Unknown Regions
Grand Admiral Thrawn was introduced in Timothy Zahn’s book, Heir to the Empire. The book was the first part in a trilogy which kicked off the modern Expanded Universe, continuing the story of Luke Skywalker and the fall of the Empire. In today’s strip we give our own take on why Grand Admiral Thrawn was sent to the “Unknown Regions” of the galaxy and therefore absent during the destruction of the Death Star.
For an additional perspective on our last poll, regarding the new comic series for Star Wars from Marvel, check out Sean Kleefeld’s article “Where’s My Data”, for the website FreakSugar.
Our new poll asks the question: Would you support the BMS creators’ other projects? So far we have a generally favorable level of interest from our readers. It’s an important issue for us as we are in a somewhat unique position as a webcomic based on someone else’s license. So, being unable to truly monetize BMS we have to play it safe and keep it free and unpublished in print. However, Leanne and I do have plans for the future and we would love to know if BMS readers would be on board.
Possibly the most important thing we can get from you guys is support. Super-active fans, who have time to promote Blue Milk Special and be our cheerleaders. It is challenging marketing and promoting while at the same time creating the strip. The more super fans, the more likely we will be able to go further with BMS and new projects. You’ve seen me do podcasts, compete in webcomic list rankings, and cross promotion over the years, but with my health problems I have really hidden away in my shell somewhat. I decided to focus simply on the creative side. Even though I couldn’t promise to deliver strips twice a week on a regular basis, I figured something is better than nothing, and I wanted to complete the journey. So growing the BMS audience and reminding people to keep coming back to follow the story is one area we could use some help.
And, I suppose I should put this idea out there… I’ve only mentioned it to a few close friends up until now. How important is Star Wars to you as a reader of BMS? Would you continue to follow us (at least try us) if we evolved into an original comedy sci-fi strip inspired by Star Wars and other sci-fi material? Return of the Jedi is coming to an end this year and it would be a lot better for us if we could make a webcomic with original characters and situations where we can actually sell printed collections. Do we have enough of a fan base to take that chance, or should we just do something completely different?
I know, I know… you want us to do Star Wars Episode VII. And we might yet do that. But longer term, are you with us?
Grand Admiral Thrawn from the 1990s flight simulator game TIE-Fighter. A game close to my heart.
I know that I would love to read a webcomic like that from you guys. I love all the characters I know and love but I also expect that I would enjoy something made by you guys where the characters are yours as well.
So long as you guys continue to be funny and inspired by Star Wars, I’ll continue to follow. You’re a huge part of my weekly routine at this point and I’ve really enjoyed this so far. And honestly, some of my favorite strips have been the ones that went way way off the source material.
Yes, I’m with you. I’ve enjoyed the cross-over as much or more than the straight up Star Wars lampooning, and would totally get behind buying your collections of original material. You both rock!
Keep it Star Wars inspired and continue to explain the references to some of the more obscure scifi stuff for those of us who might not know them and I’m on board! Tbh, I like your explanations of stuff as much as the comic itself. I’ve been following BMS since…um, hm, I think late A New Hope
Ok, I will jinx it… “Unknown Regions”… dare I hope…. “Uncharted Territories”???
“Unmentionable Locales”?
I will definitely stick around to see what you guys get up to after finishing BMS. I am pretty sure you could come up with an original creation well worth following. You’re both talented folks.
cheers,
Phil
“Would you continue to follow us (at least try us) if we evolved into an original comedy sci-fi strip inspired by Star Wars and other sci-fi material?”
Yes. I come for the movie parodies, but you’ve established your style and voice well that I could easily keep coming back for original, non-movie-based material.
Sure. Where you’re going, you don’t need roads.
Wasn’t Skeletor kicked out of the Eternia line for the throne for the same reason?
Blue Skinned people unite!
It is time to end the oppression!
what if you did a parody of the expanded universe like what you are doing with the six episodes?
I appreciate what you’re saying, but at this point, we can’t keep doing a webcomic for free forever. That’s why I brought it up.
If this was an original comic we would be able to collect and print the published comics as a book and sell lots of merchandise as well. We’ve been churning BMS out for 6 years now and the only reason we have been able to get through ROTJ is through reader donations from GoFundMe and Patreon.
We can’t, in good conscience monetize BMS given the potential legal hurdles. My health makes it particularly difficult to justify working on anything from home for free as it is hard for me to hold an office job with my neck for the indefinite future. So, we have to move away from the licensed properties like Star Wars sooner than later. The question is, how many of our BMS readers will be back us for that kind of an evolution.
I personally prefer Star Wars centric BMS comics with just a sprinkle of other stuff… so, for me it got a bit too much lately.
You’re doing extremely funny and original parodies usually, so if you were to take on any Scifi universe in earnest, I’m sure you’d get a lot of readership. It was the focus of BMS on the many half-known tidbits (and Vader’s coffee mug) that drew me in. It gave the whole thing another interesting angle – learning about the SW universe while having a lot of fun.
Beyond that, I’m sure you don’t exactly have to go parody again and would surely come up with interesting, completely self-conceived stuff, too! I don’t want to call it “original,” because frankly, BMS has been very original too, I find.
By original, in this sense I am referring to creator-owned characters and stories.
Okay, I understand. I would read. I like your style and humor in general, I’m sure it would be worthwhile. Though I prefer the Patreon model over merchandise I can see how many people would surely love to get a hand on some prints.
Cute blonde officer gets lost. Porkins rescues her, they both desert and fly off into the sunset.
Hey, if Biggs and the dancing girl can have their happily ever after . . . ?
I would love to see you guys do a strip along the lines of tramp freighter smuggler… a mix of a Han solo meets talon Karde meets firefly with some red dwarf type humor thrown in.
I just spent the last ten minutes imagining what paths you might go down, if you’re heading into you own original work, and now I have awesome ideas of my own.
COMPETITION!
…ah …turns out I can’t draw. Oh well.
I guess I’ll have to support you if I want to see such awesome things then!
I have been follow you from a time. Not so much as I would like lately but I always have been there. For sure it wold be very interesting be with you in that new adventure…. obviusly.. sci fi… nice babes… stupid badasses….
Been a long time BMS reader and enjoy the style and humor of the strip, so I would say that I’m highly likely to check out an original series. Star Wars is what brought me here but I am definitely down with a wide variety of SciFi offerings.