Ad Astra Returns...

So, let's make it official. Starting tomorrow, 25 SEP 2013, my webcomic, on hiatus for most of a year, is coming back. Picking up where I left off and working my way out of the historical back-story and back to the future!

Last year, I was forced through some changes that, to many will seem trivial, but to me, were devastating to my creative process and my production routine. Until last August (2012), I had, for the previous 5 years, been on a schedule at work that left me with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off, every week. For you "living for the weekend" folks, that will seem terrible, but for me, it was perfect. I saw more movies in those 5 years (at the theater) than in the preceding 10. With no noisy and noisome crowds, at the first showing of the day. And, I was able to work, with little or no interruption, on whatever I wanted or needed to work on. It was even better, when at work, I could get some drawing done in the slow times, in the last few hours of my day. I worked til 1am, so there were usually 2 or 3 hours where work was slack, except for emergency stuff.

So, of course, it couldn't last. Changes to our department, eventually, meant changes to our work hours and I was forced to switch to a 5-day schedule. As it was, Mon-Fri worked better than the very limited alternatives. So far, the only up-side to this is that I have Saturday and Sunday off, and can take in a convention without burning my paid time off. It ruined my artwork routine, however. Interruptions were many. My work flow faltered and I found it harder and harder to get the creative juices flowing, before something else would pop up to break up the flow. And, I only had two days, where I used to have three. If I go to a movie on my days off, now, it's with crowds and noise and sticky shit on the floor I hope is sugary soft drink.

In the last few months, I've sort of hit on a work flow that lets me get things done in the time I have. I will be restarting Ad Astra, as a weekly strip, and will pick up the pace if I am able.

To those loyal readers who have been waiting for me to restart the thing, and/or explain, "what the hell, dude?" I apologize for not posting some kind of explanations, sooner. Avoidance is a perfectly valid coping strategy, look it up. It makes for a pretty workable lifestyle choice, as well, but it can be annoying for those on the outside. I won't interrupt the strip, again, without some explanation. On another note, I have plans to begin posting on HeroBlog, again, at some point and I have plans for HeroBlog Universe, which has lain dormant, Lo, these many months. And, I am slowly, but surely, working on an unrelated super-hero novel. I guess I needed to get out of my rut, but I just wish it would have been a smoother transition.

Again...Sorry for the unannounced hiatus.