We interrupt your current comic continuity for this special (and admittingly ego-centric) update.

April 6th, 2006. That night, the first page of Dead of Summer was posted online. Set to go live at 12:01am on April 7th, I don’t think I’d been that anxious in a very long time.

It was to be the first page of an artist and writer whom by their own admission, had no idea what they were doing. Many questions arose… Would we grow an audience? Would anyone give a damn? Would we even make it to a second page?

But yet over 150 updates (with 1 missed update!), and a year later, we’re still here, and we’re still going strong.

I’d be lying if I said that I knew how this comic would grow…how we’d go from 2 guys throwing around ideas in a basement, to panelists, and featured guests at cons…

…but sometimes, you know you have a good thing going.

There’s so many people who have made this past year amazing…

Our friends in the Baltimore music scene, in Karmella’s Game, Avec, and Assassinate Caesar…

…our friends in the webcomics world, including Oni and Harknell of Onezumi, Brian of Hookie Dookie Panic, Chris and Barb of Fragile Gravity, Phil Kahn of Biscuit Press and I’m Just Drinking, Rob Balder of Erfworld and Partly Clips, Kilika of Blue & Blond, Shawn of Staccato, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention our brother in webcomics, Ross of The Rockets…

and of course, our friends here at home, who have so tirelessly listened to us ramble off incessantly our ideas for our ’silly zombie comic’, and even helped us out with our con appearances…

But I especially have to thank my partner in crime, and a guy without whom, I wouldn’t be writing this today…the man who’s art you see every update, Ghostfreehood himself, Nick Borkowicz. A year and a half ago, you convinced me I could write this damn thing…and I’m still trying to not let you down.

And of course, above all else, we thank you, the readers, for letting us entertain you, and giving us such interesting e-mails to read, and such great visits at cons. You make it worthwhile.

Thanks for the amazing year. We promise to top it.

See some of you tomorrow night. The rest? See you on Monday. Have a great weekend.

It’s worth mentioning that today’s pin-up is inspired by the (mildly NWS) cover of the new Rolling Stone. Rawr.