Still rockin', after all these years.

Its coming up soon to my 15th anniversary as a self publisher. It started back in 1994 with the first CAPA book on CMU campus. Woe to you who still own a copy of that. From then on it was my first printed comics (printed on the offset press myself I might add) of DARKNESS 1-2, AMAZING BUD (the early version of Pleasant Life) and then a break. Then back with PLEASANT HYMNS, PLEASANT LIFE, THE OUTCAST and many other books I've been priveliged to be a part of for the past 5 years.

As I am winding down post production work on Pleasant Life, the last tradebook there ever will be with these characters, I feel a tad sentamental. I've stuck with it all through the years of me developing from a hack artist, to someone who is quite confident in what he does. COMPETENT? Thats for them to decide.

Really, I don't care what people think. I get to create things and put them out for people to enjoy. And its been an amazing 15 year ride. And its just starting. Gonna keep rockin.

I just found out that some of my favorite longtime pals in the indie industry are hanging it up and quitting comics. I looked forward to seeing them at every show. But now, they're gone. As are many others I've met along the way. Even though I really thought their work was quite good. Their zeal and passion for what they do was never in question.

Of course, that is their decision and I hope one day I'll never make that choice. I hope to be doing comics when I am 70. Whether people read them or not. I don't care about fame or any of that. I don't care about being "A ROCKSTAR" in comics. I just want to tell stories. And I think from the last 15 years of me being around, people can count on me for these 3 things:

1-I'll always get better and learn and adapt.
2-I'll never be late and in fact, I'll do MORE than I promise to.
3-I'll never give up doing what I love to do.

Count on those three things folks. Cause I ain't going away. No matter how "mediocre" I may appear to you. ;)

So I just finished tones on 77 pages of Pleasant Life. Up Next: WORD BALLOONS! UGH! I am gonna feed Scott Bot first to ensure that I got some time to do them. I still got 5 pages on Outcast to do but man, I haven't been at the top of my game drawing lately. You ever get that way? Where it just ain't flowing right? I've felt that all week. So I am taking a step away from that and focusing on the post production of PLEASANT LIFE. Maybe after thats done, I can finish OUTCAST. Trust me, it will all still be done on time to be released in March/April as was planned before. No delays.

In other news, I am debating about everyone switching to blue ray players. I am thinking that perhaps waiting to see how this APPLETV thing goes. Time to start looking to the future. Technology scares and excites me. I wish I could be ahead of it, but I cannot be. Just when I think we're not all that advanced, we are more than I thought. the other night I was watching the old George Reeves ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN on a tiny screen on my IPOD at work. Who would have concieved of such a thing back in the 50's when it was on TV?

We are thinking of heading up north to Mt. Pleasant for my b-day weekend. Perhaps depending on money and weather. If we don't, I could sure use that time to get some work done and finalized. Taht would be nice. but I haven't picked up comics in almost 2 months, so that would be nice too!

My dad's 64th birthday was this past week. I called him and wished him a happy one.

Tonight, I got a conf. call with Tim and Anthony again about the podcast show. Then gonna bust out some word balloons all night while I listen to newer podcasts I've downloaded. Doubt I'll try drawing again tonight. I just ain't feelin' it.

Cheers, T