Freighter Tails

Freighter Tails is a webcomic created by Paul S. Gibbs and Bill Redfern, following the career of Lt. Mzzkiti and the crew of the freighter Pharsicle. The comic utilizes digital wireframe models for ships and backgrounds.


 * Website: http://www.mzzkiti.com/
 * Ran from/to: 2 August 1998 - 20 November 1999 (Haul Trek); 1 April 2001 - present (Freighter Tails)

Haul Trek
Freighter Tails originally was a Star Trek parody called Haul Trek, featuring a Caitian lieutenant named M'Iskiti, serving on the Starfleet freighter U.S.S. Pharsicle. Haul Trek began August 2nd, 1998, and went on hiatus on November 20th, 1999.

Gibbs and Redfern decided to get away from doing the Star Trek parody; this was also about the time Paramount was cracking down on Trek fan sites. Finally, on April 1st, 2001, Freighter Tails made its debut.

Concept
The new version utilizes similar characters and situations, without the problems posed (with Paramount, or otherwise) by staying in the Trek universe. It is a straight science-fiction strip, detailing the misadventures of Mzzkiti.

The more neutral setting allows for other fantasy and science-fiction concepts to be utilized, usually for comedic effect.

Status
Paul S. Gibbs passed away on January 31st, 2002. Bill Redfern is continuing the strip, but updates have been infrequent in past months (as of September 2005).

Mzzkiti makes frequent appearances in the Cross Time Cafe, and some of the CTC's brand of humour has filtered back into Freighter Tails as well.