Thoughts on TWISTER (1996)

Money vs. Passion

The past two months have been extremely busy comics-wise. I took on a large freelance project (that was hugely fun and gratifying, but also very very labor-intensive), at the same time my newest graphic novel, The Fifth Quarter: Hard Court released. I had arranged quite a lot of library visits and a few bookstore signings to celebrate it making its way into the world, so that was a lot of traveling around and meeting readers and drawing drawings for them, and so on. I can’t complain in the slightest. I have been kicking around this industry long enough to know those moments where you can celebrate a new book releasing, or having well-paid work to occupy you, don’t always come around and cannot be taken for granted. I feel grateful, grateful, grateful.

August will be a change though. I have more visits lined up (and am always looking to schedule more), but the freelance work has come to an end, at least for a few months. I took a lot of time off from making online diary comics, and I am looking forward to getting some of that momentum back.

I make these diary comics because it brings me pleasure to do so. It’s fun letting ideas lead me to new ideas, and frankly, it’s wonderful putting them out there where they can connect with people. But, it’s a privilege to be able to make them. I could barely do it when I was swamped with other obligations, and that’s a lot of people’s permanent reality.

I posted this strip on my Instagram yesterday, before I had time to post it here. A commenter noted that the Generation X “no sellouts” ethos, was actually an extremely optimistic worldview to hold. To think that people across the board would have the freedom and safety net to permanently work for the passion of working, that’s expecting the world to be a better more supportive place than it is. I’m going to explore these ideas further in some future strips, I think.