In addition there are a few new wallpapers in the Extras section if that’s something you find appealing.

So, HUB-305. From the get-go there was a plan as to how the hub should look. I didn’t want some fancy, cylindrical space station that, seriously, here I’ll even Google it for you – they’re ALL cylindrical! There’s probably sciencey reasons for it… but I knew what I wanted, I wanted a giant warehouse in space! It needed to be big and plain and no frills. The protruding banana looking thingies act as engines but are usually used to keep the hub in place so it doesn’t end up drifting.  They also act as a shielding mechanism to stop potential looters, and there are several checkpoints further out from the station for incoming vessels to pass. It’s all very technical and complex as you can plainly see, though I do think it works in a no-nonsense, down-to-earth kind of way; which is how I’ve been approaching the design-work from Day 1… when I’m not drawing giant bells-as-spaceships, anyway. It’s all very technical.

We’re going to be diving into some smaller, tighter storylines now that hopefully won’t take months and months to tell. As always, keep up-to-date with what’s going on by following my personal twitter @harrymyland. I’ve mostly been talking about The Thermals and TV and my epic dogs Montrose and Sam.

Cheerio…s.

A better look at Green Bow, click for a 1680×1050 wallpaper!

So, Green Bow. It’s one of the first areas that came to mind when I started plotting out Book 2. I knew I wanted a place for these guys to hang out after work; a cozy cafeteria, of sorts. Part of it is inspired by TNG’s Ten Forward. I dug the idea of there being an area for the crew to play some board games or get a quick bite.

I also really liked the naming convention -  work-crew slang has always struck me as cool for whatever reason. I wanted this area’s name to be a bit technical but also something the crew would have short-handed and endeared. It’s something I thought about a lot, but struggled to come up with anything definitive. It wound up coming down to the wire and a last-minute conversation with the dashing Josh Hechinger on twitter to sort it.

Click to read.

I also garnered inspiration for Green Bow from my father’s work. His company always bought the staff lunch and when the food came they’d eat together like a little family.  They had this big soda vending machine too that was stocked with free soda. It always blew my mind… but anyway. Like Pub and Herb’s (and Sadie’s) bedrooms, I drew up a rough floor plan using the Sims 2.

Click to enlarge.

Note the hovering dining area, the not-at-all-a-food-replicator generator and Flora’s office conveniently right-next-door! It should also be noted that there are several of these areas throughout the hub, but this one is where Pub’s shift tends to congregate.

Posted on – 3/21/13

To make amends, here are some lovely NOMAD TOFU VALENTINE’S DAY CARDS! Click ‘em to download high-res PDFs*. I’d love to see someone use these today! I recommend giving the Kuhvee to your mom (She won’t get it. It’ll be cute), Pub to your significant other and Flora to everyone whom you can’t give the other two to? Like the weird kids in your class no one was fond of but got cards because otherwise they’d die inside. Or office-mates. Or like, hobos. Hobos need love too, y’know!

*No longer available.

Posted on – 2/14/13

It’s been a little over a month now since Book 2 started and I think long-time readers can already see this is going to be a pretty different beast from the Sky Intruder; a thing that will become more apparent as we go. Book 2, if I’m successful, will be much more in line with what I wanted this series to be. A series about friendship. And not just a group of friends wading through life, but the nature of it all. But maybe that’s a conversation best suited for another time, when perhaps I’m not riddled with flu.

One of the big differences between Books 1 and 2 this time around are the intricate interiors and industrial thingamajigs that have to be drawn – certainly a far cry from the endless trees and open skies of Oakea. I picked up a trick recently that is helping loads with designing set interiors*. Namely, The Sims 2. Being able to lay out what I’ve had in my head and scribbled on paper in a 3D space has been a godsend for keeping track of a given set-piece. I’ll be showing more of these as we roam new areas of the Hub.

The store, or Emporium, as we may-or-may not end up calling it is slowly chugging along. I’ve placed orders on a few different items that I haven’t decided whether will be featured in the store or saved for con appearances – something I haven’t quite jumped headfirst into yet but something I definitely want to do! But I have a good idea of things I want to offer in the emporium and am moving on those things. Probably soon-ish. We’ll see.

Oh yeah! Friend-of-the-show and mi hermano Josh Hechinger recently spoke to Robot 6 about the stuff he’s reading and said lovely, lovely things about Nomad Tofu. So lovely.

Comic will be up Thursday. Partly because of the flu, partly because of other things that popped up. I’m working the schedule this time to be a little more lax than its been in the past. Weekly updates for sure, Tuesdays being the prime day but Thursdays being the optional day if something prevents the comic going up on Tuesday. And sometimes we’ll update on both days, whether it be two comics or a blog post and a comic. Maybe if you’re lucky even two comics and a blog post. Wouldn’t that be swell?

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*Hearty golf claps to Band vs Band creator Kathleen Jacques for bringing the Sims thing to my attention.

Posted on – 1/15/13

If you’re new to the site, HIYA! I hope you take a bit of time and look around. We’re still under a bit of construction on this site revamp but the comics are safe and sound and ready for reading. We’ll be seeing an update on Halloween (because Halloween is totally the best!) and will be back with weekly Tuesday updates starting December 4th. It’s going to be a wild one, I hope you join us!

Posted on – 9/24/12

IF YOU ALREADY FOLLOW THE FEED:
- Add http://www.nomadtofu.com/comic/?feed=rss2 to your rotation. Then you’ll get the comics again, yay!

IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW THE FEED:
- Moving forward we’ll be using this for a combined feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/yahoo/ToqK

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO FOLLOW THE FEED:
- Then you’re all good! You should definitely follow somehow to keep up with all the Tofu happenings. Or just visit the site regularly ka-WINK! ;D

You can also use sites like Comic Rocket, InkOutbreak, Belfry, The Webcomics List and Just The First Frame, among others.

Posted on – 9/6/2012

My main task this week has been updating Nomad Tofu’s site with globs of newness. In switching my old comics format to my new comics format (I’m switching from using ComicPress to Comic Easel) I accidentally deleted all the old strips. The ones that ComicPress reads and Comic Easel doesn’t. But don’t be alarmed! They’re all safe! And now you get to see the new, VERY MUCH IN-PROGRESS, site early! Because I work on this jazz LIVE (a big no-no but what do I know, y’know?) So here ya’ go: www.nomadtofu.com/comic

Expect to see lots of weirdness until it’s done, which you’ll probably realize once I scream for joy and cause earthquakes and a mild tsunami to happen. … sorry for that.

In any event, last night I re-discovered the freakin’ BEETS and it blew my mind. No doubt holding my subconscious hand in both life and work.

I bought their t-shirt this morning as an intimate thank you for all things 90′s.

Posted on – 9/6/2012

There’s a lot of news to cover in this post, so let’s start with the obvious!

THE BELL TOWER:

It’s been such a journey getting to this point and I’m elated (and terrified!) that we’re nearly there. I’ve been plotting stories over the past few months and can confidently say that this is going to be a pretty different beast from Book 1. I’m going to be tackling a lot of new areas both as a writer and artist. It’s going to be a hair-pulling, nail biting ride and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

You may also note that the 4th of December is a TUESDAY. Which is NOT MONDAY. So, starting on the 4th, updates will go up every Tuesday, with the ideal end-game adding Thursday to that regiment. “Get your TOFU on the T’s.” But we’ll have to see how that pans out.

Which brings us to the ugly part of this post.

HIATUS: Starting now we are officially on hiatus. Which I fought tooth and nail to avoid all summer. Originally the plan was to take a break after Book 1 wrapped but that idea was booted out the idea-door because, well, hiatus’ stink! I thought I’d be able to do one shots, get Book 1 ready for print, prepare the store and work ahead on Book 2 all at the same time. That was before I knew how much of a pain putting a book together is, or how much research I’d be doing, or a billion other things that pop up. We could stay on this current road but I’m pretty sure that would amount to delaying the store and Book 2 until next year (boo!).

There will be an update on Halloween, though, which has become tradition. Now would also be a great time for guest strips, if anyone out there is interested.

SITE/STORE: Between now and the 4th you’ll probably notice some changes to the site. We also may see the store open. I expect it to be ready for business by the 4th, if not sooner.

So to recap:

- We are now on HIATUS.
- Book 2: THE BELL TOWER begins TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4th 2012!
- Updates from that point on will happen on TUESDAYS.
- There will be a special HALLOWEEN update, along with any guest strips we get between now and the 4th.

As always, follow the twitter to keep tabs on what’s happening, or ask me! I don’t bite… during the day.

Posted on – 8/31/2012

Click for the full comic!

* I realized halfway through coloring it that it’s actually the first page of Chapter 2, but shhh our secret.

** Oh wait, you can’t, BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO BE TOTALLY WORTH IT!

Posted on – 8/10/2012

It’s been a while since Book 1 wrapped (on the website), so here are some thoughts I’ve been having on preparing the first book for print.

- AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH THIS SUUUUXXXXX!!!

- Woo that page took forever!

- Oh wow is that the time?

- How many more pages do I have to do today? NOOOO!!!

Clean up is going pretty well, all things considered. It has been a process. The further along we get the faster cleaning pages is becoming. The above panel comparison is one of the more extreme redraws from the early set. My biggest surprise so far has been how little I’m altering Pub and how all the Herbs are being redrawn. I was expecting the opposite when I started, but c’est la.  Allons-y. Etc. Toning down the hatching has probably been the biggest challenge. Really went to TOWN on some of these pages… but that’s how I learned? IT IS!

There’s a lot of work going into making these pages the best they can be. It’s a real labor of love and I just hope it shows, and maybe you’ll support it when it goes on sale on – - – - – - – - -*.

Page 1, old and new (Art not final. Subject to change.)

*I have a date in mind, but I’d rather keep it to myself for the time being

Posted on – 7/18/2012