colored commentary

Whosawhatitz?!?

2010-03-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

So I'm somewhere on the western end of Maryland between west va and pa, traveling for my official 9-5 up in a Ruby Tuesdays browsing the ole iPhone and it dawns upon me, colored commentary hasn't been given the obligatory blog post in a minute.

So February was a strange month for me, blame it on the snow (all 60 inhes or so in December and January) or the alcohol or laziness but it was a tough one, late updates all four weeks?! Now March is here and so far it's gotten better with the update schedule but tardiness persist. Hopefully I'll shake this funk and get back in a groove. Til then it's late updates and nights with 8hours o sleep! Don't worry it'll get better. Thanks for reading. In the meantime, read more comics! Http://www.coloredcomics.com

That was Fast

2009-12-02T03:39:00.000-08:00

2010 is upon us, and before you know it, it'll be 2012 and we'll be like that movie starring John Cusack. I kid. But seriously the year's over. So as I update this infrequently updated blog, I'm thinking about the now, then and future.

The now is cool. In 2009 Colored Comics has changed. Boomerang is gone. And now Random Acts is feature, a comic that was once sporadically updated as a part of this blog. I've done a bit of advertising, which surprising is inexpensive but expensive at the same time. But when your saving for a wedding I guess that's true for a lot of things.

2009 has also ushered in the increased update schedule, which surprisingly is a lighter load, and easier to do. Think of it as if someone said to run 5 miles in a day or run 1 mile each day, which is easier? That's what updating 3 comics, 5 days a week, instead of 3 on 1 day has been like for me.

As for the image above, that is an allusion to plans to eventually collect all these comic strips from this site (at least the funny ones) and throw them in a book and hit the convention circuit (not really, just two cons, maybe three.) But there's a lot of planning 'til we get there and a whole lot of money to be saved. But I'm still excited about doing this, and the more I get to do updates or work on the site on days off, I realize how much more I want to dedicate to the site. But time and energy is limited, so I do what I can. In the meantime, read more comics!

Still Here

2009-11-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

In another installment of the sporadically updated colored commentary, since my last update I've made it a point to increase the update schedule in hopes to increase readership at Coloredcomics.com. After launching what was essentially a week long advertising blitz, readership had increased, now the ultimate goal is sustaining that readership. The journey continues.

Webcomics the final frontier!

Ante Up!

2009-10-13T20:04:00.000-07:00

Ads to coming to a webcomic near you!

It's been two years. Two years of 3 comic strips, albeit updated only once a week but without fail (with exceptions and a renovation in early 2009). That's approximately 312 comic strips. And all things said I think I've done pretty well. Three strips, became four strips. And four, went back to three. And one comic never debuted (anyone remember Coloredcomics Presents?) Admittedly there have been some growing pains, and I emphasize growing., but Coloredcomics.com has come a far way.

But enough reminiscing! Starting in November, The Super Senior, Toadyhog and Random Acts of Boredom will be update twice weekly. I still haven't settled on the update schedule, but at the very least there will be more comic goodness! Thanks for continued reading! Here's to another year and more!

Old Toadyhog art

2009-08-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

An old image from the hard drive. There was a bunch of files from Boomerang in its early stages and Super Senior as well that were corrupted and lost, but I've got the back up disc somewhere, but I know where the hard copies are.

Incomplete

2009-08-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

This week's comics will be a little late. And for the past few weeks I have admittedly been suffering from writers block or more like a creativity block. Nonetheless I think I'm starting to break through and will start to get some long overdue website things done in the next few weeks.

Coming up in the next few weeks is the end of year two and the beginning of year three. As we start year three I have been contemplating about dropping Boomerang or at least wrapping it up for a nice tiddy hiatus and shift my focus to more Toadyhog and Super Sr. with an increased update schedule.

Stay Tuned!

Adventures in Advertising

2009-08-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

So I've reached the point in my five year plan for ColoredComics.com to start advertising. A little ad button image, as seen above that I plugged into a few websites. It's still to early to really see the effects, but here's to hopeful thinking. I guess we'll also get to find out if my advertising degree is of any practical use to me!

Something Brewing

2009-08-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Since launching ColoredComics.com I've been talking about launching a Superhero comic. And to be honest it is a very time consuming venture, more so than doing a daily comic strip. But nonetheless I still try. Here goes some pencils and inks of someting I'm working on...

pencils...

inks...

Pencils

2009-07-21T21:08:00.001-07:00

Pencils, photographed with my beloved iphone.

Coloring

2009-07-15T20:12:00.001-07:00

Coloring the July 15, Boomerang.

Bad Idea Abandoned!

2009-06-17T17:38:00.000-07:00

I’m constantly critiquing my own work. After all you are your own worse critic. But I abandoned this strip after half-assing the art and realizing the punch line was too lame a payoff. So warts and all, here goes what could’ve been this weeks strip.

In other news I'm a little sick and this prescription is making me sleepy.

Lazy?

2009-06-09T22:12:00.000-07:00

Repeating images in comics is somewhat frowned up; it's considered bad form. Repeating images in comics is somewhat frowned up; it's considered bad form. Repeating images in comics is somewhat frowned up; it's considered bad form. Repeating images in comics is somewhat frowned up; it's considered bad form.

Yeah, so what! Now I do agree that repeating images is somewhat bad form, but it is definitely a time saver. So when you see it happen, like in this week's comics, just know I only do it out of necessity. What necessity, you say... sleep!

Derk doin' Work

2009-06-02T22:50:00.001-07:00

Found this going through the desktop, been meaning to post it for a while. I know I always like to see the workspace of cartoonist. Now just a lil' FYI my desk isn't that messy now--that was pre-move art table. Post-move art table is a lil, empty since I've been drawing on a portable drawing board more. But just a lil pic for the voyeurs.

Now there's always something new going on with ColoredComics.com, new ideas or new comics--like Random Acts. I've come to discover or at least I'm now more conscious of the fact I come up with ideas faster than I can produce them. As such, its best not to talk anything up too much until its close to finished. All that being said, I plan to finish up loose ends on the website by summer's end. Like the about pages, and character pages, and possibly debuting Colored Comics Presents (whoa, anybody remember that?) all being finished up.

Thanks again for continued readership (on the comic, not the blog, cuz well it's rarely updated so I doubt many of you read it)!

I'm a Twit!

2009-05-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

So I've succumbed to peer pressure and started a twitter account. I hate social networking sites, and I am social mind you, not a super extrovert, but not an introvert,but social networking sites have been an achilles heel for me. IMO, there are not that many interesting people, and as facebook and myspace have shown, a lot of people don't have jack to show for or talk about, ie. drunk/half-naked pics.

Now for me, I will find interesting things to talk about; honestly I think a twitter is more appropriate for my style of blogging than having a blog itself (see exhibit one this blog, which has been updated infrequently as of late). If you have twitter, come follow my account: colordcartUnist. That's pronounced colored cartoonist. See the play on words *rimshot*

Random Acts of Boredom...

2009-05-12T20:50:00.001-07:00

will no longer be featured on this blog, well not regularly at least. Hell I barely update this thing. But it's not for lack of caring, just lack of material worth sharing or ranting on, which is why I haven't bothered to twitter. But I will be moving Random Acts of boredom as a feature on Coloredcomics.com. Admittedly some of the comics posted to this blog under the random acts banner were humor failures, but it was in part because it was more for the exercise of experimenting with a non sequitur/"independent" style of humor comics. And that's not to say I'm abandoning the spirit of that, just not as far reaching.

Pretty Bad Week

2009-04-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

Well after several weeks of not updating this blog, I finally have something to blog about. Unfortunately its nothing really celebratory. In fact some may even consider it self-depracating, but cartoonist occassionally enjoy bemoaning their short comings and today, I vent.

So this week's The Super Senior (and all of the comics) had been posted late; and when I update late it really annoys me. Funny thing is when other people's website's are updated late it doesn't bother me so much, if at all--but the point is I was late. To compound matters, I did a rush job/bad job on the this week's comics. Sure I have ideas back logged just in case, for stretches of writer's block, but having ideas that can be easily drawn and colored, not so many. Now I can detail how I produce a comic, but to make a long story short, my personal schedule didn't allow for a full commitment to the drawing board for this week. And that sucks, because I pride myself on consistent updates (ignore the fact Toadyhog didn't get published for April 1).

So I forced an update. Crappy comics were made and crappy comics got published. And really the ideas are pretty solid, but execution is everything. I didn't get a chance to give any really thought to the ideas. And A once weekly update schedule doesnt't allow for bad weeks--that could be a lost potential reader! But live and learn right? After all there's always next week.

What to Say

2009-03-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

So the redesign is pretty much 75% complete...just late nite bloggin'. I really enjoy making comics.

Almost

2009-02-11T19:59:00.001-08:00

So we're almost back to regular updates. A few more tweaks and we are back in business. Stay tuned!!

Under Construction

2009-02-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

You ever meet someone who voluntarily dropped out of college and said, "yeah I'll come back, I'm just taking a break."
Well typically that break either turns into never or 20 years later. Well comics are kinda like that and well...WELL THAT"S NOT ME! Coloredcomics.com will get back to regular updates soon. I hate to give a date and miss it again, but it will be soon, and to be honest I will probably move forward with an "incomplete" redesign, instead of trying to be perfect on the first swing. So as visual proof above, I've been toiling away to bring you something better.

ThunderCats, Hooooooo!

2008-12-23T23:15:00.000-08:00

Funny and Clever. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Better late than Never

2008-12-17T21:42:00.001-08:00

Excuse me while I remove some dust from the blog...phew, its been a while. Sorry about this week's comics being late. But better late than never. Not to make excuses but sometimes rest is needed. I mean they were all drawn up, ideas in place, but coloring...damn coloring can take a while.
As for neglect to the blog, it is in part due to the fact that I prefer to give images along with my blog post. And what fun is it to swipe images just to get a blog post up. In addition to the aesthetic preference for the blog, I have been working on the redesign, that I hope to launch in January (but probably won't be able to (unless lots of sleep is sacrificed)).
But like all redesigns (or at least how all should be) this will be as much form as it is function. It will allow for a lot more seemless updating process and a more intuitive way for me to blog with the website. But enough talk, time for sleep!

Step Away from the Soapbox

2008-11-11T22:58:00.000-08:00

So the election's over, I will now properly remove myself from my soapbox. But you know, I can't say I'm sorry for my politically charged cartoons, some of them I really enjoyed but I have managed to make it through the election without once mentioning Palin (I mean that's too easy.) But y'know I can't help but have my characters be somewhat of an extension of a part of me. And so long as the characters expressions are reasonable to the character, what's the harm. So hate it or love it, so long as there's something I want to mention, it's gonna happen. But I'll try and keep it to a minimum...but not with this week's Boomerang!

Standing Ovation

2008-11-07T16:52:00.001-08:00

This is funny...

And the Winner is...

2008-11-04T23:57:00.000-08:00

Didn't anyone tell you 11/5/2008 is a national holiday* ? ;-)
But seriously no new comics this week due to a family emergency, but Obama Wins!!!!

:-)

2008-10-28T21:22:00.001-07:00

Now back to our regularly scheduled comic updates...

:-O

2008-10-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

No comics this week. I could give reasons, but they'd all just be excuses. See you back next week with new comics! In the mean time enjoy the archives!

It's a Celebration!

2008-10-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

So one year has come and gone. The Celtics are world Champions. Brett Farve is a Jet. Batman is the second largest grossing film in US box office history. Adam "Pacman" Jones is suspended, again. New York or Flavor Flav still haven't found love...never mind that last two. But yeah a lot has changed in a year's time and a lot of thing's haven't changed much. Every week for a year there's been an update to coloredcomics.com and weathered it all! Thanks for the continued readership and support!

Monopoly

2008-09-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

So I'm finishing up this week's Toadyhog, and guess what comes on tv? A McDonald's commercial, and guess what? They're promoting their Monopoly sweepstakes!--Just a little sidebar of coincidences I suppose-- How anyone can eat that much McDonald's just for a chance at money, is beyond me (that's like going on Fear Factor...think about it). But what really inspired this week's Toadyhog was all the talk of Congress' bailout plan.

Well in other news, I'm still building the new look for ColoredComics.com, learning .php implementation, using ComicPress and WordPress, or at least trying to learn it all. Foreign language to most I know, but I gotta blog about something. Read more comics!

Wil' Out Wednesday!

2008-09-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

Go read my comics! If you already read this week's, read last week's!

City Paper Comics Contest

2008-09-10T16:19:00.007-07:00

The Jerk

(see this comic in its 3-color, RGB glory!)

So I entered my City Paper's comics contest. Didn't win, no biggie. But they publish one of the entry's from me, the comic that was published being above. My beef is they left out the comic's title. Yes, I called it Random Acts of Boredom, which is the title of comics that I do in that non sequitur style of humor--and was the published title, but the subtitle was left out--The Jerk.

The important thing about the comic is that the title is as much a part of this comic as what the panels are. And the title, is essentially a part of the punch line. Without the title, the comic doesn't make sense. There is no context. It's just a random guy, making arbitrary remarks. Sure it's a little strange, which is the kind of comic City Paper goes for, but its not what I wanted to communicate. But something I've found with doing this webcomics thing for almost a year, is that all entertainment is subject to interpretation. Hopefully as printed, The Jerk is interpreted as funny.

A plus though--Free plug! Got the URL in the paper! So welcome any new readers!

Incomplete

2008-09-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

It's almost been a year. That's one comic each, Wednesday. A minimum of 156 comics. That'll be 52+ comics of Toadyhog, The Super Senior and Boomerang. And I acknowledge it to be the minor accomplishment it is. I could publish a small collection, call it the Good, Bad and Ugly: Colored Comics.com Year One. But for the long time readers and the astute who actually bother reading the home page and faqs page (probably the only two pages to gone unchanged since launch), the one comic that has never launch is Colored Comics Presents.

It was my plan to launch my Super-Hero webcomic. Update Bi-monthly with new characters every so often featured in short stories. Heavy on action, but still have a filling story, alas Marvel Team-Up or DC's Brave and the Bold or just a fun action comic.

And this is not to say that Colored Comics Presents, won't make it to the website. It's just I am acknowledging that it's still coming and not forgotten.

Saturday Special!

2008-08-22T23:26:00.000-07:00

Apologies for not getting the comics up on Friday. Happy Hour got in the way...it was some overdue chill time. But I come with a bonus Super Senior, Toadyhog and Boomerang, nonetheless. I am very pleased with strips outcome. There's not much I would change about these bonus strips, and that's rarely the case with some of my updates. Enjoy! More Vegas vacation pictures...

Once Again Back is the Incredible!

2008-08-19T20:51:00.001-07:00

Incredible is an overstatement but really the title is just a little reference to the hip hop astute readers. But hey I am back. It was a nice vacation, and I got pictures! The only thing that happens in Vegas and stays there is your money! Tips for travelers to the strip, #1 Drink lots of Water, #2 Everything is expensive...EVERYTHING #3 Blackjack is addictive #4 Blackjack is addictive #5 You don't talk about Fight Club (but you can type about it)

I had fun, it was nice refresher and like all vacations, it was/is hard to return to work. If you didn't visit last week check out last week's bonus Super Senior and look for bonus strips this Friday morning or evening... it depends on how Wednesday and Thursday goes.

And now I bid you adieu with vacation pics of the mountains that surround Vegas and a nice shot I got of the Bellagio's water show. I may post more vaca pics Friday too along with the bonus strips. Peace, love and hair grease!

Daaaaaammmmn!!!!!!

They really did just build a city in the middle of the desert.

Madden 09

2008-08-10T22:11:00.001-07:00

Like Brett Farve, I couldn't stay gone...but I technically never left (I guess neither did he) but-- I haven't left for vaca yet and decided to post up a bonus Super Senior. As for the Madden pic, well it will go on sale while I'm gone and it is also the topic of the bonus Super Senior. I wasn't able to finish any other bonus pre-vaca strips, so enjoy the one in the interim. This time I'm gone...for real...see you August 20!

Back in 15...

2008-08-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

Actually 14 days until the next website update. I'm going on vacation and well...I'm breaking from everything! But updates will resume with the website August 20th and bonus strips on August 22nd.

Poor Grammar

2008-07-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

So I went ahead and fixed some grammar issues brought to my attention in Super Senior. I recognize my spelling and grammar may be off at times and likely is off in this post---but an assist is always appreciated. Thanks.

Viva Las Vegas!

2008-07-29T22:41:00.000-07:00

Just to give the heads up, there may be no comic August 13th, or for that matter that week of August 10th. The reason being, I'm goin' on vacation... and well, I don't have any automated update system for the website...so I do the updating manually. So maybe no comics. Im thinking about maybe a double update for Monday (8/10) before I leave and then again Friday (8/15) when I get back. Stay tuned!

Random Acts of Boredom 7/16/08

2008-07-15T19:53:00.000-07:00

RANDOM ACTS OF BOREDOM
"The Hole to Nowhere"

No punch line really... not that most of Random Acts really try to have a punch line. Enjoy.

Nuts!

2008-07-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

So this week's Toadyhog was inspired by current events. A funny thing that was pointed ut to me, at the end of Jesse's comments he makes a jab motion with a grimmace. Classic.

Another Idea!

2008-07-09T17:50:00.001-07:00

So I've got this idea I'm working on...yeah I say that a lot--but like I said last time, over ambitious, with not enough time, not resources. So I had an idea before and an idea before that--but this one is different. Sure I've said it before, but to my credit I had actually did some pages for them...I just never posted them. And the black and white image will still see light (just not for a minute). But my idea is to back log a lot of these comic book style ideas, so that way when I do upload them. They'll be just as reliable as the dailies when it comes to updates.

But as far as this image goes, its far from complete and needs a lot of tweaking in terms of composition and needs to be cleaned up and colored but I like to show what I'm up to. And as for the title...well I felt like doing a comic about a caveman kicking the sh!t out of dinosaurs.

And have I said thanks lately? Thanks for the continued support.

My Thought Balloon -7/9/08 (Boring Edition)

2008-07-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

So I was in a slump the past few weeks, a creative slump that is. Sure I was putting up new comics--but thats more a result of getting used to the characters, but as far as ideas coming naturally or drawing for the heck of it...it just wasn't happenin'. So the long weekend helped.

There are still a lot of things I want to do as far as the website and this blog. Not to bore anyone with the technical details but I want to redesign the whole thing--I've got a new layout and all. The plan being to go to a daily format to coincide with the update. And as far as talk of doing animation, still a thought, that is gonna happen but not for a while. All in all, I'm a little over ambitious with limited time not resources. And of course there's the constant terror threat to cartoonist everywhere, the worse nation on this planet... Procrasti-nation! (badadum bum!)
Puns aside still working at this, coming up on a year (with no plans of stopping), which will be here before you know it!

Random Acts of Boredom 7/9/08

2008-07-08T20:34:00.000-07:00

RANDOM ACTS OF BOREDOM by Derrick Johnson
"Close Shave"

A story about a Webcomic

2008-06-24T21:18:00.000-07:00

So every week I have my little schedule for getting this website up on time. Wednesday's are updates, Thursdays are for rest, Fridays socialize, Saturday Night brainstorming, Sundays Pencils and inks laid down, Mondays color, Tuesdays lettering, Wednesday updates. Its a beautiful system. Problem is it doesn't always go that way. In fact like the last two, three weeks it hasn't. It's been more like, Monday night cramming to get it all done by Wednesday; Wednesday updates, Thursdays catching up on sleep deprivation from Sunday until Wednesday.

This week was interesting because the internet decided to die at my house. I think it got sick from salomenlla (did I spell that right?). In fact some due diligence got me to kinko's and I plunked down $4 to maintain a consitent schedule. Enjoy.

My Thought Balloon

2008-06-17T21:20:00.001-07:00

So I'm blogging here, thinking about what to write. Usually I don't like posting blog updates without some kind of visual to go with it--why? Because I'm a visual person and I always think things look better with pictures. I wouldn't say its a lack of ideas that keeps me from blogging regularly, but probably procrastination. Remember how your mom would say don't procrastinate? Well... it's a bad habit that is still here in adulthood. I guess I was meant to be a cartoonist. It's 12am and I need sleep. I wish I could do this website deal as a full-time job.

Sketchbook

2008-06-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

Just an image from the ole' sketchbook. I like the Frank Miller Batman of Dark Knight Returns--the surly, hulking, mean sob Batman.I guess that's what I was thinking of when I did this. I like the rough more though.

A softer, kinder comic strip...kinda

2008-05-27T20:35:00.001-07:00

So after finishing up this week's comic strip for Toadyhog I was reading over the strip and had a kind of moment of clarity so to speak. I mean I thought it was still funny, but a little dark. Something I'm always doing with Toadyhog is walking the line of crude, but cute Toadyhog vs mean, evil Toadyhog. This week's strip kinda straddled on the side of the latter. So I had saved a less funnier but slightly gentler version of this week's Toadyhog...

So the lesson is, animal cruelty=bad, cat ladies=funny, over thinking a joke=very bad.

Random Acts of Boredom 5/21/08

2008-05-20T23:09:00.000-07:00

RANDOM ACTS OF BOREDOM by Derrick Johnson
"Super-Pets"

*No animals were harmed in the making of this comic

Another random act, I think this is my 6th or 7th one. If you're not familiar, random acts of boredom, it is the result of dead time and blank paper, usually occurring at work during dry spells. Though humor is always the goal, a lot of them are just kind of for my own amusement. Enjoy.

Fixed It

2008-05-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

Toadyhog is now up, turns out I did update it, creating an archive page, but the main page for toadyhog wasn't updated (duh). So in the future if you don't see the post just click next twice. Because odds are the comic is done I probably just didn't upload it correctly. And that's why your teachers say always check your work!

Sorry

2008-05-14T05:04:00.001-07:00

Just checking the webpage at work and realized I didn't upload Toadyhog. And I typically check after I load them but my mind was elsewhere. It sucks, because it was my favorite of this week. Check back around 6ish in the PM. I'll have it by then. Sorry.

Random Sketches

2008-05-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

Been busy, and haven't had the chance to focus on the website in its entirety like I'd like. But you get lemons...make lemonade. Here are some scans of the ole' sketchbook.

Well...

2008-04-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

Well I've been very busy this past weekend in getting a new car and handling other matters, as well as taking time to work on a commissioned logo-- And all though this week's Super Senior suggest that I've been playing GTA, truth is, it's still in the wrapper. Its been hectic this past week.

Random Acts of Boredom 4/23/08

2008-04-22T22:58:00.000-07:00

RANDOM ACTS OF BOREDOM by Derrick Johnson
"Transformers"

So this past weekend I get blind-sided by some driver. Fortunately I'm still living; I'm not paralyzed and my drawing hand wasn't harmed so I get a few days off work for bed rest, and I still managed to get the comics up on time. The whole episode is upsetting given the fact my car will likely be totaled and some nagging soreness/injuries and...well it is upsetting--at least I wasn't at fault and got witnesses! But hey I got a random idea from the situation--and for the record no this was not an actual conversation...besides...I was hit by a Ford Focus (which is a bit ironic) and it would be lame to turn into a Ford Focus Transformer, then again if it were an 18-wheeler that hit me that'd be a mess! Does any of this rambling make sense? Maybe I took too much oxycodone?

What More Can I Say?

2008-04-15T21:05:00.001-07:00

A lot actually, but just not a lot today. Thinking about some format changes to the website, like introducing a fourth comic, and going from all three updated on Wednesday to one comic a day being updated Monday thru Thursday. I already drew up two of the comics for what could become the fourth comic. Imma a little undecided still. The funny thing about this website, and I guess its a good parallel to how life is, is I intended to do just a superhero comic, with the dailies to supplement it, to keep viewers coming between the main events updates. But as time goes on, doing a daily comic works easy for me, maybe because its drawing on a smaller scale, and maybe I just have the hang up of wanting to create "the perfect comic"-- (perfect in the sense that its drawn and worded perfectly to my liking.) Another funny thing, I would've never dreamed of doing webcomics, but here we are...life. Did I say I didn't have a lot to talk about today? See what I mean...life!

This $#!* is Hard!

2008-04-08T19:49:00.001-07:00

Uncle Sam wants his money, like a ruthless pimp wants money from his... well you get the point. I, like all of you, must pay taxes, and like all things procrastinated, ultimately we're held accountable, and given the 15th is creepin' and I want my "stimulus package"--which like my refund, is my damn money anyway--had to take time to finish up the taxes. I feel like I kind of neglected the website this week but I keep reminding myself its a marathon, not a race. And after all this is a learning process, and maybe I'm just beating myself up and this blog is something of an open journal to my paranoia... is that insomnia typing now?So I hope your pleased with this week's offering. A little eye candy for the blog, its an image of a comic I'm working on called the Black Super Mario. No not really, but its something I'm working on.

The Drum Major Instinct by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2008-04-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

This past week commemorated the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Its a day that happens every year, but given it was the 40th anniversary, there extra attention paid to the occasion. During the course of the week there were many specials and articles written about the moment, and in passing, I having read and watched some of the coverage, helped me further appreciated the accomplishments of Dr. King.

I always feel the elementary education of Dr. King's passing is insufficient and is simply just a "happy" tale of history--and that is not to say Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement is not inspiring, but it is to say that there a many more layers to the significance to that moment in history. I always tell people that for as much as some try to make Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement "just a black thing," I challenge them to recognize how pivotal civil rights is to all minorities--which includes women (FYI, throughout American history, woman's suffrage piggy-backed on Civil Rights) . There's a generational failure, across the board, to recognize the significance of our history.

Now let me get off my soapbox in a minute. But I present to you a speech that was brought to my attention, and after reading it, I realized that this was the most transcendent speech of American History. So please read and read it all, it will be the best thing you read today.

The Drum Major Instinct
by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This morning I would like to use as a subject from which to preach: "The Drum Major Instinct." "The Drum Major Instinct." And our text for the morning is taken from a very familiar passage in the tenth chapter as recorded by Saint Mark. Beginning with the thirty-fifth verse of that chapter, we read these words: "And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came unto him saying, ‘Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.’ And he said unto them, ‘What would ye that I should do for you?’ And they said unto him, ‘Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.’ But Jesus said unto them, ‘Ye know not what ye ask: Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ And they said unto him, ‘We can.’ And Jesus said unto them, ‘Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.’" And then Jesus goes on toward the end of that passage to say, "But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all."

The setting is clear. James and John are making a specific request of the master. They had dreamed, as most of the Hebrews dreamed, of a coming king of Israel who would set Jerusalem free and establish his kingdom on Mount Zion, and in righteousness rule the world. And they thought of Jesus as this kind of king. And they were thinking of that day when Jesus would reign supreme as this new king of Israel. And they were saying, "Now when you establish your kingdom, let one of us sit on the right hand and the other on the left hand of your throne."

Now very quickly, we would automatically condemn James and John, and we would say they were selfish. Why would they make such a selfish request? But before we condemn them too quickly, let us look calmly and honestly at ourselves, and we will discover that we too have those same basic desires for recognition, for importance. That same desire for attention, that same desire to be first. Of course, the other disciples got mad with James and John, and you could understand why, but we must understand that we have some of the same James and John qualities. And there is deep down within all of us an instinct. It's a kind of drum major instinct—a desire to be out front, a desire to lead the parade, a desire to be first. And it is something that runs the whole gamut of life.

And so before we condemn them, let us see that we all have the drum major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. Alfred Adler, the great psychoanalyst, contends that this is the dominant impulse. Sigmund Freud used to contend that sex was the dominant impulse, and Adler came with a new argument saying that this quest for recognition, this desire for attention, this desire for distinction is the basic impulse, the basic drive of human life, this drum major instinct.

And you know, we begin early to ask life to put us first. Our first cry as a baby was a bid for attention. And all through childhood the drum major impulse or instinct is a major obsession. Children ask life to grant them first place. They are a little bundle of ego. And they have innately the drum major impulse or the drum major instinct.

Now in adult life, we still have it, and we really never get by it. We like to do something good. And you know, we like to be praised for it. Now if you don't believe that, you just go on living life, and you will discover very soon that you like to be praised. Everybody likes it, as a matter of fact. And somehow this warm glow we feel when we are praised or when our name is in print is something of the vitamin A to our ego. Nobody is unhappy when they are praised, even if they know they don't deserve it and even if they don't believe it. The only unhappy people about praise is when that praise is going too much toward somebody else. (That’s right) But everybody likes to be praised because of this real drum major instinct.

Now the presence of the drum major instinct is why so many people are "joiners." You know, there are some people who just join everything. And it's really a quest for attention and recognition and importance. And they get names that give them that impression. So you get your groups, and they become the "Grand Patron," and the little fellow who is henpecked at home needs a chance to be the "Most Worthy of the Most Worthy" of something. It is the drum major impulse and longing that runs the gamut of human life. And so we see it everywhere, this quest for recognition. And we join things, overjoin really, that we think that we will find that recognition in.

Now the presence of this instinct explains why we are so often taken by advertisers. You know, those gentlemen of massive verbal persuasion. And they have a way of saying things to you that kind of gets you into buying. In order to be a man of distinction, you must drink this whiskey. In order to make your neighbors envious, you must drive this type of car. (Make it plain) In order to be lovely to love you must wear this kind of lipstick or this kind of perfume. And you know, before you know it, you're just buying that stuff. (Yes) That's the way the advertisers do it.

I got a letter the other day, and it was a new magazine coming out. And it opened up, "Dear Dr. King: As you know, you are on many mailing lists. And you are categorized as highly intelligent, progressive, a lover of the arts and the sciences, and I know you will want to read what I have to say." Of course I did. After you said all of that and explained me so exactly, of course I wanted to read it. [laughter]

But very seriously, it goes through life; the drum major instinct is real. (Yes) And you know what else it causes to happen? It often causes us to live above our means. (Make it plain) It's nothing but the drum major instinct. Do you ever see people buy cars that they can't even begin to buy in terms of their income? (Amen) [laughter] You've seen people riding around in Cadillacs and Chryslers who don't earn enough to have a good T-Model Ford. (Make it plain) But it feeds a repressed ego.

You know, economists tell us that your automobile should not cost more than half of your annual income. So if you make an income of five thousand dollars, your car shouldn't cost more than about twenty-five hundred. That's just good economics. And if it's a family of two, and both members of the family make ten thousand dollars, they would have to make out with one car. That would be good economics, although it's often inconvenient. But so often, haven't you seen people making five thousand dollars a year and driving a car that costs six thousand? And they wonder why their ends never meet. [laughter] That's a fact.

Now the economists also say that your house shouldn't cost—if you're buying a house, it shouldn't cost more than twice your income. That's based on the economy and how you would make ends meet. So, if you have an income of five thousand dollars, it's kind of difficult in this society. But say it's a family with an income of ten thousand dollars, the house shouldn't cost much more than twenty thousand. Well, I've seen folk making ten thousand dollars, living in a forty- and fifty-thousand-dollar house. And you know they just barely make it. They get a check every month somewhere, and they owe all of that out before it comes in. Never have anything to put away for rainy days.

But now the problem is, it is the drum major instinct. And you know, you see people over and over again with the drum major instinct taking them over. And they just live their lives trying to outdo the Joneses. (Amen) They got to get this coat because this particular coat is a little better and a little better-looking than Mary's coat. And I got to drive this car because it's something about this car that makes my car a little better than my neighbor's car. (Amen) I know a man who used to live in a thirty-five-thousand-dollar house. And other people started building thirty-five-thousand-dollar houses, so he built a seventy-five-thousand-dollar house. And then somebody else built a seventy-five-thousand-dollar house, and he built a hundred-thousand-dollar house. And I don't know where he's going to end up if he's going to live his life trying to keep up with the Joneses.

There comes a time that the drum major instinct can become destructive. (Make it plain) And that's where I want to move now. I want to move to the point of saying that if this instinct is not harnessed, it becomes a very dangerous, pernicious instinct. For instance, if it isn’t harnessed, it causes one's personality to become distorted. I guess that's the most damaging aspect of it: what it does to the personality. If it isn't harnessed, you will end up day in and day out trying to deal with your ego problem by boasting. Have you ever heard people that—you know, and I'm sure you've met them—that really become sickening because they just sit up all the time talking about themselves. (Amen) And they just boast and boast and boast, and that's the person who has not harnessed the drum major instinct.

And then it does other things to the personality. It causes you to lie about who you know sometimes. (Amen, Make it plain) There are some people who are influence peddlers. And in their attempt to deal with the drum major instinct, they have to try to identify with the so-called big-name people. (Yeah, Make it plain) And if you're not careful, they will make you think they know somebody that they don't really know. (Amen) They know them well, they sip tea with them, and they this-and-that. That happens to people.

And the other thing is that it causes one to engage ultimately in activities that are merely used to get attention. Criminologists tell us that some people are driven to crime because of this drum major instinct. They don't feel that they are getting enough attention through the normal channels of social behavior, and so they turn to anti-social behavior in order to get attention, in order to feel important. (Yeah) And so they get that gun, and before they know it they robbed a bank in a quest for recognition, in a quest for importance.

And then the final great tragedy of the distorted personality is the fact that when one fails to harness this instinct, (Glory to God) he ends up trying to push others down in order to push himself up. (Amen) And whenever you do that, you engage in some of the most vicious activities. You will spread evil, vicious, lying gossip on people, because you are trying to pull them down in order to push yourself up. (Make it plain) And the great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.

Now the other problem is, when you don't harness the drum major instinct—this uncontrolled aspect of it—is that it leads to snobbish exclusivism. It leads to snobbish exclusivism. (Make it plain) And you know, this is the danger of social clubs and fraternities—I'm in a fraternity; I'm in two or three—for sororities and all of these, I'm not talking against them. I'm saying it's the danger. The danger is that they can become forces of classism and exclusivism where somehow you get a degree of satisfaction because you are in something exclusive. And that's fulfilling something, you know—that I'm in this fraternity, and it's the best fraternity in the world, and everybody can't get in this fraternity. So it ends up, you know, a very exclusive kind of thing.

And you know, that can happen with the church; I know churches get in that bind sometimes. (Amen, Make it plain) I've been to churches, you know, and they say, "We have so many doctors, and so many school teachers, and so many lawyers, and so many businessmen in our church." And that's fine, because doctors need to go to church, and lawyers, and businessmen, teachers—they ought to be in church. But they say that—even the preacher sometimes will go all through that—they say that as if the other people don't count. (Amen)

And the church is the one place where a doctor ought to forget that he's a doctor. The church is the one place where a Ph.D. ought to forget that he's a Ph.D. (Yes) The church is the one place that the school teacher ought to forget the degree she has behind her name. The church is the one place where the lawyer ought to forget that he's a lawyer. And any church that violates the "whosoever will, let him come" doctrine is a dead, cold church, (Yes) and nothing but a little social club with a thin veneer of religiosity.

When the church is true to its nature, (Whoo) it says, "Whosoever will, let him come." (Yes) And it does not supposed to satisfy the perverted uses of the drum major instinct. It's the one place where everybody should be the same, standing before a common master and savior. (Yes, sir) And a recognition grows out of this—that all men are brothers because they are children (Yes) of a common father.

The drum major instinct can lead to exclusivism in one's thinking and can lead one to feel that because he has some training, he's a little better than that person who doesn't have it. Or because he has some economic security, that he's a little better than that person who doesn't have it. And that's the uncontrolled, perverted use of the drum major instinct.

Now the other thing is, that it leads to tragic—and we've seen it happen so often—tragic race prejudice. Many who have written about this problem—Lillian Smith used to say it beautifully in some of her books. And she would say it to the point of getting men and women to see the source of the problem. Do you know that a lot of the race problem grows out of the drum major instinct? A need that some people have to feel superior. A need that some people have to feel that they are first, and to feel that their white skin ordained them to be first. (Make it plain, today, ‘cause I’m against it, so help me God) And they have said over and over again in ways that we see with our own eyes. In fact, not too long ago, a man down in Mississippi said that God was a charter member of the White Citizens Council. And so God being the charter member means that everybody who's in that has a kind of divinity, a kind of superiority. And think of what has happened in history as a result of this perverted use of the drum major instinct. It has led to the most tragic prejudice, the most tragic expressions of man's inhumanity to man.

The other day I was saying, I always try to do a little converting when I'm in jail. And when we were in jail in Birmingham the other day, the white wardens and all enjoyed coming around the cell to talk about the race problem. And they were showing us where we were so wrong demonstrating. And they were showing us where segregation was so right. And they were showing us where intermarriage was so wrong. So I would get to preaching, and we would get to talking—calmly, because they wanted to talk about it. And then we got down one day to the point—that was the second or third day—to talk about where they lived, and how much they were earning. And when those brothers told me what they were earning, I said, "Now, you know what? You ought to be marching with us. [laughter] You're just as poor as Negroes." And I said, "You are put in the position of supporting your oppressor, because through prejudice and blindness, you fail to see that the same forces that oppress Negroes in American society oppress poor white people. (Yes) And all you are living on is the satisfaction of your skin being white, and the drum major instinct of thinking that you are somebody big because you are white. And you're so poor you can't send your children to school. You ought to be out here marching with every one of us every time we have a march."

Now that's a fact. That the poor white has been put into this position, where through blindness and prejudice, (Make it plain) he is forced to support his oppressors. And the only thing he has going for him is the false feeling that he’s superior because his skin is white—and can't hardly eat and make his ends meet week in and week out. (Amen)

And not only does this thing go into the racial struggle, it goes into the struggle between nations. And I would submit to you this morning that what is wrong in the world today is that the nations of the world are engaged in a bitter, colossal contest for supremacy. And if something doesn't happen to stop this trend, I'm sorely afraid that we won't be here to talk about Jesus Christ and about God and about brotherhood too many more years. (Yeah) If somebody doesn't bring an end to this suicidal thrust that we see in the world today, none of us are going to be around, because somebody's going to make the mistake through our senseless blunderings of dropping a nuclear bomb somewhere. And then another one is going to drop. And don't let anybody fool you, this can happen within a matter of seconds. (Amen) They have twenty-megaton bombs in Russia right now that can destroy a city as big as New York in three seconds, with everybody wiped away, and every building. And we can do the same thing to Russia and China.

But this is why we are drifting. And we are drifting there because nations are caught up with the drum major instinct. "I must be first." "I must be supreme." "Our nation must rule the world." (Preach it) And I am sad to say that the nation in which we live is the supreme culprit. And I'm going to continue to say it to America, because I love this country too much to see the drift that it has taken.

God didn't call America to do what she's doing in the world now. (Preach it, preach it) God didn't call America to engage in a senseless, unjust war as the war in Vietnam. And we are criminals in that war. We’ve committed more war crimes almost than any nation in the world, and I'm going to continue to say it. And we won't stop it because of our pride and our arrogance as a nation.

But God has a way of even putting nations in their place. (Amen) The God that I worship has a way of saying, "Don't play with me." (Yes) He has a way of saying, as the God of the Old Testament used to say to the Hebrews, "Don’t play with me, Israel. Don't play with me, Babylon. (Yes) Be still and know that I'm God. And if you don't stop your reckless course, I'll rise up and break the backbone of your power." (Yes) And that can happen to America. (Yes) Every now and then I go back and read Gibbons' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. And when I come and look at America, I say to myself, the parallels are frightening. And we have perverted the drum major instinct.

But let me rush on to my conclusion, because I want you to see what Jesus was really saying. What was the answer that Jesus gave these men? It's very interesting. One would have thought that Jesus would have condemned them. One would have thought that Jesus would have said, "You are out of your place. You are selfish. Why would you raise such a question?"

But that isn't what Jesus did; he did something altogether different. He said in substance, "Oh, I see, you want to be first. You want to be great. You want to be important. You want to be significant. Well, you ought to be. If you're going to be my disciple, you must be." But he reordered priorities. And he said, "Yes, don't give up this instinct. It's a good instinct if you use it right. (Yes) It's a good instinct if you don't distort it and pervert it. Don't give it up. Keep feeling the need for being important. Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be first in love. (Amen) I want you to be first in moral excellence. I want you to be first in generosity. That is what I want you to do."

And he transformed the situation by giving a new definition of greatness. And you know how he said it? He said, "Now brethren, I can't give you greatness. And really, I can't make you first." This is what Jesus said to James and John. "You must earn it. True greatness comes not by favoritism, but by fitness. And the right hand and the left are not mine to give, they belong to those who are prepared." (Amen)

And so Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. (Amen) That's a new definition of greatness.

And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, (Everybody) because everybody can serve. (Amen) You don't have to have a college degree to serve. (All right) You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. (Amen) You only need a heart full of grace, (Yes, sir, Amen) a soul generated by love. (Yes) And you can be that servant.

I know a man—and I just want to talk about him a minute, and maybe you will discover who I'm talking about as I go down the way (Yeah) because he was a great one. And he just went about serving. He was born in an obscure village, (Yes, sir) the child of a poor peasant woman. And then he grew up in still another obscure village, where he worked as a carpenter until he was thirty years old. (Amen) Then for three years, he just got on his feet, and he was an itinerant preacher. And he went about doing some things. He didn't have much. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. (Yes) He never owned a house. He never went to college. He never visited a big city. He never went two hundred miles from where he was born. He did none of the usual things that the world would associate with greatness. He had no credentials but himself.

He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. They called him a rabble-rouser. They called him a troublemaker. They said he was an agitator. (Glory to God) He practiced civil disobedience; he broke injunctions. And so he was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. And the irony of it all is that his friends turned him over to them. (Amen) One of his closest friends denied him. Another of his friends turned him over to his enemies. And while he was dying, the people who killed him gambled for his clothing, the only possession that he had in the world. (Lord help him) When he was dead he was buried in a borrowed tomb, through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen centuries have come and gone and today he stands as the most influential figure that ever entered human history. All of the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned put together (Yes) have not affected the life of man on this earth (Amen) as much as that one solitary life. His name may be a familiar one. (Jesus) But today I can hear them talking about him. Every now and then somebody says, "He's King of Kings." (Yes) And again I can hear somebody saying, "He's Lord of Lords." Somewhere else I can hear somebody saying, "In Christ there is no East nor West." (Yes) And then they go on and talk about, "In Him there's no North and South, but one great Fellowship of Love throughout the whole wide world." He didn't have anything. (Amen) He just went around serving and doing good.

This morning, you can be on his right hand and his left hand if you serve. (Amen) It's the only way in.

Every now and then I guess we all think realistically (Yes, sir) about that day when we will be victimized with what is life's final common denominator—that something that we call death. We all think about it. And every now and then I think about my own death and I think about my own funeral. And I don't think of it in a morbid sense. And every now and then I ask myself, "What is it that I would want said?" And I leave the word to you this morning.

If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. (Yes) And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school. (Yes)

I'd like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. (Yes)

I'd like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.

I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. (Amen)

I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. (Yes)

And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. (Yes)

I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. (Lord)

I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity. (Yes)

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. (Amen) Say that I was a drum major for peace. (Yes) I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. (Yes) I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. (Amen) And that's all I want to say.

If I can help somebody as I pass along,

If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,

If I can show somebody he's traveling wrong,

Then my living will not be in vain.

If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,

If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,

If I can spread the message as the master taught,

Then my living will not be in vain.

Yes, Jesus, I want to be on your right or your left side, (Yes) not for any selfish reason. I want to be on your right or your left side, not in terms of some political kingdom or ambition. But I just want to be there in love and in justice and in truth and in commitment to others, so that we can make of this old world a new world.

Slooowww-Mooo

2008-04-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

My internet connection is buggin' out. So no blog posts today, resilience alone afforded the webpage to be updated on time, but uploading images for the moment...painful. Check back in 36-72 hours for a new blog posts, in the interim enjoy your colored comics!

Wall Flower

2008-03-29T20:54:00.001-07:00

the product of a lazy saturday.

Didn't Make the Cut

2008-03-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

Here goes a Super Senior comic that was all drawn up and colored, but when it was all said and done, I didn't like it. What was lost in the comic was the pacing. I think there should've been a pause before the last panel. I also felt kind of guilty because I had published a similar Super Senior, while in college. So why am I posting this now? Because maybe some of you will like it and well...the blog needs some updates too. Enjoy.

Oops, Pow, Surprise!

2008-03-25T20:34:00.001-07:00

Don't you just love comic graphics!

Well we're 6 months in to ColoredComics.com. I know I'm always saying thank you to you readers, but thanks! Just because its free doesn't mean you have to read it, so thanks for continued readership.

Now that I am a little further along, I can really look back and take a good inventory of what's been done. There some comics I've done that I love and to be honest, some I don't like (at least they were funny at the moment of creation). But understand there's a process to finding a rhythm and voice for your characters. There are a few post that I feel have a crude look to them, but again its a matter of finding a rhytm (just remember how The Simpsons looked in the beginning)!
There's been storylines that would have worked best if told in a daily format vs. weekly, but hey thats the fun in experimenting. I'm having fun and hoping to make a few of you laugh too.

Hopefully I keep having fun and you all keep reading. Look for either some random acts of boredom posted this weekend and or some bonus Super Senior and/or Toadyhog.

Random Acts of Boredom 3/21/08

2008-03-20T22:31:00.001-07:00

RANDOM ACTS OF BOREDOM by Derrick Johnson
"Bat-Condoms"

Colored Comics Animated!

2008-03-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

I would normally draw him like THIS.

No it's not really animated. It's just an animated style, in the style of Bruce Timm. Bruce Timm--the godfather of modern animation (in my opinion), the man created the look for Batman: The Animated Series, which in turn spawned numerous other television series, that emulated the art of Timm.

In other news, there was post a while back that was something of a premature announcement of "Big plans for 2008" and I believe I even said "definitely by spring" that some of the changes would be evident. But I'm not a liar, just a cartoonist...(which means I can announce plans that are delayed by several months) *rim shot*

But there are plans still to put together a little animated piece for the website (so the title isn't a total fake out), as well as ultimately launching Colored Comics Presents. In fact, in regards to Presents, there is completed art (5 pages so far) and a coherent, good story (compared to what I was doing---which I'll consider was an improv comic, but that was no way to start a webcomic, thus the reason it was axed). The only hitch to putting up Presents in the near future, is because I'm so pleased with its turnout I think I'll submit it for publication for the good ole' floppy book format!

So thanks for coming around again, only reason the blog hasn't been updated as of late was there was nothing to talk about and no sense in making up a bunch of filler--like Miller Lite, Colored Commentary is great commentary, less filler. Look for a Random Act of Boredom later this week!

Thanks!

2008-02-26T22:19:00.000-08:00

Also on a more serious note, thanks for continued readership of the website! You all have been great. Readership has kind of leveled off this month but there is still a sizeable number of you, so thanks again!

What If? Comic Strip

2008-02-26T21:58:00.000-08:00

What if I had stayed in bed instead of getting up to reword the comic? What if I had actually scripted the entire comic strip's idea before lettering? What if nobody reads this? Well if you are...thanks...but I digress.

Read this week's Boomerang? If you did, the comic above is how I worded the comic originally and had even posted it for a few hours. But even in posting the comic I knew something didn't flow right. Upon having a critique and a moment of clarity while laying in bed, with a headache and upset stomach, I realized I just had too many words in the comic! I had written too much! Just as I have now--I've gotta stop telling you all my dirty little secrets!

Something Old into Something New

2008-02-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

(sorry its so small, actually I couldn't find it on my hard drive as noted below, so I ripped it from my old blog)

I didn't need 1.21 jiggawatts to bring this diddy from the past, but I did have to comb my hard drive for it. If you notice this is basically the same joke used for this week's Boomerang. This originally ran in Towson University's Towerlight, the April 27, 2006 edition. Black and white. Old School.

Looking at this comic makes me realize how crude my art was, (and I'm pretty sure still is in some regards.) So why am I showing this to you? Well I thought it was really funny then, and still funny now, what can I say. This week's Toadyhog may seem familiar as well, well it is the same image, and same gist of the Thanksgiving Toadyhog, but I was going for more of a reoccuring joke, of Nicole giving ultra militant class presentations.

Musicians recycle music all the time, so just think of this week's comic as, a re-mastered remix.

Obama in '08!

2008-02-12T19:55:00.001-08:00

Now don't take this week's Boomerang as me slighting Obama's message for hope--far from it, in fact I saw him speak this past Monday here in Baltimore--giving standing ovations and all. He is the only candidate of anything--ever, that I have been this excited about. It has even renewed my interest in national politics. And yes the fact that he is an African American candidate attracts him to me, but his race is not everything, and you know how, because I would never, ever, ever,ever vote for Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton (you just can't trust a man with a perm (unless W were able to run again.))

But I stray from my purpose. All in all, tough week for me, little... very little rest (in fact I apologize for this political rant being so inarticulate), and some of the comics this week are some what last minute ideas, but I hope you enjoyed them. Hopefully with this President's day weekend break I'll be able to gather myself. Hope to get up another post Friday-- a comic related post! Read more comics!

Black Cartoonist Unite

2008-02-10T07:38:00.000-08:00

I initially read about this in Newsweek, two weeks ago, and now the revolultion has begun!

(stolen artwork above, hence the watermark--but I like pictures with my words.)

So today, February 10th, a number of professional, nationally syndicated, cartoonist unite to show their dissatisfaction with the current climate of the comics page. Obviously I am not one of them (I'm not nationally syndicated in any newspaper) but I understand their intent.
Now understand this is not some affirmative action protest. It is simply a protest of the way "black" cartoons are perceived. The perception being, that all "black" cartoons are compared to each other, rather than judged off of their content. As a result of this glance over judgement of their comics, some of the cartoonist find that their work is bumped from a comic page, in favor for another "black cartoon."
Think of it like this, remember when The Bernie Mac Show was placed against Damon Wayans' My Wife and Kids in the same time slot. The beef many African Americans had, was that, [African Americans] presence on television was/is so slim and diverse, why pit two of the more successful shows against each other. --Its the same argument with the comic page, only the talent gets paid a lot less!
I'm not a journalist, and this blog isn't an op-ed piece, so if you're interested in a more informative take, go here.

Random Acts of Boredom 2/10/2008

2008-02-09T22:57:00.000-08:00

RANDOM ACTS OF BOREDOM by Derrick Johnson
"The Jerk"

Procrastination

2008-02-05T21:37:00.000-08:00

Procrastination, it is more than a verb, it is a way of life. Nothing on the blog for the moment. More comments coming later in the week, along with another Random Act of Boredom.

Random Acts of Boredom 1/30/2008

2008-01-29T21:18:00.000-08:00

RANDOM ACTS OF BOREDOM by Derrick Johnson
"Ted the Office Zombie"

Another comic in series of non sequitur humor. And check this out 5 comics in one week, on one day!

Bonus Comic Week!

2008-01-29T21:14:00.000-08:00

So I felt bad about the Toadyhog comic last week...I didn't think it was that funny after it was posted. And well when I come up with these ideas, sometimes there within the context of a storyline, so basically one comic setups the other and to abandon a joke would ruin the setup as well. Problem this week when I came to follow up on the idea, I didn't find the follow up that funny either. Now I'll be the first to admit its quality not quantity--but you get what you pay for too!---No, I'm joking. But really I was unhappy with the comic, but because comedy is subjective and some people may still find them humorous I went ahead and put up two comics for Toadyhog this week. Enjoy.

TTTotally Dude!

2008-01-25T22:53:00.000-08:00

Social weekend...at least Friday. No time to put up a (Random Act of Boredom) comic--yet, but there will be one forthcoming this weekend, depending on how Saturday goes (errand vs. sleep vs. hanging out). But I'm thinking it can be done. But enjoy the drawing, its a quick scribble done on scrap paper, with a blue ink pen, and then scanned and darkened in Photoshop. To be honest I liked how the original looked so much I just wanted to put up, but the scan was done in such haste, it doesn't do the line work scribbles justice, plus its a really small scan, but at this point, I'm just rambling.

Fly pic

2008-01-23T20:10:00.001-08:00

Bored scribble on a post-it, and now I'm posting it! Bad Pun:-(
It was titled "Ode to House Fly." I don't know why I called it that, given an ode is something of a poem, and what I did was drawing. If I had to write an accompaying poem it would be this:

There was a fly in my room.
There was a fly on my tv.
There was a fly in my soup.
I wish I closed the door.

Coffee house applauds (snap, snap, snap)

Dated Pop Culture Reference#2

2008-01-22T19:46:00.000-08:00

This dated pop culture is referenced to, in the January 23rd, Super Senior.

So it's been a while since I've done one of these old dated pop culture references, this is the second of its kind, the previous was way back on November 14th's Super Senior. Well now its time again to drum up some reference from the past. And its not much of a coincidence, that the two have been from sports interviews, sports news conferences are some of the most entertaining spectacles in live media. Now who wants to talk about the NFL playoffs. Playoffs! Playoffs?

P.S. Anybody else find it funny Jim Gray is still trying to conduct an interview with a man that obviously isn't lucid?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2008-01-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

Today is recognized as MLK Jr. day across the country. As many holidays are, I'm sure there isn't much more thought given, than the fact its a day off, and "hey, when's the next time, we're off." But today is great because it is a time we're reminded of the change that was fought for in this country, the struggle of progress that many people died for. And really it should motivate many people, to aspire for more and to be more because its an opportunity someone died to give to you--and I'm not speaking exclusively to any race in particular, because let's not forget it is all people of color, as well as women, that benefited from the Civil Rights movement.
And yes there's a lot to be said on the subject, but for now I'm going to get off my soapbox, and return to my art table.

Random Acts of Boredom 1/19/2008

2008-01-18T22:37:00.000-08:00

RANDOM ACTS OF BOREDOM by Derrick Johnson
"A Simple Matrix"

Another act of boredom, now initially I said I would have another comic up by Friday-- well technically the one posted on Wednesday was the one for Friday--but my sleep was so screwed up this week, I hadn't realized I posted it so soon. But here goes another comic. Nothing much to explain here, its something of a satire of the convoluted storytelling of the Matrix movies--actually it is, but more than anything, its a random act of boredom.

Random Acts of Boredom

2008-01-16T20:21:00.000-08:00

RANDOM ACTS OF BOREDOM by Derrick Johnson
"Larry the Pack Rat"

Random Acts of Boredom, its my random comic ideas. Ideas that aren't necessarily something I would make an ongoing strip of but something I find funny--at least their funny at the point of creation. But just as the title says they're random ideas born of boredom, today, its Larry the Pack Rat.
I think pack rats are funny. Think about it, its an animal that has a compulsion to constantly gather random items (no pun intended) and will arbitrarily dump an item just because it finds something it likes more. And just as its presented in the comic, pack rats are compelled by things of a high luster (that means really shiney things.) But expect more random goodness, its amazing how bored I must be all the time, considering the number of ideas I have forth coming.

Blogging is Fundamental

2008-01-15T21:07:00.000-08:00

I hadn't realized its been that long since I've posted on the blog (only a week, but I don't like that.) A decent blog deserves a good update once a week, poor grammar and the occasional stolen jpeg and all (but I don't still jpegs). When we last met, there was some talk of a New Year's resolution of sorts--but who keeps those anyway. But I have been productive in the past weeks. There are going to be some additional--random comics posted here on the blog starting Friday. So though I've failed on doing three drawings a week for the blog, I do have some more blog art forth coming, as well as revealing (some of) the yet to be debuted Colored Comics Presents, superhero webcomic ! Also still updating the website--tweaking here and there. So keep reading and I'll keep posting, 3 months and still going, all on 5 hours of sleep a night! And here's the line art for one of the random, and really nonsensical comics to debut on Friday here on the blog.

2008

2008-01-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

Here's a pic of what's been keeping me occupied from the blog updates. They have not been as frequent as I'd like, or when they are they're not as grand as I'd like. So in the interim, I feed you crumbs to keep you occupied (laughs sinisterly, while he taps away at his keyboard.)
I'm not one for new year's resolutions, but I think I'm going to steal one that I've seen a few cartoonist either say or do, and that is to have drawn one picture a day. But I won't do that resolution exactly, if I were to do that, I would be 2 pictures in the whole already, so I'm just going to shoot for 3 pictures a week. But enjoy this week's comics, and I'll try and make this year better than last.

Power Outage

2007-12-18T17:18:00.000-08:00

Lost power for about 45 minutes, while working on the comic to update it. But the power had returned. Sorry if it seems like there's been a lack of attention towards to blog. I intend to tend to it more in the coming weeks as well. Its been crazy lately. Another wednesday and more comics on the way. Enjoy!

Barely!

2007-12-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

It was a blitz to get the updates this week. Part of it was the new archive pages were time consuming and also part of the xbox 360 story, in The Super Senior comic strip, is autobiographical (it was a Black Friday purchase.) But its late, updates are up, and I need to get some sleep!

Pictures and Words

2007-11-28T19:08:00.000-08:00

Came accross this website while cruising the net a while back, never got around to taking advantage of it--until now. Some comments I may have forgotten to include is, the name Toadyhog originates from a saying my sister had when she was 5 years old, but the visual and character, that's all me baby! It took a bunch of "takes to get the drawing and commentary to be satisfactory to my liking, but enjoy.

Still Ballin'!

2007-11-28T14:35:00.000-08:00

Eight weeks on the web, still drawin'/ bout to update the site, still bloggin, Colored Comics is ballin'--
Had to get that out. Thanks for the continued support! The site has reached a good plateau of a consistent number of weekly requests, so thanks for the support! The site has grown to the point where an archive is warranted, and I plan to add that soon, and there is still the unfinished Colored Comics Presents, which is one of those things that are closer to finished than not, but just hasnt been finished, blame it on the holiday season. There's a lot I plan to roll out in the coming weeks and months, so stick around. Thanks again!

10 min sketch, 10 min color

2007-11-17T08:57:00.001-08:00

Dated Pop Culture Reference #1

2007-11-13T22:47:00.000-08:00

Please refer The Super Senior for November 14, 2007. This is one of those classic moments in press conference history. God Bless A.I.

Inked...

2007-11-11T21:11:00.000-08:00

... and to be colored, this is a crappy scan though, crappy because its partially cut off. But when I'm ready to color it, I'll rescan it, and I think the image is little more crooked than I intended, so I'll fix that as well.

Cover thumbnails/roughs

2007-11-11T00:48:00.000-08:00

Here are some thumbnails and roughs of development for what essentailly will function as cover to the ColoredComics Presents webcomics. I ignored that I was unable to launch it as I had originally had speculated, but nonetheless I have been working on it still and at this point its best to give no dates of launch. And for any concerns of if it will be updated regulary, the updates that follow for the launch for Presents, will be much easier, in that I will have an idea of the format to follow for the future of the comic. Part of trouble is that I had experimented so much in the format when drawing the panels, I'm finding some difficulty in now making it easy to read and not so much easy to read, but to caputre the pace that I aimed for.

As for these sketches, the thumbnails, show how I experiemented with the format, landscape or a traditional portrait presentation. When doing the larger sketches, I found the landscape sketch too plain, it was dynamic enough. The less detailed landscape picture is what will ultimately become the final "cover" image.

Gimmie an hour, plus a pen and a pad...

2007-10-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

I'm Bad (that means cool, nawmean, like I had to Supaman my sketchbook...I don't know what that means)!!!

I have to admit I don't really keep a sketchbook anymore, I have sketchbooks, and do scribble occassionally, but I really get most of my sketching out from fleshing out story ideas, or character designs, and even then they're still very loose, even what would be considered my finished line art is very loose.

Just to give a nice little behind the scenes type glance, here are real, straight up sketches for ideas, all which, except one I think have been published.

Images like the one above, are kind of common of what my sketches of superhero type stuff looks, very loose, usually a shot of a persons head to waist. I can draw feet, but its probably instinct to draw just a torso, given thats what your most visual intake of person entails and it's the way most shots are created on television and in movies.

This is how an idea begins. The ideas are random, and I try and plot out the pacing by writing out the dialogue alone. Every now and then, if I know I'm going to draw something of a complicated action, or angle, or if it's a visual gag, I'll then flesh out the characters while writing the dialogue. As a rule, I usually workout what the visual looks like when drafting, what will become the final line art on the paper.

And sometimes I'll wrestle over the dialogue, right before I letter the page. The problem for me is that I critique and read an idea about dozen times before its drawn, and then a few more times before I publish it. Sometime the idea is perfect as is (I doubt that), sometimes a few tweaks make for a good comic, but there's a lot stuff now that gets scribbled down, and is just awful, or plain unfunny that are weeded out. But humor is subjective, who can really tell.

Old School

2007-10-28T22:44:00.001-07:00

I was flipping through some old sketchbooks, looking for an old character design, and then I opened my "original" sketchbook, and look what greets me on the first page.

Yep, the guy is supposed to have an afro. Back when I did this, my intent was likely to have the idea of Colored Comics as a name being a little more overt with the idea of comics featuring predominantly black characters. I remember having done some other sketches where the afro-guy shilouette was like some kind of mascot or brand image, where he'd synonymous with Colored Comics. It was a bad idea, and I recognized it early on (as the sketchbooks progress the original logo becomes nonexistent). Other sketches of the logo did show growth, and ultimately the CC! was the strongest visual for the logo.

This was back in 2003, as noted, and this was around the time it clicked with me that I wanted to persue cartooning. Originally I aspired for Colored Comics, to be some comic imprint out of Image or Dark Horse---y'know one of the big independent companies. I've got like four sketchbooks of superhero stuff, detailing origins or some premise or idea for all these superhero stories. And just as with the logo, a lot of the core ideas of that early stuff, is still the groundwork for what is to come, only its a lot more refined and better looking. But hopefully I look back three years from now and see the same growth and development.

Sorry

2007-10-17T18:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry I didn't get Toadyhog by the 9pm crunch. There are a bunch of reasons I could give, but they'd all sound like excuses. It wasn't a matter of having the ideas or drawing ready, it was the coloring! And you know if you call yourself colored comics, well the comics should be colored.
First time I missed a deadline, that is taking into consideration my time doing The Super Senior for my school paper, but I am really sorry. I'm more upset about it, than anyone else cares probably. But I was still able to get all the comics up on Wednesday (that's the sound of me, patting myself on the back) and Colored Comics presents, I'm still shooting for next week, but the more I look think about it, another two weeks of posting it, is a possibilty. Here's a sneak preview.

Still a WIP

2007-10-16T23:28:00.000-07:00

Late...cannot, concentrate...need...sleep. There is a new Super Senior and Boomerange updated, and Toadyhog will be up no later than 9pm on Wednesday (sorry for the late post, but I'm still searching for my rythm). You may notice the archive feature below the updated comics, that isn't fully functional, but its a new feature, that will be fully functional by Friday. Enjoy whats posted, and please excuse any errorrrrr or ghramatical issues (those last two were intentional).... so sleepy, last minute cramming....just like college, ;-) Enjoy.

W.I.P. (Work in Progress)

2007-10-15T23:03:00.000-07:00

First, let me say thank you to all those that visited last week, are returning vistiors, or just stumbled on this page!

We’re going into week two of ColoredComics.com, and week one was a good week. I've been able to identify (and fix) some problems, and there were a few typos that had gone unnoticed, but nothing too glaring. Nonetheless the whole process is a work in progress and is doing well.
In week one, amazingly, there were a good number of visitors to the page…around 200 if I interpreted my data correctly, and though that may seem miniscule to many, that’s a pretty good number for a webcomic in its infancy with no publicity, other than to friends and co-workers. So again, if you’re a returning visitor to the site, thank you, and please tell your friends to visit the website.
And now, as promised some sketches (actually its just one)

The thing about this image is that it was drawn months ago. It was a fully plotted and thought out idea for Toadyhog, saved to the hard drive for prosperity I suppose. But months later, the art looks dated, in fact its a borderline sketch and the dialogue, lacks a punch line. But the key to generating ideas, is to write down every little thought—I sleep with a pen and pad near by, trying to catch lighting in bottle, so to speak. Long story short I was able to incorporate something new out of something old. I re-drawn the comic and put in a new gag, and hopefully you’ll like it. So don't forget to check back on Wednesday, to see all the new comics!

Colored Comics is Live!

2007-10-10T14:53:00.001-07:00

So it's done, or I should say it's begun. At approximately 5:30 EST, on Wednesday, October 10th, coloredcomics.com launched; featuring the webcomic debuts of The Super Senior, Toadyhog and Boomerang. Now the fun begins of actually maintaining updates. I'm still pulling together some pages, coloring and need to start lettering for Coloredcomics Presents ---but it should be up in no later than two weeks.
I launched on Wednesday because every comic reader knows Wednesday is new comic day, and for all of you non-orthodox comic geeks, it's hump day, so hopefully its something that can help give extra meaning to the middle of the week.
For these strips this week, they're something of an introduction to the premise of the comics, so if they seem a little mundane (and maybe I feel that way because I've read and reread them like 20 times already) don't worry. If you don't like this week's comeback next week, why, because its free!
And as for the blog, as the weeks roll along you'll get some sketches, some alternatives to the punchlines, but more than anything some more original comics that just don't have the strength to be a reoccuring feature on the website, but are still funny as once in a blue moon kind of strips...and more colored commentary!

Behind the Scenes

2007-10-08T21:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Colored Commentary, the blog to ColoredComics.com. Its the eve to the launch of ColoredComics and there is still a lot to be done. Maybe not a lot, but I'm going to let you in on a secret, this website and blog is somewhat of a learning experience. Now I have had a blog before (which lasted all of a year and a few months), and have done comics before, (twice published) and I even have had built websites ( a few for some classes over the course of a semester), but this is an experience into itself.

I love comics, buy them weekly, read them daily. Its a love that was started in elementary school, where I would scribble my own comics universe on stapled loose leaf paper or blank pages of copy paper. My homemade comics granted me admission to my local magnet middle school's visual arts program, but my joy for comics faded, maybe it was overkill from being in an arts program that killed the fun of drawing for me or maybe comics storylines became too far fetched or too gimmicky or maybe it was just puberty but ultimately my love of comics died. But something happened in college, it was something that just clicked again.

Truth be told, I never really stopped drawing, I mean who can resist an empty margin in a binder! But the prospect of having to get a degree and focus on a career, it made me think, if I'm going to work for the rest of my life, it might as well be something I enjoy. Which brings us to today.
In case you haven't noticed this is a one man show. This isn't any official business (yet), but there is actually a buisness plan. But as much as I know what my objectives are and what I'm aiming for, there's still a lot to be learned. I'm still trying to juggle personal time vs. website vs. social life. But its a work in progress, and don't forget its free!