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A Christmas Message
Now that the Mayan Prophecy has turned out to be another false alarm, I have reluctantly accepted that there is little chance of avoiding the onset of Christmas 2012.
Therefore I can now wish all my fans, readers, clients, friends and random blog browsers the most enjoyable of festive celebrations, regardless of religious affiliation. Any time of year that encourages people to be kinder to their fellow human beings, enjoy time with their friends and family, and look forward to the new year with renewed optimism can only be a good thing.
And in that sense at least, I concur with my fellow countryman Roy Wood and wish that it could be Christmas every day.
I’ll remember 2012 as being a somewhat miserable year, following on from several other miserable years, with occasional glimpses of future promise which as yet remain unfulfilled. Personal and professional circumstances have again limited my time to pursue my dream of resurrecting Strangehaven to virtually nil. Some mysterious minor health ailments have dogged me throughout the year but most of these have been diagnosed and treated with some success. But the biggest blow was losing my darling Bulldog Babs to cancer on September 11th. My whippet Billy has also been struggling with a treatable but incurable degenerative disease since the year began, but he remains alive enough to eat, poop and sleep (but mostly sleep).
My Christmas card design this year therefore, is a small tribute to my devoted companions.
Blogging remain some way down my list of priorities, but I remain somewhat active on Facebook and Twitter, friend and follow if you will. I have paved my road to hell (and back) with all the blog entries I have intended to write, including pieces entitled “Before Watchmen and Le Droit Moral,” “Thought Bubble 2012 and the New Wave of British Comics,” and “Recreating Sgt, Pepper,” to name a few. You’ll have to wait to read those, possibly forever.
I also intend to write a short blog post on the status of Strangehaven, which remains a top priority, if a highly elusive one. Keep the faith, brothers and sisters.
Wishing you all an enjoyable and peaceful Christmas, and an outrageously happy, healthy and successful new year.
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11 comments on “A Christmas Message”
Andrew Winter
Sorry to hear 2012 has been a difficult one, Gary. Hope you have a much-improved 2013 and before that a very Merry Christmas. Hope to see you soon.
Best wishes,
Andy
Pádraig Ó Méalóid
Happy Christmas, Gary. It's good to know you.
Richard Paul Glass
My condolences on the loss of BABS. My adopted male ex-street cat SAMI died of old age just after Thanksgiving. My adopted female ex-street cat KINI keeps me company.
One of her 5 grown kittens living with my sister was hit by a car a couple of weeks later.
As for STRANGEHAVEN, consider the faith kept.
May you find some joy in this holiday season. May reality allow you to once more share your STRANGEHAVEN saga with the world at large in the coming year.
Stay strong and strive. All the best,
Richard Paul Glass
o4fuxake
Thanks mate and a happy Christmas to you both. Looking forward to seeing myself on paper again.
Phil.
kenpat
Really sorry to hear about your dogs. Having had dogs all my life I know what it's like to lose one. Love the card, it's a lovely tribute, I'm printing it out.
All the best for the New Year. Hope it's better than the last one for you.
Regards
Kenny
Widgett Walls
May both our 2013s be huge improvements over this year. Sending you best wishes and espresso in this time of holiday mayhem.
Bridgeen
Loved this card so much Gary, especially as the most mis-matched doggy chums ever appear to be smiling 🙂 2012 Has been a rough year alright, (you and me both!) here’s to hoping that 2013 is a better one for us all. b.x
George Khoury
Merry Christmas, Gary! Happy Holidays to you!
Anonymous
Dear Gary,
I'm sorry to hear about the bad year. I hope, as your health picks up, so will your enthusiasm for the great stuff that you do.
From my personal and entirely selfish perspective, I look forward to the Blog on Strangehaven and even more to – I hope – its resumption. (Maybe you can feature Babs and Billy).
I have been used to a number of series just ending (most recently Mud Man)but there are also those that perservere (Rex Mundi) and I dearly hope that Strangehaven will be one of the latter.
When I say that something about Strangehaven just got its hooks into me and I really need to see it develop, I'm sure all your readers will agree.
All the best
John Williams
Francisco J. Ortiz
http://abandonadtodaesperanza.blogspot.com.es/2012/12/feliz-navidad.html
(Greetings from Spain!)
Lars Jensen
Sorry to hear you've had such a bad year, Gary. Hopefully 2013 will be an improvement. Happy holidays.
(And I really like your drawing of Babs and Billy.)