The Halfpipe
Bweh. Last night i found myself twicking and twicking at the drawings over and over again as i adjusted and erased and modified the expressions, getting hung up on details and discarding frames and redrawing frames on 2nd and 3rd sheets of paper to be merged into the final comic when i scanned… and as it got later and i wondered and worried as i often do about the time it was taking.
The comic has been going well, but i’ve had a lot of trouble getting other things done. I’ve been trying to squeeze things into the day or two worth of time i have between comics - things like new products, a 2008 calendar, a few doujinshi projects i want to get under way, dealing with the Kodansha translations, trying to get to things with the new website, etc. My stubbornness about insisting on doing 3 comics per week is admirable, but looking at it from another point of view i wonder if i’ve been shooting myself in the proverbial foot all this time. Like that FexEx commercial where they wonder why they aren’t more productive. The woman suggests they get rid of the halfpipe, but the boss says no, the halfpipe stays.
There are two things i can do to make the MT comics work - by that i mean, I produce MT comics for free and i need to start working on other projects while MT is still going strong. I can simplify the art, reduce the time it takes to do them, or reduce the number of them that i do per week. I keep trying to simplify, but when i’m producing them i just can’t help but indulge in them - basically nullifying all attempts to reduce the time investment. Very noble, i suppose, but there are a lot of things that suffer. Rants, Blogs, Products, the Megagear store, products that i need to get designs finished for (so i can, like, support a family maybe?), personal life, getting things ready for our new baby… you get the idea.
The thing is, i don’t think that its the actual *production* time that is an issue. When i know exactly where the comic is going, when the script is solid and my vision of it is clear, it goes quickly. A fully developed comic with a finished script and layout can take 6-7 hrs to do, even with full backgrounds. I typically roll a lot of my development into the production, kind of a parallel processing thing. It’s very nice, but im beginning to think its a little indulgent and incredibly inefficient. If i am going to do 3 comics per week, i cant do long story development, short story development, dialoguing, drawing, and finishing all in the same day. That’s my halfpipe, and i think its got to go.
To do that, i think i need to do the one thing i have always considered off the table - go to a 2 comic per week schedule for a while. Each comic is taking a full day and a half to produce right now. thats 5 full days per week. Add all of the stuff we have to do related to the pregnancy, and… there isn’t anything left. No time for the store, no time for freewriting, sketching, story development, product development, ranting - anything. I need that time to add some balance and breathing room to the equation and stop being the indulgent, suffering “artist.”
I haven’t decided if im really going to drop to a 2 per week schedule yet, or for how long. I am this week - i need to regroup, finish the hatch on mondays comic, etc. This comic is mostly done, i have two frames to draw and dialogue to nail down. I’m gonna jump in and try to see if i can make some progress with some other things, things that have been needing attention for weeks.
Maybe it’s called getting realistic, im not sure. But maybe 2 regularly delivered comics with everything else you expect from these websites - rants, updates, etc - including some other projects like maybe ‘warmth’ getting off the ground (and that endgames doujin i want to do)… we’ll see.
I do work pretty hard, it’d just be nice to feel more of a sense of accomplishment more often. It might be more workable than than the way i normally deal with my productivity issues. 
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:12 am
Do what you have to do Fred, the majority of us will stick around no matter what.
That has been many of us who has said we wouldn’t mind it if you dropped to MT schedule to two a week to work on ‘Wamth’or another project. I’m quite sure that still stands too.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:13 am
Do what you can while getting the quality you’re striving for. One idea - minimize the time you allow for distractions. If you’d eliminate them - the fun would be sucked out of your work. Honestly though. What can you delegate? The only thing that comes to my mind is the store. Which you need to keep an eye on - but don’t need to micromanage.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:15 am
One way to look at it might be that dropping to two-per-week officially beats dropping to two-per-week “due to extenuating circumstances,” the latter being sort of a tail wagging the dog situation which comes up fairly often. (I’m not taking potshots, mind you. I get free entertaining webcomicmangalikepicturestuff every few days, who am I to complain?) When in doubt, it’s better to be the dog than the tail.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:18 am
A number of comics on a MWF schedule have been cutting back to a MTh or TuF schedule. Considering that Sarah’s pregnant and you have a lot of stuff you need to get done even before the little one appears to further disrupt your schedule, I think shifting down to a 2x/week schedule may very well be an excellent idea. Then again, you’re looking at the chap who increased /his/ reviewing schedule to 5x a week, so take what I say with a multigrain bagel (or grain of salt, whichever you prefer).
Rob H.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:22 am
I don’t think any fan could blame you if you go to a reduced schedule from here through the end of the year. Take care of the things that need to be done.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:22 am
Hey Fred,
One thing that has kept me hooked on Megatokyo is the quality of writing and the detail you put into the drawing of the comic. That is what makes your work really stand out. Megatokyo is very dynamic…There is action everywhere, not just the foreground, and that does take a lot of effort and forethought. That said, dropping to two per week so that you can keep up the detail would be my suggestion. I always look forward to the next update, and I will continue to, no matter what the schedule becomes. Thank you for creating such a wonderful story!
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:35 am
Dear Fred-
It’s always difficult to wrestle with things like this. I mean, you had the guts to quit your full-time, benefit-producing job for a self-employment job which is always a risky thing at best. Moreoever, all the self-employed entrepeneurial types I know work 70+ work weeks. It’s a crazy thing this thing called life. I echo sentiments that amount to “whatever keeps megatokyo in existence is good, whatever does not is bad.”
Some thoughts. Your (theoretical) three times a week builds a lot of hype. All of us monkeys (allusion) spend endless hours wondering what will happen next and even post comments perseverating about every aspect of the comic. Then there’s all the drama of “will it make out on time?” and “okay it didn’t come out on time, when will it come?” along with massive amounts of browser refreshings. While running two times a week certainly will not stop that activity, it will lose some of the “hype” factor, I think.
Another consideration: Every webcomic I’ve ever read that cut production output has been less exciting to read.
These are minor considerations, ultimately, since major life-changing events like rearing a child are more important in the business of human existence than webcomics.
You, Sarah, and the new Gallagher are in my prayers, especially for health and safe-delivery.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:36 am
You are Doomed!
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:44 am
I think that a majority of us would rather two high quality comics on a semi regular schedule than 3 high quality comics at a semi irregular schedule. As the time comes for the baby and afterward it’s only going to get harder. You won’t do any one a favor (especially Sara and the baby) if you are exhausted.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:57 am
aye… joining the chorus here. I’d rather see two high quality comics than 3 harassed sleepless comics.
Do it now before the *baby* because I will absolutely guarantee you’re going to be insane afterwards. Babies are Top Class torturing agents: “how many lights do you see?”
My wife knits, she sent Sparky a little hat when his ninja-ette arrived, so if your store physical address is fine she’d like to send your incoming goblin a hat as well. If you have a better address, feel free to email me.
I’m really interested to see how the japanese translation is going to handle the ‘english vs japanese’ dialog. Are you going to reverse which language you bracket (bracket the english?).
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:10 pm
I don’t think any of us could possibly hold it against you if you were to consider cutting back to two updates a week. I’ve been out of work for a year and am just about to start a new job (based on the studying I’ve been doing in that year). Now I have to balance work with study (still got two years and 6 modules of home-based learning to go *gulp*) and personal time along with decorating the house, cleaning and tidying… ie, leading a *normal* life with my girlfriend.
I have really enjoyed Megatokyo since I found out about it last year, and I hope you find the centre ground that you seek.
I for one would rather see you happy with the work you produce and the life you lead, than stressed and distracted by trying to do more than may be necessary.
Best wishes to you and Sarah for your coming bundle of joy!
Whatever you choose to do, good luck to you all.
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:12 pm
While you struggle over the decision whether or not to go to 2 comics a week, please allow me to make another suggestion.
Go to a 12 to 14 panel, one comic a week approach.
I love reading your comic and wait with great anticipation three times a week to read it. It always brings a smile to my face and often leaves me laughing outloud at work, which often results in odd stares from my co-workers, but I don’t care. You work hard to provide us this touch of levity to our day, and you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labors. Running a business, raising a family, being creative on a schedule, and dealing with all that life has to throw at us is no small task. I for one would happily settle for one longer comic each week rather than see you get burned out or worse, physically or mentally ill because of the pressures you place on yourself for the sake of your fans, of which I am one.
Do what you feel is best for you and your family. If going to 2 comics a week is it, then by all means, do it, but I for one would rather have more than just a little breathing room for all the things that take up my time. I’d rather be able to truly enjoy my life while doing that which I love doing. So, okay, I’m not able to do that, at least not at this time in my life, but far be it for me to begrudge anyone else from being able to do it. Especially not you, Fred. You put out a great comic and if you need to drop down to two comics a week, or even one comic a week, that’s just fine with me. Just as long as I know that it will be there on the day you plan it to be.
Thanks for all the laughs, Fred.
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Do what you have to do, Fred =) With a new Gallagher on the way, switching to a 2-comic week schedule seems best so that you can actually breathe
I say to you what I said to a friend of mine (He’s a commercial illustrator.) when he was constantly receiving messages from fans to hurry up with his next colored drawing and post it online:
The best piece is the one you have to wait for a month or so before you ever hear that the artist is still alive, because, since you had to wait, the excitement will be even more invigorating, and the piece will be more appreciated.
That’s just my take on the situation. I’ve only been reading MegaTokyo for about a year, but I really enjoy it =) A schedule change won’t affect that. Take as long as you need. A new baby is a big step, and that should be your focus as December nears.
Good luck to you, Sarah, and your little one! I’ve been inspired to make something for the new baby, but I’m not sure what just yet
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Fred,
As you can see, A good portion of your Fandom will support your decision whatever it may be. But I might suggest talking to Pete Abrams over at Sluggy.com. He has been at the webcomic game for at least 10 yrs and has recently had his second child since while maintaining a daily comic post with the occasionally 2-3 week hiatus. He might be able to give you some better advice than any of us, your readers, could about keeping your current schedule, quality and sanity while having time for everything else.
Best wishes to you, Sarah and lil Piro-to-be.
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I am going to join the chorus in telling you it’s okay to switch a 2 comic a week schedule for as long as you need to, even if it’s permanent. However, I’m also going to second the suggestion that you start letting other people handle some of the things that you are doing that don’t really need your personal input. For instance the store. If you can afford to hire a guy to run the store, I think it’ll end up being profitable in the long run since it’ll free you up to actually do things like design merch to sell in it. Similarly I figure you can find somebody to do your website update for next to nothing, so, since you’re short on time, why kill yourself doing it yourself?
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:28 pm
i think having two comics a week is fine, and maybe in between you could just have your twitter updates on the site. something that would keep people coming back everyday to see the progress leading up to the posting of each comic. awesome work on the comic btw; keep it up!
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Fred:
As far as my feelings- I follow what most have already said; I would much rather have the same high detail/quality comic twice a week than the alternative. Having said that…
I think you just have to follow your gut on this one Fred. You mentioned that you’re not good at minimizing the comic. I doubt you would be happy with anything less than your best- hence, the only thing to do is reduce the comics output.
Besides, there could very well be a positive side effect of doing this, in my opinion. Some of the things you mentioned that you want to work on might very well fill the gap in content that is absent right now. A regular rant column or new aspects to Megagear, or (my fav!) Warmth starting up with a limited release schedule, would, I think, sate the appetite of the viewing masses, while at the same time hopefully allowing you and Sarah breathing room in all things. After all, they say “variety is the spice of life”, right?
Undoubtedly, the pressure is only going to get worse as the months press on. Afterwards, lack of sleep will become a real issue for both of you. Interuptions in your artist time will be regular, making it tougher to meet your expectations. So… maybe it would be best to just plan on cutting back now, make the change and adjust when necessary down the road.
It might sound corny Fred, but… you and Sarah are like family in a way. I care about your ups and downs and pray for your good health and fortune. I’m behind you, whatever you end up deciding to do. Kampai!
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:33 pm
My hand is raised to vote for the “let Fred get some time to breathe”. Please don’t delude yourself that your family time pressures will drop once Sarah’s done her first part! It won’t.
I’d second elvedril’s comment about getting help with stuff that isn’t so… arty? or, doesn’t demand your own creative input - unless you use those jobs to blow off steam.
I like three a week when they happen; I like two a week, I’m sure I’d like one a week if it came to that - but I hope it doesn’t! But any a week are far better than reading a note on the site that you’ve had to give it all up for money to live on.
Thanks.
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:46 pm
As a new father, I’d suggest going to one comic per week now. Continue producing at the same 3 a week (or even slow to two a week) speed, but build up some art to carry you through the first few months. Y’know, till the little one is sleeping through the night. This way you get stability for the comic with a single schedule change and sanity for the family (which also means more comics down the road).
– As a fan, I’d prefer two new comics a day.
J
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:52 pm
or i could take over and draw zombies and rent-a-zillas every week until the kid is ready for college.
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:01 pm
“Stop thinking, just do it,” is what I’d say. Just drop to that two comic/week schedule and do the other stuff you need and want to do AND get the sleep you need
If it ‘feels wrong’, try and think why it *should* be 3 comics a week … because you’ve been doing 3/wk for ages? That’s no reason. Because the readers will be disappointed? That’d be too bad, not unlikely in some cases, but still not a reason. We’re here for the story, the people in it, not because there’s exactly 3 comics a week. You won’t get rid of us that easily
So yeah. Relax … it’s FredEx.
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Try to avoid doing what Rich Burlew did with The Order of the Stick. If you need to change the schedule in some way then you should do it, but please have the updates have some sort of regularity and please continue to use your twitters.
Also considering you have a baby coming you should do whatever you have to do (one comic a week for a period of time, two week vacations) to build up a backlog of comics so you have some kind of safety net. You need some kind of safety net.
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Hey Fred,
Ever since I started reading your comic, I’ve been hooked. The quality of your art and your story and AMAZING. With that being said, considering what is going on in your life, I think it would be reasonable to go down to 2 comics per week. As well, I think that any true fan would much prefer the comics going down to 2 per week, rather then seeing the quality of the work suffer by staying at 3 per week. You need to do what YOU need to do. and as long as you keep you fans up to date with what going on, we will support you. Good Luck!!!
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
No worries Fred! As you can clearly see, we’ll stick around. The comic is solid and we all want to see more of it. We won’t mind a little time gap between the comics, so please switch to the double comic weeks instead of the triple doom week.
I loved the rants, and seeing the new merchandise in the store. That said if you had more time to do these other things, and still have time to take care of the personal life, it would be welcomed with open arms.
And, if by any chance you start feeling bad about dropping down a comic post a week, just throw a basic sketch at us or something. We’re happy with whatever we get.
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:35 pm
I’d be happy with two comics a week as long as you continue to indulge in them. ^_^
And as a side note: You can buy 0.4mm pencils and lead from Jet Pens.
http://www.jetpens.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=0.4+mm+pencil&x=0&y=0
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Personally, I was wondering when you would realize that you needed to drop to a 2 comic per week schedule.
You think you’re busy now. Just wait. When the baby comes, you’ll look on these days as the lazy time of life.
A baby is the biggest time sink short of a black hole. (Of course, they’re much cuter, so it’s worth it.)
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Here’s a second suggestion: you could take a page out of the book of RCSI (Code Name: Hunter) and run two updates a week… and Wednesday dedicated to Dead Piro day sketches (and the occasional Dom Filler).
I know a number of fans would likely love to see more DP Art (and there are a few twisted masochists who enjoy Dom’s works as well for some perverse demented reason). You’ll still have something up 3x a week, a DP sketch can be something done fairly quickly and allow you to experiment in a few things, and you’d not feel like you’re slacking (and while I don’t know you, I’ve gotten a feel for how you think and you do feel like you’re slacking when you’re not giving it your all).
Rob H.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Dear Fred,
As a longtime fan of MT, I’ve always been worried about when things might get too much for you and then MT would be gone. I’m glad that you’re trying to prevent that–not only because this is your ‘day job’ but because it’s (one of)your creative outlet(s).
Years from now, people will look back on the stuff you’ve done as groundbreaking. I still struggle to make people understand that anime and manga are not just cartoons and comic books. You’re definitely one who’s bridging that gap from this side of the Pacific.
One of the coolest moments I’ve ever had at a con was in the registration line at AX05 when some guys spotted the ‘Evil L33T’ shirt on my b/f and started throwing out MT lines. It was great.
I’m a writer myself, and I’ve seen the toll my ‘regular’ life takes on my creative output, and I frankly cannot even fathom doing what you do. I don’t know how you do it, but please, as your fans have said before me, do whatever it takes.
We love MT, we love the characters you’ve introduced us to, and we all wish you and Sarah and Baby G the best. We’re with you.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:09 pm
I’ll join the chorus here. Do what you need to do to stay sane and healthy.
Please understand that every extra minute you spend on the artwork is valuable to us. But I have noticed that on release eves you tend to work until 4 or 5 AM before you give up. In my own experience, I’ve found that when I am having creative trouble I need to discipline myself to stop sooner and let my problems rest. Perhaps your productivity would improve if you simply stopped working when you begin thrashing. Give it some time and distance. [/unsolicited advice]
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:27 pm
I think that you should just put out less comics a week, Dont reduce the Quality! I can live with 1 comic a week if thats all you can do, but 1 a week should be a minumum. just dont beat yourself up to much dude, everyone needs some down time every now and then, just get dom to post some more fillers or something.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Fred,
Do what you feel you need to do.
However, I suggest reducing your load by letting others do more of the grunt work.
Rants and blogs are basically the same thing. Try finding a way to link all your blogs. Then, you would only have one to worry about.
The store: all you need to do for the store is design teh products. Everything else can be done by other people. I think it would be in your best interest to hire people to manage the store for you.
Take a look at he big picture. You may find other things that you can regulate to others.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:45 pm
I like the 2 comix per week idea. I read at least 3 others that only update Monday and Thursday, which is perfectly okay with me. what’s not perfectly okay is promising 3 but delivering 2. So if it’s nessesary to make the default schedule Mon/Thu, I say go for it.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Hi Fred,
What’s important is your and Sarah’s health, however, had you considered talking to Phil and Kaja Foglio to see how they manage it?
I’m assuming you’re familiar with http://www.girlgenius.com
Phil and Kaja are old hands at comics, but new to the web-comic world, they might have some suggestions as to how they manage it.
Cheers
T.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Apologies, it’s http://www.girlgeniusonline.com
T.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:57 pm
The problem with going to a two comic per week schedule is, over the whole run of Megatokyo, you have never been able to stick to any sort of schedule. Going to two comic per week schedule guarantees that Megatokyo will slip to a one-and-a-half or even a one comic per week strip. Effectively, because of all the DPDs and missed comics over the years, Megatokyo has always been a two per week comic.
You should stay with three comics per week and either simplify the art (your current hand-hatched style has bloomed over time into looking murky and messy and is obviously time intensive), or you should farm out the art to another artist (Hawk being the obvious suggestion) while you continue to write the strip. This second suggestion would largely free you up so you can persue other projects you have had to delay or cancel due to Megatokyo’s endless time-suck. Personally, I loved what Hawk did with his guest-drawn strips. Not only is he a powerful, naturally gifted artist, but his strips were ON TIME. It was a genuine joy for me to go to the Megatokyo website and see a new comic on time, every time. Wow, how much fun was that — one hell of a lot!
Look, your interests have obviously been elsewhere for sometime. You want to do more as an artist than you feel you can with Megatokyo, and that is perfectly fair. But to be fair to all the fans who have stuck with you for all these years, you should wrap up Megatokyo in a professional, timely fashion, and if that means changing how you produce the comic, even up to the extreme of farming the art out, then it is my suggestion that is what you do. Officially dropping down to two comics per month will just mean a slow, prolonged death for the strip.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:59 pm
“Make it work!” http://youtube.com/watch?v=ojqvSCgLKZQ
The comic is wonderful, but Sarah and the baby are obviously most important. I’ve been a fan since I saw you at C-kon in 2003, and I’ll continue to read your works no matter what! So congratulations on the coming baby. We’re all behind you.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Two solid, high quality, on time releases a week is my vote. Not complaining, but the hit or miss schedule is confusing and disappointing. I also have to believe that the constant checking by anxious fans has got to have a bad effect on your bandwidth bills.
One other comment of a technical note. Lately I’ve been thinking that the art has been a bit muddy and hard to read (read in the visual recognition sense.) The shading and hatching seems to have gotten out of hand.
As an artist, I know how you can get caught up in rendering and loose sight of the work as a whole. When you published the unhatched artwork the other day, I thought, “Wow, now that’s the kind of artwork that first captured my attention on this strip.
My vote here, is to loose the shading, or at least tone it down. Your line work is good enough to stand on its own. And it could save you some time as well.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:02 pm
oh and when i said i’d read no matter what, i meant that even if it goes down to two or even one comic per week. You art is amazing and MT is wonderful. I love what you’ve done and keep up the good work (even if it gets slower).
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:03 pm
I can’t say that I *want* you to go to a 2x / week schedule - that’s because I’m absolutely hooked on MT. I’ve been reading for years now, and the quality of your art and story has always been superb. As was said earlier, I’d take two comics done to your usual level of awesome over three comics pared down.
Whatever you decide, though, we are still here.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Good grief!! That’ll teach me to link my morning comments in a twittertwit.
Remember folks, i’m talking about a short term 2 per week schedule to give me a chance to catch up on things. There are a LOT of one-time things that i have to do that once they are done, they are off my back. Those are the things that are killing me.
I’ll have to read all these comments, i’ll try to do that later tonight… but i certainly would feel bad if i took time out of today reading this rather than doing the work i am supposed to be doing
thank you for all the comments, i really appreciate the thoughts. It’s really a good feeling to know that there are readers who care the way they do
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:14 pm
As almost everyone else has said, do what you need to do to keep some sanity in your life, Fred. Hey, if you have to drop to one a week, that’s okay (I come from a line of long living ancestors so I’ll be here till the end.).
Believe me, I know what it’s like - after my first daughter was born I held down one full-time and three part-time jobs for several months to make ends meet. That was crazy. Don’t make yourself crazy; or rather, stay crazy enough to keep MT the way it is.
Remember, family comes first! We fans (your ersatz extended family) will be here for you no matter what.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:39 pm
well i know what you mean.
you just have to do what you have to do to make life worth living you know.
and who knows you might want that old halfpipe back in a few years.
anyway i have started reading MT a few months back and its great fun to read.
and i like it so much that i just cant help but wonder…
do you guys also ship to holland?
i dont have a paypall *yet* but i sure wont mind getting one to order those MT manga volumes
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:49 pm
not meaning this to be inflammatory, but if you were to drop to a two comic week, don’t miss any comics anymore please.. two comics isn’t a problem considering the quality of work involved, and the stresses of your ‘real life’. that said, falling short of two comics would be.. disappointing.
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:06 pm
^_^ It’s your comic, of course some ppl will be disappointed with two comics a week instead of three, but if thats what you need to do to schedule the majority of us will understand (from what I’m reading at least). I dont comment here a lot…just wanted to say I’ll keep reading no matter how many comics you produce a week, lol.
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:07 pm
ok fred sounds good to me every time i check that twittle thing i alwase wounder how you do it i will stick around and ill still buy every comic collection you come out with love your art love your work most of all love the quality do what ever it take to keep that at number 1
Your fan
Kyle
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Hi Fred,
You have a great fan base. And having just had a little one of my own, you definitely need to cut back to two a week. (Comics, not little ones.) I’m guessing that a 2/week schedule will still have you feeling pressured most of the time, so why not utilize your large and supportive fan base as much as possible? I was searching VolunteerMatch.org yesterday to find something worth doing, and I bet there are a number of fans (myself included) who would preen at the ability to be a more active contributor to the MegaTokyo world. You may already be doing this more than I know, but if not - let us know what we can do to help!
Thanks,
Aaron
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Fred,
You really need to go down to two actual published pages a week.
You ‘will’ get the 1000 meter stare after the baby arrives. No need to kill yourself now.
I’m used to running around and doing 24 hour operations,and not only do you need to know when to back off and let your guys rest, but you also need to be able to force yourself to slow down or you will yourself burnout fast.
For time management I don’t know what to say. Maybe go to a M/Th(F) posting schedule and work on 9-10 panels at a time.That would cut you down from 24 panels a week to 18-20 but you would only be publishing 16 of those so you start building in that buffer that you so dearly dream of having.
And if you really want to publish something three times a week, designate, say, Wednesday as a permanent Dead Piro Day (pDPD) and show us some of that free sketching or dojinshi that you want to work on. Only Teddy-Werebear would complain that it’s not relevant to the story. The rest of us won’t mind.
Just do what you think is right. As long at its consistent even the bitchers and moaners will be there.
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Hi Fred,
I don’t think anyone will think badly even if you dropped the comic to once a week. Remember the old ‘dead piro days’?
Seriously, take it easy for a while. Have Dom do some comics on regular basis. (I actually miss SGD.)
I wish you the best of luck with everything.
Best,
A nameless fan.
August 22nd, 2007 at 7:12 pm
As the proud father of an eleven-day old daughter, my suggestion to you Fred, is to cut back on your schedule now. Sarah and you will have so many things to take care of right after your child is born, that either queuing up comics or preparing guest artist coverage in advance is your best bet. The two of you will probably not be getting more than two to three hours of uninterrupted rest or free time for the first couple of weeks after your child is born, and I think you will find it more engaging to watch your newborn during that time than to pound your head on the desk agonizing over a comic schedule.
Best Wishes!
August 22nd, 2007 at 7:44 pm
I feel special, I came across this blog post on my own and not through twitter
Also ignore the few crazy people who are calling for more SGD comics, the fate of the world (and my sanity) depends on it.
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Fred,
It’s “free ice cream”, so we can’t complain if you have to cut back on the weekly ration of it.
And may I say that it’s damned good ice cream?
I second Robert A. Howard’s suggestion of a two-comic-a-week schedule, with a DPD for the third comic if you can swing it. I think enough of us like your art enough that even a “throwaway” bit of art is highly prized.
Thanks for soldiering on as well as you have, and here’s hoping for more free ice cream.
Best wishes to you and Sarah, and the little one on the way.
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:26 pm
I certainly can see what you’re saying and can relate to what you’re going through. There comes a time when you have to trim back what you to do to meet your own standards for the quality of work that you do while remaining sane and enjoying life. I whole heartedly support you moving to two comics per week. Just knowing that you’re working on additional projects makes going down to two comics per week bearable! I’m hoping that one of those projects is Warmth.
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Just want to add quickly that I like the heavy shading look and I hope you don’t change it like some of the other commenters suggest.
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Fred-rin,
Whatever you decide, I’m glad to see some of your other stuff - particularly Warmth. I think a “two pages + DPD” schedule would be great.
cptlogic
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:58 pm
I’m normally a soloist, but this time I’ll join the chorus: I spend more time on any given page of Megatokyo than on any of the other webcomics I follow–and it’s because of the time and love you lavish on each page. Moving to two pages per week–temporarily or permanently–to maintain the quality? You’ll get no complaint from me. (Sure, I’d love Megatokyo _five_ days per week–but I can be realistic. When necessary.)
If you have the bandwidth to post DPDs, sketches, any of the byproducts of the creative process, so much the better. We’ll take as much Fred as we can get–but we don’t want to “kill the golden goose.”
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:12 pm
So you stuck wanting to do other things huh? I recomend using the two update per week to free up time from the comic, but I also suggest you use some time to lay out your plot and scripting for the next bunch of comics which can help cut down production time…
I am pretty sure that when you go look inside the visual dictionary at the word “suck” in the section of “things that suck” you would find ‘Crashing airplanes, bomb threats, blazing infernos, and babies’. Im not suggesting that the “Miracle of Life” as some would call it is necessarily a bad thing, I just want to drive the point that face it, no matter how much you love your baby, it sure sucks to have one. Lack of sleep, time, energy, money, patience, the list goes on… so i just suggest if you want to have a less hectic time with the comic later then you might want to get ahead right now. Because if you think that 2 a week will just be “temporary” then once the baby comes you will probably even more hard preesed with 2 a week and a baby then 3 a week without.
So take a break, relax, do stuff with your wife and things that you want to do before the baby comes and steals your time away…
Many will be here when you come back…
I can guarentee that I will be.
A fan spellbound by your art
-Dan
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:17 am
Oh noes, the plot moving even slower than it does now?!
I kid. Really. Take the time you need to deal with the important things in your life. I’ll keep reading and enjoying.
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:21 am
*whistles*
That’s a lot of post…
Here’s my two cents.
Shun me if you want, but I’d even settle for one comic a week if it means it would allow you to get things on track.
August 23rd, 2007 at 3:09 am
It might help to change your style. For example. Right now you are writing every page as a mini-short story, so that there is essentially a punch line at the bottom of every page. It is well known that it takes more time and effort to do write concisely. For example, A short story requires many more revisions than a novel.
Since you are being published now, instead of writing in a bunch of stand-alone linked pages in normal web-comic format, which increases your stress and effort, write in chapters like normal manga artists do instead. That way you can feel more flexibility, both in page layout, and in story progression. Don’t worry anymore making every page a mini story. Instead draw out the panel progression for an entire chapter, then chop it up for the web and don’t worry anymore about making a page stand alone. That should do a lot to make the design easier on you.
–I can’t seem to put in paragraph breaks. preview strips out any html, hopefully this will be readable.
August 23rd, 2007 at 4:05 am
We could always just get Dom to fill in when Fred can’t do 3 comics.
No. I’m kidding.
Really, I’ll jump on the bandwagon that people most likely wouldn’t complain if you reduce your workload due to the pregnancy issue. Most of us that read MT like the effort and time you put into it, so we’d rather take quality over quantity.
August 23rd, 2007 at 6:49 am
You have to do what you have to do, whats important is you, Sarah and the new baby when it arrives. So don
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:48 am
I think 2 comics a week would be a smart thing to do IMHO. This way you’ll be more likely to fulfill the comic obligation instead of leaving fans hanging. MT fans are quite loyal and I can’t see it causing too much of an issue. I know how rough it can be trying to pull a business together. I’ve got faith in you bro.
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:51 am
I ordered a couple of things from you guys when you were signing the manga and posters knowing I would not see them for a while. (I was out of the country til August.)
When I finally got home and got to see them I cried. I never thought I would ever get anything signed by you. If I can wait years to own something to be signed by you, I can certainly wait, patiently and diligently, for a new comic. Especially as you sort out this new chapter in your own life.
Go forth and do what you do best - create. But do it in the best possible environment and time for you. I will forever be a fan of what you do.
August 23rd, 2007 at 10:33 am
Do what you need to do, man. The people who really enjoy your work, who read the free stuff religiously and still buy all the books and such, will understand. Two a week, one a week, if it means your family gets time, your paid products get time, and side things you want to work on get time, we’ll suck up and enjoy that one free strip a week.
Eric Schwartz does Sabrina Online basically once a month, and I happily follow that one too.
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Fred, I’m sorry, but you’re DOOMED! :p
You are doomed to have an admiring fan base that will love your work as long as you don’t turn the site into pure SGDs.
That said, I think you it would be pretty reasonable if you switch to a Monday Thursday schedule like hawk, but that’s just me.
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:12 pm
I just have to say that I’m behind you 100%. As a student trying to work 2 jobs, I can understand how time cuts into quality. So do my professors >.< Take some time and focus on what’s important. Family and supporting them should be right up there at the top. I don’t mind a two per week schedule. Heck, it would make things less complicated in a lot of ways. I mean, no more comics every other day dominating my life…I might have time to get outside…explore the world…oh, God…sun so bright…blinding…
But seriously. Take some time and sort through stuff. Family and living takes precedence over 3 comics a week.
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Well, I guess I can deal with 2 a week. I’ll give you the go ahead on that. lol Like my input counts! Seriously though, I think 2 a week is easier for the fans to keep up with, and if it means you can focus on more important things, like income and family, you should do that. Never comprimise that which is most important. Providing for your family is. I’m a huge fan of your work, and while it’s great to get a MT read in every couple of days, I would rather you be less stressed so that your work is all that it can be.
August 23rd, 2007 at 10:15 pm
hey, whatever you end up doing, it’s cool. the comic is awesome no matter how much it’s updated and good luck with the baby!
August 24th, 2007 at 1:20 am
Do what you got to do man. Maybe a m/w or a m/th schedule is better suited to your style of storytelling. The major reason I like megatokyo is because its one of the few webmanga that can pull me in. When ure baby comes around the been soon your barely gonna gett a 2 comic week anyway so do stress yourself if the urge hits go with the popular trend out right now. GAG strips/lite strips / minis whatevr u want to callem i liked the megatokyo mini that hawk did that was interesting and was wondering if you thought about that but a 1/4 the size.
August 24th, 2007 at 1:21 am
dont not do sosrry typos
August 24th, 2007 at 6:37 am
Finally! I’ve been hoping you’d go to two comics a week in theory as well as fact for a while now. I hope it helps smooth stuff out.
August 24th, 2007 at 7:09 am
M/F so you can start and end a week the way it should be done, with a good quality MT comic. ~-^
Again, to take the voice of an echo. We all support you, and anyone who doesn’t, well they left long ago when they couldn’t handle the awesomeness that is MT.
August 24th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
If you intend to post two comics a day I would suggest Tuesday and Thursday because that would give you enough time to write your script and tweak the art to your liking. that way you wont panic and start worrying about posting the next strip. anyway it’s just a thought. anyway do what you have to so you can make the best webcomic on the web.
August 24th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
If you intend to post two comics a day I would suggest Tuesday and Thursday because that would give you enough time to write your script and tweak the art to your liking. that way you wont panic and start worrying about posting the next strip. anyway it’s just a thought. do what you have to so you can make the best webcomic on the web.
August 25th, 2007 at 1:09 am
Oh! I would LOVE it if you took some time off from MT and spent a little time on Warmth. I have been DYING to get to know your other characters. Aftering seeing Saeko so many times, I really wish I had more overall character to go off of, rather than just a picture. I also really wish I knew the storyline, it looks amazing!
You’re the best, Mr. Galliger. Keep it up. We’re all rooting for you.
August 25th, 2007 at 3:59 am
if it were me, i’d do megagear on the weekends, keep the 3 comic format until the end of the next chapter or the birth of your child (whichever comes first) nix the blog, rant, updates, etc. Simplify the art style, and before attempting any of this, write a “bible” for the rest of the chapter, so the only thing you need to transposing dialogue with potential improvisations as you draw/create. After your child is born, move to a 2 MT / 1 Warmth format for as long as you can stand it, and don’t beat yourself up if you miss the Warmth, Rant, Blog, Update, Etc. Everything is built around MT. Everything else is icing.
August 25th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Dropping the quality of work would be a little sad for me. The obvious effort that goes into each panel is one reason I like MegaTokyo so much.
Personally, I’d rather lose quantity than quality. Especially since they’re all going into a book eventually, even if it takes longer.
August 26th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
Ok, i’ve skimmed most of what was said here, and i have to say - thank you for the support. Most of you really do seem to want to see the comic stay what it is, without getting too simple or more baisc, and since i can’t help but do that anyway…
THe truth is, i’m actually fairly quick at drawing. it’s the muddling about that takes so much time. It can expand to double or tripple the time it takes to do a comic compared to when its all planned out.
Also, to put it bluntly, my best comics usually go the quickest and look the best - and you’d be suprised how complicated some of them are. Some of the *simplest* comics, with no backgrounds, have taken the longest because i wasn’t sure where i was really going with it. The ‘winging it’ approach that i so often fall back on actually hurts more than helps, i think.
Also, someone comments that my interests have been elsewhere. Thats not true, MT is very important to me, the characters are important, the readers, everything. thats why its so upsetting to me to see how the harder i try sometimes the worse my problems with focusing things gets. FUnny how that works.
Anyways, in the end, i think i’ll figure this out. I’ve been trying to rely on stubborness to get through it all for the past seven years, and i now wonder if that’s really been the smart way to approach things. I’m learning
August 26th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
I got hooked one night just a couple months ago, stayed up all night reading the first 866. Paid for it. ^_^
As long as MT continues, so am I.
I strongly suspect that you are going to be overwhelmed even with two MT’s a week, most especially after the baby comes. Probably should consider one a week.
One thing that helps me with stories is to write well in advance of a deadline,when possible (yeah, right!),and do a little background processing, thinking about the story for a while. Usually I don’t have to change anything but when I do it gives me a bit of time. Dunno if that would work, since you’re pretty busy and drawing aint all that much like writing but might be something to think about sometime.
If I were in the neighbourhood I would volunteer to help out with the store side and whatever else I might be useful at. Then maybe I could absorb some art skills or something and improve my sucky drawing. ^_^
August 27th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
it should be noted that _I_ posted: if it were me, i’d do megagear on the weekends, keep the 3 comic format until the end of the next chapter or the birth of your child (whichever comes first) nix the blog, rant, updates, etc. Simplify the art style, and before attempting any of this, write a “bible” for the rest of the chapter, so the only thing you need to transposing dialogue with potential improvisations as you draw/create. After your child is born, move to a 2 MT / 1 Warmth format for as long as you can stand it, and don’t beat yourself up if you miss the Warmth, Rant, Blog, Update, Etc. Everything is built around MT. Everything else is icing.
Not roxie-chan. Not sure what happened there, i checked it after i posted it, and everything was fine…i’m all for simplifications of the comic, and making sure it’s something Fred loves to do rather than loathes to do…there’s a certain point after which something becomes to creatively draining that it’s more like scrooge’s Money, or Marley’s chains, rather than the liberating exileration that comes with creating something of your own design, and the absolute fantastic excitement of it becoming successful, popular, and something others can empathize with. He puts his heart into it, and it shows… i think right now he needs a little more of his heart back..
August 27th, 2007 at 11:48 pm
It must be hard trying to keep up with the comic and your wife being pregnant at the same time, getting stuff ready and set up. I feel for you, I’m about 8 months going on 9 pregnant and I’m so mid deep in baby stuff and other stuff that I can’t seem to even find the time to do a decent painting. Try not to stress yourself out with all the work your doing and congrats on your first child. I hope he or she is healthy and happy.
August 28th, 2007 at 4:52 am
Kools just read the update on m/t site.
Anyway just got done sitting in digtal imaging class and caught a interesting lecture u may like (psycology in photoshop class defiantely worth the money. )
Anyway here are some interesting quotes that got tossed around.
Quiters never win.Winners never never quit.
You are what you think about most of the time.
Your greastest weakness is your biggest strength.
August 28th, 2007 at 5:14 am
I’ll just say what everyone else has said already. Do what you need/want to do.
Cut back to one MT page a week if need be!
The loyal fans - the ones who buy the merchandise, the ones who would delight in getting an Endgames doujin… the ones who love the quality of Megatokyo and not the quantity.
It’s the depth of your work that draws people in. Anyone can write a story; only the best can bring one to life.
The people waiting for Warmth have been very patient… if you cut back on MT for Warmth, I’m certain the avid MT readers would both understand and have the same patience. =)
-Kae
August 28th, 2007 at 7:31 am
do what needs to be done… no one can blame you… your personal life is more important…
September 1st, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Fredrin your most loyal fans will be here regardless of how many times that you update. As long as the quality stays the same.
Do what you need to do in your personal life. Remember Family comes first.