Stick Figureology

I tried a little something new: Since I have to resize after scanning to about half the image’s size, I figured, “Hey, why not take advantage of this. So now, I draw the top half on the left, the bottom on the right, then move ‘em around in Photoshop. So it’s like twice the comic for the same amount of drawing, win-win!

As for the title, I was sitting there, thinking what will I put her in? No dresses or button-downs, because that’s what Bridgette was/is wearing, so I wanted something new. And then “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” by Cake came up in a shuffle, and I saw it as a sign.

Here you go. After two computer crashes today, multiple issues with the internet, Adobe unexpectedly crashing again, and my general laziness, this thing - and I call it a “thing” intentionally - is finally here.

Sir Pooty writes again.

Between the recent problems I’ve been having with WordPress, which I gather is not WordPress’s fault, shoddy internet connection and an overly temperamental scanner, Updates will be Tuesday-Saturday. It’s the same amount of comics per week, and the calendar will still show Monday-Friday, however you can go ahead and anticipate Monday’s comic on Tuesday, Tuesday’s on Wednesday, and so on. That’s essentially what’s happening anyways, with the timestamp about 22 hours behind. That’s two hours less than a day, but I’m sure you already knew that.

I really am sorry about all of this, I’m still trying to figure out what’s up. I’m also sorry that tomorrow’s (Monday’s appearing on Tuesday) comic is just the cover page for Chapter Eight.

Thank you for (still) reading,

~The ManageMen

Ahh, it feels nice to be done with a chapter. Eight is next, right? That’s what comes after Seven? Right. Well, I’ll be going back to boring old black and white and red and blue hand drawn and inked comics, because I don’t like using Illustrator to make the characters. And, well, other stuff too. I’m not really very focused right now, sorry. Enjoy!

As for the wacky time traveling posts, I’ve got a lead!

I feel that this is a step down from the previous comics, I didn’t get around to properly drafting it first. I think it turned out okay, though.

I considered adding another panel at the end, which said something like “But not really, because he still has all his cool powers and stuff,” but I felt that would take away from the whole too much. So, instead I tell you about here! Neither joke nor comic are ruined! Yay!

As for the updating at “midnight,” “midnight” being WordPresses codeword for “mid-afternoon,” I still haven’t gotten a response yet. I’ll try a few more times in the forum before I resort to hate mail and flaming bags of e-poop.

Simply put, this method is more fun. It takes longer, I don’t have as much prehensile control over the art, but as I do it, as I “draw” it, it makes me happy. I like colors, I always wanted Stick Figureology to be colored, but drawing by hand and scanning is simply a nuisance to color. That I’m not really sure how to go about it… I have a tablet for “hand drawing on the computer,” but I’m not sure if it works, or if the little pen thing has batteries in it… Right now I’m using a mouse, a very dirty mouse at that, but it something I’ve gotten used to at this point…

The title comes from my somewhat surprise at the different shades of “black” that can be made on Illustrator. In the older version I had, black was black, and that was anything with 100 K (CMYK), however in this newer version, many many more colors may be made, all with 100 K, but of course they’re all really dark. So it’s kind of like “shades of black.” That, and I’m sure there’s a cool symbolic metaphor in there somewhere.

Yes, I know I know, that scene with the Angel and Abaddon didn’t originally look like that, but I suppose she was carrying him for quite a while. She’s bound to have adjusted, I mean even for an angel he’s got to be pretty heavy.

Oh, and still no word on the WordPress claiming there is 25 hours in a day… I’ve been nice, I’ve done what I can, I’m going to have to start being a little rude and poking them with a verbal stick. A pointy verbal stick…

So, I was really impressed with this comic, I was really proud of it. Then Illustrator crashed for no reason, destroying all of my work. Sure I could blame it on Illustrator’s idiotic lack of autosave, but I should just blame myself for idiotically NOT SAVING. Well, after being upset, angry, confused, disgusted and a myriad of other colorful emotions, I bunkered down and pumped out this one: a slightly inferior version, however I did change some things in this version which were ultimately for the best. I have mixed feelings, but overall they’re leaning towards good. Hope you enjoy it!

As for the title, which I just now decided on, I felt that this comic was a fairly good representation of the development of man. I was going to explain it, but I suppose you can infer that for yourself.

This was done by Mariah Currey, who previously did the now-concluded E. Leon short story. I very much wanted her to continue to contribute, however with her leaving for France in two weeks, she didn’t want to do that short of a comic. Therefore, she did this wonderful “fan art” of Bridgette.

Hope you enjoy!

Yes, I realize it’s a little risque, but oh well. I drew her nude before, remember?

I know this one isn’t funny, it’s not supposed to be. I’m liking how this Illustrator art is turning out. I wanted to say that last time, along with how I’m planning on doing a storybook kind of format for this. I wanted to say relevant, comic-themed comments, but…. WordPress. It seems that on yesterday’s comic, I neglected to add “Some time ago…” at the top. I planned on it, but didn’t. Oh well. But yes, this does take place some time ago…

Woo, this one took a while. As I post this I am aware that because WordPress seems to think there 25 hours in a day this post will be late. About every night when I update, the time WordPress claims it is is an hour earlier than it was the night before. It was correctable at first, but you see WordPress’s system for changing time is by adding or subtracting amount of time from Greenwich time (I think it’s Greenwich, at least). The best part is, you can’t type in the time you want, you have to select one from a pull-down list, and now that list doesn’t have a high enough time that I could add to make things right.

The whole system is just making angry now. I would’ve attempted to phrase this whole rant nicer and not as accusatory towards WordPress. However this has been happening for a few weeks now, and I have posted several topics in the Help discussion, for, you know, help, because that’s what I figure they’re there for, right? I haven’t had any reply, nor am I able to find a single email address for me to seek help from, or even a street address, I’d be more than happy to snail mail them if it would help.

Ultimately, I don’t know if WordPress occasionally checks out the sites using it, but if it does, I want whoever reads this to know: I need help because your shit is on the fritz.