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  June 19, 2008 | No Show, No Tell « Previous | Current | Next » Comments (3) | Archives | About Email lind at lindtoons.com

I owe it to longtime readers to let you know that next week's cartoon will be the last Weltschmerz. After almost 15 years -- the first strip appeared in early 1994 -- I've decided it's time to end this comic.

I have other ideas, inklings of what I'd like to do. But, with Weltschmerz taking 12-15 hours per week, plus a full-time graphic design gig, I have no time for anything new. About two months ago, after trying to figure out how to make room for new projects, including considering taking a partial sabbatical from my design business, I realized that bringing Weltschmerz to an end was the answer.

Now, I should warn you in advance that I like ambiguous endings. However, I didn't want Raj to hover on death's door forever. And the Cindy has so many online "fans" is being revealed this week and next. But everything won't be tied up with a glittery ribbon. Weltschmerz may be many things, but "glittery" ain't one of them.

As I'm mentioned before, I partially wrote this sequence a number of years ago and wanted to be sure to include it, leaving closure of sorts. I've rewritten until the last minute, with a lot ending up on the cutting room floor. So little time, so much exposition. The danger is to get bogged down in exposition, as I almost did in the final cartoon, until last night I was able to add a more humorous twist. (Readers in Hamilton will want to pick up View next Thursday, which will have Horst et al gracing its cover.)



  Elsewhere

Lindtoons

You can see a more extensive portfolio of my work at the blog lindtoons.com, including This Bright Future, a distilled and partial continuation of Weltschmerz, Turtle Creek, a daily comic about a turtle and a computer, and Footprint in Mouth, a quarterly cartoon I draw for Alternatives.

Weltschmerz in Print

Weltschmerz ran in Toronto's Eye Weekly from 1997 to 2007. It ran in weekly papers in southwestern Ontario, Ottawa and Edmonton between 1995 and 2008.

Notes on Writing a Comic Strip

I wrote this 17-page, 4 MB PDF document for my workshop at the 2006 Eden Mills Writers' Festival. It details the creation of one strip and gives tips on writing comics.

Politics and Environment

Monbiot | Guardian columnist and Heat author George Monbiot's blog. Not only about global warming, but expect plenty of refutations of the flat-earthers. His writing is witty, incisive and bang-on.

Desmog Blog | An indispensible (and Canadian) resource that "clears the PR pollution that clouds climate science."

Soundtrack

Weltschmerz playlist at CBC Radio 3 | Some of the music I listen to while drawing this comic -- independent and Canadian.

This American Life | Radio documentaries that hit the heart, brain and funny bone.

CBC Podcasts | I don't listen to much live radio. Now, podcasts allow me to catch a lot of what I miss. I listen to The Current, Ideas, Spark and Search Engine while inking.

Comics

Diesel Sweeties by R Stevens | Witty repartee between guys, girls and robots drawn in a pixelated yet surprisingly versatile style.

Scott Pilgrim Manga-style indie-rock romance by Canadian Bryan Lee O'Malley | The most fun I've had in a comic book in recent memory. Highly recommended.

Dykes to Watch Out For | Alison Bechdel's brilliant weekly strip has been ghettoized because of its gay themes but deserves a wider readership.

Doonesbury | Garry Trudeau is still great after all these years.

Kevin Heuzenga | Enviable drawing style and dry wit. Start with Time Travelling.

Graeme MacKay | The editorial cartoonist for the Hamilton Spectator has a distinctive, addictive drawing style. And he makes me chortle.

Friends and Neighbours

Blog Guelph | Hometown photos and events.

The Narrative | Riveting photoblog. Matt O'Sullivan is at the right place at the right shutter speed.

Breast of Canada | A calendar promoting women's health.


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