Hello there, it’s me. Cliff, the person who loves to translate Jay’s popular and philosophical webcomic series.
If you have recently seen the German jump42! site come to life again, I may happily announce that the English site is back again as well, and thanks to Jay’s hard work the whole archive could be restored. So it should all be back as if it had never vanished, and that’s some really decent news.
I’ll first date you up with Jay’s recent update from the German site:
“Can’t believe it’s been a year since my last blog entry. Can’t believe I still don’t know what to write. I could write about what happened to me and why the pause had to be that long. But I don’t want to do that, so nevermind. Those of you who love me know what was going on, and those who are interested can always send me an email. To all the others: I’m fine, and I’m set out to hit the sheep quarters again! I’m sure there we’ll all have much fun here in the future.”
Well, I couldn’t say it better.
The first new strip and translation above made me happy. I had missed thinking about what I could do to bring you jump42! in English as flawless as possible, and I think Jay is doing a great job, so it’s good to have both Jay and Ted back again.
By the way, I didn’t translate one new strip, but two. So stay tuned for the next puzzling piece in the currently pretty black-and-white riddle of mice and men…eh, I mean some sheep and that one dude, coming rather soon!
Tomorrow Ted will celebrate his second birthday. A good opportunity for me, actually, to write down a few lines once again.
It all started in fall 2006 with a short collection of scattered comic strips about a sheep that failed to jump over the famed fence. Telling jokes as an end in itself got me bored quickly, though. I am a rather introverted person, who is always on a quest to find the meaning of life and the answers to all the “big questions”, but who also cannot take his life really seriously (hence the cartoons).
Inevitably, the comic grew in a direction which speaks for my personality: A guy, trying to break free from his dream prison – not without having undergone some sort of evolution. He must find out the meaning behind the dream, what roles all the sheep play, and who he actually is.
In fact, I only have a rough draft of the whole story painted in my head, where it often happens that I surprise myself and wonder where the story goes now. This haphazard approach to it often succeeds, but not always – just like in real life. But it’s a risk I like to take.
My greatest challenge is to create single strips which not only contain a punchline or gag that works on its own, but to also stitch together a more or less consistent, complex story including a beginning, a middle part, and an ending, with each single page added. The first big part has come to an end today, after 136 strips!
jump42! is only a webcomic. I can only ensure quality and regularity if my readers support me. And now, isn’t that great: Christmas is just ahead – a perfect opportunity for you to do something good. And if you support me with more than 4,99 €, you even get a brand-new and exclusive jump42! wallpaper!
I will now pause for a little creative break. On January 5th 12th, 2009, jump42! will continue as usual.
Thanks for your attention
and only the best for all of you.
it’s taikan.
