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This week's comic was a lot of fun for me -- it was one of the first times I acknowledged that more people read the comic online than in print. My entire career, I've been parodying print illustration, comics and ads. But in this comic, I directly parodied an online phenomenon by mimicking its look.
This caused some confusion, and my favorite example of it was this email sent to me today at 6:37pm...
I kept looking at the vertical panel, expecting some sort of clever punchline or revelation. I've come to the conclusion that it is real advertising. This is disconcerting, as it not only detracts from the purity of the comic, but leaves me feeling gypped having had one less nugget from the Super-Fun-Pak box. As a devoted member of the Inner Hive, I'd rather the space be blank than be distracted by yet another insipid ad; especially one where there used to be a cherished chuckle. We all gotta make a buck, but man, I sorta feel the line has been crossed.
Devoted but deflated,
<Name redacted>
...followed quickly by another email from the same correspondent, at 6:41pm.
I take it all back. Genius.
<Name redacted>
This valued reader and INNER HIVE member generously gave me permission to republish his two emails, but I redacted his name, to spare him/her any embarrassment for hyperbolically calling the comic "Genius."
