The Boids #1 - If I Had A Hammer…
IT’S ALIVE… or it’s taken wing, or taken flight, or hatched, or just about any “bird” cliche you can think of to insert here at the beginning of yet another collaboration between myself and Larry. We met in college lo, those many years ago, before the internet, before web comics, before blogging. We happened to get rooms next to each other in a dorm with no air conditioning. It took us about 15 minutes to figure out that we should work on something together and we’ve been collaborating ever since. We tried dead-tree comics and failed miserably. To those few brave souls that gave ‘Primitives’ a chance back in the 90’s we thank you.
And to those brave souls who have wandered here in their quest for funny, we thank you also. The spark for Boids came nearly a year ago while we were both doing our own comics and looking for something to work together on again. Larry had the idea, and no matter how hard I tried I could not get that little robot bird out of my head. Now we gleefully present The Boids.
A few words (my specialty) about the comic for those just arriving:
The Boids is the story of Flock Unit 2A-6, known to his pals as “Boid.”
Boid is a member of a flock of experimental robot birds that were built at
a local university to study the way birds coordinate their flight patterns
in large flocks. Boid becomes separated from his robot flock during a
storm and decides to seek out a new flock among real birds in the park.
Boid is equipped with many interesting gadgets and capabilities and he
learns to use them in defense of his new family. Of course, there is more
to Boid than meets the eye which leads to hilarious consequences for the
birds, as well as the animals and people around them. Hilarious! Did I
mention that The Boids is hilarious? Probably, since I write it and Larry
draws it, and we are biased.
That went out in a shameless self-promotion package to web comics artists and noteables throughout the land. We have had much positive feedback and, of course, hope for more. Please let us know what you think of it. We have only a few items in the Boids store, and that will change shortly, so if you wish to commerce with us we will greatly appreciate you in advance.
So, ENJOY!
May 7th, 2007 at 6:26 am
Larry and Steve:
Very impressive. You’ve done a wonderful job so far! Can’t wait to see what happens next. Great comic art and funny, too. Thanks for giving us The Boids adventures to look forward to.
May 7th, 2007 at 7:11 am
At last it arives! And very good it is too. I like the black and white approach, but in huge batches like this it looks a little “soulless” after the colours in TSOALR, E9M and Toysville! Sorry. Will you be doing any in colour? Specials or something? I’m interested in seeing how that would look. (Not to put to much more work on you guys of course!)
Love the concept though and it is funny! So full marks there and no problem!
Now, what’s the update schedule again? Oh yeah, gonna have to set myself another search/update task every Monday and Thursday for more updates! Keep ‘em coming guys, you know how good you are at this!!
…OK Steve, is that enough? When do I get my $20?…
May 7th, 2007 at 8:08 am
Bob, Thanks for the kind words - glad you like it. Color is… a possibility. Yes, seeing 8 strips all stacked up might look bland, but it’s just for this special occasion. On Thursday we’ll have the usual 1 strip per page format and you will actually be able to SEE the dang website design! But color strips are not off the table…
May 7th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Looking good, boyz! Love the site and love the strip. I’m looking forward to the future funny goodness!
May 7th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Steve, I’ve always enjoyed the wit you write into you comics and great work on the drawing Larry. I’m looking forward to seeing this comic develop.
Keep it up!
May 7th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Looking good.
Looking forward to more boids.
: )
May 7th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
That’s great! I would describe it as ancient chinese art meets modern funny. I love it on so many levels. Boid rocks.
Larry I am telling you, you need to get some stuff in an Art show. I know a while ago in the Moma in New York City they had an exhibition on art based on comics, and I know that any of these strips would fit in. Also, a lot of artists in my city have joined to gether and are showing off art in their houses and selling it for thousands of dollars. Just some ideas (you should sell yours for millions)
May 7th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Larry & Steve,
thank you for making this comic and finally launching it, too!
I love the art, the comic is really funny and I am already hooked on the Boids. Woohoo!
Cannot wait for more to come!!!
May 7th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Larry and Steve, you did a wonderful job making this comic. I LOVE IT!!! I just found out this comic when Tyler Martin from Wally and Osborne mentioned on his site. This comic is a great one! I hope you do more of it.
The Boids certainly have taken flight. 
May 8th, 2007 at 6:05 am
The wait is over! Well worth it! I am all agog at the concept and style, wonderful work lads.
P.s. Am i your 1st Brit-Boid Fan? Will be passing you around my mates asap to bulid up the Brit-boid flock!
May 8th, 2007 at 6:37 am
Awesome! Ive been reading TSOALR for ages and this is atleast as good! Keep up the good work, i cant wait to see more.
May 8th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Sorry Sam, Brit Fan #1 here!
Only two days to wait until the next installment! Can’t wait!! If only days were 26 hours long so that there would be two extra hours per day for Steve and Larry to draw a third comic per week…
May 8th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
HI guys! Like Phizlo I found out about The Boids from WallyandOsborne.com and I’m glad I did. I enjoyed this strip and look forward to more.
May 8th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Sorry Selezen! Got there before you and I’m about as Brit as they get!
Larry, thanks for the response, and yeah, stacking 8 strips will definitely give a different feel to a one-off. But thanks for giving us a “flying start” (D’oh!).
Looking forward to Thursday’s Feathery (and non-feathery) strip! Keep’em coming guys!
Bob (AKA Harkon Greywolf, come and visit our site sometime, you’ll be welcome, Steve’ll show you the way.)
May 8th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
The boids have landed, and Senor Feesh is pleased…
How do you know who’s the first brit fan? I’ve been checking this site daily for updates since the placeholder first went live when I got linked here from Toysville…
May 9th, 2007 at 2:07 am
Very nice guys, if the rest of the comics are as funny as this one you’ll have a winner.
good work looking forward to the next comic
May 9th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Well Thats 3 Brit-Boids does this make us a Flock? if so what Boids are we? If wanted to the cliche goth i would say a Raven or crow……….
But i aint Gonna do that…….
Lets see Im a teacher: owl? Nahhh
Bit “cuddly”: pigeon? Hmm getting warmer
Hyperactive and cant sit still for 2 mins without fidgiting: Pied Wagtail. Bingo!
August 1st, 2007 at 12:58 pm
everybody!i can tell you that in the future,steve will hurt his foot, one of the sientists car’s will not far well, a flying boid model will come out,and boid will be in color! oh, and dont get to atached to the birds outside on of the ilistaters houses. you are forwarned.I think.
October 25th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
[...] I finally made the time to color the first 8 Boids strips. Revisit them when you get a chance, starting with Number One! [...]