Tag Archives: Creative process

Sally Forth!

Our Dear Readers (and maybe even Patrons—past, present or future),

They say that change is as good as a holiday. Is that true? Well, we’re about to find out!

You see, we feel it’s time to refresh our Patreon page and make being a Patron even more cool and compelling! (Can it be possible?) We decided to write this post to let you know what changes you can expect to see there pretty soon.

Firstly, we will be introducing tiers of patronage. For those already paying $1 a month, there will only be a small change. Instead of the weekly update of a Trottersville comic strip, you’ll get a monthly update on our new project called Crumble Cult. We’ll call this tier Kahukura Wero, and soon you’ll know who this is.

Secondly, you’ll be enticed by the extra goodies we’ll be offering in the higher tiers (or, at least, we hope you will). We won’t tire you with the details right now. Just know that the highest tier Patrons will get five private Patreon posts per month and the occasional meow or purr on top!

Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for a slight banner change on Patreon in the coming weeks. We hope you’ll like it!

With hearts full of ever blinging gratitude,
Your Tati & Tony!

Ernest Crumb 16

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2024

A Word in Your Ear

Dear Reader,

Guess what? We’ve spent the last two years writing a script that clocks in at a whopping 268 pages! What is this script for, you may be wondering? It’s for a graphic novel!

Of course, a lot has happened during those 24 months. But, for a pretty obvious reason, our work was almost stalled before we even began in February 2022. The future seemed pretty uncertain and we questioned the sanity of setting out to make comics while the world was on fire.

Nevertheless, we decided to go ahead. And we persisted. It’s a good thing we did. The war, after all, is still raging and it turns out that keeping yourself busy will help you to cope with such an unimaginable reality.

By the way, we should be clear that we haven’t written the next ‘Maus‘ or anything—although we haven’t entirely avoided the war topic either. Despite everything, we’ve tried to craft a light, humorous and hopefully hopeful story. In short, we’ve tried to stay human.

So, there will be a lot of emotions, a little sex, drugs and heavy metal. Oh, and Jesus in a bikini. (Oops! Was that a spoiler?) Anyway, we have a feeling you’ll be intrigued already!

The drawing phase of our grand project begins in earnest next month. How long will that take? Well, not as long as the scripting phase! Fingers crossed, maybe?

We also have a very ambitious plan to release this story in two languages: English and Ukrainian. We’ll even create our own original font so we won’t have to worry about the copyright lawyers breathing down our necks.

Wish us luck won’t you? Or just watch this space. More to come!

Slava Ukraini & Terra Australis,
Your Tati & Tony!

POC Triptych 1

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2024

Pigolution

Back in 2006, I began a little comic strip about anthropomorphic piggies. I was a rabid, bible-thumping christian at the time and my aim was to anger Jewish folks with a cast of unkosher characters talking about in-your-face spiritual stuff. I honestly thought that they would be incensed. Yeah! I’d show those filthy Christ killers and deniers!

Needless to say, nobody noticed (which I now realise was precisely the appropriate response). Not only did the strips I produced fail to touch on religious themes, they also proved to be quite bland and uninteresting. You could even call them ‘safe’. That’s the worst thing any cartoonist can put out into the world. And whatever the hell I was putting out there wasn’t even being done very well.

Many years later, Tati asked me how these contradictory ideas and creative approach could coexist in one head. Was I trying to fit in with my fellow believers by showing how much a ‘soldier’ for Jesus I could be? Of course, never mind that it was a Jew who began the whole christian religion in the first place, but why let piffling details like that get in the way of self-righteous bigotry? I was taking on the whole goddam heathen world with my misguided scribbles, baby!

What the actual fuck, Tony’s brain?!

Anyway, in 2019 I was no longer a christian, and Tati and I had the idea to revisit this comic strip. We would rewrite and redraw it from the ground up. And this time, it would simply be about some silly piggies living their lives in that universally awkward way that many of us around the world do, no matter our colour, race or creed. Life is messy and unscripted for all of us, and we’re all just trying to do the best we can.

You can find ‘Trottersville’ on Tapas, Webtoon, Ko-fi and our Patreon. We’d love it if you’ll maybe consider supporting us?

TV Promote 1aTV Promote 1bTV Promote 1c

by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2023

Tumblevision #19

POC Panel 1a

Where have the birds gone?

The script for our graphic novel is now very nearly complete. Another draft (or two) and we can finalise the art style.

by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2023

GUEST POST // Writing on the Train by Charles Joseph

it’s the sense of having nothing to do—
though surrounded by inspiration
conversations bombarding the ear
start an analyzation.
My thoughts becoming lamps hanging
in the obscure tunnel that i travel
with a hissing passion bringing me
to astonishment.
before my destination, I arrive at an idea sometimes
it waits for me—standing on the platform alone,
in the open air, where cold wind brings the echoes
the bench sitting in suspense, waiting for its purpose

by CHARLES JOSEPH
© All rights reserved 2022