Bad Comics Will Be Bad

f2x0117

I’ve actually been working on the set more than anything. I added actual double hung windows along with window blinds. In the actual house, I have window shades and curtains, but I couldn’t figure out how to make curtains, and the shades looked all wrong as well.

Oh, did I mention that the house in the comic is actually modeled after my own house? Yup… That chair that Brandon is sitting in is actually a faux leather computer chair, but everything else is fairly accurate. Now that the real house has finally been painted, life imitates art. Both Brandon’s house, and my house are blue, but to be honest, I always wanted a blue house since I was a kid, so that’s why.

I suppose it’s generally considered bad form to use 3D software for a comic. Aside from the mentality that “It’s cheating”, I’m guessing it’s also because they tend to fall into the “uncanny valley”. The characters themselves usually look like something out of a video game and lack real expression, while the speech bubbles look especially out of place.  I’ve tried pretty hard to make sure mine doesn’t look like that, and I’m always looking to improve.

Not to ruin the “magic”, but the sets are carefully selected screen shots from a 3D engine, and the characters themselves are just cleverly designed 2D bitmaps pasted into the scene. I actually “cut out” the desk and paste it back in on top of Dewey and Brandon’s legs so it feels like they are part of the set. I think the result is fairly seamless, but it’s a lot of tedious work.

Oh, BTW: I’m still working on my female characters. They will be back soon, and I plan to make them more realistic in terms of their personalities so they can pass a Bechdel test. I’m also bringing back Tyler’s old flame, “Toni”. Toni hasn’t been seen since 2005 when I abandoned an ill fated pregnancy story arc. She’s actually looking pretty good. Here’s how the interview went:

f2x0118

Who knows… I may give these three their own story arc down the road.

The Freudian Slip

freudTwo men were having lunch together when one says to the other, “I made the worst Freudian slip the other day. I was trying to buy train tickets from this beautiful female conductor. She had these really huge breasts, so I meant to say ‘I would like two tickets to Pittsburgh’, but instead I said, ‘I would like two pickets to Titsburgh.'”
The other man says, “I got a better one. I was having dinner with my wife the other night, and I meant to say, ‘please pass the salt,’ but instead I said, ‘you miserable bitch, you ruined my life.'”
 

Oh, BTW… The house is finished, and that means I’m back to posting jokes on the weekdays again. Don’t expect a whole lot while I get back into the swing of things.