You don't need me to tell you what strange times these are. Actually, "strange times" has become an annoying cliché hasn't it? My apologies for going down that route. These are bloody horrible times!
So far I've managed to stay healthy and keep going, mainly because I rarely go out and haven't seen friends for months. Social media has been a blessing though, video messaging friends from far and wide, and even using old fashioned methods like the telephone.
I've been one of the lucky ones so far, but I know friends who have suffered from the virus or who have lost loved ones. Coronavirus is no hoax, it's not just "like the flu". It's something none of us have been up against before. Nearly two million dead so far, yet some boneheads still continue to deny its seriousness, or think it's a worldwide conspiracy. (They'll believe that governments across the globe can secretly work together to cripple the economy for... whatever... but they can't believe in a plague? Insane!)
Obviously, this is having a knock on effect on comics. (I presume you expected me to talk about comics, as this is a comics blog?) Naturally, publishers are becoming far more cautious with their plans this year. With lockdown causing comic stores to pull the shutters down, comic cons being non-existent, and people prioritizing their spending on essentials it's a grim time all round. I've certainly noticed the difference and I can't see things significantly turning around this year, to be realistic. Hopefully in 2022, if we can get there intact, publishers might feel more confident to launch new titles. (I'm talking about British comics here. American publishers continue to churn out new comics all the time, although even the mighty DC Comics have made cutbacks.)
Excuse me rambling but essentially I'm saying have patience with the comics industry because at present it's suffering like any other business. Hopefully we can all weather this storm and come out the other end into brighter times.
As for the artwork at the top of this post; it's a CGI shed I made with Bryce software back in the year 2000. It was going to be part of a CGI Combat Colin strip but I never completed the strip so it's never been published anywhere. Although I'm pleased with the shed, my inexperience with CGI shows in the background work. Anyway, I thought it was appropriate for this post. Old style garden sheds are often part of the environment in British comics, so having one floating in Limbo seemed a fair representation of how many of us are feeling right now!
Keep the faith. In the words of the old song, "We Shall Overcome... some day".
