Funny Money

So, I get this dollar bill in my change at lunch today...



...needless to say, it made me laugh like a ree ree.
Note: I in no way condone or endorse defacing legal tender, but that was comedy gold.

(Sharpee on a U.S. dollar bill)

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom

Remember the old Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom? Well I do! The thought of Jim giving a wild gorilla a rusty trombone made me laugh. This is the first thing I've been able to draw in WEEKS. Hopefully I'm getting my touch back.
(Sharpee on scrap paper.)

Remembering Apollo 11 - July 20, 1969

I fondly remember those heady halcyon days of manned space flight. I spent hours in front of the TV watching and recording on cassette tape each and every manned flight. I was hooked on space and gobbled-up anything relating to rockets and space flight. I had inherited a deep love of science from my parents and an equally deep love for science fiction from my aunt. Being artistically inclined since I was young, I constantly drew rockets and spacemen and eventually bought comic books and magazines related to space. All those passions remain strong to this day.

With full knowledge that today would be 40th anniversary of the first manned landing on the moon, I read four different spaceflight related graphic novels on my recent vacation. Here's a brief look at each.


LAIKA written and Illustrated by Rich Abadzis

Laika is a well-written and beautifully illustrated story about the first living creature launched into space, a small dog named Laika. The story blends a factual story with a fair amount of emotional fiction. We follow the dog Laika from the streets of Russia to her capture and training as a cosmonaut. To move the story along, we also follow the intersecting lives of Korolev the Chief Designer and Yelena, the Lab Tech in charge of Laika. Like Old Yeller, it's a sweet yet eventually sad story about a dog.


FIRST IN SPACE written and illustrated by James Vining

First in Space is the enjoyable story of Ham, the first American chimp in space. The story is written and solidly illustrated by James Vining, and this is his very first published work. The story, like that of Laika, is based on actual events and characters with a dash of fiction for emotion. We follow Ham through training through his eventual historic space flight and to his final sad days in the National Zoo. It's obvious the story was written and illustrated with a younger audience in mind, but it's still an enjoyable read for older folks too.


ASTRONAUT DAD written by David Hopkins and Illustrated by Brent Schoonover

Astronaut Dad is the first volume of a two volume story. Deftly written by David Hopkins with great comic artwork by Brent Schoonover, the story is a tense, emotional and sometimes dark soap opera. It follows the lives of three NASA families at the height of the space race in the 60s. Think of it as a combination of The Right Stuff and The Wonder Years. It's a thoroughly enjoyable coming-of-age story (in more ways than one) and I'm looking forward to the second volume.


T-MINUS: THE RACE TO THE MOON written by Jim Ottaviani and illustrated by Zander and Kevin Cannon

The final book I read was perhaps my favorite of the four. T-Minus is a compelling work of historical fiction about the Soviet and American space programs. Jim Ottaviani, a former nuclear engineer, writes an interesting fact-filled story about the space race from the days of science fiction (Verne, Wells, Tsiolkovsky) to the age of science fact (Goddard, Von Braun, Korolev). The story is seen through the eyes of Sergei Korolev, the Soviet Chief Designer and though C.C. and Max, two of NASA's engineers. The retro artwork by the brothers Cannon is solid and fits the time frame of the story perfectly. T-Minus is loaded with facts and details that even the most ardent space fan may not have known. An interesting device used in the design in the book was adding launch attempts in the outer margins, complete with mission details and illustrations. A very nice touch. I'd recommend this book to anyone with the slightest interest in spaceflight and 60s history.

All in all, all four books were thoroughly enjoyable reads that helped bring back some of the thrill and excitement of the golden age of space travel.

Urine Trouble!

This just happened to me here at at work . . .



It struck me as so odd and made me so uncomfortable, I had to immortalize it on paper.
(Copic Multiliner brush pen on scrap paper.)
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Now playing: Episode 600 - Nuff Said
via FoxyTunes

Welcome to Macy's

Friday silliness!
(Sharpee on scrap paper, fast 'n' dirty!)
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Now playing: 11 O'Clock Comics - 11 O'Clock Comics Episode 62
via FoxyTunes

Captain America . . . #600 with a Bullet!

Yeah, I know. I haven't been posting here to the blog. It's my own damn fault. Hopefully this bit of goofiness will smooth things over. While on the phone discussing Captain America #600, I started doodling at my desk with the tools at hand. Here's the result (at least it made me chuckle.)



Not bad for Sharpees, Highlighters, colored editing pencils and a scrap pad.
Kinda Paul Popey. Enjoy!

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Now playing: 11 O'Clock Comics - 11 O'Clock Comics Episode 61
via FoxyTunes

Freking Sweer!

When one door closes, a trap door opens! After the untimely demise of Comics Now! magazine, I was offered the chance to become the official artist for the Freking Sweer comic strip over at Comic Geek Speak. I already was the unofficial artist on the strip, but now it's my baby. Check it out, I'll have an update at least once a week. You can find the strip HERE

Comics Now Takes The Eternal Dirt Nap. RIP.

Sad News. Comics Now! Magazine is officially no more. It was a fun ride. Hopefully the fourth issue will surface somehow, I have my toes crossed. I have some other stuff in the works, so keep an eye out on this space for more details. Thanks to Bryan Deemer for the opportunity and to the guys at Ape Entertainment and the entire staff of the magazine. Lastly a big thanks to you for stopping by and giving our little dog and pony show a try! See ya in the pixelated funny pages!
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Now playing: Webcomics Weekly #57 - Live at NEWW
via FoxyTunes

A St. Patrick's Day Greeting From My Friend Scott

My friend Scott sent me one of those wacky custom JibJab Flash greeting cards. He customized it with some of our favorite characters, Paulie Walnuts, Eddie Van Halen, Captain Kirk, Rip Taylor and myself. Because it's so frightening, it's funny.

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

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Now playing: Comic Geek Speak - Episode 591 - Talking Original Art
via FoxyTunes

New (Old) Light Table!

Hey kids! Uncle Marty managed to grab an old surplus light table from the place where I work. The company has gone totally digital, so we no longer need an offset stripping department. When the Facilities department made these babies available, I jumped on it. This thing is GINORMOUS and is 100% steel and glass. Now all I have to do is find a spot for it. Oy!

New York Comic Con 2009: The Pictures

I brought my camera along again, and once again I forgot to use it most of the time. Here are some of the images I DID manage to shoot this time around.



A shot inside our hotel in downtown NYC. Vince is saying "Hello". Those wacky Eye-talians. Note the GINORMOUS bottle of Jim Beam.



The view out our hotel room window. I shot it in hopes of seeing Spider-man swinging by or getting a shot of Daredevil kicking ass. No such luck.



Walking to the Javitz on Saturday. That's Vince, Mike, Tiki and Wood.



In the Javitz headed towards the upper entrance to the Con floor.



In the subterranean general admission queue. It may look like Wood is standing in the middle of a rushing river of comic fans, but the line wasn't moving THAT fast.



Tiki Tim and Vince at the bargain boxes.



Wood digging through some bargain boxes.



The CGS booth is jumping. Pants, Murd, Shane and Tiki chat while Andrew Charipar takes care of business.



Murd and Andrew gleefully man the CGS booth. Pants is bending down in front of Adam for some reason.



What would a Con be without the boys from the Raging Bullets podcast?



The Podcast Arena is BUSY. Pants, Bryan and Peter at the booth. Danielle is busy doing a sketch.



Wood, the ever lovely Pat Loika, Vince and Mike. Shocking!



Danielle Corsetto chatting with a fan. I'm very good at capturing people with their eyes closed.



Vince, Julian Lytle and Tom Katers winding down at Stitches on Saturday night.



Tiki and Wood corner Mike Norton at Stitches. Oh yeah, one of the 2000 Jokers at the Con was there too. Didn't see a single Rorschach at the bars. Hrmmm.



Julian, Tiki, Mike Norton and Vince at Stitches. Yes, that is a mirrored disco ball on the ceiling.



Sunday morning and we're checking out. I thought it would be a nice bookend for this group of photos to end it the same way it started...with someone saying "Hello". In addition to being very good at capturing people with their eyes closed, I'm also very good at taking photos of people flipping me the bird. Thank you Mike.

That's it for NYCComicCon 2009.

New York Comic Con 2009

I have returned. It was a long weekend, interrupted by moments of joy and glee, but still LONG. I'm getting too old for this stuff . . . OY! My feet ache, my legs ache, my head aches, but all in all I had a swell time. When I get out of the ICU, I'll post some comments and photos from the con. Stay tuned.

Comic Geek Speak The End

In celebration of the Comic Geek Speak Super Show in 2008, CGS forumite Harold Jennett put together a comic book to mark the occasion. More than a dozen members of the CGS forum lent their artistic, writing and editing skills to tell the strange tale of the CGC podcast mascot, the Puppet Rios. Here's a sample from my pages.



If you're interested in seeing more, you can order your very own copy of Comic Geek Speak The End at IndyPlanet. It's fun with a capital F!

Short Stack #2

Angry Gnome Comics publishes a horror anthology called SHORT STACK. It's a series of two page horror stories. Shawn Shawn Gabborin, the chief cook and bottle washer over at Angry Gnome offered me a script to illustrate called Twins. He didn't have to ask twice. Here's a couple panels from the issue.




The big guy is a self-portrait, the little fella is based on my buddy Vince B.
If you're interested, you can order the issues from Angry Gnome or from IndyPlanet.
Each issue is a bloody good time!