The original Christmas Bat strip came out last year around this time and, much to my surprise, became one of the most linked-to and popular strips in the archives. Because of this, I knew I had to do something different with this year’s strip and so started with the rhyme, which was something I wanted to do last year and just didn’t have the time, the art style was inspired by the amazing work with textures being done by Mike Krahulik over at Penny Arcade, also, this is the first strip to not feature jefbot in any way and it’s also the first 9-panel strip. I’m not sure what I’ll do next year, but I had so much fun with this one, and I like The Christmas Bat so much, that his return in 2009 is a veritable certainty.
I’ve been asked what The Christmas Bat looks like in the wild, so here are some pics of the creature at Casa Schuetze this year. These were taken right before the photographer’s throat was ripped out:
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Instructions:
To make your own Christmas Bat, dump a bag of tinsel on a branch (preferably high on the tree for a good lookout spot), get a rubber bat (or a real one, if you have access), color in the right eye with a black Sharpie, color in the left eye with a red Sharpie, stick him in the tinsel nest facing out and make sure you get to bed at a decent hour and don’t get up too early.
woah! this is an awesome comic! niiice! I better watch out for those one eyed bats 😉
thanks, alecho! you’ve been warned!!!
Oh! such a cute story.
i hope others find it “cute” too, Shan!
This is an awesome strip! I’m really liking the textures and the little “Christmas Bat poem/story” that went along with this. I almost felt like I was reading a childrens book. (Well a slightly twisted one, but that’s what makes it so much fun!) I love how you made the one eye of the sisters just like Christmas Bats. Thanks for sharing the pics of the nest and CB himself! (I was really looking forward to them!)
thank you, Spanky! definitely meant to have a children’s storybook vibe (even if a bit twisted!), so i’m glad you picked up on that. and now that i’ve gotten a crash course in using textures with this strip, prepare to see more of that incorporated into my normal art style in the future. 🙂
Perfect! Totally different style and look, but I love it, nevertheless! The snow and lights on the banner are beautiful!
i’m happy you liked the strip and the banner, #1 Jefbot Fan!
I am glad I am jewish so I don’t have a scary ass Christmas bast to mess with my head on major holidays. Wheew!
don’t get too comfortable, Shari. i’m sure there’s a Chanukah bat flapping around out there, somewhere…
Clement Moore would be proud =) I really like the colors and texture. Frame 4 is great! Charlie Brown had the Great Pumpkin (and Fred Flintstone had the Great Gazoo) – folks will tell the tale of jefbot’s Christmas Bat for years to come.
thanks much, Milas! if people are telling the tale of the christmas bat in years to come, i’d be in utter bliss. look for the return of the bat in bigger and badder fashion next year!
please don’t ever have children.
ha! i think i got all my terrorizing out on my niece. poor thing. 😉
An instant holiday classic!!!
yes, all families should read this to their kids before they send them to bed on Christmas Eve.
I second G’s request. Love the children’s book style!
well, at the very least my kids would have active imaginations.
OMG!!! I LOVE IT! It was well worth the day late… Jefbot, you’re amazing. I love the story, I love the detail and I love the style!! Rock on man!!!
thanks, funnyshaffer! hope you had a happy christmas!
Well, well, well, bot. Something new. I really like the look of it. The poem is amazing, especially the clock “tock ticking.” I really love the lettering. Your artistic range is fantastic.
thanks, mike! the cornfather will have to meet the christmas bat someday!
becareful the disney execs will be banging your door down, this is just the kind of stuff their looking for.
bring ’em on, seth6!
totally worth the wait!
yeah, sorry ’bout the delay, stellak. thanks for waiting!
And the hits just keep on coming…
Panels 4 and 5 are fantastic. The depth of field from the cave is great. At this pace, I can’t wait to see next year’s 13 panels of Christmas Bat Doom! And pictures from other reader’s sightings.
thanks, eleventeen! i should start planning now for next year’s Christmas Bat EXTRAVAGANZA!!! yeesh, i’m tired already. 🙂 and yeah, i’d love to see the Christmas Bat visiting JEFbot readers’ houses. as long as he behaves…
Awesomely scary!!!
mwah-hah-hah!!! thanks, Nurse Mary!
this is why i am what i am…
i knew bilbo didn’t just fly away… 🙁
maybe he became the christmas bat!!! :-O
You are one demented fellow, JEFbot. Please stay that way…
with the family and friends i have surrounding me, i don’t think that’ll be a problem, reynard61. 😉
whoa….now I’m scared of Christmas 🙁 LoL just kidding, but it’d be a great story to tell the little ones to keep them in bed on Christmas Eve.
Great Strip, Bot!
my thoughts exactly Eptha! the children must be controlled through fear!!! 😉
“get a rubber bat (*or a real one, if you have access*), color in the right eye with a black Sharpie, color in the left eye with a red Sharpie”
I don’t know if a real bat would appreciate having it’s eyes coloured in. Just saying, JEFbot, maybe you should disclaim personal responsibility just in case?
Nice strip, great poem/story. Merry belated Christmas JEFbot (and to everyone else too). Best of luck in the new year!
well, if you get a real bat, maybe you could get a red, color contact fitted for it instead of the sharpie, Lisa? thanks for the comment and hope you have a Happy New Year!!!
Ok, Jefbot, you invited me to hang with…
The Christmas Bat toatally cracks me up. It’s something my family would appreciate, and we have lots of Halloween decorations, including bats, so…next year (I’ve already put reminders in my Outlook calendar, with links) there will be a Christmas Bat in the Clan Harkness tree.
I have no intention of alerting the rest of the family, I’m just gonna do it and see how long it takes for people to notice.
rad! can’t wait to see your Christmas Bat and tinsel nest next year, estiveo! you gotta send me pics with an email telling me how your family reacted.
lovely cautionary tale of why one should always believe and never try to sneak a peek early!
we can’t have children wandering about willy-nilly christmas eve, now can we, jhorsley3!?
Okay so I can totally see Tim Burton making this into a full length feature film. It’s totally up his ally, demented and holiday. You should think about writing something up and submitting it to him. Just a thought.
wow, you’ve raised me up into revered company, but heck, i’ll take it, Ploute! big thanks! if burton doesn’t bite, i may just have to make my own Christmas Bat tv special or feature, someday.
all that i can say is taha the artwork fitted the theme of the story. nice use of the space in the panel.
So scary.
Just catching up on my jefbot so my reply is a little late, but I first thought the style was inspired by Mary Blair!
I almost never leave negative comments on a webcomic, and I love everything else here….
But please don’t poetrize again. Have mercy on us all.
very cute story
The bat returns! And I like the style of art you used in this one. Very cute.