UPDATING OCCASIONALLY (FOR NOW)

6 thoughts on “542 – Catching Up”

  1. Keith

    Some friction, but yeah. IRL, I’d like these two…they should have kids. 😉

    1. Dawn

      I might have to draw out what their kid would look like. First thought is that their kid would look like Ongo Gablogian from “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia”

    2. Scarsdale

      He’s pushing 60, she’s maybe 30, more likely less. Chuck is most likely shooting blanks, and besides, he’s talking to her like a baby sister than a love interest.

  2. ConcordBob

    It is really hard to have a favorite character, as there are so many good ones. But I think Rosa is my favorite. Chuck is a good accomplice in sneaking work, but not much for romance. Uugh.

  3. Otaku

    I mean, if they don’t have at least an inkling of what’s going down, I’m actually disappointed in Clearstream. If anything, I’m starting to wonder if they caught on and realized “Wait, we can use this.”

    Because of course they can. 😉

  4. Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)

    I’m way ahead of you – I’ve been waiting for you to catch up. From November 2020:
    I would hope for nothing less – her and Chuck have the potential for a great deal of positive mischief.
    Speaking of which, I received the email notifying me that my order for the NSFW “Chuck and Rosa Finally Do It” (age verification required) limited edition hardcover is going to be delayed due to the pandemic. I think it’s really cool that you’ll be adding some additional stretch goal goodies when it ships – thanks for all your story and art.
    As for the inscription, ” We owe it all to you ” will be sufficient.

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542 – Catching Up
Posted on April 9, 2025 by Dawn

The herd mentality

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Clint
One of the things I find most fun about the zombie ranch concept is working out how similar (or in some cases, how different) they might be to a conventional livestock herd. Obviously close enough that Suzie’s daddy, the late Jonathan Zane, was able to adapt some of the tried-and-true methods of cattle ranching to wrangling zombies, but in other ways you’d have to figure there are differences that could prove deadly if ignored. There’s a lot roiling in my brain about this topic that I rarely find the space to cram into the comic. For one thing, we’re talking about a set-up which doesn’t exist much in nature: zombies (as pop culture usually knows them) seem to naturally want to do gather together, forming swarms far beyond the scale of the largest packs of predators such as lions and wolves. The closest examples there might be creatures such as army ants, although fortunately for humanity the zombie mobs weren’t quite as smart about cooperating or navigating obstacles. But of course, given the western theme one big concept I keep returning to is that trail hand’s nightmare of the stampede. That peaceful mass of animals that can suddenly become a deadly, nearly unstoppable surge of force at the slightest provocation. One or two herd members get spooked and start running, and before you know it thousands of hooves are pounding the ground, indiscriminately flattening anything unlucky enough to be in the way. Zombie ranchers are wrangling mere human-sized charges, but if you’ve heard of those tragic events over the years at religious pilgrimages, sporting events, or even Black Friday at Wal-Mart, even a “human stampede” can do plenty of damage to people and property. Now imagine that instead of wanting that special price on a flat-screen TV, that stampede wants to eat you. This is the paradox of zombie ranching. On the one hand, you need to gather a big herd together or you’ll never turn a profit. On the other, even the most insulated Safer knows zombies are most dangerous in large groups. Is there such a thing as “zombie whispering“, or are Suzie and her peers just plain crazy for having a job where they regularly have to climb in amongst the walking dead? Or is it a little of both? All questions I do want to go into more as the story continues. Assuming anyone survives the current circumstances, of course…