The Boys of St. Precocious

Holiday Wishes...

2011-12-08T01:28:00.007+01:00

The holiday is upon us, although we have no idea how it arrived so quickly. Summer was just yesterday, was it not? I guess it's time to bring out the winter coats and put the top up on the cabriolet.

We will be posting several images in the month of December, along with a new folder for Wallpapers. We have been receiving emails requesting some of the aforementioned, so we diddled around and came up with a couple. If you have any questions or requests, leave a message in the Guestbook and we'll give it our attention. No guarantees that we will oblige, but we'll take any well-intentioned suggestion or request into consideration, when producing future wallpaper images.

We will also be posting our holiday image(s?) shortly and doing what we can to elevate the spirits of our visitors. We will rely on you to let us know if we have been successful in our endeavor.

The best of holiday wishes to you all, and do remember those less fortunate than yourself.

DDM & KJ

2011-11-17T22:02:00.004+01:00

Just a short note for November, as we prepare for Christmas. There is not much to share from this locale and work progresses very well for us. We have managed to make headway with the new criteria chance has directed and we are happy with how it is turning out. Overall, we feel that the changes we have made will actually enable us to share the story with a wider audience. Those of you in the 'Red States' might be in for a treat.

We hope all of you will have a colourful and enjoyable Autumn and, for the Yanks: we wish you a Happy Turkey day.

KJ & DDM

Salut...

2011-10-08T23:04:00.005+01:00

Friends, Romans, Countrymen,

If only we had something profound with which to follow such an opening. Ah, well, we are not Marcus Antonius after all. So, we will delve into what is available to us, and you don't have to lend us anything. (If you do not know the reference, then we will want to talk to your history teachers! A scolding will be in order!)

DDM and I took a bit of a holiday at the end of the summer (six weeks), to refresh our batteries. Many life-critical issues were demanding our attention and we managed to conquer most of them. You know how it is - ' life is something that happens while you are busy making other plans.' I don't remember who first spoke this sentiment, but he/she hit the nail on the head. If you are over nine years of age then you will fully understand its logic and profundity.

New images are up in three folders and there are more on the way. I just ran out of steam yesterday, so there will be more over the weekend. With recharged batteries, we are back in the fun of what it is that we do. When we can define what that 'it' is we will share it with y'all. We promise.

One of our fave guys left us, literally, and we want to give a nod to 'the Steve.' What he created helps us everyday and we love what he did for computing. Genius? How about one of the gods?

On a happier note, DDM has a new toy and he'll share aspects of it in some of the images that are coming soon. He has wanted one of these for a while (since he was 14) and now he has it. Everyone should have what they wanted most when they were 14, oui? I wanted a Ferrari. Anyone wish to place a wager on whether or not I got what I wanted?

We sincerely hope that everyone is having a healthy and (sufficiently) prosperous year, and hope that you all stay safe and help those around you who may be less fortunate. These are difficult times and the true measure of a man or woman is best taken during times of turmoil. That is when truth will out. Peace.

KJ & DDM

2011-07-06T23:57:00.009+01:00

We recently had a Guestbook post from a visitor, which we felt deserved an in-depth reply. Here is our response, along with the points put forth by the poster:

“I really think your missing the boat on your project. I personally thing you should make the comic to be web based project rather than a book. Times gentlemen have changed since you first began with a book based project.”

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us and, as we value all input, I thought it would be a good idea to respond to the points you presented. Before I go further, it should probably be noted that KJ’s professional experience is in Marketing/Advertising. His experience encompasses trends not only for the last part of the 20^th Century, but well into the current market climate, including the use of the internet to augment sales and activities. That said, he and I both have extensive collections of books and artwork and we appreciate the tactile experience of holding a book or work of art in our hands. We do recognize the changes that have taken place, with regards to digital technology and the attention span of many new readers. However, we are ‘old school’ and know that true collectors of good illustrative art will want to have a concrete object to hold, and to add to their collections. Even some of our younger fans have mentioned how they are looking forward to having something that is not tied to their computer and can be read on sailboat, far from land, without requiring electricity.

KJ and I envision young people propped up on their elbows, smiles spreading across their faces, as they witness the miraculous activities of the Boys of St. Precocious Academy. We even dare to hope that a casually discarded – for a moment only – copy of our work(s) may be discovered by another actively seeking answers to the questions that have made themselves present in his or her thoughts. Can a computer offer this possibility? Perhaps, if one were found digging through someone’s files. It is more likely to occur when a brightly coloured book is found lying about.

“I think now it should be website based where you can set up a the on going story line. I for one don't need a book in my life. Your fans can easily print out the images if they want to and the text.” Added in new message: “I neglected to mention I fully expect it to be a pay as you go site. I'm not asking you to give your hard work away for free.”

Perhaps the addition of a book is of no interest for you, and we appreciate different points of view. The suggestion you put forth would make our site be like any other pay site. Initially, we were approached by many different outfits telling us how we could make money by letting others use our site for advertising, as well as providing links that would provide us with additional money from ‘clicking forward,’ which we summarily dismissed as unappetizing for our fans, and dismal for us. Our site is not about money, although our illustrated tome will be sold at a reasonable price. To offer a ‘Download Now’ option would put us in the same league as the Czech sites offering half-dressed urchins for viewing. A basic review of the internet will demonstrate how often people who download from a site where they had to pay a fee will then post the items for others to consume for free. It is their erroneous assumption that they paid for the goods, so they can do with them as they wish. This copyright-ignorant attitude is the majority mindset on the internet, and we have enough understanding of this to do everything in our power to avoid it, prodigiously. As I mentioned earlier, KJ has a great deal of experience with matters such as this. I am no virgin, either.

In summation, I would suggest that trends are trends, and KJ and I subscribe to the concept that ‘only dead fish flow with the current.’ It’s just the way we are. We do hope that you will enjoy our work in whatever format it is delivered.

Danke,

DDM

Summer, at last!

2011-06-05T16:52:00.004+01:00

In spite of the odd weather around the globe, summer has made its presence known at the studio. Thunderstorms followed hot and humid days, and that can only mean one thing: it's time for the beach! If you haven't already made plans for a visit to a body of water for this activity, we suggest that you do so now. We'll post a new pic or two after you get back from your dip.

Progress is being made, but KJ is due for a small surgery to the eye, so his creative time will be impacted for a while, after the 16th. Nothing major, but bloody inconvenient, from his perspective.

Stay healthy and have some fun.

KJ & DDM

Talent...

2011-05-06T16:31:00.006+01:00

As many of you know, we are occasionally introduced to new talent, and after the Justin Bieber thing (thank you for not sending his vids to us, by the way), we thought we should save new ones for a later date. Now, we feel like this young lad could use a bit of exposure, and he is very talented. Let us hope that he gets the attention he deserves. Here's a bit of Ryan Beatty performing Bruno Mar's 'Talking to the Moon'...

Remember, if you do like him and visit him on Youtube, be gracious.

KJ & DDM

"May the bunny rabbit of happiness fly up your birdbath..."

2011-04-24T01:06:00.004+01:00

Don't ask. It's an expression an old friend once used to extend best wishes to others. His sanity was often questioned, although not by us. We're just as demented as was he, as most of you well know.

It being Easter and all, DDM decided to make up a little treat for everyone. You can visit it here, and there will be new images up by Monday night, if KJ can keep his schedule rolling along as intended.

Have a wonderful weekend and please be safe out there.

KJ & DDM

2011-04-01T20:07:00.006+01:00

As promised, no joke...

DDM and I did manage to wind down our four-year project on March 31st, which will now allow us to muck about with writing, comic and other fun pursuits. We greatly enjoyed what we were doing, but we needed to refocus on our creative work, and now we can.

As we mentioned a few days ago, we hoped to add new images, alter pages and otherwise fluff up our site before midnight, tonight (GMT) and it appears that we have managed to do so. Will miracles never cease?

There are new characters to meet, and other changes which we hope everyone will enjoy. We will be devoting more time to sharing our work - now that we have a smidgen more time to spare - so we will be updating regularly. Have a look around, and be sure to poke around in all of the nooks and crannies. You may find all sorts of things hanging about.

We would also like to ask that viewers leave a note on the guestbook, or the blog, if you enjoy our work. Public feedback is always welcome and it's a shame if only DDM and myself get to read the kind words of encouragement we receive in emails. Leave a note, when you can and enjoy.

The emails about David's video were so positive that we felt it would be a shame if it lost its place just by the introduction of a new blog, so we are including it in this blog post, as well:

Remember, you can find the intrepid David Paris (Paris D'Avignon) on Facebook. He's a very gracious lad so get to know him.

KJ & DDM

2011-03-25T21:00:00.005+01:00

No Joke...

DDM and myself are winding down a four-year project on March 31st - one which has taken a huge chunk of our time. It was a challenge we loved and now we can focus on our everyday living, comic and my writing. Ah, summer will be special, this year.

To commemorate our new freedom, we will be posting new material to our site before midnight, on April 1st. There will also be an introduction of new characters we have created as well as further good news: with a small story alteration, Paris D'Avignon will now be introduced near the end of our first issue. One should not have to wait for all good things, should one? And, here is the inspiration for our character to entertain you until the 1st:

You can find the intrepid David Paris (Paris D'Avignon) on Facebook. If David is new to you you can trust us when we suggest that you will enjoy the experience. He's a likable lad, and extremely easy on the eyes.

KJ & DDM

2010-12-14T17:35:00.004+01:00

Friends, As a few of you may already know, MySpace deleted our profile. It began when they blocked us from it for more than three weeks, after we notified them that the changeover to the 3.0 system prevented our use of our .eu email address, for signing in. The path they took us down was unbelievable, and eventually it became clear that they had no intention of letting us have access to our profile. We saved all of the communications and we will be making a rather fun post with a few visuals, after the end of the year. For all of those poor souls who have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with MySpace 'support' staff, you have our sympathy. Since we had already decided not to create a new profile on MySpace, we went for a bit of fun with it, instead of letting the mind-numbing ignorance we experienced weigh us down. It's too close to Christmas for that, oui? Oui. So, we will be posting our updates to our website, via the blog, and we welcome comments here, as well as our Facebook page, a link for which is now located where the MySpace link used to be. It was sooooo easy to change. Technology is cool, is it not? We hope you will all have a safe and fun-filled holiday.

KJ & DDM

T'is the season to be...

2010-11-20T11:16:00.004+01:00

It would appear that MySpace has run into a few glitches, with music players not functioning, their 'Contact MySpace' option only putting out a little idiot window that says "Oops! You forgot required info' or some such nonsense thereby not allowing you to send a note (a rational mind would know that this is probably done on purpose so that the techies don't have to read all the problem-laden emails), and the inability to handle .eu email addresses for signing in. Although MySpace can send us the proper form for resetting our password, they cannot seem to recognize our email address as being valid for signing in, although we have used it for ages. Rupie and his henchmen must be going through a meltdown of sorts. Imagine, trying to be like Zuckerman. Why would one want to, one might ask? Facebook is about as boring and vanilla as one could find on the internet, and it does not need a sibling.

Sooooo, for the time being, we don't have access to our MySpace account, which saves us a bunch of time, so a short vacation is not an unwelcome event. We'll let you know when Rupie and his boys get things sorted out. We wouldn't suggest holding your breath for more than a few minutes, though. We don't want to lose any of you good people. In the meantime, you can still find us on Facebook (between the gelato and the sorbet) http://www.facebook.com/kristophe.johansson . Who knows, we might even begin to find Facebook fun, now.

KJ & DDM

PS: Happy Turkey Day to our American friends.

It Gets Better...

2010-10-10T02:43:00.002+01:00

DDM and I made a commitment to each other, that our Kristie and the boys would be a project that would be about fun, love and spirit. To that end, we have kept our message on the fun, loving and spirited side of things. Today, we feel that this blog should be about something more important than our work.

If you haven't yet heard about Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" project, on YouTube, it is highly likely that you will. Both DDM and I support it wholeheartedly, and if you have a story to tell that may prevent a young boy, or girl, from leaving us before he/she should because of bullying, please go to the "It Gets Better" YouTube page and add your contribution to Dan's project. Here's one boy's contribution:

KJ

2010-08-04T14:53:00.005+01:00

Well, it's summer, and the August holiday season is upon us. A full month of holiday and it comes at a good time. DDM has aired a desire to hit Provence, and KJ is looking to the Atlantic coast for some sea breezes. We'll let y'all know how it turns out for both. In the mean- time, we understand your desire to check out our work, but, for this month, we heartily suggest that you push away from the desk, unhook the computer and get outdoors!

As always, play safe and play fair,

DDM & KJ

2010-04-16T00:14:00.003+01:00

The sun is finally out, although the rain returns to the studio frequently, and keeps the ground soggy. Fortunately for our boys, they live at the beach, so life is always fun for them.

DDM is busy with life and making new character images and pages, and KJ is 'building' cars in the St. Precocious garage. We will show you one or two of them in the very near future, along with some new interiors and other images. As we are having to rebuild the comic (see past blogs about new laws in the EU) we have been occupied with that, primarily. Every image we produce for the website takes us away from repairing the comic, so we ask for continued patience. KJ is also working simultaneously on three new books, as well, so time is precious for both of us.

We want to thank those of you for sending emails of encouragement, and we are committed to completing the comic, so worry not. It shall be done. The format is changing, slightly, to include more text along with the images, to make a stronger story, since we can no longer have some of the content we had intended to include. This means that KJ is writing a fourth book, actually. Some call this sort of comic a 'graphic novel,' but ours will have so many images that this phrase doesn't really cover what we are making. You'll just have to see it, we guess, and then maybe someone can tell us what it is.

We recently had a question asked about our plans for distribution, and we feel confident that we will be able to distribute our work to most of the developed nations of the world, with the possible exception of the UK and some states in des Etats Unis, wherein nudity is considered to be an affront to the common man. They are comic images, but that doesn't seem to matter, to some folks. Our legal beagles are still researching this for us, and we will follow their advice.

We hope everyone is enjoying a great spring and summer is coming, so get the swim suits out and watch out for the sun.

DDM & KJ

2010-01-04T01:03:00.002+01:00

We wish everyone a wonderful, safe and sane New Year!

2009-11-26T02:43:00.002+01:00

Sorry for the long pause between blogs, but we have been busy with regular life, and KJ needed his annual hospital surprise to keep things interesting. We won't bore you with the details, and will only say that he is happy to be home and looking forward to the healing process. He promises to update the blog with something fun, very soon. Have you stopped by the galleries to see the new work that was posted? Enjoy!

In the meantime, we hope you will be content to view the image above, which was shot from KJ's hospital bed, the morning that he was released from the clutches of his white-uniformed captors.

KJ & DDM

The comparison...

2009-08-03T14:05:00.004+01:00

Freunden,

We have received a couple of emails asking if our Aly (aka Alain, Scruffs) was modeled after the young Dutch singer, Tom Klijbroek. So, we looked up the little scamp to see what the fuss was all about, and we were rather surprised to see that the lad did look a little like our Scruffs, or is it the other way around? Anyway, we thought we should clear the air and say that although we feel that Tom is a very talented young man, and great things will be coming his way, our Scruffs is unique, and not modeled after Tom. We would also believe that Tom is in no way modeled after Scruffs, since we created Scruffs a few years after Tom was born and it is doubtful that the universe works that way - although that, too, would be an interesting discussion. So, we give you the talented Master Klijbroek, and we highly recommend that you all take a listen to his music. He's rather good.

KJ & DDM

Summertime...

2009-07-13T02:16:00.006+01:00

and the livin' is cool, rainy and what the blazes happened to summer in middle Europe? We've had a few warm days, but it is July, and we are in rainy and cool, which is not seasonal. Ah, yes, global warming - yet it's cool. Hmmmm....

In the midst of several projects, we are working on the rebuild of our comic, after the surprising new laws enacted in Germany, about which we informed everyone in our last blog. It goes to show you that there are no accidents in the universe, and had we printed and offered up our first issue, there might have been a reason for them to spank us...or not. As we mentioned, though, we had created this story with several directions available, so the outline was already in place. Now, we just have to redo a few sections and we'll be back on track.

KJ is still busy with writing and working on two other projects and trying to build the strength back up in his legs. So far, the long walks in the countryside are doing the job. Let's hope improvement continues. If you would like to have a look at KJ's first book, which is now available, stop by his other site - Kristophe.com - and have a look. You'll get a chance to see David Paris' lovely visage on the cover, if you do. You can also keep abreast of his activities (KJ's, not David's) on KJ's MySpace page, as well. Y'all know about Kristophe's MySpace page, of course. Stop by and have a look around, if you like.

DDM has his toy back for the summer, a vintage Peugeot convertible, just in time for the rain. And, he just bought a nifty original side mirror for it, too. Bugger. Let's hope the weather changes before we head back to France in August. One must have sunshine in France, non?

Thank you, one and all, for your notes and emails, and we hope everyone is having a great summer (or winter, for our Aussie friends)!

DDM & KJ

Censorship is alive and well, in Deutschland and the European Union...

2009-04-19T18:04:00.006+01:00

Friends,

Many of you have been anticipating the arrival of our first issue of The Boys of St. Precocious Academy, as have we. We have spent many long hours on its creation and we had hoped to have it finished very soon. However, we have just been thrown a rather substantial curve.

Our studio is located in the southern part of Germany, and we anticipated printing the comic in Germany, as well. While we have been busy, the European Union set up new guidelines for pron that encompass the younger years, and parts of it are rather distressing, and a bit over the top. Germany has decided (as of November, 2008) to employ the most Draconian of measures to fall into step with the EU's requirements. Even the members of other EU states have expressed surprise, although the UK is following suit with its own craziness.The German law (and the forthcoming British one) not only disallows any cartoon or drawing of teenaged boys engaged in any sexual activity, they will also disallow any image wherein anyone might ASSUME the character is not over 18 years of age. In other words, the character must be unambiguously viewed as over 18. In the vernacular, this means that Kristie would have to grow a beard.

Manga and Yaoi are no longer legal in Germany, and will not be legal in the European Union, shortly. Although we never intended that our younger characters would engage in such activity, we had assumed - by current European laws - that the older boys could have a bit of fun. This is no longer the case, and the penalties are severe. We cannot imagine how we can make Alain, Kristie, Ethan, Nicky and many others appear to be over 18 to ALL people, and the courts are already arbitrary enough without this kind of freedom to play with people's lives. Did we mention that this is unconstitutional, in Germany? It is, but who has the money to fight this idiocy? Well, there is one guy, and who would guess that it would be Larry Flynt who would come along and sue the German government for this new law? I didn't, and god bless him for doing so. Now, we wait to see what happens, although his suit does not address drawn images.

There is another, equally disturbing aspect to this law which is even more bizarre, and that is the prohibition of any writing which describes the sexual activity of any person under the age of 18, whether real or fictional. (When you get done shaking your head in disbelief, remember to bring your lower jaw back up to meet your upper.) Yes, they have now banned any literature, comic
or printed material of any kind which has any description of such an activity. Hmmmmm...a few biographies just got thrown off the bookshelves in most libraries. We'll put them on the pile of rubble with the pottery, sculpture, paintings and drawings that we just removed from museums in Berlin , Hamburg, Munich and many other cities in Germany. One of KJ's books will also have to be added to this pile, if he tried to print it in Germany or the UK. He won't, of course. Who knew that censorship of this magnitude would ever surface again? This aspect of the new law is also in direct conflict with the German constitution. Freedom of thought and word is a right, here, as it should be anywhere.

To see if this law has affected businesses in Germany, we searched on Amazon.de and other sites, and noticed that books in violation of this new law are still being offered. We have also seen that Manga and Yaoi are still available, as well. This is not surprising, since there was no fanfare about the new law. And, one has to keep in mind that LEA never go after the big boys when they want to set a precendent in law, for it is much easier to squash a mosquito than an eagle. Hence, our desire not to place ourselves in the position of being the mosquito. This is not to say we wouldn't fight such ignorance. It is astonishing that folks have already forgotten the history of seventy years ago, in Europe.

We are currently redesigning the first issue to comply with the new law, and we will keep a watchful eye on the bureaucrats to see how this all develops. In the UK comic artists and illustrators have formed a group and are pushing for a hearing on the upcoming changes. We wish them good luck, and we wonder where the German artists and illustrators are on this, since we haven't heard a peep out of them, yet.

We'll keep you posted.

KJ & DDM

A new year, and an update on our progress...

2009-01-27T13:08:00.002+01:00

Friends,

Yes, I (KJ) am back at the studio, although my movements are still a bit restricted. I have faith that things will improve, as time goes on, and I thank everyone for their emails and notes. I will answer all of them, as soon as I can.

Although I have been a bit handicapped, of late, we have been putting the comic together, and what we have so far looks great - in our estimation. Of course, it will be y'all who will make the final determination, but we are still having fun with it, and we think it will work out the way we want, now. There is an incredible amount of detail going into each image, and when one thinks about how there are sometimes more than twelve-twenty images on a comic page, one can get an idea of why this is taking us a bit longer than we had hoped. We have included a portion of one image at the top of this blog, to show everyone how detailed the pics will be, and this is just a pencil image, enhanced in Photoshop, so you will be able to get an idea of what we are doing. Add this visual to our colour images that you have seen and you will now have a clear sense of what our task entails. Yep, it's a bugger, but it's also great fun. We are committed to publishing the completed work, this year, and after seeing the first part put together, we are even more excited about what we are doing, so I think we will be able to keep this commitment we have made to ourselves. We'll keep you posted.

KJ & DDM

2008-12-28T23:17:00.003+01:00

We think the image will speak for itself. Wishing you all a very safe and pleasurable New Year!

KJ & DDM

2008-12-22T04:19:00.003+01:00

The Boys of St. Precocious Academy wish you all a happy and safe holiday!

KJ & DDM

2008-10-28T09:24:00.002+01:00

We apologize for the delay in updating the blog and site, and these are tasks usually performed by KJ (moi), who has just returned from five weeks in hospital. There will be an update about that posted to our MySpace page as soon as KJ (moi) writes it. In a couple of days, we hope.

We have received several inquiries regarding the development of our first issue, and we can say that the comic is moving along. Because we are using a more complex and detailed means of articulating our message and visual ideas, a 30-page item takes a bit longer, and we feel that the quality will be well worth the effort. It should also be noted that most comics are drawn by one person, inked by another and then coloured by yet another. We do not have that process, as we prefer to do our own styling and colouring, which we feel is the best approach. It would appear, from the fan mail, that this is a good thing, and since we are compelled to create that which we see in our minds and hearts, we must do as we think best. Oui? Oui. Oh, and there is that pesky little nuisance called 'life,' which impacts our work efforts on a daily basis. Whatever happened to that time-honoured thing called 'patrons of the arts?'

Speaking of the arts, we have attached a vid for your enjoyment. Some think that opera in anything but Italian or German is like swimming in treacle. We beg to differ. This is an excerpt from Kenneth Branaugh's 'Zauberflöte' (The Magic Flute). Beautifully done, and the harmony is exquisite!

KJ & DDM

Sometimes, it is not about us...

2008-08-21T14:20:00.004+01:00

This blog is about a young man from Oz, who is truly magical. Watch these vids and decide for yourself if this is a wonderful voice. The second video references the song written in tribute to the children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , which happens to be KJ's favorite USA charity. Enjoy.

DDM & KJ

July and summer attire...

2008-07-02T12:08:00.009+01:00

We updated our Cafepress page, and we added new items, including a new St. Precocious Academy Alumni Cap, in either tan or white. It was the suggestion of a friend that we add hats, and we decided that it is far more likely that alumni would wear one, than a current enrollee. The latter are far too active to keep any headgear on for long.

We also deleted some items that were of little interest to most folks, including us, and we added some shirts for the more 'robustly figured' female admirers of our work. We have also changed the pricing on several items. Have a look, if you like, and don't forget to stop by our MySpace page, for updates, as well.

It's summer, so have fun!

KJ & DDM

PS - A little treat. This is Fredrick Strand Halland, an amazing blues-stringer:

Holidays...

2008-06-28T18:19:00.003+01:00

We went to So. Germany for a bit, to see a friend, and it was a trifle warm, although it has cooled some. DDM is busy drawing and KJ is busy buggering up the pages and backgrounds, and more images. Somehow, this will all come together. KJ is studying the guitar, again, in a new style - slide blues, and Fritz, the studio cat, has registered his protests by reciprocating with abundant caterwauling in accompaniment. It's difficult for DDM to sort out the 'riffs' worked by KJ and the arias produced by Fritz. KJ or the cat will hopefully improve with time. New images are up on the site, and we do plan to post a couple more, during the month. We are being a bit stingy due to the fact that the images we have created are for the comic, and we would like some of it to be a surprise, oui? Have a great summer holiday, and be safe out there!

KJ & DDM

Summer is almost upon us...

2008-05-22T23:29:00.002+01:00

T'is true, we are told, although a few hours after we fashioned this thought in my minds, it cooled down about five degrees Celsius, which is substantial, for those of you living a Farenheit existence. So much for May warmth. Visited friends around the countryside, and now KJ is preparing to have his legs fixed, this summer, as well as having his car serviced. Which will operate more efficiently after their respective adjustments is up to the universe, but we hold our thoughts in a positive mold for both.

New images will be coming next week, and we hope you all will still continue to enjoy our amateur efforts to please. We are catching up on the emails and notes, so do not despair, for none will be missed, we promise.

Wishing all a great summer!

KJ & DDM

April showers...or snow, depending.

2008-04-14T16:51:00.003+01:00

We can't say much for the weather lately, and we do wish the gods would make up their minds. Is it or is it not Spring? Hmmmm?

Nothing new to report from the studio, and KJ is talking to new printers. He hopes to have some decision for his first book made by next week. Then, he can get back to the other books. He does realize that once the process is set up, it will be much easier to publish from this point forward.

We would like to take this opportunity to re-address requests for us to take on commissions. Although it is very flattering, we do not take requests for commissions, nor are we looking for new characters for our storyline. If we include all of the characters we have thought up, it will take about one hundred issues to introduce them all to our readers. Fertile imaginations, and all that, you see.

We do enjoy the many emails and notes we receive, and the support of our friends, so feel free to drop us a line anytime, and we will do our best to keep up with the correspondence.

Enjoy the Spring weather, and go swimming - or skiing, depending on the mood swings of the weather gods.

KJ & DDM

.

March without the madness...

2008-03-09T02:14:00.003+01:00

March, already? What happened to February? Maybe the cats threw it out. They seemed a bit p/o'd that there would be an extra day for them to lay about. Studio work is difficult, for felines. Thankfully, it is a breeze for us upright-walkers.

Work progresses on the comic, and new images are being organized into a pattern of readable material. Well, we hope it is readable, when all is said and done. It is a mixed format design, and we think it will work. The cats have yet to submit their opinion.

We motored to Southern Germany for a gathering of friends, and had a good meal and good conversation. After experiencing so many wonderful events, it is not surprising to us that it is the simple activity of sharing a meal with friends that is the most satisfying.

To our new friends we say dinner is about ready, so go wash your hands, and we'll see you at the table.

KJ & DDM

The rejuvenation of a new year...

2008-01-20T11:32:00.000+01:00

It seems the new year has started us off with a flu epidemic. We don't feel singled out, since we have learned that most of our friends are also working their way through this malaise. Better to get it over with early, they say, and we agree. The cats have only sneezed a few times, so we think they will not likely succumb. Lucky beasts.

KJ is trying to meet with new printers, and DDM is working through another injury, which has kept him off the drawing board. It has been a year plagued with physical maladies, and we hope 2008 will be a vast improvement, for everyone.

If you are old enough to vote, in the USA, then by all means do so. This is an important time for the entire planet, and whom you select will determine the outcome for us all. Choose carefully, and let not empty pledges secure your vote.

Best wishes,

KJ & DDM

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-21T18:25:00.000+01:00

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your kind comments and continued support of our work, and to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season!

Drive safe, play safe and remember those less fortunate than yourself, during this season, and into the new year.

KJ & DDM

PS: Check our 'CARDS' folder for our Christmas Greeting!

Gobble, gobble...

2007-11-19T01:36:00.000+01:00

We thank all who have taken part in the Poll, so far, and if you have not had a chance to vote, do stop by The Boys of St. Precocious Academy, and give us your opinion. We also welcome the emails and Guestbook entries, and we do promise to respond to all of them, as fast as we can. So far, we seem to be keeping up. If we missed you, let us know, for it was not by intent that you did not receive a reply.

KJ's proof came back, and it was a bit...well...let's just say that he has less hair on his head, now. Impaired Ocular Acuity will be sent back to the printer, for another proof, and we hope it comes out alright, this time. KJ would very much like to get back to writing and leave this editing crap to others. If only... And, there is the comic to be finished, as well.

Because of the delay, KJ decided to include some illustrations in this next proof, and DDM hustled like a hooker at a Republican convention, to finish them quickly. We think they add to the stories, and we do hope you enjoy them, as well. Yes, we will expect feedback, if you buy his book. It's in the contract, just below the part about...

KJ has also put up a new MySpace page, and if you would like to visit KJ on Myspace, just...well, you know how click the blue stuff, yes? He will still be available on the other ten sites, as well, though. We just thought he might need a new responsibility. Unh hunh.

There will be new images coming this week, and we hope you have enjoyed the recent additions. So far, no lightning bolts have pierced the roof of the studio, over the last image we posted. Perhaps God does have a sense of humour, after all?

For those who share the holiday, we wish you a safe and stuffed Thanksgiving, and not in the British sense of the word, of course.

Merci,

KJ & DDM

New Poll...

2007-10-19T11:53:00.000+01:00

We are still slaving away on the details of the comic, and we have posted a poll for folks to help us with an important decision. Just visit The Boys of St. Precocious Academy, and check out the index list for 'POLL' and share your point of view. You can also hit our 'GuestBook' and give us more input, if you like. Yes, we do actually read that, along with the email we receive.

Impaired Ocular Acuity, by KJ is finished, and will go to printers in November, after an outside numbering and PDFing thing happens. There was an editing hangup, as usual. Best laid plans, and all that.

It has turned to a cool summer, here, and we are thinking the world has been turned upside down, somehow. Maybe there won't be any snow again, this year. That would be so nice.

We do hope everyone is having a great fall, and do take the time to hit our poll.

Merci,

KJ & DDM

The winter approaches...with amazing speed.

2007-09-03T07:45:00.001+01:00

Where did the bloody summer go? It's been like October for weeks, at the studio. Damn!

Work almost came to a halt on The Boys of St. Precocious Academy, due to KJ's injury and DDM being unavailable for part of the summer. We seem to be getting back on track now, and KJ will pick up the whip in his free hand, to keep the momentum going. We also have developed imagery and text for issues two and three, as well. We know, the cart kind of got in front of the geldings, on that one, but it was summer, and we got excited about these new ideas and all. You know how it is. The beach, the boys, the blarney.

KJ has finished the cover for Impaired Ocular Acuity, and he has posted the cover on his site, at KJ's Books . And, yes, you will even see a familiar face, there. Our very own David Paris was the model for the cover, which was photographed by Mark Abrahams, also of Australia. The book is now on schedule for a hopeful October release, and it will be published Stateside, so folks from other parts of the world won't get hammered by the shipping cost.

As we said in July,our comic has taken on a life of its own, and with the detail that we are putting into it, in black/white and colour, it has become a much larger project than we had anticipated. It's this quality thing we have, and for it to be ready for us to release, it has to be done right. Thank you for waiting patiently, and we hope you will like our finished product.

KJ & DDM

2007-07-28T22:29:00.001+01:00

New images have just gone up on Kristophe in two folders, so have a look. We have also introduced a new character, who will not be appearing for a while and we are keeping his future role under cover, for now. If you would like to meet the young man who's personality and visage were used for our new Paris D'Agivnon (the tall blond in the 'Size Matters' image in our 'Whimsy' folder), then stop by his MySpace and say hi! David Paris is a very nice sort of chap and we are certain you will find him as delightful as we did.

KJ is working on creating the cover for his new book, and thought he had the perfect image for it, but, alas, fate interruptus took that option away. You can read excerpts of the first book at: KJ's Books . Even with all that we are working on, the book should be ready for publication in August.

Our comic has taken on a life of its own, and with the detail that we are putting into it, in black/white and colour, it has become an immense project. We are still hoping to keep to our deadline, but quality will be our first concern.

DDM bought himself a fun car to tool around in, when the studio makes him nuts, although KJ tends to think it's the cats disturbing his psyche more than anything. Soon, we may hear the pitter patter of dog feet on studio floor.

We hope everyone is having a great summer, and remember to play safe out there.

KJ & DDM

2007-07-08T23:49:00.001+01:00

Well, now. Is it really summer, or just the beginning of the forty days and forty nights? One part of Europe is in a heat wave, and the northern part is in full on rain/flood mode. Has anyone seen locusts on the horizon? Let us know, if you do. DDM has been building an ark, but the two-by-twos he has in mind might cause a bit of unrest at the Vatican.

Tonight, we posted two new images on Kristophe in the 'Boys of St. Precocious' file. We think they are interesting images, and we hope they prompt a chuckle or two.

KJ is just about finished with the proofreading of his first book of short stories, and we will have the new site for his books up, on July 12th, at KJ's Books and he hopes to have it in print by the fall of 2007. He is also trying to finish three other books, and this project we are working on, as well as... well, let's just say that he is losing more hair than the cats, these days. Maybe he needs a holiday...

We also ran across this little tidbit of a duet, followed by an amazing piece of choral/orchestral music. Great music is just that - great - and to withstand the test of time will require a certain magic.

Someday, Kristie and the boys will sing for everyone. Unfortunately, no one will be able to hear them. Comics, you know.

Let us know your thoughts, and it is much easier for us if folks leave messages on the site, or the blog, rather than email, as the answers we provide to one can sometimes answer questions for many, and thereby save time for us to draw/write. The volume has picked up to the point that it is a challenge to keep up with the emails, and we will continue to do our best.

We thank you all for your wonderful support and kind words. Have a safe and wonderful summer!

KJ & DDM

Changes can be good.........sometimes...

2007-06-06T11:13:00.001+01:00

You may have noticed that we have altered our blog layout, which we hope will be simpler to use, AND, it now offers folks the option of subscribing to The Boys of St. Precocious Blog. Good news, we think. Only time will tell if it works properly, and we remain eternally optimistic.

We should have a couple of new images online at Kristophe for everyone to peek at, this weekend. Unless the cats get involved, and then all bets are off. It should be noted that DDM's felines have a history of felonious activities.

KJ is also setting up his pages for his books, which will be linked to our site later in the month, so that those who wish to may review the sample texts and decide if they are interested in reading more. The first book to be released is entitled, 'Impaired Ocular Acuity, and Other Demented Synapses,' which includes six stories of various length and genre, and includes his short, compilation/essay entitled, 'The Preponderance of Evidence.' Editing is still ongoing, and unless he passes out from rereading and going over his grammar, it is hoped that he will have his 143-page tome ready for publication sometime in the late summer. Of 2007. You know, in this century. He hopes. Keep your fingers crossed, and it wouldn't hurt to light a candle for him, if you are so inclined.

We are also posting new images to Kristophe at CS and you might want to stop by and see us on Kristophe at MySpace, where we have actually been quietly sitting on the curb, since last year. But, since we have been 'found out,' we are now actively responding to the interest from MySpacers. Who knew it would get this crazy?!

As always, we welcome your emails, blog posts and guestbook messages, and hope that everyone's good days are far outweighing their bad ones.

KJ & DDM

Almost summer....

2007-05-19T05:35:00.002+01:00

We still have not managed to take a break, yet, and KJ is about to disintegrate if he does not get to the beach soon. Kristophe is still making us toil away, although if one has to be held back from the beach, it should be for such a splendid pastime. Speaking of which, there will be a few new treats posted by Sunday morning, GMT+1. KJ did some tinkering and had a little fun with some images he is working on, although he will not be posting the images that will go to print. Just a few alterations of same. It is likely the colour images will end up in the St. Precocious album, and a few older drawings will end up in the appropriate folder, later on Sunday, as well.

We hope everyone is having a nice Spring, and if we run into you on the beach, say hi. Just look for the St. Precocious Academy logo on our shirts.

KJ & DDM

Greeeeeeeen......

2007-04-23T17:31:00.000+01:00

I've never seen so much green in my life, as I am seeing this spring, in Europe. The fields, the trees and lawns are all these incredible hues of green. Then, of course, there are all of those flowers! And, we're supposed to keep our minds on the comic? Are the gods crazed?!

We are still in the studio, although the lure of French beaches does call to us. Kristophe is holding us in-house for as long as he can, to keep us to our deadline, although methinks there are some things in life we are supposed to adhere to and others should be more flexible - such as schedules. Can't convince Kristie of this, yet. He'll learn.

We have implemented the new Guestbook on our site and we hope everyone will stop by to see the new work that was put up, this month. DDM has promised he will post some things this week, as well.

We hope you all are having fun, and playing safe!

KJ

Spring Fever!!

2007-03-28T21:02:00.000+01:00

We have finally found Spring and may it do so, eternally. It is nice to see the flowers bloom, and blue skies without rain approaching. Ah, the green of grasses growing. Boys will out and about in shorts and tees soon, which will add to the beauty of the countryside, of course, and a journey to the sea is in short order, for the cleansing of artistic souls. And, to admire some shorts and tees, of course.

KJ has finished two books and is trying to clean up his punctuation. He hopes to print a few before the summer is over. Something to read at the beach, he thinks.

DDM is stretching his psyche to embrace structure, in the parameters of the comic, and his artistic side is rebelling. The cats are not in danger ............ yet.

Kristophe is percolating and we seem to be on target, although one is never sure until the last minute if a work schedule will be kept (I truly love the way the Brits say, 'shedule.'). At the moment, it seems more important to take in some respite from the workday and motor down to Mont St. Michel, or something fun like that. The summer chariot has just been taken out of mothballs and is desirous of some attention, and a road trip might be fun, after all. We shall see.

In the meantime, have a look around our pages as new images will be coming up, although we are keeping the real goodies for publication, this summer. We must have some surprises, non?

Best to all,

KJ & DDM

March silliness....

2007-03-16T14:51:00.000+01:00

Just a heads up for folks, that if you do not see photos on this page, or the bold highlights are not bold, or your message disappeared, it is not you, nor us. It is the inevitable incompetence of the Googlers, in putting out a product change that is so FUBAR that it will take them eons to sort it out. Such an intelligent little quorum, they are. Ah, but that is the new business model of the 21st century - a certain level of greed and incompetence is to be expected. After all, they have new toys to show us, and whether or not they work is irrelevant, and highly irreverent, in our opinion.

Enough ranting, and now to the fun stuff. We've been hard at work, though not accomplishing much, and exploring opportunities as they arise. We found a new site, ComicSpace where the pros in the business of making comics have decided to hang out. The people we have met would blow any aspiring comic-creator's mind, and ours were sufficiently discombobulated, after we toured their galleries. We've posted some of our work at Kristophe at CS with a couple of new images, as well. Yep, we're testing everyone to see if y'all actually do read our blog.

Kristophe is doing well, and we still think we are on target for the summer of 2007 for its release. We are looking for a good printer in Europe, if anyone knows of one who will do limited runs, or POD.

KJ has finished more of his other writing and will hopefully have a book or two out this summer, or fall, as well. The editing seems to be causing him to pull out his hair, so the cats avoid him at all costs. Thankfully, he has two other books he is still working on in which to immerse himself and stabilize his sanity.

DDM is still gnawing on his pencils and trying to get the words puce and persimmon out of his vocabulary - along with vermilion - at least for the moment. He has been buried with concerns about colouring, lately, as well as where he wants to holiday, this summer. Budding flowers in the garden can make one think of things such as this. The studio actually had only forty minutes of snow, this winter. And the powers-that-be (of the earthly variety) poo-pooed Al Gore's warning about global warming. Idiots. If they only knew...

All in all, we're coping and working and we hope everyone else is having fun, too.

KJ & DDM

February update...

2007-02-23T16:27:00.000+01:00

More new images coming, as we continue the grueling process of producing this first publication. It is a learning process, and by the time we get to the printer we should be brain dead, although some would suggest this level of intellect is one to which we have already arrived.

Kristophe is changing, as well, and many will have noticed our new 'Warning' page, which was suggested to us, by many of the pros who have the experience we lack. It should be clear enough to everyone, now, what is awaiting them, inside the website. For those who do not understand, we suggest hitting the 'No Way' key and go do some research on Google, or otherwise engage their time away from Kristophe and the boys. We don't want anyone going blind, after all.

Cheers to everyone,

KJ & DDM

Nose to the...

2007-01-30T02:09:00.000+01:00

Life at the Academy has been moving right along and we are making progress on the first issue of "The Boys of St. Precocious Academy" which will be entitled "Hit the Brakes."

We have also updated pages on Kristophe, added text where none had existed before and otherwise tampered with the goods to a degree that should provide folks with some new sights, though still no sounds. DDM added a great tune to the site, but we felt it might take a bit for some to load and all, so we took it off.

You will also find new links to some great websites on our LINKS page. We hope everyone will take a minute or two, after viewing our little treasures, and visit the other artists, as well. Many will recognize the work of Patrick Fillion, Ian Hanks, Joe Phillips, and the work of JC Etheredge and the iconic Josman, among others. All great artists, and a rather nice group of people, in our humble estimation.

There are also new images posted in our galleries, and more coming shortly, if we can keep the cats from sleeping on the keyboards.

Thank you all for your continuing support and emails, and best wishes to everyone.

KJ & DDM

New Goals & Adventures for 2007

2007-01-06T04:00:00.000+01:00

Well, we managed to survive the holidays, and hope that everyone else did, as well. We are continually working on (Kristophe) and it will be an ongoing metamophosis, as all sites inevitably are. New categories have been added, and new images, though we are a bit behind on some of the text. We will also be adding a 'Busted Synapses' section for stories and musings, to expose some of the writing currently in KJ's head. It is best that this valve be released, periodically, and one of his books will be ready for publication, this spring.

We hope everyone will continue to have fun with the images we share, and, as always, we welcome the support and comments about our work. We do appreciate the feedback, and the courteous manner in which everyone has conveyed their thoughts. Merci.

DDM

The New Year

2006-12-28T20:22:00.000+01:00

The end of one event or period is always followed by the beginning of another. 2006 brought many hardships for some, and growing wealth for others. It is not our desire to see anyone experience the former, though it is our desire for all to see growth in the latter. May the new year of 2007 bring improvements in all our lives. Good health and high spirits for all, and a Happy and Prosperous New Year, from Kristophe and the boys from St. Precocious Academy!

KJ & DDM

Happy Holidays, and other news...

2006-12-08T19:44:00.000+01:00

We finally got the text up for the images, and our Christmas card should be up this weekend, as well as a few more images of our subjects, backgrounds, etc. Building our website (Kristophe) has been great fun, and though a bit of a challenge, too, well worth the effort. We would like to thank everyone for their incredible support and kind words, and we hope you all will continue to visit us and watch our progress. And to our visitors and friends we wish you a Happy and Safe Holiday season!

Another craft is launched, without breaking champagne over the bow....

2006-11-22T14:28:00.000+01:00

Well, DDM and I have decided to try this blog thingamaroo, on our website. We got the idea from JCEtheredge's website (Go there, lots of fun! ANTI-HEROES!). We agree with his sentiments, that it is a fun part of creating to get feedback and comments from supporters. We hope that all who will come by to visit KRISTOPHE and chat will do so with grace and humour, and to those who possess neither of these attributes you have our condolences, and we ask that you save your comments for family gatherings and the like.