Dregs #68

Well, it's been about 4 months since my last confession. Errrr... I mean comic. In fact, it's been so long that I'd forgotten my password to the blog and how to upload the comic. I don't know what else to say other than that I'm embarrassed. But, it's good to be back.

This episode is different from the rest because it actually ended the same way it started - No changes. The only thing that was difficult, was that I had to use photoshop more than usual. I was an idiot and forgot which way Onions should be looking so I had to flip each of his frames. I also must have been excited and rushed to get it scanned and ready to load because I had to put in some of Onions' hair dots and a line in his hat. None of this is difficult, btw, even with my limited "knowledge" and even lesser "expertise". Despite my obvious limitations, I still like this episode and I hope you do too.

Cheers.

Johnny

Dregs #67

I know I've said this before about saying this before, but this episode started as something else. I had heard this great joke from a Scot at the bar I tend and I thought that would easily be the punchline for this episode. But, as I usually do, and I did (and no one ever accuses me of this - except my girlfriend), I think too much. Soon, the original idea turned into something totally different and I worked on something that was nothing like the original idea. That's not that I'm going to abandon the original idea. I still think they'd be great with the Dregs Collective (yes, they deserve caps), so I'll make sure to let you know when that happens. (Spoiler Alert) - It will start a little something like this, "In this episode..."

Cheers.

Johnny

The Dregs #66

Hey, everybody. I know it's been a while, but I lost about 2 month's worth of work when my girlfriend and I got a place. I should say that it was more that I lost time and space with all the packing and unpacking and moving and blah blah blah. Anyway, I feel confident that Sal, Peg (mostly Peg - in this episode at least), and Onions returned with a "bang" - pun intended. I've already got a couple other ideas for future episodes so get ready because I'm ready to pump this shit out.

The joke is a new one, trying to stay current with the hurricane and all, was initially going to have Sal list off all the places Peg got laid. I think it ends perfectly with her closing her eyes as she thinks about her experiences, which is why Peg lists her conquests and not Sal. I couldn't see it naturally ending the same way.

Anyway, it's obvious that I've lost a little of my touch here, so I'm just going to stop.

Cheers.

Johnny

The Dregs #64

Hands. God, I hate drawing hands. Thank God, however, for technology. Just create the same position you want, take a picture with your IWhatever, and draw it. Pretty friggin' awesome. AND it makes me not afraid to draw them anymore, lets me practice drawing them, and keeps me from making every character stand and/or gesture with fists. I do draw a sweet fist, though. And I do love Peg's face in panel 6. The cigarette falling out of her mouth makes me laugh. Like a buddy of mine who wears a monocle (no kidding). When he get's surprised, it falls out of his eye, and it's funny every single time.

Cheers.

Johnny

The Dregs #62

I can't believe we've made it this far! #62. Anyway, I totally stole the "you're a cab" line from my buddy, fellow bartender, and bicycle gang member (Nick) and I've been waiting a while to use it. So, yay to that.

It took me forever to do Sal's hands, but I'm really glad with the way they turned out. 

That's about it this time. Cheers.

Johnny

The Dregs #60

Hey, everybody. It's Friday and it's time for a new episode of the Dregs. In this episode, I was obviously poking fun at how people speak "text", saying things like "L-O-L!", or "L-M-F-A-O!" Hell, there's even a group with that latter text speak name. It's all just stupid and I mean that literally. But, before I go off on a rant on how people are becoming stupider, I really like the second panel where Onions is replying to Sal's question over his shoulder. It's a simple panel, but I like the folds in his neck skin. I think it just came out well. I did, on the other hand, have the hardest time with the last panel (#5) and how to make Sal's angle original. I think it worked out, but I erased so much and so frequently, I almost had to finish this panel on another piece of bristol board because I was starting to raise the tooth. Thankfully, it never came to that. Paper ain't cheap!

Cheers!

Johnny

The Dregs #57

A couple I know invited me over to watch the Bears game and one of the other guests just got back from running a half marathon that morning. I have never been a fan of running. I don't think I'd do it if someone was trying to chase me. But. we all talked about this woman's athletic feat and how great it is to be fit, I couldn't help but write down retorts to everything she was saying. These were the best two.

Cheers.

The Dregs #53

I know it's been a while since Dregs episode, so I hope this one makes up for the time. In my defense, I've been pretty busy. For instance, you can now buy my book(let), Not Just A Coaster on Lulu.com! I've been needing to put something like that together for quite some time and, thanks to my friend Kyra, I had to create one for her art show. Here's the link, if you're interested.

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/not-just-a-coaster/15982642?productTrackingContext=search_results%2Fsearch_shelf%2Fcenter%2F1

Anyway, the punchline for this episode I got from one of my fellow bartenders, but it ended up changing along the way, as most of my jokes do. In the end, I came back to the original idea when my girlfriend didn't get it the way it was originally modified. I was almost in trouble when I had to rewrite the banter between Peg and Sal because it was already drawn, so space was definitely an issue. I think it all worked out.

Also, I'm fishing around for elegant script/handwritten fonts for the title. I'm trying something new this episode, so I hope you like it.

Cheers.

John

the dregs #42

this episode was drawn in mid april. it's a joke that was delivered by a friend of mine, oddly enough the husband of a woman that gave me a joke i used a few weeks ago. or i guess it's not that odd when you think about it. anyway, about a month ago i had gone to eat with some friends for a birthday. we ate a suckling pig, part of which was the head. the chef put together a "head plate" for us consisting of the eyes, ears, brains, jowls, nape, tongue, snout, and skin. it may sound gross, folks, but it was fantastic. regardless, i tried brains for the first time that night and made a comment about it on facebook. aaron delivered the punchline. i just tweaked it.

the only thing that really bugged me about this episode was trying to draw sal at a backward angle. it took a while, but i think it looks pretty good. yay.

nerd alert... well, i'm heading off to the chicago C2E2 in an hour or so. anything i should look to pick up?

the dregs #2

this episode was done in september 2008, and has no title. it's also the first episode with "peg", and the first episode where "sal" has a mustache. at this point, i thought "sal" was going to have a mustache, but that idea was weeded out after a couple episodes.

i got the idea from this one from... i don't know where. i guess i saw a woman with a mustache. somewhere.

although "sal" still has that huge brow, i think this episode still looks good. i used the inside of the bar as part of the background, which is not used in later episodes, but i think the the bubbles in the beer glasses give a great effect.