. I'll buy a beer for anyone who can recognize the folks in the three panels, including the bearded chap we only see part of in panel three.

Sorry

Sorry there's no comic yet, folks. I selfishly chose to spend last night hanging out with Michelle to celebrate her birthday and then getting a decent night's sleep over drawing a comic for you. I'll get something drawn after work this afternoon. Hell, I may even be nice and do more than one comic to make up for it.

Comics!

Comic from Friday and comic for today are both posted now. Huzzah! More to come Wednesday and Friday and all. Stay tuned.

Rhubarb

Today was a long day, and I'm pretty damn tired, so I'll draw you a comic when I get home from work tomorrow. For now, I sleep.

Son of Narrative Causality

Hope everyone had a happy 4th of July, whether you celebrated it as a holiday or not (what? It has to be a holiday before it's allowed to be happy?). I did many interesting things and had a splendid time.

Monday was my mother's birthday, so happy birthday to her.

Narrative causality, of course, is the idea of Murphy's Law, basically. Saying something like "how could it get any worse?" or "it's quiet...too quiet" instantly leads to something worse happening or all hell breaking loose. It's a fun literary device, really.

Explanation

As some of you probably know, I'm a teacher at a small school in Springfield, VA. We've only got about 50 students there total, so it's a small and close-knit community.

I found out Wednesday afternoon that one of our students had passed away the day before. He had a heart attack in his sleep and just...never woke up. As you can imagine, this has been a tremendous blow to our little community. We're all in a state of shock.

Michael had found out about my comic about two weeks before school ended. He'd read through the Crooked Halo archive in one night, he liked it so much. He kept asking me when the next comic would be out.

His memorial service will be this Sunday, and I'll be there. I'll be there to say goodbye to a student, a reader, a fellow anime fanatic, and a friend.

Look! Up in the--meh, you know the rest.

I officially have tickets to see Superman Returns tonight. There will be much rejoicing.

Mercs for hire

Today's comic features a cameo by Jin and Juno from The Jaded. I figured they weren't real busy (since The Jaded is on hiatus until the marvelous Ping Teo finishes up one of her other comics, The Longest Sojourn), so it'd be the perfect opportunity.

Plus, Adam sorta mentioned something about them in a comment and this whole thing popped into my head.

Juno and Jin have visited several times before. They were Jerome's bodyguards when he was running for President, and Juno, Earl, and Clyde were all participants in a meeting of Boy Banders Anonymous. So Juno and Jin are no strangers to Crooked Halo.

Anyway, I'm not entirely sure where it'll go from here...well, I sorta am, but I'm not sure how I'll get there. We'll see, I guess.

Who'll stop the rain?

Sorry today's comic wasn't posted at the usual time. There was a huge thunderstorm here last night and my computer spent most of the night turned off. Also, I didn't like the first draft of the script and decided to re-write it today. Anyway, comic is now up. Enjoy.

Hey Todd McFarlane

I just finished reading Batman: Year Two - Fear the Reaper. Good graphic novel. Felt like a classic Batman story, only written much more recently. Your art (from Chapter 2 on, since Alan Davis did Chapter 1) fit pretty well.

But the capes, man. What's up with the capes?

I knew you had a cape fetish thing. I'd seen some Spawn stuff. I knew you had this thing where you had to make the cape all angular and forty feet long. And yeah, it looks cool, and for Spawn it's not really a problem I guess (what with his costume being a part of him or whatever), but does it really work for Batman? I'd argue that it doesn't, really. See, Batman's a practical sorta guy, y'know? The whole humongous cape thing doesn't really work for him, even if it does look spiffy.

But hey, I know that's your thing. I'm sure that if Spide-Man had had a cape, it would've been gigantic, too. Hell, I'm surprised you didn't give him one when you were drawing that comic anyway. Besides, this comic was done back in like 1987, when I'm sure you were just trying to get by and draw big capes on any comic character you could. I understand.

So yeah, I'd stick to action figures. Speaking of, any chance of another series of Beatles figures? Those were fab.

Another Candle on the Cake

Sunday marks the third anniversary of Dim Bulb Comics on Keenspace/Comic Genesis! That's right, we've last two and a half years longer than most webcomics.

Admittedly, year three was kinda rough for us. Troubled Times lived up to its name, dying the disgraceful death of negligence that it probably deserved. Vapor Lock hit a spot where Adam sorta ran out of steam. And Crooked Halo's updates haven't necessarily been the most reliable things ever.

There've been some good things, though. I've passed the 450 mark on actual Crooked Halo comics. We got linked (thanks to Adam's fantastic fanart) by Schlock Mercenary, and that brought us some new readers (which I promptly lost due to Megatokyo-esque updates). Adam's got a couple of new ideas cooking, and we should see something on those here soon. We've also made fun of a lot of stuff, and that's always a positive thing.

Anyway, if anyone wants to send some fanart or anything, we'd be more than happy to see it. You can send stuff to crookedhalo42 at yahoo dot com.

Here's to another year of whatever the hell it is we really do around here!

"They say it's your birthday"

Wednesday, June 14th marks my brother Clif's birthday. He's the inspiration for Clyde, and a good deal of the stories (and dialogue) that involve Clyde are lifted almost verbatim from conversations with my brother (the Yellowstone Saga, for instance, or Clyde's summer with the governor's office). He's a heckuva guy and he keeps me working hard to make the comic funny (usually by saying, "Gee, Chuck, that last storyline kinda sucked. Do something funny again"), so happy birthday to the Real Life Clyde!

"Down the Block, Not Across the Street"

Sorry about not having a real comic Friday, but I've got something just as cooler: a sketch from Mr. R.K. Milholland, the artist of Something Positive. He was doing a reader meet-n-greet down in Richmond, so Michelle and I headed down there and got sketches. So here's a Choo-Choo Bear for you. New comic on Monday.

Dominion'd

You guys sorta know the drill by now: comic'll be up later this afternoon. I spent all day chasing students around King's Dominion and then had to run a bunch of errands when I got home, so I was too tired and too busy to really get anything comic-like done. I should have something for you after work, though.

06/06/06

Well, Tuesday was supposedly the day of the Apocalypse. I'm guessing that didn't come true since it's like 12.15 right now.

Re-watched Batman Begins while drawing the comic. Nice to see a good comic book movie, unlike that unmitigated piece o' crap X3. I saw it the night it came out (knowing, in advance, that it probabyl wasn't going to live up to my expectations from the first two), and seriously, did Brett Ratner expect us to just go, "oooh, fight scenes! Pretty!" and completely forget about coherent plot or characterization? Characters were given little to no motivation for their actions, the scenes in the flick just sorta came one after the other with no reason or transition, and the dialogue...oh dear God in Heaven, the dialogue. Anytime Storm and Wolverine were on the screen together and not fighting something, I felt a little piece of me die. How can two such talented actors manage to convey absolutely no emotional depth? Easy: a shitty script. Relationships from the previous flicks were completely ignored, characters didn't so much interact with one another as happen to exist in the same space for no real reason, and the whole thing made me sad. It coulda been so much better.

Superman Returns looks sweet, though. Ghost Rider, on the other hand...who thought Nicholas Cage would make a good superhero? And why, of all characters to pick, did they go with Ghost-freakin'-Rider? He's a flaming skeleton thing who rides a motorcycle. It's just...ugh. Forget it. I'm going to bed now. Enjoy the comic.

DIY

Monday's comic (and the storyline I'm thinking I might go ahead and do) is based on a short story I wrote last summer called, appropriately, "Deity Kit." In the short story, it wasn't Jerome who got the kit, of course, but the idea remains the same. It did have Earl in it, though. I think this'll be a great storyline to draw. Feel free to let me know what you think as it progresses.

Only a couple of weeks left of class at the school where I work. We'll have a couple of weeks of break, then hopefully I'll be teaching summer school ('cause paying rent and eating are things I've grown attached to). It shouldn't interfere with the comic updating (anymore than work has so far). In fact, I may use some of that time off to get ahead with the comics.

Alright, off to bed. Later, folks.

Comic Up

Comic has now been uploaded and all. Happy Memorial Day, folks.

Open All Night

It's 1.00 am, and I just got in from a Bruce Springsteen concert. Tomorrow (or today, if you will) is Memorial Day, so I don't have to work. That means that I'll draw and post a comic as soon as I get up. Just for you, because I really like you people. No, honestly. I do. I'd take a bullet for ya.

Well, maybe not a bullet. But I'd let someone yell at me for you.

Okay, maybe not that. But I'd take a complement for you. That's for sure. I'd definitely do that.

Unless it was a complement for something I didn't like. But you get the idea, I think.

Comicage

Okay, so I've got the comic done and uploaded. I went ahead and uploaded a sketch thing for Wednesday instead of the comic, which will now update on Friday. This made more sense to me, since Adam's got a sketch up on Thursday. So, enjoy this week full o' art, folks.

Hrmmm

So the program I use to clean up, resize, and letter the comic isn't wanting to work tonight. The comic is drawn and scanned, but the software isn't cooperating. As I'm already dead freakin' tired, the comic will update when I get home from work tomorrow evening. I also plan on drawing Friday's comic tomorrow night so there won't be an interruption there. I'll keep ya posted, and sorry about the delay.

Also, Adam irons his pants? What's that all about?

Curse you, Education!

Just a fair warning: I'm in the throes of a stupid final paper for the education course I'm currently finishing up, so there may or may not be a Monday comic. Wednesday could be kinda iffy, too. And Friday...well, I've got a camping trip on Thursday night, but I'm gonna try to get the comic drawn early.

In short, this will either be a comic-less week, or a potentially fewer-comics week. With any luck, the paper will start flowing more quickly and I'll be able to crank out a couple of comics (I already know what I want Monday and Wednesday's comics to be).

It's frustrating, though. I thought getting a job meant I didn't have to deal with this crap anymore. Barring that, I figured they'd make eduacation classes for the folks who're already teachers require a little less busy work or major papers. I mean, seriously, we're all working full-time, and none of us really has the time to do this crap. This professor is so getting a negative evaluation at the end of the course.

Now with 75% more game references and riboflavin!

Apparently I now do a gaming comic and never even noticed that I'd slipped into that. Hmm.

Check back Thursday for something completely different. Honest. It's not even drawn by me, which should tell you immediately that it'll be something completely different that what you're used to.

Lookit!

Hurray! A comic! And Monday's is already drawn and posted already! Ain't that swell? Keen, even?

I also already know what the next couple o' comics will be about, and I've got Wednesday's already scripted in my head. Just hafta draw it now.

Comic-Drawing Guy, away!

Work Broke the Chuck

Seriously, work just freakin' exhausted me this week. And what with all the major projects for my thrice-cursed graduate class, I've been swamped. I'm heading to bed now, and when I get up tomorrow, I'm gonna make a concerted effort to draw several comics. I may even go ahead and post some of them (along with those promised sketches...if I can remember where I put 'em). I really am sorry about this, but work's had to take precedence (never thought I'd hear myself say that).

Yuck.

So yeah, no comic as yet. I've got it scripted; I'm debating with myself whether to go ahead and try to push it and get it done tonight, or just wait until Friday. I keep telling myself I'm going to start drawing the comics further in advance, but it hasn't happened yet. So much going on, and the next couple of weeks are crazy as I get into the last few sessions (and all the major projects) for my current graduate course. Stupid education classes.

I do have some sketches that, if nothing else, I'll post this evening when I get home from work. I owe you guys something, I guess.

The Skinny on Panel 3

So panel three contains an in-joke with my brothers that no one else'd really get. Peeing blood is not, in fact, a symptom of West Nile Virus (as far as I know, anyway), but there's a story behind this (as there usually is).

A few years back, Clif (the real-life Clyde) had some sort of...thing wherein he peed blood for a week or two (and he's gonna hate me for life for sharing this information). Visits to specialists revealed some sort of UT infection that he had to take medication for for a few weeks. Anyway, part of the problem was that whatever he had was potentially communicable, so no one could drink after him or anything like that.

Anyway, one day our youngest brother, Scott, came home from a visit to Sonic (the best fast food joint ever) with a slush, and Clif grabbed it and took a sip. My mom yelled at him for potentially spreading his germs, and Scott said something to the effect of, "Yeah, I don't want to get West Nile Virus or whatever it is you've got!" And it stuck. Anytime someone at home was sick, we'd ask if they had West Nile Virus. Whenever we asked what someone's symptoms were, we'd ask if they were peein' blood (thus confirming the West Nile Virus if they were).

It occurs to me that this story is probably really only funny to my family. Oh well.

The REAL Reason

So yeah, there wasn't a comic Wednesday, as you may've noticed. Tuesday nights are kicking my butt (which would make you think that I'd just start drawing two comics on Sunday or draw one Sunday and one Monday, but that would require forethought). Thus, you've had to stare at Monday's comic for several days now.

But that's really the Monkey's fault. See, if he were actually updating, there'd have been a comic (or maybe even two) between Monday and now. But no, he isn't updating right now.

So the lack of new comics is really Adam's fault, not mine. Yeah, that's the ticket.

It's True

Seriously, I don't know how the body produces so much snot when you're sick, but it does. I must've blown my nose a few dozen times over the weekend, and each time it was like I'd tapped into some Niagara Falls of mucus or something. "Where is it all coming from?!" I'd wail, gnashing my teeth and clearing my throat.

And yeah, I probably ingested my body weight in snot this weekend. Not pleasant in the least.

Expect a slightly less-disgusting comic Wednesday.

Blarg.

Don't expect a comic Friday morning on account of (1) I don't have any ideas hammered out yet and (2) I'm kinda under the weather and don't feel up to coming up with something funny (no, Michelle, I am NOT sick. Just under the weather. Yeah, that's the ticket). Hopefully there'll be something by Friday evening.

Apathism High Holy Day

Today, the day after Easter, is the official high holy day of the Apathy Religion, which my friend James came up with way back during college. See, the idea is to go to Wal-Mart or Target or whatever the day after Easter and buy all the discounted Easter candy you can carry. Or not. Whatever. It's a religion based on apathy, so we really don't give a damn what you do.

Wal-Mart really does carry the chocolate Jesus, by the way. He comes in milk chocolate and white chocolate varieties, which is probably some sort of commentary on something somewhere. I dunno.

Oh, and the Tom Waits song Simon references, "Chocolate Jesus," is really freaking cool. Tom Waits is my hero. I wish I had a whiskey-soaked rasp like he does.

Totally Adam's Fault

He dared me to do it. I had to defend my honor, such as it is.

Join us next week, as I hopefully stop just doing what other people recommend.

Totally Not My Fault

This comic is totally not my fault. Honest. Though I do need to stop taking the statement "there should be a comic about ______________" as a personal challenge.

On the positive side, it's about accountants, and taxes are due by Monday. See? Totally relevant and timely; unlike, say, Monday's comic.

And for the record, I took a damn long time to get that outfit to look like PVC. I probably totally failed, but hey, I never said I was good with highlights and all that jazz.

Delay Explained

Sorry about the delay, folks. My grandparents have been visiting the past few days, and I know I said it wouldn't interfere with the comic, but I neglected to take into consideration just how tiring old folks can be. I was wiped out last night, so I didn't get anything drawn. I've got an idea for the comic, I just have to put pen to paper. It'll be up sometime later today, after I've run needful errands (like sending off my income taxes).

Goin' to the Chapel...

Friday's comic is a congratulatory note to my roommates, Tim and Wendy, who're getting married this Saturday. I was this close to having to be a bridesman in the ceremony, but lucked out and just have to be an usher and coordinator instead (dodged the white tuxedo bullet! Thank God!).

Anyway, I have spring break next week (breaks are one of those great advantages of being a teacher). Comics will continue as usual, despite an impending visit from my grandparents (hey, I didn't let moving halfway across the country stop me from making comics, so why would this?). Have a good weekend, folks.

Just a quick note...

...to let you know that the comic for today will be delayed until I can get home from work and finish it. I spent most of the evening in class or chatting with a friend from Oklahoma, so I didn't get started until too late. Sorry about the delay.

Guest Comic!

The (somewhat belated but totally worth it) comic is a surprise guest comic from Ping Teo! Ping, for those of you living under a rock, is the amazing artist behind The Jaded, The Longest Sojourn, and the webcomics journey blog Webcomic Finds. I also did a comic for The Longest Sojourn, though I dunno if she's had a chance to post it yet. I'm always floored by what she can do with her tablet o' power, and this case is no exception.

Besides, she had Bob the Goat say "Oh crumbs." Does it get any better than that? I don't think so.