written and drawn by Howard Tayler
. It follows the tribulations of a star-travelling mercenary
company in a satiric, mildly dystopia
n 31st-century space opera
setting. Since its debut on June 12, 2000 the comic has updated daily, begun to support its author, and been nominated for three Hugo Award
s.
Over time, Tayler's art improved from, in his words, bad to "marginally less bad." Jean Elmore served as colorist for the strip from February 9, 2003 to the spring of 2004 when she developed a repetitive strain injury
from her work.
On March 3, 2003, the comic reached its 1001st strip.
Rule 1. Pillage, then burn.
Rule 3. An ordnance technician at a dead run outranks everybody.
Rule 4. Close air support coverth a multitude of sins.
Rule 6. If violence wasn’t your last resort, you failed to resort to enough of it.
Rule 8. Mockery and derision have their place. Usually, it's on the far side of the airlock.
Rule 9. Never turn your back on an enemy.
Rule 10. Sometimes the only way out is through... through the hull
Rule 11. Everything is air-droppable at least once.
Rule 12. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head.
Rule 13. Do unto others.