Top Comics of Year Three, Part 1
July 1, 2010 - Thursday
Today marks three years that I have been doing Calamities of Nature. Thank you to my loving family for being so supportive of this creative endeavor. Also, a big thank you to all of my readers. From sharing my comics with your friends, family, and co-workers, to buying merchandise and original art, to posting comments or sending me emails, to even just coming back to the site three days each week, you have all been fantastic. This is a very personal comic of mine and often the strips can be quite opinionated. I realize that I don't always exactly hit the mark, but you are always patient and continue your support. It's probably more than I deserve at times, so please know that I appreciate it.
I thought it would also be fun to take a look back at the top 10 most popular comics over the last year. If you've just recently started reading Calamities, this is a great way to get caught up on some of the readers' favorites (in fact, you can see the most popular comics over the first two years here and here). Today I'll count down from 10 to 6, and on Saturday I'll post numbers 5 to 1. Click on the pictures below to see the full size comics.
10. One Too Many Worlds: I'm surprised that Ferd's pickup line didn't work here. Maybe some of you have tried it with better success?
9. Bandana Wearing Gangsters: When I first wrote this comic it was actually broken into two separate strips, which just sat on my computer for a few months. Although I thought it was funny to contrast Ferd and Harold's different situations, when Ferd's strip was viewed by itself I was worried it would come off like I was making fun of cancer (note to you aspiring comic writers, cancer is usually not very funny). It was only once I came to the idea of posting both strips in one update that I felt the comic would be understood in the right context. Given all the positive responses I got, it seems like I made the right decision.
8. Neoteny: This comic received a lot of backlash from religious types, which I thought was ironic because the Christian church openly advocates childlike-faith-type thinking. In a sense, this comic celebrates an important aspect of being a good Christian.
7. Mustache Musings: One of my favorite aspects of doing Calamities of Nature is that I can do a wide variety of gags, from the sciency stuff to really silly stupid stuff. This is well-represented by the five comics posted here, especially with ridiculous comics like this one.
6. Passionate Beliefs: Something I find satisfying is when I can take a complicated subject and express a point about it within the constraint of four panels. This strip features a question I have often been asked since starting Calamities, so it felt rewarding to find a way to succinctly answer it.
Fan Art by Gavin Aung Than
June 29, 2010 - Tuesday
Thanks to Gavin Aung Than of Gatoons for some fantastic pin-up art. It's humbling to see other people drawing my characters better than I can! Gavin's site actually features two different webcomics that alternate updates each Monday and Thursday, so check it out. Click the picture below to see the full-size artwork.
Thank You for the "Likes"
June 25, 2010 - Friday
I just wanted to give a big digital high five to all of my readers who take the time to use the "like" buttons in Google Reader and on Facebook. This resulted in Monday's comic being shared all over the web. In fact, just in Google Reader it was viewed over 90,000 times. It just goes to show how a bunch of small acts can have a huge result in getting the word out about Calamities of Nature. Thanks everyone!
Bookmarks Available
June 22, 2010 - Tuesday
If you've been having trouble losing your place when reading your favorite book, today is your lucky day! Calamities of Nature bookmarks are now available to buy. Also, for a limited time, if you make ANY purchases in the site store, I'll throw in these four bookmarks free of charge as a special bonus. Sounds like a good deal!
Fractal Chip Artwork
June 20, 2010 - Sunday
Long-time Calamities of Nature reader Keong Chan sent me a fantastic interpretation of Alp's recent fractal chip invention, which I just had to share with you. Click the picture below to see the full-size version.
Thanks to Keong for the great artwork! Also, I'd like to mention that I'm always happy and excited to receive fan art of the Calamities of Nature cast. So if you're interested, get drawing!
Limited Bacon Shirts Left
June 11, 2010 - Friday
Wow, I didn't expect the surge in orders after I announced the bacon shirts arrived yesterday. My stock of shirts is now getting low, with only a limited number still available in some sizes. So if you want to make sure you get a shirt in the size you want, please order now!
Also, if you did a pre-order, your shirt is shipped and you should be receiving it soon. Feel free to send me a picture when you get it (perhaps enjoying your favorite bacon snack). I'd love to share it with the other Calamities of Nature readers.
