Where Do You Come Up With This Stuff?
Where, exactly, do I get the jokes for this strip? Well, you fools only get about 10% of the accual jokes. These are the 'punchline' jokes. Any sentinant being could get those. Another 20% or so is gotten by people who accually know me, those plus the other 70% of the jokes(which only I understand), make up the 'invisible jokes' as I call them, and are simply there for my own twisted enjoyment. These are jokes inside the strip. But, I figured I'd be merciful, and let you in on a few of the jokes. And a few of the character origins as well. Because, you have to understand Sam's past.
Safari Sam and the 'old school' cast orgins
In Calvin and Hobbes (the biggest early influence on Safari Sam), there a strip that mentions 'Safari Al'. Well, Safari Sam wasn't the orginal character I got. It was Artic Al. Same idea, only Ele was a polar bear. I got bored in pre-Algebra, and desided to draw Artic Al. Well, there was a small problem- I couldn't draw Al's parka. (This is where the parka jokes come from. You'd have to be there)
So, I desided to draw Safari Sam instead. He was much easier to draw. And, the natural companion was an Elephant. So, I made a few adventures for him. Safari Sam found his first audience among the students in the back corner of my Language Arts room, to rave reviews. Although the early jokes were of my 8th grade level, some of them still are funny, and many are salvageable.
Safari Sam, Trent Browser, and Captain Nimrod, were orginally all one interconnecting strip. They occionally met. But, Captian Nimrod(His orginal name) was renamed a few times, once I was taught the story of
Nimrod in sunday school, the name was too perfect. And it stuck.
Nimrod's ship, the HurlFast was choosen from a class vote. The beer can was too good. (I'll crush that thing you call a ship like a beer can!) Trent Browser is a play on one of my old school friends. Sort of a tribute, even though with the expnasion of the internet (I didn't even know what a 'browser' was back then. *sigh* Innocence.....) it makes a little more sense.
David Sinclair and the 'new school' cast origins.
I had sorta given up on Sam. David Sinclair just sorta came outta no where. I hadn't even heard of Dilbert when i first drew David. The idea was to have a character i could draw from more than 2 directions. (I could only draw sam facing left and right, and still, that's how i draw him best) Dave gave me a front view perspective. Dave's cast around him has been in constant flux, never once has he had the same cast around him when I restarted the storyline. With the exception of his hermit crab.
Now, if you've never owned, or played with a hermit crab, the idea of a hermit crab with superior intellence isn't that funny. But, for those who have, its hilarious. Or should be. I have yet to meet a hermit crab with a self preservation instinct. They will encounter the edge of a 5 foot drop, hesitate, look around, and then proceed right over, and soon there after, make contect with the floor. They are about as smart as a box of rocks. But, that's what makes them charming. So, it occured to me one day- What if my hermit crab had superior intellect? What if it has it, but can't use it? What if an electrical shock would make him smarter? And from this line of thinking, Dave's hermit crab was born.
I never have, and most likely never will, name my hermit crabs. It seems kinda pointless to me. The closest my crab ever came to a name was 'Houdini' for its ability to escape from almost any cage. But, this lack of a name is why Dave's crab doesn't have a name.
Safari Sam V2.0
I soon wanted to draw Safari Sam again. I missed him. This is where the idea for the multiple storylines comes in. I kept everyone separte, in there own little worlds. And, gave Sam a girlfriend. Orginally, there was no explanation, she just 'Was'. Sandra is the only character, besides Ele, that isn't based on someone I know.
This also saw the introduction of James Monroe (The critic) and my discovery of 'Bloom County'. Bloom County is one of my bigger current influences. I felt rather depressed, knowing that it lived and died before I was old enough to TRUELY get comics. It helped me understand the 80's, which I never really understood. I was too young.
Version 2.5
Version 2.5 is the precursor to Safari Sam Online. I accually drew this one in notebooks, and the drawings are almost of current quality. Version 2.5 accually had one of its better bits, Sam and Ele become special procutors, translated into spanish. I'm going to have to scan it in, cause it is classic. Its about Ele using his minority status to get his way in the court room. You'd have to be there. My spanish teacher got it, and though it was hilarious.
The brief interlude
The Old School, New School, v2.0 and 2.5 all exist as drawing on notebook paper in boxes and folders. They were never really ment to go anywhere. 2.5 i was considering summiting to my schools newspaper, but, it was only published about 5 times a year, and wouldn't have been able to get started in that time. About christmas break (just before my spanish project) I found online comics, completely by accident. I started with sluggy freelance, and soon found I just missed some good strips (Cafe Angst and Password Change) but, there were others. Then it occured to me- I could make my own online strip. Sam would finally have an audience.
Safari Sam Online
The current phase of Safari Sam. This is the Sam you know and love. The first strip I've drawn without the aid of notebook lines. The first time Sam has had an audience of more than one. Granted, its an audience of 3, but, its an improvement.
