Well I woke up this morning and checked my twitter account and found a very interesting question from my friend. Now as many of you know, weekends are slow here. In fact I need to finish a few commissions and start preparing for my show next week. Yet I thought the question so good that I just couldn’t answer it in 140 characters.

Darell Toland of  Stix and Bones, a great webcomic in itself, tweeted “So, open question to “webcomic” creators: What keeps you going? Why do you continue to do this thing?”

So what keeps me going? Besides the fact that my kids think I am nuts, I guess there are several factors. Trust me it is not all roses, and there are many times I ave struggled and lagged on this project. Sometimes wondering if I am good enough, or that I suck, or what ever…. Which I reminded, you only suck if you quit. Yet I still push on.

So what does keep me going?

Well, I look at it from a Coen Brothers point of view. They create movies that they would want to see. Not really to impress the masses, but to tell a tale that they would enjoy themselves. Which is why not everyone gets their movies. I am the same way. I am creating a comic that I would want to see. It’s a great motivator to keep pushing forward.

I love fantasy epics, tales that draw you in and go on for a while. The first 21 issues of  Elfquest was one of my first introductions that a fantasy tale could be told in such a profound way. That was followed with Bone. I loved how these two creators kept control of their visions and kept them pure. It really inspired me that I could do something similar.

So first, this is for me.

Second- I got to finish what I started. That’s a tough one, especially when my head is loaded with all sorts of other ideas. I just have to discipline myself to stay focused. Go back to that thought- I have to finish what I started.

Third- I owe to those that read my tale. Realizing that to keep the dream going I had to find a way to fund it, I decided to print the webcomic, into books. (you can buy the books here). You have to get some return to keep your dream going. I am sorry if there return too many dreams fall by the wayside. By printing the webcomic as a comic book series as well, it made me a lot more committed to finishing my story. People are relying me to continue and keep up my end of the bargain. As they buy my books and prints, they help support the tale and become invested into it as well. This allows me to keep the story going, because it helps create time for me. So it is to my readers, that I am indebted to.

In a nutshell. It is a realization that I committed to a project and because I committed, I have to stick it through and keep pressing forward. It comes down to the fact, I am going to honor my word.

This the answer… this is what keeps me going… ok there is a little craziness in there, but I wouldn’t be me if it wasn’t there.

Now back to the table.

trav