Posted on 9/29/09
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, SUPERFOGEYS
So...I was so up in my own chili last week that I completely missed the boat on acknowledging the anniversary of the SuperFogeys. It was three years ago last week, on September 25th, 2006, that I showed the first SuperFogeys strip to the world (well, MySpace). This is what it looked like:
Impressive, no? Simpler days, my friends. Simpler days. I guess missing the actual date of the anniversary doesn't mean a whole since, in my mind, the real celebration happens next month with the release of the first SuperFogeys trade paperback. I think if were to go back and tell my younger self that there's be a 100+ page book of SuperFogeys goodness in the near future, he would have beat me silly, cut off my head and proclaimed "THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!"
Since 2006, SF has migrated from MySpace to Pixelstrips to Humorous Maximus and, finally, here to Th3rd World (which has been very good to SF). I've been lucky enough to talk about my work on the Gigcast, Webcomics Beacon, Comics Coast to Coast, TGT Webcomics, Strangers with Comics and, of course, Tall Tale Radio. Both the Pulse and Newsarama have done articles on SF and interviewed me. SF has been reviewed numerous times, including a whole series at This Week in Webcomics. SF has even been nominated for a few awards here and there, though it hasn't won any (thereby maintaining its street cred). This year, SF got its own spin-off comic, SuperFogeys Origins and the small print run of SF books 1-4 sold out.
It's been a good three years, no doubt. Could be better, of course, and I kinda think it will be. None of that stuff in the above paragraph is worth beans if there's not something here that people can care about. I think I've got a good story to tell and I'm not all that bad at telling it.
The good news is that, as SF heads into its fourth year, the true scope of that story is finally going to come into focus. In 2010, we're finally going to catch up with the end of that first outline I made of the SF uber-story. I feel like I've been sooooo frickin' patient. Now, you're finally gonna get to see where this has all been heading. The best part? When we hit that point (and I'm pretty sure you'll know when we have), the uber-story will only be half over. While I may have only planned up to this point when I started SF, I've had three years to build on that plan. (insert evil laughter)
If you're reading this, it's because you dig what SF's all about. For that, I thank you. The most important ingredient in SF's longevity and success is you, the fan and the reader. Thanks for always stopping by. I know I don't update as often as some other webcomics out there, but my hope is that you find each visit here to be worthwhile. Thanks in particular to those of you that comment and those of you that have parted with your hard-earned cash to buy books and t-shirts to support what I'm doing here. You keep me going on the days when I wonder what the crud I'm expending all this energy for.
Thanks, everybody!
THE ANNOTATED SuperFogeys Orgins HERMAN'S STORY, PG.5
Today's SF: Origins calls back to several things we've already seen. By now, I'm sure many of you are quite familiar with these scenes, but for those who aren't, here's the list and links:
Panel 1 is direct from Chapter 2, "Bingo Night."
Panel 2 we saw in Chapter 4, "Dictator Tot's Revenge"
Panel 3 and Panel 4 are both from Chapter 5, "The Redemption of Dr. Rocket"
If you're curious as to when this conversation between Herman and Death, Esq. is taking place I'll state definitively that it's between Chapters 5 and 6.
T.L. COLLINS INTERVIEWED OVER AT TGT WEBCOMICS!
T.L. Collins, regular SF: Origins artist and the artist of "Herman's Story" was interviewed this past weekend by the crew over at TGT Webcomics. They covered EVERYTHING, including TL's own comic Bullfinch and his work right here on SF: Origins. You can listen to the whole thing here!
BALTIMORE COMIC CON IN 2 WEEKS!
October 10th is almost here! Don't forget that T.L. and I will both be at the Th3rd World booth at the Baltimore Comc Con doing sketches and signing and selling books. I'll have a ton of copies of SuperFogeys Volume One on hand. Hope to see you there.
I HAVE ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT...
...I think I better wait for Thursday. I don't want this one to get lost in the shuffle. If you follow me on Twitter, you already know, but come back here on Thursday to find out the identity of the comic book culture megastar author of the foreword to the new SuperFogeys book - SuperFogeys Volume One!
See You on Thursday with SF 227!
--------------------------
Don't forget to order your copy of SuperFogeys Vol.1 today! Available in both ARTIST and REGULAR editions! Collects Chapters 1-5, FIVE Untold Tales of the SuperFogeys, commentaries, never-before-seen art, and much, much more. Get The SuperFogeys off the screen and into your hands where it belongs.
SuperFogeys Volume One Now Available!
POSTED 9/28/09
SuperFogeys Volume One, collecting Chapters 1-5, Five Untold Stories, Sketches and much, much more i... »moreTh3rd World makes the jump to iphone with Comixology
POSTED 7/23/09
San Diego, CA – July 23, 2009 – Today at Comic-Con International, Iconology Inc. announ... »moreSuperFogeys now available via mobile app through iVerse
POSTED 7/1/09
In an effort to extend the reach of our online comics Th3rd World Studios signed an agreement with i... »moreSuperFogeys Celebrates its 200th Episode!
POSTED 3/19/09
Today marks the release of the 200th episode of the SuperFogeys. Don't miss it! »moreBroken Frontier Interview with Publisher Michael DeVito
POSTED 1/14/09
Tyler Chin-Tanner, was kind enough to interview Th3rd World Studios publisher, Michael DeVito, for h... »moreSuperFogeys Analysis #2 by West Point Cadet Michael Johnston
SuperFogeys Superfan (and founder of the SuperFogeys Facebook Fan Club) Michael Johnston strikes aga...
» read entryWho and What I?m Voting For
I have spent the past year decidedly undecided. Tomorrow, I cast my ballot. I do so without the ...
» read entryA Rhetorical Analysis of the SuperFogeys by Cadet David M. Johnston ?12, CO F4
And now for something completely different… Michael Johnston is one of the earliest SuperFogey...
» read entry


Dierna says...
posted 9/29/09 12:56 am
Yay for Happy Endings!!! :DGreg Bulmash says...
posted 9/29/09 3:33 am
Not a bad ending. Liked TL's take on some classic panels. The final panel... I'm partially colorblind, but it was burning an afterimage into my retinas. Think the colors could stand to be a bit more pastel and muted.Other than that, awesome 5-parter. And if any of you haven't read T.L.'s Bullfinch yet... 16th century Romania and a squirrel named Captain Stubing. Are you intrigued???
YourD says...
posted 9/29/09 4:46 am
Great ending, I disagree with Greg in that I think the colors of the final panel are dead-on (pardon the pun).And I just love the last few lines that Death, ESQ has, as well as the little tear in Herman's eye at the very end there :)
Mike J says...
posted 9/29/09 6:08 am
Yay for Herman!tyler_durden says...
posted 9/29/09 6:19 am
just goes to show you my good friend DEATH can be a understanding guy.congrates on 3 years!
svzurich says...
posted 9/29/09 7:48 am
I love this ending! Especially the last two panels! Great job guys!Meredia says...
posted 9/29/09 7:55 am
I love this page! Nothing quite sticks in the heart like a happy ending. I think the colors are beautiful; it really gives that end panel a POP. As usual, the art and writing work together seamlessly.More importantly, I love the message it gives about redemption and forgiveness. You don't have to be a perfect person or live a sinless life; no one can really do that. Your best bet is to live your life and try to make the right decisions, and when you make the wrong ones you try to make amends.
P.S. Spygal Boob! Wow! I'm surprised she doesn't need a walker in her old age with what that rack must have done to her back.
John Jett says...
posted 9/29/09 3:29 pm
Happy belated anniversary!Nice swansong for Herman, I'm a sucker for happy endings.
Brock says...
posted 9/29/09 3:45 pm
Dierna - Herman deserved it, no?Greg B. - I think the coloring is pretty appropriate in the last panel, but they might be a bit oversaturated. My color-blind self can't really tell. Glad you liked the page though.
YourD - It was important to me to get the ending just right, so I'm glad you dig it. I like the tear, too. That was a TL touch--not in the original script.
Mike J. - I'm happy for the big lug, too. Sorry to see him go.
Tyler D. - Thanks! Here's to 3 more!
Svzurich - Thanks a bunch!
Meredia - Well said. Herman wasn't perfect--it was important for me to show that. In truth, I find it pretty easy to forgive. I believe very much in the power of redemption and that, whether we know it or not, we all need it. As for Spy Gal boob...hey, she's super strong and big-chested. Just how it is. She can handle it.
John Jett - Boy, everybody likes the happy ending, don't they? I think is the first one I've done, no? Hmm...don't think you guys are gonna like the next origin so much.
dgriff13 says...
posted 9/29/09 4:31 pm
What a great page, and a terrific ending.sio says...
posted 9/29/09 11:05 pm
*sniffle*CyberDog says...
posted 9/30/09 3:25 pm
This is a great page. I'm glad that I bought that last printing of SF it ends where this starts.Congrats on the Success,
CyberDog out.
CartoonistWill says...
posted 9/30/09 6:24 pm
Really awesome stuff, guys! To both Brock and the artist of this story!That's okay - if we always had happy endings, they wouldn't mean much anymore. :-)
Happy post-anniversary!
Brock says...
posted 9/30/09 6:59 pm
DGriff13 - Thank you very much.Sio - Hey, didn't you hear? It's a HAPPY ending.
Cyberdog - Thank you, sir! Yes, this is very much a direct sequel to Chapter 5. Glad you dig.
Cartoonist Will - TL and I both thank you!
theasley says...
posted 10/1/09 1:06 am
THIS one should have been titled "The Redemption of Dr. Rocket".erin says...
posted 10/2/09 5:08 pm
iv been reading ths fm the beginning& iv gotten angry more than once, been saddened or touched by a few pages& laughed aloud vry frequently. but ths 1 choked me up-i actually got alil teary. great art& writing.Brock says...
posted 10/2/09 5:19 pm
Tyler - Except...he's not really Dr. Rocket, right? Haven't you been paying attention?Erin - Wow, thanks so much. Not the kind of reaction I expect to provoke with a comic strip that has a pig that pees on people. Thanks for making your presence known and for reading! Have you been an SF reader for a while, or did you just start?