Happy New Year, everybody! As some of you may have noticed, guest strips were a little light this Christmas (thanks again, Crystal Murphy, for steppin’ up!). Marc did a beautiful piece to fill in the gap a bit, and now I thought I’d give it a try with my “guest” strip. How do you do a guest strip for your own strip? This is how.
This is the first strip I’ve drawn in two years. In all honesty, I don’t miss it. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and, while I was surprised at how easy it was to fall into drawing the characters again, it’s laborious for me to try and get all the little details right and the lines perfect. They never are. I thought this strip was looking pretty good until I finished it, and now I think it’s terrible. I have a pretty limited range as an artist, so I’m so, so glad Marc is the one doing the heavy lifting on the regular strip. He can do things I just can’t or struggle too much with–like backgrounds.
None of this is to say that I’ll never pick up the pencil and pen again. I’d love to do a short chapter someday, maybe just eight strips of Mega Matt and Soviet Sam out on the town together. Okay, that will never happen, but I would like to draw a short chapter. It could be fun.
Speaking of Sam, this was my first time really drawing him. Save the for the 5th Anniversary piece I did a while back and some cameos, Sam is not a character I’ve invested a lot of time in, visually. He’s got a great design (thanks, TL Collins!), but while I was drawing the strip he really only showed up in SF: Origins. I don’t think I quite cracked him, but it was fun to try. What do you guys think of my Sam?
Oh, and for the continuity-conscious among you, I imagined this strip fitting in between Chapters 6 and 7.
Regular SF resumes on Monday, January 7th!
Those of you who have been listening to me whine for a while now know that I enjoy writing more than drawing. I recently posted a two-part series on, of all things, diapers. “Why Changing Diapers is a Privilege” and “Diapers, Pt. 2: Everything You Need to Know About Parenting Happens on the Change Table.” Despite the titles, I promise you they’re not the worst things you’ve ever read.
It’s great to see your art again, Brock. If I had some talent, I would send in a guest strip. Unless stick figures are acceptable, in which case I’m always ready.
There’s something about that beard that makes me think someone out there should make a Soviet Sam ice cream. Or at least a Soviet Sam ice pop.
This is awesome, I love the look on Sam’s face and on Spy Gal…”We are not amused.” look on her face is great. Looking forward to more, and yes please yes do Mega Mat and Soviet Sam strip, that would be epic!
Cool. Yeah, I got that Chapter 6-7 vibe when I read it, definitely! I pretty much already knew it took place quite a bit farther back into the continuity when I read it š
Sorry no guest strip from me. I’m not really myself these days.