REBELDOG COMICS

Help Box Brown Publish Some Comics

2009-12-12T07:22:00.000-08:00

Comic lovers,
Box Brown, creator of beloved webcomic Bellen!, is holding a Kickstarter event to raise money to publish two issues of a flesh-and-blood hold-in-your-hands comic book. If you don't know what Kickstarter is, don't feel bad, 'cause it's relatively new. Basically it is a fundraising site geared toward creative projects - books, music, art installations, etc. The creator sets a goal dollar amount and various pledge amounts as well as rewards for those pledges - think PBS tote bag incentive - and is given 1 to 90 days to meet their goal. Backers pledge money through Amazon payments. If the goal isn't met, no money changes hands. If the goal is met, the project goes ahead, the money goes out, and dreams become reality. Cool, right? It's a terribly brilliant idea, I think. Long overdue.

So stop by and help Box out. He's hovering around the $1500 mark as of this writing. A mere thousand dollars from his goal with some thirty-odd days left. Let's help him make it happen. If I can get an invite, I will be holding my own Kickstarter event for my book, so let's put some good karma out there on my behalf.

Box Brown's Kickstarter Project

Pages In Sequence, Box Brown's Blog

All images copyright Box Brown.

One Thousand Comics For Sale On Ebay

2009-12-11T10:56:00.000-08:00

Hey, gang. I'm selling a thousand or so comics on ebay this week, just in time for the holiday season. Help me clear out some space and make some Christmas cash, won't you? I'll be adding some more in the next few days, but right now there are 50-count lots of:

Wolverine & Ghost Rider
Amazing Spider-Man and Marvel Tales
Exiles
Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man
Adventures of Superman
Aliens and Predator
Fantastic Four (John Byrne and Walt Simonson years)
New Teen Titans (Marv Wolfman & George Perez)
The Mighty Thor
Who's Who in The DC Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Deluxe Edition) (Full Set)
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Standard and Update) (Full Sets)
JLA & JSA
Justice League Europe, International
West Coast Avengers (all the John Byrne issues)
Viz manga comics (Area 88, Xenon, & Cyber 7)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (The Archie series)
Doctor Strange, Namor, and The Defenders
Power Man & Iron Fist

They all start at $24.99 except for the Handbook lots. I'll ship to you bubble-wrapped in a box via Priority, so they will be there in time for Christmas. Great gifts for the younguns - get 'em reading and introduce them to this pulpy low-brow art form that we all love so much.

Here's the link to my ebay store:

Rebeldog Comics on ebay

Thanks for checking it out!
Merry Christmas!

Rebeldog Comics Is Now Accepting Sumissions of Christmas Songs

2009-11-30T07:02:00.000-08:00

Attention: singers, songwriters, bands, djs, and assorted beatmakers, if you'd like to be part of this year's Rebeldog Radio Christmas compilation, which will be freely distributed at http://rebeldogcomics.com, please do the following:

1. Send us an mp3 encoded at 320kbps of your original or traditional Christmas song. Email me at kingadbeck [at] gmail[dot]com.
2. In your email, please include your name (band name or whatever your handle is if different from your own), the song title, a brief biographical note, and your website URL if you have one.
3. By submitting your song, you are agreeing to let us freely distribute it over the internet. Selected songs will be used in a single continuous Christmas mix mp3 made by me and will likely also be available for independent download.
4. Artists and bands retain all rights to their respective work.

This is late notice, I know, so get crackin' and we'll try to get something up before Christmas. Have fun!

Toledo Museum Show

2009-11-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

I just heard about this, which just shows how out of the loop I am with my own hometown. The Toledo Museum of Art currently has a free exhibit called Lit Graphic, which runs till January 3rd. The show went up October 3rd and features originals by Robert Crumb, Peter Kuper, Harvey Kurtzman, Will Eisner and others.

'Organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass., the traveling exhibition features more than 146 artworks by 24 contemporary graphic novelists and historic practitioners of this ever-evolving art form.'

I am going to check this out and if you're in Ohio or Michigan, it should be worth the drive. The museum is definitely one of the few things Toledo does right.

The New Offering From Crumb

2009-10-30T10:52:00.001-07:00

Everybody,
here's a great Vanity Fair interview with comics legend Crumb, speaking about his new feast-for-your-eyes, The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb. I haven't read it yet, but from what has been said, the book is a straight retelling of the first book of the Bible, no funny stuff, albeit with plenty of sex and violence and some comical facial expressions, etc. What inspired Crumb to take on this subject, I'm not entirely sure. Though it does say something about the world we live in that a serious comic presentation of the Bible is striking people as revolutionary. Perhaps that is because no one expects this sort of thing from Crumb, or perhaps it is because satire of anything religious has become the standard of the day. So why Crumb? And why now? The article doesn't illuminate (but check the preview link below and you'll find the answer), but it does shed light on other matters, such as why Crumb chose to portray God in traditional white beard and robes. At any rate, this is a tremendous achievement on the part of the author - what an undertaking! - and I look forward to getting my hands on a copy. Personally, I always thought the book of Revelation was rife with graphic possibilities, but maybe I just like starting at the end of things. No word yet on Crumb versions of Exodus or Leviticus.

Crumb Vanity Fair Interview

Buy The Book:

Check Out A 12-page Preview From The New Yorker Here

PS - If he'd really wanted to stir the pot, he could have drawn God as a woman and Adam and Eve as chimpanzees.

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ComicPress Vs. Webcomic Inkblot

2009-10-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

Last night, as an experiment, I tried switching my website from ComicPress to Webcomic. These are both Wordpress themes for hosting webcomics, in case you don't know. Well, actually, I guess Comicpress is a theme and Webcomic is a plugin, if you want to get technical. The main impetus for my experiment was the fact that Webcomic makes it easy to host multiple comics on your site. While there are ways to do this with ComicPress, it's probably a bit beyond my rudimentary knowledge of CSS, and with Webcomic it's already done for you. So I made the switch, then quickly realized I was in over my head, couldn't get the site to look how I wanted, and changed back. (Basically, I just wanted the site to look like it does now, but with maybe a different homepage with links to multiple comics instead of just sporting Humdrum Heights. A task which I'm sure would be ridiculously simple for even the most fresh-faced of web designers.) Well, changing from ComicPress to Webcomic was incredibly simple, and there is even a video tutorial to show you how to go about doing it. (The only thing you really have to worry about is moving your comics from one folder to another in your webhost and updating your transcripts.) Now, for a simpleton like me, I need a few more tutorial videos - namely, one that talks about customization, setting your background, etc. And more tutorials are on the way, so the likelihood of these being offered in the near future is relatively high, as is the likelihood of me switching back to Webcomic.

So perhaps, a bit down the road, there will be more comics showing on Rebeldog Comics, but for now all the extras will be solely available in the Assetbar Store.

If anybody has any experience with Webcomic, or has an opinion regarding its benefits or deficiencies as compared to ComicPress, drop a comment. I haven't seen too much coverage of Webcomic, though I'm sure it's just a matter of time, so I'd love to hear what people are saying.

UPDATE:
I finally did switch over to Webcomic with Inkblot as the theme. It was just too good not to! I decided I shouldn't let a little coding deter me. So, I waded into the stylesheet and finally got the site looking (mostly) as I wanted. Though, I should mention this, and I don't know if there is an easy workaround, but when I switched to Webcomic, all my links got wiped out. Well, not wiped out exactly. They're still there in Wordpress, they're just not on the Links page where they used to be. I suspect this has to do with the fact that Inkblot doesn't have a custom links template for Page Attributes as some themes do. So, I haven't got that sorted out yet. But otherwise, I will say that I am well pleased with Webcomic and its many features. If Comicpress isn't suiting your needs and you're feeling stuck, you definitely ought to give Webcomic a shot.

UPDATE UPDATE:
I managed to get the links working. I wrote a links.php file and uploaded it to my webhost. Basically I just used the old Comicpress links.php and tweaked it, since Webcomic and Comicpress don't work in the same ways. But, anyway, it took about ten minutes and I actually learned something in the process. So proud of myself!

Cyber-Punks Jump Up And Get Beat Down

2009-10-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

Did you know that October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month? It is a month that strikes fear into the hearts of Cyber-Terrorists, Hackers, Spammers, Pornographers, Chain Letter Writers, Pop-up Creators, Pop-under Pushers, Malware Meanies, Spyware Spreaders, Spam Bots, Viral Worms, and other assorted Nefarious Ne'er-Do-Wells of the Notorious 'Net.

Won't you please do your part to help the cause? If you run across one of those "I am a foreign magistrate in some country you've never heard of and my family is owed a considerable sum of money but it is unfortunately tied up and if you could just wire me a small amount of your plentiful Yankee dollars . . ." people, please kick him squarely in the crotch.

And now, take it away, Spam Bot . . .

He dances the Robot, the Worm, and the Funky Spam.

What Do Achewood, Starslip, PVP, Octopuspie, and Rebeldog Comics Have In Common?

2009-09-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

Answer: they all offer premium content via Assetbar. If you haven't checked out the new Rebeldog Store, don't worry, 'cause we're just getting the ball rolling. But there are lots of new features coming, so if you like what you see here, there'll be more of the same old wackiness as well as some stuff in an entirely different vein. It's $2.99 a month, but if you'd like to try it free for thirty days, there are a limited number of coupon available. First come, first served. It's FREE - but if you're the twenty-first caller, you will be left out! If a code is required, the word is ZEPHYR.

And Here's The Link.

Update: How To Add One Thousand Blog Followers Or Readers In A Week

2009-03-29T04:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, Sunday is update time - and in my quest to increase my readership I've decided that I'll occassionally use this blog to document some of my own findings. How can we get more people to read this currently free comic strip? Here are a few things I've come across, which may help you in your own web marketing:

1. Offer Quality Content - sort of goes without saying, right? But you need to offer interesting, informative, focused, and helpful info in order to retain readership. Write about topics that will help other bloggers convert their traffic and thereby increase your own.

2. Pictures Alone Won't Do It - This is something I've discovered on my own. While a good hi-res picture will direct a person back to your site, assuming they are looking for it in a search engine, words are the bread and butter of blogging. You need to offer written content, so search engines can pick up on your blog. Posting my comics as jpegs with no text accompanying them doesn't help people find me. Hence, long-winded articles like this one.

3. Comment - If you comment in relevant topics on other blogs with your own distinctive viewpoint, your interest may well be reciprocated.

4. Twitter - Here is one I haven't tried yet. Twitter is apparently very powerful in getting readership, though the quality of that readership may be somewhat dubious. Try to convert Twitter readers with your updates. Add a widget.

5. Widgets - A good set of well-ordered widgets will promote your posts and make it easier for people to register to become an RSS reader or blog follower.

6. Follow - Add yourself to become a follower of other blogs, and bloggers can get to know how many blogs you maintain and in return might become your follower too.

7. Digg and Stumbleupon - Another one I've not yet tried. But I've read that one should familiarize oneself with these services, which can expose your blog and articles to the internet world at large. This becomes important once you actually have traffic, and you need to invest much more effort to convert and retain them.

8. Call Upon Your Readership To Hype Your Blog - Empower your fan base to spread the word and champion your coolness! Encourage your readers to tell others about your site.

9. Get Famous - It is no secret that fame attracts readership. So get known off the web and bring your audience with you to your online activities. That easy enough, right? In the words of Nelson Muntz - Haw-haw!

That's all I got so far. Lemme know if you come across any helpful tips to get people to check out these pages!

How Can I Get More Rebeldog Comics?

2009-09-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

Rebeldog Comics is now offering exclusive premium content. That means more comics for you, sweets, plus lots of other extras. All for mere chump change. That's right, just when you thought your Sundae runneth over, we added a few more sprinkles on top. Check the link below to read all about it. Or just visit the link at the bottom right of the sidebar to take the plunge!

How Can I Get More Rebeldog Comics?

Please Participate In The Rebeldog Comics Poll

2009-09-12T22:40:00.000-07:00

Hello.
Lots of folks have monetized their webcomics by offering print collections of their strips, and I am tentatively formulating my plan to make a print version of Humdrum Heights and/or some other Rebeldog Comics-related merchandise.* What I initially offer will depend on a number of factors, and I'd like you all to be a part of that decision-making process. Please help me by taking a moment to participate in the poll to the right. You can pick multiple options. I'm leaving the poll open till January, so hopefully at least a few interested people will vote. If you have a suggestion, please leave me a comment. Sorry, there's no "I wouldn't buy S#@! from you" option.

Sincerely,
King AdBeck
Unscrupulous Comic Strip Profiteer

* I have lots of stories to tell, some of which might be better suited to print. Would you like to know how Waldo and Harv met, why Waldo supports Harv, and how they moved from run-down apartment building to cozy duplex? Or might you be interested in some of Humdrum Heights' other equally-eccentric inhabitants, and a series of interwoven tales involving all of them?

UPDATE - Poll fixed. Sorry for that!

Facing The Cold Hard Reality Of Global Warming

2009-01-29T14:31:00.000-08:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.
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Where's Waldo? (Pay No Evil Remix)

2009-04-16T00:23:00.001-07:00

Clicky on pic-y for magnified quicky.
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Okay, now I'm done. No, really.

Where's Waldo? (See No Evil Remix)

2009-04-11T00:21:00.000-07:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.

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How long can this go on? How many variations on a theme will I subject you to? Hmm . . .

Where's Waldo? (Take 3)

2009-04-05T09:58:00.001-07:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.
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I am like a jazz trumpeter improvising over the same set of notes. Exploring the subtle nuances of a single subject. Some might say belaboring a point, stretching weak material, creatively treading water, and/or taking a joke too far. To each his own.
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Where's Waldo? (Part II)

2009-03-29T04:27:00.000-07:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.
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Now here's something you won't find in your Sunday newspaper funnies.

All you good good people, I hope you're enjoying this strip. Drop me a line and say "hi!" sometime, won't you? And here's some info for those of you who don't know how:

How To Leave A Comment by King AdBeck:

Just click on the little link beneath the post where it says "x comments." It will usually say "0 comments" and that's what we're trying to change. Write your pithy thoughts in the pop-up box where it says "Leave comment." If you don't have a Google account, click on the "Name/URL" button. Now give yourself a name and/or type in the URL of your web site if you have one. I'm assuming you don't, since you can't be very web-savvy if you don't even know how to leave a comment. Or if you're a paranoid or shady type, click on Anonymous. Now publish your comment! Simple, really.

Now don't you wish someone had shown you how to do that earlier?

I urge you to copy the above paragraph and post it on your own blog if you want Mom and Dad to comment.

And now a topic sentence to get you thinking: Eating Babies, Gruesome Cannibalism or Tasty Meal-Replacement Program Preferrable To Slim-Fast? Discuss.
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Where's Waldo?

2009-03-21T23:27:00.000-07:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.
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And Now A Brief Message From The Sovereign Of Sequential Story-Telling:

Okay, here's a new comic strip for today - with full frontal nudity, no less. Don't expect too much, but I'll try to keep putting strips up here once a week or so. Stay tuned for some . . . gasp! Humdrum Heights Classic! New to you, older than dirt to me.

"But, King AdBeck," I hear you asking, "What can I, a simple surfer of the web, do to help you in your quest to bring Humdrum Heights to the tired and huddled masses?" I'm glad you asked. Tell everybody you know about this blog and get them to sign up as followers. I'm gonna need a whole lot o' readers to keep this thing alive here on the internet and I can't do it without your help. So tell your ma, tell your pa, tell your weird little brother who's way too into trying to figure out what's wrong with The Watchmen movie - he'll love it!

Fellas,
Tell that girl with all the piercings who works at the coffee shop, the one with her own " 'zine" - it will give you an opener. You'll thank me when you're placing a ring in her nose at your non-traditional commitment ceremony attended by the two-point-three home-schooled children you've adopted together.

Ladies,
Tell that guy who sits next to you at your community college night class - you know, the one who's always doodling pictures of cars whilst breathing through his mouth and whistling through his nose? You don't have to date him, but you may just bring some joy into his otherwise lonely and pathetic existence.

"But, King AdBeck, who else can I tell? What types of people will enjoy Humdrum Heights?" Hmm. Let's see: smokers, insomniacs, and people with low self-esteem seem to rank high on the list of readers. Drama majors, sex addicts, and the habitually unemployed (all the same, I know) also seem to get a real "huzzah!" from these ''funnies.'' And let's not forget the heavily illustrated, the moderately sedated, and the lightly stoned. But don't pre-judge, tell everyone! My goal is two thousand readers by this time next year, and I can't do it alone!

I Ink, Therefore I Am

2009-02-03T14:56:00.000-08:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.

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Trembling Before Their Creator

2009-02-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.

And might I add, Happy Candlemas / Groundhog's Day! Don't drive angry!
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Resolution Time

2008-12-31T11:00:00.001-08:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.

Happy New Year's, everybody! Drive safely tonight.
Humdrum Heights will return in 2009.
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Pinkles & Brown: Park Bench Philosophers

2008-12-30T20:14:00.000-08:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.

I'd like to direct your attention to the right hand side of the page. Therein you will find the Followers section. If you are a blogger or have a Google account, following allows you to receive updates in your Blogger Homepage when I post new stuff and, more importantly, lets you share your interest in this blog and show your support. I'm hyping the feature here because not a lot of people know what the heck it is. Also, if you like what you see, feel free to leave me a comment. It's easy and it helps keep me motivated.

I know you're out there, I can hear you breathing.
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Pinkles & Brown: An Introduction

2008-12-29T19:06:00.000-08:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.

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Xmas Afterglow / Aftermath

2008-12-26T06:23:00.001-08:00

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Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T01:04:00.001-08:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge . . . and have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Or Hannukah. Or Kwanzaa. Or Larentalia. Or Festivus for the rest of us. Or other December holiday observance of your choice. Or whatever. It's all good, friends. Just be well.

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The Gift That Keeps On Bouncing

2008-12-24T17:19:00.000-08:00

Click on comic strip to enlarge.

I was driving through the snow and the sludge this evening, and the radio was playing "O Tannenbaum" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. Everytime I turned a corner it faded out into static, then back in again with the next turn. And I sat there listening to the piano keys, the snare, the hi-hat, and the bass - watching lights on snowbanked houses flicker in time to the music - mesmerized. And it occured to me that, all in all, things are still pretty damn good. There may not be as many presents under your tree as in years past, I know, but if you can surround yourself with family and friends, put a little holiday music on the hi-fi, and cozy up by the fire in your favorite comfy sweater . . . you'll be alright.

And that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

(P.S. - Tune in tomorrow for a special Christmas post - when Humdrum Heights goes color.)

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