Matchmaking for Mara Jade
Yarna d’al’ Gargan, or perhaps more commonly known as the Six-Boobed woman, finally makes an appearance at Jabba’s palace. Observant readers will no doubt be aware that Yarna is Jabba’s main squeeze, after Oola that is. There’s also another woman in the original film at the palace, nicknamed Jess. At least, I think she’s in the original film. With the obscurity of the original film, and the character in question, its so hard to remember what was originally there and what was added for one of the Special Editions. But let’s not get off on a tangent about how wrong it is for the original theatrical releases to have almost completely vanished from the public consciousness. Instead, let’s focus of Yarna’s overabundant cleavage(s).
Actually, that’s not our focus at all with this strip, nor is it the punchline of her next planned appearance either. Instead, Leanne’s art for Yarna really captured an adorable side that I think adds a lot of personality without me having to do anything.
I’m sure a lot of us have had friends who like to play matchmaker, though anyone familiar with Mara Jade will realize just how portentous her hunch is. The six boobed prophetess just wants Mara to be happy and stop brooding in dark corners, oozing sexual tension toward her future husband. We didn’t have to include Mara Jade in Blue Milk Special, or even her brief cameo during the Expanded Universe fiction set during Return of the Jedi, but I think she does promise to be a lot of fun as a character in the parody so I hope readers will appreciate it.
Meanwhile, on Earth… Leanne and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. You know, the usual. We watched Batman the Animated Series, Silence of the Lambs, watched the Orioles duke it our with the Pirates — and lose, and finished up re-watching the classic British sci-fi weird tale / ghost show Sapphire & Steel. Just a typical day that involved a two hour scalp and forehead massage to try and alleviate the migraine that came with Leanne’s cold. She seems to have picked it up in the theater while watching Winter Soldier last weekend. The guy next to us had some sort of breathing problem… probably SARS by the sound of it. I’m joking. Anyway, it has killed any plans to really go anywhere or do anything “special” to mark our anniversary. But we’ll take a raincheck on the romantic dinner for two, or trip anywhere. We’re thinking of making the most of our trip to Germany in October as a belated celebration of our decade of marriage.
On the other side of life, we’re in a little bit of a struggle with my health and finances. I’m trying to decide what to do with Blue Milk Special. I’ve been so bad lately with the neck and arm pain that I find it difficult even to read a book during my time off work. I’ve been able to do very little with all the spare time I’ve had on temporary disability. Holding a book while lying on my back hurts too much, and sitting in a chair, looking down at a book hurts my neck. I slept very little last night. My back hurt so bad. I don’t feel like I’m getting any better with the physical therapy.
And I don’t know what it is, but my enthusiasm for a lot of things is suffering. I really want to move forwards with original creative projects, beyond this Star Wars parody webcomic, but getting strips done eats up most of our available spare time. The question is, do enough readers want BMS to keep going, and how badly do you want that?
Can we raise some money? If we set a goal of say $3000 and can hit it by June 30th, then BMS continues. A SAVE BMS FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN. Otherwise we just drop back to a very sporadic and protracted rate of publishing which could take years to complete Return of the Jedi. I’m not just talking about throwing out the update schedule, I’m talking about BMS slowing to a crawl. It’s not what I want, but the only way I can think to justify the level of commitment and intensity producing more BMS would be with an investment of love from you guys, the readers. The future, financially, is looking very shaky for us, so having a little boost as insurance would be about the only way I can see how we can continue to pour our most precious resource of time into this webcomic and not other ventures.
Please comment or email me and let me know your thoughts. If there is enough support for the SAVE BMS CAMPAIGN then I will announce the fundraising project with next Monday’s update. In the short term, expect Blue Milk Special on a regular schedule until June 30th.
first, congratulations on your anniversary! May you be at least as happy on your 60th.
I would donate to save bms, and donate again to continue bms after RotJ.
Fundraising. I think it’s safe to say that the amount of love people have and the passionate community based around BMS is significant enough and supportive enough that a fundraising campaign might be a good thing to do. You are very transparent with your audience; you bring them into your lives by sharing not just your art, but your good days and bad, your adventures and your thoughts and feelings. I think people already feel connected enough to you both, that they’d be happy to show financial support.
I love this comic, and would happily donate what I can to save it.
Happy anniversary you two.
Live long and prosper.
Though I only encountered your comic a few months ago, I have found myself completely enthralled on it’s contents. I can say for myself that I would absolutely support it if given the opportunity to do so.
I don’t know if there are weird legal issues involved or if BMS is totally safe since it’s a parody, but would you be able to do a Patreon? That could net you more in the long run and would be ongoing income, rather than a one time chunk of cash.
I’m also for you getting back to non-BMS creative projects, too! I’d love to see more Once Upon a Caper, and I’m intrigued by the Hickory Hippo project.
I can’t donate much but I’d love to give something after all the giggles you’ve given me!
I would certainly donate to help out… I love this comic, and I know it must take a lot of work and time and effort to produce, I’m definitely willing to contribute to support that effort.
Hey you two, all the best for your 10th anniversary and MTFBWY always! 😀
I’m really sorry to hear about your health issues, but I can assure you that I (and my mates at Jedipedia.net) will support we with everything we can.
Blue Milk Special has to continue, because it is plainly awesome – and I would dearly miss translating it to German. So keep it up – things will certainly get better eventually.
Love the web comic! I understand your difficulties, but the art is fabulous, the jokes hilarious and you guys fill a niche that isn’t out there now. Please keep it up and Save BMS!
I never got the six boob thing. I just thought that was the style of her outfit. So I learned something today!
Congratulations on your first decade of marriage. May there be many more to come.
Good luck on Save BMS – you know I’m good for at least a little bit.
For the bothans! Save Blue Milk Special! Long live the fighters! House Atreides, we fight for you!
I got the wrong website didn’t I. Well first come, first serve, so I’ll contribute to THIS website
I’d be happy to throw some cash your way – I always look forward to new strips!
You say you want to expand past this, I respect that. As much as I love reading this, you have to do what you love too.
I love this strip and am really looking forward to its completion – donating money would be a no-brainer for me! Keep it up, it’s awesome…
I would donate to keeping BMS going. I appreciate all that you do and am sorry that the medical treatments are not improving your situation.
I can relate to the struggle to justify spending valuable time on a project of love that is not generating revenue. I have been having some doubts about my podcast lately. I love it, but it is a lot of time that could be spent on other activities that some would say are a more valuable use of my time. But I’m not giving up just yet. I hope you can keep at BMS as well.
Finally, congratulations on 10 years of marriage. I hope you have a great trip to Germany later this year.
John 🙂
I’m for the support campaign. I’ll gladly support BMS. Some of the best parodying I’ve seen in a long time.
Has anyone considered a Patreon account here? I’ve been seeing more and more artists finding their sites that way…
Edit: *funding*
Have you considered Prism Glasses? They allow you to read in bed or watch TV while lying flat on your back.
Can they be worn over reading glasses?
Let me know when to click and where…though it might need to wait till next week’s paycheck. I still need to get buttons and whatnot too. I’ve been along for the ride for a long time and will be here till the end.
Congrats on the anniversary also!
I’d also gladly support BMS though I can’t contribute much. It’s a terrific web comic, one of the best!
Congrats on your anniversary. Just bought a Blue Milk Special t-shirt, I hope that helps. I would also give what I can to keep you guys going. It’s one of, if not the only, “blogish” type page I go to. I love the Star Wars universe and all of us being able to take it to another level by reading your strips and chatting about it. Hopefully shirt gets here in time for me to take to Star Wars Weekend at Disney World next week. I think I’ll add the word “Save” above the logo. Do you guys sell add space on your site?
A fundraiser would be in order, but even with that, I would rather it slow to a crawl and get done one day than have you demolish yourselves trying to keep it going full steam.
Well, you guys know how I feel about having too much on the plate! I’ll happily help to keep BMS going or support your other projects.
I would through some money at you for appreciation.
And congratulations too! This was my 10 year anniversary as well.
I have gotten three more readers following as well.
This site and your strip are pure gold, so it’s certainly worth it to me to pay you back. Your lampooning is hilarious and Leanne’s art is so amazing it has me laughing even before I read the strip.
Congrats on your 10th. I had to miss my 10th, leaving my wife behind in CO, while I was on a business trip…in Belgium. But today is our 22nd anniversary. Picnic, mini-golf, browsing art galleries and music stores, dinner, and a planetarium show. But best of all…the kids stay home 🙂
Not to be a wet blanket or anything, but wouldn’t getting paid to continue BMS bring the wrath of Darth Lucas and his Clone Lawyer army down upon you? I don’t know, maybe that’s not how it works, I hope not, but I thought you had said that before at some point?
I don’t think of it as “profit”, since our trip to Jedicon to represent Blue Milk Special will be in the range of $4000 bucks. So as usual, we’re not making a profit or selling published work.
This trip to Jedicon sounds suspiciously like “fun” to us. We will allow the expense as an offset to income, but only if you agree not to have any “fun”. We will be watching. Maybe.
We’re going to do the best we can to have fun. It certainly will be if we can pay for it! 🙂
Congratulations on your 10th.
I do like the foreshadowing of Ariel…er, Arica…er, Mara and Luke. 😉
I’ll do whatever I can for the BMS cause. 🙂
I also want to note that Yarna d’al’ Gargan almost got her own Kenner/Paltroy action figure, while Biggs and Oola were not considered.
No wonder the line was discontinued!
My thoughts exactly. Weird figure choices. And still no Wolfman cantina figure.