How to Groom Yourself

This is one of the few Basic Instructions comics that features no dialog in multiple panels. I can only think of two more, and they will be the next two comics you will see. I obviously was still finding my way, and at this point must have been playing with the idea that the dialog was superfluous, and that the quality of my artwork and the entertainment value of the narrations were the main draw of the comic. Obviously, and luckily, I changed my mind pretty fast. 

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How to Groom Yourself

This is one of the few Basic Instructions comics that features no dialog in multiple panels. I can only think of two more, and they will be the next two comics you will see. I obviously was still finding my way, and at this point must have been playing with the idea that the dialog was superfluous, and that the quality of my artwork and the entertainment value of the narrations were the main draw of the comic. Obviously, and luckily, I changed my mind pretty fast. 

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

How to Prove Which of You Is the Evil Twin

Ha! 2003! There it is folks, documentary evidence that PROVES that I've disliked Adam Sandler since before it was cool!

In an unrelated note, I never realized before this moment how much the gunman in this comic reminds me of Jack Ruby. That was not deliberate.

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As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

How to Prove Which of You Is the Evil Twin

Ha! 2003! There it is folks, documentary evidence that PROVES that I've disliked Adam Sandler since before it was cool!

In an unrelated note, I never realized before this moment how much the gunman in this comic reminds me of Jack Ruby. That was not deliberate.

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

How to Deal With Embarrassment

This is not a comic I would—or even could—produce now. For one thing, I wouldn't make a comic with four panels’ worth of pee jokes now. (One, yes. Four, no.) For another, I learned pretty early on that having the four panels depict four different versions of the same conversation is confusing, and it's best to just have the panels occur sequentially.

Mostly, though, it's just that it's been years since I wrote anything this concise.

Missy looked at the comic and pointed out that I have my hands in my pockets, which looks weird to her. What can I say, hands are hard. At least I have hands. That other guy doesn’t seem to have arms!

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How to Deal With Embarrassment

This is not a comic I would—or even could—produce now. For one thing, I wouldn't make a comic with four panels’ worth of pee jokes now. (One, yes. Four, no.) For another, I learned pretty early on that having the four panels depict four different versions of the same conversation is confusing, and it's best to just have the panels occur sequentially.

Mostly, though, it's just that it's been years since I wrote anything this concise.

Missy looked at the comic and pointed out that I have my hands in my pockets, which looks weird to her. What can I say, hands are hard. At least I have hands. That other guy doesn’t seem to have arms!

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

How to Make a Decision

I believe the genesis of this one was a conversation between Ric and I in which we discussed our own inner struggles.

I said that mine was like an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. The angel tells me to do the right thing. The devil tells me to do the right thing passive-aggressively, then to spend years resenting the fact that I had to do it.

Ric said that his was like Good Captain Kirk and evil Mirror Universe Captain Kirk, continually strangling each other inside his head.

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As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

How to Make a Decision

I believe the genesis of this one was a conversation between Ric and I in which we discussed our own inner struggles.

I said that mine was like an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. The angel tells me to do the right thing. The devil tells me to do the right thing passive-aggressively, then to spend years resenting the fact that I had to do it.

Ric said that his was like Good Captain Kirk and evil Mirror Universe Captain Kirk, continually strangling each other inside his head.

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As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

How to Avenge Your Brother's Murder

This is the first Basic Instructions, or at least the first one that was completed.

I got the idea for Basic Instructions at a Burger King. I was refilling my drink, looking at the sign that said “No Refills.”

I thought, Of course I’m going to refill my drink. The refill is how Burger King repays me for doing what’s essentially their job. Without the free refill, I’m paying them a buck to hand me a paper cup.

I was a standup comic at the time, but I couldn’t think of a way to make that idea work as stage material. When I got home, I started writing the first Basic Instructions, “How to Refill Your Drink.” After a couple of hours, I realized that I couldn’t make that idea work as material for a comic strip either, but the idea of a web comic couched as instructions stuck with me.

A week or two later, I produced this, and put it up on LiveJournal. That’s how this all got started.

You’ll notice that the final panel of this comic is the source of the comic’s logo. You’ll also notice that in the first panel, I look like Nosferatu.

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).

How to Avenge Your Brother's Murder

This is the first Basic Instructions, or at least the first one that was completed.

I got the idea for Basic Instructions at a Burger King. I was refilling my drink, looking at the sign that said “No Refills.”

I thought, Of course I’m going to refill my drink. The refill is how Burger King repays me for doing what’s essentially their job. Without the free refill, I’m paying them a buck to hand me a paper cup.

I was a standup comic at the time, but I couldn’t think of a way to make that idea work as stage material. When I got home, I started writing the first Basic Instructions, “How to Refill Your Drink.” After a couple of hours, I realized that I couldn’t make that idea work as material for a comic strip either, but the idea of a web comic couched as instructions stuck with me.

A week or two later, I produced this, and put it up on LiveJournal. That’s how this all got started.

You’ll notice that the final panel of this comic is the source of the comic’s logo. You’ll also notice that in the first panel, I look like Nosferatu.

You can comment on this comic on Facebook.

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).