Addictions first....
My philosophy on coffee, cigarettes and a few other vices based on my 40 sum odd years observing and intermingling with humanity is we all have a crutch. We spend our lifetimes trading one addiction for another hoping the next one will be better. If we are an obnoxious drunk we trade it for sobriety, only to be equally as obnoxious to those around us. Personally, I prefer to sit next to a raging drunk than a self righteous friend of Bill W. At least a wet drunk might buy you a drink. Quite often morbidly obese people have felt it necessary to chastise me for cigarette smoking... "It's a filthy habit! You pay inflated prices to shorten your life span! Every time you lift one to your mouth, you are killing yourself!" Meanwhile their short, stubby, grease laden fingers proceed to stuff another chemically enhanced, over priced Twinkie in to their mouth. "I'll race you up the steps" is usually my response. Binge is a character that has resigned to his addiction, and those around him. Instead of seeking to control his weaknesses and those around him, he tries to manage his monkeys. No credit nor blame on the higher powers that be, he doesn't want to hear it.

Who are these characters?
They are very closely modeled after real people in my life. Some of the situations and dialogues are almost verbatim. Which ones? I ain't tellin'. Since they are based on very real people, most viewers of the strip will recognize themselves or someone they know through BiNGE.

Eric T. Styles