Joe The Circle returneth

Joe The Circle is back.

Let me take a moment to describe how shockingly awesome this turn of events is.

Joe The Circle is a crudely-drawn science fiction web comic about a circle, a triangle (Ronnie), a flying fish (Franko) and a "Boobian" (Bob). The premise is that this amusing quartet of characters gets into a variety of amusingly dangerous situations, ends up using violence to escape, skips the planet, goes somewhere else and starts the process again. It is an AWESOME web comic. The characters are humorous and well-balanced. The universe is well-realised. The storylines are startlingly intricate. The jokes are constant, and superb. The only real problem with JTC is the occasional late update.

By which I mean, the last issue of JTC, entitled "An unfortunate broadcast", was uploaded on 21st July 2002, some FOUR YEARS AGO.

It was hard for me to let go. The next issue's release date was eventually pushed back to September 2002, and it was well over six months after that that I stopped checking back in the vain hope that there would one day be more JTC. I sadly watched the site crystallize and freeze solid like an astronaut falling into a black hole. I thought JTC had been forgotten, tossed by the wayside like so many other web comics, outgrown by their creators. I thought Mike Shapiro, the author, had moved on forever. With a heavy heart I decided to at least preserve what issues of JTC still existed, and saved them from the Internet Archive for my own private amusement, but I would never be satisfied.

I was STUNNED when I discovered that there was now a new site. I was FLABBERGHASTED when Volume 12, Issue 12 appeared out of nowhere just a few days ago. I honestly believe this sets the record for the longest non-permanent hiatus period ever taken by any web comic. I applied for, studied for and gained a DEGREE IN MATHEMATICS while Joe The Circle was on hiatus, and I find myself unable to express my happiness that Joe The Circle, this joy of my childhood, has returned. Yes, Ronnie, I remember what's going on. I really do.

Joe The Circle was unfairly underrated when it first ran and I aim to ensure the same will not happen again. Read and love.