UPDATE: I borrowed a scanner for the evening and was able to color and letter the comic. I realized that I’ve sold enough t-shirts recently that I actually can afford a new scanner. So thanks everyone who bought a shirt!
Sigh… So my scanner crapped out this evening. I’ve only had it for about 8 months. I had just finished scanning a sketch and I slipped in today’s page so I could scan it for coloring and lettering and… error. The scanner is unplugged. The scanner is off. The lock switch needs to be released. The usb cord is unplugged, the usb cord needs to be unplugged and reattached. The device is unrecognized. The device is unpowered. the device driver is out of date.
One moment it’s working, the next it isn’t. No changes of any kind. No updates, no installations. Nothing.It works and then it doesn’t.
This is the second time this has happened to me with a Canon brand scanner. My previous scanner worked flawlessly for about a year and then one day just stopped.
It’s very frustrating to not be able to complete your work because a machine you rely on refuses to function. I’ve spent 5 hours this evening trying to get the scanner to work, talking to tech support, trying different solutions. Tech support says that unplugging and then reattaching the device should do it, although they can’t explain why it just stopped working in the first place. A quick google search shows that this is a known issue, turning up hundreds of similar cases but no solutions. It looks like Canon sells a product that just randomly stops working sometime after 6 months.
Anyway… The new strip is drawn and ready to be scanned. Actually, the next 5 are. I worked extra hard this week to get a few strips ahead. I’ll be posting today’s strip as soona s I’m able to scan it and finish it, but that probably won’t be till late this evening or early tomorrow. Right now I’m tired and frustrated, so it’s time to walk home and try to get a few hours sleep.
Sorry everyone!
It’s okay man we ALL had problems with these danged things like the typical “One single color is out of date. Buy a new, until then I’m not printing anything in black and white. Heck I won’t even scan for you!”
So you can stay cool. 🙂
Hi, this scanner thing is an old problem. – My Mums gone through at least two the same way – but I thought it was fixed these days. From what you said Jake it was a hardware fault. Here’s one way that often nurses stuff back into life at least for a while. -First disconnect it completely from everything and leave it awhile, then retry it. The best time is probably about about a day, but it can take from just a few seconds to – months… 🙂 I think it works because it allows residual static charge to drain from the chips. It certainly doesn’t always work and the longer its left disconnected the better the chance you have. Also the machine isn’t fully fixed but can be made to limp along until you can replace it. Hope that helps.
Love Medusa by the way..
Thanks. I’ll try that.
You can also try removing the driver from Windows and re-installing it. I assume you can see our e-mail addys when you’re moderating comments; drop me a line at mine if you need some help going through the steps of removing a driver.
Thanks. I already did this. Tech support even walked me through it a second time because they didn’t believe me and couldn’t think of any other reason the scanner wouldn’t be working.
Well, that would eliminate software as the source of the issue. Give Robert’s suggestion a try; goofy as it sounds, I’ve actually seen it work a couple times. I assume from the rant that you’ve already tried a completely different USB cable, too?
FWIW, Canons aren’t the only ones that do this; I’ve had a couple HPs go t*ts-up on me like that, too. Both of them were those “all-in-one” Office Jet piles of, erm…. “fertilizer,” though.
If you can afford it, you might try to get a new scanner with multiple interfaces–USB, Firewire, and ethernet. Those tend to be a little more reliable, IME, and, if the USB chip gets fried, you’ve still got two other means of communication to fall back on. They do cost a premium, though.
That blows, but in the grand scheme of things it is no big deal. We will all sit and eagerly wait the next strip! =)
Suuucks D: scanners have always been my mortal enemies! Luckily I adapted to tablets at a young age and hardly draw anything by hand. So much easier especially since i’m left handed and everything smudges bawwww ;___; (tomorrow i predict at least 10 brand new scanners get shipped to you overnight delivery by a handful of devoted fans lolol maybe christmas comes early this year? 😮 )
That would be nice. If anyone wants to do that I would very much appreciate it.
Can’t afford to send a scanner, I’m afraid, but where’s your “donate” button? I’ll put USD10 in the “Buy Jake a Decent Scanner” fund. Or PayPal to the email on your contacts page?
Hey! you update on weekends! *Ahem* Just found you yesterday, and wasn’t paying much attention to dates 😀 Adorable comic, by the way!
if there is anything that canon does great its cameras. as far as it goes with scanners i say all in ones. and if there is anything hp does that is great its all in ones. hope it all works out.
I’m not a fan of all in ones. The two I’ve used regularly had subpar scanners..
Hey Jake, no worries – we all survived for a couple of weeks when Drunk Duck went down, and now we’re webcomic survivalists! We’ll live off the land until you sort your scanning out 🙂
All the best,
John
Sounds more like an update to your operating system is more likely the culprit, esp. if you’re on a windows system. With the scanner only 8 mos old, I suspect you could call Canon… I wish you the best; that’s frustrating.
Just found ModestMedusa, btw, and am completely charmed! Thank you so very much!
that sux. I’ve had a Lexmark scanner/ printer combo for awhile now. The printer doesn’t work, but have never had a problem with the scanner. I don’t use it all the time though.
Well, back in ancient times when Agfa was still making flatbeds I bought one and… darn thing still works… I’ve got it for like 12 years.
I guess it’s more common now to sell faulty shit rather to pay your engineer to make himself useful. Heck, seems like all stuff nowdays is being designed by accountants.
Cannon, canon, non-canon!
=D
Good luck on the scanner thingy. HAd that happen when I was trying to scan all my normal film made regular pictures into my computer so I had less stuff to carry. Stupid scanners…
Totally would drop some serious cash on a medusa plushy. Just sayin
I’ve been looking into this, but I haven’t come up with any leads yet. If any of you know anything about making or manufacturing plushies, please let me know.
You can try submitting designs for vinyl figures/plushies at Patch Together I’m sure more than enough of your readers would vote for it to be made. Otherwise I think that if you pay the production cost you can contact them personally, skip the voting process, and get some merch made 🙂 otherwise I dunno about anyone else who would do that. Also a good idea to look into making charms/keychains/necklaces/magnets, etc. with Printsess or Zap! Creative (the latter also does laser cut stickers & sticker sheets therefore much better ‘pro’ results than what Cafe Press or such would churn out n.n )
Hope I was helpful!
Very helpful. Thanks!
Theres a company called custom plush toys. My sisters company uses them for some of their promo stuff. She said its like a minimum order of 900 pieces though.
I’ll look into that, but 900 may be too much. Would you guys buy 900 Medusa’s?
As long as the plush was 25$ or less I’d totally get one. Hmm, maybe a good idea is to start a Kickstarter project and raise the money to get them made? Use the contributions (at a certain stage, say 30$ or more) as pre-orders? What do you have to lose! 😀 worth a try at least n.n
That’s what I’m currently thinking.
I actually really like our Canon scanner/printer/fax combo – which may be because we came off of a parade of HP combos, and HP SUCKS LIKE CRAZY.
believe me, i’ve been there…my hp one did the same thing…i ended up having to uninstall the drivers, restart, download more recent drivers from the webpage(hp) or canon in your case, reinstall, restart system at least once with your scanner not hooked up….then put it all together…
hope that helps…
it worked for my hp…(it only took me several days and several tries, i almost bought a new scanner)
sometimes the software for scanners is just pure sh*t…sorry to hear about this….i have a spare scanner i could sell for pretty cheap…ironically it’s a canon
pieces,
dyl!
when you get an new scanner you should get a camera and an boom box/ipod with speakers and imitate the scene from office space http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSTfU1AKYV4
eff thats not the right link this is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0_S_EdZ_I8
Yes. I should.
I guess this strip won’t be official canon.
GOJIRA SIZED PUN
Was Medusa playing with the scanner? Check it for scans of Chocodiles.
I would really like to say I’ve been there, but I bought an Epson in 08 and it still works like a dream. The only advice I can give is: Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice….and I’ll buy another brand!
That’s good advice!
Alright… how are the comics numbered. I just found this comic, read it all in the last half hour or so, and its great, but I was looking at the numbers as given in the URL, what is the deal. The jump randomly. It hurts my brainsoul! Anyway thank you for being interesting enough for me to want to book mark, but not having an archive of eight years where you’ve updated everyday so I have to spend a whole week with out sleep catching up.
Hooray for finding a good comic relatively early in its production.
Thanks. The numbers in the url don’t seem to correspond with anything. Or if they do, I can’t figure it out. I’m still trying to find a better way to handle the archive, browsing and a bunch of other stuff.
Worst? He got to punch a chainsaw unicorn in the face. I’d happily have a gaping flesh wound if I could do that.
Gaping flesh wounds for jake, limb severing for charles , attacked by a chainsaw unicorn for befriending an medusa, falling off a ladder {assuming its the same night} having chocodiles tossed at him, etc.
Although, from a realistic perspective, that injury would have caused major kidney damage and I know from experience that peeing blood for several days is not fun.
he just needs a couple of stimpaks , some green herbs, an heart container, or even a hyper potion
Yea but its his birthday.
He should be able to punch chainsaw unicorns in the face for free.
I like the way you think.
In a world of chainsaw unicorns I think we can all suspend disbelief when it comes to your all powerful life juices. In the next strip we’re gonna find out your veins are actually pumping Koolaid!!!1 sPoILerSss!! 😮
Maybe when the medusa’s mother shows up to take her home we’ll finally get to know what her name is.
not his WORST birthday… he didn’t bleed to death or stab himself in the butt, right? that was pretty lucky!
Happy to help on the scanner situation, and thanks for the hoodie for when I get it! I’m so excited for it 😀
Here is a really good scanner (non-Canon lol) that you might look into: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16838110126
I’ve been a computer technician for about 10 years now, and Epson makes a good lasting product…but I’ll let you review the products yourself as I am sure you’d wanna do anyway
That does look good. I may be purchasing exactly that one in the next few days.
I have a Kodak that I’ve been using for over a year and it works pretty good, you might want to look into them. I only have a low end one, but they do make some pretty good ones, and so far the only problem I’ve had is with the print-head (it’s an all in one) and the defect was a known problem so they sent me the new part for free. I hope the problem is resolved soon, I love your comic!
Thanks. I wasn’t aware that Kodak made scanners. I’ll check out their line.
I agree that would be the worst birthday ever…. No wait… That would be awesome. It’s not like you through a party and no one showed up….or zombies.
Great page
miles, and miles of comments….
On the other hand, it was the most epic birthday ever.