I’m sitting here the last day of 2011, thinking about this year and what 2012 will bring (the zombie apocalypse) so I decided to rehash it all here.
Going over some of the old strips last week I am amazed at the number of people who have commented about how the strip has evolved. All twelve people (thank you all) who read this comic and I have spoken to, tell me how much growth and change they have seen. Hopefully it will bring more readers (c’mon lucky number 13!), but I go back to the reason I really do this whole thing: Fortune & Glory… actually to keep me out of an asylum.
My family asks every once in a while- if (or better yet- WHEN) I’m going to make some money from the comic. Since we all know that there is money in comics- just look around at all the cartoonists in the list of wealthiest people in the world (no wait- he throws a ball around & he forecloses on family’s dreams & he…). I did not start this to make money. I started this so I wouldn’t go crazy- so I could do something I had always wanted. I hope it makes you laugh or think or both, but if it doesn’t maybe it was just an idea that had been bouncing around in my head and finally escaped.
2011 wasn’t too bad- The biggest highlight being getting a Professional Badge for Comic-Con in San Diego- it was a shocker for me. You see I suffer (like many creative people) from low self esteem… that’s why I became a teacher- no one ever says any thing nice about teachers so I knew that was the perfect vocation. Then after 20 years I decided to try out being a cartoonist. When I turned in my application I was doing it on a lark. I didn’t think it would happen, but it did. To me it was a big deal… I still look at that badge hanging above my desk and think someone is going to burst through the door and take it away- “You are not worthy.” The actual convention was nice, but that badge, that honor to me, made it something special.
Besides that work, was work (and is just getting to be more so), the economy isn’t great, the crazy folks we elected to govern are doing crazy things and acting like spoiled toddlers (but will promise us they will change so they can elected again)… the world itself isn’t great, but I have a professional badge from Comic-Con which means, I’m a counted as a professional in something I have always wanted to do. *squee*
Besides that Cecil (yes, I consider him a separate entity) topped off his year with an accolade of a different kind- as you might have known Cecil was awarded the 50th Indy Magic Man geocoin which in the Indiana Geocaching world is kind of a big deal. While many think of Cecil as just an extension of me… he is and he isn’t (I do the comic to keep me out of the asylum). Many geocachers have figured out that I am just the guy who carries Cecil around… If I were to show up to an event without the monkey (I did once… once) it would be considered weird. So Cecil was awarded an honor not for being a great cacher. No, he got it for being a character… and that was a wonderful highlight for the year.
So what does 2012 look like? Rainy, with a chance of snow… a cold start. Besides that I have some plans- my biggest goal is what a I have been trying since I started- to be on time with each comic. Will there be more long arcs or will I be going back to shorter stories… I don’t know, I have some ideas, but I need to see how everything plays out. MINI Takes The States is suppose to happen this year, but timing (as always) might be an issue. My little brother is getting married… that might be fun- but it might not be such a good idea to make fun of my family. GeoWoodstock is going to be in Louisville this year (they claim Indiana, but everything I see and hear says its happening in Kentucky). So there is a lot of fodder besides just everyday life to get three comics a week in- if Hemi will ignore me enough to get it done. Lots of projects that I will go on endlessly about at a later date.
So as I close out 2011 I’m glad I survived it and hope you and yours a wonderful 2012 (until the Zombie Apocalypse).