What is Asleep At The Wheel?

Asleep At The Wheel (AATW for short) is a web comic which began officially in January 2007. It’s loosely based on people I know, my relationships with them and real events that have happened with a pinch of comedic embellishment.

It’s origins date back to 2003, when I did a short 4-strip test run (then called “Wrong Knowledge”) as a proof of concept. The frustrations I experienced with Paint Shop Pro (which was the only drawing program I knew how to use at the time) pretty much killed the project. Later, a friend of mine suggested I try Adobe Illustrator, as vector graphics would be perfect for the style of the strip I wanted to do.

Fast forward 4 years and many, *many* broken promises to restart the project. I finally decided that enough was enough so I quit WoW (which was consuming all my spare time), and simplified the vision I had for the strip. After a week of playing with story concepts and many false starts figuring out an appropriate workflow, the first strip was complete.

Why the name “Asleep at the Wheel”?

It suggests a lack of competence, where it’s obviously needed, like at the wheel of a motor vehicle. I liked the name because it conjured up images of a car careening down the road, destroying everything while it’s driver was oblivious and powerless to stop the juggernaut of destruction, which seemed like an awesome metaphor for my crazy sense of humour.

Though I’m the primary voice of the comic, it is definitely a collaborative effort. This site wouldn’t exist at all if it wasn’t for the efforts of Mountaineer. I also occasionally run dialog and story ideas past him and Darren.