Tag: abe

  • Force Modernization

    Force Modernization

    On god, the Corps is going through the biggest glow up modern times. The Commandant finna make this place bussin and ready to tackle the modern challenges we face in the global security environment.

    Really though, there are a lot of huge changes happening all over the Corps as part of Force Design 2030. In my tenure as the Terminal Lance guy, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite as drastic as what we’ve been getting over the last year. Just earlier this week, it was announced that Scout Snipers will no longer be a thing.

    At least now I don’t feel as bad about 0351 and my alma mater 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines getting the axe.

    What I’ve learned over the years is that the Corps is actually constantly changing and evolving. There is forever new blood pumping in and out of the Corps in the form of new 18 and 19 year old recruits every week. An ethos of the Corps is to “adapt and overcome,” and this is something that I think the Marines do better than they get credit for. Ultimately change is good. Change is evolution, and evolution makes us stronger.

    It remains to be seen if Staff NCO’s can change, or if they will continue to stumble over every other word of a promotion warrant as they read it aloud.

  • The Adventures of Chinese Spy Balloon

    The Adventures of Chinese Spy Balloon

    When the news broke last week that a Chinese spy balloon was ominously hovering over the continental United States, I was a bit baffled. On one hand, it’s obviously bad when America’s enemies are obviously crossing boundaries they shouldn’t be. On the other, it was so ridiculous and incredibly stupid that it was more funny than anything.

    The balloon is now dead in the water (literally) after it was shot down off the coast of Myrtle Beach. The Chinese government claims it was a civilian craft, which is… absurd.

    Anyway, the adventures of Chinese Spy Balloon were short-lived, but entertaining nonetheless. I think I’m going to pitch this as a show to Netflix.

  • Edible Arrangements

    Edible Arrangements

    Whelp, after 3 years of skating by this whole pandemic, it’s finally happened… I got COVID. Nothing but snot, phlegm and coughing and hacking over here. I really thought I’d get through this whole ordeal unscathed, but I suppose my luck was bound to run out at some point.

    For what it’s worth, I’m more or less fine. I’m fortunate enough to have been vaccinated, boosted, and all that. We all got sick about a week ago, so I’m near the tail-end of it now. This week my focus has been much more on my toddler son, who is also sick—but he’s also more or less doing fine at this point.

    In other news, I just wanted to mention that I’ll be in Okinawa next month for Okinawa Comic-Con! I’ll be staying aboard Camp Foster and hanging out the first week of December. I’m excited because this will be my first time in Oki!

    I can finally see what everyone has been complaining about. More details to come on when and where I’ll be for those of you on the island. Always keep up with TL on Instagram and other social media outlets for the latest.

  • 7th Anniversary

    7th Anniversary

    I have some good news…

    Not only did we all make out of 2016 alive, but we made it to see the 7th birthday of Terminal Lance! January 5th marks the official birthday of Terminal Lance, when I posted the first comic strip. Who would have ever guessed, 7 years ago, that a fun comic about the Marine Corps would go as far as it has, with a massive social media fanbase, New York Times best selling graphic novel, and millions of visitors every month.

    I wanted to take a moment to go through the last 7 years and pick my favorite comic strips from each one. I know you all have your personal favorites, but here are mine…

    2010-07-09-strip_50_nam_web

    Terminal Lance #50 “I’m Putting You Up for One” is still my favorite comic of the original 2010 “Golden Age” TL comics. Back then, I was just starting college on my Post 9/11 GI Bill, Abe and Garcia didn’t even exist yet, and comics about Iraq were still relevant to most of my readers. I love this strip because it does two things particularly well: it has a solid joke (giving NAM’s to anyone like candy) and points out an important issue (giving NAM’s to anyone like candy except grunts).

    2011-03-04-strip_110_the_swarm_web

    Terminal Lance #110 “Bootcamp: The Swarm” in 2011 was really an ode to the great Normal Rockwell. I’m partial to this comic mostly because it does a great job of illustrating a solid joke, recognizable immediately to any Marine that’s been to boot camp, without any dialog whatsoever. It’s also a good experimentation of panels and layout, something that I always want to do more of. (For anyone looking for a great book that really breaks down comics, check out this book by Scott McCloud, it will change your life if you’re a comic artist).

    2012-01-27-strip_175_back_home_web

    Terminal Lance #175 “Back Home” came in right at the beginning of 2012, but it’s one of my top strips of all time. This strip really encapsulates a lot of what The White Donkey was about, but in a much shorter form. It addresses the disconnect between Marines and their extraordinary lives with the people you leave behind at home, and how it can be difficult to adjust. As a two-time Iraq veteran, this is something I dealt with myself.

    2013-05-28-strip_memorial_day_2013_web

    This strip from Memorial Day 2013 really encapsulated (with the help of Chesty Puller’s timeless phantom) the ongoing struggle of much of the veteran community that persists in this heated political environment. As Chesty mentions, both sides are right. While it’s important to honor and remember those that came before us and the struggles and sacrifices they endured, freedom is what they fought for. It’s possible to do both, and I don’t think our fallen brethren would ask any more of us than that.

    2014-04-11-strip_316_dress_blue_rip_web

    He fucking died, man. Terminal Lance #316 “Dress Blue Alpha Male” from 2014 shows the interesting dichotomy of Terminal Lance–in where I’m making a joke about the Marine Corps but it’s also kind of a humble-brag about how great we all look in dress blues. This is an ongoing struggle with TL, where I have to find the correct balance of shared misery with the pride of being a Marine. The struggle is real. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t have done this comic for 7 years if I didn’t, on some level, love my experience in the Corps. On the other hand, I sure as fuck didn’t reenlist. You get the idea.

    2015-05-08-strip_378_half_truths_web

    He’s not wrong. I love Terminal Lance #378 “Half Truths” because I simply think it’s a perfect joke with a great set up. Obviously it plays into the larger implication that recruiters are full of shit, but I have to reconcile this with the reality that my own recruiter never lied to me at all. He’s right though, you’ll get fucked a lot.

    2016-01-08-strip_new_corps_web

    I don’t personally believe in nor perpetuate the myth of “Old Corps” and “New Corps.” As they say, Old Corps is whenever you were in and New Corps starts the day you got out for most veterans. However, I think Terminal Lance “New Corps” from 2016 does a good job of depicting the new and sometimes confusing modern society that we live in today. Ultimately, the military is reflective of the times we live in though, and I genuinely think the military has done a better job than most institutions of adapting to the times.

    It’s interesting to see how Terminal Lance has changed over the years, and how my own experiences have shifted and molded the comic into what it is today. I make Terminal Lance specifically with the active duty Lance Corporals in mind, and I’ve done it for 7 years now because when I was a Lance Corporal, I wish someone would have done it for me. Before Terminal Lance, nothing like Terminal Lance existed.

    Terminal Lance isn’t going anywhere any time soon. In fact… Things are about to get a lot bigger.

    Stay tuned, gents.