Fleas on Flick

Greetings those of you who follow Fleas on Flick enough to be reading this blog!  I must apologize for my break in work.  As an aspiring cartoonist, I have learned the cardinal sin is inconsistency, and since returning to draw these characters, I have worked hard to stay on that wagon.  However, my work schedule took a sudden turn for the busy and my ability to “get up  and go must have got up and went.” (To quote a song lyric that’s been in my head for weeks that I just can’t remember what song it’s from.  Violent Femmes maybe?  Suggestions?  It’s been driving me crazy!) Anyway, I am trying to get back on schedule with things.

On a side note, you may be pleased to hear that Stewart Filbert (my alter ego and author of Oranges Are Funny) is now a published cartoonist!  Oranges Are Funny was published in the first issue of an upstart newspaper featuring only comic strips called “Coffee Talk.”  Tony Murphy, the creator of It’s All About You, is producing the paper and is targeting the paper directly at coffee shops.

Thank you everyone for continuing to read Fleas on Flick, and hopefully by the end of August, things will be more on track again.

Sterling

I’ve been getting some inquiries as to why I am drawing two different comics at the same time, so I thought I would give a little explanation.  First of all, the current schedule I am working on is working great so far.  I would love to be able to write more of Flick in a week, but the one post on Saturday is currently working with the rest of my life, so I’m going to stick with it for now.

Oranges are Funny, written under the pen name Stewart Filbert, was originally a joke that started from a film I was in here in Chicago.  The character’s name was Stewart Filbert, and in the movie I did an improvised bit where he showed the cartoons he was drawing.  I was trying to think of the absolute dumbest idea for a comic I could, and oranges was what I came up with.  However, we were laughing so hard at the idea and the sketches when we were filming that I thought I’d try to do some more as a joke blog.  Part of the fun of it was Stewart Filbert’s character being the author, but as I drew more, I noticed the cartoons were starting to get a little more complex than Stewart would write them.  I stopped for awhile about the same time I stopped writing Flick just because I couldn’t keep up with the schedule.  As a discipline exercise, I wanted to see if I could come up with a new orange cartoon everyday of the week.  They’re pretty easy to draw and turn out quickly, unlike Flick strips which can take me a few hours at least from blank paper to finished web comic.

When I decided to get back to drawing Flick, I decided to pick up Oranges again for a few reasons.  One, I had a lot of friends who really wanted me to draw the orange comics again.  For whatever reason, the humor seemed to hit home with a lot of people I know, so I figured there must be something there that may appeal to other people I don’t know, too.  I put them on Sherpa to test that theory and the response has been interesting to say the least.  While I’ve gotten positive responses, I’ve also gotten negative responses which always make me laugh simply because Oranges is supposed to be terrible to begin with.  I know some people just want me to focus more time on Flick cartoons which is endearing to say the very least.

However, there is another reason I am trying to keep up with both comics.  As part of my career as an educator, I am currently developing a class applying the creative process of comic writing to work on the stage and vice-versa.  Writing both Flick and Oranges is giving me the opportunity to explore the ins-and-outs of two different styles of comics: one-frame and a strip.  If anyone is local to the Chicago area, I am hoping to start up a test run of these classes in the future, so stay posted for details.  In the mean-time, I’m throwing up a bonus page for Flick followers with a little glimpse into my creative process.

Thanks everyone for all the feedback.  It means a lot and it definitely helps keep me motivated through the week creating new comics!

Sterling

To all people who might be reading this post:  HELLO!!  If you are here, that means either you just recently stumbled onto my comic and are checking it out, OR you must be very devoted to these characters because I have not posted a new comic in over two months.  My apologies to Flick and Francis for being so neglectful, and of course to you, if you happen to be that devoted fan who has continued to check for updates.  I am going to try posting some strips again, but I’m going to try going at a less rigorous pace than I was.  I am also going to be polishing the strip a little in an attempt to streamline my process and clean up its look, so I may be experimenting a little with letters and borders and such.  But do not fear!  The characters themselves are going to be just the same.  I’m going to try to get up at least one comic per week to start out.  If I have time and get inspired, you might get to see some bonus strips in there.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sterling

Hello, Fleas on Flick readers!  First of all, I just wanted to thank those of you who have been sending me messages trying to get me to write new comics.  It means a lot to me that I actually DO have some angry fans out there.  I am sorry I have not been able to keep up with Flick’s life the way I had hoped, but creatively and professionally, I’ve just been spread too thin in the past few months and my comic strip hobby was the first thing that had to be cut back.  I would like to say that I will be back on track to keep producing comics regularly, but I know honestly I can’t make that promise with my schedule the way it has been.

For me, Fleas on Flick has been a great release for me to express what I am feeling about the world, and it has been a fantastic creative experiment.  I know now first hand the demands of a regular comic strip artist’s schedule which was part of my intention.  If I already respected the work of professional comic strip artists when I started, now I bow to them and build colossal idols of their likenesses in admiration for their disciplined and talented lives.  I was able to give the regular demands of a five day a week schedule a go for a few months, but that was during a slow time in my theater career which is my first passion.  I do not doubt that in the future, I will be needing to visit Flick, Francis, and Dee-dee again, but after the past six months of writing, I can better gage how much my time and health is willing to forgive with my other responsibilities.

So for those of you who are fans of Flick and company, stay on my email list and I will continue to write new strips as I am able.  Just know that it may be some time before I am able to find a schedule that allows me to do regular comics again.  It is my goal to find that balance again because there are few things I love more than sitting at my drawing table listening to music and finding new ways to bring these characters to life.  Thank you so much if you are visiting and reading this.  And do not despair, angry fans!  I have every intention for completing a book of Flick comics in the coming year!

Sterling

Okay, so the bad news for Fleas on Flick first: we didn’t make it to the third round of voting in the Amazon.com/Universal Press Syndicate contest.  Boo.  However, the good news: not only is Flick officially  a quarter finalist achiever in an international contest (we made the top 250!), but since he’s knocked out, I have no obligation not to post the material I entered into the contest!  So I can start show the  results of many late nights jacked up on coffee.  Sorry to everyone for the long break in service, but I’ve been having a hard time getting back to work after pushing myself to create these comics.  Things may be a little less regular from here on out, but I will continue to put out Flick comics as I am able.  I am currently about to start work directing a sketch comedy show here in Chicago, so I may be a little busy over the next few months.

“YOU BASTARD!”

I’m sorry Angry Fan, but my directing work actually pays me money where as my comics work has yet to pay me anything but personal satisfaction.

“SUPERFICIAL SON OF A–”

Angry Fan!  Please, kids read this blog.  Nevertheless, writing these comics pays me in ways theater can’t, so I have no plans to close the book on Flick yet.  In fact, speaking of books, sometime next year I would like to self publish a book of Flick comics for myself and Angry Fan and of course for anyone else who may be interested.

“Wha- NEXT YEAR!?!”

Angry Fan, wait!  ANGRY FAN!!! … Well, I guess Angry Fan couldn’t wait so long for that as he just through himself in front of the 73 bus.  Well, hopefully you can wait, and keep watching for the next two weeks as I continue to publish the rest of my contest comics and a few new ones!