Aaand we’re back! I wonder if there’s a medal or trophy or something for being a webcomic creator who actually returns from breaks. I always take a break around Christmas time, and usually another one at some point during the year to avoid burnout.

Smashmouth Smith joins the ranks of throwaway characters that ended up getting bigger roles than I had intended. In his first appearance (back on page 74) he was listed in the script as “TV Champion.” I don’t recall how exactly he ended up developing into Smashmouth Smith, but now he has a backstory and a personality and a role to play in a later chapter (quite a bit later, maybe not even this year). Although in retrospect giving him pretty intricate tattoos was not the brightest design choice I’ve ever made.

On Saturday: Chapter 8 begins with the Super Max Challenge pre-show publicity shoot! Also, there might be some punching.