Working Daze
Encyclopedia
Working Daze is a comic strip written by John Zakour
It was co-created with Andre Noel in the late 1990s, and first appeared under the title "Modern Daze" on intranetjournal.co. Picked up by United Media, it began its run under the current title on December 17, 2001. Noel left in 2003, and Kyle Miller replaced him starting April 20 of that year, drawing the strip until June 14, 2008. Many new characters were introduced during Miller's time on the strip and readership increased. Scott Roberts took over on June 16, 2008 and continues to draw it today. All three artists delivered different, personal styles to the comic.
Working Daze centers around the working relationships of a group of mostly geek
s who work for MacroMicroMedia, a giant, impersonal software company.
, although he does not physically resemble him. Artist and co-creator Andre Noel was the inspiration for the character of Andrew. The rest of the cast included Rita, the manager- Ed, the overpaid goof-off- Dana, the overworked assistant- Sue, the harried tech writer- Sal, the clueless incompetent- and Roy, the consummate geek. Roy and Dana were minor characters at first but grew to be the most popular.
The feature was originally titled Modern Daze, and appeared on a single website. The title was changed when United Media picked it up. At first it was a single panel gag with a caption beneath. During Noel's run, it changed format to employ word balloons, freeing it to have two or more panels as needed. It fell more in line with the traditional definition of a comic strip
, although it retained its original dimensions. Noel experimented with different methods of coloring the strip, initially going for a hand colored look. Later on, brighter, flatter colors were used, indicating that it was being computer colored. The art was fairly detailed, with a good deal of emphasis on backgrounds. The offices seemed to be located in a large city high rise, probably an older building. The style was closer to New Yorker cartoons than to newspaper strips. Noel left after a year and a half on the feature.
The Kyle Miller strips: Rather than seek an artist who would mimic Noel's style, Zakour went with Kyle Miller, who brought a whole new look to the strip. Miller's style was clean and spare, more cartoony, and the characters were redesigned to reflect that look. Several new characters made their debut during Miller's time, including Carolina, the brightest and sexiest worker, smarter than all the guys and too smart to fall for their clumsy advances- Kathy, Roy's girlfriend, almost as geeky but with one foot still in the real world- and Medusa, the Gorgon receptionist. Her ability to turn workers to stone appears to be selective, and based upon who bugs her the most.
Miller used backgrounds sparingly, often they were only dashes of color. Some readers resisted the change at first, but in time many new readers came on board, and Miller was embraced as a full partner, his style as the true look of the strip. He stayed on much longer, ending a five year run in 2008. Consequently, his departure came as an upset to many readers, who were even less willing to accept the change than when he came on. Zakour announced the change well in advance of the actual event, but many were caught by surprise. Miller is a video game designer, and left to concentrate more time on that work.
The Scott Roberts strips: Roberts had been working with Zakour since they were both a part of the Rugrats
comic strip, and contributors to Nickelodeon Magazine. Zakour was hired to write gags for the Rugrats in its final year. Roberts had been writing gags and drawing the feature for five years, originally rotating with other artists and later providing all the penciling. Zakour and Roberts also collaborated on some comic stories for Nick Mag. After the strip folded, they started seeking other projects they could work on together, and peddled a strip that failed to sell. All this laid the groundwork for Zakour asking Roberts to become the new Working Daze artist.
Even so, there was a great deal of resistance on the part of longtime readers. Once again, no effort was made to continue the established look. As negative reactions came in, Roberts altered and experimented, trying to find an approach that suited his own view of the characters.
But new readers continued to come on board, and the newest were not familiar with the Miller or Noel strips. These readers accepted the Roberts style as the look of the strip. Roberts drew the characters with more attention to anatomic reality, but still cartoony and caricatured, and put far more emphasis on backgrounds. By now it was clear that the company had relocated to an office park somewhere in the suburbs. A key change came in his second year, with use of photo backgrounds. This consists usually of scenes outside the windows of the office, but it can also include outdoor settings, props and set pieces, or images on computer screens. This multi media approach met with a mixed reaction, some readers disturbed by it, others embracing it.
The comments on the comics.com website increased. The gags occasionally touched upon real issues of the workplace or the economy. Sometimes older gags were dusted off, and reworked by Roberts in the new style. These were never meant to be improvements, but simply, a fresh way to look at the same idea. Roberts continues as the artist, and occasionally contributes to the writing as well.
Zakour and Roberts have also launched collaborative efforts on the Zuda site.
Miller started off with an entirely revamped Rita. She was more casual and friendly looking. Her hair was still pulled back, but was fuller and wavier. She wore more relaxed clothes and had a far more feminine shape. At least- at first. Slowly, Miller's Rita transformed into a tightly wound martinet. Her easygoing facial expression changed to a permanent scowl. Even when smiling, her eyes glared. As Miller established iconic costumes for the characters, Rita adopted a permanent grey blazer, at first accessorized with a necktie, but later without. All of Miller's characters were short and thickset at first, but he stretched them out as he went along. Rita became very long and wiry. Her early incarnation would have been intimidated by her later form. Much of the humor in a Rita gag could come from her look.
Roberts initially went for a caricature of a woman he had seen at an office where he temped. She seemed to fit Miller's earlier take on Rita. The pony tail puffed out so it was bigger than her whole head. The grey blazer was replaced by one in lavender, although Roberts kept many of Miller's costume choices. As readers complained that the new look was too cute, the characters, and Rita especially, became modified. The pony tail shrunk to a few spikes, but she became shapelier, leaving behind the Andre Noel broomstick physique. The most familiar aspect of Roberts' Rita is the ever present water bottle in her fist. This appeared in the first week of new strip, and then on and off for while, until it became almost inseparable. When asked why it was there, Roberts explained that it was inspired by a piece in TIME Magazine about bottled water. The article indicated that women were more prone than men to carry it, and often as a fashion accessory. Roberts chose to make it more like a talisman for Rita, or a kind of security blanket. She is only complete when she has it. She can also occasionally use it as a weapon, like a blackjack.
In mid 2009, Zakour wrote a gag in which Rita hires Steve Wozniak
to give her a makeover. Roberts took this as a cue to try a new look for the character, ditching the traditional pony tail and center hair part for a short, bobbed look. It has grown out some since its initial helmet like appearance, but has remained ever since.
and the Jedi Mind Trick. He made the big mistake of teaching the nerve pinch to Rita once, and she could not be stopped until Dana petrified her with a hypnotic glare. She forgot to release her and Rita stayed in place over the weekend. Kathy can also use the pinch, and Roy was distressed to discover that Carolina too has learned it, although he was flattered to find that she learned it from observing him. Many fans enjoy the magical aspect of the strip. No doubt there's some wish fulfillment for real life office workers.
John Zakour
John Zakour is an American science-fiction and humor writer.-Biography:Zakour was born in upstate New York, in 1957. He attended the State University of New York at Potsdam where he received a BA in computer science...
It was co-created with Andre Noel in the late 1990s, and first appeared under the title "Modern Daze" on intranetjournal.co. Picked up by United Media, it began its run under the current title on December 17, 2001. Noel left in 2003, and Kyle Miller replaced him starting April 20 of that year, drawing the strip until June 14, 2008. Many new characters were introduced during Miller's time on the strip and readership increased. Scott Roberts took over on June 16, 2008 and continues to draw it today. All three artists delivered different, personal styles to the comic.
Working Daze centers around the working relationships of a group of mostly geek
Geek
The word geek is a slang term, with different meanings ranging from "a computer expert or enthusiast" to "a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts", with a general pejorative meaning of "a peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, esp[ecially] one who is perceived to...
s who work for MacroMicroMedia, a giant, impersonal software company.
Characters
- Jay Johnstone, the everyman programmer. Years with the company have made him a bit cynical, and not a bit richer.
- Roy Hobbs, the engineer/repair guy. An expert with computers and machines, but he doesn't have a clue how to deal with people.
- Rita McMann, the evil manager. She thinks "rock bottom line" - unless it would mean her suffering.
- Dana Powers, the overworked office manager. Don't cross her - if you want to go home unharmed. She has strange powers.
- Ed Kennedy, the lazy veteran programmer. He expends far more energy avoiding work than working.
- Carolina Lopez, web guru. She's smart and pretty and she knows it. Bilingual, and her second language isn't Klingon.
- Kathy Moon, Roy's girlfriend, and fellow geek. Their relationship has its ones and its zeroes, but it's a real love.
- Sal Bandi, a weasel: he's not good with people or machines, so of course he's in customer service.
- Andrew Norton, graphic designer, office cool guy. Good with people; not so good with computers.
- Sue Smith, tech writer and office busybody. Jealous that others have more power or are more popular.
- Medusa, the gorgon, who also works for MacroMicroMedia. She can turn you to stone with her glare. Don't annoy her.
- CJ Rapps, an intern. She was once the favorite niece of the CEO, but he's since left, so she's on her own.
- Elena Belloff, a professional hypnotist hired by Rita to motivate the staff.
- Lila Powers, Dana's mother, and more dangerously powerful. She had a crush on Ed but got bored with him.
- Mrs. Jenson, an elderly woman working in the archives. Nobody remembers to whom she reports, so they're stuck with her.
Books
Working Daze: Managers and other unnatural disasters (2005, Metropolis Ink/End Table Books) ISBN 978-097512645-5History
The Andre Noel strips: Working Daze appears six days a week, in color online, and in B&W in a handful of newspapers. The characters were inspired by real prototypes the creators knew in the workaday world. Jay is a stand in for writer John ZakourJohn Zakour
John Zakour is an American science-fiction and humor writer.-Biography:Zakour was born in upstate New York, in 1957. He attended the State University of New York at Potsdam where he received a BA in computer science...
, although he does not physically resemble him. Artist and co-creator Andre Noel was the inspiration for the character of Andrew. The rest of the cast included Rita, the manager- Ed, the overpaid goof-off- Dana, the overworked assistant- Sue, the harried tech writer- Sal, the clueless incompetent- and Roy, the consummate geek. Roy and Dana were minor characters at first but grew to be the most popular.
The feature was originally titled Modern Daze, and appeared on a single website. The title was changed when United Media picked it up. At first it was a single panel gag with a caption beneath. During Noel's run, it changed format to employ word balloons, freeing it to have two or more panels as needed. It fell more in line with the traditional definition of a comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
, although it retained its original dimensions. Noel experimented with different methods of coloring the strip, initially going for a hand colored look. Later on, brighter, flatter colors were used, indicating that it was being computer colored. The art was fairly detailed, with a good deal of emphasis on backgrounds. The offices seemed to be located in a large city high rise, probably an older building. The style was closer to New Yorker cartoons than to newspaper strips. Noel left after a year and a half on the feature.
The Kyle Miller strips: Rather than seek an artist who would mimic Noel's style, Zakour went with Kyle Miller, who brought a whole new look to the strip. Miller's style was clean and spare, more cartoony, and the characters were redesigned to reflect that look. Several new characters made their debut during Miller's time, including Carolina, the brightest and sexiest worker, smarter than all the guys and too smart to fall for their clumsy advances- Kathy, Roy's girlfriend, almost as geeky but with one foot still in the real world- and Medusa, the Gorgon receptionist. Her ability to turn workers to stone appears to be selective, and based upon who bugs her the most.
Miller used backgrounds sparingly, often they were only dashes of color. Some readers resisted the change at first, but in time many new readers came on board, and Miller was embraced as a full partner, his style as the true look of the strip. He stayed on much longer, ending a five year run in 2008. Consequently, his departure came as an upset to many readers, who were even less willing to accept the change than when he came on. Zakour announced the change well in advance of the actual event, but many were caught by surprise. Miller is a video game designer, and left to concentrate more time on that work.
The Scott Roberts strips: Roberts had been working with Zakour since they were both a part of the Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
comic strip, and contributors to Nickelodeon Magazine. Zakour was hired to write gags for the Rugrats in its final year. Roberts had been writing gags and drawing the feature for five years, originally rotating with other artists and later providing all the penciling. Zakour and Roberts also collaborated on some comic stories for Nick Mag. After the strip folded, they started seeking other projects they could work on together, and peddled a strip that failed to sell. All this laid the groundwork for Zakour asking Roberts to become the new Working Daze artist.
Even so, there was a great deal of resistance on the part of longtime readers. Once again, no effort was made to continue the established look. As negative reactions came in, Roberts altered and experimented, trying to find an approach that suited his own view of the characters.
But new readers continued to come on board, and the newest were not familiar with the Miller or Noel strips. These readers accepted the Roberts style as the look of the strip. Roberts drew the characters with more attention to anatomic reality, but still cartoony and caricatured, and put far more emphasis on backgrounds. By now it was clear that the company had relocated to an office park somewhere in the suburbs. A key change came in his second year, with use of photo backgrounds. This consists usually of scenes outside the windows of the office, but it can also include outdoor settings, props and set pieces, or images on computer screens. This multi media approach met with a mixed reaction, some readers disturbed by it, others embracing it.
The comments on the comics.com website increased. The gags occasionally touched upon real issues of the workplace or the economy. Sometimes older gags were dusted off, and reworked by Roberts in the new style. These were never meant to be improvements, but simply, a fresh way to look at the same idea. Roberts continues as the artist, and occasionally contributes to the writing as well.
Zakour and Roberts have also launched collaborative efforts on the Zuda site.
Changes in Look
All of the characters have changed in appearance. The changes are due primarily to the turnover of artists, but have occurred even within a single artist's term on the feature. Perhaps no character has changed more than Rita, the money crazed office manager who is eventually promoted to a lower level VP. Andre Noel's Rita didn't change a lot during his short time on the strip, but subtly altered. Mostly she was a Miss Gulch type. Lanky and shapeless, black hair pulled tight in a small pony tail, a large nose and heavily lidded eyes. She wore mostly black, but Noel changed all the characters' outfits from day to day, and sometimes Rita was seen in other garb.Miller started off with an entirely revamped Rita. She was more casual and friendly looking. Her hair was still pulled back, but was fuller and wavier. She wore more relaxed clothes and had a far more feminine shape. At least- at first. Slowly, Miller's Rita transformed into a tightly wound martinet. Her easygoing facial expression changed to a permanent scowl. Even when smiling, her eyes glared. As Miller established iconic costumes for the characters, Rita adopted a permanent grey blazer, at first accessorized with a necktie, but later without. All of Miller's characters were short and thickset at first, but he stretched them out as he went along. Rita became very long and wiry. Her early incarnation would have been intimidated by her later form. Much of the humor in a Rita gag could come from her look.
Roberts initially went for a caricature of a woman he had seen at an office where he temped. She seemed to fit Miller's earlier take on Rita. The pony tail puffed out so it was bigger than her whole head. The grey blazer was replaced by one in lavender, although Roberts kept many of Miller's costume choices. As readers complained that the new look was too cute, the characters, and Rita especially, became modified. The pony tail shrunk to a few spikes, but she became shapelier, leaving behind the Andre Noel broomstick physique. The most familiar aspect of Roberts' Rita is the ever present water bottle in her fist. This appeared in the first week of new strip, and then on and off for while, until it became almost inseparable. When asked why it was there, Roberts explained that it was inspired by a piece in TIME Magazine about bottled water. The article indicated that women were more prone than men to carry it, and often as a fashion accessory. Roberts chose to make it more like a talisman for Rita, or a kind of security blanket. She is only complete when she has it. She can also occasionally use it as a weapon, like a blackjack.
In mid 2009, Zakour wrote a gag in which Rita hires Steve Wozniak
Steve Wozniak
Stephen Gary "Woz" Wozniak is an American computer engineer and programmer who founded Apple Computer, Co. with Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne...
to give her a makeover. Roberts took this as a cue to try a new look for the character, ditching the traditional pony tail and center hair part for a short, bobbed look. It has grown out some since its initial helmet like appearance, but has remained ever since.
Magic
A fantasy bent, subtle during the Noel strips, blossomed into a regular feature during Miller's time, and continues in the Roberts drawn strips. Characters developed superhuman powers, especially Dana, who could punish co-workers, Rita included, in a number of ways. These included transformation, feats of great strength, encasing them in ice, and other awesome powers. She has worked on restraining these abilities, but, as the most overworked and undervalued member of the staff, it's sometimes hard to contain them. Medusa, as mentioned, can turn people to stone, but Dana seems to be able to do this too. Rita occasionally picks up powers, like turning anything she touches to dirt, or transforming people who annoy her into monkeys. She can also bore an entire roomful of people into potatoes. Often, when Rita gets going, she gets out of control, and it falls on Dana to keep her in check. Roy has mastered both the Vulcan nerve pinchVulcan nerve pinch
In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Vulcan nerve pinch is a technique used mainly by Vulcans to render unconsciousness by pinching a pressure point at the base of the victim’s neck...
and the Jedi Mind Trick. He made the big mistake of teaching the nerve pinch to Rita once, and she could not be stopped until Dana petrified her with a hypnotic glare. She forgot to release her and Rita stayed in place over the weekend. Kathy can also use the pinch, and Roy was distressed to discover that Carolina too has learned it, although he was flattered to find that she learned it from observing him. Many fans enjoy the magical aspect of the strip. No doubt there's some wish fulfillment for real life office workers.
Moving Out Into Other Media
In March 2009, Zakour launched Roy into Twitter with his own page http://twitter.com/WorkingDaze_Roy and began a campaign to attract followers. Of course, Zakour writes all the entries himself, but in character as Roy.External links
- Working Daze at Comics.com