There is something comforting about reaching a milestone with a personal project, something that signals progress and achievement. A point where I can take the next step and push it to the next level. But what if there’s no milestone on the horizon? Would it make sense to create one right then and there?
When I started my Hit and Crash comic strip, my original goal was to make a casual game. It was my second game developed entirely on my own, with no outside help. I handled all the coding and design because I wanted to immerse myself in game development. Compared to my first game HeadlessD, I aimed for something more complex. I designed different locations, each with its own set of levels, added achievements and collectibles, and even built an in-game shop. Everything was interconnected with rather intricate logic to make the game both playable and fun.
During this process, I also wanted to explore a new art style, but I couldn’t pin it down right from the start. So, I decided to experiment with the style separately from the game. That’s how the idea of the comic strip was born.
The game was completed with two locations and several dozen levels per location. The shop had about 20 items, and there were tons of collectibles. At the time, I hoped to sell the game to a publisher to secure funding for further development and ensure its longevity. You can still see what I managed to create on my website. While the game was never sold or officially published, it was available as a beta on the Apple Store for a while. But now, it’s history.
The comic strip, however, outgrew the game and found its place on Instagram, where I slowly started gaining followers. I truly enjoy creating these strips once or twice a week. The topics usually revolve around whatever is bothering me at the moment. In a way, it’s my alter ego, a way to explore the absurdity and complexity of modern life with self-loathing humor and sarcasm.
As of now, I have about 230 strips, and both the art style and the main character have gone through significant development. By the way, I haven’t mentioned my alter ego’s name yet, but for me, it has always been Paul.
To be completely honest, this hasn’t been a smooth journey over the past five years. Since I started in 2017, I’ve had a few hiatuses. The most difficult one is the current one, which started last year. Recently, I felt I needed to do something about it.
That’s when I decided to create a book—a collection of my best strips. I had been playing with this idea for a while. In 2018, I even uploaded a small 24 pages softcover pocket book to Amazon. But this time, I wanted to do something more than just a collection. I wanted to set a milestone for myself, something tangible to mark my progress.
It took me a few weeks, but I finally made the book I had been dreaming about for a long time. 120 pages of the best strips, with commentary and full-page illustrations, all packed into a hardcover book in true Hit and Crash style.
The very first copy of the book is dedicated to my wife, Oksana, the best human being I could have by my side and the biggest Hit and Crash fan.
The book isn’t for sale, and I never planned to sell it. But if you’d like a copy, let me know.
The cover image is the photo of the book
