Especially since it will be a collection from the first year of Mojo - I can tell a lot about the different techniques I tried and used. My plan is to add approx the first 100 comics, just to test the water. Also I want to have some space left for adding the sketches or alternative ideas (ideas which eventually evolved into another comic often).

On this blog I will keep you guys informed about how it goes. My first stop now is work through the first comics and prepare them for printing. Especially the first few comics I drew too small, so I can't print them in the state they are now... so I'll have some editing to do.

The post The start appeared first on Mojo.

When I started this comic 3 years ago, I had no real goal except that I wanted to stick to the update schedule. Which I did, most of the time. I sometimes got in some trouble when something unexpected came on my path... and I had some minor breaks (when I got married, vacations or when our son was born). But most of the time I nailed the schedule and that's something I'm really proud of.

But lately I start to notice that it's not going the way I want anymore. It feels different to work on the comic. Almost as a chore instead of having fun. The ideas don't come to me as easy as they used to and sometimes it felt that I have to work on the comic instead of want to.

It feels like my mojo (pun intended) for the comic is running out.

Don't get me wrong, I really love the whole gang. Especially Mojo and Merv are (obviously) my favourites. I really have fun interacting with them, making jokes, touching on their personalities and I'm just having a blast drawing them. But sometimes I take a look at my big examples (like Calvin & Hobbes) and feel that the universe of Mojo could (should) have been more it's own. It feels like I've written myself in a corner and I don't know how to get out of there.

I would love to have time (read: the motivation) to actually update the comic more often. I got the feeling that updating it more often would put me in more of a flow and make coming up with jokes much easier - because the comic would be on top of my mind most of the time.

And I COULD do it one more evening. But that would mean I have to sacrifice some of my personal time. Which results in less gaming and less time with my wife in the evening. And I'm not sure I'm willing to sacrifice that.

One of the things which keeps me going is the excitement and love you guys show about the comic. It's so awesome to hear from you, I absorb all your comments and the interaction with you guys is a huge part of the enjoyment I get out of this job. But that also feels like it has changed the last months. I feel that I'm losing the connection with my readers. People comment less often, I reach out less and I really have no idea what resonates with you guys and what not.

It's hard. I should be doing this comic mostly because I like doing it, but lately it feels like I'm doing it to make you (my readers) happy. And even though I'd love to please all of you, I know that's an impossible task. The best thing to do is to stick to my own gut feeling, create what makes me laugh, create what I find fun to do and eventually the people who like my work for what it is, will come around and stick with me.

So lately I started to seriously consider taking a break more and more. It's something I don't really want to consider, because it almost feels like I failed my job as a cartoonist. But on the other hand, this is my first attempt in the comic world. I already learned so much and the way I'm feeling about the comic lately makes it almost the most logical option. The other options would be just keep going and feeling more and more reluctant about it. Or just plain quit the whole thing.

And the last thing I want to do is to abandon Mojo. I love that guy, he's a big part of my life. It would be like killing your friend / pet. The other option (just continue without any change) would work for a short period, but eventually I guess I would burn out and then I have no other choice than to just quit.

So let's be honest. It isn't easy keeping your strip going and I don't want to quit it. But I think I just need some time to explore other possibilities. Just to experiment en broaden my horizon. And I also (FINALLY!) want to start working on making my first Mojo collection. Really looking forward to it… I keep on putting it off, mostly due to a busy schedule. Ok, that's a lie… I put my priorities on other things and I feel that I now have to focus on the book.

So that's what I will go and do: Put the comic on a short hiatus (aprox 1-2 months). Just take a short break to think things over. Maybe come up with a new side-project. After that break, I will come back to Mojo, but will probably lower the update frequency to once a week. That way I will have time to work on other projects besides Mojo as well.

So this isn't the end. It's just beginning.

Keep an eye on my Twitter (@skar) or follow the Facebook Fanpage. And of course just come back often to this site ^^

The post 300 strips and counting. Or not? appeared first on Mojo.

Too late. Will write a blogpost about this milestone (300 comics created!) tomorrow. Going to bed now.

Update
I wrote a blog post about the next step. Read all about it here

The post Tribute appeared first on Mojo.

This comic took quite some effort to make. At first I had a completely different idea. The main subject was still the trip of Ben and Mojo to the Zoo, but the joke was probably only funny here in the Netherlands. It was about online tickets...

So I asked one of my editors for some advice and eventually we ended up on the one you're watching right now. Hope you enjoy it.

On another note... next comic will be number 300! Really unbelievable I'm doing Mojo for more than 3 years already... and now almost reached 300 comics! Will have to think what to do with that number.

The post At the Zoo appeared first on Mojo.

The post Mirrored appeared first on Mojo.

The post Good sport appeared first on Mojo.

Todays comic is a tribute by my big love, my wife Liesbeth. She often nags about that I follow a story arc too long. She liked Mojo getting a job, but she really loves Merv and wanted Mojo to go back home. So that inspired me to create this comic ^^

The post Dearly missed appeared first on Mojo.

The post Busted appeared first on Mojo.

Number 300 is getting closer and closer... still nothing special planned though ^^

The post Setting up appeared first on Mojo.

The post Perfect position appeared first on Mojo.