So I've been thinking -again - and after all the kind messages of support it appears that I may have been a little hasty in pulling the plug on Doormat Picnic. The comment that got to me most was Thom's: You always quit too soon in your projects. Sadly, he's right. And the reason I usually quit is because I believe that there's something else I may be better at. Perhaps it's time to concentrate on being good at just one thing, however long it takes.
BUT:
There's still a big time issue with producing three strips per week, so if I'm to continue I will have to reduce the quota to two, probably on Tuesdays and Fridays. Is that fair? Another problem is that story three was originally going to be a rather surreal affair where all the characters went on strike and stopped doing what I told them. Yes, that's what desperation does to my brain. Thankfully I have now seen sense and scrapped the idea, but that also means that I have to scrap the three strips I had done for it. That reduces my buffer to a single strip! So you may have to bear with me if I fall behind again.
It's decided then: the comic will continue for the time being. I realise this whole quitting thing now seems like a 'publicity stunt' - the equivalent of handing in my notice purely to solicit an improved pay offer - but it really wasn't. I just didn't think anyone would miss it that much. So thank you, especially to Thom, and I hope you'll be there for the start of story three on Wednesday.
6 comments:
HOORAY!!!
Now that we've got that out of the way, let me set about berating you...
What a fickle, fey, flip-flopper of an artist you are HG!
You can't even not quit quitting!!
And when it turns out one of your best mates is right, you're 'sad'!!!
Seriously tho', altho' it took several of us (and, no, I don't believe for a moment that what I had to say had any bearing on the matter...) to tell you this, you are already good at at least one thing - We like DP! Lots! And we wanna keep reading it!
So, even if this means we'll have to cut back to twice weekly, your loyal fans will stick with you to the bitter end and then some...
To end this tirade then, one final word of advice from someone who has yet to finish anything in this life that he's ever started (roll on death, i say...), do stick with it, do see it thru', do even go wild, wacky and surreal if you want to, but, whatever you choose to do, do whatever it is you want to do yourself, 'cos we've all only got one life to live and one person to make happy with it...
Now stop grandstanding with your contrived self-aggrandizing angst, and get bloody drawing!!!
Whilst I can see the potential flaws in your scrapped storyline for Series 3, I like the sound of doing something more surreal, or even stream of conscious.
However, I'm also aware that doing such a thing can be challenging, if you can pull it off you're a better man than I!
ER: Well at least now I know how Gordon Brown felt when he backtracked on calling a general election. Yes, I'm an insufferable tease but I'd like to think that only the strongest of men admit to their mistakes. No regrets though - the relative groundswell of support has given me renewed vigour and restored a little pep in my step.
Hadleigh: I may post the scrapped strips on the blog so that they're not entirely wasted, but I think it would have got a bit out of control. If my own characters overthrow me, how can I continue to have my name on the site? It would all be a bit messy.
I also made a mistake (yes another one) in my post by stating that story three would begin on Wednesday - of course, if I'm to implement the new schedule, it will actually be Friday.
and, just for the helluvit, and in the (vain) hope it serves as inspiration, the strike thing has been done (and pretty well too, IMHO...) in one of my favorite comics of all time:
http://www.berkeleybreathed.com/pages/index.asp
& here's sth about it here:
http://everything2.com/e2node/Bloom%2520County%2520Walkout
Glad to hear that you're continuing with DP. I too would be interested in having a look at the surreal storyline, even if you don't use it in the main strip.
All the best!
Brilliant! Good luck with this, nothing worthwhile is ever easy.... I, for one will be picking up DP on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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