Some of you have been encouraging me to do some throttle therapy. So I have. Nothing too lengthy as I’m still working up the confidence in my machine that I used to have. Thirty miles here, thirty miles there. I may actually ride a bit more next Monday. I have to say I love being on the bike again. Favorite roads? 101 between San Juan Bautista and Prunedale. Hell, I like that road in my truck, for crying out loud. Stick me in the saddle and I’m in heaven.
I’m pretty sure my speedometer is lying to me, however. I think the front wheel drive speedometer on shovelheads is meant for a 19″ front wheel, where I’ve gone to a 21″. So when the speedometer says I’m at 80 doing the prevailing speed through the curves in the San Juan Canyon, I’m pretty sure the ol’ thing is full of crap. No matter. We ride.
I’m working up to combining some activities, like packing the ol’ size 16 running shoes in the saddle bags and hitting the beach for a workout. I had a bit of a camping trip with the family a few weeks ago and did three mile beach runs in the morning two days in a row. Boy did that make my legs sore! But I’ve never been in such good shape.
This morning on the way home from Prunedale, where I did some rigorous walking–two laps around the park at a pretty solid pace–I stopped at Vertigo Coffee in San Juan Bautista for an Americano and did some writing on the next few weeks of work. Seems I’ve gotten a bit rusty, but it’s all coming back to me.
I did get my ass kicked last week in a review that among other things stated, “The art is crude and sketchy to the extreme, and most of the jokes, if they’re funny at all, are only funny to bikers.” Tell me something I don’t know. It did slow down my return, however, as I seriously thought about ditching the whole dang strip, but it occurred to me I just might be on the verge of striking it rich–rich I tell you! Nah, I just wasn’t sure my psyche could handle not having a creative outlet for the madness and the voices upstairs.
So you can expect a strip on Wednesday this week, like it or not. Thanks for showing up and reading. Y’all rock!
“The jokes are only funny to bikers”. That’s good to know, if I wanted to read the Family Circus i’d just go ahead and turn in my man card.
Good to have Jones back. Thanks.
Thanks George. I gotta get back to that idea. This all started out about bikers. Not much else matters.
Yer fans don need some critic ta tell ‘em yer stuff is funny. We’re here fer ya.
And glad you are. Keeps it from getting too quiet around here, as long as I’m doing my part…
…I agree, ‘only funny to bikers’ is right, and exactly why we read Jones…
…let the wannabe highbrow art critic posh gits stick to the New Yorker and other such ponce…real people reading like real people writing…and to those who have lived, no other explanation is necessary…it’s like a joke I’ve told at many a ‘biker’ gathering…
>why do British bikers drink their beer warm?
…because Lucas also makes refrigerators<
…I tell that joke, and those who understand have a good laugh at the expense of all the poseurs who don't know why they're laughing…
…I’m just glad you’re writing again, I was worrying during this break that you might be stepping away…glad to hear that throttle therapy is having the desired effect…ride safe, ride long…then come back here n tell us about it!
So glad to see you, my Canadian height brother. Been thinking about you lately as I consider my next pair of riding boots. Where do you get yours?
A good friend of mine told me he never thought about the art. The critic in question is known for being mildly brutal, so it was mostly the timing of the whole deal.
Thanks for posting!
Crude and sketchy…describes lots of people I really like…
jokes that only bikers will get…well, bikers ARE your target audience, right?
if they don’t understand, well, maybe they’ll go away and leave us alone…
BS266
True, that! Gotta remember who my peeps is.
Don’t sweat it man, just keep on keeping on – looking forward to more
Hey Peter, thanks.
I’m still getting back into it, but I think I’ll keep on at it.
Was he confused?
No, I think I was in submitting the strip to ‘em.
I was hoping I’d actually get some feedback I could use instead of the simple (and I paraphrase here) “You suck”. It’s okay, I stapled all my pencils back together and taped back together all my paper again. And reassembled my desk from the splinters I bashed it into.
Sure glad you’re still here Alan.
I sure appreciate the words of support from you all.
Having my bike running again, while putting some inspiration into the strip, also pulls me away from it in ways you folks can understand. For a long time this strip has been fulfilling my unrequited love of riding.
I may slow down a little, and I may have some other changes afoot, but one of the things I have that’s in short supply out there is a biker comic strip. I suspect MotoBasturds will be back in the fall–at least I hope so. But for the biker who digs comics, this is one of the only places in town, digitally speaking.
Rob, you do yourself a disservice placing such strength in one critic’s opinion of your comic strip. A critic is never a creator. “Critics are like castrated slaves in a harem; they know how it’s done, they’ve seen it done every day, but they’re unable to do it themselves.”
Did this critic mention that you consistently draw interesting panel compositions? Did they mention that the history of comic strips has never been arrested in one single drawing style? Did this critic mention your strip’s humor is character driven and thoughtful, instead of just joke balloons for which any character could recite? .. etc, etc…
Webcomics are free entertainment. The days of Dilbert or Calvin millions are gone. Syndicates are dead. We’re all on our own.
I think Jones would tell this critic to be more constructive and professional next time. He also might ask him for a favor and please place his ear at the exhaust pipe opening to help locate a troublesome whistling. Then Jones would WOT the damn thing and drive off where the wind takes him!
Learn what you can from critics, but don’t follow them. Draw on!
DOUG!
Boy am I glad you stopped by. I enjoyed strolling through your site and getting to know you there a little. And I appreciate your words.
And you’re right. I heard something once about comparing my work to the guy at the next desk over. Oh, that was me teaching my multimedia art class. I guess I wasn’t listening when I said it.
I think I’ve got a style all my own. I’d like to clean it up some, but time is a determining factor. I wasn’t aware of the interesting panel compositions, or I’ve at least lost sight of it lately. I really appreciate that feedback, especially from a fellow cartoonist and colleague in general (noticed you have some teaching background).
Nice Shadow you ride, too–did I call that right?
Glad you liked the site. Thank you! Close call on the bike. It’s a VTX1300 (old version).
I haven’t read that negative review of your site, but many critics are not qualified to critique other’s work. A reasonable critic should write like journalism USED to do (both sides represented for the reader to decide).
It seems the internet allows any yahoo to spew their opinion. I mentioned good compositions in your comics because composition in the most successful panel webcomics today is still a rare trait. Many are just talking heads or static poses. The history of comics (or art for that matter) is a blending of formal and aesthetic concerns.
The following strip of yours is a good example where you created interesting compositions (viewpoints) for the reader:
http://www.cartoonthunder.net/2012/05/discerning-taste/
Instead of straight-on, eye level views you mix it up. I don’t know if others notice this but I do, and I know what I’m talking about when it comes to comics and art.
I also know that good compositions are a trait the professional comic artists throughout history also understood. Your critic must have missed this positive about your strip. Geee, I wonder why?
This strip is an even better example:
http://www.cartoonthunder.net/2012/03/extreme-biker-wave/
If someone is fair and constructive (negative or positive) about my work I will extend a hand shake. If they are unfairly negative without supportive evidence or learning then I will most likely extend a fist. I probably need to still work on this at my age though ;-P
Thanks Doug. You’re really pulling me back up here.
The review is at The Comics Journal. I guess this particular reviewer has a rep for this kind of stuff.
And you’re right. Jones would get right up in the guy’s grill. I, on the other hand, have had to learn some restraint in various forms of expression lest I leave a trail of turds leading back to me and my website, let alone my place of work. I think you’re with me on this.
I just have to get back on my horse and ride. I’ll keep in touch and be glad anytime you visit. Not sure where you’re at (palm trees?) but a ride would be in order if our bikes are within a hundred miles of each other.