The Observer/Cape/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize Losing Entry

Well it's Sunday so that means the Guardian/Observer have just announced the winner of this year's Observer/Cape/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize. Congratulations, of course, to the winner for her story story 'Colonic'. Of course, I'm somewhat disappointed to have lost. I put so much effort into this competition that, on reflection, I shouldn't have bothered. I never have any success submitting anything to The Guardian. I should have followed my instincts. I drew my Wilco Strip which I lost faith in, my Putin strip which I thought was too silly and political, and my Elephant in the Room strip which was the most autobiographical but which I ruined by trying to be too clever by sticking a Sparks strip in the middle of it. In the end, I wrote and drew this fourth story called 'The Old Man In A Tree'. It's about one of my usual themes: people trying to do something different and meaningful in the face of so much mediocrity. A ridiculous amount of time and effort went into this competition (4 strips drawn, one submitted) but here in its miserable losing glory is my story...