Missing Younger Days

It’s been a 37 days so far without a new “Younger Days” comic.  And I miss seeing new strips with Sam and Max, Dan and Jowy, Bill and Mark, and Lili and Alex.  There are good reasons why: the author, dcrisisbeta, has been through a very hard and demanding period, which includes employment difficulties, family stresses, and the likely loss of his dog.  These things make it impossible to keep up with the drawings, so I don’t blame him.  


But if he keeps to matching all of the comics to consecutive days, he will have a LOT of catching up to do.  He has been behind by as much as 19 days before; this time will be more than twice that much.  Considering how he missed time last New Year’s (due to family responsibilities), it is unlikely he will start drawing them until a week or so into January—if then.  When he got 19 days behind it took 4 months to catch up; things going the same rate means it would take 9 months to catch up this gap!  (This is why syndicated comic strip authors are required to be 6 – 10 weeks ahead.)  Once before I recommended he skip over a time period; it would be more applicable now.  


I wish for him a job that leaves him enough time to do his art and optimize his output AND creativity.  It’s not just a matter of time—an author must also have the “readiness” to do it.  Consider some other comic strip authors that had a great career, and just couldn’t continue.  I’m thinking of “Calvin and Hobbes”, “Far Side”, “Bloom County” (which has started up again, after 30 years), and “Oh, Brother”.  “Cow & Boy” quit, too, perhaps due to decline in interest.  Also, other members on deviantArt who have been drawing comic strips (although not as ambitious as dcrisisbeta) seem stalled.  I don’t think dcrisisbeta is at this point, as he fully intends to start up again.  But I have this fear it could happen.  


So for now, I’m waiting but checking almost every day, hoping to see a new “Younger Days” comic.  I’m sure it will still be a couple of weeks.  But if not, then what?