Monday, July 30, 2012

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.

New Comic

Friday, July 27, 2012

Q&Ages 25 & Up #29: July 2012

Previous Q&A

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.

 Previous Q&A

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

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!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

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:
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Monday, July 16, 2012

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.

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Monday, July 9, 2012

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?"
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Wednesday, July 4, 2012

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.

Click to see LIBERTY 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: Click to see 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!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

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