Before They Were Fab

I'm going over some popular strips before the focus was on retail.

I purposely started my comic without a theme. My reasoning was that I had tried many themes in the past and I wanted to do a comic that was just for me. Some people watch TV after work, some exercise, some read, and some unwind by making a goofy comic to entertain themselves (but that’s a mighty few “some”).

I would do all of those things. My routine was to draw while watching TV, take a break to walk my dog for two miles as I listened to an audiobook, then finish the comic and post it online. Somewhere in there I slept long enough to be semi-functional for my paying job.

And it worked. I’ve had more success by doing what pleased me than I ever did by trying to come up with something that I thought would please others.

I believe I thought of this one while I was washing dishes. There’s something meditative about washing dishes, and my mind was clamoring for something exciting to happen. I cleared my mind and cluttered it right back up again.

Sometimes I think of something incredibly silly and draw it anyway.

A lot of people liked this one, but there were a few who were offended. I think they were potheads.

Oh yeah. This one was VERY popular. A lot of couples get the baby question.

Penny was a founding member of this comic, but was never the main focus. When I wanted to write about retail, it naturally drifted to her because it was established that she worked in the bakery department at a big box store.

Penny was also constantly reading because I was constantly reading. I used to say that life got in the way of my book.

Berle got all of the crazy stuff. He says what I wish I could say. I came up with the name Berle Finley long before I drew the character. Sometimes a funny name is just a funny name, but Berle became a sort of a nom de plume and I eventually drew him to give him a face.

Ok, sure, this is a bit dark. But I still contend that if I was given a wish that could potentially change the world, it would be extremely hard not to be selfish. Which is why I would just become Superman. Yes, I would be saving the world with my Superman powers, but I would also selfishly give myself the powers of Superman. Win-win.

Penny is in a green apron, which is her work apron that I guess she smuggled home. Also, Penny does not have glasses. She got them when I had to start wearing them to drive. My characters suffer as I suffer.

This one was more bizarre than popular, but I include it because that was what I was going through. I worked a job where the pressure to participate in a group lottery ticket was pretty darn strong.

It was a small company. I asked the owner what he would do if everyone won and quit. He just laughed. I then told him about a couple of different companies where that happened. It was on the news. He laughed harder.

I wish I could say that everyone won millions of dollars and quit, but that never happened. He was statistically right to laugh.

If you’ve worked in an office between the two major holidays, it’s pretty surreal. Nothing is done. Nothing is expected to be done. You’re just there. I once worked in a library acquisitions department where we sat around like it was our house.

Meanwhile, retail workers want to die.

I think if you and your loved one are in agreement, you can have a better Valentine’s Day after Valentine’s Day.

This is me my entire adult life.

I’ll conclude with Claremont. I miss Claremont. Claremont was an early star of the strip. It’s been difficult to find a place for him recently.