This part of the story was highly inspired by two things. The new Kodak camera I had bought for recording our creative sessions, and our old dad.
The camera became the inspiration for Codack’s name, his address and the fact that he must be killed by being placed in 3 meters of water. This was a small sports camera I had bought. One of the cheaper ones in the store, just to have running while we played. We also wrote a lot of this one while in the car, so we had the GPS there as well.
The moment when we find out that Wexter’s dad never finished T Rex school is one of my favorites. It figures in later on as well, as you’ll see. This is inspired by having a dad who was born right at the end of the Great Depression into a very poor family. He dropped out of school at a young age as many did back then. He eventually finished school and went to college as well.
I started a Patreon page for Axe Cop, if you feel like supporting the comic. Thanks to all those who already have!
That’s all for now. Next week, Wexter and his Dad go on another mission on their little father and son outing. This time they will take on “the Minder”. See you then!
Ethan
As you can imagine, I have a ton of unused material from old notes I took in the days when we were making Axe Cop regularly. It takes about 10 minutes to say this stuff, but months to draw, so I had to “chop” some thing. But a lot of it I still love and I always wanted to do some kind of project where I at least share it in snippets, do some sketches , and get it out there, even if it doesn’t ever make into a complete story.
So, here is the first installment. About Wexter’s dad. I got out the old notes and did a few sketches. This is his introduction. We wrote a whole mission that Wexter and his dad go on together, which I will release in installments because there is a lot of great stuff in it.
I hope to release these weekly, but we’ll see. Thanks for keeping up with Axe Cop!
Ethan
I apologize for the long time with no updates. I figured I owed it to you to at least post a little something to let you know where the axe stands and what the future may or may not hold.
One reason I have not posted or said much is because I don’t have much to report. You could probably deduct the reasons for Axe Cop’s hiatus if you have followed the comic at all over the past year or two. As it stands right now, I’m working on other things. Some of you know I have been a writer on the VeggieTales series on NetFlix for the last two years. That job (hopefully) has one year left on it. In my spare time I have been developing new ideas, trying to find more possibilities for my future beyond that year. I know right now that, as it stands, Axe Cop will not be able to cover me when this job ends.
So I have had to put Axe Cop off to the side indefinitely. Same with my other comic Bearmageddon. Until I have another ball rolling, I can’t consider myself a responsible husband and father if I am spending my time drawing comics that are not providing for the family. I need to invest that time wisely and when the time is right I can revisit projects like Axe Cop and Bearmageddon.
In truth, this is pretty close to what my vision for Axe Cop was from the start. I never knew how long it would last, and I made no predictions. But in my mind it made sense that, through Malachai’s younger years we would create a big body of work (six volumes. not bad!) then “retire”. Beyond that, I think it’s safe to say that every now and then we may revisit Axe Cop and do a story here and there. Who knows, maybe at some point Axe Cop can be my job again. Right now, it’s back to being a hobby. That’s fine with me, I’m proud of the work we did on it and it was never my plan to only draw Axe Cop for the rest of my life.
As for the TV show, I don’t know what is next for it. I suspect it is done but I have not heard anything.
Thanks for all your support and kindness throughout the life of Axe Cop. It has been a lot of fun. I look forward to revisiting Axey again in the future. If not at least to do a few “Ask Axe Cop” episodes. Until then, keep being awesome.
I’m excited to tell you that the time has finally come for Season 2 to air. It has been a long time, and for a while there I wondered if it would really happen, but here we are! Check out this awesome trailer to get a taste of what is in store:
There’s so much I want to say about this season but it is better just to let you be surprised. I really do think these episodes are better than the first season. I think they hit there stride with these ones and I was happy to be part of it, as was Malachai. I wrote one of the scripts for an episode that will come closer to the end of the season and Malachai helped with that too.
UPDATE: I had posted that the episode airs at 9pm, but it is actually just past midnight at 12:15.
It was five years ago today that I was watching the State of the Union address with Doug TenNapel and my little cell phone started to go crazy with emails and twitter notifications because I had just posted AxeCop.com a couple days earlier and somehow it had gone viral. It was pretty wild.
I was living in a small bedroom which I was renting in Los Angeles, single and recently laid off from two jobs. It’s been a crazy five years. I am sorry that it has led to a place where I can’t draw Axe Cop every day like I used to. But we have six volumes published, and the second season of the TV show is now in production! I just got word from FOX/ADHD that Season 2 will be premiering on FXX on April 16th, 2015. Mark your calendars because these are the best episodes yet.
Besides getting a TV show and a sweet job at Dreamworks working with some of my best friends on the new VeggieTales series, as many of you know if you have been following, I got married. And now it has come to this: Little Eliza Jean Nicolle, born November 22nd. Who knows, maybe we’ll make comics together some day.
For now, between workin’ hard and raising our newborn along with our older kids, life is quite full. I’m trying to chip away at Bearmageddon as well, and had no plans to do any Axe Cop stuff, but when I realized we had hit the 5 year anniversarry, I had to do something. I’d been chatting with other writers about old notes I had from Malachai sessions and there was this unfinished story about the Moon Warriors and Telescope Gun Cop I had always wanted to flesh out more. Since that may not happen, I decided to give it to you in this format. Ask Axe Cop #101.
Thanks so much for the years of support and for being such a kind and generous reading audience. It’s been a crazy five years. Malachai is now 10. He will be 11 in March. Oh, how time flies.
Hey old friends! I miss posting Axe Cop comics on a regular basis. I miss drawing. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and I am excited about what we are making, but sometimes I wish I was an octopus with a time-slowing device.
I’m taking this opportunity to announce that Volume 6 of Axe Cop, the American Choppers, will be released November 19th, 2014. This will be just a month before the 5th Christmas since Axe Cop was created. 6 volumes in 5 years? Not bad at all. Check out this amazing cover by my good friend Tom Rhodes.
I just hung out with Malachai in Portland, OR at Rose City Comic Con. I am hoping to find audio of the panel we did because Malachai shared some things about creativity I have never heard him say before. The kid truly is growing up. Having him around made me want to write more Axe Cop. And we shall. Even if I don’t have time to draw it right now, I want to write it for when I can.
That’s all for now. I wish I could announce I knew when the new episodes of Axe Cop will air, because I have seen them and they are amazing. But they remain in limbo. Thanks for checking in!
Ethan
I’m at Comic Con this year in the same place I was last year, booth #1603. Come say hi, pick up some books, prints, get a drawing… just don’t accidentally leave your warmly gripped sack of deadpool comics on my table. That seems to happen every year. No panel this year. Malachai is not going to be here and I didn’t have anything to show. If you were hoping for a Q&A or something, come find me at my table and ask me a question. Problem solved! For the rest of you who can’t make it to Comic Con, well, that’s fine. In some ways I envy you.
So, I apologize that updates have pretty much ceased here. For now, Malachai and I are out of new material. I think it’s a good time for a break for both of us. We have been putting out regular comics for nearly 5 years. We just finished are 6th volume (which will be the American Choppers TPB) and Malachai is 10. As some of you know, I got a pretty steady and demanding job working on the new Veggie Tales show for Dreamworks coming to NetFlix in December as a writer and story editor. Between my job and my family, I’ve had to make some choices, and for now Axe Cop has taken a life of its own beyond the comics.
I hope to work on some more Ask Axe Cop episodes when I have time, and I would like to explore other possibilities to continue making Axe Cop stories down the road. For now, with what little time I have to make comics, I am trying to get volume one of Bearmageddon finally done. Axe Cop is not over yet, but I’m taking a break for a while. For now, the American Choppers #1 and 2 are available in comic shops. Number 3 gets released July 24th.
Thanks for following our work and being faithful to check the site for new material. I love drawing Axe Cop and look forward to getting back to it after I take some time away.
Ethan
P.S. No the TV show is not cancelled. New episodes are being made right now and they are amazing.
Hey chop-aholics! Sorry for the long delay in new stuff. I have been really busy with stuff I cannot post online on a regular basis. Unfortunately I gotta do what pays. The good news is it is work I love, but for you, you just sit here with a site that never updates.
May 21st, the new Axe Cop miniseries from Dark Horse will be released! The American Choppers. This is the first mini-series that actually continues off of the web comic series AND the other miniseries, putting them all into continuity with each other. While it is officially the follow up to President of the World, it takes place post-Axe Cop Gets Married.
If you will be anywhere near Southern California on May 24th, stop by A Shop Called Quest in Claremont between 2-5pm. I’ll be signing issues of American Choppers #1!
