Archive for July, 2008
13 items.
I’m sorry about the pally, Rossi. So very, very sorry. We’ll have a professional soon, I promise.
So it’s Tuesday already (my goodness how time flies). I’m in southern California, hitting Disneyland today and having a lovely time! There’s a new PDQ up as normal, and we’re still going with this “no missed updates” theme. This trip is very inspirational, but I’ve been crazy busy, so it’s been nearly impossible to get the art and comics done.
I know. I’m on vacation and shouldn’t be working, but I feel that there’s something seriously not right with the world if I’m not making art, or comics or writing or something. Yeah. I’m crazy like that. On a side note, it’s very amusing seeing the looks on people’s faces when they notice that I’m not rushing back and forth like everyone else at disneyland, and instead just drawing.
I think today, I’ll be doing some sketches of the park itself. I’ve gotten more than a few great Ideas (yes, with a capital ‘I’), but it will take some time for me to get them onto the intar-tubes, because the best ones are the most complex. You know how it is.
Anyway. I’ve got to pack up and head out for another sweltering day in the Land of talking mice.
Oh, and remember to vote on buzzComix and Top Web Comics!
Cheers!
Aleric
[ No Comments ]
Note: I’m going to leave this news post up through friday, so it will cover Stand ins: Space Marine #2 and beyond… See below.
Sending out a little more love for the 40k crowd. I hope James gets better soon. I dunno how much Rossi can take.
I’ve been reading a lot of books lately. I get into these cycles where I just devour books. I’ll read 3 or 5 of them. it’ll take me a few days to maybe a week for each, then I’ll dramatically slow down reading. I haven’t figured out if it’s a matter of me not being interested in the story I slow down on, or if it’s some strange circadian rhythm that has something to with the phase of the moon, the distance of the apogee of object 90376 in the Oort Cloud, whether my kitty Crash sneezed within the last week, or just what.
During my voracious reading period, the act of reading each of these books goes the same: the first quarter to third of the book I read fairly slowly. it takes me 2-3 days to read it. the second third of the book, I’m usually quite engaged and read it during my spare time, lunches, afternoons; this usually lasts a day or two. The final third of the book I do nothing else but read. Work suffers, food can wait, the Katgirl gets a little neglected, even sleep is put off for hours.
It’s almost physically painful to pull myself away from these fleeting obsessions. I can’t imagine how addicts start the road to recovery from more serious substances than books.
Still, the above is the reason that you only get zombie line art on my Deviantart feed over there to the right, and I’m late in putting up the news. For that, I apologize. If it makes you feel any better, I feel terribly guilty and plan on drowning the guilt in a tall glass of cold beer and some tasty chicken casserole tonight… inbetween putting editorial comments on a commissioned short story, painting another speed paint of Myen and the People, and working on 3 comics.
Yes, when I feel guilty, I make good food and work harder.
Remember to vote on buzzComix and Top Web Comics!
See you Friday!
Aleric
PS! I’m going on vacation from July 26 through August 4th. Don’t worry, there will be regular comic updates (remember, I’m more than a month ahead on strips), but if you’re lucky, I might come back with some REALLY cool stuff. Just don’t count on relevant or regular news updates.
[ No Comments ]
Little more on the WoW jokes, one goal I have is to make these reference comics as widely understandable as I can.
Oh and…
HAPPY 50TH COMIC!!!
Yes, indeed, HHFM is 50 comics old today. I know, not a big accomplishment in the grand scheme of things, but I really want to mark it. 50 comics and no missed updates! To celebrate, there’s a new comic up (big surprise)! And a new PDQ (it being Monday). Also, I’ve uploaded a PDQ to buzzComix and Top Web Comics! I hope you enjoy it. It’s the same one on both sites because I’m lazy (not) and spent all weekend slacking off (I didn’t) and didn’t want to do these comics in the first place (which is a lie). So pretty pretty please vote. If you’re feeling adventurous, Vote for both, I won’t mind.
I’m also releasing my Twitter Feed and the link to the HHFM Facebook Group. SO MUCH GOOD STUFF. Whatever will you do?
Happy 50th!
See you Wednesday!
Aleric
[ No Comments ]
Ever have those moments when you’re SURE you can win, that you’ve got the game in the bag and it’s suddenly swiped from your grasp? Exhilarating and frustrating at the same time, but you’re not sure if you want to do it again? Well, James doesn’t deal with that well.
So when was the last time YOU logged into a case-sensitive website? How about one that doesn’t tell you that their registration service is case-sensitive?
Yeah, it’s been a while for me, too.
Turns out there a BIG difference between “aleric” and “Aleric”… at least as far as buzzComix is concerned. Now, did I learn of this difference because someone at buzzComix actually got back to me? As much as I wish it was that way, the more likely explanation would be that I was staring at the account confirmation email their system sent me and I had a sudden flash of understanding.
But enough of that. Let’s move on to more interesting subjects, like me giving you free stuff (entertainment).
First, you may have noticed that the comic switches between arcs and single gags.
To date: 49 comics (50 on Monday!!)
4 total arcs, being 32 individual comics total
17 individual gags.
So far there are 2 different ongoing gags, Advertisements and Lookits.
You might look at these numbers and think, “oh, it’s a story-arc comic” or “oh, it’s a gag-comic”… but you’d be wrong. Short arcs are easy. I generate 3-10 strips for each arc and they’re a great way to make a ton of content. Strangely, single gags are harder, because I feel they need to be self-contained and funny on their own. Arcs have a slower burn and help expose the characters more. Single gags leave you wanting more. Which is better?
Well, I’m an on-the-fence kinda guy and see the benefits of both. I love doing both for different reasons… I’ve had more than a few people tell me my comic can’t have both styles. You know what? I reject that idea entirely. Just as I reject the idea that I MUST have panels. and that I MUST have word balloons that encircle all the dialog. I know I’m not a visionary, nor am I arrogant enough to assume that I’ve stumbled upon or invented a new way to do comics. But I’m also not so meek to let other people tell me how my comic must be. Of course, I also know that the final test is that of YOU, my audience. If I do something you don’t like, well, I get fewer readers.
Why am I bringing this up? Well, just to remind you all that if you like arcs and hate gags, don’t worry, more arcs will be coming soon. If you hate arcs and love the gags, well, don’t worry, I’ve got more of those coming up soon, too.
And don’t forget to vote at Top Web Comics and buzzComix! Since I’ve gotten the buzzComix thing straightened out, I’ll be uploading some incentives there for you as well (probably Saturday). I’d LIKE to put something different up from what’s on TWC, but I’m not sure my schedule can handle it right now.
anyway, See you Monday, with Comic # 50!!
Scott Aleric
[ No Comments ]
Lookit that.
So, I’m having problems logging into buzzComix to add an incentive. Some kind of problem with their login system, since I registered some few days ago, and it’s currently telling me that my username is non-existent.
For me, this brings up an interesting subject:
On the one hand, these services are offered free (Top Web Comics is 100% free, buzzComix has a paid subscription available with expanded features) to the users, and as the old adage goes, ‘you get what you pay for’. I mean, what should I really expect from these services? Fully functional interfaces, no down-times, no broken links or poor coding?
On the other hand, when I really think about it, I feel that YES, I should expect these things.
Sure, they’re providing a service that is potentially useful to the webcomic community. The readers go there to find new, cool comics, while the creators who hope to drive more readers to their comic. Admittedly the service is free, but it’s the cartoonists that are actually providing content to these lists! TWC and bCx are internet brokers, stepping into the gap between cartoonists and potential readers. They get free advertising on cartoonist’s sites, they offer a cataloging and rating service, based entirely on how many people are willing to click their advertisement.
Now, it’s not bad that they offer this service. In fact, I feel it’s very useful. I have had a few people come to my comic from TWC. (If you’re one of those readers, HEY! Thanks for reading!) In fact, their brokering is not very different from what I’m asking of you by reading my comic and voting for it. I provide you free entertainment, you repay me by enjoying it. I get clicks on my website, you (hopefully) get a laugh. But where is the breaking point? If I missed a comic update, would you stop reading? What if I missed 2? What if I didn’t have a PDQ up in time, or had forgotten to draw one for the week?
Now, we all know that “things come up”. “Things happen”. Maybe a fire burned down your server farm, or a meteor falls out of the sky and lands on your work computer. These things are unavoidable, but when they DO happen, there are always options, and the least one could do is let people know: “sorry, a flaming, demonic elephant stampeded through my house. The comic will be back up in 3 days (estimated)”
I guess this just speaks to my level of commitment. I want to provide this. I want to entertain people. I feel that if someone is going to provide a service, if they’re going to commit to it, then they need to follow through. Otherwise, go into it with the admission: “This is just something I want to try, this is not my primary business, so please forgive any glitches or interruptions of service.”
I feel anything else is just unprofessional.
Thanks for reading! If you have any thoughts about it, send me an email <aleric (at) scottv (dot) com>!
See you Wednesday!
Aleric
[ No Comments ]
Hey folks, go check out Battlebarge, Dave Hughes has been working hard reimagining his comic and has done a great job. Funny stuff!
In other news, we’ve signed up for buzzComix, and a new incentive will go up there on Monday. Why the change? I got tired of Top Web Comics being down… considering that I’m using that service to give YOU extra content, the least I could do is make sure that the service is actually functional. Now, I don’t know that I’ll be able to give you a 2nd, different incentive every week, I’ve already filled up my work schedule… but I will endeavour to keep it all current.
TWC is staying for now, I’m not completely enraged at them… Yes, enraged. Should they again repeatedly block available content from my loyal readers, I say to you now, they will suffer. Indeed, the Wrath of Aleric will rain down upon them, leaving nothing in its wake but ashes and tears. Or, I’ll just remove the button and close my account with them.
Remember: Special event coming in August! More news on the HHFM Facebook group! Go check it out! Then tell your friends!
More clues to come!
See you all Monday! Have a safe weekend!
Aleric
[ No Comments ]
Where did she get that axe? Top Web Comics is down again. That’s two days this week. We’re going to be changing the Extras page to give you all better access to the PDQs from days gone by, and I’ll be seeking out a better comics voting site.
If TWC is back up, please remember to VOTE!
Cheers,
Aleric
[ No Comments ]