DECADES OF (in)EXPERIENCE 200th episode, and other updates!

Greetings, wayward denizens of the interwebs!

2020 has arrived and, despite my enduring disappointment with the absence of hoverboards and flying automobiles (thanks Bob Gale!), I continue to forge ahead. Please do not take my lack of updates as anything more than life happening. If you follow me on any other social media platform you’ll already know I have certainly remained productive, which has been somewhat of a chore considering these dark geopolitical times and my wife and I finding ourselves smack dab in the middle of relocating back to the Bay Area. Presented herein are some highlights which occurred over the last few months of blog inactivity.

COMICS FOR THE APOCALYPSE

In late November 2019, I was introduced to the lovely English chap Samuel George London through my good pal Aaron Iara of Effective Nerd. Samuel was nothing short of welcoming and convivial from the get-go. Following a brief email exchange, Samuel and I were able to schedule an interview to accommodate our significant time difference. In the early morning hours (for me) of a weekday morning in late November 2019, Samuel and I engaged in an engrossing chat revolving around my work and which fastidiously chosen comics I would bring along in the event of a cataclysmic asteroid collision—hence the title of his podcast. The episode was posted on December 16th and can be listened to in its entirety on the Comics For The Apocalypse soundcloud. Thanks again to Samuel for having me on the show!

CFTA

KNOWLEDGEABLE CABBAGE REVIEW

Cabbage Comics Review

Defiling the Literati closed out 2019 with a laudatory review from Christa Harader, aka Knowledgeable Cabbage. Christa was accommodating enough to fit my collection of magazine comics into their already jam-packed review schedule. Christa’s favorable write-up was greatly appreciated and can be read in full by visiting their website. Here’s a taste of what Christa had to say about Defiling the Literati.

Overall, “Defiling the Literati” works well as a collection of work and an anthology of high-quality pieces. Schumacher’s work carries an acidic bitterness born not of cynicism, but frustrated optimism, and the effect is inspirational as well as entertaining in its own right.

The book is currently for sale in my store and, for a limited time, offered with free shipping. If you’ve vacillating between whether or not to buy yourself a copy, now would be the optimal time to do so.

A SOBERING REFLECTION

Creatively, the new year was christened with the publication of a highly personal examination of my sordid history with—and current attempts to recover from—alcohol abuse. Moonchild Magazine kindly indulged me and agreed to include the piece in their 6th issue entitled, “We Are Not Broken”. A Sobering Reflection was unleashed upon the world as of 01/2020 and the comic is available to read online for free. Gargantuan amounts of gratitude to Editor-in-Cheif and beautiful soul Nadia Gerassimenko for the encouragement and support throughout this process. Below is an excerpt from the 3-page graphic essay.

Decades of (in)Experience

MR. BUTTERCHIPS COLLECTION

I have been teasing the release of the Mr. Butterchips book for some time, but I assure you this compendium draws closer and closer to an actual release date. The most I can divulge at this time is that the collection will be comprised of the first 42 individual comic strips, a 22-page standalone story you will not be able to read anywhere else, a few pin-ups from professional friends, and a surprise foreword. Look for an official announcement soon.

Mr. Butterchips

DECADES OF (in)EXPERIENCE REACHES 200!

Decades of (in)Experience reached its watershed 200th episode on Friday, 2/21/2020. When Francis Lombard and I embarked on this journey together in October of 2015, I don’t believe either one of us had any preconceived notions as to how long the series would last. Our mindset was simply to break free from the bondage of expectation and tell an engaging, relatable story unencumbered by any particular fad or popular genre. I cannot express how much Francis and I appreciate the encouragement and support garnered over the last 4 years and change. Speaking of support, several comics outlets generously lent their platforms to help Antix Press and I get the word out about this milestone episode:

Adrian Has Issues: Initially interviewed by Adrian in 2017, he once again chose to subject himself to nearly an hour of my jibber-jabber. Listen to our conversation about Decades, authenticity, and peanut butter cups in the episode he titled Gen-X Sisyphus.

Spoiler Country: Following a false start due to technical difficulties, Spoiler Country’s “man on the street” Casey Allen and I had a spirited conversation regarding the history of the webcomic and what readers may expect next.

Bleeding Cool: The lovely Lauren Sisselman of Bleeding Cool is a stalwart supporter of indie creators, having even written previously about Decades and Defiling the Literati. In her latest article, Lauren cordially assisted in our efforts to commemorate this particular landmark.

**An interview conducted by Fanbase Press will also be available to read as of March 12, 2020.

Decades of (in)Experience 200th Episode

STUDIO SALE

As mentioned before, my wife and I are in the midst of relocating. With moving comes all of the necessary preparations such as packing and cleaning. In regards to the latter, I will be selling some original pages in an effort to lighten my load and possibly offset some of the costs moving tends to incur. Available pages come from such books as Benjamin & The Fish (215 Ink, 2011 & Read Furiously, 2016), The Unemployment Adventures of Aqualung (Arcana Studios, 2013), Fame: Tom Daly (Bluewater Productions, 2013), and select pieces from Decades of (in)Experience and Mr. Butterchips.

Alex Schumacher Art

Email me at alexschumacherart@gmail.com if interested.

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I’m just getting warmed up. This year promises to deliver new artwork, continued stories documenting the human condition, and with any luck, some BIG announcements. Beware the Ides, and talk at you all soon!

 

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Website redesign and contest

Welcome to the all new (in appearance anyway) alexschumacherart.com! The content is still the same for the most part, but I felt as though it was time to change the vibe a little. Spruce up the joint, if you will. So come on in and have a look around. Heck, take off your shoes if you’d like. I simply ask that if you move anything to kindly put it back. Be sure to visit the World’s Crummiest Umbrella photo gallery and brand spankin’ new Events page for upcoming appearances and signings.

Speaking of upcoming appearances and signings, I am pleased to announce that I have been invited to visit Old Capitol Books on November 22nd for a live reading of The World’s Crummiest Umbrella, as well as a meet-and-greet and signing following the reading. More information as well as a link to Old Capitol Books can be found on the Events page. Come on out and say hi! I may even scribble a little doodle in your book if you ask really nicely…

cropped-ocb-banner1

Now, if you think that sounds fun, how does a Contest sound? Does it sound awesome? Well, you’re in luck my friends! Starting this week I will be holding a contest for those who have purchased a copy of The World’s Crummiest Umbrella. Two lucky winners will be receiving original hand-drawn artwork produced for the book, just for being a great fan and supporter! Possibly a piece of art like this:

Contest image

So, how do we enter? That’s an excellent question. Here’s the scoop: Between now and the end of the day on Friday, October 3rd just post a photo of yourself with your copy of the book on Facebook or Twitter (remember to use the #TheWorldsCrummiestUmbrella hashtag) and you’ll be automatically entered to win! You can also send photos to the email listed on the contact page if that’s what you prefer to do. If you plan to purchase your copy in the next two weeks, but may not have it in time to enter the photo contest, you can send me a proof of purchase and I’ll be happy to include you in the contest. Sound fun? Well get to it!

Happy reading and thank you all so much for continuing to help me share, promote, and get the word out about The World’s Crummiest Umbrella!