Always Pack Protection, Page 1

TITLE PANEL

Title card showing "ALWAYS PACK PROTECTION" with "RacheltheGreat.com" and "by Rachel Nabors"

PANEL 1

Rachel packs clothes into a suitcase while Tuna the black cat watches from nearby.

RACHEL: "That's one pair of jeans!"

RACHEL: "Hmm, I'll need to pack socks..."

SFX: "FWUMP!"

PANEL 2

Tuna looks groggy.

TUNA: "Hey... What's going on? I was napping!"

PANEL 3

Rachel holds up clothes, wearing a shirt that says "There is only one Manson, and her name is Shirley." Tuna stands nearby.

RACHEL: "I'm going to a comic convention."

RACHEL: "If you hadn't been sleeping for the past five days, you'd know that."

TUNA: "Ooh, are you going to load up on anime DVDs?"

RACHEL: "No, I'm going to sell my comics and meet people who share a common interest."

PANEL 4

Tuna holds up paws counting while Rachel blushes wearing cat ears.

TUNA: "Four pairs. No, better make it five."

PANEL 5

Rachel, now with visible cat ears, discusses anime enthusiastically.

RACHEL: "Because if you were going to buy anime DVDs, I would highly recommend Tokyo Mew Mew..."

RACHEL: "...for its, uh, daring cinematics and avant-garde plot devices."

PANEL 6

Tuna smirks at Rachel who is now pleading.

TUNA: "Avant-garde? Shyeah, right."

TUNA: "You have a thing for the cat-girl, don't you?"

RACHEL: "Please, just the first season! I'm begging you!"

Now begins the epic Condom Cartoon! This was first aired on gURL.com, and it was also the first comic of mine where we started chopping the comics into smaller chunks. This 7 page comic became 17 “screens” for readers to click through. There were two reasons for this. First off, the comics would download faster for people on slower connections. Secondly, the extra page views increased gURL.com’s monthly pageview totals and thus allowed them to get more advertising revenue (and pay me).

Some readers loved this, some hated it. Personally, I think it’s neat to see the pages in their original, flowing format. But I always made sure I drew them so they’d chunk out nicely when needed.

Comments (Archived)

  1. Codette

    You have no idea how happy you have made me. I’ve waited so patiently, returning to ‘Subculture of One’ once a week, since ’8, after the last Olivia comic, hoping for more Rachel the Great and Olivia. I love your comics, their what inspired me to take my stories and draw them in a webcomic format, then to eventually get a degree in graphic design and new media. I thought my weekend was pretty good, but getting the update email from subscribing, just made everything amazing! hugs Thank you!

  2. Rachel the Great

    You’d getting a degree in graphic design? That’s excellent! I always recommend comickers pursue graphic design. It helps your art and helps you get a good job. (Inking isn’t a really good job unless you live at home with your folks :p)

    So glad to hear from you. Thanks for checking in!

  3. Shelby McAlaster

    Actually I already have my degree. I went to a college just for design as soon as I graduated high school. Not bad for a twenty year old hu? ^.^ your welcome. I can’t wait to see more of your work!

  4. Rachel the Great

    Oh well done! Have you found a job you like or are you freelancing?

  5. Shelby McAlaster

    Neither really. I had always loved doing graphics and digital art, but while I was taking my course, I slowly began to hate it. I’ve finally gotten to the point where I can boot-up photoshop again without cringing ^.^ I did design and code the website for my moms business, and I design her posters and such, but mainly I’m focusing on my art and trying to re-find that love I once had.