Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Status of #200

All right, so I'm a few days late to wish you all a Merry Christmas and too early to wish you a Happy New Year, so how about this?  "I hope you had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year."  There we go.  Still got it.

I wasn't able to make a new seasonal issue this year, what with the animation and all, so here are all of the Christmas/New Year A25U comics I could remember.  Enjoy!

Oh, and keep scrolling down for news on #200, too.

Here's the very first Christmas issue, from way back in 2008.  Appropriately enough, I posted it late, too.  Click on the image below to check out the comic, #19 "Special Occasions":

There was no New Year's issue that year, but the Christmas 2009 issue proved to be one of the most important of the entire series.  It started a subplot that lasted for the entirety of 2010!  Check out #71 "Merry Cobramas" by clicking on this image:

There was a New Year's comic for the first time that year, posted on 31 December, 2009.  It was called "G.I. Joe: Resolutions," which wasn't very clever, and still isn't:

For Christmas 2010, I'd decided to break out the custom Cover Girl figure my buddy D.Chan had made for me and try a new pairing.  Decide for yourself if it works in #121 "That Time Of Year":

New Year 2011 saw the Cobra Commander back in power in #122 "The Big Broadcast of 2011":

The Cobra Commander was also the star of 2011's Christmas issue, #170 "And To All A Good Night":

New Year 2012 began a new story, one that introduced two original characters (each created and whose figures were custom made by D.Chan -- thanks again, man!).  Stinger Driver Roy (who first appeared in #172) and Meredith, the sassy redhead from Cobra "Supplier Relations" would work against Clutch in their story arc, but it began with her getting her drank on in #171 "Dropping The Ball!":

Right, so, about #200. It's going to be an animated short, but nothing like #100, which was just a cut-to-sound. This one is much more ambitious, with sound effects and even voices. Yep, a full talkie!  And it even features a guest writer, sort of.  I'll try to have it ready by mid-January, but I'm still not sure if I'll be able to make that release window.

I took on a much bigger project than I had expected and I should have planned this out better.  Had I not encountered those technical issues in the summer, I would've been able to finish it during my break, but as it spilled into my final university semester, it unfortunately had to take a back seat to studying, papers, and exams, not that that is any excuse for not keeping you guys up to speed with updates and previews.  Thanks again for your continued patience and support, and speaking of previews, here are a couple new stills and the ones from last time:

So, Season's Greetings and whatnot, and stay tuned for a bright 2013 and the return of Ages 25 & Up with an animated short for #200.

The Lego Space Marines need your help!

Anyone here like Lego?  I know I do.

Lego has this website where fan-made models can become real, official Lego sets, and make it to production, which is awesome.  One of these projects is a badass-looking Space Marine theme:

They need enough people to say they like the idea by clicking on a big green button.  At that point, it will go to review, and if it passes, we'll have some Lego Space Marines on our shelves soon enough!  So far, there are about 9,800 supporters, and the project needs 10,000 to go to the review phase.  To make the winter review phase, it needs to hit 10,000 by December 3, I think.

If you get a minute, please visit http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/5127 and show your support for Lego Space Marines!

I'm just a fan; I have nothing to do with the Lego Space Marines project myself other than digging it.  Yes, there is an official Lego space marine minifigure so far, but he's only available in a series of blind-bagged of minifigs, so it's hard to find him, much less army build them!  And the upcoming Galaxy Force line looks disappointing, with garish colours and motocross helmets instead of the bulky space armour these guys have.

So please, visit http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/5127 and support the project.  Thanks a lot!

Happy Remembrance Day

It's once again November 11th; Remembrance Day in Canada.  I don't have much to say, so I'll let Rick Mercer do the talking.

AGES 25 & UPdate: Still Alive

NEWS AND PREVIEW IMAGES BELOW!

Numbers reporting in.  Contrary to popular belief, I'm alive!

First of all, I want to apologize for my radio silence recently.  And by "recently," I mean "for the last few months."  I've been around and busy.  Busy with what?  Busy piecing together the next comic, aided by the computer you guys helped me acquire!

Thank you for contributing and for being patient while I got my crap sorted out.  If it wasn't for your help, I'd probably have to make the comics by hand, by cutting up 35 mm film, or something.  Things have been hectic here at the A25U HQ, where production of Duke Nukem Forever #200 continues.  What the hell is taking so long, you ask?

Well, first of all, #200 is the largest A25U-related undertaking I have ever undertook.  So much so that I couldn't even do it alone and have enlisted the help of my friends and brothers-in-harms from the AtomicMoo.com, the most Refreshingly Geek (TM) site you are likely to find on an entire internet.  This isn't just some remastered #100.  It even has a guest writer... sort of!  Here, have a preview image:

Unfortunately for me, real life is duking it out with #200.  I'm currently in my final semester of university, so I often find myself writing papers when I'd rather be editing up the new A25U.  So it's taking a while and will continue to take a while.

No ETA yet, but I want to get it posted before the end of November.  Whether this happens or not, I'm still not sure.  Rest assured: I don't think I'll do something this elaborate for #300.

So here's what I'll do.  I'm going to keep working on #200, while providing occasional updates to you guys, with production stills.  A week before #200 is released, I'll put up #199.5, which will recap the story arc that #200 is a part of.  You remember, that one about Destro coming back or something.

I've also removed the spam-filled Cbox comment field thing from the left sidebar.  I've replaced it some kind of twiddler comment box.  I'm not sure if it's an improvement, but at least there won't be spam now.   Do with it what you will.

Here's another preview.  That's right: #200 has Cobras, Iron Grenadiers, and even beer!  Surely that's worth the wait, right?   ...right?

So, enjoy the photos, post some comments or questions or whatever you want, and stay tuned.  I know I ask a lot of you guys, but I say this as honestly as I can: #200 is coming!

Thanks again,
- Numbers

SITREP: Well, crap.

Pic extremely related.

 Yeah, sorta like that.

Long story short, I'm screwed.

I'll explain.  I'm one of the poor saps who owns an HP laptop.  Or rather, one who got owned by an HP laptop.  Their Pavilion dv6000 series (among others) is known for its piss-poor construction and absurd failure rate.  Using the machine since 2009, I've coped as best as I could as a bullet list of parts failed, falling off as if struck with some horrible, incurable disease.

The laptop is built like shit, which is why we got it at such a low price.  Hell, there was a class-action lawsuit against HP, and the dv6000 is one of the models that lead to such action.  I've made due as the speakers died, the optical drive and USB ports took on lives of their own, the screen hinges fell out of place (rendering the devices in the lid other than the screen useless), and other such trials.  But this was the end of it.

The problem that killed my laptop was, appropriately enough, the same issue that caused all those Xbox 360s (including mine) to develop the Crimson Circle of Cancer: a ridiculously unbelievable design flaw that, in both cases, was left in because WHO CARES, LOL MONEY

I'm writing this from another, more reliable Lenovo laptop I borrowed from my other brother.  I've installed Photoshop on it and some other programs to try to still be productive, but needless to say, production of #200 has hit a major, serious snag.  My dead laptop's hard drive has been removed and is sitting in an enclosure, so I haven't lost any data, only progress.  I'll have to start over what I had already.  Maybe this wouldn't be such a big deal if #200 was just a regular issue.  But trust me, it's far from one.

I'm going to need more time, and if you're willing to, perhaps a bit of your help.  I need to get myself a new computer, which might be tough, being a broke-ass full-time student with a soul-crushing assembly-line summer job.  So if anyone wants to help me out a bit, I've added a donation button and explanatory page to the blog.  Friends suggested this, and though I have been extremely reluctant to do so, they were ultimately right when they said that if readers wanted to show their support, they should at least have that option available to them.  This is not some kind of cashgrab attempt. 

So that's what I wanted to say.  Please, be patient, thanks for your encouragement, and if you want to, there's now a donate button if you want to throw some change at me.  Thanks for sticking around these last four years.  We're not done yet.

Q&Ages 25 & Up #29: July 2012

Time for another Q&A!  But first, I'd like to take a moment to remind you about the Skype session tomorrow night at 9 PM Eastern.  Get all the details here!

Question #1 - Flint-wo2 asks:
Will we see any of the movie Joes when they get released?

1337W422102 answers:
They ARE out, and we've seen two of them already!  Storm Shadow appears in #192 "Storms and Shadows" and The Rock shows up in #198 "Two Parts Rock, One Part Roll."

I'd like to show some others, but these figures are a) not widely available, b) massively underwhelming, and c) overpriced as hell.  But I'll probably cave and get some more, since the story kind of needs them.  At least one more of them will appear, but I'd like to make it two.


Question #2 - Meddatron asks:
Any chance we will see some sort of sweet mockery of the latest Retaliation debacle?

1337W422102 answers:
I don't want to give these Hollywood shenanigans undeserved attention and money.


Question #3 - Meddatron asks:
Roy, Roy, Roy.  Any chance he somehow comes back?  Prequel maybe?

1337W422102 answers:
Roy was a Cobra Stinger driver and longtime rival of Clutch.  In a final showdown, Roy drove his borrowed Humvee off a cliff.

I hadn't thought about the possibility of a flashback, but I that's a good idea.  However, remember what Meredith said in #187 "La Fille du Roy": no body was recovered from the wreckage, so Roy might still be out there, somewhere...


Question #4 - Meddatron asks:
Speaking of Roy, his character was very well played as well as Meredith's.  Do you have any other original characters planned for the future?

1337W422102 answers:
I can't take the credit for them.  My buddy and figure supplier D.Chan created the characters and made their figures for me to use, and they're not the only ones he devised.

But if you mean original characters of mine, then yeah, there's something I'd like to do.  About five years ago, before I started the comic, I used to do animated shorts with toys.  I made this buddy-cop action flick with Transformers called "Bad Mother Truckers."  It was silly stuff, but fun to do and I'd written three story arcs.  I only had the chance to get one of them off the drawing board, though.  I'd like to remake the first Bad Mother Truckers story as a comic, and continue their story, maybe as an "Ages 25 & Up Presents" alternate-universe sorta thing.  Well, actually, it could take place in the A25Universe, now that I think about it.


Question #5 - Meddatron asks:
Have you seen the series Comic Book Men on AMC with Kevin Smith?  What are your thoughts on it?  Yay or nay?

1337W422102 answers:
Yeah, but it's THE FLYING CAR!

I haven't seen it, but I like the sound of it already.


Question #6 - Meddatron asks:
Coffee, energy drink, booze, cola?  Which does Numbers prefer?

1337W422102 answers:
Your body needs water, so drink that shit.


Question #7 - Meddatron asks:
If you called the shots for the Slim Jim company, who would be your spokesman, who would be your Randy Savage?

1337W422102 answers:
Bruce Campbell.


Question #8 - Monkeywrench asks:
#200 is approaching! Can you share a hint on what you have planned?

1337W422102 answers:
You can find some hints in #194, #196, and #199.

#200 will take me some time to prepare, so just like #100, which means that there will be a one-week gap between #199 and #200.  I don't want to rush #200 and half-ass it, know what I mean?  So sit tight and prepare your bodies for Ages 25 & Up #200!


Question #9 - Monkeywrench asks:
Will we ever see another alternate universe comic like PGS?

1337W422102 answers:
I want to make those Bad Mother Truckers issues, which will be an alternate universe, so yeah.  There'll be other stuff, too, eventually.


Question #10 - Monkeywrench asks:
We love your funny strips but when is the next serious comic coming?

1337W422102 answers:
I intend to do more, but I don't have any planned right now.  Drama's hard, man.


Question #11 - The David Harris asks:
If a company made a G.I. Joe video game, what kind of game would you like to see?  It doesn't have to be based on the movie franchise.

1337W422102 answers:
Something like Jagged Alliance or oldschool Syndicate.  An action-packed tactical, squad-based title with explosions and manliness.  Have your assault team distract the Cobras in the front of the base while you send your commandos and/or ninjas through the jungle to sneak in from the back.  Stuff like that.

That's it for this month's Q&A.  Got more questions?  Ask away tomorrow during the Skype session!  See you there.

 

Skype Session this Saturday!

#200 will be coming out next week, which leaves a big empty space this week where it would have gone.  What do you say we fill it with a Skype session?  I'll answer your questions, take your comments/feedback/hate, and we'll have a chance to just shoot the shit with Joe fans.  Sounds good?

We'll do it over Skype because I get the impression that people use it.  I'm not particularly fond if it myself, but hey.  You can get yourself a Skype client here and make an account here.  It's easy, painless, and you can uninstall it when you're done.  It's free, so don't give them any money.

Once you get your account ready and have loaded your client, hit "Add Contact" and in the username field, enter teh1337W422102.  Do this whenever you want, and come Saturday night at 9 PM Eastern, I'll start a chat session and invite anyone interested.  Drop in/out any time you want; just let me know that you want in on Skype and I'll invite you to the session.  Simple as that!

You don't have to have a mic or headset to participate.  You can type messages just fine, or simply lurk if you'd like.  I'll stay online as long as there's interest, so drop by when you want and let's have a good time.

Any questions?  Post them in the comments section of this post.  See you on Saturday!

COMIC - File #199: "Jungle Boogie"

All right, guys, here's #199. That's right. The next one is #200. You ready for the big two-oh-oh?

Good, because then you won't mind waiting until I finish it. What I'm trying to say is there won't be a new comic next week. I'm working on #200, and this one's going to take a while.

So, instead, here's what we'll do next week. I'll have the new Q&A ready, and we can have our own impromptu one. What do I mean by that? We'll be holding the first ever Ages 25 & Up Community Skype Session. (Give it a catchier name if you want.)

I need to know if anyone's interested and when would be a good time for you to make it. I want to hold it on either Friday the 27th or Saturday the 28, preferably at night. So let me know when is good for you (date and time, and time zone, if you don't mind; I'm in the Eastern zone, if that influences your opinion).  Let me know by posting in the thread on your favourite Joe forum, telling Helix on the fail-books, leaving a comment to this post, writing it into the Cbox comment thing on the left-hand side of this page, or emailing me.

Once I get an idea of when's better for you guys, I'll post an official announcement. Remember, you don't have to have a mic or headset. Heck, you can just sit in and lurk if you'd like. Anyone interested?

Oh, and here's the new comic:
 
CLICK ON COMIC TO ENLARGE

COMIC - File #198: "Two Parts Rock, One Part Roll"

Sorry 'bout the lateness.  More delays ahead but you'll see what I mean.  A new Q&A should be up sometime this week, too.  Stay tuned.


CLICK ON COMIC TO ENLARGE

COMIC - File #197: "Same As It Ever Was"

You may find yourself defeated by Megatron.
You find yourself allied with Destro.
You may find yourself thirsty for revenge.
You may ask yourself, "Well, how can I kill them?"
 
CLICK ON COMIC TO ENLARGE

Captain America's Fourth of July Freedom Fest!

What better way to celebrate than with the Star-Spangled Badass?  The last comic features the Cap, busting heads and kicking ass, but we all know you want more of him.  And clarification as to how in the hell he's working for Cobra.

Here are some comics featuring him in all his glory.  (Before you get butthurt, keep in mind that this is my satirical version of the character, sticking to his roots as a propagandistic WWII character, and not some kind of challenge to your worldview.  If, for some reason, you get offended, the joke might be on you.)

First up is Captain America's Guide to Freedom and Liberty, powered by CrimsonMonkey.com, made at the time when that Captain America movie was in theatres. Click on the image below to check out the comic: And because that is not nearly enough, here is the story arc that first introduced Captain America to A25U readers: A Real American Teamup!

1. Part 1: The Setup
2. Part 2: Meet the Cap
3. Part 3: The Plan
4. Part 4: Riding in Style
5. Part 5: Making an Entrance
6. Part 6: Cobra Tank Depot
7. Part 7: Against the Cobra Commander!
8. Part 8: The Shield
9. Part 9: A New Challenger
10. Part 10: Star-Spangled Conclusion

If that's not enough for you, stay tuned as the current story arc (which more-or-less started here) will feature the Cap doing what he does best, and with more xenophobia!

COMIC - File #196: "Five Dollar Milkshake"

Y'know, now that I think about it, I did the whole "two holidays with one comic" thing last year.  And pretty much titled it that, too.  Happy Canada Day and Fourth of July, anyway.


CLICK ON COMIC TO ENLARGE

Batteries Not Included #22: "No Dice"

So I haven't been posting my monthly Batteries Not Included comics.  Ready for the latest issue, and the others I missed?

Okay, so here's BNI #22 "No Dice," poignant social commentary, right?
Like summer blockbusters? Me neither.

Okay, so what about the previous issues?  Here they are, if you're interested:

• #21: Dust & Echoes
• #20: TMNWTF
• #19: The MegaCon Gambit
• #18: Cry More
• #17: Big Daddy Christmas
• #16: Dial T for Trolling
• #15: Curb Stomp Your Enthusiasm
• #14: USA F Yeah
• #13: (Some Annoying Rhyme)
• #12: Take Your Vitamins
• #11: The House That Rogue Built
• #10: Mega-Khaaaaan!
• #09: Arms Shortage
• #08: Fate of Two Worlds
• #07: Beyond The Sea
• #06: The Game
• #05: Cool Toy Story, Bro
• #04: Like a Bossk
• #03: The Most Anticipated Comic of 2010
• #02: I was in the Club, and I was in the Club
• #01: Horse With No Name

COMIC - File #195: "From the Desk of Destro"

Needs more liberty.
 
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COMIC - File #194: "The Entertainment"

Unf!


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