Starting next week comics will be updating on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Yes, I’m decreasing it to two comics a week instead of three.
This wasn’t an easy decision but it’s in the best interest of my sanity as I can no longer keep up the three-a-week schedule. I was probably a bit optimistic setting myself that schedule and the fact that I had a good number of comics completed in advance before I launched the site gave me a false sense of security. However, now that I’ve been working on this site for a couple of months, I have a better idea of my work habits and how long a decent comic will take to complete. I realise that I enjoy doing the longer, narrative story adaptations (Carl Sagan, Frank Herbert, Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Mitchell, Dean Karnazes) more than the single illustration pieces (Gandhi, Einstein, Sydney Smith), and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that these longer ones are the most popular. Of course, these also take longer to complete (2-4 days compared to 1 day for the single illustrations), so I was often churning out those single-shot pieces frantically on weekends.
I think having two updates per week is more realistic, and it also gives me more time to think of cool story ideas, concepts and just make better work overall, which benefits you in the end. Again, this wasn’t an easy decision and I apologise to those who are throwing their computers on the floor in disgust at my laziness. Let me make this clear, this in no way means that I am losing any enthusiasm or dedication for this website. I’m bloody loving it. I’ve never been more satisfied creatively and I’m leaping out of bed every morning (way earlier than when I used to have to go to work) to get to the drawing board. This is my dream project – I get to draw whatever I want, in whatever way I want. I get to be inspired by beautiful quotes, write about my heroes and learn about new heroes from the quotes you’re submitting (I read everyone of them, promise). I think I’ve found what I’m truly meant to be doing at this stage in my life.
So remember next week, TUESDAY and THURSDAY. There’ll still be one more Bruce Lee update tomorrow.
Thanks again for supporting the site and by extension, me.
Gav
PS: Prints available next week!
I was wondering how long you could keep up three a week at the same quality – looked like a brutal schedule. The decrease to two is great. Keep it up, man!
Thanks Nate
Wise decision, you gave up the slavery of the corporate world to follow your heart, it would be tragic if you came to resent the workload you imposed on yourself to be free.
My thoughts exactly!
Couldn’t have said it better, Eccles. Good on ya, Gav! I’ve enjoyed what you’ve done so far (and now you have a nice big archive!) and looking forward to what comes next. As one of my favorite comic heroes would say, Excelsior!
Sounds reasonable. Thanks for all the brilliant quotes thus far and I look forwards to reading/seeing many more in the future.
hello, i’m from algeria , and really i appereciate your comics, keep it up .
im a comicer and i know what it’s working hardly in other project ine the same time, so good luck , and thank you very much for this good job
I rather have less, for more
You needn’t defend yourself so hard. Quality trumps quantity. “It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”
Thanks Gav – you out-bruce-lee’d me!
(that’s one of Bruce Lee’s quotes)
I know, you introduced me to him, and that was one of the quotes of his that I saved. Thank you!
whoa, whoa. I didn’t know this site would be having two Bruce-Lee-quoting-Gavins that’s a bit much. But also a really good quote.
Just cause Bruce Lee week is over, doesn’t mean you can’t do another comic – I’m sure you could turn that one into a one-panel quickie.
I’ve only commented a couple times, but I’ve been following Zen Pencils since Phil Plait linked to the Carl Sagan drawing. Please let me assure you that I’d much rather have two drawings a week indefinitely (or even one drawing a week indefinitely, or one drawing whenever you have the urge to put one up!) than see you burn yourself out trying to keep up an over-ambitious schedule.
Thanks folks – I knew you would understand!
“PS: Prints available next week!”
Awesome!
Absolutely loving the work Gav. Can certainly handle only two updates a week! Cheers for the Emerson prints too!
Go on Gav…
Good decision, as I suppose the quality of comics you deliver take a lot of time to create. Absolutely love your work, and certainly is one of the best webcomics I’ve encountered so far!
Best regards from Holland, Martin
Do your thing at your own pace, just don’t stop doing it, ok? Don’t forget that you have a lot of fans here. I’m from Spain and talking about you to all my friends.
Thank you for sharing your inspiring art with all of us.
Martin from Holland and now Maray from Spain – thanks for the european love!
yiey ! prints available !
As your fan, i’m supporting this decision Gavin, and expecting the usual quality from your work
Like Bruce Lee once put it “A goal is not always meant to be reached. It often serves simply as something to aim at.”
Cheers from Indonesia
Quality won’t drop, promise
ive always wondered how you managed you to churn out 3 high quality comics per week. 2 comics/week makes more sense
i read a lot of manga & manhwa at least 10 chapters per week & then zenpencils came along! LOL your new release schedule makes it more manageable for me…hehehe
Glad I could help Bogz!
If I was asked for advice (which I wasn’t) I would say that you shouldn’t even commit to Tuesdays and Thursday. These are works of art and inspiration doesn’t come in predictable patterns. Also, committing to a time and day adds an element of unnecessary stress that will take the fun and creativity out of the process. Let your creativity flow on it’s own time and enjoy the process.
thanks Tim. Seeing as how this is still a very new blog i think having regular updates is key in building trust with my readers, and just establishing it as a professional website. also, the deadline kind of helps me stay productive and not get lazy.
Gav, I would echo all the other comments. There’s no need to apologize for releasing your work less frequently. The quality I see in your work shouldn’t be rushed for a completely artificial deadline.
Also, I’m looking forward to being able to buy posters of some of your work – especially the Sagan comic!
Honestly I was upset when I read about the decrease (I was like NOOOO), only because I love this site. But after reading some of your more sensible followers’ comments, it makes perfect sense. Carry On Gav!
I told myself I would slowly digest these archives also, and not just breeze through them, so I still have plenty of backlog to keep me inspired.
Also, when is your book coming out, cuz I (and im sure many other readers) would willingly drop a 20 for it. (but something tangible, I’m not much of a “donater” without getting something for it, that’s me being honest) I think you’ve got enough to publish something, and more than enough support to turn a profit WHILE STILL HAVING FUN! anyway, my two cents (and future 20 bucks)
Thanks Kevin, don’t have any plans for a book yet. I don’t think 30+ comics is enough for a collection. Once I have a bigger archive I’ll look into it. On the bright side, prints are available within a week
You made my mondays wednesdays and fridays worse but my tuesdays and thursdays oh so much better. This is my new favorite site and even if you’d make a comic once a months I’d wait for that day in anticipation too
Favourite site? woohoo!
Thanks Gav for your awesome comics! You made me rediscover my love for comics and give me something to keep me motivated and inspire me when I need it most.
Thanks, glad you found the site Phil
Completely understandable and I hasten to add this is definitely one of those ‘quality not quantity’ things. I stumbled onto your site from metafilter and am very very glad I did. I really feel an afinity towards your work and love the visual impact along with the power of the quotes. Keep up the great work from a big fan in England.
Numberstation
I would rather have only two a week then have you burn out.
Nuff said.
You’ve inspired me to get a move on with my own creative career, not least because I’ve been burning out in my cubicle, so the last thing I would want would be for you to burn out.
Do only as much as you can handle, and no more. Quality (and your sanity!) is more important than quantity.