The Ouro Bros and the Neverending Tour

Jeremy: It sucks when you’re doing a D-I-Y tour, trying to put your name out there by playing new towns/regions, and the promoter books you as “headliners” on a bill, when your band isn’t really “headlining” material just yet.  All this means is that you’re playing last; it’s not really any kind of honor to headline a show with other bands that are likely just as equally unknown as your own band (but who are probably at least from that area, and can bring out a few more show-goers than your band, who is trying to break into said town). Some promoters, when booking out-of-town or touring bands on a bill, will book mostly local bands to bring in a crowd (which is a really good thing), but then put your own band as the headliners (i.e. the last band). All that does is allow the show attendees to catch their local favorites and then leave by the time your band takes the stage. Sure, at some shows the kids are really cool and stick around to see all the bands, but most times, you’re playing to crickets by the time you finally start. So, note to any D-I-Y promoters out there — unless an out-of-town band demands to headline (and you are the type to give into those demands), please be kind enough to put that band before a local headliner. Thanks!

For this particular strip, I penciled and inked it on paper, and then scanned and colored it in Photoshop. I think that from here on out, though, I am going to do all my inking digitally with the WACOM tablet I borrowed from work. It would be ideal to eventually move everything to completely digital, so I am not dealing with filing cabinets full of pencil sketches some day. Plus, I’ll be like, all green and stuff, and won’t kill any trees when I create Ouro Bros comics. Although, I know some pretty D-Bag trees out there that I wouldn’t mind cutting down and pulping into paper myself. That’ll show ’em.

Jeff: And for those continuity sticklers out there, Balthazar has set his basket of fries on the seat beside him and is eating them from there. This largely unconscious habit is borne out of being told one too many times as a child that he needed to eat over the table. During the intervening years, his subconscious decided to rebel against this particular parental precept and now only eats not-over-the-table. Fortunately for his future as an accepted member of society, he’s been working through a subliminal cassette tape series at night to kick that habit. The series is nearly completed, so the image of Balthazar eating food at a table devoid of a container or dish for said food will probably never. happen. again. Thank you.