Restart
Written by joeymichaels
Drawn by zia_narratora












transcript
(I just copy/pasted the original instructions joeymichaels sent me.)

Title Panel - a close up of the original Atari system control panel with a game cartridge in it. The Cartridge is labeled "Restart," which is the title:

http://www.atariage.com/2600/systems/sys_AtariVCS.jpg

Under the drawing is the first line:

"Sometimes, I dream that I've been given the chance to relive my life but with all the knowledge I now have."

1 - "Sometimes I restart at the beginning"

(Appropriate beginning picture - maybe fetal Joey in Utero, moustahce, glasses and all asking "What the hey?")

2 - "Sometimes I restart right before I made a heinously bad decision"

(Me and lady she is saying "I don't do drugs. I am drugs." I am saying "I can tell - you're the one." )

3 - "But usually I dream the restart happens right before my family moves from Monroe to Newtown in 1978."

(Me packing a box saying "I will shove my crumpled up collection of dog drawings in this box so they don't get lost during the move.")

4 - "Then I could have chosen an instrument in band class that I could feasibly have learned how to play."

(Me and adult - adult: "Joey, why did you pick the French Horn?" Me: "It looks like spaghetti")

5 - "Or made better use of my time in my seventh grade computer science class."

(Old timey 80's computer screen with BASIC programing as follows:

10 X=0
15 If X < 1000 Then Print "Doo Doo" Else End
20 X = X+1
25 Goto 15)

6 - "Or picked Spanish instead of French."

(Joey at front of class saying "C'est ok. Le... teacher n'est pas... uh, dead. He's just old." Below Joey, perhaps beneath the scene, is a sleeping teacher going "La snore... la snore... la snore...")

7 - "I could warn people not to do things that would kill them."

(Joey in a soothsayer costume, talking to a thug like dude, "don't break beer bottles in the McDonalds parking lot on April 12, 1984... Ooooooo....")

8 - Or pick stocks that would make lots of money later.

(Me and dad

Dad: "I am not investing money in some new fad."

Me: "Microsoft is going somewhere, dad.")

9 - Or said "yes" to Michelle Spender.

(Me and cute redhead - Her: "Why won't you kiss me Joey?"

Me: "All right, just this once.")

10 - The trouble is, I'm happy now.

(2010 - Joey and Wife - Wife says "Joey, let's spend all night playing Sims 3 and then we can snuggle")

11 - Also, there are things I wouldn't be able to change that would hurt all over again.

(Joey and friend - friend: "I have to go to the hospital for a few tests, but I'm sure it will be fine.")

12 - How do I relive my life so I make all the "right" choices and still end up where I am now?

(Joey writing and planning, next to Kitty "need to move in with crazy "I am drugs" girl so I get Kitty Michaels." Kitty pawing him thinking "chicken?")

13. What I really want is to relive certain specific events in little time bubbles.

(long panel with little bubbles of the events in the cartoon so far - Panel 4 with "I've chosen to learn trumpet, Dad" Panel 6 with Joey in sombrero and teacher going "El snore... El snore" Kitty Michaels with drug girl saying "I am leaving you for that Fat Man" and then a few with just images from the other events and maybe a bubble with a stray narwhal or two)

14. Joey talking "that way I could change things without effecting the present."

15. Joey looks down. Below, there is "purr purr purr."

16. Joey talking "Oh, is it time for your dinner? Who's the good boy? Who's the good boy?"

17. End Panel: Kitty Michaels happily eating while Gray Cat looks on. The End.