January 27 2007Compilation

Early version of episode 489. I always knew that the music I grew up on would someday be laughably behind the times, and when I saw a TV ad for a compilation CD called "Buzz Ballads" I knew that day had come. This strip, then, is a tribute to middle school dances, past, present, and future. Written September 8, 2006.

January 25 2007The Two Plan

I didn't publish this one because I thought it was too unfocused, but looking at it now I kind of like how the dialog is simultaneously natural and stilted. I've never been able to pull off that quality intentionally, but in my mind DTE is defined by the strips where it happens accidentally. Written October 11, 2006.

January 24 2007The Grossest Thing

I couldn't think of any dialog to follow that first panel, but later I realized there's not much else to say. Written October 17, 2006.

January 23 2007Sandwich

I don't usually do political comics, but this strip was an attempt to riff on some doublespeak about the Iraq war or something. I didn't publish it because I didn't think the joke in the last panel (the narration tries to make the political connection obvious, but the characters resist) was very well executed. Written October 17, 2006.

January 22 2007Cold Air

Writing this comic was easier than installing weather stripping. Written October 17, 2006.

January 19 2007Snackalope

At first this appears to be a pun on another pun, but you're supposed to visualize an animal composed of processed snack food and experience the abject.

January 18 2007True Life Workplace Stories

Taken almost verbatim from a conversation I had, hence the name. (I was One, but in my defense I was being ironic.) Written March 14, 2006.

January 17 2007Metrics

I've always wondered what it's like to play a supporting role in a one-hit-wonder band, and then go off and get a regular job. Apparently One is curious enough to lie about it. Or maybe he's actually Debbi Peterson in this episode. Written September 1, 2005.

January 16 2007First Job

Early version of episode 323. Part of the "One and Two Retire" series, but I decided to scrap it and start over. One of my favorite rock bands, Self, is from Murfreesboro, TN. Written June 27, 2005.

January 15 2007Art School

I made this to amuse my girlfriend, who was in fact in art school at the time. Written October 14, 2004.

January 12 2007Grumpy

This started out autobiographical and turning into a dig on Cathy. Early version of episode 252, written October 8, 2004.

January 11 2007Mind Control

I discarded this one because the ending didn't seem "DTE-ish" enough, but I like panel 7. Written August 29, 2004.

January 10 2007Nickname

Early version of episode 50. I found my notes for this episode (this is back when I'd write notes first):

2 - I wish I had a nickname...
1 - we'll think one up
<nicknames that range from innocuous to mean>

Written September 2001.

January 9 2007Douglas Fir

This was probably inspired by They Might Be Giants' "C Is For Conifers". Other than that, your guess is as good as mine. Written August 16, 2004.

January 8 2007Zole Quits

An alternate ending. (This one is definitely not canon.)

January 1 2002Alternate Episode 8

This isn't really that different from the regular episode 8. The only difference is the last panel, which just makes the comic funny in a slightly different way. I decided this wasn't the way I wanted to go. This was early on, so these decisions probably had an effect on the style of later comics, for what it's worth.

December 29 2001Alternate Episode 36

I thought this episode was hilarious when I finished it, which is usually a bad sign. After some consideration I ditched it and wrote another. Some people have said they like this comic, which just goes to show that quality control is overrated.