Floating Around

[the_gneech]

I'm in a strange state of mind today. Mentally speaking, I'm just sorta floating, my attention wandering around from one topic to another, passively receiving ideas that bubble up out of my subconscious, but committing to none of them.

Riddle: Why is The Gneech like a rock at the top of a hill?

Answer: We've both got nothing but potential.

Okay, that was lame, I admit it. :)

Conrad's been talking to me today; apparently, he'd like some attention in SJ. He said something about wanting to meet his father for the first time; I'm not sure if his father wants to be met, tho.

Conrad is something of a problem child for me, in terms of characters. He popped up one day in the middle of the "Weird Al Hamstervic" storyline, all seven-and-a-half feet of hunky studmuffin, and I assumed that he was basically an orange stripey Fabio, "Mr. Perfect," so to speak, who would give Leonard's arrogance a severe case of inadequacy.

Then Conrad said, or rather thought, something that took me by surprise.



Whoa, wait a minute ... Mr. Perfect thinks Tiffany is out of his league? Why the heck would that be the case?

Getting to know Conrad as an author has been very similar to Tiffany's process of getting to know Conrad as her boyfriend ... slowly unpeeling layers of persona-versus-reality, finding the little quirks that make him the way he is, etc.

I am frankly amazed that Conrad has lasted as long as he has. He wasn't intended to be a permanent addition, but then again, neither was Dover. The reason he's stayed is because Tiffany did something I wasn't expecting, either:



I have been working to break them apart ever since; they have so far managed to thwart my efforts, however. As frustrating as it is, I have to admire them for that. :)

SJ has been a strange ride, for me. :)

-The Gneech

Comments

On Suburban Jungle...

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

It's the hidden depths of the personalities that draws me to your strip.

The initial thoughts of the characters is two-dimensional: models, having to work in the normal business world. A ditsy sister. A geek. A gay photographer.

It's that they have both an inner and an outer life that makes them interesting. That Comfort, despite being a 'ditsy sister', has remarkable language talents (speaking both Russian and Dover-ese!). That Leonard, despite being madly in love with Tiffany, has an even stronger conscience. That Dover, despite his speed and cunning, is squeamish of taking down prey.

Keep it up. That is what makes SJ fun!

Re: On Suburban Jungle...

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well thanks! I'll do my best. ;) -TG

[level-head.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I had written something of a dissertation, hours ago, about your handling of Conrad. It seems to have disappeared.

So, instead, a short message:

You do good work. I like it. Conrad's a good addition. Bye.

===|==============/ Level Head

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well foo, I'd like to have read the dissertation. But thanks nonetheless! :) -TG

[level-head.livejournal.com]

I would have thought that you'd tired of my dissertations by now.

===|==============/ Level Head

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Perish the thought! :) Have you ever heard of an artist who didn't like to hear people talking about their work? -TG

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

I dig the word "foo" as appearing in your comment reply to LH. :)

But I really like Conrad, and I'm glad he's evaded the axe so well. :) I agree also that your character's multi-dimensional personalities are one of the many elements which makes them so great (as in Charles M. Shultz/Bill Watterson/Pat Brady caliber great).

Keep up the good work!

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Gaaah! Don't insult my favorite cartoonists that way!

(But thank you nonetheless.) -TG

[jbadger.livejournal.com]

A writer once told me that the characters make their own stories....
It is always an interesting reflection excersise to look at a writer's mind at work...

I happen to like the characters in SJ, my favorate being the panda gal.

[jamesbarrett.livejournal.com]

I, personally, support Leona. May she finally get her man. (Whoever that ends up being) I'd also like to see her get the better of that Tiff gal. -Frisk{