Three

Did you hear that one of the Fantastic Four has died? It's hard not to, with the hoopla making its way to major news outlets. But is it just me, or is the increasingly common assault of press releases and media coverage that accompanies any prominent superhero death extra ridiculous in the case of FF? I think I've actually lost track of the number of times a member of the Fantastic Four has died. Actually, I'm pretty sure each of them has bought it at least once by this point. And they all made it back! Good odds for the latest victim, I think.

Personally, I think it's time to take this comic-book death business to the next level. I'm excited to announce that one of Sam and Fuzzy's most beloved cast members will be killed -- and resurrected -- entirely between today's comic and Friday's. But who will it be?

No one will ever know!

-Sam Logan

Armed and dangerous

Fuzzy is referring, of course, to these ninjas from the start of the story. Remember? It was over a month ago; so we shouldn't make fun of anyone who forgot. (Although silent judgment is always an option.)

And you'll be happy to know that -- proving I have not forgotten the lessons learned from this traumatic past Q and A -- everyone in Sam and Fuzzy now has the correct number of arms. I knew I could do it!

-Sam Logan

Sam and Fuzzy Q & A: New Reader Edition
Got a question you want answered? Just drop me an email with "Q & A" in the subject line!

"Your new reader guide says that Sam and Fuzzy Fix Your Problem (and presumably Are Very Famous, too) can be read without reading any of the previous Volumes". But with all this stuff from past volumes popping up, like Andrea and Mr. Sin and the robot clones, is that really still true?" -Alex

When I'm writing the current story, my attitude towards the previous volumes can probably be summed up thusly:

All of it really happened, but no one has read it.

That's not actually true, of course! Many people read those comics. But even if everyone had read them, I still think it's a good guiding principle. A new saga that can stand on it own just makes for a stronger story, regardless of whether or not it is a continuation of past tales.

To long-time readers, Sin and the robot clones are links to past stories. But to new readers, they're just two more components of the many, many unseen past adventures of N-M-S. I treat them just like the first meetings with Edwin, the disguising of Dr. Crab, or any of the other cases that never actually appeared in the comic at all.

They're all a part of N-M-S' mysterious past... much of which is still a mystery to our long-time readers, too! And like Devahi, we'll all learn more about it as the story progresses. Some of us will just be learning slightly more than others!

"Do you ever wish you didn't know where the Sam and Fuzzy story is going so you could enjoy the surprises like we do? Or does the fact that you only have the future generalized allow for enough entertainment when you make the specifics of the individual strip?" -Tavo

Sure, I've got lots of room to get creative within individual chapters and strips. As for the bigger overall story... I find the meticulous, sloth-like day-to-day toil of executing of an elaborate, multi-year plan to be very exciting! Doesn't everyone?

"I was a huge fan of your Courtroom wallpaper, and I will admit that it played a large part in my book purchase. I also know that you cannot include every character from a 8.5 year run (congrats on that by the way). However, I have recently realized that it is missing a key character from the distant past; a character who would have fit into the scene perfectly; a character that is truly representative of everything Sam and Fuzzy stands for; The Briefcase Who Wanted to be a Lawyer. What do you have to say for yourself?" -Joel

Don't worry! Old Casey was in attendance. He's just standing slightly out of frame... right next to Ox, Mr. Blank, Roger the disembodied head, Mr. Bunton, Mr. Gillespie, and Claire Wilson. (Who?)

Sidenote: The Briefcase Who Wanted to be a Lawyer is actually one of my favourite, if not the favourite, of my four panel gag strips.

Sidenote 2: Would anyone be interested in acquiring a print of the courtroom scene? (Or one of our other desktops?) Is this a thing I should make happen? I can make this happen.

-Sam Logan