I’ve been mesmerized by the artistic antics of the dynamic duo consisting of Donald Poquiz and Matt Barak for quite some time now. These two guys are irreverent, unorthodox, nasty, and downright hilarious.

I discovered them right around the time I was hosting AC Guest Strips in 2009. Seemingly within minutes, these guys created a side-splitting knee-slapper featuring Hank and his mom. I had to invite them back for this year’s go-round.

I’ve recently (like today) discovered that this team supreme has opted to go their separate ways. WTF? I read their latest comic which spelled out their intentions to close shop and pursue different avenues of sick expression. So the comic you’re now reading may be their last official collaboration. While I am proud to be serving what may be the final variation of Straight Face Comics, I am deeply saddened by the fact.

Regardless, I recommend that you check out their impressive and extensive archive of entertainment. Their efforts are definitely NSFW (Not Safe For the World), but if your mind leases space in the gutter like mine does, you will find some good enjoyment within the confines of their website. So, go check ‘em out and make these fellas come back. Start a petition or something. Write my congressman and tell my housekeeper that it’s on.

AC Anniversary Artwork by Speearr of Terence N Tijuana

When I first began ADDANAC CITY as a webcomic, I had not the slightest inkling as to whether it would survive to make it for an entire year. I had witnessed guys I’d started out with simply disappear from the scene. I’d seen cartoonists become disenfranchised with their creations. I’ve seen strips where the audience just wasn’t there, and the series’ didn’t stand a chance of prospering. How was I to know if ADDANAC CITY would make it? The odds were stacked heavily against me.

If I was in this for the money, I would have quit long ago. There are more than 26,000 active webcomics appearing on the internet at any given time. Only a small number (a very small number) reach the upper echelons of the industry and become profitable. If you’re gonna create a webcomic, financial success should be an afterthought. If the money comes, then fine. But, first and foremost, you should do it for the love.

You’ve gotta love and enjoy what you’re doing. Your passion, energy, and determination is what will draw your audience to you. If they feel that you’re just phoning it in or that you’re merely trying to stuff related merchandise down their throats, the viewers will leave you hangin’ in an instant. If you’re passionate about creating, the audience will be passionate about reading what you create.

I can see for myself how much ADDANAC CITY has changed and grown since its initial incarnation. I can almost cringe now when I pore through the early strips. That’s a good thing, though. If I don’t have any growth as an artist and/or writer, then I haven’t learned anything during my year-long trek through the World Wide Web. Hopefully, next year (God willing), I’ll look back at today’s strip and see where I could have done it better.

I hope that ADDANAC CITY and I will be around for a long time to come. I can’t guarantee anything, but I promise to deliver for as long as you, Dear Reader, will have me. I want you to love AC as much as I do.

As far as today’s comic goes, there are quite a few guest-appearances occurring. Some of the characters shown you may be familiar with, some you may not. In order to alleviate any confusion, I’m gonna point out who’s who, and you can match ‘em up and check out their own individual comics. Here we go….

PANEL ONE: We have Alp from Tony Piro’s Calamities of Nature and Charlie Brown and Snoopy from Charles Schulz’s Peanuts.

PANEL THREE: There’s Raul from Matt Stout’s Big Sandy Gilmore.

PANEL FOUR: You have Zorphbert and Fred from Dawn Griffin’s Zorphbert and Fred comic. There’s also a background glimpse of Shaggy and Scooby.

PANEL FIVE: There’s Peter Griffin of Family Guy.

PANEL SEVEN: We’ve got Joe! from Michelle Billingsley’s JOE comic and Kreg of Craig Babin’s Life With Kreg comic.

PANEL EIGHT: You can see Archie and Jughead from Archie Comics, Oskar from DAVID LAMASON’s Unbearable Bears comic, and Mike from John K’s Pointe East comic.

PANEL NINE: There’s the main character from K.J. Rhue’s and L.M. Rhue’s Not A People Person comic, Ace Pilot from Speearr’s Terence N Tijuana comic, and Max from Karl Kleese’s Willow’s Grove comic.

PANEL TEN: We also have Ogden T. Monster from Phil Oliveira’s Canned Ham comic and Matt from Matt Barak’s and Donald Poquiz’s Straight Face Comics.

PANEL ELEVEN: Take a gander at John Campos, the dad from Neftali Rivera’s Midtoon comic, and Jim from Nate Fake’s The Frustrated Cartoonist comic.

PANEL TWELVE: There’s Bunny Wiggins from Jerome Benedict’s Muddle Creek comic, Hodge from Jynksie’s How Sweet It Is comic, George from John Norton’s George comic, and Marge Simpson from Matt Groening’s The Simpsons.

Whew! That’s a lotta guest-stars, but I enjoyed incorporating these characters into ADDANAC CITY’s 1 Year Anniversary Special. I worked hard on this milestone and I hope it shows.

Thank you so very much for taking time out of your schedule to drop by and check out this lil’ ditty. You could have been anywhere in the world today, but right now, you’re here with me. And that means more to me than you’ll ever realize. Gracias!

So, I hope you’ll stick around with me, Hank, and the rest of the gang throughout this next year. I’ve got loads of neat stuff planned: There’s a new student matriculating to Addanac City Elementary, Uncle Jack goes on an adventure during his bail hearing, and Mr. and Mrs. Addanac learn more about themselves and each other. And, of course, we’re gonna see more of ol’ Hank as he does his best to bust up the status quo whenever the opportunity arises.

Stay tuned!

*All characters depicted in this Addanac City comic strip are copyrighted by their respective creators (so nobody try and sue me, okay?)

I first became aware of Straight Face Comics thru Twitter. I started following them on there, then I eventually checked out their official website. I came to one conclusion:

These guys are hilarious!

Matt’s and Donald’s humor is irreverent, unorthodox, and downright amusing. This comedy duo is no-holds-barred, and they let you have it with both barrels. They reach a little deeper in the duffel bag of depravity than I normally do, but they strike webcomic gold when they do so.

After spotlighting a few cartoonists during my Guest Strip Weeks, I received an email from Matt asking if it was too late for him and The Donald to contribute something. Being the lazy bum gracious host that I am, I informed them that they would be the perfect finale for the generous outpouring of guest comics I had been running.

Matt said that they would try to squeeze something in between their own regular strip updates. I’m not an iron-fisted taskmaster, so I told them to just take their time and fit me in whenever their schedule permitted. Within a couple of days, they sent me the wild n’ zany strip that you see above.

I’m lovin’ it and I hope that you are too. The Straight Face Comics squad definitely push the envelope the way it should be pushed: roughly and alongside a cliff.

So, check the guys out and show ‘em some Addanac Fanatic love. Straight Face Comics may end up becoming one of your favorite sites as well.

TOMORROW’S COMIC: Well, comic lovers, this ends ADDANAC CITY’s First Annual Guest-Strip Extravaganza. Have no fear, however, because I have a special surprise planned for you tomorrow. Saturday’s comic is a double-sized Fourth of July Celebration Special created by moi! I know it’s been awhile since you’ve seen any AC stuff by me, but I hope I still have the gall skills to concoct something side-splittingly funny. Tune in tomorrow, witness how the Addanac family gets their party on, and let me know if it tickles your ribs.