Old work from 2006 finally making it here:

Rio Ripcord comic cover #0 - Comics usually issue a #0 issue to familiarize buyers with charcters and settings, its usually free and comes out before the actual run. It made sense to start it here. When my roomie Micah an I moved in together, my whole life changed. I really had needed the friend he became to me, and if I could categorize it as anaything my life since has been alot like that Youtube video where the guys roommate is a ninja- [link] yeah.. its more fun than that. We started talking about how great it woud be to do a comic about our lives, the craziness and hard stuff and everything.

It would have been fun- Micah's character would have been secretly a ninja, and my character would have seen himself as an otter- like calvin an hobbes, calvin the only one who can see the otter. So my character would have his own personal view of things, like reverting to an otter when he's embarassed or angry and all. Yeah. An the name is inspired by an old coworker, who vowed to name his first two sons Trigger and Ripcord. I thought that was just so stinkin hardcore and silly. It went from there into this larger concept, kind of capturing the feeling of the small towns Ive lived in, growing up in them, between rural and urban, and not really reconciling either world. Its a weird metaphor..

I always dream too big. But I did this in answer, and gave it to him on his birthday in 06. Its been on our wall since then an its kinda a reminder to me to value his friendship, him an my other roomies. And to do stuff together now that we're workin an not always having time to just hang out. But its all good. I would love to turn this into a real comic. I have scenes running through my head still..

Anyway, its good to get this posted, Ive been wanting to scan it forever. I think of it as one of my better pieces, if just for what it means to me. Please dont steal this, it means alot to me. But please comment, Id love to know what it makes you think of, if you relate, how your life is all crazy too. All of it :3 -Jasper


ps: rio-ripcord exists on the map now [link] grin