Frobisher Says!

Hello hello!

A while ago, I was asked by some delightful people whether I would do some drawings for a computer game on the fancy new PS Vita. Obviously I wet myself and screamed "OMG! YES PLEASE!!!" and that's where this story begins.

The delightful people in question were HoneySlug and Mr Richard Hogg and they were working on something that would eventually become Frobisher Says. The game is a series of exciting mini games that cover everything from winking at badgers (or not winking at badgers), drying a sausage dog or smashing eggs. I've played it! It's lots of fun! Other people have played too it too! They also think it's lots of fun! Even my pal who hates everything has been saying how ace it is.



FACT: Once you're familiar with each game, try playing it in a foreign language!

I drew three different games. It was a really interesting experience because the brief was pretty loose. So, although I knew there was egg on a branch, it was up to me to decide what that egg looked like. Here is one of my early sketches!

In fact, doing sketches was a whole new world for me. It isn't something I really do normally. And also, I drew everything on different layers so everything could be animated afterwards. It turns out that this was useful training for a later project but that can wait for another blog.

I don't know whether it is available in the US or Japan...but it came with pre-ordered Vita consoles over here in England. I think it is available for downloading from the store in May. I've only written about one of the games here so that the other two will be a surprise!

I was so thrilled to be asked that I did some Frobisher Says fan art! I hope Frobisher likes it!

I don't think Frobisher ever says "spook that spectre," but if I designed a game for him then it would defo involve doing just that!

And here is a rainbow bird family! Aren't they cute! Which one if your favourite?

So yeah - mega thanks to HoneySlug and Dick for asking me to get involved. I can't tell you all how excited about the whole thing. I hope you all get excited when you play it!

Matchmaker...

So... three weeks and one survey later and the Witch has a name.

Thanks to everyone that voted. Flo was ahead by a few votes, followed by Lola and Fran.

I'm going away this weekend but People I Know will be back on Monday with three updates a week. I think People I Know is nearing it's 500th update which is crazy. I'm considering making a fancy book (with a spine) of my favourites and finally opening up the online shop. It's just working out what sort of stuff I do and don't include.

But that's a post for a later date.

Have an ace weekend!

Valentine's Story 2012 - Deleted Scenes

Hello!

So...after a few (three?) weeks, the Valentine's Day story of 2012 is over. Well, it concluded yesterday.

I'm really happy with it as a story and I hope you all enjoyed it. We got to see familiar faces in new positions, old friends that haven't been up to much and we also got to meet Jake the Cake! Hooray for Jake!

So...the story was meant to finish with yesterday's drawing.  However, as I was colouring it in, I felt like there were lots of extra bits and bobs that I had wanted to draw but couldn't as I was worried the story would feel too long. After a bit of thinking, I came up with this - some Deleted Scenes! For the remainder of the week, you'll see some short strips showing you all the extra bits that you didn't get to see. For example, today you get to see what Sally really thought of Toby and what the Witch got up to on her holiday.

It also means that I can reveal the name you chose for the Witch as part of Friday's drawing! That's exciting. Well...I think it's exciting.

What else? Well, I'm off to ATP this weekend which is my first big music festival. I'm a bit nervous so I hope it's fun. I'm making another diary comic about the time I went to Manchester. Maybe I'll make one about my time at ATP? I'm sure there is other stuff too but I can't think what...

Oh! And I was at London Super Comic Con last last weekend! That was a thing. In fact, it was pretty good fun. It was a whole new audience for People I Know and I had a nice chat with some cool people. Plus I saw the back of Stan Lee's head! In real life! Yeah! My next convention will be Comica in April.

I hope you're well! Have a lovely day!

Which Witch

Remember that time I asked for your short and sassy suggestions for witch names? Well, I went through the suggestions and made a mini survey with my favourites. I added in a last minute idea myself as well but it's up to you lot to decide.

I think you can vote for as many names as you like...but voting closes on Wednesday the 7th of March. You'll find out the most popular choice on Friday's comic! HOORAY!

There are some bonus questions too so please answer them! I'd love to know what you think!

Off The Wall Post!

Hello!

A few weeks ago, I was on a podcast. It is called Off The Wall Post and is about the internet and social media. You can listen to the episode by clicking this link - although you have to promise not to laugh at me. I didn't realise my voice was so...duck-like. Quack quack quack! Except at the start when I try talking with a Dick Van Dyke-accent... Then I just sounded like an idiot.

That's how I roll!

Anyways. So, I talk/quack away about a bunch of things. The lovely Dan, Baz and Kat are in charge of the whole thing and were really lovely. Especially because I'd hardly slept at all - it was a crazy week and I was mostly powered by Mini Eggs.

Listen to the podcast and you will discover:
- what my Dick Van Dyke impression sounds like
- how People I Know started
- what pen I like
- the phrase "cray cray popular"
- how gross my laugh is
 - AND LOTS OF OTHER THINGS TOO!!!!

But you will also discover other things that aren't about me. Things about QR codes and Google Ads and all sorts of things. If you're interested in the Internet, I would officially recommend subscribing to Off The Wall Post. It is a good way of learning what is going on online and also a good way to have some fun. Plus they have some ace guests in too!

There was an awkward moment (that got cut out) where I had to explain that I didn't have 12,000 Twitter followers, but we won't talk about that.

Before the recording, I had a panic about not having anything to talk about...so I did what I always do during a panic and made a survey! The response was amazing and made me laugh a lot. Thanks to everyone that had a go and I'm sorry that we didn't talk about it on the podcast.

Here are some of my favourite answers:


What does the Internet smell like?

• "Robots. Possibly the none-too-friendly kind, too..." - Estragon Helmer
• "Musty cat fur and shame." - Euan
• "Troll blood, unicorn pee and Eau d'Ordinateur aftershave" from James
• "The chocolate cake stuck between the letters of my keyboard" from Not Bazza
  

Do you remember the noise that dial up made during connection? How do you spell that noise?

• "BrrrrrrBoopBoopBoopBoopReeeooooreeeeooooochchhhhhhhchhhkkkhhhhh" from Rebecca
• "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-eeee-e-e-e-eeeeeeeeee its like george of the jungle but autotuned" from Corpius
• "Yes, it gurgled like a turkey. Gluhaaaark-huaarghkl-huraaahuraaghkl-gluh-gluh-klaaaaaghkh-huh-huhkluh-gluh-buhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-kuk" from Krikri
• "rrr beep beep beep boop beep beep boop...zzzz bmp. weee weee weee weee waoaoaoa ena ena eeee haaaaaa ccccccc ena ena eeeee bmp" from Anna

DAN Acronyms

• "Delicous Animals Near" from Alma
• "Do A Noise" from Kat
• "Dinner at Nando's" from JulieNotLaura

BAZ Acronyms

• "Boltonians Against Zebras" from Trevor
• "Brain Adjustment Zone" from James
• "Bacon Addicts of Zimbabwe" by Bits

KAT Acronyms

• "Kestral Analysis Team" from Phil
• "Ketchup and Twin" from Izzy
• "Not sure but I bet it's dirty." from Seb

Obviously Dan, Baz and Kat aren't really acronyms! They are the names of the Off The Wall Post! Oh how we laughed!

I also did a drawing for the gang! Here it is!

So yeah... that was my first experience of being on a podcast. I hope you enjoy listening to it and I hope I get to do something like it again! Thanks to Dan, Baz and Kat for inviting me along and thanks to everyone that filled in the survey!

In other news, I hope you're enjoying the current Matchmaker storyline. It's back to three updates a week next week... but what a journey we've been on since Valentine's Day! And there will be a survey about the Witch too so we can all vote on her name. Exciting!






IN MORE OTHER NEWS! I have a table at the London Super Comic Con this weekend! It is the first time they have run the event so I'm not sure what to expect (or even what forms I need to bring along) but I hope it all goes well. Come and say hello - I'll be wherever the small press comics are.


Have an ace weekend!

Stay out of trouble
TWx

Witch Alert!

So...in today's drawing, the Matchmaking Witch has decided to go on holiday. Don't worry! Someone will take over her Matchmaking business and she'll be back soon enough... but until then, I had a thought!

I was going to give the Witch a name at some point but now I've decided to let you lot get involved too. HOORAY!

If you've got an idea for a short and sassy name for the Witch, please go and leave a comment on this comic. I'll select my favourites in a few days and put them up in a poll. Then, we can all vote for your favourite name and that will be revealed when the Witch returns. Spoilers: She comes back from holiday at some point.

Remember: short and sassy! Short because it saves space and sassy because she's a sassy gal. Her tears today were just because of her inability to find a date for Toby...

IN OTHER NEWS: I hope you're enjoying the Valentine's Matchmaking Story! The twist in the storyline begins tomorrow! TWISTY!!!!

(Unhappy) Valentine's Day!

I made you all a Valentine's Day card that you can send to people you love! As you can probably guess, I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. And I don't think the Green Blob is either.

Valentine's 2012 - Matchmaking Like Crazy!

Don't freak out or anything...but it's Valentine's Day tomorrow. If I could plan my life better, I'd probably be going on a super romantic adventure or something. Not really - organising dates is tricky and talking to people you like is hard! But that's not what this blog is for.

Remember last year's Valentine's Day story? I was really happy with it and I wanted to do somethine similar (but better) this year. My main brief was that it had to tie in with something that was already happening within People I Know - which ruled out the randomness of last year. With this in mind, I've been building towards this year's Valentine's Day story for a few weeks using the Matchmaker storyline.

For the next two weeks, I'm uploading a new part of the story from Monday to Friday. After those two weeks, the story continues on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The week after that...well...WHO KNOWS? Hahaha - I know! You'll have to find out.

Another brief I had - one that I've been working on for the last year in general - was to make the most of existing characters instead of creating lots of new ones. So I'm happy to say that you'll see a few familiar faces that I feel I've been neglecting. Well, three familiar faces. I hope you'll see more of them one day.

So yeah - that's what is going on over the next three weeks! I really hope you enjoy the story! And I also hope you have a nice Valentine's Day.

Hourly Comic Day

 I haven't finished colouring in the final page but here is my attempt at Hourly Comic Day! It was a very stressful day but everything got done in the end so that's OK!

UPDATE: I've added in the final page! HOORAY!

A QUICK SURVEY

I made a survey for a secret reason. Would you mind filling it in please?

THANK YOU!!!