Hello all!
November 25th marks 10 years since I posted that very first “Imy” online. As the story goes, I didn’t have much of a plan, but I did it anyway. My only goal was to do 5 comics, and see where it went from there. It started off sort of autobiographical, but after a short while, Imy became her own character and I started to build a world around her.
The past 10 years has been a rollercoaster. 700+ comics, 6 volumes, several smaller books, ROCK t-shirts, comic cons on different continents, comic festivals, and one worn arm that actually stopped me from drawing “Imy” for a few months some years back!
I’ve gotten so much out of the comic in the past decade. It’s changed my life dramatically. It’s kept me drawing and being creative. It’s given me a purpose. It’s led me to other projects that have led to BIG opportunities (like comics for NASA!). It’s introduced me to the world of cartoonists, and I have met some of the most wondeful people I’ve ever known because of that. It placed me with my “tribe,” a group of people with whom I feel most at “home,” and who make me feel like a part of this planet. Without this comic I wouldn’t have found my best friends.
It has been really difficult sometimes. It’s not the easiest thing in the world to keep something like this going for 10 years, with life happening all around you, and an artist’s brain full of constant doubt and self-deprication. But I have kept it going despite all of those distractions, and I am very, very proud of that.
It it will continue. So, don’t think hitting 10 years means I’m ending anything!
As a final word, I have a bit of a plea. If you have the resources, think back to how long you’ve been reading and enjoying “Imy” over this time. Consider, please, dropping something into my tip jar…
I recently had to buy a new computer to replace my 7½ year computer that just couldn’t handle my work anymore, and was making drawing anything at all very difficult for me. So please consider supporting my art if you’ve been enjoying it! 🙂
And, even if you don’t have the resources, you can support me by just posting about “Imy” and sharing how much joy it brings you on social media sites you use, or your blog, or whatever other way you want to share it.
Thank you all so much for loving “Imy” as much as I do. Let’s start off another decade now, shall we? 🙂