the inspiration for this story arch came from 500 Days of Summer, which i thought was a really good movie.  i was able to identify with a lot of the emotions in it, as i’ve felt some of them while growing up.  here, i’m putting the character through a tough situation where he obviously likes her (hopefully for more than just her looks!) but she’s being non-committal.  its tough because if he stand up, he may lose any opportunity with her.  but if he stays, then at least he gets the chance to change her mind.  of course the trap here is that she will never change her mind!  if she would, she would’ve done it already. but being in the situation, it’s so hard to realize the reality of the situation.  but hey, that’s what friends are for!

been really enjoying this new character with her bright scarlet hair.  maybe we’ll see more of her!  artwork wise, combining a couple different new elements here, the non-panel box with no balloons, and the nighttime bedroom shot.  i find that i’m improving on my ability to draw interesting body postures, but i think my art still isn’t stylized enough yet.  there’s more life i could be instilling in these characters.

what is the right thing to do here?  what if you’re dating someone and you know most likely that it isn’t going to work out long term, do you break up when you’re reasonably sure or do you just continue dating?  if you have no other potential interests, why not continue dating because who knows what may happen.  maybe something will spark and all of a sudden, he/she’s the perfect mate!  but, if you continue dating, is it considered stringing them along?  i believe this question applies equally to both sexes, by the way!  i think the point you absolutely have to break up with the person is if you know he/she thinks the relationship is going one way and you know it’s going the other.  you owe it to the other person to be honest.  if you don’t, that’s how crazy ex’s are created!

had some good fun drawing this week’s strip, with the dancing and some perspective angles from the couch.  also, i’m still trying to take some of Bill Watterson’s advice (which i read from Nevin Martell’s Looking for Calvin and Hobbes), which is create a situation, then allow your characters to deal and react to it.  i agree, it turns out much more organic and easy to write.