For those of you who read both “Abel Boddy” and my NSFW mini-comic, ‘12″ Roommate‘ I’ve started the 3rd series of the latter today. Sometimes it can be difficult doing two strips at once, since I am doubling my output when, at times, I struggle to keep up one feature. But, the level of detail that goes into the planning of the ’12″‘ is significantly less than that of “Abel Boddy”. This is never more clearer to me than moments like right now, since I am starting this run on ’12″ Roommate’ with over a month of buffer.
There’s a lot of talk about buffers in the world of webcomics; everyone thinks they’re a great idea, but not many have them, and those who do, run the risk of falling back on their buffer and eating away at it unexpectedly. A buffer is truly a blessing, but it must be maintained and the real challenge is not writing and drawing enough ahead so that you can have one — it’s maintaining the same connection with your readers with a strip you drew weeks ago as a strip that’s fresh on your mind from it’s creation last night.
So with almost a quarter of the work on ’12″ Roommate’ series 3 done, I had to tell myself “That is Enough” and switch my attention back to “Abel Boddy”, which by my calculations, is 2 weeks behind the schedule I set up in the beginning of the year. It’s funny how the title I consider highest priority (Abel) can end up on the back burner to something I consider almost ‘a throwaway’ (12″).
But perhaps it’s the casualness that makes 12″ so easy? I’m sure if I switched my priorities around, Abel would become the easier of the two to produce. In the end, I judge my personal progress not on ‘am I getting better at keeping both strips 100% on schedule’, but instead on ‘how much I beat myself up when one of the two (or both) go off schedule’. And you know what? I’m getting better.
Currently Watching: “Cheers” s7/e18 on Netflix Instant
Currently Wearing: Gant Rugger plaid button front, black American Apparel briefs and red socks
I know this feeling all too well.I think it’s easier (for me, anyway) to get ahead on the ‘throwaway’ comics because you don’t feel they need to be as ‘perfect’ as your main comic. As far as the buffer goes, I never have one. Sure occasionally I’ll draw ahead an issue or something, but I’m one of those people who has to hang his art on the fridge as soon as it’s done, which means instead of a buffer I get a week with say, 4 comics :p
Also – American Apparel makes the smexiest briefs.
I get the best results with making one more comic than I need for the week. So, if I want to run 3 comics this week, I’ll draw 4. At the same time, if my goal is 4 and I only get 3 done, then I’ll only run 2 that week. That way I’m always working ahead even when I’m behind.
I really enjoy the plots in Abel and the sex in 12″ but if it comes to that I’ll stick to Abel.
Maybe you shouldn’t push yourself to hard to keep full buffers on both strips.