I hate to do this but I have to put Off-Stage on hold for a while. Between my new fulltime job with a 2hr commute and a new love I can’t give this project the time and attention it deserves.

Sorry for the intermezzo, I was sick for a while then had some things to work through and now I’ve started a new job! It’s a tough time for Off-stage but I would like to keep it going.
We return today to a scene of self-reflection. Having been artistically active all week I felt like I had an easier time drawing this page than the previous few. And it reminded me how much I enjoy Vince as a character.

p.s. If like me you are passionate about live music and Paradiso, please go see Jeroen Berkvens’s PARADISO when it comes out. It looks to be a beautiful love letter to the venue, highlighting the same feeling that inspired me to start this comic.

Chapter 2 will commence once I’ve beaten this gnarly cold. Until then, enjoy the splash page.

And so chapter one draws to a close. I’ll see you all at the start of the new year for the decidedly more upbeat chapter two. Happy holidays!

You can’t always get what you want.

Sometimes I miss coming up with unique titles for each strip. It just doesn’t work very well for longform stories since the pages are not really self-contained units. But if I did, that’s what this one’s would be.

I don’t have much to tell you here other than that I am very pleased with this page. Sometimes you start drawing against your will or better judgement, when you’re too tired or doing it to meet a deadline instead of for the sheer joy of it, and you can feel it in the artwork the moment you put down that first line. It’s just not as good. But this page felt right from the start.

Woof did this page take a long time…

Today we meet another new character, Burt the security guy. You’ll be seeing more of him in the future, and there are still a few characters left to be introduced soon.

Today’s word balloon experimentation was inspired by Octopus Pie. When there’s no background it’s an elegant solution to not having to draw a full balloon – ’cause drawing a perfect ellips every time is not easy.

It’s funny how after a few pages where Vince has been absent it took me more effort that I would have liked to recall how to draw him. But the thing that remains unchanged it that he still knows how to be a complete ass.