20th Year!

December 6, 2022 by Tim

Are you ready for this? I am now in my twentieth year creating this comic strip.

I’ve been here for every second of it, and even I can hardly believe that statement. Twenty years. Four generations of consoles. Somewhere over four thousand pages of comics and art. Countless treasured memories.

It’s safe to say that I make this comic, but in a lot of ways, this comic has also made me. Where my life is now can be directly traced to moments that would not have happened without Ctrl+Alt+Del. I met my wife at the very first convention I ever attended as a comic creator. From there we would get to know each other, start dating, get married and begin a family together. Most of my friends now are people I’ve met through the course of my work over the years.

Ctrl+Alt+Del isn’t the same comic it was when it started twenty years ago, nor am I the same person. How could I be? When I started the comic I was just a kid with a lot to learn. Now I’m an adult, a husband, a father… still with a lot to learn. Twenty years, and I don’t feel the slightest bit of fatigue creating this comic strip, day in, day out, because there’s always something new to discover. New things to try with the art, the writing, new perspectives to explore and experiment with.

It’s impossible to really sum up two decades of my experience with Ctrl+Alt+Del. But if you’ve read the archives, I don’t really have to. You’ve already borne witness to my journey thus far; the entire trajectory of my growth as an author and artist, my corresponding successes and failures, are all laid bare in the archives. I’m often so busy, there’s very little work you don’t see, very few projects not subjected to the light of day. It’s basically all there, for better or worse.

And if you’re here, I’d like to believe it’s because on some level, in some way, I’ve managed to entertain you. Made you laugh, made you think, made you excited to see what happens next. Perhaps I can do it often, perhaps it only happens once in a while, and I am under no impression I am much more than a blip in your morning route. But while I find it healthiest to follow my own compass in regard to what content I put out, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t important to me that I brighten at least someone’s day in the process.

I’m celebrating two decades of producing Ctrl+Alt+Del, and all of the work I’ve put into it, but I’m only able to do that because of you. I love creating these comics and stories so much, I’d like to imagine I’d do it even if you all disappeared; you’ve never made me put that to the test. You have had my back for twenty years now, this ever-changing-yet-ever-constant sea of faces I can’t see, who has supported me and my work both financially and emotionally.

You’ve allowed me to turn my passion into a career I love, and that I can support my family with. Your kind comments and emails have carried me through times of self-doubt and uncertainty, and given me such a sense of honor and pride in the work I am so fortunate to do.

I have tried to regularly voice my gratitude for your support, and though even when I am not actively doing so, for fear of the words losing their meaning, please trust me that for the past twenty years, I have endeavored to never take your support for granted. Thank you for all you’ve done to get us here.

And I’m nowhere close to being done. How far does the road go? Thirty years? Forty years? I have no idea. I just know I’ve got a head full of stories left to tell. And I’m up for the ride if you are.

If you do enjoy what I do here, your help in continuing to make it happen is eternally appreciated. While the online advertising industry isn’t quite as reliable as it used to be, choosing to whitelist us in your adblocker does help as a passive way of supporting the site.

Mostly I have tried to shift more towards more direct reader support, and Patreon has been a big part of that. Becoming a Patron at even the $1 level gets you the daily comics sent directly to your email (if you’ve opted in to Patreon’s emails). If you sign up for the year, you get two months free, meaning for $10 you are supporting the roughly 156 comics I make here in a year. That’s $0.06 a comic. Higher tiers also net you early and high-resolution versions of the comics, and exclusive content each month (including access to all previous exclusives).

To celebrate our twentieth anniversary, I’ve also marked down our latest round of books, currently in stock and ready to ship to North America! Our books contain extra content and remastered versions of comics, making them the definitive collection of the comics. And for those watching their shelf space, we have digital versions as well.


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J.R. Murdock
J.R. Murdock
1 year ago

Congratulations! Your comic strip is almost old enough to start drinking! WOO WOO!

Garth
Garth
1 year ago
Reply to  J.R. Murdock

And gambling, yes?

Potato
Potato
11 months ago
Reply to  J.R. Murdock

Only in the US, if it travels to a developed country it can already drink, could already for the last two years.

Alex
Alex
1 year ago

Thank you Tim for everything you shared with us during this period. I think I have been around for about 10-12 years, I have lost track of time. Brannigan page 4 shows how much you have grown as an artist and a story teller. I hope you have the strength and inspiration to keep going for another 20 years and then some. A fan from Cyprus.

Andreas
Andreas
1 year ago

Happy comic-birthday! It’s been an interesting journey to follow, I certainly hope it lasts another 20 year.

Eleanor
Eleanor
1 year ago

Congrats on 20 years of productivity. May there be many more to come!

Bakhtosh
Bakhtosh
1 year ago

Congratulations, Tim. I’ve been with you for much of that journey.

ExWuschel
ExWuschel
1 year ago

Exceptional milestone, thanks for all your work and passion, and thanks for taking us along for the ride!

Holger
Holger
1 year ago

Here is a big “Dankeschön” from Germany, for all your hard work over the years.

ManWithJoeName
ManWithJoeName
1 year ago

Congrats on 20 years! I think I started reading somewhere around 2004, and it quickly became one of my all time favorites. I left the comic for a short while after your original story arc ended, but I eventually came back and I’m happy I did.
Here’s to another 20 years!

Luis O.
Luis O.
1 year ago

Thanks for everything, just bought the Ctrl+Alt+Del 1.0 Digital Book Set as a thank you for 20 years of great entertainment. Looking forward to the 50th year of it.

Eli
Eli
1 year ago

How have you kept me invested in a webcomic I’ve been reading since I was only 10 years old??? It’s WITCHCRAFT I TELL YOU.

Marc
Marc
1 year ago

Well.. 20 years of CAD means I’m old now too. Great work and love the comic all these years later.

Troy D Bird
Troy D Bird
1 year ago

SO much congratulations are in order! I started following this webcomic back in high school in 2004, and I still check it regularly to this day. Your work has been an inspiration for me, both with how you have created stories for an online audience and how to deal with negative and positive feedback (especially from said audience). When I grow up, I hope to write stories with half as much character and humor. Cheers!

Barend
Barend
1 year ago

Thank you Scott. Believe it or not, for the 39 years of my life your comic, and world has been part of it for over 15.

Thank you…

Ian Crane
Ian Crane
1 year ago

Buddy, this is very cool to see. As someone who has been here from the start, and all the way over in Australia, 20 years has been a very reflective time for me too. I’m one of those people that bought the CAD animated series on DVD and kinda wanted to see more, I have the CAD fridge magnets and the very first run of books. I’ve dropped off over the years and sip in and out but I’m happy your still around! I would buy a 20th anniversary t or hat FYI 😉

Some Teen
Some Teen
1 year ago

One of my Dad’s friends read this back in the day (before I was born) and recently told me about this webcomic, since I love webcomics. I checked it out and It’s a little fun to read!

On a different note, feels weird to know that this webcomic is older than me.

Some Post-Teen
Some Post-Teen
1 year ago
Reply to  Some Teen

God I’m old.

Robert Mills
Robert Mills
1 year ago

I started reading in 2004, when I was 9 years old. This comic has been with me the majority of my life. Also, a big shout out to the old Art Of Tim blog, which played a big role in inspiring me to learn to draw.

Wayne K
Wayne K
1 year ago

Wow! 20 years. Congratulations. I don’t remember when I discovered your online comics, but I’m guessing about 15 years ago. I enjoy keeping up with the content. Thank you!

Michael L Livote
Michael L Livote
1 year ago

I caught onto this amazing journey about half way in…and I’m not going anywhere! This had been one heck of a trip and I always look forward to wherever it may lead, here’s to the next 20 Tim!!

John
John
1 year ago

So happy to see you’ve made it 20 years! Unfortunately it looks like the physical books are sold out and I was wondering if there was going to be a restock of them?

K.M. Nelson
K.M. Nelson
1 year ago

Good sir, I wanted to thank you for all the comics and stories throughout the years. In 2009, I attended Digital Overload in Providence, RI. I was one of a group of friends that drove from Denver to Providence for it. At the event, I thanked you personally for a comic that has since become rather in/famous because I had gone through something almost identical not that long before the comic was published. I got a little weepy when you signed my badge. I still wear the shirt I bought at the event, to this day. I simply wanted to… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by K.M. Nelson
Stoneward
Stoneward
10 months ago

Not sure how I missed this post though I just wanted to comment to thank you for the many years of comics. I’ve been reading your comics since almost the beginning, though long enough to remember the forums. Those were some good times. My favorite place was the RPG table where I spent many nights RP’ing away with other members. Definitely had some fun times that certainly brings a smile to my face, even years upon years later. I look forward to many more years, especially as you incorporate your family into your comics and seeing them grow digitally.

Omg Omg
Omg Omg
10 months ago

I love your comics, Tim, I read them before Ethan married Windows XP (years ago I tried to find again the hi-res image but it was gone). Congratulations on what you did with Scott and the Analog and DPad universe in terms of development, we got a really smart comic here. I don’t play videogames, but I looooOOoove to watch others playing them on youtube. Years ago I was hooked with Paper Mario, in the pandemic it was Bendy and the Ink Machine, now it is Poppy Playtime and that weird horror Spongebob indie game named True Ingredients. We haven’t… Read more »