Thirty.
Hey, I originally penciled a different comic for today, but I messed up the numbering I wanted and key panels, so I popped it up in the CLUB section. So, active members can take a look at that wackyness, here’s a peek:
Yes, just like Drew, my birthday is today too. 30! Wow…. I can remember a time when I thought 30 seemed so far away– now it’s here and it seems no different.
Nope, it’s doesn’t bother me at all. Thank goodness I was pretty much hanging out with 30 something year old writers when I was in high school. Those guys taught me a lot about growing up and discipline with my work. I always thank them quietly in my head, but I can say their names out loud here so that if they ever google their names, maybe they’ll stop by this circus and say hello. Andrew Zahler, who taught me a lot abou cultural diversity and how not to draw women like transvestites. And Mike Mullen, who I think taught me to just keep doing what I wanted to do, and screw everything else, and most of all, take complex situations and problems and simplify them. Thanks guys.
And anyone who would be thinking I’d be worried about 30, doesn’t know me all that well. They forget my biggest hero is Jack Kirby. When I was 16-17 and hanging out at “Extreme Studios” in Anaheim, watching these young 18 and 19 year olds come cruising in as the next big thing, only to be tracing and doing ghost art for Rob Liefeld. It use to feel like, WOW, if you didn’t come out and have some steady gig at 18-20 in comics, it was too late. There were TONS of young kids all running to be the next hot artist out there… — How short sighted that WHOLE scene was.
I wonder if any of those guys knew that Jack Kirby didn’t get his REAL first break until he was 41, when he landed the Sky Masters daily syndicated comic. Even in his old age, he recounted how it was probably the proudest moment in his career, he was actually able to afford things, and wore a suit a dapper hat around to impress his peers. While he had drawn comics for years before that, he never really made much money at all. That syndicated deal ended bad for Kirby though, in legal hassles and headaches. He swore he’d never do a daily again. 3 years later, Kirby was 44 and came Fantastic Four #1…. the rest, is history. He died February 6th, 1994. I was 18. It was only then that I started to REALLY learn about this man, and why he was so important to comics. Ironically, I think the comic industry kind of died with him, after 94, that whole “young hot shot” scene disappeared…. thank goodness. And that’s where my life kinda really began, out in the real world.
Anyways, that point is, heck, Jack Kirby didn’t revolutionize comics until he was in his late 40s and and 50s! That’s amazing. Inspiring. Most of all, I admire his work ethic and dedication. I think many cartoonists out there today could learn a lot from his story. I know I have.
Woops.. there I went rambling on about Jack Kirby again. Hey, everyone have a great day. I’m going to chillllllllllllllllllllll.
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Recent Topics: Jack Kirby, 30th Birthday, growing old
January 17th, 2006 at 3:47 am
Happy Birthday man… and many more. Life has just started.
January 17th, 2006 at 3:50 am
Happy birthay, ya old bastard! (And you used to have a mullet..?:D)
January 17th, 2006 at 4:55 am
Number of hats in the strip = 6 6+ the number on the t shirt =13 In the first strip you are one and the last you are 30 so from beginning to end thats 130, also when you were thirteend 76 was on your top, thats 13 again!
Happy bday!
January 17th, 2006 at 6:46 am
Happy B-day - DJ! Welcome to the 30 something club. I’ve been wading in it for about 4 years now, but I still get carded whenever I buy booze. Ha!
January 17th, 2006 at 7:19 am
HAPPY BIRTHDAY bro!!!!!
January 17th, 2006 at 7:28 am
Considering the alternative, 30 isn’t so bad.
January 17th, 2006 at 7:46 am
Happy Birthday, DJ. You’ll always be my favorite webcomic douchebag.
January 17th, 2006 at 8:01 am
Welcome to the club, good sir.
January 17th, 2006 at 8:18 am
A most joyous festive birth related season be upon you.
I’m tired..
January 17th, 2006 at 8:24 am
Just what is age-15 Drew looking down at with surprise? I would have hoped that the gym/health teacher would have shown his class a film about changes going on in the body by that time.
January 17th, 2006 at 8:54 am
Happy Birthday Deej!
30 is the new 10
January 17th, 2006 at 9:49 am
i’ve been reading for coming up on a year now. welcome to 30! this is one of your best strips ever. i feel like i know you. happy birthday!
January 17th, 2006 at 10:50 am
happy birthday
January 17th, 2006 at 11:32 am
happy birthday, man
greatest strip ever
January 17th, 2006 at 11:35 am
It’s like an amazing showcase of how you evolved, and then devolved, through mullets.
Happy birthday
January 17th, 2006 at 11:44 am
Happy Birthday DJ & Drew. Rock the Party, Rock the Strip, for in 30 more years, you’ll need a new hip.
January 17th, 2006 at 11:45 am
Happy Birthday, dude. I’m not supposed to trust anybody your age, but I’ll make an exception for you.
January 17th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Happy Birthday DJ. Welcome to the 30+ club. (I’m 37)
I like the 13 dots.
What’s the deal with the hearts at 21?
January 17th, 2006 at 12:10 pm
Thanks people.
Rich, the dots were for the year I finally fell in love married my soulmate.
January 17th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
I meant the hearts… DURRRRR>>>
January 17th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
What’s the big deal with 30, anyway? I’m almost 20 years past that, and don’t notice that much of a difference. That age, however, means I got to read Jack Kirby (and Russ Heath and Barry Smith and John Buscema and Neal Adams and Joe Kubert and on and on) when they were in their prime. There were giants in those days. Maybe you’re right, DJ, maybe comics are degenerating (though that’s the kind of thinking I’d expect from someone my age or older), but isn’t it your job (and the other young artists’) to keep that from happening?
Anyway, happy birthday. And if you get a chance, check out Joe Kubert’s treatment of “The Return of Tarzan” (DC from around 1980). I think that was the greatest treatment of that character.
January 17th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Happy bday man, I wish you many many more rockin years dude.
January 17th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
I’d sing ya the “happy birthday” song, but it’s copyrighted. And I can’t sing.
January 17th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Happy birthday, dude! Hope you’re having a good one!
January 17th, 2006 at 2:03 pm
Hey! No whining! I turned 30 this year, too!
Happy birthday you old curmudgeon!
~N
January 17th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
Wow, I really MUST be old. I just realized I turned 30 LAST year.
Welcome to senility, Deej.
~N
January 17th, 2006 at 4:49 pm
At least you’re in good company, along with Ben Franklin (300) and James Earl Jones (75). Happy birthday, man.
January 17th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
Heh. Wait till you hit 52, like I just did. Ouch! Everything hurts!
January 17th, 2006 at 6:29 pm
Happy birthday DJ!
January 17th, 2006 at 6:45 pm
Lets look at the big picture. At 30 years old you have a successful comic strip, are known by thousands around the world, are featured at crapville and cracked magazine, happily married and have a family. I’d say that’s a pretty successful first 30 years. Looking forward to seeing what your next 30 holds.
January 17th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
Happy birthday! I’m 27 today.
January 17th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
Holy Crap Deej,
We have the same birthday. Who would of a thought?
Ah well, happy birthday ya old bugger.
January 17th, 2006 at 8:02 pm
Holy crap… next year I say we do some sort of BIRTHDAY WEBCOMIC TEAMUP or something. That sounds fun.
Happy Birthday to you guys too…
January 18th, 2006 at 7:11 am
Happy birthday, yeah I’m a day late I know. Thirty isn’t that old, thirty-one is ancient though.
January 18th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
Happy belated Birthday DJ!! 30 isn’t so bad, hell, in a year and a half I’ll be there too. Keep up the great work.
Here’s to 30 more!!!
February 14th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
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