Become a character!

TechToon is a different kind of comic strip. We don’t just have passive readers. We also make our readers PART of the comic!

HOW TO BECOME A TECHTOON CHARACTER Fill out our survey where you’ll describe your character. You can even submit photos or drawings to support your application, if you’d like. Once a month we’ll pick the best character submission to create a new character who will appear in the comic strip periodically.   Watch for our regular new-character contests! Occasionally we’ll run contests seeking a specific type of new character: a new friend for Lexi, Dan’s boss, Marcus’ robotics teacher … whatever we need to round out the cast of TechToon characters. If you win, we’ll ask for photos of you and model the character after you.

Haven’t you always wanted to be a comic character yourself? Participate in the TechToon community and now you can!

Winners get…

Their own avatars, drawn in TechToon comic style, for use however they want. Headshot avatar: Use in user profiles for IM, Facebook, MySpace, on blogs, etc. Full-body comic character. Occasional guest appearances in TechToon comic strips. Impress your friends! A custom TechToon t-shirt with your comic likeness on it.

Frequently asked questions

If I win and become a character, what will I actually get?
We’ll send you 2 computer graphics files containing comic likenesses of yourself — 100×100 pixel head shot and full-body drawn character. Use these however you like.

If I win, will my avatar or drawing really look like me?
Your image will be a very simplified caricature of your face. It will not look exactly like you. Our artist will pick up your defining facial features and hair and exaggerate and simplify to make the character resemble you. Here are the avatars of TechToon fans Kira and Alex alongside their actual photos. This will give you an idea of what to expect. It will NOT be an exact likeness.

If I win, can I do whatever I want with my comic likeness?
Yes, you can do whatever you want with it. However, TechToon.com retains ownership rights to the images we create for you. That just means that you agree to allow us to use your comic image in the TechToon comic strip, in promotional materials, and in future projects (e.g., books) with no expectation of compensation to you from us for such use.

How do I get my avatar to show up on TechToon.com when I make a comment or blog post?
You don’t have to win a contest for this. Submit your avatar to the website Gravatar.com. Accounts are free, and on the site you’ll associate your e-mail address with your new avatar. Use the same e-mail address when you register for a free account on TechToon.com and your avatar will automatically show up. Your avatar can be whatever you want.

If I’m not a contest winner, can I get you guys to draw a comic version of me?
Not at this time. However, we’re investigating ways that we might be able to offer that service for a fee. We’ll let you know if we decide to offer this later.