It’s a Tumblr, so you may have to scroll to get to the beginning. Anyway, it’s something to satisfy us in the meantime, hopefully it’ll provide you some entertainment as well.

The post All Good Bands Have Side Projects. appeared first on Blank It.

The Cookie King is of course one of my favorite characters to draw. He is, as my oldest daughter describes “too icky”. Too icky indeed.

The post Still Around, Doing Stuff appeared first on Blank It.

The post Recovery Time appeared first on Blank It.

I had a wedding and a birthday today, so my inks are only just now getting done. I would expect the comic tomorrow. G’nite!

The post Know what I mean, not what I say. appeared first on Blank It.

The post Lemmo Cameo! appeared first on Blank It.

Last night while I was busy doing non-comic things, and my digital tablet and photoshop sat unused, my 3-year-old daughter decided to snuggle in, put the tablet on her lap, and proceed to color all of Blank It purple. It would have been adorable (well, it was), except I have a shortcut key on my tablet for ‘Save’. So she undid an hour or so of work with her little project.

I didn’t get mad at her, I praised her for artwork, but I didn’t have enough time to set things right, because my little one has to be to the doctor this morning, and I wasn’t going to do another 4-hour-sleep night like last week.

Maybe this sounds like an excuse, but I’m actually just proud that my kid figured out the tablet on her own. There’s a chance yet that she’ll follow in her dad’s digitally artistic footsteps.

The post My Little Helper appeared first on Blank It.

The post Sorry, we’re open. appeared first on Blank It.

Part of this process is me doing some soul-searching as an artist. So I did a comic series that kinda bares my soul. You can read it here:

Lem “Hot Soup” Pew – Minneapolis, MN (complete)

We’ll be back on track when I get my head together. I promise Blank It ain’t dead – we’ve still gotta finish up Book 2, right?

The post Uh-oh. Stopped. appeared first on Blank It.

The post Somesday Comic appeared first on Blank It.

In the meantime, thanks to all who bought T-shirts, all of whom were named Rachel. We’ll be donating a stack of shirts to soldiers this week, I’ll let you know how that goes. If you still want in on the charity (read previous post), I’ll take orders until Wednesday.

The post Soon to Come appeared first on Blank It.

For each shirt bought from now until Thanksgiving, We will donate one of our shirts to an active duty American serviceperson through a donation program.

Buy a shirt,
Donate a shirt.

The shirts will only be available as long as we have twice the number to donate. Or if you want, you can even request to donate your bought shirt, effectively donating two shirts for the cost of one if you want to get in on the giving. In turn, Aric and I will send you a gift package of merchandise and original artwork as a thank you.

The troops will get the shirts in time for Christmas, you will get a discontinued first-run piece of merch, and I won’t have boxes full of shirts guilting me from neglect. It’s full of win across the board. First come first serve until we run out of stock.

Support Blank It and support soldiers overseas. I’m not the most patriotic guy really, but there’s just something sour with the idea that we have dozens of shirts never worn when soldiers are running out of clean clothes.

The post Shirts for Soldiers appeared first on Blank It.

The post Present! appeared first on Blank It.

I have your latest comic in the works, and I aim to have it done by Wednesday, but if I miss that, know I’m trying my best with what time I have.

In the meantime, check out Aric’s podcast network, Noise Picnic. He’s dumping an awful lot of love into that project.

The post Life is hard, so are comics. appeared first on Blank It.

I’d post the black-and-white for you guys, but history has shown that if I do that, I might neglect going back and coloring it later. So let’s just wait an extra day.

Support me an Aric alternatively. Listen to Mustache Rangers and read Northwind. Ta!

The post Courtesy Post appeared first on Blank It.

Hey everybody! The comic is delayed due to getting called in to work. It’s partly done, and I was half-tempted to upload the work in progress, but I like the art too much on this one to sully it with early peeks.

If Blank It paid my bills, it would come first, but we all know how that rolls. Relax, breathe, and I’ll upload it when I get a chance.

In the meantime, are you reading Northwind? Because Mollu doesn’t miss her updates.

The post Real Life Cut in Line appeared first on Blank It.

The post Moving to Wednesdays appeared first on Blank It.

As I type this one-handed, holding a crying feverish baby, I must regrettably concede the comic until tomorrow. I’ll finish it up and post it once the little one is feeling better. Aric has more news below, so keep reading.

The post Developments appeared first on Blank It.

Whatever. Let’s see what you guys can do to rock the iTunes rankings for these podcasts.

Rate, review, and subscribe to these podcasts in iTunes (look them up or use the links below) and their placement on iTunes should become more prominent. Because, you know what? It’s hard to fight in a world run by the wonderful Ira Glass.

So, the Better Strangers podcast for one. And the Mustache Rangers podcast for two.

Come on, thousands of readers. I know you can make it happen.

Also, you know. Tell some more folks about Blank It. Why not, right?

Also also, decide what you guys want to be called. Minions? Naw. Something though.

The post Swarm, (insert chosen title here)! Swarm! appeared first on Blank It.

• Better Strangers (podcast)
• Feeding Objects (tumblr)
• Your Notness (tumblr)
• Hardest Working Lazy Guy (blog)

And those are only the new ones. Sheesh.

The post Sites By Aric appeared first on Blank It.

The post SpringCon this weekend! appeared first on Blank It.

This past weekend I flew down to Tennessee and saw him one last time, in the hospital after another heart surgery. I got a call just last night that he had passed. I’m so glad I took a chance flight and got to see him in his final days. Blank It helped pay for my tickets, so I owe you all a debt of gratitude.

I’ll be changing his dedication in the book to a posthumous memoriam from here out. We only have 8 copies of the current book left, so if you want an “old school” copy, best to get it now. Not that I’m looking to profit on this, I just know that he was proud of this comic. The picture in the book of Big Lem wearing the “Lemmo” hat was from when I wore it the last time I visited him; he liked it so much he kept it. I think the picture will stay in the book.

Anyways, thanks for sharing a moment with me, everyone. I’m gonna miss you, Big Pa.

The post The Passing of a Titan appeared first on Blank It.

THIS IS TEMPORARY! Relax! Thing will settle (i.e. babies) and time will be restored to its rightful place. We’ll be back to two comics a week soon enough.

Thank you for bearing with us. We’d rather put out a quality project at a manageable pace than a shoddy product at a speedy pace. If twice a week can be called “speedy.” Look, we’re getting away from the topic at hand.

Maybe this will tide you over for this Thursday.

Thanks everyone. We will not abandon you! The adventures continue!

The post Tuesdays. This is temporary. appeared first on Blank It.

Update: Monday’s comic will be up later once it’s colored. I’m considering just making Tueday/Friday the norm, we’ll have a chat with Aric maybe.

The post Friday comic appeared first on Blank It.

Let’s be clear. What we do here isn’t a charity, but it is still an act of artistic expression and a perpetual passion. I’ll draw comics until the day I die, whether you support them or not. But to be fair, sometimes our projects, like potted flowers, need some water to grow. And by water, I mean dollars.

I’ve hit a glass ceiling with my art, and it’s high time I move to a fully digital medium. So I’m investing my own personal money into a new tablet. I’m putting my money into Blank It with no expectation of returns other than quality. But you are in a unique position, as you can put less money into Blank It and get even more out of it!

Go into our Blank It merch store and pick out a shirt or two, maybe some hand juice, and by all means, get the book if you haven’t already. They’re wonderful. All proceeds go right back into this beloved project, allowing us to create more, better. And as we said, we’re not making those shirt designs again, so when you get it, you get pure “old school” bragging rights.

I look at every order myself. And if you order with love, I’m going to cram your order with freebies. I still have posters and Captain Phenomenal books from conventions that I’m more than happy to give out to people who pitch in. I have piles of original art panels, I’m just going to start signing and putting into orders. Get some swag, help Aric and I fund our growth, and of course, you’ll always continue to get more out of it as the project lives on.

Or hell, just donate. We love you either way.

The post Funding the biz! appeared first on Blank It.

Update: I’m just running a day behind this week, I’ll update the next comic before Friday.

The post Slight Delay appeared first on Blank It.

Okay, enough pleasantries. Blank It really benefits from word of mouth. So please, if you have the time and the gumption, spread the word. IM, TXT, message boards, Facebook, Twitter, hand shakes. Whatever.

Tell friends and strangers about Blank It. We’ll be eternally grateful. That’s right. Eternally. And eternity is a long long time. Don’t you want gratefulness for eternity? Feels pretty good.

The post Tell Your Friends appeared first on Blank It.

Update: Comic is up! Thanks for your patience.

The post Minor delay appeared first on Blank It.

Just a reminder, check out Northwind and The Mustache Rangers if you’re still bored and antsy. It won’t be much longer, I promise.

The post Pulling into the station appeared first on Blank It.

So we will be working hard on the comic, getting ahead, and but mainly trying this and that to see what works for a new production schedule. Also, maybe babies will start sleeping through the night. That’d be nice.

Mark your calendars for the beginning of January. That’s when new Blank It strips will return.

We thank your for your support and understanding. We wouldn’t even be making this strip if it weren’t for our wonderful fans. So thank you again. And thank you.

Number two. My other creative side project, the Mustache Rangers, are starting a live weekly improv show at the newly opened HUGE Improv Theater in Uptown Minneapolis. It is 8pm on Thursdays, and is the low low price of 5 bucks.

If you live in the area, bring yourself, your wives, your husbands, your friends, your coworkers, and anyone else you know. Seriously. That is a long list of people to bring. But a show doesn’t continue if people don’t come to see it.

So help make this new show a success, and check out all the other wonderful show that are going on at HUGE Improv Theater. It’s a fantastic time for humor in the Twin Cities.

The post Brief hiatus and other creative business appeared first on Blank It.

Update: Due to the holiday, I just passed on updating for Thursday, and you get the next comic on time for today. I was able to spend the thanksgiving weekend with my family, and get some good heartfelt moments to keep.

I have plenty I’m thankful for, one of which is having such awesome fans. Thanks for allowing me an unscheduled reprieve, and for coming back all the same. You guys rock.

The post Happy Turkey Day! appeared first on Blank It.

Aric shipped out the last of the most recent orders this week, so if you’ve bought something like a book or shirt and haven’t received it by the end of this week, shoot us an email. We don’t want to have any orders slip past. Also, if you’re one of the people who’s asked me about buying original art, you’ll have to give me some time to recompile my art collections. Anything since 2010 is really… not organized. At all.

Anyhoo, on with your day. We’ll see you later this week with more of the usual.

The post Catching up appeared first on Blank It.

It’s an honor to be recognized by such distinguished nerds as those behind Calculus: the Musical. Go and enjoy!

The post Giving props to math! appeared first on Blank It.

As usual, we only order as many as we need, so be one of the ones who needs it.

The post MOAR BOOKS! appeared first on Blank It.

Read her comic as a thank you. Thank you.

The post Busy Bees appeared first on Blank It.

Also, for our last convention of the season we’ll be at FallCon! Which is in two days. And by “we” I mean Lemmo, Aric can’t make it. It’ll probably be a low-key affair, being Saturday only, but we’ll make the best of it.

The post The Blank It Gazette appeared first on Blank It.

The post Mine as in For ME appeared first on Blank It.

Northwind is actually a comic we thought up before Aric and I started doing Blank It, and never had the time to put it all together. Well, now it’s live, and updating every Tuesday. It’s written by me and drawn by Mollu, which is a fun role reversal in my case. You won’t see much of me over there, though, I want Mollu to enjoy her creative experience as much as possible without my troublesome meddling.

The first page is up today, but her War of the Webcomics story is already in the archives. Go check it out!

The post Northwind is online! appeared first on Blank It.

We are very satisfied with how the book turned out, so we may print more. But they’ll probably be a little modified. This first run will be distinguishable. Collectors items, even.

And hey! While I’m inflating the value of our stuff, Aric and I were so satisfied with the last strip, that we’ve decided to put the art up for auction! It’ll run until the end of the week. I do hope it finds a good home, this is one we’re proud of. Happy bidding!

The post Always With The Updates! appeared first on Blank It.

If you want to start from the beginning, I suggest going here.

If you preordered the book or had outstanding merchandise orders, they shipped out this week so you should hopefully get them soon. We’d love to hear your comments on the book! Aric and I are inventorying the book supply, and it’s not much, but we’ll have the rest of the books on the store by the end of the week. Thanks for your support!

The post Welcome, old and new! appeared first on Blank It.

As a bonus! Those who preordered will get a copy of the mini-comic for “Spilling the Beans”, which will of course also be on sale at MIX. If we have any left over, maaaybe we’ll sell them online. But these are the perks of coming to see us in person or supporting us forthright, you see.

Aric and I will be tweeting about MIX from MIX and before MIX and probably a little after MIX. Follow us at @lemmo and @aric and watch for the #mix2010 hashtag. Hopefully we’ll just see you there.

The post MIX and Books! MIX and BOOKS! appeared first on Blank It.

But beyond that, the City Pages put out their annual comics issue. And guess who has a strip in it!

You don’t have to guess. It’s us. It’s like a free bonus strip for the week! Enjoy!

And, before you ask, no. It isn’t canonical. I think you’re reading too much into things.

The post MiX & City Pages appeared first on Blank It.

We’re gonna have a variety of secret goodies at Minneapolis Indie XPO this year, that may or may not make it onto the online store. I don’t wanna spoil the surprise, but I’ll say this; if you come to MIX dressed up as a Blank It character, I’ll give you these secret things for free. Hows that for love and cheap ploys?

The post I’m bad at secrets. appeared first on Blank It.

The books are almost done being printed, at which point we get them, and I scribble all over them like a 3 year old. Then we mail them out to you special preorder folks by mid-month. The rest of the books will be available at Minneapolis Indie XPO, along with some other exclusive, quality goodies Aric and I are making just for the show. Attendance is free and we’ll have a ton of stuff there, so it’s worth travelling to attend. Consider this our two-year-plus-book-release party. It’s August 21st. Don’t just come to see us, we won’t be the only awesome people there.

The post Almost August! appeared first on Blank It.

The post Take Two appeared first on Blank It.

The post New Podcast appeared first on Blank It.

We will also have them available for purchase at the Minneapolis Indie Expo on August 21st.

The post Book pre-orders closed appeared first on Blank It.

It’s not a threat, it’s just the way of things. Preorders, then MIX, then you guys can pick over the bones. I want you to have a book, so don’t delay, you have one day left.

The post Order your book! appeared first on Blank It.

I’m pretty sure it’s the GPU or the motherboard. But it’s not a hard drive crash, so let’s hope the Blank It comic and unprinted book are slumbering safely on the drive until I can get at them again.

You know I hate missing an update. I’m going to have something up tomorrow, even if it’s just the comic in a goofy, non-complete form.

Update: Because I love you guys and hate admitting defeat, I installed Photoshop and my tablet drivers onto my desktop (which was a herculean feat if you knew the details), recovered my comic templates thanks to the wonders of Dropbox, installed my fonts and junk, and voila! You don’t miss out on a comic tonight. Now I’m exhausted. See you guys later this week.

The post Showstoppers. appeared first on Blank It.

Click the banner above, or right here. Books ship in August. Enjoy!

The post Preorder our book! appeared first on Blank It.

Not the end.

Chapter two of Blank It will be coming in about a month.

Until then, we have a little intermission comic planned for you folks.

Stay tuned.

Also, here is what Lem looks like, close up.

The post The end? appeared first on Blank It.

Thank you, all you wonderful fans and readers for sticking with us. It’s been an awesome two years (and two hundred and four comics), and we’re quite eager to bring you more. Stay tuned, we’ve got a couple surprises in store for you for June.

The post That’s A Wrap appeared first on Blank It.

If that’s too short notices, we’re also planning on being at the Minneapolis Indie XPO on August 24th. That will be a fantastic show, and attendance is free. If you live even remotely near the Twin Cities, you don’t wanna miss that one. I’ll even have some extra special goodies.

Also, if you think Aric and I should throw another Blank It birthday party next month, post a comment here. We’ll consider it if there’s enough interest, especially since last year was a blast.

The post Convention Season! appeared first on Blank It.

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The post New Wallpaper! appeared first on Blank It.

There is a scavenger hunt-style social media game called Least Dangerous Game that I am putting on once a month. It involves Twitter, learning about the area you live in, puzzle solving, and meeting new people. It’s a good old time and it is back after a two year hiatus.

There are prizes for winners and good times for all. Prizes lined up so far for this month’s game are from AT&T Wirless, HUGE Improv Theater, and local musician Adam Svec.

So check it out at LeastDangerousGame.com and sign up to play. It’ll be fun!

The post Least Dangerous Game appeared first on Blank It.

There were a fair number of orders, so Aric is coming over on Friday and we’re going to pack and ship everything. So if you ordered art or merch, it’ll get in the mail by Saturday morning, and to you by early next week. Which means if you haven’t yet put in an order, do it before Friday or who knows when I’ll get the motivation to mail things again!

Thanks everybody! Enjoy your kitschy internet swag!

The post The Plea is Heard! appeared first on Blank It.

Now, despite our rock n’ roll demeanors, Aric and I are not sleeping on piles of money, certainly not from Blank It. Some family, friends and the most devoted of our fans have purchased some shirts and artwork, but on the whole, we don’t push a whole lot of merch. It’s the sad reality of having a labor of love.

Well, if I can’t find a way to spend the part-time-job level of devotion I give Blank It into some form of baby-feeding fuel, it means I might need to seriously consider dropping the project sometime in the predictable future to get a side job loading boxes into a truck or something. It’s not a threat. It’s a sad potential possibility.

Anyways, there’s a way I can kinda stave off my wife’s concerns, and that’s by showing her that Blank It has a viable and invested future. You might not believe it, but when you buy our shirts, I see your name and I think to myself “This person is a real stand up lady-slash-gentleman who cares”. So if you’re the kind of person who’s always been on the fence about putting some of your own hard earned money towards our fine merchandise, get some! Or if you’re just feeling generous, we have a donation bin also.

We’re not NPR and this is not a pledge drive. It’s a comic strip that you read, that I would really like to afford to continue to draw. You guys rule.

The post The Plea Returns appeared first on Blank It.

Anywho. Two things. One, my other creative endeavor. I have a podcast called the Mustache Rangers which is a mix of Buck Rogers and Curb Your Enthusiasm. It has been going for a little over 3 years and we have 145 episodes in the bank. You should check it out. Especially THIS EPISODE. It’s our best one yet. Subscribe, rate, and review it on iTunes. And tell all your friends.

Secondly, we still have shirts, koozies, and original artwork for sale. And we’d be happy to send it to you! Check out the store and support the comic. And, of course. Tell all your friends. About the comic. You can tell them about t-shirts too. That’d be fine. But a little weird.

The post Mustaches and Shirts appeared first on Blank It.

I’ll color the comic tonight. Or, you can color it NOW! Yeah, boyee. If you want, you can color the strip from either a PNG or Photoshop PSD, and email it to us using the email link up there on the menu. If I get a genuinely good submission, I’ll just put that one in place forever, and concede my own mediocre coloring skills.

What do you think. Think you can color? Don’t use crayons on your new monitor, now.

The post Color Me Blank It! appeared first on Blank It.

First off, welcome! You should probably start reading at the first strip. If you get confused, check the wiki! If you want to chat, just leave a comment on the comic pages, or hop over to our forums. If you fall in love with our comic, support us by visiting our store, or by buying original artwork from the comic.

That’s really all there is to it! Hope you enjoy our show, and do tell your friends. -Lemmo

The post Hey New Readers! appeared first on Blank It.

I did a funny thing over the holidays, and it probably belongs on the Facebook page, but I’ll show it here too. I entered the Cookie King into a gingerbread contest and pulled in a tie for 2nd place (beat out by Bart Simpson). Either people recognized him, or were totally confused. It was fantastic.

The post Celebrate with me! appeared first on Blank It.

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Do enjoy.

The post Happy Holidays To You appeared first on Blank It.

There’s also off-site Wikis you can contribute to for our sake, like TVTropes and Comixpedia.

Remember, when it comes to community-powered websites like wikis, we humble creators have only you, the readers, to educate the masses. Blank It is still little-known. You can change that.

The post Wiki Wiki! appeared first on Blank It.

So, being said, if you want some Blank It merch for the holidays, best get your order in by Friday when I put everything in the mail. Otherwise who knows when I’ll get around to it.

Oh, do you have Google Wave? Because some of the guys in the forums have started up a Blank It Wave. Feel free to join in!

The post For the Holidays appeared first on Blank It.

Buy the Tastefully Done 2010 calendar!!

All proceeds go towards cancer research, and you get to see the Blank It cast once you get to February. Do a good thing! I know you have money, and I know you’re not spending it on our shirts. Except for you-know-who-you-are. I’m shipping out everything this weekend.

Hey, next Friday is Black Friday, holiday shopping day of the year. Normally we’ve got a “buy two shirts, get a can koozie” deal, but if you buy any shirt on Friday at all, we’ll throw in a free koozie. Next Friday only. I’ll remind you.

Also, original artwork is starting to sell, so if you were thinking of getting one, don’t put it off. We put seniority on whoever asks first, period. Check the list and shoot us an email to orders@(you know the rest).

My wife says I need to not make this comic about selling stuff, so I’m sorry I’ve turned into a pitchman. Aric and I are just trying to recoup some operating expenses. Blank It has run non-stop for a year and a half now, and it’s cost us a bit out of pocket. You buying stuff for you helps us balance our books. Right now any money we earn is getting stowed aside for the inevitable first Blank It book, so your patronage ensures our future productions.

Thanks!

The post Put off for far too long. appeared first on Blank It.

View the complete art list here.

The art is first come, first served, so buy now! Also, know that you are helping Aric and I finance the printing of the first Blank It book next spring. Nothing but good can come from these transactions.

The post Blank It Art on sale! appeared first on Blank It.

MCBA FallCon. This weekend. Minnesota State Fairgrounds. We’ll be there.

We’re going to start selling off the original artwork panels for Blank It, starting with FallCon, and then moving them onto eBay. If there’s a particular frame you’d like, best to come see us at the show first, or email us to purchase it outright.

The post Things, material and otherwise appeared first on Blank It.

Update: The shirts are in, take a peeksie.

The post Blank It Merchandise! appeared first on Blank It.

The post Webcomic Beacon Interview! appeared first on Blank It.

Oh, you didn’t know we had a Facebook page? Well, 99 other people did. Maybe you can be lucky number one hundred.

The post FallCon and Facebook appeared first on Blank It.

Landscape view with pinch zooming
A prompt to check for new comics or not (loads faster if you don’t)
A more intuitive archive picker

Hop on over to the iTunes Store and grab it. Remember, it’s still free.

The post iPhone App v1.1 released! appeared first on Blank It.

The post Interview at TWIW appeared first on Blank It.

The post Blank It iPhone app is live! appeared first on Blank It.

Herm, as he was known by the students, was the drama teacher at Cooper. For four years, my life pretty much revolved around being taught by and being directed by him. He had a gigantic impact on my life, and I wouldn’t be the same person I am today without him.

Sadly, he passed way last night in a motorcycle accident. I’ve spent the day exploring all the different aspects of my life that he influenced, and was surprised to remember that it went as far as to influence the creation of comics.

It’s certainly sad news, but Herm was a much loved teacher. He left an impression on all of his students and has shaped a lot of lives. He has left quite a legacy, and that’s really the best any of us can hope for in life. I’m very happy for what he has accomplished in so many.

The post A comic beginning appeared first on Blank It.

The post Blank It for the iPhone appeared first on Blank It.

The post Fallcon 2009, we are go appeared first on Blank It.

So about the time we fired up Blank It, Zach Miller was winding his comic down onto a hiatus. But I’m pleased to announce that Joe and Monkey is back! If you head over there today, you’ll get to see some art I did for him to celebrate the occasion. Zach’s let me peek at what he has in store, and it’s damned good plot, so do take the time to check it out.

I have also received word tonight that a certain Blank It related project is nearing completion. More details to follow in the coming weeks.

The post What We Are and Aren’t Doing appeared first on Blank It.

And it’s never a bad time to bring up the 2k Challenge or whatever it’s called. As soon as we hit a consistent 2,000 unique readers per new comic day, we’ll bump up our production from two comics a week to three. So there’s your incentive to tell your friends, and everyone on the internet, about Blank It.

If telling the world about Blank It isn’t enough for you, don’t forget to contribute to the BlankItWiki. I’m sure there’s a lot left to be written about that fox.

Thanks again for reading the strip. We appreciate it greatly.

The post You’re Welcome appeared first on Blank It.

While working on the comic tonight, I stumbled upon the original mockup for the website, which included a header graphic sporting some content that hadn’t been put in the strip yet. Since everything in this picture has made its appearance in some form, I thought I’d share it:

Lemmo and Aric are there, but so is the cookie guy (noticably different), and he’s holding the shovel. There’s also the imposter robot behind Aric, also fairly different. Plus, the fox was more of a person, or ewok or something, instead of the Socks you know of today. Lastly there’s Lemmo’s pet rat, which was scrapped altogether.

This image predates the comic launch by about two months. That makes it about 14 months old now. You just now met the cookie guy. Shows how ‘spontaneous’ we really are.

The post The Creative Process appeared first on Blank It.

The price of entry is $70, so if you’re not already going, don’t pay $70 just to see me. But if you’re already on your way, stop by one of the panels and say “hi.” I will be wearing a fake mustache during one of them. Do not be alarmed.

The post CONvergence appeared first on Blank It.

The shop will be critical when we make good on the Threat, since the comic already takes up a lot of our time even at twice a week. So once it goes to three, the show has to start growing into its own and compensating for its costs. We have faith it’ll all work out, or else we wouldn’t pursue it. How’s that for optimism!

Speaking of the Threat, Aric and I looked over the last two months of numbers, and even by the most conservative accounts, we’ve definitely cleared the 1,500 reader mark. There’s a degree of anticipation and anxiety that’s coming with all this. It’ll be interesting to see Blank It grow. Let’s hope I don’t lose my drawing hand in a freak shovel beam accident.

The post Talkin’ Business appeared first on Blank It.

Help fill in the history of Blank It, and discover things you may not have noticed before. Much like the strip, it’s currently a blank slate waiting to be filled in. So hop to it already. The confused masses are waiting for your insight and theories.

The post BlankItWiki appeared first on Blank It.

Somewhere in there, this strip still managed to get drawn, just like it does every three to four days.

Folks, we don’t make money off this site. We don’t have any wares for sale (yet) and all the ad revenue goes right back into promoting the comic. This site is a hobby, and it’s one that people, not just me and Aric, make some sacrifices to keep going.

Anyways, that’s just a raw truth. I’m not asking for alms, but I’ll ask you this. Tell someone about the comic today. Someone who might not already be reading it. Pass along the URL. Share the fruits of our labor. That makes it all worth it in my book.

The post Sometimes Reality is Hard appeared first on Blank It.

While the party was a week or so ago, the new year doesn’t start for another couple days. Not that anybody’s counting. We’re getting closer to making good on the Threat, and Aric’s promotions have helped, but we’re at a plateau for now. Still, I didn’t expect to hit that goal within the first two years, and I think we’re close to proving me wrong.

You guys can see 3 strips a week as a reward for getting more readers to the site. I see it as stepping up my game and giving you all more of what you enjoy.

The post Entering another year appeared first on Blank It.

The post Anniversary tonight! appeared first on Blank It.

It’s a little too early to get gushy, but I do wanna thank you all for making this show as fun as it is. Here’s to some more good times.

The post One week until HISTORY! appeared first on Blank It.

The RSS feed for Blank It is RIGHT HERE for your ease of use.

What’s that? You don’t have an RSS reader? Well, they’re free and super easy to use. I non-recommend Google and highly recommend Netvibes as your RSS reader. It is great and I use it all day every day.

Now you can get news, blog updates, and comic updates all in one place. How easy is that?

The post Just RSS It appeared first on Blank It.

Aric and I are going to have a Blank It Anniversary/100th Comic Meet and Greet one month from today on Thursday, May 21st, at the Minneapolis Uptown Tea Garden from 7 to 9pm. If you live in the area, swing by and say hey. I’m drawing an exclusive pin-up for the meet-up, and we’ll be giving them out for free.

I better stop before I make some more outlandish promises. Anyway, chat about it on the forum in this thread.

The post Blank It Anniversary! appeared first on Blank It.

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The post Another freebie for ya. appeared first on Blank It.

Here is the reasoning behind my last statement. You have come to the Blank It site to read this, so you have obviously made some mild connection with it in your mind. Hopefully it’s a happy and pleasant connection. And since Blank It is a comic and you are reading it, you must also like comics in general.

If my reasoning is off, I apologize. To myself. For being illogical. Everyone else can just deal.

The post That’s Us They’re Talking About appeared first on Blank It.

Anyways, I hope you guys are enjoying the comic! I have some goodies in store for y’all, hopefully I’ll get some out in time for the vernal equinox, and you can enjoy your springtime Blank It style.

In other news, I’ve had to renew the domain for another year. Has it been that long already? No. But close.

The post Silence is Golden appeared first on Blank It.

Second, another glowing review for Blank It from Coyote Trax’s Webcomics Critique. The glowing kind of reviews are our favorite, but we may be biased. Actually, get rid of that “may” part. Hmmm, no. Now we sound Rastafarian. Then switch out “may be” with “are.” There. That works better.

The post Lots O Links Monday appeared first on Blank It.

If you like my art and hokey jokes about massively multiplayer online video games, go ahead and check out my new strip called Grinders, over at Massively.com. It’ll be updating weekly, every Friday. The first comic can be found here.

The post Another Lemmo Comic appeared first on Blank It.

Panel 1
(Camera pulls out from previous day’s strip. It is laid out next to the previous strips, all against a white background.)

Panel 2
(Camera continues to pull out to reveal that all the strips are written on one grain of rice!)

Panel 3
(Camera pulls all the way out. Lemmo is holding a tiny brush and the piece of rice!)
Lemmo: I DID IT! I PUT X COMICS ON ONE PIECE OF RICE!

Panel 4
(Guy pokes his head through the door of the room. Just some guy. Who cares?)
Guy: SORRY, SOME OTHER DUDE JUST PUT X+1 COMICS ON A PIECE OF RICE. NICE TRY.
Lemmo: (sad)

THE END

Pretty good, huh?

The post How Blank It Ends appeared first on Blank It.

On another note, do you think Aric or I are noteworthy in the world of webcomics? Well, I doubt it, based on our obscure histories in the genre. But if you feel like giving us a mention, here’s the place to do it. I don’t know what they’re really going for besides a popularity contest, but hey, that’s the internet for ya.

The post Surviving the First Wave appeared first on Blank It.

We discuss influences, how we started out, and.l..I don’t know why I’m explaining something you should be reading anyway. Get over there. Stop being lazy. The interview can be found right here.

The post Avoid With Meaning appeared first on Blank It.

Why is today’s comic in grayscale? Because I’m actually in a hospital room right now with my wife and brand new baby daughter. Born at 9:09 pm last night after 30 hours of labor. It was a wicked, wild ride.

Anyway, I brought all my comic stuff to the hospital, and while I could technically color the strips, they’re taking a lot longer than usual to make just because a lot of my time is spent on being a new parent. So I figure I’d cut one of my major time sinks for now, since I can always go back and color the strips retroactively. We plan to be home by Wednesday, I can’t say if Thursday’s comic will also be chromatically deficient, but I can say that it’s a temporary condition at best. We’ll be back to full-color action soon enough, with these comics colored when I have the time.

At least I didn’t just not update like a chump sucka. Am I right?

The post Black and Wh-at the hell appeared first on Blank It.

The Forums have dropped to an uncharacteristic whisper, however, and I think it’s because there’s not a whole lot of fresh blood coming through the doors. Unlike some forums, ours is a great way to chat directly with us about the strip or anything else. Aric tends to lurk, but I’m usually pretty quick to hit back. Plus, some of our forum regulars are pretty well versed in the blankverse (blankiverse?), and everyone knows Aric likes wingbat conspiracy speculation on the goings-on in the strip. So, make your predictions, we’re often surprised how right you guys can be.

In the super-secret-future department, I just got to check out a Blank It feature that’s waiting in the wings, we’ll call it Codename: Brikabrak. I’m very impressed, I can’t wait to unveil it. Ooooh mystery!

The post The Jibba and the Jabba appeared first on Blank It.

The review holds enough interest for seasoned fans and newcomers alike. It provides a great introduction to the strip along with some strong analysis. I’m a fan of when people say nice things about me too.

Also, you should totally rent Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Or see it live. Whatever.

The post New Blank It Review appeared first on Blank It.

Aric is AFK tonight, because apparently three years ago this day, he got married to his most excellent wife. Way to go, A & M. Here’s to many more happy years. Cheers!

The post More milestones appeared first on Blank It.

I put off making any sort of post because I didn’t want to bump the wallpaper I did off the blog, but Aric was swift enough to move it into the blah blah section. So if you didn’t grab it, you still can. I’m working on another wallpaper, but it weirded out Aric enough I might redesign it before I release it. I’m not out to traumatize my cohort. Not intentionally.

The post Officially an Adult? appeared first on Blank It.

We have made it to a new year, and what does that mean? More comics. Lem and I have worked out the plot for the next six months (six months???), and we’re ready to keep moving forward with this crazy illustrated adventure.

Want to hear some interesting behind the scenes stuff? While Lem was on his honeymoon in September, I decided to try and freak him out by emailing a crazy rambling paragraph describing this bug that is going to crash into the shovel beam. Well, we’ve finally reached the end of that insane paragraph. And it turned out pretty great. It makes me think that I should try to freak out Lem more often. Maybe if I put spiders in his hair.

Anywho, happy 2009 to you, whatever it means to you. Stick with us and continue to spread the word. We’re happy to have you along for the ride.

The post 2009 and Feeling Good-ish appeared first on Blank It.

But here we are, six months later and up to our necks in adventure. And readers! We’re happy to have everyone who has made Blank It a part of their comic reading schedule. At least, I am happy about you. I assume Lem is happy about your presence too, but I’m not about to put words in to the mouth of the non-comic version of Lem.

There are a lot of adventures to come, so stick around and bring your friends. We’re not going anywhere. The real us. The fake comic us are going all over the place. Actually, now I’m jealous of them. Nothing like writing a blog post to bring me down. I hope you’re all happy.

The post Arbitrary Time Passage appeared first on Blank It.

Have fun during the holidays. See family, do stuff. Wear silly clothing you can’t normally wear. I’m not going outside until it warms beyond -11°F (-24°C). Ah Minnesota. The only state where you can’t say “Oh shit it’s cold” because to open your mouth and talk would be to waste precious body heat.

Luckily, internet and video games are generally indoor activities anyways.

I beat Mirror’s Edge. I love that game. I pity the people who rag on it. They’re missing out on one of those classy and innovative titles they generally laud for.

The post Long December appeared first on Blank It.

Aric and I aren’t just comic cohorts, we’re also coworkers, completely by coincidence depending on how you look at it. Well Aric’s still burning off some of his spare vacation days, so he gets to sit at home all this week with no pants on playing Left 4 Dead (I still haven’t played the first three) while I have nobody to talk Blank It with. So I’ll just be looking to you, oh emailers and forum goers. Keep me comp’ny.

The post On the other foot. appeared first on Blank It.

The actual question may be a little flawed, especially for story driven comics that don’t necessarily try to bring the knee slappers every day. But it is a nifty site anyways. You should give it a look. And, you know, also vote Blank It as funny while you’re there. You know, if you think it is.

The post Is It Funny Today? appeared first on Blank It.

Q: Will Thursday’s strip deal with Thanksgiving?
A: No!

Q: Will there be a new strip up on Thanksgiving?
A: Yes!

Q: What makes it special then?
A: Because every strip is special. Like when a parent with two daughters and one son jokes that “you’re my favorite son.”

Q: Why did you make me sad?
A: I can’t make you sad. Only you can make yourself sad. Also, Lem and I are not slagging off on Thursday. Doesn’t that make you happy? Or, rather, doesn’t that make you make yourself happy?

The post A Special Thanksgiving Blank It appeared first on Blank It.

We (hooray) are, roughly, at the halfway point of our “2,000 daily readers” goal. Only 1,000 more daily readers before we start publishing Blank It three days a week. That’s 50% more nonsense per week! If that isn’t incentive, I don’t know what is. Actually, I do know what other incentives would be. But they are illegal. I’m just saying, I’m not a dummy who can’t think of other incentives.

There, a short and beautiful post. Marvel at the meandering conciseness!

The post Writing Something Here appeared first on Blank It.

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The post Putting out. appeared first on Blank It.

I’d like to take this time to mention that if you’re an online comic reader in general, you should really invest in an RSS reader. It’s great that you come to visit our site and all, we love having you. But we can also see who’s checking the feeds, and they’re pretty bare. It’d really save you some time to set up a feed with all your favorite comics, ours included, just by clicking those RSS links over to the left, there. There’s plenty of applications and online readers, like Google Reader, that work great for this sort of thing. Don’t cheat yourself on modern technology, build your own newspaper. Get your feed on.

We even have feeds for these news posts, if you want to listen to us ramble. I don’t advise it.

There’s a Blank It Wiki page over at Comixpedia, but it’s still rather… blank. If you’re a fan of the comic and feel like devoting a little cognitive surplus to our cause, head on over and contribute a bit of knowledge or whatever, or chat in the forums to get some cooperation going. It’s these kind of community contributions that really make these pages feel like a party.

The post The First Leg appeared first on Blank It.

The self-proclaimed Webcomic Rat Pack, those fab four of digital stripping-of-comics, have started a new online community at Webcomics.com. Aric and I have already busted open their screen door and started tracking mud in on the floor. Aric is mostly lurking and will for a long time, where as I’m gabbing away until my attention deficit gets the better of me. Either way, it’s great to see another hub for our fine hobby-slash-vocation take root. Blank It will probably continue to satellite this project, since I’d rather hang out at discussion forums like this than the myriad of devour-then-flee comic list websites.

That and it’s fun to talk. Well, until the drama begins. Then I’ll disown the place. What.

The post The “Community” appeared first on Blank It.

For one, we went to Fallcon and met a lot of comic fans and creators. It was a great time. I know I should be listing a lot of names of people we met and their websites, but this is an off the cuff post. I would need to go back to my records for anything so in depth. At any rate, thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth. Meeting smiling faces was nice.

Secondly, Lem and I participated in the Teen Read Week at the St. Paul public library. By “participate,” I mean we were on a panel with a handful of comic artists and writers. Lem took charge. I clammed up. It was weird. Overall, it was nice to talk to teens interested in creating comics. Or talk at them. It was a panel, after all. Everyone on the panel was…I keep saying “nice” and “great.” Everyone on the panel was super to meet. Meh, that’ll work for now.

What is our next event? Dunno. I guess we’ll continue to work hard making a comic for the internet. There is some crazy stuff coming up. Continue to spread the word of Blank It to your friends and family. And feel free to email us. We’re happy to chat.

The post Extra comical activities appeared first on Blank It.

The post Con Wrap-up appeared first on Blank It.

MCBA FALLCON COMIC BOOK CELEBRATION
October 4 & 5, 2008 – 10AM to 5PM Both Days!
Minnesota State Fairgrounds – In the Grandstand!
1265 Snelling Avenue – Saint Paul, MN 55108
20th ANNIVERSARY 1989-2008

We’re in aisle H2, table 11. That’s on the east side. Come check us out!

The post In Minnesota? Come see Blank It at Fallcon! appeared first on Blank It.

Yesterday I wrote Lem an email with details on where our story and characters are going next. It’s contains nothing we’ve ever discussed, it was oddly specific, and you would assume I was on drugs if you were reading it. But you know what? I’m way too paranoid to take drugs. Stop assuming.

I’m pretty excited about where everything is going. But you might ask yourself, where do you keep all your drugs? Listen, there are no drugs. Here, I will detail my thinking process and where I come up with my ideas.

Really, there isn’t much detail. Most ideas clear from the mist of my brain while in the shower or driving. In the shower, all washing suddenly stops. My eyes kind of clear out and I stare blankly at the floor until the idea grows some defined edges. While driving, a CD needs to be playing. I can’t have a DJ yacking when something is taking shape. It also helps to be leaving work. My suffocating creativity likes to kick it into high gear after the cubical is left behind.

There is your (un)interesting peak behind the magic. I’ve seen so many hands cut off in the shower, it isn’t funny.

Maybe it’s a little funny.

The post Thinking is Something Something appeared first on Blank It.

I don’t have to go back to work for what seems like forever, so I should take some of that time to get ahead on comics again. I lost my lead due to my vacation, but it was a nice luxury to have. Plus, I can lord it over all of you that it’s done, you just can’t see it, nah hah, nyah hah hah.

I’ve said it once before, but I’m gonna repeat it. I think Wrath of Marcie by The Go! Team is like, the unofficial Blank It themesong. It always seems to capture my mood when I’m drawing this stuff.

One more week until Fallcon. Crunkin’ A.

The post Didja Frickin’ Miss Me? appeared first on Blank It.

The post Vote for your favorite empty universe! appeared first on Blank It.

The post A little recognition appeared first on Blank It.

Anyway, I’ve already made it through to the space section with two species, and now I’m working on a teeny little bean dude (I call him a Legumite). He’s little and meek, but vicious. Anyway, if you want to check any of my creations out, my Spore ID is my old moniker, HotSoup.

Hey, if you have a Spore ID you’d like to share, drop it in the comments here, or plunk it over in the forums. I expect if you’re here, you’ve got a knack for the wacky, and I’d like to see what you got.

Oh, and Google Chrome rocks. Though, I don’t think it does live spelchequing. I’m in for some trobule.

The post Devilution appeared first on Blank It.

Aric mentioned the forums last week, and I’ll tell you. In my book, squeaky wheels get the gwease. Which is to say, I like to surround myself with loquacious individuals like me, so the chattier people tend to be, the more I enjoy their company. That all rhymed on accident. The point is, I’m glad we have a few gabbers around. It makes my obsessive browser refreshing valid.

We’re officially listed on the MCBA Fallcon list, so I can officially tell you you’re officially invited to officially come and hang out with us, unofficially. I toured the Grandstand where the convention will be taking place, and it looks like a good spot to hang out and have an awesome time. I do suggest you come out. We’ll try to make our booth as findable as possible.

Why don’t I talk about the actual comic more in these blurg posts? Because I’m not really allowed. That part of the human brain brain that shouts “SPOILER ALERT” doesn’t really work in mine, so I have a tendency to just explain everything away. Which is great if you want explanations. But the truth is most of you don’t want explanations, you want the thrill of wanting explanations. So far be it for me to ruin that for you. Carry on now.

The post Same Stuff, Different Words appeared first on Blank It.

So here is this post, for those of you who hate clicking on the top navigation bar. You can find the forums by clicking on any of the forum links I have put in this post. Phorum. I mean, forum. For who? For U! M.

The post Phorums appeared first on Blank It.

The point is this. There’s a bit of back-and-forth about the lovely wonders of inking digitally these days. Or even just drawing digitally. As if it’s better. And while these discussions are constructive, they are often weighted with the unspoken; easily confused as arguments between people who are unable to adapt to a new medium (the old farts) and the folks who do things the new way simply because it’s new (the neophytes). And as usual, my stance on it is complicated and in the middle.

I’ve been drawing on the computer my whole damned life. Since the days of CGA graphics on monitors, single-button mice, Mario Paint, you name it. Google the words Degas Elite and you’ll know the programs I’ve worked with. So for me, digital art is just as “old school” as pens and paper. So I’m already going to sign out of that side of the argument.

The other debate is the versatility of digital art versus the permanence of inks. The problem is, it’s not an exclusive factor. I draw by pen, and whenever I mess up, I write “FIX” on the page, right next to the boo-boo. I scan it, and make the repairs in Photoshop when I’m doing all my coloring and post-production. Heck, sometimes my art is cut off, so I’ll make modifications once it’s digital. Anyone who’s watched the Ustream show can attest to these techniques.

I think the cost debate is moot. I even deleted my paragraph on it.

And my last and final point is not having to spend every. waking. second. of my life in front of a computer screen. I work in front of a computer. I game in front of a computer. In between these times I browse on a computer. If I didn’t have a commute, and I know some artists who don’t, I’d be hard pressed to do anything away from a computer. So preserving my hobby as an organic experience is really rewarding. I can look at a piece of paper and not rot my retinas.

So here’s my verdict. I think the people who argue for digital inking are the folks who have found out how awesome it is, and are trying to convince the people who don’t do it to try it. But what they miss is that there are people, like me, who have been happily in the middle for this entire time, and want to remind everyone supporting digital inking that art is art, you do it how you want, and chances are you’ll find the way you like to do it best. Try every way. Draw in charcoal. Paint. Watercolor. In fact, go do your webcomic in chalk on the sidewalk and photograph it. The quality of your work will come from what you invest in it and what you get out of it.

The post The Digital Ink Debate appeared first on Blank It.

To travel through the archives of a webcomic, you need a “next” button and a “previous” button. That way, you can travel back one strip if you missed it, or travel forward from a point with ease.

What you do not need is a button to the very first strip ever made prominently displayed on every single page. You don’t need it! How many times in your life have you clicked that “first comic” arrow on purpose? It should only be once! So, why is it wasting space on every single page of your site?

I know we’re fighting convention here. And I know it’s confusing. We’re up against a decade of bad design here. On the Blank It front page, in big friendly letters to the right of the “previous” button, we have a link that says “Lost? Click here to start from the beginning.” And that’s it. It isn’t there on every page of the archives. It’s right there on the landing page, for your convenience.

And if you really really really need to get to the beginning from another page, there’s a small “first comic” link in the left hand gutter on every page.

But you don’t need a “first comic” button right next to your “previous” button on every page. Who decided this? Where are they now? Rolling in their button money, I bet. Just a tool of the button conspiracy.

So let’s change it up. Let’s get rid of these extra buttons that nobody needs. We can do it together! Webcomic artists, this is a movement. Let’s join together and finally eliminate these lumbering dinosaurs of navigation.

The post The First Strip appeared first on Blank It.

If you’d like to see me quite not in the buck, or see just how accurately Aric resembles his cynical comic counterpart, we’ve just gotten a communication from basecamp that we will be “guest creators” at this year’s MCBA Fallcon. That’s just a fancy way of saying we’ll be sitting behind a table. But nevertheless, we promise antics and homilies, sketches on the very same sketch paper I draw the comic on, facepainting, boxing matches and glass-blowing demonstrations. Only some of those claims are fabricated. Anyway, if you’re in the midwest and into comics, online or printed, you should seriously consider this con. I’ve gone as an attendee many years, and it’s a romp.

That’s a big enough deal. I’ll doll out the smaller tidbits later in the week.

The post Staking Flags in New Lands appeared first on Blank It.

You can follow me at http://www.twitter.com/aric and Lem at http://www.twitter.com/lemmo.

In more webTooPoyntOh business, there is a Facebook page for Blank It. There isn’t really a good way to link it, so just click here if you’re on Faced Books.

And while Facebook sucks, MySpace is a horrible monster pit of monsters. Don’t even bother looking for us there. Monsters, I tell you!

The post The Twit Will Tweet appeared first on Blank It.

There’s even a chance you stumbled over here by way of these new fangled advermotrons. If’n that’s the case, pull up a chair. There’s donuts and coffee in the back.

I tend to martial art on the weekends something fierce. Not that I’m fierce, the regiment that is. Well, I took a how-do-ya-do to my right hand and mucked it up what have you. It’s pretty swollen around the thumb bone, and I can’t even hold a pencil properly. So, you can guess what this means for the comic.

Nothing, silly. I’m a lefty.

The post In Some Cultures, Writing and Drawing is the Same Thing appeared first on Blank It.

But, you know what? It doesn’t matter anymore. They both go to the same place! So you don’t have to look like a big fat jerk by saying, “Actually, it’s Blank It, not blanket.” And then your buddy would say, “Both of those things sounds the same to me, and now we are no longer friends.”

We don’t want to end friendships.

The post Blanket Comics appeared first on Blank It.

We now have a search feature, compliments of WordOwl. And for those who have seen services like this such as OhNoRobot before, let me give a few props and back claps to WordOwl by saying this. OhNoRobot is a great service, like an Applebee’s waitress. You forget her name immediately, but she brought you your mild boneless wings and a diet coke without a fuss and her uniform is in order. WordOwl, my friends, is like a personal butler bringing you your martini while you sit by the pool, and asks if there’s anything more he can do for you. So, kudos to WordOwl for taking such good care of us over here. We support the underdog.

I have news of more features and potential convention info coming soon, so I’ll try to get it all put together tonight and blog about it tomorrow. Tonight is a Wednesday, which means I’ll probably broadcast over Ustream, 9pm Central. See you there.

* For those of you who wish to correct me and say “champed bits” because they heard it on Webcomics Weekly, both words work and are not wrong, despite what some podcasters chatter about.

The post On the Cusp of Things to Come appeared first on Blank It.

Feeling a little bit of longing for the San Diego Comic-Con. Not that I ever profited from it. Planes and hotels cost money, and I never made shirts to sell. It is just a fantastic place to meet people. And that’s coming from someone who is almost a shut-in!

I remembered the other day that I can write with a pen and paper instead of the computer. That was a little freeing. Still feel a little stupid, but that’s par for the course.

Is that enough writing? Can I go now?

The post Waving to the Past appeared first on Blank It.

City of Heroes just wrapped up their double-XP weekend, which was good times, even if I couldn’t get on to my preferred server half the time. It’s been awhile since I’ve sat at a kitchen table with other gamers and drank soda and listened to the iTunes equivalent of “mix tapes”. It made for some good times, as I already said. Pay attention.

I haven’t run the Ustream comic-cast in a few weeks, mostly because my comic drawing schedule has been erratic, but also because I don’t think there’s much appeal for it as a regular feature. But after having received a few requests to do it again, I’ll try to plan another for Tuesday night at 8:30pm Central time. We’ll see if that works out. I’ll twitter first, as usual.

On that note, time to make a feeble attempt to catch up on lost sleep. Really, I don’t think I lost much sleep at all, if you consider coffee a viable substitute.

The post Self-imposed Reality appeared first on Blank It.

Don’t worry. This cramped Airstream (what are all these Mason jars filled with anyway?) isn’t going anywhere. Lem and I are safe and sound in Minnesota. There will be no mountainous antics for us. Unless you consider the mountain of rage building inside of me because of all these Mason jars. Seriously, Pew! What is all this? I can barely move my feet without spilling this liquid or that.

The post Missing the Comic-Con appeared first on Blank It.

In other news, the plastic forks on my desk outnumber the plastic spoons by one. The spoons could still win the battle, if they are strong willed and come up with a unique plan of attack.

I ran out of interesting things to say two paragraphs back. So let’s stop this right now, shall we?

The post Feed Updated appeared first on Blank It.

In other news, City of Heroes is still a fantastic video game. I just did some of the endgame content last night, and it was a blast. If you’re not sure why I hype this game so much, watch this video. If you’re interested, I’ll shoot you over a free trial, just ask in the forums.

The post We’ll take my spaceship! appeared first on Blank It.

In other news, I am entirely successful in not entirely killing my desk plant. Half of it has given up the ghost, but the rest is spreading healthfully towards the humming tubes of light in the ceiling. It is a horrible sort of life, but it could be worse. It could be self aware. But let us not get in to consciousness. At least, that’s what the chemicals in my brain are telling me not to get in to.

There you go, internet! I have written on a blog!

The post My Turn to Write appeared first on Blank It.

Last night was a lot of fun on the Blank It Ustream show. Thanks to those who stopped in for a bit to enjoy the comic making process. It helps me stay on track, too, so I think this will be a regular thing. Expect another show either tonight or Sunday.

Also, we’ve been getting a good number of readers wandering in from our various Project Wonderful advertisements. I’m a fan of Project Wonderful, because it works like advertising should. We have sites we enjoy, and we advertise there knowing that you might enjoy our comic as well. In turn, we’ve decided to swap out some of our Google ads for Project Wonderful spots. It’s like the grown-up version of link swapping. Verra nice.

As he already mentioned, Aric’s going to be off shaking his improv thang for the next couple days. If you’re in the Minneapolis area, I suggest checking out the shows. The Neutrino Project is like nothing you’ve seen before.

Me? I’ll be spending most of the weekend on City of Heroes. I won’t be hard to find, my global is @Lemmo, of course.

The post Going for the hat-trick. appeared first on Blank It.

I perform in an improv group called the Mustache Rangers. We perform a 1920s sci-fi radio drama parody about adventuring through space. But it isn’t just improv. There is a podcast that is up to (giggle) 69 episodes. So there is that for you to enjoy.

But really, I’m just trying to get to the fact that this week contains the Twin Cities Improv Festival! Yes, the Mustache Rangers are performing, but many great acts from around the country will be setting down in the Twin Cities for a lot of comedy.

So if you live in Minnesota, check out the Twin Cities Improv Festival website for groups, times, and tickets.

Also, I love you. That is all.

The post Funnies in other places appeared first on Blank It.

On a happy note, Ian over at Three Panel Soul proposed to his wonderful girlfriend. Congratulations, man, I wish you two all the best.

I was just the best man in my ex-roommate’s wedding (some might remember the bride Mollu from the online comic Amuse Me!), when I procured the ring from my pocket, we played the treasure found sound effect from Legend of Zelda. It was a classic geek moment, and the humor did not go unappreciated by the congregation. Score one more for nerd culture.

Go check out the new comic at Bluestar Blues. Share the geek love.

Also, my dog just turned one years old and ate a bug.

The post Seven words you can’t say… appeared first on Blank It.

The post A Journey of Sorts appeared first on Blank It.

I do enjoy the Monday-Thursday schedule. It’s like starting your week off right with a fresh dose of comics, and then waits awhile before satisfying you on that comic drought of a day during the tail end of the week. But still, thanks to the three-a-week crowd, we still get a high spike of traffic on Wednesdays (this has been extrapolated extensively and exhaustively by our whole statistical single week of being live). Maybe Aric and I can come up with a comic alternative for those days. A Wednesday Treat, of sorts. I’m sure most of you would prefer just another Blank It comic, but wow, these silly little strips take up a chunk of my time, and honestly, you don’t wanna know what goes into the proverbial hot dog on these things. I’m surprised more people don’t tell comic artists to get a life… I guess it’s because they don’t want to lose their fix. But anyways, until the day comes I can devote more time to this project, I’d still like to provide as much entertainment value as possible. I’ll talk to my cohort, perhaps we’ll come up with something.

On non-comic related issues, I saw the live performance of BBC’s Walking With Dinosaurs. Given the population of the stadium and the language of the host, it’s obviously geared towards kids. But if you need to be a kid to enjoy a giant T-Rex roaring onto stage in quite literally larger-than-life size, hell… I don’t ever want to grow up. If this comes to your town, don’t miss it. You could YouTube the show to get an idea of what goes on, but it doesn’t nearly deliver on the experience.

The post Score one for the night owl. appeared first on Blank It.

Okay, let’s just calm down and breathe. Find our zen place. Okay. Whooo.

Finding a drawing routine is still tricky for me, but I’m getting the hang of it. I’m usually drawing either Tuesday or Thursday evenings, and Sundays. Here’s a hint, though. Whenever I’m working on the comic, like a good Web 2.0 production, I’ll be streaming it over Ustream. Don’t bother memorizing that link, we’ve put a button up there on the menu. There. No, over a little bit. Oh Jesus. Hand me the mouse. There.

Also, if anonymity isn’t really your thing and you want to chat us up, feel free to drop us an email. We both have blankitcomics.com email addresses, of course, I’m Lemmo@ and he’s Aric@. Just keep in mind I don’t use a spam filter, I use a doberman.

Any last pieces of business? No? Okay then, have a wonderful afternoon, and help yourselves to the stale bagels and room temperature coffee on the way out.

The post Trust Issues. appeared first on Blank It.

And to continue in this vein of honesty, I will not remember your birthday. That doesn’t mean it isn’t important! I don’t mean to imply that you don’t give me joy. It’s something I have a problem with. And I know you’ll get upset with me, even thought I’ve stated this openly from the beginning. As long as we both understand each other, we’ll be good. We’ll make this work.

Also, I probably won’t remember your name. And if I see you at a party, I’ll struggle to think of where I remember you from and end up avoiding you because I won’t remember. And it is nothing that you’ve done. Don’t feel bad. And if you do feel bad, remember that I’ll feel much worse when I banish myself to a bathroom stall to cry and eat my pigs in a blanket alone.

So, to sum things up, the site had some problems but now it doesn’t.

The post Computers and you appeared first on Blank It.

The post That new car smell. appeared first on Blank It.

Well, as long as you’re here, you might as well read the comic that Lemmo drew and I made words for. Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Aric, there aren’t many words.” I’ll have you know that pauses are words too. In fact, pauses can contain an infinite amount of words. So I wrote an infinite amount of words for this comic strip. How about that?

So we have one strip up. Woo! Pop the champaign cork and watch your eyes. On Thursday, we will double the amount of strips we have up! And next Thursday it will be doubled again! Then it gets much harder to double things. But rest assured, things will be double!

Stick around a while, leave some comments, visit the forums, subscribe to the RSS feed, and do whatever it is that comic readers do. But whatever you do, don’t take our comic strip and remove one of the characters. It has been done.

The post Words go here appeared first on Blank It.

Welcome to Blank It. Come one, come all. Old and new. I’ll be your Master of Travesties, you can call me Lemmo. Some of you might remember me as “The Internet’s Hot Soup”, but I’ve decided to stop hiding behind the false veneer that I am either incalescent or made of beefy broth. But it’s true that I’m on the Internet, so I still have that going for me.

This is like when two superheroes collide in combat, only to come out as a championed duo unlike the world has ever seen. Aric and I have both been doing this comic and comedy racket for almost a decade both online and off, and we’ve decided to join forces to see if his comedy chocolate belongs with my artistic peanut butter. So far, the flavor has been delectable.

Seriously, though. We’ve been having a lot of fun with this, and now we’re really excited to finally share it with you guys. Come in, grab some couch, stop by the forums, follow our Twitters if you feel inclined, and enjoy the show.

We’ll start out a little slow, doing a trot and canter before we get into a full-blown ridiculous gallop of insanity. Stick around and have some fun with us.

The post Throwing our hats into the ring. appeared first on Blank It.