From the Brink

Hold on for your life

2009-06-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

This just makes me feel good.

Lots Goin' On

2009-03-26T13:29:00.001-07:00

Lots to cover, here, so let's start with the most recent developments.

1. Unemployment 2: Electric Boogaloo
Yes, the rumors are true. The economy has come to roost, here at Brinkerhoff central. I am officially a free agent, having been let go by my regular full-time job. But don't cry for me Arkansas, I plan on making plenty of lemonade with these here lemons. I'm not taking this unemployment thing laying down. I've decided, instead, to kick start my freelancing business that had been a side project to this point. I'm hard at work behind the scenes getting that all set up and accepting new clients.

2. Another Pocket Full of Brink
Brinkerhoff in print continues with the latest Pocket Full of Brink. It's the third volume in the series that's a must-have for anyone who loves cute little bunnies. Your bookshelf will love you for it. And anyone who isn't respected by their bookshelf is no friend of mine. Someday I should make a suit entirely covered in pockets from neck to ankle so fans could be completely literate in the ways of Brink and completely bullet-proof (assuming the bullets are made of paper.) That's right. Brinkerhoff could save your life, someday! (Not a guarantee.)

3. Who's Your Daddy? Me.
I'm scheduled to be an actual father roughly 4 months from now. The one thing I keep hearing from people is how much my life will change and how all my priorities will realign. With that in mind, I wanted to prepare Brinkerhoff readers for the change in tone the comic will obviously take. Don't be surprised when storylines and characters adapt to the new outlook I'll have on life, love, work, play, and fatherhood. I don't want to give too much away, but suffice to say I think was just precious when Jeffy told Dolly that his favorite dinner was spaghetti and meatBULBS!

More later.....

Chad and Oscar are at it again...

2009-03-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

Big O and Dukes interviewed me on their show on 106.7 WJFK.
Click here to take a listen.

Really real

2009-02-21T14:10:00.001-08:00

Attention Wrestling Fans!

2009-02-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

I used to be deep into wrestling during the late 90’s and early 2000’s, but lack of time and cable have resulted in me falling off for the last couple of years. My wife surprised me with tickets to an upcoming Raw and I’d kinda’ like to get caught up on what’s been going on. Who's still around? Who's injured? Where's the rivalries? What are the current story lines? I wanna' mark out with the rest of you, but I'm craving updated info.

If there’s some WWE fans out there who can help bring me up to speed on the skinny from the last 2-3 years, I’d be grateful. You can hit me up by replying to this post below, or dropping me an email through the link above.

Thanks.

Lightsaber in My Pants

2009-01-21T17:36:00.000-08:00

As mad as I am at Lucas for all he's given and taken away, I can't be too angry after seeing this shot from last year's Rebelscum.com Halloween costume contest. Holy Kenobi!

Another year older...

2009-01-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

Brinkerhoff turned 3 on Jan. 1st, for those of you who are counting.
As for me, I'm turning 35 today.

To celebrate, you should get yourself something nice, like a book, or a shirt.

Big O and Dukes

2008-12-14T21:46:00.000-08:00

Big O and Dukes interviewed me about the 'toon above. Click to take a listen.

Brinkerhoff doesn't suck just because you say so.

2008-11-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

Here's the thing. Brinkerhoff isn't for everybody. If you don't "get" how this comic is funny, I can't help you. I don't get everything that purports to be comedy out there, either. Some things just don't register the same way with me. Nothing I've seen in newspapers in the past 10 years does anything for me, and there are few comics on the web that can hold my interest anymore, either. It's sad and it's disappointing, but it's true.

If you have an honest critique of this comic, based on its merits, I welcome your feedback. Truly I do. But if you're out there just to slander what I do as a hobby; as a fun way to release some of the demons we all have, then I've got no time for you. Everything I do in this comic is intentional–the way it's drawn, the way it's written, and the way it's presented. If you have problems understanding the "whys", then it's little wonder you have problems with comprehension.

Validity has nothing to do with popularity. It's up to the individual and their connection to the work. Somewhere there's someone who's all-time favorite band is Supertramp.

Brinkerhoff does not suck. He just isn't for you.

Click away. We don't serve your kind here.

Thanks. And there's a free finger for your trouble.

Balls We Can Believe In...

2008-10-26T15:43:00.001-07:00

Finally, a candidate we can believe in, or at least one that's slightly less ridiculous than some of our current choices. Click on the poster and download your own big version for your cubicle, locker, dorm room, or jail cell.

Roundup! Miss me?

2008-10-13T22:11:00.001-07:00

I feel like a dope for not updating this blog more often. I can blame a hundred things for the slight, but I won't. We're all busy. We've all got things going on. I still appreciate everybody that comes by and tells their friends to do the same. I guess I've just become so enamored with the quick hits that my Twitter allows me, that I just don't find the time to sit down and put my thoughts together.

I still feel like I should open up more about what's going on with me and Brinkerhoff and have that open communication with you readers. The only real excuse I have, I guess, is that I've just been lazy about it. I'll work on it.

So the cool new news is that I've got some new shirt designs in the shop. I've been batting these ideas around for a while and finally made time to create them. When I design these things, I design them for myself first. Would I wear them? Do I think they're cool? If my answer is 'yes', then they make it to the store. In fact a couple of the new ones are on their way to join past favorites in my dresser drawers. So, in essence, when you buy these shirts, you're wearing what I wear. And that's not creepy in the slightest.

On the comic front, Wednesday starts up some classroom fun inspired by the election season. Don't expect this storyline to be lame nods to current headlines, though. I didn't want to date the story that much, and there's way too much of that crap around, anyway. Timeless stories are the best ones to tell.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for some new blog posts. I've got some things I need to get off of my chest and this is as good a place as any to do it.
Take it easy. I'll talk to you soon. As always you can reach me at brinkrabbit@yahoo.com.

Fill Your Pockets with More Brink!

2008-09-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

Sure, reading comics on the web through a cold, bright, emotionless monitor is fun, but there's nothing quite like that feeling of kicking back with a good book - especially one full of Brinkerhoff comics!

Volume 2 of the Pocket Full of Brink series is now available for your living room/bedroom/bathroom reading pleasure. Watch as Brinkerhoff faces speed dating, coping with the death of a coworker, losing out on love to the messiah, and more in a conveniently-sized collection of caliginous comedy.

Also available is Pocket Full of Brink, Volume 1, containing the origins of Waveday, the bar fight, the harassment, and of course, The Divorce.

Click now to start your Brinkerhoff collection today. And remember: Books full of snarky, mean-spirited rabbits make great gifts!

Welcome Back!

2008-07-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

Although 6 months have past in all of our lives, Brinkerhoff's world picks up right where it left off. If you need reminders of where we're at, make sure to read back through the archives to catch up.

For me, a lot of things have happened in those 6 months, but I think I'll save those stories for another day. For now I just want to enjoy the moment of being back. I'm not making a deal out of it, and haven't advertised the return anywhere outside of this website. Brinkerhoff has always been a word-of-mouth kind of thing, anyway.

It's really been great turning out these new strips. I really missed that connection with my imagination and to these characters. At the end of the day Brinkerhoff's existence is entirely predicated on the personal enjoyment of its creation. For those that are having fun on the journey with me, all the better. There's a lot of fun stories to tell and I can't wait to tell them.

I have a great deal of appreciation for those that have been kind enough to support this comic by buying books and shirts, but rest assured, I'll never think of you as "customers". Every product I make is something I've wanted to own for myself. I'm Brinkerhoff's biggest fan and the biggest perk I have is the ability to make stuff with his face on it.

So, now we're back. Thanks again to everyone checking back on what seemed to be an abandoned link. I also appreciate everyone who e-mailed for status reports. 6 months was long time to wait, but I'm glad you're back on board with me. The only bad news I have to report is that with its return Brinkerhoff can't be on the same schedule as it was before. Life still keeps me pretty busy and I can't keep up the same 5-day-a-week routine that the first 2 years of this comic maintained. My time is still at a premium, but I couldn't not do Brinkerhoff anymore, so a compromise had to be reached. What I came up with was 2 strips a week, Mondays and Wednesdays, for you to get your Brinkerhoff fix. I know it's not what many of you were hoping for, but this is still a hobby for me. If Brinkerhoff suddenly, somehow became a cash cow that could justify more of a time commitment, I could accommodate that (in fact, that would kick several kinds of ass), but it's just not reality. For now, we'll consider Monday and Wednesday just a little more worthwhile to roll out of bed for.

See you back here on Monday.

Sorry to Keep You Waiting...

2008-06-19T23:50:00.000-07:00

Major Announcement #1:
Brink is back.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, July 2nd as Brinkerhoff returns with all new strips full of the same wit, wisdom, and bulls*** you've come to love. It's been a while, so make sure you read up on the archives between now and then, because we're starting right back up where we left off.

Major Announcement #2:
Brinkerhoff is now available in a convenient pocket-sized book form. Introducing "Pocket Full of Brink - Volume 1". Now you can take Brinkerhoff everywhere you want to go, wirelessly. Brink has never been so portable. This is the first of several volumes collecting the Brinkerhoff archives, unedited and unrestrained - just like we like him. Get yours now at http://www.lulu.com/content/2610851

Lend an Ear, Friend...

2008-06-10T14:28:00.001-07:00

BRINKERHOFF FANS!!

Stay tuned for some major announcements coming NEXT WEEK.

(Non-fans of Brinkerhoff can go about your regular daily routines.)

Hippity Hoppity, Hippity Hoppity...

2008-05-28T20:14:00.001-07:00

The wait is almost over. The rabbit will return because he never left. Stay tuned. Details coming soon.

Where, oh where...?

2008-03-25T12:09:00.001-07:00

Where the hell have I been?

Any ideas?

What do you do when all the "teachers" come off as self-righteous? Is it worse that they don't even see it in themselves? Nothing's so definitive that you can't question the "facts" or the source, itself.

Who's really in charge? Who's my boss?

Why aren't I reading comics anymore?

"I Bet It Tastes Like Licorice"

2008-02-04T08:45:00.000-08:00

During your patient wait for new Brinkerhoff content, many of you have expressed an interest in a printed collection of Brink goodness. The closest thing I've got to that is his first comic, "I Bet It Tastes Like Licorice." It's a full color, 28-page comic book that covers the first 3 months of the comic's inception, and is still a fun read for old and new fans, alike. Everything's in there, including all of the original liners that used to accompany the strips. It's now available online at IndyPlanet.

Thanks for sticking around, and for your kind words during this respite. I have been writing more and as soon as I get some time, I will post more, so stay tuned...

Terrible twos

2008-01-01T23:15:00.000-08:00

As of this writing, Brinkerhoff has officially turned two years old. This little rabbit has cantankerously snowballed his way, 5 days-a-week, through one crappy situation after another. It's been a fun ride and represents one of the most fun hobbies I've ever had. Unfortunately, that's what it really is: a hobby. Events in my real life have recently forced me to refocus where I spend the limited hours I have in my day.

Long story short - after 524 strips, I have had to make the tough decision to cut back on regular Brinkerhoff weekly web production starting today. To be honest, if I was making more money from this venture, or was doing gangbusters traffic-wise, it would probably be a different story. I will continue Brinkerhoff on a limited basis online and in it's regular printed outlets, but the web updates will be sporadic. I apologize to all of my regular readers, and I really do appreciate your support and understanding, but this is just the way it'll have to be for a while. If you want to know when new stuff is posted, you can either check back at brinkcomic.com, subscribe to this blog, or get your RSS feed on. Until then, feel free to dig back into some archive goodness.

To be perfectly honest, for a long time I've wondered where Brinkerhoff really fits in in the grand scheme of things. He's obviously way too racy for syndication, he's too unconventional for comic books, and he really doesn't have that many peers in the webcomics community. Oftentimes I'm left trying to explain to people that it's not really a comic. It just looks like one.

Going forward, I've got some fun ideas about how Brink's future might pan out. Rest assured, you'll see him pop up sometime soon in some exciting possibilities. Thanks for reading.

Happy Holidays

2007-12-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

I don't really know what you celebrate out there, but I wanted to say have a merry or happy whatever it is you do. If you don't do something, that's cool. Sometimes it's nice to reflect on what you've got, though, and this is as good a time as any.

I'll be enjoying family and gifts and good times. As much as this year has brought us (marriage, kitchen remodel, lost job, new job), I'm even more excited about all the changes coming next year. This kid doesn't know what he/she's in for, and neither do we. I'm fortunate for what I've got and I know it. Everything in the future is just gravy.

Have a great holiday season, all. Thanks for reading.

Oh, yeah... don't forget to get your 2008 Brinkerhoff calender. The link is above. Think of your purchase like a birthday present for him as we celebrate the strip's 2nd anniversary on Wednesday, January 2nd. The terrible 2's inDEED!

#501

2007-11-30T06:27:00.000-08:00

Congratulations, reader! You're just stumbled upon Brinkerhoff's comic 501st strip. If you're a new reader, that means you can go back in the archives and enjoy 500 more episodes just like this one (albeit in a more 4-panel consistency).

Most comics celebrate a milestone when it hits a round number, but I wanted to buck tradition a bit and let the odometer roll over one as a promise toward the future. For this update I was more that ready to shake up Brinkerhoff's life a little, thus the 16-panel opus you see. Also, there's no way I was wasting a 16-panel strip on a Thursday.

Thanks to everyone that's dug Brinkerhoff's action so far. If you'd like to show any gracious appreciation, and get some holiday shopping done, feel free to click on some of the merch links.

See you next week, when I think I'll be a bit more retrospective.

Positive

2007-11-21T06:21:00.001-08:00

Bummer x2

2007-10-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday wasn't the best day of my life.

First, I got this:

Dear Gabe,
My apologies for my tardy response. Thanks for giving Image Comics the opportunity to review your proposal. It's obvious that you've put a great deal of time and effort into this book - but I don't feel that it's quite strong enough to make it in this competitive market. I wish I could go on at length and give you a number of pointers to help you improve your book but I can't. We simply get too many proposals for me to be able to critique them all. The bottom line is that, unfortunately, your book isn't one that we're interested in publishing.
Thanks for your interest in Image Comics.

-Erik Larsen
Publisher
Image Comics, Inc.

Bummer, huh?

I had just gotten done reading that, when I was called into a special meeting at work. I didn't feel too special when I left it because the end result was the end of my employment with them.

I'm still dealing with how I feel about that. Currently, it's a mix of disappointment and a strange sense of relief. If you feel like lending a hand as I float between jobs, feel free to start your holiday shopping with one of my books, shirts, or new calendar.

Thanks, and keep reading.

Ugly Hill Guest Strip

2007-10-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

As I download the awesomeness that is the new Alter Bridge album, I wanted to mention the guest strip that got posted today.

I can only really call a handful of webcomics "favorites", but Paul Southworth's Ugly Hill definitely ranks on that list. It shares a lot of the same traits that I like about Brinkerhoff. It's clean, sharp, and snarky, with just enough cruelty thrown in to tickle my twisted funny bone. When I saw that Paul and his wife welcomed their new offspring into the world, I knew he'd probably need a hand with the comic, so I took the opportunity to send him an unsolicited guest strip. I figured he'd probably lean on his Blank Label mates to help him out, but I sent it off, anyway, even if was a thank-you/congratulations gift from one staunchly hetero-cartoonist to another.

Here's what I got from him a day later:
"Thanks! I could use a few more guest strips to round out the next couple of weeks, and yours is SO GREAT. They look like little Ugly Hill figures! I really appreciate you taking the time to do one for me, and will run it with pride!
Paul"

No, Paul. Thank YOU. And congratulations, again.

Bigger Than Jake

2007-09-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

This was a fun little project that thankfully survived last year's hard drive crash. It was my first attempt at learning the ropes of Flash animation. It's nothing like Brinkerhoff or Bodinski or The Zoo, but I think you'll recognize my style of humor in it. Be warned - it's been called "cute".

The most fun I had with it was getting to work with my youngest brother, Connor, who's always been a big supporter of whatever I get into. Being a newly indoctrinated teenager, he's our link to what's cool and what sucks. He play's the voice of the title character "Jake". Even though puberty changed his voice since we finished this animation, I'll still find a way for him to be involved in future projects. After all, family will work for free!

Here's a fun bit o' history: Jake and his robot was one of the post-Zoo comic strip ideas I was batting around before I settled on Brinkerhoff. Oh, what could've been...