Sep 29th 2011 08:10 am Case closed

1999-09-21-switching-channe.giftodays-aj.jpg

I have a confession to make, which I probably shouldn’t. This has been a very busy summer and fall for me. Mostly, it has been work on the book, which, to some degree, literally has consumed almost every waking hour. (By the way, which one of you was it who said, “Why don’t you publish it yourself?”) As a result, my work on the strip itself has not been what I would consider top notch. This shouldn’t happen; the strip is and will remain the main attraction. However, it’s a real world, and something had to bend. If it’s any consolation, the rest of my existence has gone to hell in a handbasket! And if it’s further consolation, I’m looking forward to concentrating on the comic strip more diligently, but let me catch my breath first.

Posted by jimmyjohnson / The Daily Grind

58 Responses to “Case closed”

  1. llee on 29 Sep 2011 at 8:17 am #

    stop beating yourself up.stop beating yourself up.stop beating yourself up.
    we are enjoying it…the current strip, the old ones, you beating yourself up- NO! scratch that last one. :) hang in there, Jimmy. don’t forget to breathe. you are doing very well.

  2. Dave in MA on 29 Sep 2011 at 8:19 am #

    “I’m looking forward to concentrating on the comic strip more diligently, but let me catch my breath first.”

    Hmmm, is that a hint about the status of the book?

  3. John in Richmond Texas on 29 Sep 2011 at 8:58 am #

    As far as I’m concerned, and going by the number I clip and save, there hasn’t been any lack of top notchness lately. Yet assuming we all here love A&J the same amount, if you asked everyone here which are their favorite strips or aspects you would probably get very different answers.

  4. Blinky the Wonder Wombat on 29 Sep 2011 at 9:13 am #

    Oh boy, JJ, now you’ve done it! If this summer’s batch of new comics is not what you consider “top notch”, you’ve set us up to expect nothing but week after week of pure brilliance this winter!

    Seriously, I hadn’t noticed any drop in the strip’s quality this summer; in fact several strips have been amongst your best. And today’s visit into surrealism is just another example of what makes A&J the best comic strip running today.

  5. Ellen on 29 Sep 2011 at 9:27 am #

    I work with somone whose husband is an artist. While we are all enjoying his great work, he’s beating himself up with “it’s no good.” Do I see a parallel here?

  6. Lindy from Eureka, CA on 29 Sep 2011 at 9:40 am #

    Do I correctly understand the implication in your statement about “taking a breath” that the book is DONE?

    I’m thiiiiiiiiiiiiiis close; trouble is, it should have been finished weeks ago. — JJ

  7. Jim in SE Mississippi on 29 Sep 2011 at 9:56 am #

    Since there are probably only a hand-full of those of us who come here who could do in a year what you do in a week (every week), I don’t think we have grounds for complaint.

  8. Rich in Belchertown on 29 Sep 2011 at 10:12 am #

    Oops, I think I might have been the one to suggest self-publishing (although, as an eBook), but I’m sure the result will be worth the toil. Looking forward to having the physical book in my hands.

  9. ThatJeff in Knoxville on 29 Sep 2011 at 10:59 am #

    Is there anything we can do for you Jimmy to help?

  10. Bob on 29 Sep 2011 at 11:12 am #

    lache pas la patate.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtW5OKf8ksI&feature=related

  11. Steve from Royal Oak, MI on 29 Sep 2011 at 12:35 pm #

    Jimmy, I just glad that you don’t have a touch of the malarya. THAT is your number 1 focus. Funny, I did not notice any drop off at all. If you had not said that you were running repeats, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.

    ThatJeff in Knoxville: Yes buy the %$#!! book. JJ worked hard enough on it for us! LOL

  12. Steve from Royal Oak, MI on 29 Sep 2011 at 12:37 pm #

    Of course the correct spelling is malaria. Don’t know where the y came from.

  13. Galliglo in Ohio on 29 Sep 2011 at 12:46 pm #

    Jimmy, don’t fret! Your strips have been great… I am sure the book is great and I am looking forward to it… you have been interacting with us. Where’s the beef? LOL

    Seriously, we are behind you all the way. DON’T overdo… take time to relax… LIVE that life that you so generously share with us…

  14. Tom in Glendora, CA on 29 Sep 2011 at 2:15 pm #

    I haven’t noticed any drop-off in the quality either.

    Of course, an artist is his own worst critic.

    Look at the Mona Lisa timeline.

    Da Vinci started the piece in 1503 and worked on it for four years;
    then he set it aside. He moved to France in 1516 and resumed his
    work on the Mona Lisa.

    It took another three years to complete.

  15. Sili on 29 Sep 2011 at 2:51 pm #

    Oooops. Sorry …

    If it’s any consolation, I have seen no evidence of the daily strip suffering.

  16. Michael in Pleasanton (formerly Dublin), CA on 29 Sep 2011 at 4:07 pm #

    I have to echo what everyone else is saying. An artist is his own worst critic. If recent strips are to be considered “sub-par”, then you’ve got nothing to worry about. You still turn out better quality, week in and week out, then most others could. :)

  17. Jayne in Richmond VA on 29 Sep 2011 at 4:33 pm #

    Since you are working so hard on the book, I’ll just have to buy two of them instead of one!
    Don’t worry. We will wait on you to finish. Breath in, breath out, move on (compliments of Mr. Buffett).

  18. Mary in Ohio on 29 Sep 2011 at 4:43 pm #

    JJ if you wouldn’t ha’ told us, we never would have noticed!

  19. CW in 617 on 29 Sep 2011 at 5:04 pm #

    Okay; I’ve missed more than one book deadline myself, and my illustrations (mostly graphs) were done on one of several computers, and the publishers told me to not even try for humor. The haste resulted in many typos.

    To change the subject:

    For Yankees and Rays fans out there, congatulations. Your guys clearly deserved to make the playoffs, and our guys from 617 clearly did not.

    For any Braves fans: Perhaps we can comiserate over a beer. As the least of possible consolations, this year’s Sam Adams Octoberfest is, I think, quite good.

  20. Mike in Missouri on 29 Sep 2011 at 5:52 pm #

    Jimmy, you mentioned hell in a handbasket. I once worked on the passenger steamboat American Queen, on the Mississippi River. Sometimes we stopped at Helena, Arkansas. I would tell our passengers to make sure they toured the handbasket factory while there. That way, they could say that they had been to Helena Handbasket.
    (I thought I was being hilarious, even if they didn’t! They usually didn’t.)

  21. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio on 29 Sep 2011 at 6:12 pm #

    For the Regulars:

    In case you didn’t go back to yesterday’s posts about childhood memories, you might like to know that Trapper Jean has returned.

  22. Jerry in Fl on 29 Sep 2011 at 7:49 pm #

    Thanks for the info Rick. When I sit down here the alarms start blaring and I try to read quickly what I can in 10 sconds. Time lapse-ok that was a real emergency. Elvis took a gift to his mommy-a small white lizard. Anyway JJ, I suggest that you take at least a week and don’t enen think about this site or your book. Don’t even tell anybody, just do it! If your publisher has a problem have them contact us here and we’ll square them away. If it’s something personal, do what you have to do-and worry is not on the list. Absolutely no explantions or apologies required.

  23. Debbie in Alabama on 29 Sep 2011 at 8:26 pm #

    Just breathe and listen to all of us. We are clapping for you.

  24. Mark in TTown on 29 Sep 2011 at 10:08 pm #

    Steve from Royal Oak, maybe that spelling was left over from Talk Like a Pirate Day?

  25. Mark in TTown on 29 Sep 2011 at 10:10 pm #

    JJ, take a deep breath and remember, we are cheering you on! The strip has looked good to me too. WarDamnArlo!!!

  26. Mark in Boston on 29 Sep 2011 at 10:41 pm #

    Only a GREAT artist is his own worst critic.

  27. Galliglo in Ohio on 29 Sep 2011 at 11:04 pm #

    If you couldn’t guess – we love you Jimmy!

  28. Bob on 30 Sep 2011 at 6:54 am #

    Lache pas la patate: Cajun for Don’t drop the (hot) potato, which means “Hang in there”.

  29. sideburns on 30 Sep 2011 at 12:55 pm #

    There’s a lot more work getting a book ready to be published than most people realize. I have three complete novels and three unfinished, and complete doesn’t mean “finished first draft.” I’m planning to put the three complete ones up as self-published ebooks, and believe me, people, it’s more work than you’d think. Just doing a final edit to make sure it’s perfect is a long, slow job. Then there’s getting it formatted correctly, putting in all the little legal notices and getting a proper cover for it before you can even start to think about uploading it to Amazon. JJ, take all the time you need because you only get one chance to get it right. I’ll be here, waiting, when you’re ready.

  30. Mark from Maine on 30 Sep 2011 at 3:07 pm #

    All of life is a trade off, JJ, where you do what you can with limited resources. You coul have oted to not put together the book this year, as you have not many other years I hope by the time you are more than thiiiiiis close and the book is put to bed and is for sale to us, your ravenous fans, that you will decide it was worth it, spiritually and financially. Cheers to you! Your work has certainly enriched many lives.

  31. Boise Ed on 30 Sep 2011 at 3:08 pm #

    Not to mention getting an ISBN for your self-published book.

  32. sideburns on 30 Sep 2011 at 3:53 pm #

    Actually, Boise Ed, if you put it up on Amazon, they take care of that for you as do most of the other ebook publishers.

  33. Luey Lipshits on 01 Oct 2011 at 8:47 am #

    Does that mean we have to start keeping our window shades down again?

  34. Symply Fargone on 01 Oct 2011 at 9:16 am #

    On an unrelated matter, I know Arlo’s dilemma with the old phone. Mine takes pictures(bad ones) has no apps and is actually just a phone. Verizon told me that it was the last non smart phone they had and it was a reconditioned one. Sigh, I think for my kids and grandkids I will be learning another new paradigm soon and actually buy a “smart” phone(hoping it isn’t smarter than me too).

    JJ, your job is one of the most difficult I can think of, coming up with great idea after great idea on a daily basis, observing us little ants in our native habitat and reporting it back to the masses in a humorous manner that appeals to all and makes us feel that you are looking through our windows(in an entirely uncreepy way :) is amazing. I am so glad you chose the metier(for Soleil; means job) you chose.

    Thanks for the years of pleasure you have acoorded me(us)….

    In this case I do not think my opinion is Symply Fargone.

  35. Symply Fargone on 01 Oct 2011 at 9:17 am #

    Soleil, of course knows what metier means :)

  36. maggie on 01 Oct 2011 at 11:17 am #

    Actually, even if you think some aren’t “top notch”, they still prob hit home for a number of fans. You have to sacrifice some for larger goals. When I work on a commission piece my house isn’t as clean for awhile, but it’ll get back that way. Don’t sweat the small stuff JJ. We aren’t gonna go away even if you do have a “lull” in the daily strip or don’t show up here for a few days. We want the book & whatever it takes to get it will be worth it in the end.

  37. Mark in Boston on 01 Oct 2011 at 11:36 am #

    On the subject of an artist’s self-criticism, when Fantagraphics brought out volumes of the complete Li’l Abner comic strips, they included Al Capp’s contribution to the “Famous Comic Artist’s School” correspondence course. Capp analyzed and commented on a Li’l Abner sequence, and deliberately chose one that he thought of as one of his least-inspired. The reason? A big part of the craft is being able to produce the product even on days when you can’t think of anything to do.

    Of course Al and Jimmy’s ideas on days when they didn’t have any ideas are better than my best ideas …

  38. Joni in North Dakota on 01 Oct 2011 at 11:58 am #

    Jimmy – your posting of “Case Closed” is one of my favorite strips, ever! I agree, 100% plus 14.

  39. Mark in TTown on 01 Oct 2011 at 8:39 pm #

    And I think it’s great that Jimmy can handle both continuity and gag-a-day strips in the same sequence. Most artists tend to do one or the other. That shows great versatility on his part, to me anyway. Thank you for all your hard work.

  40. Jerry in Fl on 01 Oct 2011 at 8:51 pm #

    One of my favorite movie scenes is George Segal, playing a writer, throws his typewriter into a trash dump and says “The damm thing was trying to kill me.”

  41. Mark in TTown on 01 Oct 2011 at 9:52 pm #

    The great Robert A. Heinlein said “writing is easy, just sit at a typewriter and open a vein”.

  42. Mark in TTown on 01 Oct 2011 at 9:59 pm #

    If you want information on any old favorite comic books or strips try this website: http://www.lambiek.net. They have a Comiclopedia with info on hundreds of artists and their work. It is a European site so many foreign(to us anyway) works are listed.

  43. TruckerRon on 02 Oct 2011 at 12:03 pm #

    This board is too quiet today. So, how old were each of you when you experienced your first real kiss? Do you remember the other person? Is that person still in your life, as a spouse or a friend?

    In my case, I was 17, her name was Merrie Lee (her dad had a wicked sense of humor), and we’re still in touch via Facebook.

  44. curmudgeonly ex-professor on 02 Oct 2011 at 12:56 pm #

    TR- Define “real”!

  45. TruckerRon on 02 Oct 2011 at 1:25 pm #

    Not a peck on the cheek from your mom!

  46. emeritus Minnesota biologist on 02 Oct 2011 at 2:22 pm #

    Ron: 20, on a path around Beebe Lake at Cornell. We were best friends for 61 years and married for the last 58 of those. Still in my life? That depends on your theology.

  47. Jim in SE Mississippi on 02 Oct 2011 at 2:44 pm #

    OK, I’ll bite. When I was 12, my Boy Scout troop had a informal social meeting with a Girl Scout troop. It was so informal it wrapped up with a game of Spin the Bottle. My first spin won me a kiss, not from one of the same-aged Girl Scouts, but their Senior Scout advisor, who was 16 and blonde and, as I recall, quite attractive. (OK, at 12, what girl wasn’t attractive?)

    It got me a lot of ribbing later from my fellow Scouts, but I didn’t care. I really didn’t know much about serious kissing at that point, but it was still obvious to me that she did. I don’t remember her name, but I sure remember that kiss. I wonder if that had anything to do with the fact that all my life I’ve had a thing for older women? (Of course, I’ve had a thing for same-aged and younger ones, too.)

    eMb, you’re a fortunate man.

  48. TruckerRon on 02 Oct 2011 at 3:41 pm #

    eMb, I agree. I’m just up to 32 years since I met my wife (Aline, NOT Merrie), 31 since we married.

  49. TruckerRon on 02 Oct 2011 at 4:57 pm #

    eMb, by that I meant to agree that “you’re a fortunate man,” indeed.

  50. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio on 02 Oct 2011 at 7:33 pm #

    First kiss: A gentleman never tells.

    I don’t know if I’m a gentleman, if my memory is no longer functioning, or if this is just another poor attempt at humor.

  51. emeritus Minnesota biologist on 02 Oct 2011 at 8:25 pm #

    Actually, I was off by a year. That particular stop during a walk around Beebe took place in the spring of ’49, when I was still 19. We two may have done “real” kisses before that, but that walk is the first specific event that sticks in my mind. And yes, though lonely, I am a fortunate man, because I have 61/58 good years to be grateful for.

  52. Ghost Rider 6 on 02 Oct 2011 at 11:03 pm #

    Hey, debbie. Tell me your first serious kiss story and I’ll tell you mine.

  53. Jerry in Fl on 03 Oct 2011 at 12:26 am #

    High school prom and that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

  54. hc on 03 Oct 2011 at 7:38 am #

    In the Adirondacks – no further info supplied!

  55. sandcastler on 03 Oct 2011 at 8:16 am #

    First kiss was long, long ago; many rivers have since been crossed.

  56. Galliglo in Ohio on 03 Oct 2011 at 8:23 am #

    I was 16 and a boy – whom I had admired from afar – took me home from a party. He walked me to the door and leaned in to give me a kiss… and oh, my – what a kiss! My knees turned to water…

    I didn’t see him again for 40 years… he was single, I was single. And I discovered that he STILL could turn my knees to water! Unfortunately ( or fortunately!) by this time, we both had enough sense to realize that there is more to a relationship than hot kisses… after a time, we parted. But… I must say – that first “real” kiss is a beautiful memory.

  57. Robin in FL on 03 Oct 2011 at 3:02 pm #

    JJ- No, you’re not slipping. Your strip last week with Janis collecting up the Zs from Arlo’s snoring was funny and sweet and poignant all at the same time. Another great strip!

  58. Mywifeslover on 03 Oct 2011 at 4:31 pm #

    A youth camp in New Mexico. I tried not to freak out when she stuck her tongue in my mouth.
    But that was a bit shocking but well remembered.