I'm Just a Jealous Guy

So here we are, mere hours to savor the year 2004. I guess it was a pretty good year for me. Decent anyway. I re-started karate, started a band (Patrick's the bassist, I'm guitar and vocals, and two of our friends are guitar and drums, we're playing at a friends party tonight actually), popped my proverbial Comicon cherry, and began this very website. 2005 has got a pretty tough act to follow, but I'm hoping for good things.

-Justin

A Look Back

As the year abruptly draws to a close, I think it's necessary to spend a few moments reflecting upon these last three hundred and sixty some days. I view it as somewhat of an obligation, actually. I mean, if I didn't take some time to remember all the important stuff that happened, I might forget it all, right? And then, would it really be so important anymore? The answer, in all likelihood, is yes it would. Okay at this point it's probably pretty clear that I have no idea where I'm going with all this, so let's cut the chit chat and get on to some of the highlights of 2004.

It's worth noting that this list is comprised chiefly of webcomic related events. The outcomes of these specific events may or may not have influenced you at all.

• April: Two strapping young lads from Encinitas, California begin a new webcomic. Their initial efforts turn them into an instant success - newspapers and popular webcomics alike offer their highest praise to the two fine gents and their work. Due to their immediate popularity, within several months of the site's conception the two creators are invited to dine with the President and his family. While there, they offer a few suggestions on foreign policy, but unfortunately the President ignores their sagely advice. Huh, my pants just caught on fire, I wonder why that happened.
  
  
• July: A group of ragtag webcomic artists show the world what a group of, well, ragtag webcomic artists is capable of as the first volume of Flight is released. Upon purchase, many fans are stricken with an incurable case of "Too Much Awesome". Doctors say the outlook for these fans is bleak, and another volume on its way only makes matters worse. Much, much worse in fact, as Penny Arcade joins the Flight team.
  
  
• July: Scott Kurtz, creator of PvP, announces that he's offering his strip for free to any newspaper willing to have it. Later, in October, PvP begins running in the Kansas City Star, and in November PvP starts to appear in Philadelphia's The Evening Bulletin. Hooray for webcomic successes!
  
  
• August: A new twist on an old favorite, Yenga is recreated once more - this time as an open blog, similar to Slashdot (but way cooler, and it still has Javanoid). Several people check it daily.
  
  
• November: I discover Overcompensating, Questionable Content, and Spamusement. In each case, I instantly get hooked and spend considerable amounts of time reading through archives. Whenever somebody tries to enter the room, I yell "Get out, this is private!" even when it's my roommate.
  
  
• November: World of Warcraft is released and curiously a multitude of people disappear from the face of the Earth at the same time. At least, they disappear from the part of the Earth that is considered outside. Upon the release of yet another amazing computer game, the fine folks at Blizzard are exalted once more as game-making demigods, and rightfully so. Can they ever top this one? Only time will tell.

- Patrick