This is… quite possibly the first superhero joke I’ve used in the whole archive…

I’m not a super hero fan at all.

Cheers.

I thought about having Cody’s screech at the end dissolve into a laugh at the end, but either never got around with it, or thought better of it. I… can’t remember which! Looking at it now, I think maybe that would have been a better way for him to react. He’d find it funny!

Cheers.

Slip, slop, slap! Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat!

So sang Sid Seagull in the TV ad through the 80s. Here’s the beginning of one of the most successful ad campaigns in Australian history – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAu5wCTEBt0.

Also, today marks the 70th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Darwin in 1942, the first time war came to Australia’s shores (there were up to a hundred air raids against Australia during 1942-3). More bombs were dropped on Darwin than Pearl Harbour. Poor old Darwin has been through a bit, actually. All but destroyed by the Japanese, it was all but destroyed by Cyclone Tracy in 1974 as well. No wonder a Darwin Breakfast consists of a steak, a dog and a six pack. The steak is for the dog.

In a nice showing of respect, six unidentified Japanese pilots shot down that day were buried in Darwin, and later moved to the Cowra war memorial cemetery alongside their countrymen who died in the Cowra Breakout in 1944 at the Cowra prisoner or war camp in New South Wales, the only battle of war staged on Australian soil.

There’s a little bit of quiet Australian history for you.

Lest we forget.

On both sides.

I’m still on school camp all week, but finishing up tomorrow. Have you been beating on those little social media buttons below the strip news posts for me while I’ve been away? If not, no worries, but you could start now, eh? See if a few people wander this way and have a look at the strip.

I’ll be back Friday nightish to respond to any comments, too.

Ta!

Right, over the last few weeks, the Spiderforest Collective (of which School Spirit is a card carrying member!) brought a range of new comics into its fold, so here is the umbrella plug for all of them! You know, unless I miss one here, and in which case I am very sorry!

In no specific order, welcome to and have a look at ‘Dark White‘, ‘Gods of the Game‘, ‘Spine‘, ‘Ley Lines‘, ‘Footloose‘, ‘LaSalle’s Legacy‘ and ‘Silent Pirate‘. They are all mainly story-driven graphic novel styled strips, many dealing in fantasy of sorts, except for Silent Pirate, which joins School Spirit in the ‘fun little strip anyone can have a chuckle at’ category.

Sometimes you just don’t need words, do you?

I’m on a school camp all week, so you won’t be hearing much from me. BUT… until I’m back, I have a request. Click the life out of those Stumbleupon buttons below the post and what not if you get the chance. See if it will drum up some traffic while I’m away.

Ta!

Right, over the last few weeks, the Spiderforest Collective (of which School Spirit is a card carrying member!) brought a range of new comics into its fold, so here is the umbrella plug for all of them! You know, unless I miss one here, and in which case I am very sorry!

In no specific order, welcome to and have a look at ‘Dark White‘, ‘Gods of the Game‘, ‘Spine‘, ‘Ley Lines‘, ‘Footloose‘, ‘LaSalle’s Legacy‘ and ‘Silent Pirate‘. They are all mainly story-driven graphic novel styled strips, many dealing in fantasy of sorts, except for Silent Pirate, which joins School Spirit in the ‘fun little strip anyone can have a chuckle at’ category.

Old joke is good joke, no?

Right, over the last few weeks, the Spiderforest Collective (of which School Spirit is a card carrying member!) brought a range of new comics into its fold, so here is the umbrella plug for all of them! You know, unless I miss one here, and in which case I am very sorry!

In no specific order, welcome to and have a look at ‘Dark White‘, ‘Gods of the Game‘, ‘Spine‘, ‘Ley Lines‘, ‘Footloose‘, ‘LaSalle’s Legacy‘ and ‘Silent Pirate‘. They are all mainly story-driven graphic novel styled strips, many dealing in fantasy of sorts, except for Silent Pirate, which joins School Spirit in the ‘fun little strip anyone can have a chuckle at’ category.

So give them a look, and maybe drop a comment or two here if any strike your fancy. Keep in mind, one or two may have content not entirely in matching with School Spirit, so don’t go blaming Mr V if mum pops in and smacks you over the head for reading bad words, eh?

Or just leave a comment here because then we can have a chinwag!

Imagination is great, isn’t it? Such a pity most of us seem to lose it so soon.

Told the kids today about the imaginary friend I had when I was a young tacker. They found it quite an entertaining little story. You could see a few of them with recognition in their eyes. Not that all of them would own up to it, but I know they had their own, too.

It’s the third anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires today. It ripped the guts out of my local community, but enough of that story. I just thought it might be nice to show you the memorial wall the community put together and unveiled two days ago for the occasion. The wall itself is made of hay bails covered in render, and it is covered with clay tiles made by the community with messages and clay images, all coloured with glazes. It overlooks the local oval, but amongst the burnt out trees where you’d only really notice it if you knew what you were looking for.

Here’s my tile, featuring Casper and Cody. Apparently there wasn’t any browny glaze, and Mum painted it from colour directions given by my sister over the phone. I just thought, maybe, the School Spirit catchphrase was relevant for a place that nurtured my childhood.

Those three years went really fast, even if the days of the fires seemed to be locked in time. It’s odd, but even though we lost some of the community, it made it stronger too.

You can see these images in the Deviant Art site linked here, too.

Oh, and also… I really liked this strip!

Cheers.

I spat creek water in your face because you dropped me in the drink. All square.

Because we’re mates, eh?

Met the kids for the first time of the year on Friday. So far so good. A few weeks of being hard and mean and stern and then we can lighten up once they’re ‘trained’…

Anyway, enjoy today’s strip, and we’ll hear from you soon, eh?

Cheers.

Back at work this week. First day back yesterday and spent it photocopying lots of stuff and trying not to be seen photocopying lots of stuff! A professional development day today, and the kids come back for their first day of the year tomorrow.

And then it’s the weekend!

I always remember jumping into a school camp pool with one of my grade four boys years ago, and this water had come from the creek down the hill. It was pumped straight in, so it was still greeny and smelled of eucalyptus. And it was cold!

We both jumped in, came spluttering and gasping to the surface again, looked at each other and came to the silent agreement ‘bugger this for a game of soldiers!’ and scampered back out again! Never forget that feeling of our chests feeling as though they had turned inside out!

This is sort of what’s going on here. Although I’m not quite happy with how poor old Casper turned out!