The bonus content on this strip is lamesauce, primarily because it's uninspired variations of the original material. Sorry.

I also have no idea how Middlebrook's hair got so light in the final strip. Maybe his mighty Canadian locks weren't up to the challenge and were instantly bleached by the hot Florida sun. Yeah, that's it.

This strip represents another shift in my workflow. Usually (but not always) I'll sketch out a panel on the iPad and then ink and build out the comic on the computer with the Wacom. I wanted to see if I could ink on the iPad, too, so I used the pen tool highlighted below in Sketchbook Pro to ink over the original sketches.

Everything else was done on the computer (it's the same panel, just edited and shuffled around for panels 2 and 3) and I also drew the Magic Kingdom at the last minute on the computer. So ... not a HUGE shift in process, but it's nice to be able get all the practical drawing done on the iPad.

Meanwhile .... I've been cultivating an obsession over upgrading the iPad. It's inevitable, in some form or another, since I gave the mini to Sam for it's cellular abilities. Our 3rd gen iPad is of the Wifi-only variety and is woefully under-capacity at 16gb (I'm routinely bouncing between 200 and 40 mb of free space. MEGABYTES.) Other issues I have with the iPad 3 is that it runs exceptionally hot -- a problem with all iPad 3's that seems to be rectified with the 4. Speed generally is never an issue ... until you start drawing. The iPad 4 has a faster processor and faster graphics, which should make the drawing a smoother experience. Although with how deliberate I am in my drawing, I'm probably making that into a bigger issue than it is.

So I'm eyeballing a 32gb cellular iPad 4 in the Apple refurb store. It's a chunk of change, and I can afford it, but I also know that there's a new raft of iPads coming in the Fall in addition to the fact that as functional as the iPad and Bamboo stylus are, they probably don't hold a candle to the Galaxy Note 10.1. What's a gadget-whore to do?

Ah .... my silly obsessions ....

Happy birthday, Luis!

Long-time followers of my work will recognize Luis from somewhere else. And yes, he really does love guns. Almost as much as he loves gun-cakes.

For some reason, since there's a graphical representation of an assault rifle in this comic, I feel the need to point out that I don't condone guns. Period. It's because of guns that we get people who think -- nay, believe -- they need to carry one their person at all time for protection. (Eliminate the gun and they won't have anything to carry. Sure, they could carry a knife or a spoon, but it's not as easy to go on a rampage with a knife or a spoon. Knives and spoons require a greater amount of thoughtful intent before someone uses them in horrific manners. Especially spoons.)

(Also, please keep in mind that this argument is coming from someone who would also like to see religion summarily eliminated from all human knowledge.)

Yes, I don't like guns. But what's even scarier is that guy who believes he NEEDS a gun. That's frightening to me. At a four-way stop yesterday, the guy in a Jeep Grand Cherokee who's "turn" was up was busy on a cell phone and not paying any attention. So I went. THEN he decided to pay attention. Well, if this guy was so paranoid that he believed he needed to carry a firearm at all times for "protection", how far a stretch is it for him to believe that some hippy-asshole in a half a car just cut him off in a violent attempt to "save the planet" and the only feasible retaliation is shooting out the tires of my Smart car.

I don't like guns because it enables the crazy people. It's like saying I don't like alcohol because it enables the alcoholics. I do like alcohol, however, even though an alcoholic is probably just as likely to shoot out the tires of my Smart car.

And that's where this rant takes a turn. As a moral imperative, I don't like guns. But I do understand passion -- unfiltered, nerdish, obsessive passion. My passion points at creative and technological stuff. Luis' points at firearms, among other things. And I know he doesn't take it to extremes, so I can't fault him for having a passion.

So let's celebrate it. With cake.

I have a Mother's Day comic that's been in the bag since last Wednesday. Unfortunately, the gift of which the strip is based on has decided to take the scenic route to Momma K. and she has yet to receive it. Since I can't spoil the surprise, I decided to go canoeing.