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*****Ren Rats is an online comic strip, updated every Thursday. It follows the exploits of a
group of Medieval re-enactors as they apply an anachronistic way of thinking to everyday life.
*****The eight main characters are all active members of a group called the Kutztown
University Medieval-Renaissance Club, or KUMRC. They hold various positions within the
organization, and are the central figures (and in many cases, instigators) of all the group’s
misadventures.
*****For the most part, the strip is based on actual people and events. Each of the main
characters (and much of the supporting cast) is a real person. The stories told in the comic are
based on actual events, except where it is all too obviously fantasy. Roughly ninety percent of
everything that happens in the comic actually happened. Granted, a few minor liberties are taken
from time to time, but that just makes things even more interesting.
*****The group’s adventures range from simple mundane activities like going to the movies, to
large scale epic battles against the forces of darkness (this is the point where we’re obviously
making sh*t up). The comic is self-aware, meaning that the characters know they are part of a
comic strip and have accepted this as their lot in life.
group of Medieval re-enactors as they apply an anachronistic way of thinking to everyday life.
*****The eight main characters are all active members of a group called the Kutztown
University Medieval-Renaissance Club, or KUMRC. They hold various positions within the
organization, and are the central figures (and in many cases, instigators) of all the group’s
misadventures.
*****For the most part, the strip is based on actual people and events. Each of the main
characters (and much of the supporting cast) is a real person. The stories told in the comic are
based on actual events, except where it is all too obviously fantasy. Roughly ninety percent of
everything that happens in the comic actually happened. Granted, a few minor liberties are taken
from time to time, but that just makes things even more interesting.
*****The group’s adventures range from simple mundane activities like going to the movies, to
large scale epic battles against the forces of darkness (this is the point where we’re obviously
making sh*t up). The comic is self-aware, meaning that the characters know they are part of a
comic strip and have accepted this as their lot in life.
*****The eight main characters adopt various personas when they attend re-enactment events in
order to further immerse themselves into the experience. These range in class and function from
gypsies and pirates to nobility. The fictional histories they have concocted are often as complex
and in-depth as the most heavily written fantasy novels, and often tie-in with real events. It's
when these stories cross over into their actual lives that the trouble begins.
*****There are various supporting characters, and even villains, who show up every now and
again. Since the active membership of the KUMRC changes constantly over the years, it is
impossible to include everyone. However, random cameos by the Ren Club’s various members
(old and new) pop up occasionally, just to add a bit of flavor.
*****The comic is written and drawn by Piz, with occasional input from the cast themselves.
order to further immerse themselves into the experience. These range in class and function from
gypsies and pirates to nobility. The fictional histories they have concocted are often as complex
and in-depth as the most heavily written fantasy novels, and often tie-in with real events. It's
when these stories cross over into their actual lives that the trouble begins.
*****There are various supporting characters, and even villains, who show up every now and
again. Since the active membership of the KUMRC changes constantly over the years, it is
impossible to include everyone. However, random cameos by the Ren Club’s various members
(old and new) pop up occasionally, just to add a bit of flavor.
*****The comic is written and drawn by Piz, with occasional input from the cast themselves.
About the Author
*****Piz (that’s me) is both the writer/artist of Ren Rats and one of the
strip's main characters. I joined the KUMRC back in February of 2002,
and have not been able to pull myself away since. The friends (and
extended family) I found in that group have provided ample inspiration for
not only this, but several other of my creations.
*****I was born and live in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. In addition
to being a writer, I am also an actor. Beyond the comic, my ultimate
ambition is to own a theater/production company and live theatre and
independent film. As for my long-term writing goals, I am currently
engrossed in the creation of a series of novels...the details of which I will
not bore you with now.
strip's main characters. I joined the KUMRC back in February of 2002,
and have not been able to pull myself away since. The friends (and
extended family) I found in that group have provided ample inspiration for
not only this, but several other of my creations.
*****I was born and live in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. In addition
to being a writer, I am also an actor. Beyond the comic, my ultimate
ambition is to own a theater/production company and live theatre and
independent film. As for my long-term writing goals, I am currently
engrossed in the creation of a series of novels...the details of which I will
not bore you with now.
*****My interest in webcomics was sparked back in high school. A friend of mine came to class one
day with print outs of a comic strip he had found online. He directed me to the website, and I
immediately became hooked. He eventually introduced me to two more comics, one of which was a
member of the prominent group Keenspot, an Internet-based publishing company devoted to providing
webcomics. From then on, there was no going back. One comic led to another, and another, and
another. It wasn’t long before I wanted to do one of my own.
*****The inspiration for Ren Rats came when I was working on a completely different webcomic,
which I had titled Just One of Those Days. I had originally started work on that comic back in high
school, but never completed it. It was based on a play I had written (which was never performed) and
a short story my friends and I had outlined (which was never actually written). However, inspiration
was beginning to run dry on Just One of Those Days as my talents became more developed and my
style evolved. It was about this time I discovered the Ren Club, and started using its members to
practice my cartooning style.
*****The more sketches I produced, the more I became attached to this completely different set of
characters. As my involvement with the group continued, and I was drawn into other outside groups
and events as well, I began to realize that the comic was basically writing itself. Truth is, after all,
stranger than fiction, and I had all the inspiration I needed right in front of me.
*****An earlier incarnation of Ren Rats was produced in the summer of 2003. That version of the
comic failed, however, when my move to a new apartment caused me to lose my Internet connection
and eventually my interest in the project. Ideas kept floating around in my head, however, and I
couldn't let the comic stay dead. In early-mid 2007, I restarted Ren Rats, and it has been going strong
ever since.
day with print outs of a comic strip he had found online. He directed me to the website, and I
immediately became hooked. He eventually introduced me to two more comics, one of which was a
member of the prominent group Keenspot, an Internet-based publishing company devoted to providing
webcomics. From then on, there was no going back. One comic led to another, and another, and
another. It wasn’t long before I wanted to do one of my own.
*****The inspiration for Ren Rats came when I was working on a completely different webcomic,
which I had titled Just One of Those Days. I had originally started work on that comic back in high
school, but never completed it. It was based on a play I had written (which was never performed) and
a short story my friends and I had outlined (which was never actually written). However, inspiration
was beginning to run dry on Just One of Those Days as my talents became more developed and my
style evolved. It was about this time I discovered the Ren Club, and started using its members to
practice my cartooning style.
*****The more sketches I produced, the more I became attached to this completely different set of
characters. As my involvement with the group continued, and I was drawn into other outside groups
and events as well, I began to realize that the comic was basically writing itself. Truth is, after all,
stranger than fiction, and I had all the inspiration I needed right in front of me.
*****An earlier incarnation of Ren Rats was produced in the summer of 2003. That version of the
comic failed, however, when my move to a new apartment caused me to lose my Internet connection
and eventually my interest in the project. Ideas kept floating around in my head, however, and I
couldn't let the comic stay dead. In early-mid 2007, I restarted Ren Rats, and it has been going strong
ever since.
What is Ren Rats?
What is the KUMRC?
*****The Kutztown University Medieval-Renaissance Club (KUMRC) is a
group of students and non-students operating on campus at (in case you
hadn’t guessed) Kutztown University in (of all places) Kutztown, PA.
*****The KUMRC (also known as the “Ren Club”) was founded in 1988
by Dr. Charles Scanzello, a professor from the university’s music
department who bore a striking resemblance to Burt Ives (go watch
Rudolph again, if you don’t believe me). He founded the Ren Club in the
hopes of bringing together Medieval-minded people like himself, so that
they could share their mutual love of the time period. Throughout the
years, the membership of the Ren Club has changed drastically, but at the
heart the goals remain primarily the same…dress in funny clothing and play
with swords.
group of students and non-students operating on campus at (in case you
hadn’t guessed) Kutztown University in (of all places) Kutztown, PA.
*****The KUMRC (also known as the “Ren Club”) was founded in 1988
by Dr. Charles Scanzello, a professor from the university’s music
department who bore a striking resemblance to Burt Ives (go watch
Rudolph again, if you don’t believe me). He founded the Ren Club in the
hopes of bringing together Medieval-minded people like himself, so that
they could share their mutual love of the time period. Throughout the
years, the membership of the Ren Club has changed drastically, but at the
heart the goals remain primarily the same…dress in funny clothing and play
with swords.
*****In addition to doing just that, the KUMRC also has an educational function. Every few weeks,
the group hosts what is called a University Weekend. During these events, current and veteran
members gather to teach classes and run workshops on Medieval and Renaissance history and skills.
The current members bring new information to the group as well as learn new skills, and the veteran
members and alumni return to pass on the knowledge they gained during their time with the Club.
*****There is an artistic aspect to the group, as well. Every year, they host two theatrical events: a
holiday-themed dinner theater in December, and a two-day Renaissance Faire in May. Both shows are
completely organized by the Ren Club; including casting, writing, performing, music, sets, costumes,
props, food, vendors, and advertising.
*****However, the Ren Club was never highly received within the campus community. Widely
regarded as freaks and nerds, the KUMRC operates largely within itself and interacts very little with any
other student-run groups. It seems the rest of the world can’t quite grasp the Medieval mindset, and
would rather just ignore the Ren Club until they go away (good f*ckin’ luck). Even early alliances with
the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism, another re-enactment group) failed due to what we will
refer to as “creative differences”. They find themselves most heavily at odds with many religious
groups, who tend to view them as some sort of cult.
*****This suits the members of the Ren Club just fine, as they largely regard the rest of the world
(what they call “mundanes”) as freaks in their own right. What most people would consider to be
“normal”, the Ren Club regards as boring. A Saturday night is better spent around a fire pit, with a
bottle of mead in your hand, feeling the rhythm of the drums as you share stories and sing songs…as
opposed to going to the movies, bowling, or just to the bar. In fact, it is not uncommon to find
members of the Ren Club out and about in the mundane world, dressing and acting in a Medieval
fashion solely for the purpose of freaking out the mundanes and making their lives just that much more
surreal. They tend to function on their own set of morals and values, which (although chivalrous and
honorable) tends to conflict with the contemporary mindset.
*****The KUMRC’s roster, however, do not operate entirely outside the bounds of modern society.
They maintain jobs, families, and skills that pertain to the real world, as well as living the Middle Ages
lifestyle. Like any other hobby, it is just that…a hobby. When playing out their Medieval lives, the Ren
Club adopts personas (or “characters” for lack of a more specific term) that they play as an escape
from their own lives. These personas all have names, traits, and skills of their own (some with startling
detail and accuracy). They then return to being themselves when it is time to go back to work or to
school. Some have more trouble separating the two than others, but that is beside the point.
*****The Kutztown University Medieval-Renaissance Club meets Thursday nights at 8:00 pm while the
school year is in session. Anyone is welcome to attend, and they are always on the look out for new
members.
the group hosts what is called a University Weekend. During these events, current and veteran
members gather to teach classes and run workshops on Medieval and Renaissance history and skills.
The current members bring new information to the group as well as learn new skills, and the veteran
members and alumni return to pass on the knowledge they gained during their time with the Club.
*****There is an artistic aspect to the group, as well. Every year, they host two theatrical events: a
holiday-themed dinner theater in December, and a two-day Renaissance Faire in May. Both shows are
completely organized by the Ren Club; including casting, writing, performing, music, sets, costumes,
props, food, vendors, and advertising.
*****However, the Ren Club was never highly received within the campus community. Widely
regarded as freaks and nerds, the KUMRC operates largely within itself and interacts very little with any
other student-run groups. It seems the rest of the world can’t quite grasp the Medieval mindset, and
would rather just ignore the Ren Club until they go away (good f*ckin’ luck). Even early alliances with
the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism, another re-enactment group) failed due to what we will
refer to as “creative differences”. They find themselves most heavily at odds with many religious
groups, who tend to view them as some sort of cult.
*****This suits the members of the Ren Club just fine, as they largely regard the rest of the world
(what they call “mundanes”) as freaks in their own right. What most people would consider to be
“normal”, the Ren Club regards as boring. A Saturday night is better spent around a fire pit, with a
bottle of mead in your hand, feeling the rhythm of the drums as you share stories and sing songs…as
opposed to going to the movies, bowling, or just to the bar. In fact, it is not uncommon to find
members of the Ren Club out and about in the mundane world, dressing and acting in a Medieval
fashion solely for the purpose of freaking out the mundanes and making their lives just that much more
surreal. They tend to function on their own set of morals and values, which (although chivalrous and
honorable) tends to conflict with the contemporary mindset.
*****The KUMRC’s roster, however, do not operate entirely outside the bounds of modern society.
They maintain jobs, families, and skills that pertain to the real world, as well as living the Middle Ages
lifestyle. Like any other hobby, it is just that…a hobby. When playing out their Medieval lives, the Ren
Club adopts personas (or “characters” for lack of a more specific term) that they play as an escape
from their own lives. These personas all have names, traits, and skills of their own (some with startling
detail and accuracy). They then return to being themselves when it is time to go back to work or to
school. Some have more trouble separating the two than others, but that is beside the point.
*****The Kutztown University Medieval-Renaissance Club meets Thursday nights at 8:00 pm while the
school year is in session. Anyone is welcome to attend, and they are always on the look out for new
members.