The Depression

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Despite what our discussion may lead you to believe, I actually believe in Keynesian Economics. His contributions to the New Deal were a vital part in turning the country around in the Great Depression. Also, while John Maynard Keynes was a tall man, he wasn't quite this tall. This is just an exaggerated figment of my imagination.

I've always loved the anecdote of Keynes saying that you should pay one group to dig a ditch, and another group to come fill it in. While it seems frivolous and silly (because it is), it serves the point that he believed you had to pour cash in at the lowest level in order to restart the economy. In reality, the WPA produced some fantastic works. While there are murals and buildings, my favorite works have been their storm drains and sidewalks. These things were built in the 1930s and 1940s, and they're still intact. Nobody makes them like this anymore.

This is my first comic completed entirely on the computer using my new pen tablet. This probably comes out the best in the lines, which are a lot smoother than I could achieve when I was putting my inks through the scanner. I also broke from my usual monochromatic structure for this one. I hope you like it anyhow!

Natalie doesn't remember it, but she actually requested this comic. She was talking about how she's trying to reduce her stressors, and I interjected with "...but I'm a stress vending machine." She thought this was hilarious.

Living under this giant transmission tower is handy, because while we can't say that we live in the Inner Sunset, or Cole Valley, or anything else that surrounds us, we can point to this enormous tower on the highest hill in the city and say "We live over there."

Nerrrrrrrrrrrd

My friend Liz recently got a job as a baker in the kitchen of her local Earth Fare, and essentially wrote this strip for me when she messaged me saying "MY NEW JOB WORKING FOR HIPPIES HAS A 401(K). MY LIFE IS A CAT AND GIRL STRIP"

If you're unfamiliar with Cat and Girl, I suggest you go and read it here.

I'm getting a little better at this comic strip stuff, I think. I'm still trying to nail down a simple, repeatable style, and there are plenty of tools I still want to learn to use, but it's starting to feel a little more natural. The second panel was originally going to have a little more dialog, but in the end, the joke really sells itself. I do need to get better with confining my panels. Instinctively, I avoid it, but I realize that once I start working, things get sloppy without defined borders.

Well, I've moved to San Francisco during the worst state budget crisis, worst economic period, and worst job market there's been in years. But, at least I know I have some networking in the porn industry.

Uncorrected Proofs #6: One day, it will be you

Y'know, I'm beginning to wonder if maybe this comic is going to turn into just a bunch of things that have happened to me while I'm naked. This particular time was at a conference a few years ago. We'd just gone shopping and been talked into trying out Jockey underwear. They're soooo comfortable, and are now my favorite brand. So, I go back to the hotel and try them on, and they are super comfortable, but as I'm about to put clothes back on and get ready for dinner or something, and in walks my poor friend Courtney, who was absolutely mortified. When you're my friend, it's only a matter of time before you see my penis, let's be honest.

Trying out the monochromatic style, and I was downright lazy as far as background goes. I'm having fun with this.

It's stuck in my head

So, it's been a long while, yes? More time has freed up now that I've graduated, so I'm trying to actually update on a regular basis, or at least more frequently than in the past. I'm certain there will be some interesting stories to tell about my upcoming job hunt.

Uncorrected Proofs #4

A derby comic, finally. This was an actual conversation on the track at practice with another referee. After this incident, I changed from the ball chain I had been using for my whistle to a lanyard I picked up at ALA Midwinter, so my whistle hangs lower and doesn't peg my nipple at every hairpin turn.

This is probably the last comic to be done in this format. I wanted to do a full series of comics in one journal, and at the time I really appreciated that they were on cheap, lined paper, which suits the name of the comic quite well, but I really want to work with better materials, and also just have a larger space to play with layout. This format is very constrictive to what I can do on a page. More to come once I have time (which is to say, after they give me my MLS degree on the 9th).

edit: Yes, I do wear hotpants and tights whenever I'm doing derby. Yes, this bothers some people. /edit.

Uncorrected Proofs #3

Tough times as I make a call to my doctor to renew my prescription for my antidepressants. The idea was to have the color fade in through each image as I try to deal with the problem (making the medical appt., using my standby coping mechanism, candy cigarettes), but unfortunately my candy cigarettes were awful. Don't like how the last panel turned out at all, my face shape totally changes, but I was apparently too lazy to go back and fix it.

Uncorrected Proofs #2

Entitled "Mr. Inappropriate." These are the sorts of things I spend my time doing. Beware.