Occupational Funks.

Part 15 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

Oh, hello. Long time no see. With Halloween coming up, I’m really excited to produce some themed comics. The problem is, there are a few new characters in this particular storyline (“Occupational Hazards“) that I want to introduce before I draw any Halloween comic. Simply put, I don’t want to show new, pivotal characters without a proper introduction. Consequently, I’m forcing making myself draw enough “Occupational Hazards” comics just in time to take a break from the arc and produce strips for All Hallow’s Eve.

With that said, I intend to put out a new comic every weekday all this week and the next. No bullshit, just art and humor. I already have a few done and/or planned out, so stay tuned.

Also take notice of a lot of old characters popping up in the next few weeks. Nigel, for instance, hasn’t officially appeared since last summer’s “Love Is In The Air” storyline. Big things are planned for many of these lost and forgotten characters. Big things, indeed!

Triggered (Click).

Part 14 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

I’ve been meaning to put this specific comic up for at least two weeks, but I was trying to save it so I can release at least a full week of comics. I’ve been pretty uninspired lately, but I am the midst of inking a comic I hope I’ll publish tomorrow.

Anyhoo, so here’s a new comic — continuing from over a month ago.

If there’s one thing that I find funny on a personal level, it’s mental health. And honestly, if Third Eye Blind’s “Jumper” can’t prevent you from committing suicide, you might as well kill yourself.

Oh, Ceans!

Part 13 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

Word of advice: always know the details of the job you’re applying for, especially if it’s in the mental health field. If Sigmund Freud is your interviewer, you know you need to be ultra-qualified.

It’s been a while since the character Lindsey appeared (I think since Halloween 2006). Like the real life character she’s based upon, I drew Lindsey with a cat named Shiar.

Lastly, I’ve drawn some sketches of what Chris would look like if he cleaned up a little and didn’t stuff his messy hair underneath a cap. I think he looks more professional. Now I don’t know if I did it subconsciously, but he looks eerily similar to Jim Halpert from “The Office.”

Coffee Shop Classified.

Part 12 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

Sorry about yesterday; if you haven’t noticed, my sites were down since it seems the WordPress database crashed. Anyway, here’s a new comic, and probably a pivotal point in the storyline. We’re gaining momentum here, people!

Now, if there’s one thing I’ve noticed in coffee shop employees (at least back in my old schoolin’ grounds, the University of Illinois), it’s that a whole lot of them have nose-rings, love indie music, and are of the fine arts or literature major persuasion. It’s almost a proven stereotype, especially if you go to one of those small-chain or independent coffee shops. And I know my friends Christina (a coffee shop manager in real life) and Caroline had previously asked to appear in the comic; well, here you go.

And remember, there’s a contest going on for free books. No harm in trying.

Their Reasons (Or An Introduction to IPAWD).

Part 11 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

So here we go again after a week-long hiatus.

I wanted to have Joe Stalin, an old fan favorite, make an appearance after his departure as Chris’ roommate. I also wanted to further explore Chris’ rationale for getting a job and introduce IPAWD as an up-and-coming evil organization that will be the driving antagonistic force behind the comic.

In regards to the first panel, a friend told me she went to a shooting range that offered zombie targets. I think that is awesome.

Job Discrimination.

Part 10 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

Another quickie with a reference to this comic. I’m almost done with my resume; better art, better jokes next week! I swear!

Indie Snob.

Part 9 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

I’ll be honest, I did this comic at the last minute (script and photoshopped, archived material) and had not originally planned to use it in the storyline. I was more focused on revising my portfolio and resume than drawing new comics (scripts are done for the week, don’t worry); coincidentally, I myself am looking for a job/internship (with some graphic design firms, incidentally), and I have some nice prospects lined up.

Even though I wasn’t planning on using this comic, I wanted this week to represent the various jobs and ways of thinking surrounding work that Chris’ roommates share. And although Jeffro and ZCC weren’t scheduled to have any significant speaking roles (don’t worry — they both play an important part later in this story arc), it’s nice to see them somehow fit in this week’s theme.

As far as the content goes, I’m thinking that I’m becoming a self-loathing indie hipster (sic). You can definitely thank some of my friends. Going to a concert recently only reinforced my moderate contempt. There just seemed to be an air of arrogance and a need to maintain a certain aesthetic in what I feel are clique-ish social circles, and honestly, that kind of mentality had always bugged me ever since high school (read old Bluegoomba stuff). Now I’ve never genuinely claimed my music is hipper than yours, nor the clothes I wear and the books I read and the bars I go to are better. And if I ever do make those remarks, fucking give me a kick to the head.

Drug Trafficking Is A Job, Too.

Part 8 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

This comic is dedicated to a certain former roommate who happened to dread a certain drug test after being exposed to some certain second-hand marijuana smoke at a certain music festival.

I’m starting to think it’s time to give a sense of space and geography in regards to the comic, especially the space within Chris’ apartment. So yes, his roommate Aaron has a bunch of drug crops in his bedroom. Big deal. The real character he’s based on is apparently a drug dealer now, but you didn’t hear that from me. Especially if you’re a cop.

The “I Heart Drug” poster is a reference to a past comic. Originally, I couldn’t fit the “s” at the end of “Drug” due to a lack of space, but I think it’s exclusion adds a little charm to a poster that advocates casual to heavy drug use.

And lastly, I’d like to mention that I am absolutely in love with the band Voxtrot. I saw them live recently, and I strongly urge you to listen to them. Of course, I only mentioned them here to either generate discussion or successfully get some hits from wayward visitors searching for “Voxtrot” on Google.

The Beginning of a Goodbye.

Part 6 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

You know you can’t have a good and proper storyline without some sort of complication between the main character and his love interest. So there; some idea where this arc is heading.

The Footlong As A Euphemism.

Part 5 of the “Occupational Hazards” Story Arc.

Likewise, it’s been awhile since Duder made a formal appearance in the comic (although his Harem did appear sometime in early February). Plus, it was kind of hard to make Subway sandwiches even remotely sexual, but I feel I accomplished it here.