FAREWELL TO A COMIC
Over the past 5 years I illustrated all 258 weekly episodes of the webcomic “Tiny Dick Adventures” (or “TDA” in more polite circles) about a pint-sized undead Warlock named Richard (the eponymous “Tiny Dick” get it?!) wreaking violence and causing trouble throughout time and space on whatever targets he thinks are most deserving. The comic is written by Ryan Sohmer and published by Blind Ferret every wednesday at https://www.lfg.co/ where it was read by thousands of loyal fans. There have also been 2 volumes of printed collections and about a dozen animated shorts produced that were based directly off of comics I drew. I even wrote two of the comics — once when writer Sohmer was too busy, another when he was too sick. (Try and guess which ones!)
As of Jan 23rd the strip is officially on hiatus, and I’m genuinely sad that it looks like my time with TDA is at an end. Sohmer offered me the gig back in 2014 when I desperately needed one and I will forever be grateful for that, I hope I can pay him back in kind sometime in the future.
Though I don’t own it at all, TDA wasn’t just another work-for-hire job for me. Drawing the strip quickly became a very comforting part of my routine and allowed me to structure my entire work week, and in many ways, to give structure to my work LIFE. Taking on lettering and coloring duties built up my digital illustration muscles very quickly - skills I was able to carry over into my other comics work. And although I was largely unfamiliar with the character before I got the job I very quickly grew fond of drawing the little sociopath. I would have liked to have done one last strip to close out our run, but ultimately I don’t own the character so it’s out of my hands.
TDA’s parent comic — the fantasy epic “Looking For Group” written by Ryan Sohmer and drawn by the mighty, MIGHTY Lar Desouza — is still going strong with 1200+ episodes and updating twice a week. So even though TDA is most likely at an end there’s plenty more coming from the madmen that spawned it. If you want more TDA, email the gang at Blind Ferret and let them know!
I’m still making comics on my own and I will most likely be starting my own web comic in next few months after I finish drawing the Action Presidents graphic novel series. When TDA was running I would typically announce every new episode on social media so if and when it starts up again that’s probably the first place you’ll find out —you can find all those links and info about all my other comics at my personal website ryandunlavey.com
To the readers of TDA — THANK YOU. Thank you all for checking in every week, thank you for responding in the comments, thank you for buying the books (even the ones with my name mis-spelled!), thank you for sharing it on the inter webs… but most of all, just thanks for reading.
See you in the funny papers!
Ryan Dunlavey
(PS: It was 128 & 194)