5.160 - Best Friends Forever?
th3rdworld on Sept. 3, 2008
Webcomic Reader's Choice Awards
There's a new webcomic awards game in town and SuperFogeys is eligible (all comics listed on Frumph.net are). The awards are run by the great Frumph of www.frumph.net and September is nominations month. At the end of the month the all-star panel of judges will judge the nominees and decide the winner in each category. Not quite majority rules, but close.
Right now, despite getting some placement on the home page (thanks, Frumph!), the SuperFogeys is not getting much love.
If you're so inclined, head on over to the Webcomic Reader's Choice Awards to register and begin nominating. I plan on doing so in the next couple of days as well.
Drunk Duck Awards Update
Speaking of awards… SF lost out in another category. This time it's “Best Parody/Tribute Comic.” Once again, our very own “Smik” of Super Temps fame takes home the prize. Hey, if I'm gonna lose at least it stays in the family. Congrats once again, Smik.
As of this writing the returns are not quite in for “Best Antagonist.” Here's hoping Dr. Rocket can take home the prize for us. If only because it will be all the sweeter given the title of this chapter.
Fan Art by Moi
As a humble “thank you” to Chip Skelton for the stellar job he did illustrating a story in SuperFogeys Book 3, I went ahead and did a little portrait of Steely Dan from Chip's comic “Broken.” Chip assures me it's good enough to post. Go on and give it a look to see if you agree.
Have you check out “Marooned” yet?
If you haven't checked out Marooned by the very funny Tom Dell'Aringa (cool name, even if I don't know how to pronounce it) then you need to do so asap.
If you'd like to get a good, quick feel for the comic there's no better way than to check out this trailer. It's one of the better ones I've seen. Very well-made and professionally done.
Fatigue
I don't know what it is, but lately I've been feeling some real fatigue. Between all the work on the new website and the other demands on my time, I think I'm in the middle of some kind of hump that I've just got to find a way to get over.
September 22nd will be SF's 2-year anniversary. In one sense, that's pretty amazing. In another…I wonder how far I've come with this thing in that time. I still have my story to tell and I think I'm producing pretty strong stuff, but it's hard to tell sometimes. The only hits I can really track and the only feedback I really get is on Drunk Duck. And while you guys have been AMAZING with your support and enthusiasm (as well and your most welcomed criticisms), I've also seen the hits go on a downward trend lately. Of course, SF's ranking overall on DD hasn't changed much (which leads me to believe it's more of a DD problem than an SF problem), but still…I wanna grow this thing, y'know?
I don't pretend to do SuperFogeys for myself. I don't pander and change my storylines to fit the tastes of my readers, but I also don't have any illusions about the fact that if people stopped reading SF tomorrow…then I'd stop making it. I've always felt like SF exists to completion in my head. The only reason to write it out and draw it is so that others can see it.
With this website update coming, I feel like there's finally a real shot for me to reach out to the masses with SuperFogeys and offer them something special. Up til now, www.superfogeys.com has been one dog of a site. Everybody knows that. Th3rd World knows it. I know it. Everyone knows it. But now…with this new site, I think SF is finally getting the presentation it deserves and needs. Plus…wait for it…we're gonna start some proper advertising. Yeah, ‘bout time. I agree.
Of course the fear there is that SuperFogeys just isn’t good enough to warrant a larger fan base. I seem to have the respect of my peers, but as for the regular reader? I don't know that there are many out there. Do they know of SF and just don't care? Have they never heard of it? I suppose I'm about to find out as an honest grab for attention is made. Kind of scary, that.
So, here we go. I'm about to enter year 3 and I've gotta deal with this fatigue I'm feeling. Sure, I only produce two strips a week (in color), but for me, with my schedule, that's a big deal. I want to feel like it's all worth it. I want to feel like all this time investment is for something as special as I actually think it is.
And yes, I'm equating “special” with interest from the public at large. Argue the point if it makes you feel better, but that's where my head is at right now. I've always done this with the idea of making just a little bit of money. So far, that hasn't really happened. But my hope is that it will. I still believe that it can. It's just harder to convince myself lately.
So, yeah, I want to see SF grow. It would help me if it did. That's not so bad, is it?
(Thanks for letting me vent for a little while. Please don't see the above as an invitation to cheer me up or reassure me that SF is the best comic about a super-powered old folks' home ever. Like, EVER. That's not why I'm saying these things. Sometimes it just feels good to get it off your chest, y'know? Plus, hey, communicating with you, the reader? Not such a bad thing. We're all human beings behind the pixels after all.)
Next Week:
Tangerine finally arrives in Valhalla!
CartoonistWill at 7:28PM, Aug. 24, 2009
Dude, I like it. Hope everything panned out. I feel fatigue like crazy a lot too. But I don't have very good cartooning stamina.
Brock at 8:59AM, Sept. 5, 2008
mattchee - How does everyone think of that except me? EEN - You're right, being nominated is very, very cool. It's not so much that I need people to be impressed by what I do as much as it is that I need SF to grow into a viable entity for making some cash with books, t-shirts and whatnot in order to justify my continuing to do it. I don't have any illusions about making a living off of it (though that would certainly be nice), but I'm at a stage in my life where I can't afford to be spending so much time on an endeavor that doesn't pay at least a few dividends. Hence, the need for a larger audience. We shall see. Dawn - You are absolutely right. If it's not fun, then even if you are successful and making money what's the point? Fact is, I'm still having a lot of fun. I am. I'm just feeling a bit tired and really, really hoping that this next year proves that it's all been worth it. As for your books, not to worry! We had some production delays and for that I do apologize, but we are finalizing for the printer either today or tomorrow and the books will be out your way soon. Thank you so much for your order. The next book shouldn't take nearly as long, there were just some special circumstances this time around. Jabali - Thanks! Miss Annoying - She loves you back. It's true, she told me! SamSam - Welcome to SF! I think trying to figure out 'sunny' tastes like is a bit like trying to figure out what salt tastes like. It's just tastes salty, right? Same thing. kavonn - No kidding. If I didn't know any better, I'd say CS and SG are setting themselves up for disaster. But what do I know? argonassistant - Welcome to SF, man! Thanks!
argonsassistant at 10:31PM, Sept. 4, 2008
Your comic rocks dude,Thats all I know!
kavonn at 10:13PM, Sept. 4, 2008
Tastes like rainbow...wow, this will be an interesting wedding.
SamSam at 6:59PM, Sept. 4, 2008
I want to know what 'sunny' tastes like
Miss Annoying at 12:22PM, Sept. 4, 2008
hee hee hee ^_^ "Yay" hee hee i love you Star
Jabali at 11:22AM, Sept. 4, 2008
funny, :D
dgriff13 at 10:59AM, Sept. 4, 2008
LOL, yay! Just keep reminding yourself that webcomics are supposed to be FUN.. once you get away from that FUN- you have to question if you really DO enjoy it, or if you're overworking yourself. I constantly overwork myself... and it leads to poor ideas, poor artwork, and a negative mindset... one of my biggest struggles. I wish you luck, Brock. Hang in there! BTW, I ordered your latest comic book (along with pinkerton's) like a month ago and never got them. !!!!!??
Evil Emperor Nick at 9:45AM, Sept. 4, 2008
Don't let stuff get you down. Growing a comic is hard work but keep in mind you were nominated for DD awards which means people are aware of your work and are impressed by it.
mattchee at 8:22AM, Sept. 4, 2008
ha ha nice.... Star Maiden of honor!
Brock at 7:59AM, Sept. 4, 2008
amanda - This is as close as it gets? That's just scary. This is why we can't have a female President. What if Russia has one at the same time? Kidding. ghostrunner - That's a really great story. Thanks for sharing some perspective. I'm sure this is only temporary. I'll snap out of it. Poki rat - Cute violence? I love it. rufus edge - Yeah, I'm sure there were some throwdowns when it came to the panels. I honestly don't mind losing, it was nice to be recognized and having 3 nominations was just a real honor. Looks like SF has a couple nominations in the WCRCA's as of this morning, so once again my fingers are crossed! NYJ - Thanks, man. Wrote this strip a few months back, with the exception of the "sunny" line. Wouldn't you know that's the part that everyone likes? Awesome. As for taking a break...that's so hard for me to do. I want to keep a schedule. That's very important to me. I'm sure everyone would understand if I did take a break...but I wouldn't. 'preciate the kind words though. Fenn - Poki rat tells me throat ripping is cute! You make two! I've got to remember this for later. Chip - Finally. Finally, we're on the same page. Smik - Hey, s'how it goes sometimes, y'know? A Dr. Rocket win would have been very, very sweet, but I'm just glad someone thought to nominate him when the time came.
smkinoshita at 6:47AM, Sept. 4, 2008
Personally my favourite part is "I like to lick the light". I'm disappointed Dr. Rocket didn't take best antagonist. Rufus: I was on several panels. Sometimes the judges are NOT on the same page at all and it takes a lot of compromise to come to a decision, and the winner only comes out by a hair. As to fatigue -- it's understandable, Brock. But SF hasn't been around that long yet so there's still a lot of room to grow! Keep at it!
cs3ink at 4:03AM, Sept. 4, 2008
Na. SF sucks. Except this strip. This particular strip you accidentally got right. The rest? The rest suck.
Fenn at 12:48AM, Sept. 4, 2008
Yay for throat ripping! :D She's so adorably loopy.
n_y_japlander at 10:37PM, Sept. 3, 2008
(^U^) I thought I was the only one that thought light tasted sunny!!!! Very touching and hilarious one to day Brock! I am always tired... but never experienced fatigue. I think that I know when to press the pause button... when you feel happy with the work that is done, take some time off for yourself, your family, and your health! Your readers will understand...
rufus_edge at 10:34PM, Sept. 3, 2008
I love that "Yay!" Too bad SuperFogeys didn't win any awards, including Best Antagonist. The awards were greatly improved since last year, but I don't know if all the judges were on the same page and what they were basing their decisions on. Hopefully you'll have better luck with Frumph's event.
Poki_rat at 10:29PM, Sept. 3, 2008
Awww ^-^ That's so sweet. And the threat of violances just makes it all the more cute.
ghostrunner at 10:23PM, Sept. 3, 2008
i understand the fatigue. it happens when your hobby becomes a job. i felt in when i was in maine paranormal. i remeber a story about a chinese emperor who's days were filled with dozens of apointments. one day some one who had scheduled missed thier apointment. rather than go directly to the next one, he stepped inside the apointment room and closed the dooor. when he emerged it was with a smile on his face and he told his clerk to schedule more apointments like that. hope this gives you an idea to release some stress from your day :)
amanda at 10:21PM, Sept. 3, 2008
"Yay" indeed, Star Maiden ^.^ This is probably as close as girls in general ever get to being friends with one another though =] We're vicious! Take the leap, kiddo! I think (and very much hope) you'll be pleasantly surprised =] I'd love to see the SuperFogeys take off big time.