Hello Factory Fans and welcome to the latest CB’s Life of High Adventure! Christian Beranek, co-founder of The Webcomic Factory, is a world traveler and man of action. He will do whatever is necessary to bring the good word of webcomics to the people.
This feature will not only document his current and future expeditions, but also archive past exploits!
So sit back and enjoy The Life of High Adventure!
In this second installment CB continues to recount his trip to Florida during the fall of 2005. To read the first part click HERE.
CB’s Life of High Adventure #2: Here Comes the Story of A Hurricane Part 2
I landed at Fort Lauderdale Airport in October of 2005 and was met by 20% co-creator David Fairley. 20% is a webcomic we created about a restaurant in Hell and the waiters that have to spend an eternity working there. They have to serve demons who represent the many human vices we have here on Earth. Having waited tables myself I can tell you it would be a shitty way to spend an after life.
So David and I headed back to his pad in West Palm Beach. Weather was great. Did a horror convention that weekend and rocked a few sales.
Mid-week I did a signing at PAST PRESENT FUTURE COMICS & GAMES for DRACULA VS. KING ARTHUR just a few miles down the road. Nice shop with a good indie selection.
I did the signing and people kept asking me “Are you getting out of here before the hurricane?”
“There’s going to be a hurricane?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmm, no, I’m headed to Tampa for a convention in a few days. I’ll just hang here, ride it out and then go.”
They would all look at me strangely. I was naive, I admit. How naive I was I hadn’t a clue yet.
I said: “Really, how bad could it be?”
David and I got a few provisions to ride out the storm. But really, it was just a six pack of bottled water, vodka and some sandwiches. Not exactly survival gear. I remember watching a whole marathon of The Scariest Places on Earth the night before the hurricane hit. Good times.
And we watched the news and discovered the monster storm had a name: Hurricane Wilma. Which, as we didn’t know yet at the time, would THE MOST INTENSE HURRICANE THE ATLANTIC BASIN HAS EVER SEEN.
But we had bottled water and vodka, we were going to be alright.
The next day it arrived. It was just a breeze at first and air pressure went all funky. Then slowly the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up. We went back inside as the storm began to hit with full force.
It was ok for a little while. You could see the trees sway like crazy. But then the power went out. Sitting there watching the glass shake — the vibration of it in the room. The air pressure sucked completely out. And then… a sound like the ripping open of a package with a chainsaw. “What was that?” “I think that was the roof.”
After the first wave died down and the eye passed over we went outside to take a look around. Now, this wasn’t a good idea in hindsight. Hurricanes throw stuff up into the air… and eventually it comes down. People have died from head injuries while in the eye of the storm. In fact, someone shouted out from the apartment building: “Are you crazy? Get inside, you can die out there!”
It was then that the wind started to pick up again and we ran back inside. “I’m not dying now, I have to get Tampa — I have comics to sell!
So like two civilians riding out an air raid, Dave and I huddled in corners of the closet and watched as the storm battered the land. And the windows shook worse this time — much worse. In addition, this wave of the hurricane seemed to last for longer.
After relentless hours the storm cleared. The morning came and all the power was out in the area. Chaotic movement was all around as people tried to make sense of the new dynamic — you see, this was a disaster. Life was interrupted. There was rebuilding to do!
And I still had to get to Tampa!
How hard could that really be? Find out in the conclusion soon!
