SCUD IS FINISHED and it’s my Birthday

SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN 1993-2007
Mahfood cover

38 years ago Donna Schrab gave birth to Robby Christopher Schrab. 15 years ago Robby gave birth to Scud the Disposable Assassin.

Last night I finished the 109 page finale to the book I started when I was 23. It was the reason I moved out here. I did 20 issues of Scud before I dropped it unfinished in Feb. 1998 so I could write Monster House with Harmon.

I decided to do the finale last Dec. before I even knew the Sarah Silverman Program was going to be picked up. In January of this year I said I’ll do a 34 page ending to put in the back of the trade reprinting the older issues. 35 pages turned to 40 which turned into 50 and so on. It takes 8-12 hours to do one page of a comic book. Around page 40 Sarah’s show got picked up and we went right into production so I was working 5-7 hours a day on that, then coming home to draw. I stopped drawing entirely throughout the summer during production. If it wasn’t for the strike this would’ve dragged out for another month easily. Doing this book was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done and it gives me much needed closure to the biggest project of my life.

There’s still alot more to do (Scanning, clean-up, graphic design, etc…) I have to done with all of that by the end of the year. I have over 700 pages of art that need to be cleaned up in the computer so the job is far from over. I’ll keep y’all posted.

Here’s the cover to Scud 22, out in March 2008. By Jim Mahfood, colors by Jose Garlbaldi

43 Responses to “SCUD IS FINISHED and it’s my Birthday”  

  1. Gravatar Icon
    1 shane

    congradulations rob.

    get some well deserved rest.

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    2

    holy crap! i am so excited!

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    3 Brad Wright

    Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Totally insane! Congratulations, that’s an amazing accomplishment!

  4. Gravatar Icon
    4 Chris

    Rob! You inspire me to complete those things in life I’ve left unfinished.

    Thank you!

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    5 Josh

    Way to go Rob! I’m very proud of you and very inspired by you.

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    6 Sea-dog

    wtg Rob!

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    7 Ethan Harper

    HUZZAH!!!

    Congratulations and thank you, Mr. Schrab; I am very much looking forward to reading and being inspired by the finished product (only 3 months to go)!

    Also, congratulations and thank you again on this newest season of ‘The Sarah Silverman Program’, it’s been FANTASTIC.

    Good rest, and have a great week.

    P.S. You wouldn’t want to let me treat you to lunch some time in the next few days while I happen to be out this way (California, that is), would you? I draw a mean cartoon, have a rapier wit, and have been told I’m “passibly handsome”...eh? Eh?

    No? Well, I tried.

    ‘til next time…

  8. Gravatar Icon
    8 MC Griffin

    Yeah man. It’s weird. I’ve even talked to other writers, comic artists, etc, and you finishing Scud is inspiring man. No bullshit. It’s inspiring. Good job. I mean, I’ve got a project of my own that’s five years in the making, and it’s mere pages from being finished. I’d like to think you helped with that.

  9. Gravatar Icon
    9 Steve

    Yay!!!!!!

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    11 Josel Nicolas

    I cant add much more to the conversation except that youve also inspired me a lot. Im looking forward to reading those 109 pages. :)

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    12 Drowning Rabbit

    Just another eager reader dropping his hat in the ring to tell you Congratulations. I can’t wait to pick up the new issues and especially the big book of Scud.

    Also, I recently watched the last few episodes of Sarah Silverman that you directed, which were phenomenal. Mini-Cookie’s return was a welcomed treat. :D

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    13 Derek Hunter

    Although I hope the writers strike ends soon for my sake, I’m glad it’s giving you time to wrap this up! Good job, Happy Birthday, and all that shit. Can’t wait for the book, I know I’ll be pimping it where I can.

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    14 Wes

    Thats awesome! And Happy Birthday Sir Schrab!

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    15 Danny W

    Congrats Rob, thank you for pouring your heart and soul into finishing this. At the risk of sounding repetitious, fuck it, you have inspired me and obviously a lot of other people. Don’t for get that. I’ve been reading Scud since it came out and still have my old issues that fed me the Schrab fix I occasionally need. Now I cannot wait to finish your bastard love child and have it sitting on my shelf. Thank you for everything you’ve done, you’re awesome.

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    16 Ryan

    Happy birthday, Rob. Way to go.

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    17 Dan

    Happy Birthday, and congrats on finally finishing the book! Thanks for putting up with us, and keeping us posted on everything. I’ve really enjoyed coming here just to get the new bits of information, as well as the new sketches, and Vlogs. Hope we didn’t annoy you too much. Try to take a load off and relax for once. Thank you for Scud.

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    18 Ron R.

    Happy Birthday and Thank You for finishing the book. That’s one storyline I know many people will enjoy seeing on the shelves again as well as finally getting some closure on the life and times of Scud. I know I will be picking it up. I’m sure this wasn’t easy to do, so congrats and good luck.

  19. Gravatar Icon
    19 Brian Kaminske

    WOW, I haven’t really read any of Jim Mahfood’s work since high school, but that cover really is impressive. He’s come a long way since the clerks comic book (which i still think looks great to this day).

    ashley wood’s is excellent too, but….duh.

    oh and good job yourself, i suppose

  20. Gravatar Icon
    20 Paul

    Holy Crap!
    Also, Happy Birthday!
    I knew there had to be something positive about the writer’s strike, and you’ve laid it out with a 109-layer cake and Mahfood flavored ice-cream.
    I hope you gave yourself a party for this; you deserve it.

  21. Gravatar Icon
    21 harrison

    wow! rob that is fantastic news. I’m so happy for you and myself since I’ll be one of the many who gets to read this fine work. This is going to be sweeeet! congragulations rob!

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    22 Doug TenNapel

    WooHoo! Happy Birthday! Happy death-of-having-to-work-on-SCUD day! You dug yourself out of that hole and I’m proud you finished strong.

    Your Omnibus will be longer than anything I’ve ever done and I hate you.

  23. Gravatar Icon
    23 Tom Weiser

    Congratulations Rob! That’s amazing, I can’t wait to see it! Such an achievement, your dedication is inspiring.

    Keep up the amazing work, Rob.

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    24 Food One

    Congrats, Rob! this is a huge accomplishment, man, you should be proud. and have a great B-Day! – jim

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    25 Drowning Rabbit

    Happy Birthday and congratulations again for finally getting to start to put closure on that chapter of your life that is Scud.

    You now can say it’s done, no more is needed to be written, no more is required to be drawn, it’s complete as is.

    That is, I’m sure there wouldn’t be anyone complaining if you found some kind of new found love for Scud and decided to do something with him in some other media, but I digress, it’s a great accomplishment to come back to something that has been put aside for so long like this, and finally finish.

    Again, I hope you are in the New England area on tour with the new release, meeting you after all these years of admiring your work would be a great joy.

  26. Gravatar Icon
    26 Wil

    Happy Deflated Birthday!!
    You’re the coolest guy i’ll never meet.
    Well, maybe, someday…

  27. Gravatar Icon
    27 Kalervo Sinervo

    happy birthday! and issue 21 will be out just in time for mine. best birthday gift i can imagine.

  28. Gravatar Icon
    28 Gino Moretto

    You are a freaking legend ! Can’t wait to read it !
    You’re an inspiration !
    Happy birthday !

  29. Gravatar Icon
    29 Doug

    Awesome! Looking forward to the final published piece.

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    30 Joseph MacKie (Jerakal)

    Good job Rob. This is the best news ever, I cannot convey in normal human terms how excited I am right now. Of course I doubt I can be anywhere near as excited as you are.

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    31 Fish Davidson

    I’m glad you finally got Scud wrapped up, and just in time for your birthday, too! Unfortunately, I live too far away to celebrate with you; so my gift to you will be racking up debt on my credit card buying numerous copies of your books. I might even be inclined to buy a little more if I could persuade an autographed copy out of you… wink wink nudge nudge

    What’dya say? =P

  32. Gravatar Icon
    32 Mike

    Wow. That cover gave me happy chills. Can’t wait to read it. Go take a nap and enjoy a day off.

  33. Gravatar Icon
    33

    You’re a veteran’s day baby too? Happy belated birthday brother! Can NOT wait for the books to hit stands.

  34. Gravatar Icon
    34 REDTIGER

    Wow. 109 pages. Hope you didn’t run out of zip-a-tone. Can’t wait to see it.

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    35 Simon

    Rob, I am so psyched that your baby is finally done! Thank you so much for all of your hard work and dedication!

    -Simon

  36. Gravatar Icon
    36 Rob

    I’m adding two more pages. so it’s 111 now.

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    37 joel cook

    Hey Rob…. first off happy birthday! and I cant wait til spring to feel like its my birthday for 4 mths straight…. great job! now go get some lovin and take a huge ass nap…. you more than deserve it…

    I hava a couple questions:

    1. Will each issue still have a soundtrack? If not, I would love to help you with it! lol

    2. In the switch from large collected volume to 4 separate issues, did you have to change the story a lot because of the change in format? or add an extra cliffhanger or anything like that?

    Thanks for all the enjoyment you have given me with Scud!

    Joel

  38. Gravatar Icon
    38 Timmy

    God Bless You, Rob Schrab. Thank you for creating Scud in the first place, after all these years I owe you at least that much.

    Now all I have to do is read these last issues.

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    39 Jeff oehmen

    Congratulations Rob. can’t wait to purchase it.

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    40 Andrew S.

    Right on! I’m totally psyched to check it out! Congratulations on achieving what you set out to do… t’was no small task! I’m sure a lot of people are going to really appreciate it. Cheers!

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    41 ChrisJinx

    HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY!!! And congrats on finishing the series! I am just…I’m so emotional right now…and my nipples are hard…

    Mahfood really HAS come a long way, that cover looks fucking awesome. And thanks for the two extra pages of what I’m sure will be completely amazing.

  42. Gravatar Icon
    42 ant

    111. Nice symmetry to the number. Congrats on finishing the finished 109 pages… unless you end up finishing the finished 111 pages. Either way, thanks for doing this, really looking forward to reading it.

    A quick question re Drywall. His zippers; do PKK manufacture them? I only ask because they seem to make the zippers for everything I’ve ever owned, and given their propensity to get stuff that shouldn’t get caught in them caught, it seems feasible they originated in hell.

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    43 Steve-o

    Congrats on finishing Rob, and a happy (albeit belated) belated birthday. I’m really looking forward to the series and the Omnibus, I’ve been an ardent Scud-head for many years… and I am quite excited to see how the story ends. I think I may cry.

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