Back-up Vocal~ In all honesty, I’ve had this Comic bouncing around in my head for a few years. I held it back, because there simply was not a place for it until now. The saga of the “tour bus” has been shelved this long for a few reasons. Principle among them, I ultimately need to design a completely NEW one for our boys. Before we enter THAT engineering nightmare, it was only fitting to pay a social call on the bus as it still stands now. In addition, this Comic needed special consideration, because it really constituted a joke I could only tell once.

I’m reminded of a number of Comic Book characters with origins that wallowed in the fog for decades, before finally being fleshed out once and for all. These were iconic figures, making ridiculous amounts of money for their publishers. So, their continued popularity and sales depended on keeping their past shrouded in mystery. We see it on a range of TV shows as well. The ratings continued to flourish, as long as a character’s origin was held in reserve. Until several Seasons in, when the “big reveal” finally hit. That’s a tricky bit of business. Explain too much too soon and readers or viewers walk away. On the other hand, if the powers-that-be take too long to present the back-story, those same previous fans may take a hike as well. Because, they got tired of waiting. The truth of the matter seems to lie in the fact that in most cases, companies and writers were deeply concerned about establishing a concrete story they could not change later. 

I mean in no way mean to place my little circus on par with the greats of fiction who have endured such hardship before us. But, in my own way, I understand the point. I’ve seen a few favorite TV shows canceled when the writers played their cards too close to the vest for too long. Further, I don’t want the forthcoming NEW DBS 3 tour bus tied down to a design that doesn’t lend itself to plot concepts down the road. Rest assured that much thought has been given to the best possible “bigger picture”. In the meantime, we still have the current monstrosity sitting in the backfield of the Manifold Estate. This moment seemed as good a time as any for a visit. 

For the record, the tour bus Compression Coil slot is STILL occupied by copies of “Xanadu” on 92 Betamax tapes. As was discussed way back in Comic #17. Soon as I learn the status of the wallabies who nestled in the waterbed, the news will be shared here. Watch this space.