Titling a chapter is a source of great stress for me. I’m not very good at it and I put it off until I absolutely have to come up with something. That said, “The Techno Shuffle” very much fits what this chapter is going to be all about. Originally, this chapter opened on two characters [...]
Archive for ‘Chapter 03 – The Techno Shuffle’
The super-prison in the first panel is loosely based on the design of the Hall of Justice from the old Superfriends cartoon show. I don’t have a good reason for this other than it’s a design that always stuck with me and seemed strong enough to house all the wonderful bad guys that must be [...]
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Jul 15, 10 | 265 – Stop Bullpuckin’ |
Mar 27, 07 | 126 – Who the @#$% is the Third Man? |
Jan 17, 07 | 72 – Dictator Tot’s Marching Orders |
Aug 29, 10 | SF Origins: Operation: Valhalla, No. 6 “Spy Gal Arrives” |
May 27, 10 | 258 – The Skirt Goes in the Wrong Direction |
How is it than in one strip I have both my worst and one of my best drawings of Dictator Tot? I like the idea of what I was going for in the first panel, but I don’t think I pulled it off very well. Love the drawing of her in the last panel, though [...]
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Jun 10, 11 | Pg. 9 “College Years” |
Jan 25, 07 | 83 – The Seduction of Dr. Klein |
Oct 11, 17 | 737 – Dastard Number Two |
Sep 27, 11 | Chapter 4, “Dictator Tot’s Revenge” Recap by Jeremy Bentley |
May 17, 08 | SF Collection #3 Cover |
My wife loves, loves, loves Dictator Tot in the first panel. I don’t usually do a lot of shading in SF, but that first panel screamed for a different lighting scheme. I don’t know that you’d be able to tell what’s going on without it. Second panel could have been better. A more arresting visual [...]
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Jan 14, 07 | 69 – Swifty’s Computer Problems |
Nov 25, 08 | 182 – Someone Steps Forward (Bubbles of Light 3) |
Sep 24, 09 | 226 – The Deal is Off |
Aug 21, 08 | 156 – An Utter Lack of Decorum |
May 20, 10 | 257 – Blood on the Carpet |
The Third Man is a character that first appears in the backup story in the First SuperFogeys Collection. I have big plans for him. His look is directly inspired by the film “The Third Man,” and Orson Welles’ character in particular. I think it’s fair to say I took a bit of inspiration from one [...]
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Jan 3, 07 | 62 – Conditions of Release |
Jan 2, 07 | 61 – Dictator Tot in Hel |
Feb 10, 07 | 100 – The Third Man Revealed |
Jun 12, 13 | 512 – The Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened to Swifty |
Jun 24, 08 | 141 – Why, Little D? |
Visually, this strip is meant to be a direct reference to Episode 55. I’ll make it clear right here: Yes, The Third Man is the person the Healer was talking to. The Third Man’s connection to Gene was a surprise to me. I had planned for the Third Man to be involved with the shenanigans [...]
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Jun 22, 10 | SF Origins: The Life and Times of Soviet Sam, Pg. 5 “How People Look at You” |
Jan 16, 07 | 71 – Is Gene Crying? |
Feb 11, 10 | 243 – A Deal is a Deal |
Nov 9, 06 | 37 – Is Dr. Klein a Sexy Beast? |
Apr 16, 09 | 204 – Florida Beckons |
Finally we’re back to the Fogeys. It was a conscious decision on my part to not have the Fogeys enter the stage for so many strips—six, to be exact. I wanted to try something new. Re-energize myself. I found I really missed them and the strip seems to come alive when they’re “on screen.” I [...]
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Jan 11, 17 | 725 – Slaughter Many, Many More |
Jul 13, 15 | 655 – He’s In |
Jul 11, 08 | Guest Strip by Sean Conchieri of “Pixel!” |
Oct 23, 08 | 174 – Big Mistake |
Nov 15, 06 | 43 – The Healer Approaches the Captain |
Something I’m starting to return to that I haven’t really done since Chapter 1 is repeated panels, something I swore off of (for the most part) for Chapter 2. The difference now is that it’s not a crutch. I truly feel that this strip (and the next one, for that matter) was best served by [...]
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Jan 30, 07 | 90 – Introducing Star Maiden! |
Dec 8, 09 | SF Origins: Harvey the Science Rabbit, Pt. One, Pg. 1 “Dr. Rocket Wears a Dress” |
Oct 29, 09 | 231 – The Greatest Revenge Plot Never Imagined |
Jun 24, 08 | 141 – Why, Little D? |
Nov 19, 06 | 47 – Bingo Knight! |
Visually, this is one of my absolute favorites. You can see I’m trying something new with the background. I first used the “faded background” technique in a guest strip I did for Wes Molebash’s strip “You’ll Have That” Once I did it there, I knew I needed to try it for SF. More copy/pasting [...]
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Nov 16, 11 | 363 – Liberated |
Oct 2, 13 | 540 – Jerry is Committed |
Aug 28, 15 | 675 – Crossing Worlds |
Oct 10, 12 | 448 – Thinking Like a Hero |
Apr 8, 13 | 495 – A Willing Prisoner |
Whew. What a mother of a strip this was. For those of your keeping track at home, that’s 21 panels there. This marks Swifty’s return to the story after an absence of about 18 srips. I wanted it to be huge and Swifty playing frustrated is just fun. Originally, the last panel was silent—no joke. [...]
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Sep 27, 11 | Chapter 4, “Dictator Tot’s Revenge” Recap by Jeremy Bentley |
Mar 19, 09 | 200 – Where is He!? |
May 9, 11 | 314 – Dr. Rocket’s Space Journey, Pt. 3: The One He Truly Hunts |
Sep 3, 09 | 223 – On Your Marks… |
Nov 14, 06 | 42 – Dr. Rocket Needs a Special Kind of Healing |
The first panel shows a depth of field we haven’t really seen in SF thus far. My goal was to do a drawing that would also work well as a group shot and, possibly, a wallpaper. Plans are in the works for just such a thing. Obviously, this is a huge change of pace for [...]
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Nov 3, 06 | 31- Spittin’ Oatmeal |
Feb 12, 14 | 571 – ZBC Nightly News with Richelieu Madden and Gwen Dreck |
Dec 27, 13 | Guest Strip by Crystal Murphy, 1 |
Apr 30, 18 | 782 – The Lone Figure in the Doorway |
Dec 30, 09 | Guest Strip by Crystal Murphy, Part Two |
What a nightmare this strip was. Sometimes moving the plot along is a joy. Anytime I do it I already know what the point of the strip is, I just have to figure out what the joke is. Except…for this one…I had no joke. I had a set-up, but no payoff. Still, I started drawing, [...]
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Mar 16, 07 | 115 – Star Maiden Flattens Dr. Rocket |
May 17, 08 | SF Collection #3 Cover |
Mar 26, 07 | 125 – Jerry’s Down |
Nov 25, 08 | 182 – Someone Steps Forward (Bubbles of Light 3) |
Dec 19, 11 | 372 – She’s His Sister |
Gene’s closing line in panel one was originally something like “Give her your utmost respect.” I quickly discovered at the lettering stage that I didn’t have enough room for that. Thank goodness. I love that he just shouts “Respect!” Kinda’ thing that makes me laugh. Spy Gal threatening violence on a little girl makes me [...]
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Feb 12, 09 | 195 – The Origin of Captain Spectacular and Dr. Rocket, Pt. 12 “The Conclusion” |
Aug 20, 14 | 619 – The Repentant |
Mar 23, 21 | 884 – No Good at This |
Jan 20, 07 | 77 – Headed for a Time-Out |
Aug 17, 12 | Pg. 2 “Youthfulenergysupersurplus!” |
The Swifty-Jerry dynamic is one of my favorites, and this is one of my favorite exchanges that I’ve had a chance to write. I love how Jerry just ignores Swifty. A fun strip that segued into one of the biggest mistakes I ever made with the SuperFogeys…
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Aug 7, 08 | 152 – Best Man |
Feb 5, 18 | 760 – OG Thrice |
Aug 19, 08 | 155 – Bait and Switch |
Aug 21, 19 | 793 – The Hero He Hates to Be |
Aug 1, 12 | 432 – Tea Time, Interrupted |
Could I just not be bothered to draw backgrounds this time? Looks like. Still, the colors are pretty, right? Right? I try to make the Space Pig be an animal of as few words as possible. You never quite know where he’s coming from, I think. He’s a popular character, so he must be [...]
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Jun 25, 09 | 213 – Bubbles of Light 4 |
Mar 20, 07 | 119 – #@$% Heroic |
Dec 14, 16 | 719 – It’s Easy When You Know How |
Nov 16, 06 | 44 – Beginning the Tale of How Captain Spectacular was Paralyzed |
Oct 22, 20 | 849 – Break a Hip |
I don’t remember if this strip was done this way out of laziness or because I wanted to shake things up. Honestly, if I had to guess I’d say I was trying to shake things up. I think I was trying to create the feeling of overhearing the conversation before you really see who is [...]
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Oct 5, 10 | SF Origins: Spy Gal, Pg. 6 “The Lips That Should Not Be Touched” |
May 21, 09 | 209 – Coming to Jesus |
Nov 18, 11 | Pg. 1 “The Usher” |
Aug 26, 08 | 157 – The Third Man’s Message |
Sep 7, 10 | SF Origins: Spy Gal, Pg. 2 “Cats at the Back” |
Another “colorful” strip. Seriously, this is just ugly. I never pull off the silhouetted figures thing as well as someone like Mike Witmer over at Pinkerton. I try but…no. Still, Jerry getting rejected by Spy Gal…that’s always gold as far as I’m concerned.
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Sep 3, 09 | 223 – On Your Marks… |
Aug 19, 19 | 792 – Dashing, Like Hyphens |
Jul 1, 15 | 650 – GAH! Feelings! |
Feb 15, 11 | Pg. 3 “For The Girls” |
Aug 15, 11 | 342 – The Wrong Man |
I think my ink line is too thick in these middle Chapter 3 strips. Also, the camera is just a little too tight, a constant problem of mine overall. Knowing what I wanted to do with Dr. Klein by the end of this chapter, it was important to keep him present in the story. That’s [...]
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Jan 27, 07 | 87 – The Third Man is Not Pleased |
Feb 18, 13 | 481 – Awfully Suspicious |
Oct 28, 08 | 175 – My Pleasure |
Nov 16, 11 | 363 – Liberated |
Mar 19, 18 | 772 – Showdown at the New California Coast |
I love the panel with the close-up of the hands. From the drawing to the colors, it just works. Too bad the rest of the strip doesn’t. A lot readers asked me what those sparks near Spy Gal’s wrist were in the last panel. Then answer: My feeble attempt at visually depicting her arthritis. …I [...]
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Dec 21, 16 | 721 – Requiem for Money Man |
Apr 25, 18 | 781 – Everyone in the War Room! |
Jan 3, 07 | 62 – Conditions of Release |
Nov 2, 10 | SF Origins: Spy Gal, Pg. 10 “Anywhere But Here” |
Jan 17, 07 | 72 – Dictator Tot’s Marching Orders |
Swifty coming in at the end was kind of cheap. I didn’t have a real gag for this one, and he usually does in a pinch. It was an important Dr. Klein moment though.
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Aug 5, 15 | 665 – All Out of Coffee and Goats |
Aug 5, 13 | 523 – The Big Slam |
Jul 17, 08 | 146 – Cad and a Layabout |
Jul 20, 10 | SF Origins: Spy Gal’s Secret Mission, Pg. 1 “Entry” |
Mar 23, 11 | 301 – Hmph |
Just keeping the Third Man alive here. Also, it was important to me that Dictator Tot get her animal crackers.
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May 13, 10 | 256 – A Misnomerstanding |
Mar 24, 07 | 123 – The Box is Opened |
Nov 23, 10 | SF Origins: The Death of Mr. Crook, Pg. 2 “Just Like Everybody Else” |
Jan 5, 10 | Guest Strip by Joe Cook of “Shattered Myth!” |
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Dec 18, 19 | 820 – Heart-Stopping Great Looks |
Feb 2, 07 | 93 – Beginning the Tale of How Captain Spectacular Met and Married Star Maiden |
Sep 23, 10 | 277 – Judging the Future |
Aug 1, 14 | Pg. 5 “Many Doors, All Locked” |
Dr. Rocket is always a lot of fun. Perversity is one of the worst evils, I think, because it reduces people to objects. That’s pretty dangerous thinking. Here, the good doctor is showing another side of his evil–the clumsy, bid-for-power type of evil. It’s not a very good plan for world domination, but in the [...]
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Nov 17, 06 | 45 – The Tale of How Captain Spectacular was Paralyzed, Conclusion |
Jul 6, 11 | 331 – Paradise |
Jun 24, 11 | Pg. 11 “Partners Again” |
Oct 28, 11 | Pg. 5 “Knife in the Mouth” |
Nov 11, 06 | 39 – Jerry Arrives Late |
And now we see the real plan. Get the Captain on the computer to see his ex-wife. In the end, it’s kind of weak. There should have been something extra on the plan, or a bigger reaction from the Captain. It bears fruit, sure, but I think the Captain’s reaction could have been stronger and [...]
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Sep 10, 12 | 443 – “Open to Ideas” |
Sep 30, 10 | 278 – The Others |
Aug 11, 09 | SF Origins: Tangerine, Pg. 3 “New Parts” |
Jul 16, 14 | 610 – Do the most you can do. |
Sep 21, 11 | Five Years of The SuperFogeys |
A fun, fun page. Star Maiden is just a pure pleasure to right. Star Maiden started out as Star Woman. Eventually, that character turned into Spy Gal (as explained in the commentary for episode 6, I think). Still, the initial idea for Star Woman wouldn’t let go. I knew I wanted a Wonder Woman type. [...]
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Jun 27, 11 | 328 – Pairing Off |
Mar 9, 21 | 880 – Boy, You Sure Got Old! |
Feb 1, 07 | 92 – Not the Woman He Used to Know |
Jul 1, 10 | 263 – What Happened to Star Maiden, Pt. 5 “A Parting Gift” |
That last panel of Star Maiden is something I’m really pleased with. I wanted a really fluid figure and I often have a hard time drawing women. I surprised myself here. For some reason, readers really latched onto the phrase “Spill it, Gramps!” I have no idea why. I didn’t think it was particularly funny. [...]
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Apr 9, 09 | 203 – Shame, Shame |
Apr 8, 13 | 495 – A Willing Prisoner |
Dec 23, 10 | 290 – Too Much Sun |
Jul 27, 10 | SF Origins: Spy Gal’s Secret Mission, Pg. 2 “Down” |
Jan 8, 10 | Guest Strip by Cory Thomas of “Watch Your Head!” |
93 – Beginning the Tale of How Captain Spectacular Met and Married Star Maiden
by Brock Heasley on February 2nd, 2007The genesis for this flashback came from Daniel Woodhouse, artist on “Thog Infinitron” and sometime artist of “Beaver and Steve.” I asked Dan to do a short backup story for the second SuperFogeys book and asked him what he wanted to draw. He said “Captain Spectacular fighting in the skies above a city. Maybe a [...]
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Nov 28, 11 | 366 – Who Dares? |
Jan 30, 17 | 730 – Broken Sam |
Jul 13, 10 | SF Origins: The Life and Times of Soviet Sam, Pg. 8 “Sweet Dreams” |
Jun 22, 11 | 327 – The Buddy System |
May 5, 09 | SF Origins: The Society of Heroes, Pg. 12 “Date or Fight?” |
I don’t know why Mr. Crook is in there. It doesn’t really add anything to the story to have him there. Great Dr. Rocket moment though. I had a lot of fun drawing that tongue and making it as yucky as possible.
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The obvious signified of a flashback is to do the art in black and white. That gray shading I add in there is an effect I wish I had time to do on all the SuperFogeys strips. Plans are for that effect to be added to the strips for the trade collections. Once that happens, [...]
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Jan 15, 20 | 824 – Knives Out |
Apr 18, 11 | 308 – Time Displaced/Erased/No Taste |
Nov 18, 10 | 285 – Medical Centre |
Jan 18, 17 | 727 – Parlor Tricks |
Aug 26, 08 | 157 – The Third Man’s Message |
This strip is a favorite of mine. It’s some of my favorite dialog I’ve written and the sparse look really works for it. Portal could have been drawn better though.
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Jul 9, 08 | Guest Strip by Rufus Edge of “comicdeoxyribonucleicacid!” |
Aug 25, 14 | 620 – Her Husband’s Keeper |
Nov 18, 06 | 46 – The Winner of Bingo Night…? |
Aug 20, 12 | 437 – Ever Since The Shriveled Speedster Left |
Sep 23, 13 | 537 – The Guthrie |
Obviously, something big went down in that other dimension. For the whole story, check out the backup tale “Captain Spectacular and Star Maiden in the Inevitable Dimension” in the second SuperFogeys book. It’s drawn by Julio Molina-Muscara, artist on “Omega Chase.” I wanted a “no bad guy” break-up here. I think you get where everyone [...]
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Apr 2, 07 | 132 – Shake! Shake! Shake! |
Nov 22, 06 | 49 – The Pen is Shinier Than the Sword |
Oct 23, 17 | 740 – Boop |
Mar 11, 20 | 838 – The Situation |
Feb 1, 12 | 383 – Jackpot. |
The Pig is the minister! That’s the payoff to the Space Pig’s WebSpace page. Don’t know how many people picked up on that. I had a lot of fun with this page. Designing the Ninja Bridesmaid was particularly fun.
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Jun 23, 22 | 900 – Protected |
Jul 27, 15 | 661 – Jerry is the Portalmaker |
Jan 11, 12 | 377 – The Blue Light of Revelation |
Aug 18, 22 | 916 – Restoration |
Sep 2, 10 | 274 – Up and Walking |
Some people objected to the Captain and Star Maiden getting a divorce over a stinky sock. Them I would say: it’s one panel. Obviously, there’s a much bigger story there. I had a lot of fun with the interplay between Dictator Tot and Captain Spectacular here. I need to get those two together again.
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Sep 4, 19 | 797 – Squishiness in the War Room |
Sep 24, 12 | GUEST STRIP by Gwen Patton! |
Dec 25, 08 | Merry Christmas From The SuperFogeys (2008) |
Jul 14, 14 | 609 – Humbled |
Dec 16, 13 | 557 – Dog Off the Leash |
Remind me never to do a triple-sized again. In fact, this burned me out so much that not a single double or triple-sized strip appeared in all of Chapter 4. I had been waiting a long time to do this one. I knew from before the beginning of Chapter 2 that the Third Man and [...]
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Jul 23, 12 | 429 – Shenanigans |
Jun 17, 11 | Pg. 10 “Lost Faith” |
Nov 23, 10 | SF Origins: The Death of Mr. Crook, Pg. 2 “Just Like Everybody Else” |
Sep 10, 18 | Pg. 15 “Something Missing” |
Dec 19, 11 | 372 – She’s His Sister |