If you like the idea of Grit, but have found yourself thinking: "Why don't you just put it up a page-at-a-time like a normal webcomic, you pair of wankers!" -well now it's yours!

No, we're not changing format, we've joined Shadowline's webcomic lineup. And we've gone live! Even if you've read it all before, do pop on over to enjoy the splendid recapping of episodes 1 to 5 before the old-skool extravaganza begins with episode 6. Updated Monday to Friday until Shadowline has caught up with the current book, at which point the updates will ease back to weekly. You might also like to visit Image Central to scroll down to Shadowline's press release and click on that shiny pic that's beside it. There you'll see the other fine webcomics in the collective, for your viewing pleasure.

If you're mildly confused at this point, I shall just explain that Grit at www.platinumgrit.com won't be changing at all. Each ep will still go up as it always has in the usual format, and the archive isn't going anywhere. It just means that Grit has two homes on the web now, and anyone who hasn't seen the full pages, or prefers the page-at-a-time format has that option now. 

And what about the status of the current episode? Ah, have another teaser:



Up to page 50.

Plugging along, where the gaps in my workload allow.  Up to page 34 of 65, for anyone keeping count. 

Another teaser panel (yes, it's a kate-centric ep this one)

Especially with teaser panels like this:



No stunning vistas, laboriously detailed backgrounds or action shots - you get an eye.  

Plugging away when I can...about a third of the way through...  But moving steadily forward! That's the important thing.

*Slinks off to have at it*

Arse arse ARSE has it ever been a frustrating start to the year.  Slammed with work - both paid and not, all of which has forced poor Grit onto the back-burner.  I've been watching the calender in despair.

But finally...FINALLY...everything that isn't paying bills is DONE and out of my face, and out of the way of poor languishing episode 19.  This week has been BLISS as I've finally been able to get cranking on it again.  So, after a long looooooong radio-silence from me (seriously, there was nothing to update beyond cries of despair), I give you a teaser panel from the pencils thus far -



Did I mention this ep is a 64 page behemoth?  It is.  But plough through it I will!  Watch me.

I'll be back after I've done a bunch more pages, with another teaser and (if I'm feelin' good about it) which page I'm up to in march towards 'done'.

Been a mad time of assorted things to waylay us, and DM's been on tour with more than one play - BHUT, we are all written and I'm onto the drawing bit.  Hooray!



Finally finished the cover - a companion piece to the cover of 18.  There's a theme in my head and I'm running with it. 

*Glah!*  That was like pulling teeth in places, but I'm 54 pages DRAWN. 

Preview panel!  One that NO-one will guess right because it's waaaaaaay out of context.  Way. 

But you get an elusive grin:



Off to ink. 

It was a delayed start on the pencils but now I'm halfway through.  27 pages drawn, 27 more to go (yup, it's another 54 pager). 

Have a preview panel:

Episode 18 all written and I've just finished the cover art. 


This one's a two part-er.

First preview panel for ep 17 - cropped for convenience.  



Ep 17 is a 50 pager (I know, shut up) - I'm approaching the halfway mark.  I am enormously thankful that I don't have to draw any more bitch-arse water sequences.

And time to plug local talent: Have you been watching Friendcore?  It's the stupendous work of one most excellent benjamonster and deserves to travel.  They've just finished episode 3 - get in early and brag that you did.

I'll be back with another scrawly preview panel later.

Ep 17 cover.




I'm jumping the gun a bit doing this while we're still writing the ep, but it was this or stare at the script with bleary unwell eyes getting nowhere.  So cover gets done extra early.




Book three is still on its way.  Pre-press I hate you. 

Finished putting Book 3 together.  Now to wait for the proof copy of it and Episode 16  and then they'll go on sale. 

Front cover art for Book 3:



Now to have a stern word with my useless immune system, which made this task SO much harder than it needed to be....

Well, that's 54 pages penciled.  The longest, hardest bit is behind me - now to ink this little bitch.

'Nother pencil panel to make this post look like someone owns it. 



Next time I post about Grit, it will be very good news.

I have crossed the halfway mark for the pencils.  27 pages drawn, 27 more to go.  *Glahgh*

More gives-nothing-away preview pencils:



This post also for my own benefit - makes me happy I've done this much, and tells me how long it took me to do it for future reference.

In other news......I need a haircut badly.  But I have fabulous new boots.  Priorities.

Thanks to all who answered me about Slab vs Intermission release of 16.

Slab won by a landslide, so apologies to all who wanted differently.  I do promise it'll be worth it.

As consolation prize, here's a penciled panel.  Cryptic enough not to spoil.



In other vaguely related news:

Finished my animation contract, and have set aside the next two months for Grit.  So if nothing interrupts me (like more work I can't turn down, real estate inspections, cyclones, the plague) I should get lots done.  Nice to have time for it that isn't what spare time I can grab.

But I took one day to catch up on Dr Who.  Now I'm finally up-to-date.  The new Cybermen = win. 

The first half of 2006 has been brutal and cruel, but despite the harrowing personal stuff, I have managed to dust myself off and keep moving.  Everything was held up, but now the writing is *done*.  15 pages of script now being drawn. 

Usually I leave the cover 'til last -  something I curse myself for every time.  This time, however, I've finished the cover art first, and since the covers rarely spoil the contents, here is a preview:




Danny is in Sydney on tour for over a month, and we finished the script face-to-face in a cafe - just like old times.  Hell it is SO much easier when we're in the same bloody room - making each other laugh/wince/gag is one of the joys of co-writing that I miss.  

Missed out on Conflux.  They said they would invite me, then didn't, then changed their mind and invited me four days before the show.  I declined.