Bug-Hur
I recently produced my 600th strip! At an average of 5 hours per strip, that’s 3000 hours of strip making! To break it down even further, we’re talking 125 twenty four hour days or just over four months of solid work! I’ve been through 5 jars of ink, 4 sable brushes, a stack of bristol board, and a bottle of aspirin.
To celebrate I decided to produce a strip worthy of this auspicious occasion. I’ve also created a special Technicolor poster for your viewing pleasure. Thanks everyone for stopping by and reading my strip, and for all your support!
Discussion (55) ¬
You couldn’t peel my joy of this comic from my cold dead hands! [just sayin–Brah-VOH]
That’s exactly what Zombie Boy says, too! Lol, thank you very much Jynksie for all your super support. It’s been one of the highlights of my online comic experience.
Congrats on 600 comics, Mark! Thanks for sharing them with us, you’re one of my biggest inspirations! 🙂
Tim, although making this strip isn’t pushing me into any higher tax bracket, it has made me rich in so many ways. I am truly blessed to be connected with many amazing and inspiring cartoonists and creators, and I would include you at the top of that list. I could never have imagined that I could find so open an outlet to associate with so many talented people who I consider my good friends. Thanks so much, my friend! Your support and friendship is an essential part of this whole process!
More like Ben-Hurrah! Congrats Mark, that’s quite the accomplishment!
Those milestones can sneak up on you when you’ve got your head down doing the work, lol. Thanks, Julian!
Way way cool! I hope you put this up on a video somewhere of the making of all of this. Congrats and thanks for the animation and the dailies!
Thanks, Gruhn! I’m planning to make a post about how I do my gifs. Hopefully, I can block out some time soon to do that!
Congratulations, sir! May the zombie bugs run ever onward!
Thanks, Michael! I know they will run forever in this strip, for sure!
WOW Mark, Congratulations on 600 strips!
I was hoping you would throw some more animation into your comics like you did when this little Fire Fly first made his appearance. This occasion was the perfect place for it. 😉
This is my most extravagant animation yet! You don’t hit your 600th strip every day! Now that you pointed it out, I guess Bug was sort of brought into the world animated so it’s only fitting to have him help me kick it up a notch! I’m so glad you like it, thanks so much, Bill!
Congrats Mark! Animation is a nice touch!
I’m happy you like it, P.J! Thanks so much!
Hahaha! The world cup and GIF cracks me up, Mark! I can’t get enough of the rolie polies. You give them celebrity status.
WOW! HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT! Congratulations, Mark! That’s a lot of comic making fun. And its amazing how long a sable brush lasts. I simply adore your strip and look forward to seeing your art for years to come!
You bring a smile to my face every other day! :O)
PS – Epic poster! I can’t wait til it’s released in theaters!
It will probably have a very “small” run, lol!
This Mark Stokes guy is taking a lot of credit here.
Since I’m the guy that does all the work, writes all the checks, buys all the burgers and pizza, and pays all the rent, I’ll take the credit.
Congratulations. Quite the accomplishment. Glad you didn’t choose Chariots of Fire. Toasted bugs are not family friendly 🙂
That’s a very different kind of fire fly, J.P.! I truly appreciate your very wonderful words, thank you!
That movie poster really seals the deal, Mark. Excellent work. On both that and the motion comic.-v
…and congratulations on 600 comics! A formidable feat! -v
I almost didn’t do that poster, but I felt it would add some framework to the strip. I’m very glad you liked ’em! Your well wishes are most truly appreciated, Vince, thanks so much!
Congratulations Mark on 600 strips! Thank you for the fun filled comics and for being an inspiration to us all. Love today’s animated comic and fantastic poster! Here’s to the next 600! 🙂
Thanks for sending me all that great positive energy, David! I can definitely use it to hit that 1200 mark!
Congratulations on the 600th strips and to many many many more =D
Thanks so much, Kristie! I couldn’t ask for better inspiration to keep going!
Congrats Mark! That’s some epic work (& poster)
Hey Matt, thanks so much! So glad you dropped by!
Congratulations on your 600th comic. Thank you for all the brilliant Zombie Boy comics. Todays animated comic and movie poster was great! Have a brilliant day 😀
It has been my pleasure to make something that people enjoy. I know I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t having fun, and I’m glad some of that comes through in the work. I do appreciate your sentiments, Paul, thanks so much!
Congrats on the impressive milestone, Mark! The journey has been pleasant, exciting, and entertaining. Thank you for leading us here!
George, you are a creative genius and a true gentleman. I do appreciate your complimentary words. I realize that you are being modest in the fact that I know you reached that 600 strip mark eons ago! It’s been my pleasure to associate with such an esteemed creative force!
Wowsers! 600!! Congrats Mark, that’s AMAZING! Love love the Poster and the animation! Can’t wait to see the race, it might get ugly!
You have just seen the race, Rich! Don’t know how much creative energy I can put into this concept, I’m spent, lol! Maybe one day I’ll flesh out this story in a longer form. Thanks so much, each of those 600 strips has been an experience!
Love the animation! And the whole concept, too. The pill bugs as horses and wheels is really neat.
Congratulations on the 600 strips, Mark!
I appreciate that, Peter! I’ve been wanting to do this strip for a while, but put it off because of the animation factor (time-consuming extra work..). But I thought the 600 mark deserved a little extra effort.
Bravo Mark!
Thanks, Kevin!
BUG HUR…AWESOME. Love the poster, love the animation
I just watched Ben-Hur and that chariot race sequence still holds up! I’ve always loved the concept and I’m happy I found a place to make an homage to it. Glad you like all my effort, Bearman, beaucoup thanks!
Congrats on your 600th comic, and those resolute winning faces of bug and caterpillar are priceless too! I wish you many many more ZB fun and inspiration.. keep ’em coming Mark!
I think you might see that expression on me sometimes around five minutes before I post when I’m desperately trying to get the latest strip done! I can see the finish line but there’s still more I want to do! Thanks so much for your inspirational well wishes, Jorine!
Congratulations on #600 – great stuff! 🙂
Tom, I really appreciate that! I know you’re like light years ahead of me in your strip timeline, and that makes it extra special!
Awesome. Great Job, Mark. 600 strips is impressive.
Funny how the strips pile up when you’re too busy to pay attention! Thanks, Alexander!
Wow! Great way to celebrate with awesome animation and a movie poster!. Congrats on 600 pages. Now when your doctor asks what is wrong with your wrist and spine you can say “Because I made 600 comic strips.”
Can you say carpal tunnel? Even with all the labor involved it was a fun experience and always a challenge to come up with the next strip! Thank you, Matt for taking the journey with me. We’re the proud, the few… (well maybe not the few, I think there are like 100,000 online comics out there, lol…)
Congratulations on #600 Mark. 600 strips on the same URL??? How do you do it??? 😛
Really love the animation and the Bug Hur poster is awesome work. I can feel a new saying making it’s way into the human language. “Bigger than Bug Hur!!!”
Obstinance is one of my personality quirks, Tony! That and the fact that I know almost nothing about building another website, so I’ll just stick with this one!
I can visualize “Bigger Than Bug Hur” on a t-shirt in very tiny type. No one would notice unless their nose was almost touching it! I’m happy you like the animation, it was a bit more involved for me than an average strip, but I’ll only reach 600 Zombie Boy Comics strips once, it was worth it!
AWESOME !! CONGRATS !! KUDOS !! I’ve fallen in love with the bugs !! Can’t wait to see if he ever falls for a lady bug, dragonfly, or roach. 🙂 Keep up the great work. You have so many fans !! Thanks for all the smiles ! 🙂
This little bug’s life has taken a life of it’s own! I only intended to do a couple of solo bug strips, but I was having so much fun, I kept on doing them! So happy you like them and that they bring some joy to you day! I really appreciate you taking time to read them, it’s very special to me, thanks!