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Just a quick note to readers: It was my intention to start updating Ralf the Destroyer this week but due to a pretty destructive storm here in Connecticut I have not had any electricity since Saturday night (six days). The power has now returned and new Ralf strips will again resume on the original “Monday, Wednesday, Friday” schedule.
Thanks for your patience and support.
Many of you have been very generous and I am quite thankful for all the readers out there who enjoy “Ralf the Destroyer”. I am especially glad when I am able to meet some of you at conventions and I always enjoy the heart and wit of the comments that appear on this site.
I have received some curiosity about the updates and the state of the website so I thought I’d let everyone know where I am and what my plans are. While I had hoped to be further along on certain “non-Ralf” projects, life has simply thrown me a few sneaky curve balls (such as suddenly having to move my family to a new home). This on top of a few rather large projects has seriously impaired my scheduling of Ralf strips.
I thought lowering Ralf to a once a week update would be easier to meet, but I have really had my hands full. Now what I know is this, before October is over one very large deadline (a 48 pg graphic novel for “Graphic Classics”) will be done and met. After that I am very confident that I will be back to scheduling Ralf to Monday-Wednesday-Friday.
As for the site, I am trying to obtain some professional help to create a child theme and update my ComicPress site. I know certain buttons have never worked quite right, so I’m hoping I can fix some things with a newer version of ComicPress or possibly Easel. I am also looking into adding an “Extra Content” portion of the site which would showcase a full color long form comic which would update weekly and would reveal much more of the mythology and dig into Ralf’s past.
Last but not least, I will also be setting up some appointments to meet with comics editors to see if self syndication will be an avenue worth pursuing. What all of this means is I am ramping up for what I hope will be a big year (2012) for Ralf the Destroyer… but it has nothing to do with the Mayan Calender.
Please let me know what your thoughts are, I would love some feed back from you the readers.
Scott Lincoln
Baltimore was a great show with a ton more traffic than I remember from last year. Got a lot of promotion done by introducing Ralf to many new wonderful people and sold out of the mini comic by Sunday afternoon, as well as sold quite a few of the new “Am I There Yet?” book.
I was again blessed with good booth neighbors (Jeff Lonnette, Mike & Vince White) and my whole family had a good time there. It was nice to see Dawn Griffin (of “Zorphbert and Fred”), Chris Flick( of “Capes & Babes” ) and met Don Mathias (of (Peanizles”) in person at the show (some of you who frequent Comics Sherpa may know Don did the Ralf strip during the April Fools Switcheroo).
I was also pleased to meet and speak with Johanna Draper Carlson who did a nice write up of Ralf on “Comics Worth Reading”. It was also great to meet and speak with John Gallagher of “Buzzboy Comics” (and the emerging “Comics Jukebox” all-ages comic app for iPad), as well as Harold Buchholz and Rich Faber, who does some very impressive inking.
This year, we got to take in a few of the sights, which added to the experience (which is nice). Overall, a great show which may hold some even better news down the line. I’m looking forward to next year already!
Ralf the Destroyer will be at Baltimore this year! After attending last year, on the advice of many who encouraged it, we will be returning to what looks like an even bigger show this year.
If you are going to be in the Baltimore vicinity on August 20th-21st, be sure to stop by the Ralf the Destroyer booth! We’ll have mini comics, softcover books, sketch cards, original art and will be taking commissions. Hope we see you there!
The Wizard con in Philadelphia is fast approaching and I am a guest! I will be attending the Philadelphia Comic Con June 17-18-19, 2011 Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. I am particularly jazzed since they have quite the guest list there, which now includes me too! Now not only is that cool but Wizard has also invited me to be a guest at the New England Comic Con running later this year in September (17-18, 2011 Saturday and Sunday) at the Hynes Convention Center, Boston MA.
If any readers are attending these conventions please be sure to stop by and say hello! I will have original art on display and for sale along with the new book and mini comic. Not only that, but it’s just cool to meet the people who enjoy making Ralf the Destroyer a part of their week. Hope I see you there!
( and a special thanks to Stephen Shamus for inviting me 
)
Here’s a little write up about what’s going on at the Norman Rockwell Museum this summer. The reason I mention it is that I will be teaching some classes about the principals of animation and cartooning there. I certainly feel blessed to be a part of any program the Norman Rockwell Museum would present and it is my hope to inspire those who sign up to be a part of it too.
I have just been informed by Ka-Blam that the 164pg soft cover book “Ralf the Destroyer – Am I There Yet?” is now available on Indy Planet and Comics Monkey!
This is good news for those of you who enjoy reading from real paperback books now and then, just click on the cover image to the left and you will be able to order a copy even if you can not make it to one of the Con’s we’ll be attending this year. If you happen to be a “brick and mortar” comics shop, good news for you as well. The “Am I There Yet” collection is available on Comics Monkey which caters to comic book shops.
A digital version is not yet available, but I will be working on that as I attempt to spruce up my shop page. I will (of course) still be making these print versions and the mini comic available at cons. So be sure to stop by and say hello if I’m attending at one in your area!
Next weekend is the Pittsburgh Comic Con and for me it’s the first show of the year! This will be the launch of the Ralf the Destroyer booth 2.0. We’ll be sporting a new banner, table layout, soft cover books, manga sized comic books, original comic strip art and possibly some sketch cards.
Show Dates & Times
April 15, 16 & 17, 2011
Fri 1:00pm – 7:00pm
Sat 10:00am – 6:00pm
Sun 10:00am – 5:00pm
If you plan on attending, be sure to stop by and say “hello”. We will be set up in the small press area at booth SO45. Hope we see you there!
Whenever I meet people who have been to my site I try to get an idea of how they liked the look, navigation and load time. Most have been positive about the look and navigation, but I’ve known for a while it was doggin’ in the upload times. If you happened upon the site in the last few days, particularly so.
So I decided to strip as many plug-ins off as I could and added php Speedy to Super Cache in what is so far the best download times I’ve seen in a while. It took me a while to blend the right combo of settings and tools without making it worse, hopefully you the visitors and readers will reap a more enjoyable experience and faster load times.
