Long Live Octopus Pie

Three cheers!

I check the webpage out of habit, but Meredith Gran's comic work Octopus Pie is over.  I feel like this is how sports fans feel when a jersey is retired and lifted to the rafters, forever in its untouchable place, time divided between when it was active and whatever comes after.  

That might sound grandiose, but in my mind, nothing tops the ten year run of Octopus Pie.  And in the lifespan of what we call Webcomics, 2007-2017 is a granddaddy of a run, worthy of names like "pioneering," "influential" and "groundbreaking" because in the space of those years, in this new medium, there was room to be those things without any hyperbole.  The comics landscape of the past decade needed filling out and Meredith carved her space out with precision, showing a polish and drive and a talent from the beginning that set a high standard.  

I'm guessing that I started Hark a Vagrant about six months after Octopus Pie began, but Meredith's was already a name to be reckoned with, due to the solid reputation of her previous comic Skirting Danger and because she was an honest to god trained animator in a sea of stickmen comics or two-dudes-on-a-couch comics (RIP forever *kisses fingers, holds them to the sky*). I was intimidated by her sheer capability.  But inspired too.  I did not need to be intimidated, she was one of the first people I met in comics, and easily one of the best.

Meredith and I briefly shared an apartment and a studio, and I can tell you, she can draw circles around everyone you know.  I later shared a studio with Mike Holmes, who could also draw circles around everyone, and now the two of them are married in some sort of talent supernova.  I am happy for them, even though I feel like I make grade three crayon pictures next to them.  But the other thing that being friends with Meredith for a long time has shown is the cutting wit, the care for stories done right, the love for a medium that will take you through highs and lows that come with comics, and lately through her job as a comics professor, the nurturing of upcoming talent.  I see all of this in Octopus Pie, a comic where character was paramount, where plots were expertly moved, a fine balance was found between the messiness of people and the fun you can have with stories, where subtle emotional movements where rendered with room to breathe, where I felt like I could reach deep into the hearts and minds of the characters on the page because they had been fleshed out so well over the years that they seemed as real people, people that I loved.

I don’t really like that phrase "comics will break your heart," commonly attributed to Schultz, or Kirby, it doesn't really matter.  You see it all the time, mostly when people are reckoning with the fact that they work in an unforgiving medium.  I don't even know what it is about the saying that I don't like.  Maybe it's because we all know that comics are hard work, we all know that you might put your life and blood and heart into something and you might get nothing back.  There are no surprises to be found there - it’s not a bad day you had, it’s a life you’re well aware of living, if you do.  But we love the perserverers in comics.  The people who live the phrase are the ones who inspire us the most.

I’m saying all this, and pardon the segue, because I have seen Octopus Pie, some of the finest story work of my generation, passed for recognition time and again and it confuses the hell out of me, truly.  I don’t want to turn a tribute to a work I hold dear into sour grapes, that’s not the intention here, but lord above, if I can't point this out now, then when can I?  We all know that there are no guarantees in this life (comics will break your heart) but I'll say this once and then leave it: this is a comic of quality that was miles ahead of so many of its peers, and it deserved better, industry wise.  To wrap up the earlier point, maybe I don’t like CWBYH because it implies that you should shrug your shoulders and not ask for better every time, that a short end of some kind of stick is expected even.  That’s easy when it’s yourself, but speaking as a fan now, I say to heck with shrugging, I want to put Meredith on my shoulders and parade her around and dump her into a Scrooge McDuck thing full of awards.  

Actually that sounds pointy and bad and the Ignatz awards are bricks to begin with so maybe forget that analogy but you get the idea.

I hope you read Octopus Pie, I hope you buy the books.  I hope the legacy of it is long and full, because it always will be for me.  And I think readers will agree, because I know this devoted fan base pretty well.  I read the comments, I've sat next to Mer at comic shows, I've listened to some of the emails that touched her.  I know this is a comic that meant a lot, to a lot of us.  In this world of work we put our hearts and souls into to begin with, that is a wonderfully worthy thing.

I do not know what Meredith will do next, but whatever it is, I am here for it, seat pulled close to the stage.  The retired jersey is in the rafters, the game is still being played by the people who dreamed better because it was there.  Aw what can I say, I'm sentimental!

 Thanks, Meredith. <3

I didn’t compile these till now, but I always compile them.  When I got sick at Christmas, it was some mix of flu and bronchitis and lord knows what, but things truncate around the 22nd.  Alas!  Nature’s whim over comics.

My sister has been through a lot this year, and there is mention of it, but only by her permission.  We love her very much, and we wish you strength and love if you are facing a hospital door with your family.

As always, click to zoom in on a long string of comics.  Happy 2017, to everyone.

Part one

Part two

I came down with some Death Flu during the holidays and stopped drawing comics because I was a snot monster but here are some Regular Life comics now that I am not in the grave

We are headed to Alberta today

cold hard steel

Christmas turnip gets its own series 

it’s always three o’clock somewhere

of the cartoon incarnation, I’m told “you’re very kind about my beard.”  Speaking of beards, no one is used to dad’s goatee yet

We are back for a Christmas visit, and there are a few things that are different.

Holiday shipping deadlines posted at the store! ho ho ho!

New in shop for kids and babies! (click!)

As it happens, boring Nelly and self absorbed Lockwood are really the last two people you would want as narrators. Sucks to be you, reader! I guess Heathcliff gives his perspective once, but mostly it's these two clowns and Isabella's letter from inside the madhouse. 

[X]

We got new kids items in store!  By popular demand!

Click for bigger

The part of the book leading to Cathy's death is the most interesting, isn't it? I have read chapters over and over. Here's a collection of essays, an old one but a good one, if you want to start somewhere in thinking about it: 20th Century Interpretations of Wuthering Heights. In all libraries, everywhere. It has in it, though you can just google it up too, Charlotte's 1850 preface to the book in defence of it but courting the morals of the time and explaining why it is so ...different. "Wuthering Heights: Sorry, Sorry, Just Give It A Chance OK?" Then go read all the essays deconstructing that. Then go down the deconstructing rabbit hole until you have no idea what you think anymore anyway. Then watch Netflix or something because your brain broke. Well that's how I do it. Some people have sent me pictures of pretty great Princess Pinecone and Pony costumes for Halloween. Pumpkins too! I'm so delighted to get those. I treasure 'em, thank you! 

[Plushes!]

Here we are, back at Wuthering Heights after an extended leave. Heathcliff has come home and everyone is reasonable and I don't really see trouble brewing at all. Thank you all who picked up King Baby!! I went on a book tour to schools and stores, and I loved all the little ones so much. I drew some comics about it: one two three four We have new plushes, and new kids shirts coming in to Topatoco soon as well! I haven't really mentioned this before, but stores in the real world can also pick up my things to put on the shelves, through our wholesale department. And I'd love to see more of that, I get asked about it a lot! Well it's no problem, just go HERE and thanks as always for stopping by! More Wuthering to come!

http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200038839/default.html

I was reading about Will Marion Cook, and this advice he gave to Duke Ellington is exactly good advice for many things - it is, in much better words, the advice I give people about writing comedy, or at least when I try to.  I’m certain it makes sense for almost any creative pursuit.  More on Will Marion Cook in this video, including his sound:

PLUSHIE KING BABIES ARE HERE

We wrapped up the King Baby school and store tour, thanks for a great two weeks to all these kiddos!  King Baby is here, I’m going back to my polar bears and maple syrup in Canada.  Might sketch a few more if they come to mind, kids throw things a mile a minute.  I possibly want to work with them forever.