A new shirt for Whiskey

So, as hinted at in today's strip, Whiskey's clothes will soon be filled with the stench of burnt butter - a good excuse to get him out of the Indiana Jones top and into something else.

What do you, the readers, think? Should he go back to his classic bomber? Something more summer weight?

In Other News...

Just a few minor things.

• The 2007 Advent Battle has been archived off of the main comics page.
• I'm trying to come up with a good "Deep Winter Contest" that can run through Jan/Feb. I've read a couple of good suggestions so far (One-Man Fighter, Vigs) but I'd like to hear from more of you as to what you're interested in building at the moment. Also, what you'd like to see as prizes.
  
• There was record snowfall yesterday, but the streets have all been plowed and traffic was normal this morning. I think this is a first for Michigan.

December Challenge: Too much?

I'm starting to worry that I'm asking too much in the December Challenge. I've had a few folks email me saying as much, and an equal number looking for some hints as to how to get started.

My thought was: if you have any small transforming toys lying around (And I just sort of assumed everyone did) you could look at it and just...copy the bends and twists that make the transformation happen. Yes, I know, that's a bit much to just wish into existence.

That said, I've done some looking on Brickshelf for inspiration, and I've found some neat galleries that might help with ideas and construction tips:

• The Gift
• Trypticon
• Racecar
• Transform-Bot
• Transformers: Evolutions
• X-Wing Fighter
• Prime

But what do you guys think? Shelve the challenge for next year when there's more time to build? Go ahead and see if anyone can figure this out by the end of the year?

I'm tempted to just let it run and see what happens - but the crushing disappointment of a contest that no one enters...can my fragile ego survive that?

VS

A December Challenge?

I was wondering if there'd be any interest in a "Quickie" December challenge?

I was thinking something along the lines of "A Holdiay Themed Transforming MOC"

Like a tree that turns into a robot, or Santa into a a sleigh or something.

I've got some more prizes lying around I'd like to get out of the house before I buy even more when after-Christmas Clearance hits...

Episode 248

Read the comic here.

My wife was proof-reading the strip last night when she noticed.

"That's a huge phone!"

I blame LEGO for never producing a phone accessory correctly in scale with their mini-figures. Of course, these days a 1x1 black tile could double for a cell phone with reasonably accuracy. But if you want Old School Rotary Action, you've got to go with the pre-printed 1x1 slope and the giant handset. You just gotta.

I'm not terribly pleased with Mary Sue's line of "Did anyone notice that phone being there before now?" I needed to address the fact that this mysterious phone just appeared, and a mere "where'd the phone come from?" didn't seem to have the right weight to it. Eh, tomorrow this strip will be in the archives and I can move past it.

But if anyone has a suggestion as to a better line, post it here and I'll consider correcting the strip.

Episode 247

Read the comic here.

I was trying to figure out how to work the whole "Several escape pods were jettisoned during the fighting but no lifeforms were aboard" quote in, but the "no lifeforms" bit pretty much nixed that.

I'm debating the direction the strip needs to take in the next few weeks - the Advent Calendar season is almost upon us, and this year I'll be doing a daily recap of both the LEGO City and Belville calendars. (Haven't found a Playmobil one yet, so I doubt I'll be covering that one this year.) The question becomes: Do I review them in the main RC strip? Is it a separate storyline as it has been in years past? Perhaps a crossover event?

And when, exactly, are the S-Team going to make a cameo over on this side of the fence?

Don't have the answers to that this morning. Heck, I haven't even had any coffee yet.

Ask me later.