BGBF #25 - Odd Couples

Computer viruses suck! Whoever creates them must have absolutely nothing to do --- and they suck, too!!! (And, not in a good way!) With that said --- my computer is virus free and I can finally get back to work on BGBF and my blogs. Yippeee! I completely surprised myself by cranking out pages of the newest issue of BGBF #25 - "Odd Couples." Not too long ago (and I go through this periodically), I got tired of doing this book. I got tired of drawing Neil's big, round head. I got tired of the panels. I just --- got tired of it. But, it was for all of the usual reasons: 1) it was a lot of work, 2) I didn't know if I was making a difference, 3) I didn't know if people were reading my FREE online stories, 4) or if they even cared and 5) because it was just SO SO SO SO much work. I wanted to do something new --- which is why I created "The Watchers." But, another story came along with other ideas and I realized again: it really is worth it. Especially, once I completed an issue. Now, if I could just work CONSISTENTLY.

I honestly thought I could eliminate one tedious step of my drawing process --- (WARNING: boring artist details to follow) --- by going from thumb nails and directly to inks. I normally sketch out a story in pencil, then line it in ink, then trace the pencils and then ink the pencils. (AND --- erase the pencils, scan it in, stack them, line them up, clean them up, add the grays and page numbers and --- that's it.) I didn't want to do the pencils anymore. But then, I sat down and patiently (for once, understanding that it would take awhile) started doing the pencils. I LOVED the way the pencil (4H or 5H for best results, a harder lead) just SLID across the paper. It was like a writer sitting down to type. I was back in love with my pencils and I was back in love with drawing. Here are a couple of thumbnails (mine are full sized, sketched quickly with a ballpoint pen. Yes, folks ---- a simple ball point pen!) from issue #25.

SYNOPSIS: Neil ends up with some unexpected and unannounced house guests during a time when he doesn't realize that his promising relationship with Jesus is in jeopardy because of his third party fling with Imu.