Endtown by Aaron Neathery for July 13, 2011

You know if they were a dog and a chicken, we could all say… bow-chicka-wow-wow.

The pitch goes round and round (Whoa-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho) and it comes out here:The Endtown mini-comic that I produced for Comicpalooza 2011 is now available to YOU for the offensively low price of $2.50 (price includes s&h, international add $1 for each copy ordered ). Besides sporting a snazzy full color cover (http://tinyurl.com/3uytdhy), it contains an all-new 22 page story that is available nowhere else. And just because I feel like doing it, I’ll sign and personalize (if desired) each and every copy I mail out. Simply pay via PayPal using my email address, aaronneathery@gmail.com, and be sure to include your mailing address. If you can’t pay with PayPal, email me for my snailmail.And, just so you know, I’m completely open to donations. The cat and mouse that live in my head will thank you. :-)

I think Wally is going to really like his new home!

ewww…cat breath…

Interestingly, there is a bed in Holly’s house but she and Wally are sleeping on the floor. Do they find it more comfortable there, or was their consummation of love so wild that they just ended up on the floor? Also, Aaron, this is one thing I really like about your story. A lot of stories like to stretch out the beginning stages of romance. Yours, on the other hand, plays the relationships out very realistically. It doesn’t just end when they admit their feelings (either through actions or words), and they’re not trapped in an endless cycle of almost/maybe/kind of admitting their feelings then going back to the way things were. On another note, I really Holly and Wally’s expressions in the last panel here – exhausted but loving. Wally sure has found a home in Endtown. Keep up the good work!

SapphireDragon, it is probably Holly’s place and her bed would be too short for Wally to fit in. So until she gets a larger bed; the floor is the only place they can lay down together.

Hey, Aaron! What next??

This is a truly lovely stage in the story. And I agree with you both: “What next?”

Awww. Wally.. glad to see you’re finding a little peace. I’m sure it won’t last complety (boy, it’ll be a boring strip if so!) But it’ nice to take a breath, and feel the relief here.

REALLY NICE expression on Holly’s face in the last panel!! Excellent artwork all around. Given yesterday’s strip, I do wonder where Holly’s tail is now, though…

Another challenge to relationships would be that since few people look human any more, they have to get over their taboos about sex with animals, or people who look like them. Everyone’s grown up wired to be attracted to humans, and it’s only been six years since that was an option for most people. Albert probably gets a lot of propositions, or would if Gustine weren’t there to discourage them. For them, the change wasn’t an issue because they’ve loved each other unconditionally since before the plague. Other couples no doubt broke up because they couldn’t deal with their partners not being “human”, let alone different species types, and new couples would have trouble getting started. Six years without sex would get people to reluctantly overlook their differences, though.

Thats a lovely picture

Yowza!

…I love happy beginnings…

outstanding, simply outstanding.

Panel 4, perhaps my favorite panel in the entire strip.

Great job with Holly’s eyes in all of these strips. (It took years for John Lotshaw to give Samantha meaningful eyes; it makes such a difference! [http://www.accidentalcentaurs.com])

Aaron, I am a newcomer to this strip but like many others i was immediately taken with the art and your ability to move a story without dialog. I have spent several days reading the from the beginning as well as reading reviews of Endtown on other sites. Many of them complain about the lack of color but I don’t think those people get it. This is a post apocolyse story. The shades of grey just emphasze the predominant mood of the environment. I even downloaded several strips and added color to see how they looked and the overall feeling was diminished. The grey allows the marvelous detail and somber mood much as black and white film does in the Noir genre. Please keep the grey images.

C’mon, RR! The right word is “Lovestruck”! ;-)

…Cat+mouse=!!

And Wally still has 3 more years to go. I wonder how long Holly has gone without. Doesn’t matter now really because they have each other. I love the fact we avoid the Obvious ‘Trail of clothes on floor’ wild abandon scene but have the nicely laid -out clothes on chair and bed, which gives the whole scene a feel of careing and love.

Wonderful

I again must say, not your kid-friendly, funny animal comic strip!

Bill Murray was just not inclusive in “Ghost Busters” – it’s not just “dogs and cats getting married” but “cats and mice” and many other combinations in Endtown. Species-specific-sexuality is now just a specious argument. Although you still have to separate the Scotsman from the sheep…

@Aaron Neathery: After the book, what next? A movie? An animated series (I have some ideas), what, what, what?

bendy action figures…

Actually, here’s an interesting question that I don’t recall anyone else asking, to date. What about the “real” animals; I mean, the non-mutant, non-sentient, pre-apocalypse animals. What happened to them? Do they still exist? If so, are there any in Endtown? (I think I will re-post this tomorrow, just so more of the community can see it.) -Dw

Awwwww…SOOOooo cute!I just LOVE this, Aaron.Make a poster out of panel four, please.Great work today. :-D ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

KUTGW,

Noreen

What their doing it on the floor, and not on the Bed?

This strip just gets better and better.

I’ve been wondering dwandelt’s question for a long time.

I love it! Great wrap up, love the couple!

I know this is a long way down teh line of commentators;But very good Arron! Very good work! You handled that beautifully. A touching scene.

berry sweet. looks happy.

Someone talked about priceless expressions earlier … I think it was me.

One of the things of love about the Science Fiction genre is that you can address real social issues through metaphors. I have noticed that aliens and mutants have been used as metaphors to address issues of prejudice and discrimination within our society. The original Star Trek was loaded with radical concepts and ideas for its time. The mere fact that you had an African American woman in a role of leadership and as a regular character was ground breaking for the 1960s.

I LOVE Holly’s line – “Welcome Home, Wally…” Not, “You’re here” or “Welcome to my place” or “What do you think of my house”, just “Welcome Home”. Home is where the heart is and both hearts are in the right place.

Another awesome strip Aaron! Thanks!

full? Wow, wrong word there. Try Happy.