Purple Violets

Okay. Now this is news.

Ed Burns, director of The Brothers McMullen and She's the One, and actor in such small-time movies as Saving Private Ryan (and, apparently, the guy on the 10-dollar bill), has broken the digital distribution wall. He's decided to debut his new film, Purple Violets, via iTunes before it's available in theaters.

How to feel about this? I'm torn. I love, love, LOVE seeing movies in the theater, but not only do I live in a town that's seen a real decrease in the number of art-house movie theaters, I often find myself choosing my movie-theater movies based on whether they should be seen on a big screen.

Ed Burns' movies -- in case you haven't seen any -- are the sort I most often find myself waiting to see on video: most of the action involves people sitting around in restaurants, strolling through Central Park... y'know, the sorts of things we've all done ourselves, in places we've all been to. What I haven't done -- and hopefully never will -- is run through the jungle in an attempt to escape the gnashing teeth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex! In other words, Burns' films aren't cinematic.

So. Is this a good thing? I'm undecided, but this does seem to be a bit of the beginning of a trend. It's not exactly the same thing, but the DVD of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will ship with versions of the movie that will easily download to your computer, iPod, iPhone, etc. Which demonstrates an awareness, at least, that as far as pirating is concerned the zeitgeist seems to be realizing that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

A Quicker Way

There's been quite a bit of curiosity about when I'll be updating my comic again. I'm sorry I've been so quiet about it. I've been thinking. I've also been somewhat sick.

My first two months of this year were spent sick, and outside of work and the occasional social situation, I've been unable to keep up with cartooning. It's been so impossible to dedicate the time -- 20 to 30 hours per strip -- that I've been seeking out another way of doing it, a better way, a quicker way, a way that will mean constant, more frequent updates. A way that will mean multiple updates a week. Oh, yes. I mean it. Multiple. Per week.

I've found the way. You'll see it very soon.

Multiplex & Narbonic

Okay. I'm getting my act together for the New Year. The strip pictured above is an excerpt of a guest strip I did for Multiplex, by Gordon McAlpin. Go read it. Then read the rest of Gordon's stuff. It's good!

Also, I drew a panel for the very last (sniff!) episode of Narbonic. WARNING! Do not click this link unless you've already read all of Narbonic and/or don't mind spoilers! It's the last episode, after all. Oh, Shaenon Garrity, what will the world of webcomics do without your everpresent, um, presence? I guess We'll just have to wait patiently for your return.

Speaking of which, two new Popcorn Picnic strips -- for Eragon and Rocky Balboa -- will be posted within days. Thank you for your continued patience.

Yet Another Guest Strip

I know, I know. I've been a big slacker. Only, um, not so much; it just looks that way to everyone but me. Y'see, I'm really putting a lot of thought into the new approach to Popcorn Picnic, and figure you'd rather see something substantial than something I just crap out. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's the way I'm rollin' the dice.

To that end, I agreed to do a guest strip for Mr. Gordon McAlpin, who does the mighty fine Multiplex. Though I, ah, might've forgotten to tell Gordon my secret plan to use the opportunity to experiment a bit (Oops! Silly me!) and as you can see by the panels above, things look a little different than usual. To read the remaining four panels, check the whole shebang out on the Multiplex site.

Anyway, this may not be the final look of the new Popcorn Picnic, but I'm liking it a lot. But as always, do feel free to tell me otherwise.

Guest Strip!

Tired of not seeing new Popcorn Picnic strips? Then head on over to Pirate and Alien today! I did a guest strip for Tyson, who's just had a baby. Well... to be fair, his wife had the baby. He just helped a little nine months ago, then fainted in the delivery room.

I really hope that last bit isn't true. If it is, I'll feel bad for thinking I was making it up. Um, uh... congratulations, Tyson!

Also, please stay tuned. The big time Popcorn Picnic developments I promised a week ago are imminent. How'll they start? Oh, my. With everyone's favorite weird movie of the moment, Marie Antoinette!

Holy crap, this is gonna be good.

Technical Difficulties, Sorta

You may've noticed a lack of updates last week. I could make up some crazy excuse -- Canadian Geese swooped down and hacked paté onto my drawing tablet or something -- but that would be dumb, since I've actually got a GREAT, totally true excuse.

Here's the thing, though. I'm not going to tell you what it is. Yet. Soon, though. Very, very soon. As a lame apology, I offer the following hint: It's a change that was recommended a long time ago by a much more well-established webtoonist. Okay, one more teaser: This change may alter the feel of Popcorn Picnic a teensy bit, but I assure you... it's the Popcorn Picnic that should've always been.

Oh, and if you're new to the strip? Like, maybe you came here from Beaver and Steve? You can start with the latest strip, or you can trudge way on back to the beginning and see just how much my art's changed over the last year. You can also consider stopping back in the unbelievably near future to see the, um, future.

More soon. Stay tuned!

Geishas, Part 2

I dunno. Maybe I'm making Danny too dumb here. He's not really supposed to dumb, just... well, we'll get into that when we get into it.

So I have to admit something. Something EMBARRASSING. You guys know how nerdy I can be with this pop-culture stuff, right? You've had some of my jokes fly under your feet or wherever. But here's the thing: the phrase girl drink drunk from Kids in the Hall? Yeah. Just learned it this week. As the kids say, got schooled, yo. So. Thanks for the lesson, N.

Okay. I guess it isn't that embarrassing.

Feeling the need to top myself with some truly obscure pop-culture, I snuck a tidbit into this strip. Anyone care to point it out?

Seeya Friday.