Sausage-Fest.com

A "sausage fest" is a frequently used college term that describes any party, class, or gathering of people whose population consists primarily of males. As a collegiate comic that centers around the life of a male freshman and his roommates, the title seems appropriate. Subsequently, I bet a lot of internet users stumble upon this site looking for gay porn... A visitor is a visitor, I always say.

Can I use your comic?

Depends. I encourage students to print them out and post it on their dorm doors or, for some unfathomable reason, use it in a research paper. If, however, you’re going to take my comic, sell it, and/or reproduce on a large, public level, then we have a problem. If you need to, just email me, and we’ll work something out.

How come you don't update everyday or on specific days?

In all honesty, a lot of my time can't be afforded to creating comics; they simply don't pay the bills. I've been actively searching for a good graphic design job, and despite the cries of numerous readers and fans, I need to focus my priorities on an actual paying job first.

I saw a funny comic about [whatever], but I don’t remember when it was published. Where and how can I find it?

I’ve compiled tags for each of my comic and categorized them accordingly. Mayhaps you can find what you’re looking for here.

Where can I find a certain storyline?

I’ve compiled complete storylines here.

Ever think about syndicating your comic to other newspapers, college or nationwide?

My comic is a college comic, and I find a satire of college living to be too inappropriate to publish on a national scale. I mean, little kids could be reading it, and I feel they have to wait till college (or at least high school) to be corrupted by such a lifestyle. As for syndicating my comic to other colleges, I would love to do that. The only thing is, though, that "Sausage-Fest" is based at the University of Illinois. Michigan may have a problem with that.

Is there an RSS feed so I can get your comics when you update?

Why, yes there is. Check it out here.

Where can I purchase your book, "Whiskey and Pills: The Freshman Chronicles"?

You can purchase my first book on Lulu.com. Here's a direct link. If you don't have one, buy one. If you already own a copy, buy 3 more. I need the money to buy furniture for my apartment. Foreez.

When is the new book coming out, and where can I buy it?

Currently working on it. It will be entitled, "So I Dated A Robot."

How come you never respond to my emails?

Sweetie, I told you that it’s over; the judge ruled the restraining order, remember? Sometimes, I just don’t have the time to immediately respond to your email. Other times, I am just horrendously lazy. I try to respond to all the emails I get, so be patient.

How come parts of the site looked f-ed up?

I use Firefox to design the site, namely because Internet Explorer isn't 100% compatible with CSS. If, for instance, you look at the main page with IE and the date header is out of place, try refreshing it. It should fix itself. Other than that, there's just a very minimal difference in how the site looks in Firefox and Explorer.

Characters.

Are the characters based off real people?

Yup. Most of the characters are friends and acquaintances I have encountered over the years, and each one reflects a stylized, exaggerated version of their real-life counterpart. The real Jeffro, for instance, is indeed an indie music maniac, although he does have a nose (for now). The real Duder -- though I may portray him in a negative, stereotypical light -- is a friend who is in a fraternity. Characters like Lizzy the Unattainable British Love Interest and Kyle the Duck are, however, entirely made up. I don’t know any talking ducks or British people.

What kind of beings are Nigel and Randy anyway? Are they Kirby’s daddies?

Nigel and Randy (as well as any armless floating ball that may appear on the strip) represent the conflicting consciousnesses of both reason and temptation; they literally are the metaphorical angel and devil that appear on your shoulder when you’re in a moral dilemma. They’re from heaven and hell, respectively, and have no hands or arms to symbolize their inability to physically interact with the living world. Since Kirby has arms, and Nigel and Randy clearly do not sport any reproductive organs, your second question is stupid.

So what happened to Randy? Did he really get killed by Cherub Downe?

In any comic, a character just won't stay dead. He's in the comic; just keep a close eye out.

How did you come up with the character Kyle the Duck?

I thought it'd be funny to have another non-human character -- like a duck -- to be in the main cast. I also wanted the character to be inexplicably threatening, and what's more apparently non-threatening than a duck?

What’s the deal with the huge cast of characters?

A great comedy is as only good as its characters. I feel by creating an ensemble cast, I can touch every single aspect of college life, and thus connect at least one character to a single audience member.

Are you Chris?

In some way, yes, except a lot shorter and a lot heavier. I identify with him primarily because when I started college, I was just as naïve and curious and hopeless as him. Like Chris, it’s my family, friends, and interactions with such archetypal (and sometimes stereotypical) college characters that shape who I am as a person.

Where does taht stoner dude score his weed

It's true: stoners don't believe in question marks. Anyway, my friend, Aaron the Stoner gets his weed from a nice, old lady suffering from glaucoma in the downtown Urbana area. If you're looking for some, she can hook you up with some wacky-tobacky in exchange for your teeth. Molars and incisors will do. Her number is 333-0302.

Why doesn't [this specific character] appear in the comic anymore?

Sometimes a character is created for a specific comic or gag. Others just fall out of circulation. Now I often try to bring back forgotten characters, so just keep a look out for them.

Story, Style, & Technique.

How do you draw your comics?

First, I sit for several hours, staring blankly at a wall, and I think about what I should have for lunch. After a few cups of coffee, I turn on the TV and fall asleep. The ideas, then, come to me in a dream. I wake up, pull out my trusty 0.50 mechanical pencil and start sketching onto smooth Bristol board. Next, I ink the comics with my beloved Micron pens (usually size 005, since I like working in details) and scan it into Adobe Photoshop. The text, text bubbles, backgrounds, and shading are incorporated into the scanned drawing via Photoshop, and I upload it to the site for your enjoyment. Finally, I question what I have done with my life and cry incessantly. Repeat.

How do you get your ideas for your comic?

A lot of TV and a lot of reading, with a little help of nostalgic thinking. News and pop culture is the best source for humor, especially if it makes the reader go, "Oh yeah! I remember that!"

What do you use to create the text bubbles/what kind of font do you use?

The text bubbles are just shapes in Adobe Photoshop with different filters and overlays. As for the text in my newer comics, I stopped using Comic Sans and started using a font called Lafayette Comic Pro.

Can I contribute to your comic?

Sure, I love suggestions! Just email me. In addition, once in awhile I make a comic where Nigel and Randy answer your real questions; it’s their little advice column, so you can ask them anything you want.

Why is your comic in black and white?

Well, that’s what I’m used to working with when I drew for the Daily Illini. Plus, I am an anal retentive artist, and it would take me forever to churn out a colored piece of work.

Why is your comic in color?

I decided to colorize my comic in 2008 just because it would be more of a challenge. Furthermore, I think adding color will ad some depth to the characters and allow readers to distinguish them even more.

I look at your artwork and it screams Japanese. Do you like manga? What about mango?

When I first started drawing cartoons, I admit that I was heavily influenced by the manga and anime art styles. Over the years, however, I feel I have incorporated my own style into my artwork. "Sausage-Fest," you can say, is an amalgam of both Japanese and American cartooning; not everyone has large, super-deformed eyes, and not everyone is an Americanized, Charles Schultz-looking character. As for mangoes, I am not a fan.

Why is your comic based at U of I?

I went to school there, so it's natural it holds a special place in my heart. Nowadays, however, I'm trying to distance the comic away from U of I and into a more ubiquitous yet metropolitan location.

Some of the dialogue is just so long. WTF?

I can’t help it. I’m an English major.

Personal.

How can I contact you?

Drop me a line at retuta@gmail.com. Or, if you like, leave a comment on the main page; I’m better at responding there.

Who the hell are you?

More information about me and the comic can be found here. Otherwise, just Google "retuta," and you'll get a lot of other sites I maintain. What can I say? My net presence is very prolific.

What's the deal with you and the other Daily Illini cartoonists? Are you hating on them?

I am actually friends with Pat Doran of "The Way Life Should Be," Matt Vroom of "I Hate Pam," and Matt Yurkanin of "Thoughtless" (as well as some of the other cartoonists who came and went). We do like to pick on each other in our comics, but it’s all friendly teasing. In some cases, like the infamous comic war of 2005, we just made fun of each other just to stir up the old juices of the Daily Illini comics page. All for your enjoyment. No playa-hatin’ in this corner.

Why aren’t you in the Daily Illini anymore?

This is clearly my opinion, since quite frankly I never did learn the reason why I am no longer employed by the DI: budget cuts stripped down the number of comics for the Spring 2006 semester, and the editorial board changed -- leaving behind no one I knew from the previous years. Though I have been told I’ve been one of the more popular comics, the new editorial board saw me as a liability and a potential, controversial risk like Matt Vroom of "I Hate Pam." It’s all gravy, though; as an artist, I am no longer bound by any restrictions or rules. Furthermore, I graduated so being associated with a college newspaper wouldn't make much sense anymore.

Did you make those plushies of Nigel, Randy, etc.?

Yeah, I made these things: using cloth, felt, a sewing machine, and some stuffing. No big deal.

Do you do more than cartooning or are you one-trick pony?

I’m striving to become a well-balanced freelance graphic designer, versed in cartooning, fine art, digital illustration, web design, and photography. You can check out my portfolio at PhillipRetuta.com.

Do you like... stuff...?

No, no I don’t.