This page started a discussion in the editor’s chat about the cost to start a business. My original number for Alex’s loan was 10K, which I thought would be enough to cover nearly all the major purchases and whatnot, based on my experiences with starting businesses. My family was regularly starting businesses with no money. Apparently, in some places, it costs upwards of 70K just to get the ball rolling. At the time the comic takes place that was something like 30K. So I was trying to figure out how the hell people were starting with nothing out in Kansas in the early 2000nds. My mother is the only person still alive to ask and she’s busy right now, so I’ll have to get back to you on that. My answer to the issue was to set Alex’s contribution to 15K and hand wave the rest away with undisclosed contributions from other sources. In my experience at least people find ways to get things done. From a story perspective it really only matters that Alex is willing to go all in for her friends to take a shot at their dreams. I’m still left with a lot of questions about how my family may secretly be really good at business and I just never realized it.

Anyway, I hope you all had a nice start to 2026. I took down my Wonder Woman calendar and put up the new Bob Ross one. I did try to find another WW one to replace the 2025 one with but alas, none were to be had. I don’t think I’ve ever really spoken about it but Wonder Woman is one of my favorite comic characters. In recent years she hasn’t been much fun since the writers have tended to make her brutal and savage rather than heroic, but the version from my youth, and the DC animated universe versions live on in my heart. Generally I don’t pay much attention to wall calendars, but mom places them all over the house, and most years I get one for Xmas. This year she forgot since they have kind of fallen out of favor in the world generally. I only attempted to find a specific replacement for the previous one because the 2025 calendar used very good art compared to what usually ends up in a calendar. I chose the Bob Ross one at the store because the other comic choices were just miserable. 30 days is a long time to look at uninspiring art. Bob Ross paintings aren’t very innovative but they also aren’t offensive. I don’t mean to downplay his skill or the attractiveness of his art. I just mean that you know what you’re going to get with a Bob Ross painting pretty much every time. I did try to look up all the various franchises that I enjoy to see what else was on offer but, like most things right now, the space is awash in AI garbage which I don’t want to actually pay for, and the actual art on offer from the true sources appeared to have been chosen by poorly trained chimps. In any case, for the next 365 days I’ll be spending some glances with ol’ Bob.

Anyway, I’m feeling tired so I’ll leave you with that until Monday, when I return with more adventures of made up people. Until then, be safe, be kind, and know that you are appreciated.

2928 A Matter Of Fifteen Thousand Dollars.

Links