News Archives

Taking a Hiatus

I hoped I'd never have to do this but as you may have noticed there haven't been any new Pirates! strips for the past couple of weeks. Sadly the pressures of modern life have got to me and I find myself so busy that finding time to do even one comic a week is difficult (I don't know how those people who do a daily strip and hold down a job do it...). As such, doing the comic has started to feel like work and I was starting to enjoy it less and less. This is something I never wanted to happen as I draw for fun, not to get stressed about it.

And so I have decided to take a short hiatus just until things have calmed down a bit. I don't know when that will be... hopefully soon. I realise that stopping the stream of comics is a sure-fire way to lose readers and I'm sorry for that. However if you don't want to be bothered with coming back every time to check and seeing the same strip, please sign up and select to receive emails about the comic. That way when there's a new one you'll be notified. Alternatively you can subscribe to the RSS feed to receive updates. You don't have to raise a finger to stay up to date! Please do it as I'd hate to think this would drive anyone away that enjoys the strip.

Finally, to keep things ticking over I would love to be able to post some fan art / derivitive art or guest comics in place of the regular updates. I've never asked before so I have no idea about the artistic abilities of anyone who reads this. Go on - blow me away!

Thanks for reading through this and don't worry - I'll be back in the drawing seat in no time, you'll see!

Happy Halloween

It's nearly over now and I haven't had any trick or treaters. Just goes to show how far away from America I live! Over here the kids wouldn't dare follow through with a trick anyway because some grumpy neighbour would call the police and they'd be slapped with an ASBO.

Talking of which, what's up with this new 101 number for police 'non-emergencies'? Seems like a pretty good idea actually so long as they don't get annoyed with me calling up to report the young misanthropes egging the neighbours Bently.

Bad luck abounded today, what with being ill and all (since the weekend, not at all well) and then some lunatic drives into my (parked) car wrecking the hubcap and buckling the inner wheel (deflating it in the process). That's gonna cost. It's gonna cost the insurance excess, is what it's gonna cost. Even so, you'd think they'd have the common decency to stop and leave their details. Fortunately, as the proud owner of a Ford Ka, the excessive bumper meant that there was no damage to the body and only a little scuff on the bumper. Hopefully I'll get it back soon, after they've fixed it up and checked it's still safe to drive.

I don't like it when the guy on the other end on the insurance hotline starts talking like "Oh yeah but if they think it's going to cost above a certain threshold they might just write it off..."

It's a wheel for crying out loud! How is that going to write it off??? Crazy fool.

And to top it off I ended up with Chille con Carne on spaghetti for dinner. What? It's not my fault Chille looks almost identical to Bolognase when it's frozen!

Rant over, it's safe to come out now. Back to work tomorrow and back to normality. Well I say that but actually a certain good friend of mine and I have plans to reconstruct a certain experiment in the park at lunch involving a bottle of diet coke and a pack of mentos. If all goes well I'll try and post the results... if it all goes spectacularly wrong then I'll drag what's left of me back to the office and sit in shame. Wish us luck!

Crazy server upgrade!

Well it's been a bumpy ride but I've finally got through the other side of the server upgrade. It should be faster and stuff but that's probably the extent of what it'll mean to most people out there. Anyway, better make with the apologies.

Sorry for the downtime and sorry for anyone with email on this server who has missed it. And double sorry to those subscribed who got about 5 vote reminders mid Sunday afternoon. Whoops!

Anyway it's all up and happy again now and that's all that matters. Avarst and a happy day's pirating to ye!

Avarst ye...

...bilge dwelling scabs! Tis International Talk Like A Pirate Day today and as such I be expectin' all of ye to be talkin' like Pirates all day. If ye don't I'll be runnin' ye through!

I be dreadful sorry the strip ain't up yet but there be some technical hitches. Somethin' like sharks in the waters, me hearties. But fear ye not, there'll be a fresh strip for yer plunderin' up tonight.

Now, I'll be leavin' ye to yer talkin' like a pirate. Say 'Ahoy!' to yer crew for me...

Talk Like a Pirate Day 2006

Gosh is it that time of year again already? Of course, I'm talking about Talk Like a Pirate Day, which is on September the 19th. Every year, many Pirates and wannabe pirates shake off their gruffest vocal cords and talk like a pirate. Why? Because they want to. And why wouldn't they?

If you fancy talking like a pirate but are worried you might be a little out of practise or simply have no idea how to talk like a pirate then this video might be of use to you. Pay attention, there'll be a quiz.