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This is the beginning of a 6 strip story I call “Full Moon Fever”. I will only be releasing five strips to the public. The other one will be saved for a future release in my comic book. I may add a few more strips to the story as well when the story appears in one of my future issues. I need to make all upcoming comic books special so they will all contain unreleased material or special stories written just for the books.

One artistic direction I did on this strip was something that switches the warped reality I have been presenting through nearly every strip I have ever drawn. Did you catch the bold move? I’ll give you a second to review the strip again.

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Okay, now that you’ve reviewed the art again, I will explain what I did and why. The scene involves Charmy walking up to Weaver after being attacked by a wild dog. In the original pencil sketch, I observed that Charmy is a torn shirt looked odd. Charmy appeared to be naked. Yep. All these years with no pants and suddenly when he has a torn up shirt, there is too much emphasis on his flesh and the mind suddenly makes him look naked. I needed the readers to focus on his tattered shirt only so I put boxer shorts on Charmy. It worked. The strip reads perfectly without any distractions.

I tell everyone I talk to that I am not just a cartoonist. I am a movie director. Every scene is thought out, planned out, and directed just like a scene in a movie. Each comic strip I produce has four scenes which are all shots from the movie playing in my brain. The way I create each panel is a lost art. Most cartoonists now just draw the same panel over and over again creating a boring product. I vow to keep my strip exciting and different.

BELL COUNTY COMIC CON

We are only a month away from what I am predicting will be my best appearance of the year. I am sure I am setting my expectations way too high, but even if I only break even the show will be amazing. Last year was the debut show for Bell County and I did great, breaking even at a first year show is hard to do for me. Promoting a comic strip no one has heard of has been a struggle.

I recall that first year so well. I was making about $20 at each show, if I was lucky. I would sell a print or two and leave each show feeling like a failure. Year two was not much better until I landed that first newspaper gig in the Weekly Bulletin who are still running Charmy’s Army weekly. Once I landed that first newspaper and launched my cool little website, I began breaking even at the shows I was doing here in Houston. At the time, I refused to do road shows.

Fast forward to May and I have my first comic book released!!! Now, suddenly, I am the guy at the show people are coming to see. The last two shows, Comicpalooza and Greater Austin Comic Con, have been dreams come true. I can only imagine how Bell County Comic Con will receive me this year. I have a special page in their exclusive comic book which should bring in a ton of free autograph seekers who could possibly become purchasers. Like I said, this is MY show to win over.

Bell County Comic Con will be my biggest show ever.

I hope to see you there!!!!

#comics #charmysarmy @bellcountycomiccon