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

"In Season Finale, Part 11, did you deliberately tease us with the prospect of Carlyle? Since my heart did somersaults in the air only to come crashing down deep into the fiery center of the earth, I just wanted to know that at least I underwent severe incineration due to an intentional cruelty on your part." -Mark

It didn't occur to me that people would think of Carlyle when I "wrote" the strip, but it did as soon as I was actually drawing it. And that was fine with me! I love the extra hidden weight it gives to Fuzzy's "Are you..." set-up line... if you are a long-time reader, anyway! I guess I am just a cruel person.

"Okay, so I've got to know: was Bonus "experiencing different textures" in his mouth a reference to Weyoun-6? -Adam

I have absolutely no idea what that is! So... maybe.

"On strip 1463 we see Sin in a car. Does Sin have a special car that allows him to control the car directly? Otherwise he is driving the body which drives the car. Is it like a matryoshka doll of science and control?" -Tom

No, it's just a regular car. So you're right! When you put it that way, it is kind of weird. Maybe that's why Sin finds driving so confusing.

Sin also eats through his suit sometimes. Kinda gross!

"I have a question about you and the comic. Have you ever considered doing it more often in the week, like everyday?" -Cooper

I have! Over the years, as Sam and Fuzzy has become an actual proper job, I've been able to devote more time to it. But the end result has ultimately been longer and more elaborately drawn comics, rather than more frequent updates. Especially now that it's largely a story-driven comic, I feel like having larger and more substantial updates, rather than shorter but more frequent ones, makes for a more satisfying reading experience.

Now, to be fair, I do also have other projects -- like making children's science magazines! -- competing for my time. But to be honest, even if I didn't, I think I'd be more likely to try launching a second comic or other project than to double up on Sam and Fuzzy. I don't know... I guess I just feel like drawing the equivalent of 300+ printed pages of Sam and Fuzzy every year is probably about the right amount. And it's fun to have different things to work on, to keep your brain sharp and avoid getting burned out. Variety is the spice of life, or whatever!

All right! That concludes our regular broadcast week. Come back on Monday for more comics, team!

-Sam Logan

The big question

Transformer? Or talking car? These are the kind of relatable, real-world quandaries we deal with every day in Sam and Fuzzy.

Man, team, I am working on some really fun new swag to unleash for the ever-expanding "holiday season". I could be wrong, but I think I might have just put the finishing touches on my best t-shirt design ever. And we've got some experimental new, non-t-shirty stuff lined up, too, so... anticipate!

I'm also working on the first of the Sam and Fuzzy Are Very Famous Book Club bonus packs, which will be emailing out later this month. (For those of you who are new around these parts, the Book Club bonus packs are bundles of free desktops, comics and other digital goodies that I periodically send out to everyone who has picked up our latest book.) Among other things, this bundle will include the first few pages of an abandoned Sam and Fuzzy story from nearly ten years ago that was going to be about Fuzzy... becoming a sitcom star. At least I got there eventually!

-Sam Logan

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

"Sam and Fuzzy has a very specific interpretation of the hyper commercialism of spokesfigures, and their franchises! It makes me wonder what your particular impression is over the new My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic popularity.

So, uh, I guess my question is, "what's your particular impression over the new My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic popularity?" " -Barry

I've only seen about the first ten minutes of the first episode, and while it wasn't really my bag, I feel like I at least gained some understanding of why it is finding an audience. It's well put together, and there's definitely a lot of serious artistic talent is on display. (Although I expected nothing less from a show run by Lauren Faust!)

Of course, we all know that ultimately the only reason it exists in the first place is to sell plastic toy ponies. But hey... in the world of TV, there's nothing new about talented artists getting handed strange or unusual commercial licenses and trying to make the best of it. In my youth, we had John K's Mighty Mouse. Now we have My Little Pony and... and whatever the heck this thing is.

I guess my impression is... if artists-for-hire manage to craft these franchises into something with actual value, well... good for them! I do hope, though, that they are eventually rewarded for their successes and allowed with new shows based entirely on their own ideas and characters.

"So if Fuzzy knows that his replicas have a little bit of his memories and he knows there is a village of Fuzzy's in the underground, why hasn't he tried acquiring more of them to see if maybe those ones remember more? " -Jim

As you now know, Fuzzy actually asked this question himself, a full three days after you did. You are obviously ahead of the curve!

"Is Bonus the same as Future Fuzzy? They both wear sombreros so it seems like a logical assumption." -Srinivas

Nah! There's always a temptation to revisit and flesh out old characters and stories, but I wouldn't want to ruin the magic of Future Fuzzy's classic appearances by revealing he was actually a 15-year-old robot.

Bonus was given the sombrero more as a kind of winking acknowledgement to long-time readers that he too is (essentially) Fuzzy from a different time. It just turned out that in his case, it was the past rather than the future. Surprise!

"Have you ever noticed Hazel Kim's resemblance to The Little Prince? The long scarf, the pointy blond hair, the boyish clothing? Is that just coincidence, or was it an influence that you consciously brought into your character design?" -Jasmine

It wasn't intentional, but subconsciously... you never know! I do love the Little Prince, and will jump on any opportunity to say so. Like this one, right now!

That's a wrap for this week, team. Come back on Monday for more comics and stuff!

-Sam Logan