Comics: March 2008 Archives

A few quick things.

In case you're not all over my Twitter or forums or somesuch, Templar's joined Keenspot. That's sort of a secret treehouse club of webcomics, except we don't have any lockboxes full of salt water taffy and Dad's Playboys.

This won't mean much to you guys, except for the new header bar and newsbox. It does, however, mean bunches and bunches to the likes of me, primarily in the "Wouldn't it be cool to make a living wage from a webcomic?" category. With any luck, this will improve my traffic and exposure. My feed addresses, domain, and host won't change though, so yeah, as you were.

Also, Templar is only just back on track after two weeks of missed updates due to a stupendously unreal bout of the flu. I can now describe the sensation of multiple bodily orifices evacuating simultaneously, and the decision-making process that accompanies deciding which one gets access to the toilet. It's not really an experience I'd recommend. I'm all better now, though. Recent orders have been sent, commission orders are chugging along, and I'm about a quarter done remastering the pages for the print edition of chapter two.

This is the cover art for book 2. Part of it, anyway.

I've got a big overhaul of my sales page coming up, too; the addition of some heavily discounted misprints, a package deal for the upcoming book 2 preorder drive with a new t-shirt, possibly some posters. Lots of stuff.

I need to update my con schedule, too, because I'll be hitting SDCC, SPX, Wizard World Chicago, Anime Central, and MoCCA this year. God help meeeee.

In non-comic news, my computer's video card breathed its last only just before I went down with the flu. I won't be getting Dell to pay for it, unfortunately, because I put it in myself, and the warranty expired ages ago. Kinda sucky. But hey, the DVD drive is starting to make irritable cat noises, so who knows? Maybe that friendly Dell repair guy that dropped in with my new power supply will be making a repeat performance sometime soon!

Practically a brand new computer, folks. Not happy over here. Oh, well. Live and learn.

But too busy to do more than link you!

More news later, I promise and swear to you.

He's not exactly rude, but I'm not really convinced that means anything.

Religious fanatics upstairs and Dr. Frankenstein in the basement. I believe this is what they refer to as "neighborhood color."

Still, Screaming Guy is not exactly screaming, yet. So maybe they're hope, right?

Me, I think he's running for a gun.

Another action-packed page of Templar! HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS, PEOPLE.

Please tell me you remember this guy. C'mon, it hasn't been THAT long.

Holy mother of God do I have a buttload of work to do, lately. So I'm gonna cut it short here. But before I do: Hmpf, I did not, in fact, get that email from you! Please resend, It should get through this time.

Later!

Who's right? No idea. Stay tuned.

So, here we are. A bit of light shed on Pippi's past, but not much. A hint of why she's living with Scip in the first place, but only just. A cause for Reagan's burning annoyance with the situation, but just a bit.

I'm stingy like that. TIME TO CHANGE THE SCENE!

Hey, remember me going on about summore art theft in a previous post? Jess Fink was vindicated, and Hot Topic pulled the copycat shirt, laying the blame squarely (surprise, surprise) on a junior designer. Jess had to lawyer up to get a response, but a response came all the same. This is pretty reassuring, since I'll admit, I was betting Hot Topic was gonna gamble Fink wouldn't have the balls to sue and risk ignoring her.

Maybe they paid attention during the Shmorky/Todd Goldman rumble? Who knows. Probably not. I just like to think so.

On occasion, I do con panels on webcomics, and I get asked about what you should do if you find out you're being copied. My answer is that it depends. Is some 14-year-old on Deviant Art tracing your bishies? Lay the fuck off. Seriously, who cares? Stop it, you're not losing a single fan or a single dime. But when people start making money off of your work... eBaying shirts or cigarette cases with you art on them, selling stolen shirt designs, etcetera? Lawyer up, and go for the throat. No all-caps warning emails, no bitchin' and moanin' like a helpless victim. no climbing up on a cross. Just do it. Like Jess, like Shmorky.

And nope, I've never been stolen from that I know of. But then, I've never been very good with whimsy. That stuff draws the copycats like flies.

More Wednesday!