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The final chapter is starting! This splash page was a lot of fun to do, going back through the archives of the past five years. There is one comic from each story arc in here, as well as a couple bonus things like SR: Scouting. Can you name them all? (I decided not to include reference links on this one a) so that you could try to find them all, and b) ’cause I didn’t want to link to each one.)
Ref: Ayn Rand referenced | Shower needed | The start of Jorocks and Holly | Percy has matured | Holly is serious about Jorocks
Intermission! A brief fun break before THE FINAL ARC.
John Troutman’s Sporkman makes a cameo in Panel 2. I’d been looking for an excuse to cameo Sporkman for a while, as he stars in one of my favorite comics (found here or here). Incidentally, while it is difficult to see in the panel, Sporky and Roark are at the state capitol of Wisconsin in Madison, the city where many Sporkman stories have taken place. Troutcave Comics and Spoofy Randomness actually have a bit of history, with a guest strip of mine appearing in Lit Brick (let’s not discuss my unsuccessful imitation of Troutman’s art style, but hey, Spoofy Randomness cameos!), a tweet of mine wound up inspiring the Knorkman, and I commissioned a Blight Way Lit Brick because that is one of my favorite series. Incidentally, Sporkman’s comment about timelines? The little guy has messed with his timeline more than the Doctor through various reboots and shenanigans, all of which are canon to Sporkman if I understood correctly.
I considered actually showing Nikki in the shower with the anti-fanservice block, but given that I just used that joke last week… Or maybe I just like to tease you guys.
Come back Monday, when Spoofy Randomness: Anthem begins!
This is what I was drawing in reference to last week’s sketchbook. Can you name them all without looking? I think I got all of the protagonists except Megan and Chad, but let me know if I forgot anyone else.
I attempted to translate every page of my scrapbook into Japanese. My results may be questionable. I know on my business cards, it says I teach at Johnson Little Bear School. Oops.
And we’re back! Complete with saddle sores. Can we just ignore the art in Panel 3, please? I redid it several times and was never satisfied. Unfortunately, the need of a buffer really forced me to push this out anyway.
The story of Matt’s outfit can be read on this sketchbook page.
Refs: Roark | Mikhail and Stefan | Not being left behind | Monica
I was quite pleased with how this comic turned out, in terms of both dialogue and art. I even managed to make the Mulinix Hall nameplate visible!
Next week begins a new arc!
This is the comic that I mentioned on Twitter a while ago about how I was getting a real Lit Brick vibe from this script. While many comics make parodies of famous literature, it was the “Devil Went Down to Georgia” musical reference that really drove home the Lit Brick vibe. I threw that in there at first as a mildly funny joke, but then I realized while finishing up this comic that the main character in the song and our favorite Commie-hater share the same name. (Reference just in case no one has heard this song, or for those of you who now want to listen to it as a result of this comic).
Not to toot my own horn too much, but I felt that Panel 3 shows that I’m starting to get the hang of comedic timing. Also, Ichabod’s safety glasses were a last-minute addition that cracks me up. A white lab is really contrasting with John’s darkened house, but I tried to offset it by showing more window. Also, tried a new hairstyle for Nikki, as long hair and labs don’t mix. As one of my students eloquently put on their safety quiz: “Fire + Hair = No hair”
In case it wasn’t clear, Roark is referring to the Pearl Harbor attacks in Panel 1. The Fountainhead came out in 1943. I was going to make the connection clearer, but this strip is wordy enough as it is. Anyway, yes, this explains the significance of the splash page (adapted from a Fountainhead cover). While I am writing this so that even if you haven’t read The Fountainhead you can follow along, there will be a few references. Mainly it is the presence of Roark, Ayn Rand’s hero in The Fountainhead. The tl;dr version of The Fountainhead is that Roark is what American values should be and is everything Communism isn’t.
I love Roark’s comeback in Panel 3. The encounter with the bunny is a reference to Sluggy Freelance’s ghost of Ayn Rand arc.
And yes, I abused copy/paste in this arc. I was fighting off a cold for most of last week and got behind in grading as I was trying new teaching styles (you know, my REAL job), so I had to push this one out faster than I would normally do. Back to the usual quality next week, though!
Stop laughing.
Updated for eight straight days on top of school starting! It’s been awesome, but boy did I barely have the time to do that! I’m going to go enjoy my Labor Day weekend now!
John’s line in Panel 1 is a reference to the movie Clue. That movie cracks me up every time.
On a fun note, I got Katy Manning to retweet the comic! Score one for a “celebrity endorsement”! (She played Jo Grant, the Third Doctor’s companion and later appeared in the Sarah Jane Adventures episode Death of the Doctor.)