This new year again offers me a bounty of creative possibilities, a too-long list which needs trimming down to a feasible workload. There are only 335 days left in the year, after all! Fortunately, my reader survey gave me food for thought which has been useful in narrowing my focus not only to work I will enjoy doing, but work that my readers will enjoy, too. In fact, my four word New Year’s resolution pretty much sums things up:
With that in mind, here are my priorities for 2017:
1. Set up a Patreon account. I don’t expect it to earn me a living wage, but it would give a way for readers who wish to help support what I do, a way to do it.
2. Begin a “Human Spring” webcomic. Since my survey revealed that more people wanted to see something else (rather than more frequent Watusi episodes), I see no reason to keep putting this off!
3. Find a better way to promote and get more eyeballs on my work. People can’t purchase my work if they don’t know it exists.
4. Finish and publish old projects. Specifically Doghouse Funhouse #2, Larry’s Kitchen #80, and Double Dip #2.
5. Undertake a general website/logo refreshening. I need to start consistently presenting myself as “Dale Martin, cartoonist” rather than “Smeary Soapbox Press” …
6. Make more “fine” art. I want to take advantage of group shows as they come my way, and paintings are a simple way to participate.
Finally, 2017 is the centennial of Jack Kirby‘s birth, and I have a couple of projects in the works– including my big print comic project for the year– that celebrate the occasion. More as they develop…
Any creative goals for 2017 you care to share?
Smeary Soapbox Press 
A new Samurai Slate mini, organizing (and posting on FB) more photos, a new pulp/super hero every week.
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For me, a weekly project has been a great way to work on something– it really builds up to something substantial over time!
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A very good list, Dale! Some thoughts…
1. I think this is an excellent idea. I know quite a few folks (Bloggers, toonists, theatre types, etc) I hope go this route! Good luck!
2. I support this idea 110%! And if you need any help in making this a reality, just let me know!
3. I’m still trying to figure this out myself! I been writing press releases for the radio show and my other various stage projects over the last five years and I’m happy to admit I’m pretty good at it at this point, but I always feel like I should be doing more. Of course, with my toons, it’s always hard to promote something when you don’t have much to offer!
4. Of course, I want to see all three of these books! Especially more Double Dips in the future and beyond!
5. Completely understandable. I look forward to seeing what you come up with, sir!
6. Go for it, art dude!
As for me, I’m always afraid to list my goals because I know most of them won’t come true! I do hope to draw more, write more, act more and make more comics!
I hope you accomplish all your goals and more this year! Your fun comics give me such joy, Dale, and they continue to inspire me to want to make good work. And, if there is any doubt, your comics do matter! Especially in these challenging days! Keep up the excellent work, my friend!
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Thanks for the encouragement! Kind words go even further these days! I hope you get to draw, write, and act as much as you can in 2017!
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I’m slowly working my way through the the Everyone Can Draw book my daughter go me for Christmas. So far I’ve done some drawing everyday. I tried to draw superman from an old comic cover last month. Wow. Terrible. But I’m occasionally happy with something I do.
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That sounds like a fun project– I’ve seen some of them on twitter; “the tree next door” turned out really nice!
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