Skip to content

Page Header

Extra pages! And other stuff.

Extra pages! And other stuff. published on No Comments on Extra pages! And other stuff.

I have really got to get better at coming up with blog titles.

We are mere pages away from the end of this chapter, and I’m realizing that my supplies have been kind of beat to hell. I’ve been using the exact same set of markers since I started the comic in 2004 with only a couple of replacements here and there, and they’re finally reaching the point of no return. I’m trying to put together Book 2 and it’s hit me that some of my materials just aren’t going to make it through another round of abuse. (Still, I’m kind of impressed at how long I’ve been able to stretch some of this stuff. :O ) I need to find a way to replace at least some of the most worn out colors if I can, so I’ve decided to reinstate the extra page drive indefinitely; every time $25 is raised in donations or shop purchases, I’ll add another page on top of the regular weekly update, with up to 2 extra pages per week. There’s now a donation bar coded right into the sidebar that updates automatically on donations, and I’ll add stuff from the shop to the count manually. If you donate or buy from the shop, you’ll also be redirected to a shiny new wallpaper download featuring Eldora and Icy as a bonus.

Still working like a fiend on Book 2. Got half of Chapter Two pencilled and inked. Coming up with new covers. Making progress. This is going to be a fantastic portfolio piece when it’s done. :B

Other minor news bits:

New article: About the Messengers – A brief FAQ kind of thing about the Messengers. I plan on updating it more as the story goes along, but for now it is what it is.

Shop updates: I’ve updated the Shop to be more organized and to include some new stuff, like Brave Chio shirts and Icy charms! I’ve also recoded some things so that international shipping is now a built-in part of the store rather than a by-request thing. Trying to make things simpler. :v

That’s all I’ve got for now. Have an awesome week, guys! 🙂

the story of “i’m a brave chio”

the story of “i’m a brave chio” published on No Comments on the story of “i’m a brave chio”

I was goofing off with Illustrator and made a quick little Eldora design. After some feedback on deviantart, and a few tweaks, I made it into a shirt design. I’ve always wanted to make some kind of Chio shirt and I’m actually pretty happy with how this looks. :B As an aside, I’ve heard good things from a couple of other artists I follow about this mysoti thing, so I figure I’ll try it. They really can’t be any worse than Cafepress, which isn’t all that bad, either. The one shirt I have from them has held up just fine for the past five years and zillion washes it’s been through, so hooray. Or something.

Brave tee by bugbyte. Available from MySoti.com.

Anyway, I’ve been pretty amused for a while at how “I’m a brave Chio” has caught on among readers, especially with the fanart I’ve gotten of late, so it’s probably about time to tell the tale of the origin of “I’m a brave Chio.” 😀

Way way back in the day, around when I was just starting high school, I liked to write. I was bored and had a lot of time, and so I started in on this long, rambly thing that eventually turned into Messenger. One of my best friends at the time was also into writing, so we would swap chapters of whatever we were working on and trade commentary. We made “soundtrack” CDs for each other (burning CDs was a new and cool thing at the time) and joined the writing club at school together.

Years later, when we were both in college and I was scripting the original story into a comic, I asked this same friend for some help putting together dialogue for chapter five. I just kept getting stuck on the words despite having all the action outlined. I knew what needed to happen, I just couldn’t make the dialogue flow. No matter what I did, it kept coming out flat and unnatural, and it seemed like an opportunity to stick in something cute or ridiculous, and I just couldn’t get it right. My friend was now a couple of years into a writing major, so I sent off a frustrated “SAVE ME” email, trying to explain my problem. Though I had most of the action and a general sense of what the characters needed to say, he finessed it all together and included the now-infamous “I’m a brave Chio” line. I had a good laugh at simply how ridiculous and perfect it was, and kept it.

We’ve both been joking about it for years up to now; the script was written probably in 2005 or early 2006, but between my long breaks due to college and the page-a-week pace the comic regularly goes at, I didn’t get to touch that section of the story until 2009. It was killing me to sit on that, so I’m doubly amused that it’s sort of a mini-meme now.

Fast forward to. Well. Now. Last year, actually. After spending the better part of forever being best friends, we got married. Aww. We continue to make “I’m a brave Chio” jokes, as well. And if my goofy husband ever has some kind of public web presence, I’ll paste in a link for credit. (Hint, hint :B )

And that is the tale of “I’m a brave Chio.” 😀

stream recap, DA group, stuff

stream recap, DA group, stuff published on 2 Comments on stream recap, DA group, stuff

Not much new stuff this week.

On Saturday, I did a quick livestream. There were a small handful of viewers, and not too many questions, but it was still fun. I recorded most of it, and it’s available here for watching. :B

(You can also still ask questions here or on Formspring and I’ll get to them eventually.)

I plan on doing another one eventually, maybe in a couple months. Thanks to those who came!

Messenger also has its own Deviantart Group now! Something is up with joining, though. It’s supposed to be open access but I can’t quite get it to work. Anyone out there know how to tweak this setting? I’ll figure it out regardless, and if you watch the group I’ll send out a note when I get it working. :B This works now, so go join! 😀

That’s about all for now, see you next week! 😀

Primary Sidebar