Commentary from May 24, 2003
This was an interesting strip for a couple of reasons. First, it was the first time I used a “set-up strip,” a weaker joke strip to set up a bigger pay off in a later strip. With a 4 panel strip, it’s sometimes hard to set up the joke in 4 panels, so what I often do is a 4 panel weaker joke to help prepare things for the next stip. If you haven’t read #47 yet, I won’t go any further. Let’s just say that this kind of device is something that I do pretty often nowadays.
Second, this is the first time I drew one panel for use in all four panels, and just layered on specific elements to every panel, like an animator would. I did this for two panels and even three panels, but this is the first time I was confident enough to do it for all four. Seems strange that I would worry about that when a lot of online gag comics are of the cut and paste variety anyways.
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I read a fair number of comics whose authors crucify themselves over reusing art, as if it’s cheating their fans somehow. You deliver a clever entertaining idea for free. No one has the authority to tell you the right way to do what you do. And I mean, if it really bothers you, just be proud you’re not Ryan North. (kidding, I love DinoCmx too.)
It doesn’t help that we are often called out for it. Nowadays I absolutely refuse to reuse art, and since I went all digital it is a lot easier to do similar panels while drawing each and every one. One thing I notice when reading other people’s work is when art gets reused and it kind of pulls me out of the moment. Mind you, cut and paste is really useful for some comics — I love it in Jerk City — but for me it feels like something I don’t need to do.