Issue 13, pages 20-21

Hey all! It's back to work for me. I've gotten further behind on my personal schedule than I'd like lately. While we have a month's buffer on the Supporters side, I'd like that to be a little bigger. So, it's time to get some pages churned out, starting with pages twenty and twenty-one of Issue 13.



Ugh, action. I'm still trying to figure action scenes out. Unfortunately, the only way to become familiar with drawing something is to actually sit down and attempt to draw it! Which means, you get wonky pages now and then. I apologize for not being Stan Sakai. Hey, at least I'm trying, right?

Okay, I've things to do so, it's time I got to it. Later, guys, and thanks for reading!

edit: My throat's sore, my head's pounding, I've got chills, and all I want to do is sleep. It's official. I've caught the con-crud. Damn it, I still have to ink!


"Congratulations! You're not perfect! It's ridiculous to want to be perfect anyway. But then, everybody's ridiculous sometimes, except perfect people. You know what perfect is? Perfect is not eating or drinking or talking or moving a muscle or making even the teensiest mistake. Perfect is never doing anything wrong - which means never doing anything at all. Perfect is boring! So you're not perfect! Wonderful! Have fun! Eat things that give you bad breath! Trip over your own shoelaces! Laugh! Let somebody else laugh at you! Perfect people never do any of those things. All they do is sit around and sip weak tea and think about how perfect they are. But they're really not one-hundred-percent perfect anyway. You should see them when they get the hiccups! Phooey! Who needs 'em? You can drink pickle juice and imitate gorillas and do silly dances and sing stupid songs and wear funny hats and be as imperfect as you please and still be a good person. Good people are hard to find nowadays. And they're a lot more fun than perfect people any day of the week."
-- Stephen Manes

We're 10 and giving away money!

Yep! You read the title right. Matt and I are giving away money in celebration of the tenth year of CN:H. But first, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who stopped by our table at AC this last weekend! We just got in earlier this afternoon and are both exhausted with a lot of bookkeeping and inventory to do yet this evening. Ahh! So tired!

But, we had a blast! It was wonderful meeting up with everyone! I rarely get to get hang out and talk shop, so it was a lot of fun. I'm so excited about a few possible plans that have come out of this weekend. While I'd love to share - I really, really want to share - mum's the word until details are settled and things get rolling. Let's just say Matt and I have some ideas that should make next year quite interesting. *evil laughter*

Oh yes, the 'giving away money' bit. While the CN:H comic as we know it began back in 2005, the series itself started out as a group of stories back in 2001. August 23rd of 2001, to be exact. It became a comic in 2003 before being retooled into the version we know today. Hey, it takes a bit to figure this comic stuff out. I'm trained as a Technical Services/YA Librarian, not a comic artist. And, while some people online may pooh-pooh the idea of celebrating ten years - "It's not ten years of the comic! WAAAAAHH!" - I'm going to anyway. The CN:H comic wouldn't have existed without those early stories and frankly, I think that counts. So, if you want to whine about semantics and petty details, go somewhere else. You want to have fun and give it a try, keep reading...


The 10th Anniversary Art Contest!

1st Prize:
$150 plus 1 year Supporter's membership

2nd Prize:
$50 plus 1 year Supporter's membership

3rd Prize:
$25 plus 1 year Supporter's membership

Rules:
1. All entries must include at least one character from the comic.
2. Entries may be in any medium and at any size. Have fun!
3. Entries must be no higher than a PG-13 rating.
4. All entries will be displayed on the 'Code Name: Hunter' site gallery.
5. If you'd like your entry to be printed in the Volume II trade paperback due out next year, please send it to us no smaller than 300 DPI.

Voting:
Please have all submissions in by August 14th. Voting will begin on August 15th - August 21st. Winners will be announced August 22nd. Voting will be done by popular vote on the 'Code Name: Hunter' site.

Submissions:
Please send all submissions to contest@rcsipublishing.com.

Sounds interesting, eh? If you have a bit of free time, come share your work with us. It'll be fun!

As for myself, I've work to do and a dentist appointment tomorrow. Oh no! So, I should get going. Thanks again and if you're visiting the site for the first time, please feel free to look around and enjoy! Thanks, guys, and take care!


"Happiness is excitement that has found a settling down place. But there is always a little corner that keeps flapping around."
-- E.L. Konigsburg

AC and the Comic of the Week

Hey guys! Welcome to the new week. As I mentioned last time, Matt and I will be heading out of town early Wednesday morning for Pittsburgh and Anthrocon. I'll admit, I'm a little nervous about AC. Some people's behaviors last year left me a bit uncomfortable, so I'm skittish about heading back into the furry den. Still, seeing old friends and making new ones is well worth the few moments of uneasiness.

You know how it is, someone always has to come along and give you shit if you don't have sex in your comic. Happens every year. Which is rather ironic, considering one of the guests this year is Mr. Andy Runton, the creator of Owly, one of the most adorable comics out there at the moment. I haven't read much of Owly, yet I want an Owly plush. He's just so cute, he makes me smile just looking at him.

So yes, back to the con. We should be arriving sometime late Wednesday and knowing Matt and myself, we'll probably be spending Thursday setting up, settling in, and checking out the Toonseum. If you don't see us wandering around Thursday, you can catch us all weekend during Dealers Den hours at table E18. We'll have copies of the Volume I trade, as well as Issues 8-12. We'll also be announcing an event coming up. (Don't worry if you can't make it to AC, we'll announce the event here as well once the con is over. It's all good.)

The week after we get back starts a big event for SpiderForest as well as Matt and myself heading up to Maine to see the puffins. Why? Because puffins rock, that's why! Then there's more comic work to crank out, then my folks come down for a few weeks, then we're upping the update schedule... it's a busy month ahead. It should be exciting!

For now, here's the last SpiderForest Comic of the Week for this round, 'What it Takes' by KEZ.


Be sure to check out the SpiderForest Comic of the Week! This week's comic... 'What it Takes' by KEZ.

It's been six years since the world changed into the post-apocalyptic, chaotic nightmare Colbey is now all too familiar with. But, she won't let that slow her down. She's on a mission... a mission to find a man named Peter Wolfe and a haven of hope and civilization known only as 'A City in a Place'. Armed with knowledge and experience in martial arts, not to mention a machete, Colbey's willing and able to take care of herself. Now, if only people would quit trying to hang her!

I love this comic. The art, the pacing, the plot... great stuff here! What I especially love is Colbey herself. Not only can she kick butt, but she looks like she can - and will - take you on. What I mean is, here we have a woman who's not your typical comic book gun-bunny - hourglass figure, perfectly coiffed hair, revealing attire, you get the idea. Colbey's dressed appropriately for rough terrain, she keeps her weapons on her, she's got an athletic build, and her hair's always a little mussed. She looks like she's been doing exactly what she has been doing, trudging through a world turned into lawless chaos, not standing in front of a mirror primping her hair. Don't get me wrong, I like the comic book gun-bunny. I also think we need more women like Colbey running around in comics.


That's all for now. Enjoy and take care! We'll see you all next week!


"The tragedy is when you've got sex in the head instead of down where it belongs."
-- D.H. Lawrence

It's totally outRAGEous!

Happy Friday everyone! Next week is Anthrocon, which means Matt and myself will be out in Pittsburgh, PA. If you're in the area, come by and see us at table E18 in the Dealers Den! Just look for the big CN:H banner with Max and Ruby on it.

Since it's Friday, it's time for another weigh-in. This week's been a basic 'watch and journal whatever gets eaten' week. So far, I've lost two pounds. Which means, I'll need to adjust my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) for next week. Cool! This new, no frills method will work, but at a pound a week or so, it's going to take about a year before I hit my target weight. Oh well, I'll get there eventually.

The diet journal I've been using recommended drinking two glasses of water right after waking up to rehydrate yourself from your night of sleeping, as well as eating something small before exercising. So, I've been trying that which has been helping. It's cut down on my morning headaches, that's for sure.

While doing so a few days ago, I turned on the TV and caught a cartoon I haven't seen in years, Jem and the Holograms. And, I'm a little embarrassed to admit it but, I'm hooked all over again. Thank goodness for torrents - the DVDs are no longer available.

I watched this show all the time as a kid, but didn't catch a lot of the story. All I understood was that the Misfits were greedy, while Jem and her friends were giving. I missed the whole Rio / Jem / Jerrica romance storyline as well as the motivations behind some of the characters' behaviors. Such as Pizzazz being motivated not by a desire for money, but for fame and fame only. Or Shana being a talented designer who feels uneasy at times about her abilities. Or Stormer actually being a sweetie who's often intimidated by her fellow band-mates. Heck, the animation itself isn't bad for an 80's cartoon.

Yeah, you can all start ridiculing me for my choice of TV shows now. Hey, I get to be girly now and then. I can't watch Dr. G: Medical Examiner and The New Detectives all the time. *laugh*


Be sure to check out the SpiderForest Comic of the Week! This week's comic... 'Kyoudaikido Soldier Chromacorps'. A team of heroes fight the evil forces of Daiyou Kai and his army of demons with their skills in martial arts. Love Power Rangers? Looking for Sentai action? You'll find it here!


Well, it's back to work for me. Thanks, guys, and take care!


Eric Raymond: "Where's Pizzazz?"
Tech Rat: "She must be testing my new laser."
Eric Raymond: "You let Pizzazz loose... WITH A LASER?!"
-- Jem and the Holograms

It's Guest Art Day!

Hey, guys! It's Wednesday which means, it's time for another Guest Art Day!

This week, we have a drawing by Jim Groat. Ruby's got a gun and she's not afraid to use it. Run! Run for your lives!



Be sure to visit Mr. Groat's FurAffinity gallery for more of his art! I believe he's still taking commissions. Come on, you know you want one. Thank you, Mr. Groat!

If you'd like to share your CN:H art with us, please send it along and we'll post it on the site and in the gallery. Nothing above a PG-13 rating, please. Thanks.


Be sure to check out the SpiderForest Comic of the Week! This week's comic... 'Kyoudaikido Soldier Chromacorps'. A team of heroes fight the evil forces of Daiyou Kai and his army of demons with their skills in martial arts. Love Power Rangers? Looking for Sentai action? You'll find it here!


And, on that note, it's back to work for me. I've more inking, sketching, and a few table accessories to build before the con next week. Later and thanks for reading!


"When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees."
-- Abraham Lincoln

Happy belated birthday to me!

Hey, guys! Welcome to Monday! It's been an interesting weekend. Between trying the new food ideas, learning how to keep track of when I eat and what, and going to see Jo Koy live with Matt on Saturday (he was hilarious), I also had a birthday. Yep, I'm now thirty-three. No, I don't feel old. Old is when you're ninety. I have a long way to go yet.

A big thank you to everyone who sent along birthday wishes! Also, thanks Henry Reidel for the book! I need all the help I can to keep up with Eric's thought patterns. *laughs*

On top of that, when I woke up this morning, I found that Chrispy - the creator of 'Precocious' - drew me this awesome image below! I love it! Thank you!



So yes, it's been a busy weekend. I've inking left to do today as well as some sketching before the weekend hits. We're leaving for Anthrocon next Wednesday, so I need to get some more work done quickly. Time to put the Dr. G: Medical Examiner DVDs in and get cracking. Thanks, guys, and take care!


Be sure to check out the SpiderForest Comic of the Week! This week's comic... 'Kyoudaikido Soldier Chromacorps'. A team of heroes fight the evil forces of Daiyou Kai and his army of demons with their skills in martial arts. Love Power Rangers? Looking for Sentai action? You'll find it here!


"When I was born I was so surprised, I didn't talk for a year and a half."
-- Gracie Allen

Weigh-in, week three

Hey guys. It's Friday again which means today was another weigh-in. This week has been informative. First off, I didn't loose any weight this time around. Instead, I gained two pounds back.

Now, before anyone accuses me of cheating on my diet, let me tell you just what's been going on. The diet I was on was a synthetic protein based one which works quite well for most people. And, it seemed to work well for me during the first week. There was some drowsiness, but that was a common side effect so, I ignored it. The second week the drowsiness increased. This last week, the drowsiness got to crazy levels. After eating lunch, I'd end up getting dizzy and falling into a deep sleep for hours, waking up groggy and disoriented just before Matt came home. This, compounded with a sharp, stabbing pain in the lower right side of my abdomen made me decide that this just wasn't working for me. Time to get off it and try something else.

I talked it over with Dr. Brian today who was concerned and agreed. He said it sounded like an allergic reaction which could account for the two pound increase - swelling due to a food allergy. He then asked if I was feeling better today, which I was. I stopped the synthetic diet Thursday, mainly so it would be safe for me to drive the forty minutes or so down to his office. Passing out on the road during Cape traffic, not good.

We then discussed various options and he told me what he's been doing for years, which involves relying more on organic foods and keeping a close eye on calorie intake. He did warn me the results would be slower, but speed isn't of importance to me. While it'd be nice to get thin quickly, I'd rather be healthy and comfortable. He gave me a lot of great ideas as well as some interesting food options, like popcorn made with coconut oil, curry or chili pepper, and oregano. I can't wait to try that!

I've also now completed the repair phase of the chiro process and am down to maintenance visits twice a month. While Dr. Brian offered the option of not returning until there's a problem, I'd rather do the maintenance program. I haven't felt this good in a long, long time! The way I see it, if I'm willing to pay thousands of dollars for a computer and Cintiq, then how can I be unwilling to spend $50 a month to maintain my most valuable and irreplaceable tool... my body? It just doesn't make sense. Yes, I know chiro isn't for everyone but, it worked out great for me. To each their own.

So, this weekend I need to track down our scale (if we have one) and a dress-maker's measuring tape. I did find a diet/fitness diary that includes calorie tables for most foods, as well as portion sizes and how to figure out your recommended daily calorie intake. It'll be a lot more work to keep track of, but it should be interesting.

Oh, despite the two pound increase in weight, I managed to loose three inches off my waist in the last week. So, yay for that!


Be sure to check out the SpiderForest Comic of the Week! This week's comic... 'Riven Sol'. When a woman named Carter arrives at the Danforth Research Station, she finds herself facing a series of unknown dangers. But are the secrets she's hiding more deadly than what's waiting for her at Danforth?


Okay, enough of my gabbing about diets. I'm off to go grab more water and read for a bit. Later!


"I lied on my Weight Watchers list. I put down that I had 3 eggs... but they were Cadbury chocolate eggs."
-- Caroline Rhea

Planning for the month ahead

Hey all! I've been looking over the calendar, trying to pinpoint just when we can do the update increase. At the moment, the buffer goes through to July 8th on the Supporters side (at the current rate of two per week) and November 26th of next year on the Main side (at the current rate of one per week). I'd like it to be better but still, it's not bad considering all the time I've been spending towards the chiro, diet, exercise, and general health efforts.

Hey, these are full pages drawn three times larger than they appear on the site. They take a little longer to create than a strip comic does. Trust me, if I could do a strip format I would, but I just can't seem to break myself away from full pages. I'm too in love with the format I suppose. Besides, it means I occasionally get to do splash pages, which I love.

So anyway, back to the buffer. There's a month waiting in the wings, so in theory I could increase the updates now. But, there are a few major things happening in the next month that make me think now's not the best time. First off is Anthrocon in a few weeks. The con itself is only three days, but it's about a day and a half trip each way for us. So, we're looking at leaving on the morning of the 22nd and returning home sometime on either the 27th or 28th. Once AC is finished, there's a little over a week and a half before my folks drop by for two weeks, taking us to the 24th of July.

Since I won't be able to work on comic pages during those times, I'm a little concerned about upping the updates until those events have passed. At least once those weeks have gone by, things should be relatively quiet for the rest of the year. It seems like we'll be staying put house-wise for a while yet, and there are no other cons planned.

So, let's say we finally cement a date down. Updates on both the Supporters side and the Main side will increase starting August 1st. Supporters will go to three a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and the Main side will go to two a week (Monday and Friday). Does that sound good to everyone? I'm sorry it's not sooner, but I want to ensure that we don't have to deal with hiatuses or missed updates in the near future. Once things have settled down and we're all used to the new schedule, I'll start looking into some other ideas I have for CN:H. But, first thing's first, right?

I also want to say a big thank you to everyone who's been leaving comments under the comics! I do read them all. I've been keeping low lately because I'm enjoying reading the various discussions and I don't want to influence anyone's views one way or another. Because that's not fun!

Don't know what I'm talking about? Under each comic page there's a bar with the words 'Show Comments' inside it. Click 'Show Comments' and any current comments along with the comment box will become visible. (If you only read the RSS feed you won't see the comment area. It's just on the site. Sorry.)

Matt and I are still debating whether or not we want to try holding a guest art contest for the anniversary coming up. We're still working out the details, but we should know one way or another by the time AC hits.


Be sure to check out the SpiderForest Comic of the Week! This week's comic... 'Riven Sol'. When a woman named Carter arrives at the Danforth Research Station, she finds herself facing a series of unknown dangers. But are the secrets she's hiding more deadly than what's waiting for her at Danforth?


And, I guess that's all for now. I have a lot of inking left to do so, I should get to it. Later and thanks for reading!


"Learn to be what you are, and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not."
-- Henri Frederic Amiel

Issue 13, pages 17-19

Okay, three more pages sketched. This time, it's pages seventeen through nineteen of Issue 13. We're getting close to rounding out this issue finally.






Be sure to check out the SpiderForest Comic of the Week! This week's comic... 'Riven Sol'. When a woman named Carter arrives at the Danforth Research Station, she finds herself facing a series of unknown dangers. But are the secrets she's hiding more deadly than what's waiting for her at Danforth?


I'm a little dizzy and lightheaded, so I'm going to go grab some water and sit for a bit. Inking a little later this evening.


"Remember, a trick isn't magic until it works."
-- William F. Reese

Comic of the Week & 'Precocious' Donation Drive

Hey, guys! I hope you all had a great weekend! Matt and I spend our time moving the office from the tiny room downstairs up to the larger spare bedroom. While our desks are settled, the rest of the office is still scattered about the house. We'll spend the next few days slowly finding a place for everything. At least our work stations are ready to roll, which means Matt can code and I can sketch. I love this room. It's so... comfy. Even if half of it is still pretty chaotic.

We're starting a new week which means, there's a new SpiderForest Comic of the Week. Thank you to the SpiderForest round robin members who linked to us last week. This week's comic is 'Riven Sol', a Lovecraftian horror, science fiction, and romance comic.

When a woman named Carter arrives at the Danforth Research Station, she finds herself facing a series of unknown dangers. But are the secrets she's hiding more deadly than what's waiting for her at Danforth?

In other news, Chrispy - the creator of 'Precocious' - is doing a donation drive. He's offering magnets, a signed print, and even inked and signed sketches in exchange. Which, is pretty cool!

Chrispy's a nice guy and 'Precocious' is a fun comic. So if you have a moment, stop by and help him out! You can find more information on the 'Precocious' homepage.

I think that's all for now. It's been a long weekend and I've exercising, more straightening up, and comic work to do tomorrow. Take care everyone, and thanks for reading!


"Great art is as irrational as great music. It is mad with its own loveliness."
-- George Jean Nathan

Weigh-in, week two

Hey, guys! I just got back from my second weigh-in on the diet, and I'm both slightly disappointed and amused. After loosing ten pounds last week, I only lost one pound this time. The strange thing is, all my measurements - bust, waist, hip, arm, and thigh - went down a half inch to an inch from last week so... something's changing. Oh well, it's small, but every little loss gets me closer to my goal. I can't see a change myself, but Matt says he can.

According to Jess, my food diary looks fine and nothing seems to be off, which is good. Unfortunately, Jess got a new job and won't be around anymore. Which makes me sad, I like Jess. But, she seems excited about the new job so, it's all good.

Hmm... I should probably sit down and try to develop a structured work-out routine. Right now I just go with whatever I feel like working on that day. Maybe a pattern of various things each day will help. I'll admit, part of why I want to loose weight is vanity. I'd like to look thinner and hopefully a little prettier. But the main reason is health. One of the ways to control PCOS is weight-loss. The thing is, PCOS also makes loosing weight a little more difficult. So, I'll just need to try a variety of things until I find what works best for me. Tomorrow starts a new week. Forward and onward.

Though I still want a damn hamburger.


"No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat. Without a brain, you might look good, but all you could do is run for public office."
-- George Bernard Shaw

th-WAK!

Yep, still inking. I have more work to do on this page, but somehow I've a feeling most of you will enjoy this section. Gavin made a bad decision and threatened the young prince. Now Max will put up with a lot, but threaten a kid - especially the prince - and he'll retaliate.

It couldn't happen to a nicer guy, actually. *evil grin*



This is what the panels look like before the tones are added in. A little dull, true, but at least my inking seems to be getting better.

Well, back to work. Later!


"God save me from my friends. I can protect myself from my enemies."
-- Marshal Claude Louis Hector de Villars

Version I CBR - take no. 2

Hey, guys. Running about the net, answering questions and complaints about the CBR being in the store has made getting any work done over the last few days a little difficult. So, for the sake of CN:H's buffer, I made a quick page where you can just download them right off the site instead of mucking about with the store. (Again no, I have no idea why Matt put them in the store. If you're really curious, please ask him, not me. Okay? Thanks.)

Also, if you have any questions, please email us. Do not ask on Formspring. That's not what it's for. Site issues or complains posted to Formspring will be deleted unanswered. Again, you'll get a quicker response via email than you will through Formspring. That's for fun questions. Questions where you need quick answers are for email. Thanks.

Hopefully this will make things a little easier for everyone. So, have fun. I'm going to try to finally get some pages done today. Thanks guys! Later.


Doorknob: "Read the directions, and directly you will be directed in the right direction."
-- Alice in Wonderland

It's Guest Art Day! Yay!

Hey, guys! It's Wednesday which means, it's time for another Guest Art Day!

We actually have a new piece of art to share this time! I know, it's cool, huh? I'm so excited! Here's Max and Ruby drawn by the awesome Terrie Smith!



They're so cute! I love how she does faces. Don't you just want to run up and pinch Max's cheeks? No, that's just me? Well, never mind then.

Be sure to visit Terrie Smith's FurAffinity for more of her art! I believe she's still taking commissions - or at least making a wait list for July. Thank you!

If you'd like to share your CN:H art with us, please send it along and we'll post it on the site and in the gallery. Nothing above a PG-13 rating, please. Thanks.

That's all for now. I'm behind on work today. I just got off the phone with my mom and we tend to talk for hours. *laughs* Later and take care!


"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it."
-- Mark Twain