Song of Straygo

So, I'm going to cancel Song of Straygo. I'm feeling really out of touch with the characters,, so if I can't write them, it basically  means no comic. There personalities and motivations are really nebulous to me,, maybe its because of the writing, or my idea about what the series could be is changing. But its most likely poor planning on my part. It definitely does not mean I'll never try to write these characters, this story or, and especially this setting again. But next time, I'll plan more. Most of the time, I worry I'm not smart enough to write this comic. I mean, everything is supposed to be designed around ravens, which stand roughly 2 feet, and don't have thumbs... (the Benflowers house is exception, because it was built by the family)..

Deep thanks to everyone who followed this comic, or even just checked it out once, and gave this huge red dog a chance.  it's a great feeling to know you have to create so as not to let people down, but wow do you feel like an ass when you have to make posts like this.

You can follow what I'm up to at my deviantart page, user is Black-Black. I'll definitely announce any new series/comics there! (and this journal too, when the time comes.) I'm still going to use the Straygo twitter (of course!) I have a few things I've been scripting already, but I know I need to choose carefully what I develop further.

Thanks Again!!

Finally added the second tier that was supposed to have showed up on Monday. I totally don't get how the multiple-page-updates on wcn are supposed to show. I'm sort of changing the format of how the pages show up fro ease of viewing,, like show one tier per page, and then you can click to view the next tier, but I might as well have a "strip" up more times a week. That's sort of more intuitive right? I'm used to thinking the comic I land on is all I'm gonna get, unless I haven't been reading for a few weeks.  If I go with that, I'd like to update alot more than I do now,, like five days a week. hmm.

As for the color, I'd like do more, but I won't be able to schedule that in the updates. I think getting more story out is more important.

But if anyone has preferences, let me know!

Sorry to reuse a photo, but here goes. The middle color straygo is what I'll be wearing as a badge. Prizes are to the left and right for basically people on the know of straygo. like I said before, anyone who looks closely enough at my stuff will see the same business cards, but  I give points for observancy. While supplies last!

Here's a thumb of the print in progress, panther rider vs. unicorn rider. I probably won't do the 3rd print now, just because I still have some other preparations to do.

A couple of weeks ago, JT Shea on the NightGig Studios Gigcast ( a webcomics podcast) announced they were going to Mega Con, and if anyone wanted to send some promotional stuff or minis, he would put it on the table. I didn't send a lot of stuff, but it still got me all giddy to squint and see my stuff in the photo. Images behind the cut. Thanks, JT.
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I'm ahead on the Song of Straygo story thumbnails for about 5 pages, editing the final dialogue for this weeks page.

Marscon- finishing with the masking on the next print, panther girl vs. unicorn archer. WIPs later when I have some
actual color laid down. I mentioned on the comics page there will be prizes for people at marscon. I'm going to make a straygo badge to wear, with just a character's head, and anyone who is like , "Whoooo! Straygo!" or whatever, will get a mini-sketchbook or straygo magnet, or possibly another mystery item (no, not a decoder ring). While supplies last. In theory, anyone who pays attention to what I have up in the artshow could do the same, but that's just fine, reward observancy!

Other developments: A friend asked me to contribute to her group Munny show. It's at Robot Love on the 17th of April. Munny's are vinyl monkey shaped toys. They are sold with different paint jobs by designers, but Kidrobot also sells blank ones you can design yourself. At first I wasn't sure I'd have the time, but then I checked out the Kidrobot site, and got super excited! I can't wait!

The new storyline is up and wot?! mysterious Raven? With medical background! I'm working hard to thumbnail the rest of the script. The plot outline is completed, but the actual pages aren't laid out. And as I thumbnail them, some parts of the story are changing... I've never had a set way that I plan out stories. Usually I just draw or write notes for a chapter over and over until it congeals together and then thumbnail it from memory.  I just have trouble finding a way I'm happy with and sticking with it.

Also trying to get all the prints ready for the Marscon artshow. (march 6-8) I want at least 3, and although I didn't really plan a theme, oddly clothed girls riding monstrous animals will have to do. I really don't hate pants as much as my comics may indicate.
Here's a WIP. still a bunch of work to do. the 2nds lineart is drawn, the 3rd unstarted but I know what it'll be of.

News Update! I just got back from Fall-con which was a blast!  Big thanks to anyone who bought a book or landed on this site by following the address on the promo cards. Got to talk to a lot of great people, Ursula Husted, Anne Marie Pellow, Jilly Foo, Tony DeZuniga, Dave and Kristy Strong, Rana Raeuchle, Paul Taylor and many more.
So what's happening with Song of Straygo, first, there will be a hiatus to October 27th. I want a little time to breathe and just worry about the scripts. You may note that the 27th is a monday, that's because song of
straygo is moving to monday to serve as a possible balm for the working masses, and yes more traffic for the site.

Also, part of the hiatus is to do some planning for a possible new webcomic, based on my mini-comic A Parent's Guide to Clown Safety. It is consistently one of the most popular little books I have done, and I do have quite a bit more to say about this important issue which has only begun to be tackled by the popular media and of course, our scientific and technological resources. Am I excited? yes.

Edit: hmm.. maybe not so much a clownsafety webcomic, but there need to be more minis.

The new story Luminous is kind of a return to the original planned looked for Song of Straygo, ala 3 years ago. Here are some pics below, originally created in alias sketchbook pro, a fun little program. They look pretty shoddy by now.

The new page is up, as well as a new section on the website. The new cast page is here.

Hey-hey,

Page 42 will be up a little later than usual tomorrow. Not sure when, I'd say the 4-pmish region if you're in U.S. central time.

I'm going to finish lettering the last few pages today. But okay, this strange double-posting (relettered on wcn, latest page here) is starting to weird me out. Here's what I'm going to do: There's a new relettered page for this Saturday, and I have it fixed there will be new relettered pages for pretty much everyday left in april. I'm going to let the relettered pages update until they are out before I post anymore new pages. The new pages will be on wcn on a Saturday (may 3rd), even if the old pages run out on Wednesday.

My apologies to those who have been following the story from the beginning. I do encourage you to check out these new pages, as they are cleaner, easier to read, and the dialogue has been corrected. There's even some new jokes sprinkled here and there.

This whole lettering situation shouldn't happen again. I started the comic creating the digital files in many different ways, some were horrible and bitmappy, others stretched. But now I've devised a method that each page will have somewhat consistent blacks and quality. The only problem is margins... don't get me started on illustrator.

Edit: There are still a few relettered pages left, so those are posting everyday until
they run out, which will be May 9th, and the newest page will be updated May 10th. Thank you for your patience.

worser and worser!

It looks like juliesydor.com was taken off a little sooner than I expected. Now there's a huge gap of pages that aren't on the web at all. I don't like that. I'm going to push to have all the pages lettered by next friday. There's about 14 left.

There is a relettered page for today at the webcomicsnation site, and 39 will be up here later today. Sorry for the missing archives.

Also, Microcon is coming soon! I've asked for sign-up papers, I believe they have some tables left. There's only a little on the site now, but: mncba.com

If I get a table, I'll be selling the minis "A Parent's Guide: Clown Safety" and "If You Make A Crow A Nest...".

And, if I can finish the pages in time, a new mini called "#1 Dad". More on that later.

Edited for update: Looks like micro-con is all out of tables. I'll probably still go, just not as a creator. Also, they now have the list of guests up! mncba.com!

here's this week's page. Sorry it's posted a little later than usual.



This week: So close to the trading post, but have they lost all the sheep?

I'm still all caught up in relettering the old pages. They are maybe 1/3 done, so I better haul butt.
The new site is up! check it out here.




I'm not crazy about the inking this week. Looks like each panel was done by a different people with alternating skill and near-sightedness.

But it does offer a small slice of Kefke doin' a little wilderness tracking.

here's page 36. Hopefully next week's page will be at the new site, along with all the old relettered pages.

We're moving! The Song of Straygo website is changing to wwww.webcomicsnation.com/straygo
I don't know why I didn't look into this site sooner. The layout is easy, and you can upload multiple
series into one account. I'm liking this, as I would like to upload some of the pages from my mini-comics,
such as A Parent's Guide: Clown Safety, and Custard on Chinchilla Island.

The new site is updating slowly, as I rescanned all the pages, readjusting the levels. Everything is getting "remastered", and put in a template so they are more consistent in margin ratios and image size. Even the lettering is getting redone, cleaner and more readable. I am reediting a bit of the dialogue, because I can't resist.

But I'm not going have the updates start over (like a old redone page every week.)I'm going to upload all the old ones at once when their finished, and then start updating new pages from there. Until then, new post will continue at this livejournal spot.

Also, I gotta say, the wheather is so nice right now, sunny and warm with a breeze. Birds cheeping, which they did in the winter, but I just don't notice it as much. Watching the snowbanks melt in the city is uber gross though, watching hundreds of moldy cigarette butts get unearthed by the melting ice.

Here's page 35.

Here are some sketches from my current, ill-fitting the house scanner, sketch book. All are pretty recent, at least, I'm pretty sure they were done sometime this month. posted past to most current, which was drawn like, 4 days ago.

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All of the above were chosen I guess not for their quality, necessarily, or for their recentness (although, I'd like to do that more..) but mostly because they contain some figures with some personality to them, caught up in their own world.

Going on a small hiatus- no updates this week or next.. But I'll try to post some sketches this weekend.