Here I am inking a panel for Ralph Snart Adventures #11 releasing this Spring. Another different angle for the camera. This issue will be part one of the Origin Trilogy.

Just finished pencils and lettering for RSA #11 -- the first part of a trilogy about the origin of The Snart. I also wrote an article on some of the influences that helped create RSA way back when.

This starts the beginning of the new format -- horizontal so an entire page can be seen on a desktop monitor. Part two is about halfway written.

If you want a missive about how Snart changed your life to appear in the next Rubber Room Gossip, now's the time to email them to me. I never grow tired of reading about how you found your first issue of RSA on a rack in a 7-Eleven and how your teachers beat you when they discovered you reading it in class and how your mom later threw all your Ralph Snarts in the garbage after you went to college and how your dad still won't speak to you because once you said Gangway, Fathead! to him. Ah, memories.

I should be uploading a new inking video on youturd relatively soon.

The first comic book appearance of Ralph Snart (as Ralph Snarf) in FanGraphix #3 published by Tony Caputo Publishing in December, 1985. This issue of the anthology series mostly featured the work of Tony Caputo and Allen Curtis, but also, had the two-page origin of Ralph Snart. By the time this had released, NOW Comics was already in the works, and I was drawing the very first issue of RSA (Vol 1 #1).Ralph contemplates his miserable life.Marc Hansen at the 1986 Chicago Comicon. Full of hope and promise only to bitterly crushed by the Comic Book Industrial Complex.

Here I am inking a panel for Ralph Snart Adventures #10 releasing in November. Just testing a different angle for the camera. Lighting sucks. Can you tell I haven't inked in a while? Using an old brush (from the last issue). Will be chucking this one in the trash and getting a new one. I can't talk, ink and chew gum at the same time so no sound. Lettering was done in software at the layout stage.

Ralph Snart Adventures along with my other comics have been removed from ComiXology at my request. Those that made purchases already will still have access to their books. The reason for the removal was because I didn't like ComiXology's arbitrary sales, which undercut and conflicted with the prices of my own webstore. My books are already priced super cheap, so having a "sale" doesn't make any sense, and doing so without the publisher's input is just plain rude.

Almost all of my digital comics purchases are through my webstore, so no big loss. Must've been some Amazon initiative to trivially add to their billions. Besides that, all of my new stuff is exclusive to my webstore. So there, Amazon. Nerts to you!

The short and the sweet: issues #s 10, 11 and half of 12 are written. Beginning to pencil #10. Should have a "coming soon" for #10 after I finish the cover.

The Ralph Snart origin tale will begin with issue #11 instead of the next (#10). The new format will also be delayed until #11. The origin will be a "reboot of the franchise" as Ralph loses his mind and begins his strange trips to his Fantasy Otherworld, and while in reality, Doctor Goot and other morons nefariously and rudely give poor Ralph a hard time.

Issue 10 will also have part two of Chuck Dixon's Captain Danger backup and also Chuck's Mister Lizard story.

The last few issues of RSA have actually been on a regular basis, and I'm going to try and maintain it, which is twice-a-year -- Spring and Fall. I could probably do three per year, but they'd be shorter in length and my Summers wouldn't be as much fun. I'll also do the free t-shirt giveaway with each issue release until the stock gets too low.

The next issue (ten) will begin a three-issue retelling of Ralph Snart's origin, you know, where he goes crazy and escapes "bitter reality" by regressing into a bizarre "fantasy otherworld" and drinks lotsa beers and parties down. I've never done a complete story, only a couple of quickie shorts -- a two-pager in FanGraphix #3 (1985 - first appearance), and a four-pager in RSA Vol 3 #5 (1989). The first issue is already written, and I plan on writing the rest of the trilogy over the Summer. And yes, Doctor Goot will snatch brains and Mister Lizard will guzzle beers (respectively) upon their return.

The upcoming issues will also start a new format -- something that will be more optimized for being viewed on digital devices. I have been doing it as a traditional printed comic with a 6-5/8" x 10-1/4" size, color covers, inside covers black & white and similar page counts. That's all comforting and familiar but has no relevance for a digital book, which has less boundaries (ie: a digital book doesn't have an inside cover). So, the new format will be closer to what I did on Volumes 6 and 7.

I'm also still working on a free book that will replace my fansite web page. Not sure when that's coming out.

My digital comics weren't originally intended for smart phones with their small screens, although mine look just dandy on my iPhone 6s.

Here's a sample page on my iPad 1 (yeah, ten years old and still going strong). I'm using the CloudReaders app. Click the image for a larger view.Here's the same page on my MacBook Pro (mid2015).Here's the same page on an old 21" Mac monitor.Now I'm not saying you have to read the comics on the same hardware. I'm just pointing out that tablets, laptops and desktops make the most sense, and that using a small smart phone to view and read digital comics doesn't make much sense. But then WHATEVER.

The inks and colors for Ralph Snart #9 should be done next week. Meanwhile, I'm holed up (sheltering in place) like a caged animal. Crawling around on all fours, howling at the window at passer-bys, flailing and frothing, so pretty much not noticing much difference since before the virus.Also waiting for beer #49 to age -- only about a month since bottling. Takes a couple weeks to carbonate and then at least four weeks of aging before it starts to get good.