Interviews Conducted by Robert J. Beck

What made you want to start a web comic?

It seemed like a fun way to tell a story. I've got a lot of
stories I'd like to tell.

Would you say the strip is influenced by Sci-Fi shows? If so which ones?

The strip is much more influenced by literary science fiction than by anything on TV. Brin, Bujold, Clarke, Asimov, and Niven are probably my top inspirations, though there are lots more.

Are you a big fan of web comics yourself?

I'm a fan of the business model, and there are a few webcomics I really enjoy reading, but I don't think of myself as a "big fan." I've got maybe fifteen or twenty strips on my trawl.

Where did the name of the strip come from?

During my days as a record producer we referred to some stuff we didn't like as "schlock." It's a fun word. Adding "mercenary" to it made it even more fun. And the irony implicit in using those words to describe my own art is not lost on me.

When was it you realised your comic would be able to support you financially?

The first hard evidence arrived in April of 2006 when we sold 1,900+ books in 30 days of pre-orders, paying off the print run and paying the bills for six months. We'd had hints before then, but it was a much more difficult proposition prior to putting things in print.

The strip has gone for 9 years without missing a strip, are you proud of this accomplishment?

I'm quite pleased with myself, but I try to avoid hubris. The right set of circumstances could still cost me the streak.

What is the process of actually making a strip?

I script using text box tools in MS Word 2003, and print the scripts on 8.5"x14" paper such that I can pencil and ink directly on the script to create a finished strip. I do the penciling and inking at the local comics shop, The Dragon's Keep, where I have a table. When a batch of strips are done I take 'em home and scan them at 300dpi in black-and-white, and ship 'em off to Travis Walton for coloring in Photoshop. I did my own coloring as recently as three weeks ago, but Travis is awesome. Once I get full-sized TIFFs back from Travis I resized them for the website and the iPhone app, upload them, and add footnotes.

Do you ever find it hard to come up with a new idea for a story/joke?

Yes, but only in the same way that (for instance) Lance Armstrong finds it hard to pedal a bicycle. This work can be grueling and difficult, but it's work that I'm good at so I do the difficult bits.