A Bean Escapes

Unlike most silly strips, this came from my mom, which explains why Julia is there. Julia got her personality from my mom. Julia pounding her arms and legs on the floor weren't originally in my sketch. Did you notice that the ha ha has in panel 9 are the same as the yeses in this strip? Well, they are. The bean is shaped a lot like Brennan's head, isn't it? Moe is wearing green pants. Just another reason to prove he was lying when he said, "These are the only clothes I have." Also, did you notice that next to the blog URL, I put "NEW BLOGGER!"? That will be on there for the rest of the week.

Goood Grief

This came from my dad again, just like all of them this week except this one.

Just One of Moe's Average Tricks, I Guess

Today and tomorrow, you will see some shading behind the talk bubbles, just for a change. We haven't seen any other of Moe's tricks on Julia, have we?

The Calendar is Alive!

The words in the talk bubble on the calendar say, "Here comes 2007!" Here's the second example of inanimate objects coming to life. The first example was shown in this strip.

Dad is SO SILLY!!

This also came from my dad. Fortunately for me, I happened to be right in front of him, and I saw the whole thing. Judging from the pile of Kleenexes in the wastebasket, he probably is sneezing like a sneezy sneezer.

See Also Genesis 1:3

My dad wrote this gag, all of it, even the part of Moe just standing there with the comb.

Merry Christmas!!

Moe loves They Might Be Giants. They're his favorite band.

Long Christmas List!

Christmas Countdown: tomorrow

This is just a reason to prove that Moe was lying in this strip. The numbers 653 and 723 were just random numbers between 400 and 900. I just CAN'T BELIEVE it's Christmas Eve!! Can you?!

The Christmas Story Part VI

Christmas Countdown: 2

Moe's original line for panel 1 was, "BYE, SANTA! SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!" but I didn't have enough room for it, so I changed it to this.

The Christmas Story Part V

Christmas Countdown: 3

When I drew this strip, I wasn't sure whether or not to draw Santa, because, to any kids who might read this, they have their own idea of what Santa looks like, and I didn't want them to think I was wrong, but I thought, "Ohh, why not?" But the only problem with that was that I forgot to make him fat. And, how in the world could he have forgotten his hat? It was on him in panel 1.

The Christmas Story Part IV

Christmas Countdown: 4

It took me a few tries to get "St. Nicholas come with a bound" right. After practicing for nearly two years, I finally got it right. Sometime in 2004, was the first time I sketched this out, and the original version didn't have Santa saying "Nice pajamas." And, the white stuff on his outfit (I'm guessing it's fleece, as referred to in this strip) wasn't very good. Now that I'm two years older, and better at drawing, I've finally been able to improve those. But it was only in the last month or so that I found the time to sketch out the strip for the second time. Anyways, the first panel was also a bit different. The first half wasn't in there, and we heard some prancing and pawing of each little hoof. And, Moe was turning around, and was "drawing in his head." This is the first time I've drawn a strip where there's a main part of a panel, but the remaining part is cut in half. I guess you could say there's 3½ panels.

The Christmas Story Part III

Christmas Countdown: 5

Notice, in the panel 3, all the lines behind him were drawn sideways, not crooked like the darkness in panels 1 and 2. I did that to make it look more "speedy." In the original sketch, Moe actually saw a Rudolph, but Santa didn't say it, so Moe "said 'On, Rudolph!' for him," as he told me later. But that didn't stop me from changing the strip. When I told Moe, he was furious. He tried to make me change it back, but I resisted. Finally, sometime after that, he agreed.

The Christmas Story Part II

Christmas Countdown: 6

"About the Panels"

Panel 1: Moe's original pose was just getting his head off the pillow.
Panel 2: After Moe's line, "Who's that up front?" my original sketch had him saying, "I can't make it out..."
Panel 3: My very original sketch had Moe saying, "Quick? Did he win the 'Santa Claus race?'" I thought that was pretty lame, so I changed it to this pretty much two months before I drew this version.

The Christmas Story Part I

Christmas Countdown: one week

I like Dad's big hat in panel 3. Notice that the panel 1 said "Twas the week before Christmas." Well, I drew this, if you know what I'm saying, "the week before the week before Christmas." Merlin's line in panel 2 wasn't originally in my sketch. And the stockings, in order, are:

Moe, Merlin, Julia, Mom, Dad

CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!!

Christmas Countdown: 8

This probably came from a Fox Trot strip I remember reading. This is the first time I've drawn Mom and Dad since September 3, and the first time I've drawn Julia since September 1. Wow. Long time, no see, huh guys? And it's been a long time since we saw the enemy, the bed monster, or Brennan, too! They've already set up their Christmas tree, huh? And right next to the calendar, too! Also, this is the first time I've split the logo box into more than one panel. This has to be the most use of my Sharpie permanent marker in a strip. And Mom's remark in the last panel?...you'll find out on Christmas Eve.

From September 4 to December 16...Which Happens to Be Today!

Christms Countdown: 9

Finally, the end of the Nermia story! This is the other only daily strip with color in it. The stick in the first panel is a solid color again. This wasn't actually entirely my original sketch. Here it is (the ///s are where a different character speaks):

Panel 1: MOE: Thanks for letting us be in your show! /// NERM: You fit the plot perfectly. /// THE STICK: Boy, I had fun tawking wike dis.
Panel 2 (Merlin is sneaking up on the stick.): THE STICK: But, since the movie's over, I'm going to have to start talking normal.
Panel 3 (a squeezed-in panel where the right part of Panel 2 is now): MOE: You know, I think the stick would've worked just as well with a CG one... /// THIDWICK: ...instead of a robot one!
Panel 4: (same except only Moe, Thidwick, Merlin, Bob, "The Stick," Tooth Fairy [I was going to draw her squished since Thidwick did it here] and President Nerm a.k.a. Sir were in there.)

I Hope This Didn't Spoil Your Enjoyment of the Story...

Christmas Countdown: 10 (I've been forgetting it every now and then.)

Whoa. This is one of the only daily strips with color in it. I did the stick's color in Photoshop, so this is (so far) the only non-black color that is perfect solid. All those Nermia scenes were just done with bluescreen. Moe's original pose in panel 1 was a different one, which was one that made me think he was just acting. Also, what Thidwick does in panel 2 wasn't originally in my sketch. Here are everybody's jobs on the set:

• Nerm: filmer
  
• the pig: cue card boy
  
• the dog: holds the frames in place (only for scenes at home) so the stick can stand on it
  
• the stick: "microphone holder"
  

So, now you know what I meant when I said "this is the second-to-last strip of the actual story, but fourth-to-last strip of the entire story." On December 17, I'm gonna get back to my normal strips without 4-month stories. This is the first and last time I let myself have the story go on for longer than 1 month. Incidentally, that same day is the day the cast starts getting ready for Christmas. Whoa! This is the longest post on the blog! The second-longest is Introducing Brennan.

The Last Major Appearance of The StickA.K.A. Return of the Stick IV

"Automatic Stick Translation"

Panel 1: Sigh! I miss the two kids and two pets.
Panel 2: I just hope we have a Merry Christmas.
Panel 3: Hey, do you have Christmas where you live?
Footnote: If so, have a Merry Christmas! See you! -the stick

By the way, the stick's signature will sometimes be in a different font, depending on your browser/computer.

This Time, Thidwick, and Not Moe, Faints! ...Again!

Christmas Countdown: 12

To keep the size of Thidwick consistent, I just traced over the first panel of this strip. This is another time a character other than Moe faints. This is the fourth-to-last strip of the entire story, but the second-to-last strip of the actual story. You'll find out what I mean on December 15.

Whoa. She HAS?!

Christmas Countdown: 13

That sounds a lot like The Magician's Nephew, doesn't it?

She Must Not Be Very Believing!

Christmas Countdown: 14

I'm not sure if it was a very good idea to "color in" Thidwick's mom's body. Maybe I should just keep her the same color as everybody else. Thidwick's line, "I think it's the almost un-magical land next door to Narnia" is something my mother said when we came up with the title, "The Tiger, the Tooth Fairy, and the Closet: The Almanac of Nermia." Even the word Nermia seems less magical than the word Narnia. She is sooo not like Professer Kirke, who believes them in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. But, "hearing isn't always believing"...as you'll find out tomorrow.

Thidwick is Soooo Late!

Christmas Countdown: 15

The reason I gave the "strange passageway" so many colors is kind of complicated. First of all, the original idea was to have it a sort of Star Wars-style hyperspace feeling, but then I thought, "I can't do that. To color something like that would take more shades (darker versions) and tints (lighter versions) of blue than I have! Also, since I didn't have very many colors left when it came time to color the walls, I decided to color them all one color and see how that looked. I didn't like it. Though I bet I would have if it were orange like Moe's shirt, Moe's favorite color, and, coincidentally, mine too!

Strange Passageway

Christmas Countdown: 16

Moe and Thidwick in panel 1 weren't originally in my sketch. The way I drew the background is actually the way I draw hyperspace from Star Wars. It looks like somewhere totally different. My favorite part is the lack of floor/ground (depending on whether you think it's inside or outside), so the characters appear to hang in the air.

What the...?

The original sound effect was "Vwap!" But I think that "vwoip" fits what happens tomorrow better. I just love it when the characters go "WAAAAAAH!" It is just so funny!!

That Must Be Heavy! ...For a Stick!

Christmas Countdown: 18

"Automatic Stick Translation"

Panel 1: Yeah...
Panel 3: Can you help me carry these?

"About the Panels"

Panel 1: I guess nobody in Nermia except Nerm has an actual name. Their "names" are: the dog, the pig, and the stick. I haven't come up with a name for the strange guy with striped arms in this strip yet.
Panel 2: It took me a little while to get the position of the stick right.
Panel 3: I think I should have put quick motion lines between Nerm's paws and the stack of pictures.

What's His Idea? You'll Find Out Tomorrow!

Christmas Countdown: 19

"Automatic Stick Translation"

Panel 1: sigh...
Panel 2: We wasted some of the most hilarious pictures ever taken in Nermia!
Panel 3: ?

By the way, here's something you should know: the time in Nermia is the same as time in our world. So if they stayed there for exactly 15 years, 4 months, 2 weeks, 2 days, 4 hours, 37 minutes, and 5 seconds they would come back to our world exactly 15 years, 4 months, 2 weeks, 2 days, 4 hours, 37 minutes, and 5 seconds later than when they left.

That's Actually a Sixty-Fourth of Where the REAL Closet Starts

Moe's pointing to where the closet starts was originally with his foot, but I changed this. Thidwick's "oh" in panel 3 wasn't originally in my sketch, and neither was Moe looking down to find out where his closet started. And, if you look closely, you can see the wooden floor in the first panel.

Glug, Glug, Glug

Christmas Countdown: 21

Moe jumping up in the first panel wasn't originally in my sketch. How come the water doesn't blow him away like it did in these two strips? (The word "these" and the word "two" are separate links. Just so you know.) Moe must be really thirsty, if he wants a few more gallons!

Ohh, I Bet That Hurt. Are You Okay?

Christmas Countdown: 22

The last panel wasn't originally in the rough. I put it in to have a funnier punchline, and to explain how they end up mysteriously stopped tomorrow. (Whoops! Did I say that? Someone else must have.) Did you notice the wheels on Moe's feet in the logo? Like I said in this post, Moe's outfit may change due to the weather/holiday/season/whatever. Or, if he just has normal clothes on, they will match the colors of the shirt in the strip. Otherwise, he will be in his normal orange-and-red outfit.

And those are the actual words. No, they really are. Click on the link and see for yourself.

THAT'S How He's Going to Smash it if They're Riding On It!

Christmas Countdown: 23

About the panels:

Panel 1: The original sketch had an "AAAAAAA" in the panel, but I eliminated that, because then it wouldn't match panels 2 and 3. Also, if you look closely, you can see him smashing it.
Panel 2: He's smashing it as they go. But, you can still see the stuff he smashed behind it, so...
Panel 3: I eliminated the stuff he already smashed in this panel. Thidwick's hand motion looks more like motion than it does in panel 2.

How's He Going to Smash it if They're Riding On It?

Christmas Countdown: 24 days

Panel 1 was drawn with my substitute pen. The best thing about it is that you can't even tell the difference.

Looks Like...This Is The End...For Skateboard Racetrack, That Is

From now on (I mean after this post until Christmas), I'm going to include a "Christmas Countdown" above the strip so all of you can keep track and do your Christmas shopping before the suspense kills you. (Or...not.)

I like the face I drew on the Finish Line in the last panel. Gives it just a few more seconds to...ahem..."live." Sometimes adding faces to inanimate objects adds some more humor to the strip. I was also going to draw a face on the hammer too, but I changed my mind after I drew it, so I whited it out. The face wasn't originally in my sketch for this strip.

No, It Was MY Line!

That doesn't really look like a hammer to me. Notice that I haven't been drawing Thidwick's blanket for a little while. I wonder why? Do you think Thidwick knows about this? Maybe it's in his pocket. What do YOU think?

Already?

"Automatic Stick Translation"

Panel 3: Bye! I'll try to write soon!

The picture of Sir Nerm in panel 3 wasn't originally in my sketch. Neither was Thidwick raising his foot to get a head start in front of Moe in panel 2. But by Saturday, Moe will scoot up in front of Thidwick and stay there. Amazing the mistakes in your strip that you (at first) don't recognize.

You Said That Yesterday

"Automatic Stick Translation"

Panel 1: Looking good, Moe.
Panel 2: Um...
Panel 3: I got rid of my leaf!

It's easy to write it down wrong, but it's not easy to say it wrong this way, because it will usually end up sounding the same. I just write them like this to make it seem like he's saying it wrong. The only word he actually says wrong is the word good: "gud."

Return of the Stick III, Part II

"Automatic Stick Translation"

Panel 1: How's this one, sir?
Panel 2: You said it.
Panel 3: Hey!
Panel 4: I gave it up, Thidwick.
Panel 5: It's true!
Panel 6: Great!
Panel 7: Another word to add to my vocabulary.

Note the repositioning of Moe's eyes in the logo box. Merlin's "GRRRRRRR..." in panel 7 wasn't originally in my sketch.

Return of the Stick III

Apparently, the pig isn't a very good-tempered one. He's usually mad in most strips, with the exception of this one. The character that's saying, "The picture's kind of fuzzy" wasn't originally in my sketch. I put him in to further populate Nermia beyond Nerm, the dog*, the pig, and the stick, who you can see in the last panel, bottom center. It's only a month until Christmas now! I've already got most of the Christmas story planned out. It will start the day after the Nermia story ends (December 17).

*The original text was, "...beyond the dog, Nerm,...". I switched their positions because Nerm is the president. He should be listed first. Did you know that's actually a law in Nermia? Yup, in a list with Nerm's name in it, which usually says "President Nerm, a.k.a. Sir," he should be listed first.

You Call THOSE Smiles?

Bob is doing those rabbit ears thing on Merlin now!

If You Look For It, You'll See a Teeny Bit of Silliness in That Photo

The original dialogue for the first panel was, "ENOUGH SILLINESS!!" I changed it to "silly" because I found out there wasn't enough room for "silliness." And where's Thidwick's blanket?

Happy Thanksgiving!! If the bed monster had any idea of what you do on Thanksgiving, he would eat tons and tons of turkey and pumpkin pie until he weighed as much as four Tyrannosauruses.

Crazy Photos

Yahoo! This is the day I got my new pen. So I've had it for about a week now. The marks made by the nose and hands were done with my black colored pencil. I used it lightly, so the color turned out grayish. I like Moe's eyes. They were originally going to be like the eyes of Moe in panels 7 and 8 in this strip, but I thought about making it funnier (something I do a lot), so I exaggerated it into this.

Are You Really Gonna Put THAT Into Your History Books?

Okay, just to make something clear...the pig is going to be taking all these pictures. I like the little heart I put in the words "I <3 substitute pens!" (You're going to have to look at the <3 sideways.) I also like the stretching of Bob's arm to do those "rabbit ears" on Thidwick. (Merlin and Bob just love to do that.)

That's Not Very Nice, You Know, Mr. Nerm!

In this strip, this is still my substitute pen. Today I was playing with what I should do at the end of the Nermia story. As far as I know, it's complete, but I'm not sure if I'll stick with the ending I've roughed out yet. I reviewed the other strips of the Nermia story, and it seemed pretty logical, so I'll probably stick to the second version of the end. Today's Nermia story marks Part IV, the final section of the Nermia story. Need a review? Here's when the parts start and end:

Part I: 9-4-06 through 9-30-06
Part II: 10-1-06 through 10-25-06
Part III: 10-26-06 through 11-19-06
Part IV: 11-20-06 through 12-16-06

I've decided to end it on the 16th of December since I started drawing it. I'm ending it on the 16th so I can have the story a novel, and still have enough Christmas strips for the year.

The Substitute Pen's First Appearance!

Those three colors of the word "MOE" are actually our favorite colors. When I said "ours," I meant Moe's and mine. The color of the pig is the same color as my old piggy bank. I was originally going to have the background color of the picture the same color as the background of that panel, but since it was taken in the panel with this color in the background, I decided to have that background color in the photo for consistency. Most of the smoke and Thidwick's blanket in the last panel were drawn with my substitute pen. Now I've got my new pen.

Why Is It Getting Light?

I forgot Nerm's stripes and whiskers in the last panel. Why do you think it's getting light already? Comment and tell me your choice:

A. because I didn't want to waste so much black ink from my Sharpie permanent marker
B. because the Nermians can darken the daytime sky by themselves, even if it isn't night yet
C. because the Nermians are so close to the North Pole, their night is only as long as a fireworks display
D. all of the above
E. none of the above

The Fireworks Continue

Hmmmm...maybe that's really the tooth fairy going up to that giant tooth in the sky! Nerm's sentence in the middle panel ("Nermian fireworks can be shaped into different objects in explosions") is like, full of questions! For instance, "I wonder how?" "Are they really called explosions?" "Nermian?" "Is shaped the right word in this sentence?" Comment on today's post and see if you can think of any more!

Plink, Plink! I Like That Sound!

I was originally going to have the "pow" in the second panel, since light travels faster than sound, but I changed it, for some reason.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...BOOM!

I had to think a little bit to get the lines getting smaller with the "EEEEEE" in panel 3 right. Finally, I started off with just using my Precise V5 Rolling Ball pen (the two of those pens I have are both out of ink currently, not in this strip though, so I'm using a substitute pen that's a teeny bit thicker).I could draw one of them near the middle a bit thicker. Then I could draw another one like that, only even thicker. Then I could draw the last two normal with that pen, and then trace over them with my big fat Sharpie Permanent marker.

I Have an Announcement to Make...

The Nermia story sketches are now complete! And, now, I have an announcement to make...

Each year on the December 31st post (unless it's a Sunday, then it's the January 1st post), I am going to put a picture of Moe with a crystal ball on my blog, and it will be called "Moe Predicts." It will be Moe "predicting" what will happen in some of the strips in the following year. Be on the lookout on the New Year!

So THAT'S What Kind of Animal He Is!

I like Nerm's line, "Please call me 'sir.'" TOTALLY not Peppermint Patty in some of the first strips! By the way, to get a good likeness of a tiger, I went to Google and did an image search for "tiger." This is the picture that I found perfect to use. First I sketched out the entire tiger visible, then I sketched a few more pictures of the tiger in some of President Nerm's poses. When I drew his image in a strip, I had to take a look at my sketches to get the picture right. Now I can draw it totally from memory, although I keep forgetting the whiskers. And, of course, I love drawing his bushy eyebrows.

The Tooth Fairy Wins the Elimination Award (Forever!)

I added more black to the "smoke" again, like I did in this strip. That can only be done in the Sunday strips, adding more black to the "smoke." I like the conversation that President Nerm and Merlin are talking about in panel 6. How can Mr. Nerm hear Merlin if he's just thinking words? And is something wrong with Nerm's hand in panel 5?...