Some of you may or may not be aware that, in addition to the twice-weekly serial drama The Utopian Foundation, I also write and draw a normally lighthearted webcomic called Sequential Madness. It has no set schedule and no specific theme — it’s basically just the place I post random comic strips whenever an idea (good or bad) strikes me.

Well, upon waking to the news of the Aurora, Colo. movie theater massacre last Friday morning, I was experiencing something akin to feelings, and in need of emotional output, I whipped up a new comic in about two hours and posted it to Sequential Madness. It was all I could do to work it out of my system.

Apparently, the comic summed up succinctly what a lot of people were feeling. It got more views than any other I’d posted prior (previously, my most popular strip was probably helped by Reddit traffic; this one never went there), a lot of feedback on Facebook, and even a text message or two applauding what I’d created. Which is nice, and I appreciate that so many people could relate, but I really didn’t do anything great. I just did something honest.

Cindi Reed — alternately my good friend and regular editor — must have agreed, because she wanted to print it in this week’s issue of Vegas Seven, as a companion to another commentary on the shooting they were running. I, of course, agreed, and this slightly edited strip appeared today in the paper and online (click the image to view full-size):

It’s been almost a week since the tragic events, and everyone is still talking/reading/watching about the ongoing hospital and courtroom drama. The gun rights debate is back in the news. The old “violent media spawns violent actions” nonsense has appeared along with it. But I don’t have any more to say now than what I did in those six panels. I think that’s enough.*

*OK, I have ONE more thing to say: Here’s how you can help, if you’re so inclined.