thanks to you, i still have a job

In early August, I admitted to having run out of ideas for reddit logo doodles (although some may argue that this happened a while ago). It was back in July 2005, shortly after Steve and I started reddit, that I began copying this Google logo tradition. Coincidentally, Dennis Hwang (current Google doodler, but then-intern) was asked by Larry and Sergei to do his first doodle on the same holiday that I did mine -- the 4th of July.

Looking back on it, I'm really happy I finally stopped using Paint Shop Pro 5. But unlike Google's logo, reddit's changes often for no reason at all (proof @ redditalien.com). Sometimes it's an homage to an axolotl, but there just aren't enough bizarrely reddit alien-esque critters in the world.

So despite being armed with a legal (yes, legal) copy of Adobe Illustrator CS3, I was still creatively bankrupt. I did the only thing that made sense; I created a reddit poll to generate ideas. I'm hoping to do all of the suggestions, as long as they're feasible, but Carl Tashian's stood out -- after all, it was the 'hottest' suggestion at the time:

alien applies for citizenship
He's getting tired of alienhood, so he applies for citizenship. He tries to join the USA but gets caught up in the American immigration quagmire. Red tape everywhere. He gets deported, has to wait around in Heathrow airport--a citizen of nowhere. He finally ends up in the open arms of a welcoming Tuvalu, only to find his new home country uninhabitable due to a rising sea-level. By the end of the week, he's happily omnipresent again. The hassles of citizenship outweighed any benefits.

And it was labor day weekend, so I was feeling patriotic. That, and it provided a nice segue into this week's series (also reader-submitted). This is going to be an epic reddit logo series. The Iliad can't touch this.

I had to make a few changes to the story Carl, but hopefully this did it justice.

Oh, the alien was so wide-eyed and hopeful it'll get approved for citizenship.
(+3 points to you if you noticed Nibbler in line, too)

Damn that red tape...

Yep, our mascot is getting deported -- along with Yoda. Foolish, that is. Hmmmmmm.

Getting spaceshipped out. A dream is dashed.

Where could they be heading?

It looks like they've crashed on a moon orbiting a gas giant in the Zeta II Reticuli system...

I'm sure I don't mean anything by that ellipses, so let me thank Carl for the suggestion and those of you who voted (thanks) and encourage the rest of you to either submit your own or vote. Consider it a community service.