Evan Dorkin

Whatever Happened To --?

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:47:12 GMT

Whatever Happened To --?

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:54:29 GMT

Catching Up With The HOF

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:32:39 GMT

Here's what we've been up to, for those of you who are keeping score:

The script for Beasts of Burden #4 has been up-ended a bit and will be patched up and polished off sometime this week I hope, maybe this weekend. It's almost there, I just got mad at it and it also took a hit when I got the flu last week. Jill Thompson has begun painting #3, I have to beat her to #4 or I'll be a laughingstock. Again. Heading into the home stretch on this, I guess. Weird.

Sarah and I turned in our pass on a season three Yo Gabba Gabba! script last week, which we are co-writing with series co-creator Christian Jacobs. It looks like it's pretty solid, it'll likely need some cuts, but so far so good. We wrote a bunch of songs, which is always a weird task. We're going to have to join ASCAP once our season two episodes run. If they ever run, it seems like it's been forever since we finished those up. Anyway, as I type, Sarah is working on another script for YGG season three, an episode which, I believe, we are writing ourselves.

I'm working on a small illustration for the Fundalini section of Mad #501. Baseball theme. I also have a pitch bouncing around there in editorial for an article. The initial concept was revamped, I may still have a shot at something. No time to work on it at the moment, so, who knows.

My last few gag panels for Nick Magazine will apparently be running in the coming rundown to oblivion. Poor Nick magazine. A shame.

Wrote a one-page strip for Stephen DeStefano to draw for a very cool DC project. Unfortunately, it's a file story, so, it will likely not see the light of day, at least not in the intended format. Still, nothing gets wasted these days, it seems, if it gets drawn, they eventually print it, lips, tails, snouts, and all. Cool character, great artist, supposedly decent script, I hope folks get to see it someday.

My script for next year's Simpsons Treehouse of Terror special is awaiting revision notes from Bongo. Once those are in I can start drawing the 15-pager. I'll also be lettering it, and Sarah will be doing the colors.

Actually, I probably won't start on the Simpsons art until I write a one-shot secret comic, which I hope to get done sometime in July. I will not be drawing this, but the person who will be drawing it draws better than me, and folks like him quite a bit, so, there's that.

I don't know if the new version of I Love You, Beth Cooper has come out yet or not. The one I drew 16 pages of comics for. The one that ties in to the movie coming out next month. A movie I have no intention of seeing since I made the mistake of seeing the trailer. Yeesh.

We'll be setting up at the Baltimore Con in October, bunking somewhere near the Dark Horse booth, or so we've been told. We figured it would be a good idea to do a larger this fall to promote Beasts of Burden, the first issue of which will be out in mid-September. I was invited to do Baltimore when it started up, and we haven't been able to try the show because of our schedule. Anyway, this year we're giving it a whirl. We know a bunch of folks who are attending, looks like fun.

Speaking of Beasts, from what I understand, the next Diamond Previews catalog ships next week. Beasts of Burden will be featured on the back cover of the catalog, featuring the cover of issue #1 as painted by Jill Thompson, and a little blurb by one Mike Mignola. I would have pretty much bet the farm (if I had one) that you'd never see a project I was involved with get the cover slot of the Previews, so, this is a kick. Now some retailers will have to work even harder to be able to say they've never heard of the book. They'll figure out a way, I'm sure.

Anyway, Beasts gets solicited next week. I'm sort of a nervous wreck, isn't that pathetic? I want the book to perform well. It's a good book, Jill's doing amazing work, and it's getting a push. DHC is paying us to do this project, it has to do well enough for us to be able to continue working on it, something I really want to do. I love working with these characters and want to see this series through to the end. I am not someone who has enjoyed much support in the Direct Market for my genre stuff. So, we'll see what happens. Fingers crossed.

I think that's everything at the moment.

Latersville.

Whatever Happened To --?

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:40:43 GMT

Sickbed's Better Than A Deathbed/MOCCA Wrap-Up

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:11:34 GMT

Been knocked out since Monday with the flu. I'm feeling better now, at least I can work again, I was zonked the first two days and mostly stayed in bed and slept. It figures I'd have to get sick to get a decent night's sleep. We're far behind on work now, owing to MOCCA and both of us being under the weather. Which has been gloomy, if anyone cares. Emily is going nuts because she's feeling fine and is bored, poor thing.

Fallout from my MOCCA post: mostly being called some names, including "churlish" by one blogger named Sean Collins, for suggesting the Armory looked like a gym. Oh, my! Churlish! Prithy, I must make haste to a nunnery! I do hope he hurled his ye olde English epithets at the dozen or so other folks who invoked the same dastardly heresies about a big, old gloomy building (gym, flea-market, another blogger named Tucker Stone said it reminded him of a place from his youth where they held ye olde wrestling matches). So, have at thee, I slap thy face with a kid glove. He also called me a professional parade rainer or something like that. They always discount the nice things you say for the bad, yes, they do. However many upbeat MOCCA reports I've written in the past, however many times I've plugged the show and invited folks to attend, one bad review, I'm the Rainmaker. Boom, crash, head indoors, here comes the good time hammer to ruin everything for no reason at all. As if what I said made life harder on anyone than the lack of air conditioning or organization at MOCCA. As if what I said wasn't true, or within reason. Looked like a gym show to me, looked like a gym show to plenty of people who were there. Looks like it in a lot of the pictures folks posted from the event. Give me a break, thee.

Sorry about all the bullshit Thor talk, but I'm a sucker for writing that crap. I'll probably do it onceth or twiceth more before I'm doneth. Yeah, that was awful. Sorry.

Tucker Stone also made some remark about me that involved my biting the heads off live chickens at the Puck Building. I stopped doing the geek thing at the second SPX, so where he's coming from, I don't know. But it's nice to see my name tossed around on all these smart blogs. It's not the reason why I write about convention experiences, but since I never put out any new books, I guess it counts as some sort of PR. What ho!

Otherwise, I was going to post about some more stuff that bugged me about MOCCA -- some of the more nonsensical rejoinders to the complaints about the show ("It's NYC in the summer! It's supposed to be hot! Get over it!" As if the heat was all there was to it. "Comics are awesome! The parties were awesome! Whooo!" Ah, to be young and drunk again...), what I felt was the complete mishandling this year of the charity sketch tables, and the real problems with the refund policy for tables - oh, hell, let's go with that last one because it's a real mess and people will actually have to deal with this if they want to exhibit.

So, here's the refund policy as stated on the sheet they gave out at MOCCA:

- $50 non-refundable deposit.
- 10% processing fee on cancellations before October 2009 (so, that's $90, not $50)
- After February 5th, 2010, non-refundable deposit rises to $100 per table
- After April 16th, no refunds
- Refunds will only be issued when the canceled tables are re-sold

Um, okay. I think these are steep, maybe that's just me. And I don't know the old refund policies, because they were never so terribly interesting that Sarah had to point them out before we wrote out our check at the end of the show, so I can't compare. They obviously have their reasoning. I understand the event is a fundraiser, and whatever they can make goes to the museum. Okay, got it.

But here's what gets me: THEY HAVE NO DATES FOR THE NEXT SHOW. How can you expect people to reserve a table for the following year if they don't know when the event will be held -- and then slap them with these refund policies if the announced dates conflict with their lives? What if the show ends up on your anniversary? Mother's birthday? Vacation? Whatever? What if it ends up in July, or who knows when, because of NYC scheduling and the way things can go? How can you hold people to that refund policy without that information being available?

Also, am I reading this right? If you wait to cancel until November, and do so before February -- you avoid the 10% processing fee? Does that make sense for them? Or am I missing something? It looks to me that a reasonable person could assume there's no 10% fee after October, and the $100 fee doesn't kick in until Feb, so...um...I dunno. Don't cancel until November, folks. Then argue with them some. Maybe you'll save a few bucks.

Here's another thing -- paying for a table is no guarantee of placement. Meaning, your table has no set space. meaning, how do you tell for sure whether or not they've re-sold "your" table? Okay, they would go by the date of the table being reserved. Sure, makes sense, right? But so many folks put in for the table on the last day of MOCCA, so that would be a "tie", if you get me. Who would know how it would actually be worked out? Call me paranoid, I'm more worried about mistakes than conspiracy, but I don't trust folks well enough to have them tell me whether "my" table has been re-sold or not when I have no way of knowing what "my" table was and who got it. I'm cynical that way, especially after seeing how things ran this year.

Anyway, another reason for me -- me, I say, me, I, not you, I'm not trying to churlishly rain on any parades here -- not to invest $400 bucks for a year with so many unanswered questions floating about the next show. And if I'm beating up on a show I normally love, then I'm not the only one. There's a lot of back and forth on this year's show out there on the world wide interweb, I'm far from the only one who wasn't impressed. Hot venue, overall disorganization (a volunteer posted in the comments section of my previous post that they were confused -- I mean, what the huh?), lack of PR, miserable website, bad information, unnecessary instructions, late opening, and now no set event dates coupled with a table increase and a wonky refund policy. You tell me. Did I rain on that parade, along with a few dozen others if not more, or did the parade kind of rain on itself just a little bit?

Also, why would anyone open a show late because of late books? Hasn't anyone discussed the lack of tickets and badges -- our row had badges but tohers didn't when we arrived -- seem more the cause? We saw plenty of books on tables when we got there, they can let people inside to wait for books, don't you think? If they could let them inside.

Here's the bottom line: Support the small press. Support comics. Keep an open mind. But call out stuff that is messed up, not working or just plain sucks. If MOCCA was arguably broken this year, it can be fixed. Let's hope for that, and keep our eyes out to see how things go. But people should be made aware of the problems because some folks are considering exhibiting, and a bad show can hurt you financially. A bad experience can sour you on further experiences. People should know the negatives as well as the positives about comics, about everything, because that's how you learn to avoid what might not work for you. If you want to make comics for the long haul, if you're passionate about comics and creating them, that's awesome. But let's be realistic here, even if it hurts a little. Not everything's great. We should talk about that stuff, too. It might make a difference for someone just starting out.

And for the last time, bloggers -- THERE WAS NO FIRE AT THE PUCK BUILDING LAST YEAR. Stop saying that fer chrissakes.

Talk to you kids soon, gotta go make stuff.

MOCCA Thoughts: Good, Bad and Ugly

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:29:26 GMT

Let me get a few things out of the way, first.

I love the MOCCA festival, I have been to every show, and I consider it my favorite event to do. Except for this latest one.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Because, honestly, we had a very good time. And we did well at the table, very well, in fact, for someone with no new books and the same old stuff. Twice what I was hoping for. So, I don't want to hear anyone accusing me of grumbling because of a lack of dough or attention. Because, yes, I came away from this year's event feeling deflated, disappointed, and exhausted, and yes, I'm going to vent a little. Not angrily, because this was by no means a bad show. It was a flawed show, an extremely uncomfortable show to sit through, and at times, endure, but not a disaster by any means. And not, well...MOCCA. Yeah, the books were there, in force, in fact, the publishers, the guests, the attendees. But it wasn't the same. It was a really good...kind of regular show. With the worst heat I've sat through at any show, possibly including the Ramapo High School shows held in the gym, with a skylight baking everyone inside.

Here's the main thing -- at show's end, we wanted to get out of their like we were on fire. And we had a good show, and met great people. But at the end of MOCCA -- yes, even the 101 degree day -- we could have stayed another hour or two. And for the first time ever, we didn't pre-pay for a table for next year's show. Neither did our neighbors on one side. Neither did a few other folks we spoke to, neither did some folks I was told about second-hand. Who knows what the holdout numbers really were, it' still not. a good thing to hear.

Look, the Puck Building was problematic, we had a choice spot there, but everyone knew it was hot, awkwardly laid out, and the seventh floor was an oven. And the programming took a kick in the balls because of a lack of space. More people wanted in, more people wanted better air, more people wanted more. And from what I hear, the Puck Building was a no-go for 2009 even if they wished to remain, the reason being cost. So, it was moved to the Armory. The benefits are obvious -- more room for more exhibitors, more attendees, everyone in the same place on a more even playing field, programming in the same space, and, MOCCA could afford it. So, the Armory.

Bigger isn't always better, but it's also easy for me to say, because I'm not 22 with comic stars in my eyes and insatiable energy and excitement. But here's what bothers me about the Armory, take it with however much salt you'd like, because obviously some folks loved the new venue. Or liked it. Anyway: the show lost it's personality. No, seriously, that sounds stupid, but it's true, in my mind. It lost it's identity, and it's killer app, in a similar way to the way SPX faltered, for me, when they monkeyed with the days and chopped the Sunday get-together. I didn't even love the get-together, it wasn't why I went, just like the parties were never a reason I went, but they helped define that show and make it special. MOCCA is still special for a lot of folks, I'm sure newbies and first-time exhibitors were in heaven. A hellish heaven, but later for that. I don't discount that opinion, I don't discount anyone thinking contrary to what I'm laying out here. My blog, my opinion, keep that in mind. Okay, so, instead of the lovely Puck Building with white walls and light and an intimate atmosphere, the Armory provided a darker, gymnasium style con floor that made the layout look exactly like a flea market. God-awful lighting that made everything look sallow (but helped mask my awful shaving mishap scar, som,e folks said, so, hey). And...no air conditioning. Even the most positive write ups of the show have to admit it was insanely, suffocatingly hot. Unbearable at times on Sunday. Many folks were taken to understand the A/C was broken. There is no A/C at the Armory, not on the main floor. The panels, apparently, had A/C. Good for them. No, seriously, the panels were packed, I saw as I went to the bizarre army bathroom, filled to the brim every time, a definite step up from the Puck Building. And last year the panels were held off-site, a real thumper for attendance and information about attending. So, yeah. the heat. Terrible. All I can remember now, in some ways. I know several people who left owing to the oppressive heat, one of whom left after being there a half an hour. She texted her husband that she had to get out of there, and as he put it, "she likes these things". Not good. My daughter was so cranky and hot on Sunday we considered leaving early. Wait, we were all so hot and cranky we almost ducked out. I know of someone who packed up and left early. It was simply awful. I literally wouldn't recommend it for small children or old folks with health problems. I'm not kidding. And remember, last year's MOCCA, on Sunday? 101 degrees. I cannot imagine what the Armory would be like in those conditions. I couldn't imagine if it was five degrees higher, I think it was 80 or something. That's sort of insane. It's 2009. In New York City. People shouldn't look like they're checking out comic books in the Sahara. So, now everyone gets to know what the seventh floor of the Puck Building was like. It sucked.

Still, the people were great, everyone was cool, although not cool enough to offset the oven. It was still MOCCA, the vibe was only dampened, imho, not changed to a Big Apple show (speaking of which, I was told the next Big Apple show will be held at the Armory. Weird, huh?)

And, okay, so what if the place looks gloomy and isn't lovely. And so what if that even changes the psychology of the event a little (I know, stupid of me to say environment can shape experience. Go to a show in Europe, then go to a "regular" USA show. A nice venue can make a nice show even nicer. Honest.). I'm fine with democracy, more exhibitors, okay, more attendees --it looked like they had more, it was packed Saturday -- great. But more isn't always better. We heard a lot of anecdotal talk about low sales. And disappointing sales from folks who did better these past years. Economy? Maybe. More competition, and a ton of big books from bigger names? Perhaps. Maybe a lot of new exhibitors aren't ready to lay out decent dough to sell mini-comics. That's not a slam, that's being realistic. But doing shows and trying to "get in" and be part of something you love, that's not always something that involves pragmaticism. Especially when you're talking the unreal world of comics. Next year will be interesting, this was a sort of turning point. And next year table prices go up, sort of a lot.

And there was the organizational problems - weak-ass website, exhibitors not listed on the website (myself included), exhibitors not included in the guide book (I know of at least three, "big" names all). Poor flow of information, late flow of information. I will say folks got back to us very quickly to remedy some errors regarding our space and things, but one of those things was not fixed even though we were assured it would be. Okay, that all happens, New team, new venue. Still, MOCCA's run smoothly since inception, as far as our dealing with it, and the general word on the street. Never had to chase anyone down, fix anything, send multiple e-mails, wonder aloud about who was going, what was happening, where was the show info.And one other semi-annoyance -- exhibitors were told to bring a print-out of their table confirmation or whatever the hell, bring photo ID (who doesn't?) and present both. No one asked for anything. We were given bracelets on Saturday so we could leave and re-enter (shouldn't a badge cover that?). Nobody asked to see them. And on Sunday we weren't given bracelets. It just added to the sense of confusion and what-the-huh? Not a big deal, but some weird new stuff, and they didn't even use any of it. Anyway -- I assume that will all be settled next time as people get used to what they're doing, and settle into their gigs. I think this is the third changeover, or second? Since launch. Things happen.

But I've never seen this happen: the show opened late on Saturday. At least an hour late, it felt like more, someone on line would have to chime in on when they finally opened the doors. From what we heard, they didn't have the tickets for the show. I also heard they didn't have all the badges for the exhibitors. I just read that publisher's books hadn't arrived on time. I dunno. All I know is the show was backed up and extended, programming and signings were all over the map after being adjusted, and it was kind of messy. I've never been to a show that opened late like that, ever, good, bad, small press, big show with actors, whatever. Not the best foot forward on the first day of the new version of the old show.

Am I making too much of these things? We left, like at least a few others we know, feeling exhausted, like we survived something rather than experienced something. The other MOCCA events made me leave wanting to go home and make comics and come back next year. This year made us go home wanting to shower and collapse, and sleep for a week. We didn't write the check for next year's table. We're holding off and we're going to see how we feel about it in October. The tables are going up, but for us the value of the event went down, and we did quite well, but I dunno. It wasn't the same. It wasn't bad, by any means, except for the heat, and, I dunno...the old vibe. Maybe we're missing the new vibe, like I said, everyone was awesome, books sold, people looked happy as they dripped sweat onto their big hardcover books and little minis. But if the grumblings we heard were indicative of mos folks, we figure tables will be available in October if we want to attend. We're waiting, like I said, as are other folks who used to march right over and lay down the dough for the next year. That's troubling, to me. I love the MOCCA festival, I wish it no ill. I just don't know if I'll be there next year, and we kind of wish we had done TCAF instead.

Again, I mean no ill will to the show or the folks putting it on. Just my twenty -two cents, from where I was sitting, and how things stood for me and mine, and telling you some things we heard in the building. Don't let me stop you from going, or exhibiting, the show is still "the show".

Only different. And that might be fine for you.

I'm just not so sure for myself.

HOF MOCCA Plans

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:05:14 GMT

We'll be sitting at a table this weekend at MOCCA, along with a few other hundred or so cartoonists and publishers and hangers on. The A-list includes David Mazzucchelli, Arnold Roth, Seth, Al Jaffee, Adrian Tomine, and Gary Panter. Here's the exhibitor list, which I am not on, but I am going to be there, honest. We'll be bunked next to the Christine Norrie, Matt Kindt, Tara McPherson enclave. Emily is on the exhibitor list, which kills me.

We'll be bringing the usual SLG books you know and are sick of seeing on the table. I'll also have some copies of the new Simpsons Summer Shindig for sale, which features an 8-page Bart Simpson comic I wrote. And, we'll have preview pages from Beasts of Burden #1 for folks to look at. Any retailers reading this, please come over to take a look, I have the entire first issue and some sample pages I can fork over.

We'll also have some nifty handmade HOF stuff at the show -- some of you may remember the Milk and Cheese and HOF monster pencil cases and Moleskine covers Sarah made last year for Heroes World. She's finished up a bunch more for MOCCA, so, if you missed out, here's another chance to get them. Possibly your last chance.

I'll be bringing art for sale, some stuff that's been in the portfolio, some new stuff, and the M&C vinyls, and maybe some of the remaining shirts leftover from the online sale we had recently.

Hope to see you there.

Whatever Happened To --?

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:13:31 GMT

Nick Magazine RIP

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:36:06 GMT

Aw, crap. I mean...crap.

Apparently Nick Magazine has been shut down. I've read conflicting reports, some report that the magazine was closed down effective immediately, others say the magazine is closing at the end of the year. Either way, my best wishes go out to the staffers, and to Comic Book section editors Chris Duffy and Dave Roman in particular.

Sarah and I have been contributing to the magazine for over ten years now, mostly gags and some illustrations, along with some comics stuff and two covers for the Comic Book section. I loved freelancing for them, I loved being in the magazine alongside some great people, and I enjoyed working with Chris and Dave very much. They are good people, and good "comics people", and I hope they find their footing asap, jobs-wise. Or win the lottery. They helped a lot of small press folks pay some bills, and the comics section was just top-notch stuff from a host of swell cartoonists. Ugh. This is going to be the talk of MOCCA, I bet, half the exhibitors have probably freelanced for them at some point.

This doesn't affect us too badly as far as pure economics goes, we've only done a few things for them every year or so, and we knew they were slowing down purchases due to the economy and the bad publishing atmosphere. Still, I wasn't expecting them to shut down, and it was nice to know Nick was there, and to pitch a few gags every now and then, and sometimes a bigger assignment came your way. And it was always a good experience. And as a bonus, you owned your work. Ugh. Now a lot of freelancers are left with one less venue, worse for the fact that Nick was one of the friendliest magazines out there for cartoonists. After Mad's gut shot wound...this is just very depressing news.

I wish this was a gag.

Wonder what's next.

Interweb Stuff: Beth Cooper Art And A Geek List

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:49:17 GMT

Preview pages of some of the comics from the movie tie-in release of I Love You, Beth Cooper (written by Larry Doyle, drawn by me): click here.

Some people who write for an apparently professional-type website on the internet called Topless Robot made a list of the top 10 geeks in pop culture, and for some reason the Eltingville Club made it on there. Considering the other characters on the list are all easily recognizable, it's a little weird to see. It's like a list of top 10 favorite famous pop songs that has a Jandek cut on it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for seeing an Eltingville reference out of the blue, and maybe a few folks will watch the Youtube clip, but, I have to agree with some of the Eltingville-types in the comments section, because I don't get it, either.

Whatever Happened To --?

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:27:58 GMT

Whatever Happened To --?

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:24:39 GMT

The Day The Flying Circus Came To Town

Thu, 28 May 2009 21:25:31 GMT

One of the birthday presents Sarah gave me this past April was a copy of the Playbill for Monty Python Live! at the City Center. I cherish it, even though there's nothing really to read in the Playbill, other than old news about old plays, closed restaurants and 70's NYC semi-upscale nightlife (actually, it was kind of interesting, Joey Heatherton's playing the Waldorf-Astoria! Jerry Orbach's in Chicago! Nathan's opened a "posh" restaurant on 5th Ave with Tiffany lights and live entertainment! (?)) and it's not in the best shape. But it was a sweet and thoughtful gift, because Sarah knew that I had seen this show when I was young, and I had lost the Playbill. A while back, I read the first volume of Michael Palin's Python Diaries, in which he writes about the stage show. It jogged my memory, or what stands for a memory in my head, and I know I talked to Sarah about the show, and the Lost Playbill of My Youth.

I saw a performances of this show one night in April, 1976 when I was just twelve years old. My memory being what it is, I had spent the past thirty three years believing I was thirteen years old when they played. This isn't that much of a big deal, but for some reason I felt really strange after realizing I was off a year. I didn't even know I was watching Python on our local PBS station (Channel 13) that early, because by the time of the stage show I'd been watching for at least a year. I don't remember how I came across the show, orwhat exactly I made of it at an early age (I do know it afforded me my first look at female breasts, and that the Peckinpah parody scared the shit out of me with its cartoony but excessive bloodletting), but I do know that I was a fan. A huge fan. I was probably also watching The Goodies and whatever seemed similar on PBS at the time.

Looking back on it, I'm pretty surprised my mother took me to see a show with such adult material. Not to mention, she wasn't a fan. I remember she and a girlfriend of hers complaining about Monty Python and the Holy Grail, about how dumb it was, and I remember hearing them talk about the monks hitting themselves with books and men following other men making horse trotting sounds with coconuts. Of course, I wanted to see that movie like sex, and everything they said just made me want to see it that much more, but it would be a number of years until I caught it, edited, on the local CBS affiliate (Channel 2). Anyway, whatever, not that I'm complaining, I am just so goddamned glad she did take me, because this was one of the best, most memorable evenings of my life. Even with the memory dimmed by age and bad brain cells.

We never really went anywhere fancy, or to the theater. I remember my mom took my sister and I to see Grease. Otherwise, that's about it, I guess. We didn't have much money, so this was probably a big deal, because we also ate at a restaurant in the Times Square area, and those joints have always been a rip-off. The whole thing was exciting for me, dressing up (slightly), eating out, going to the theater to see the show. Clearly this was my best-ever kidhood birthday present, even before I got to see the show.

We didn't have very good seats, we were up in the cheapster rows in the second balcony, I believe, but it didn't matter, it wasn't a huge place so we weren't miles away, and you could see everyone on stage very clearly, it wasn't a squint spectacle by any means. And they had films in-between set changes and whatnot, and it was just overwhelmingly awesome. These guys were my heroes at the time, I couldn't believe I was there, and I'm amazed I didn't flush my bladder all over myself.

What I remember (more or less): the giant Gilliam-designed Hand of God coming out of the sky, the guy lowered from the top of the stage who interrupts a sketch and gets shot (and his guts fly everywhere, holy crap --!), the end of the albatross bit where one Python member chased the other throughout the audience, running through both balconies and surprising the audience both times, and running not far from where we sat. The interweb says Cleese played the Albatross salesman/lady, but I just remember the sketch and the stupid kid excitement of seeing the actors fairly close-up. Of course, I can't remember who they were. They did the Lumberjack Song (which, I dunno, I never loved. I like it, but, not my favorite, although at the time they could have played solitaire and I would have been happy), they did the Argument Sketch (one of my favorites, still), the Pet Shop/Dead Parrot sketch, Blackmail (with the blackmail footage on the screen), they ran filmed segments such as Twit of the Year and some (then) obscure stuff that I think was from their first film, they showed some of the longer cartoons including a longer one I wasn't familiar with (maybe also from the film?), Neil Innes performed a few songs, and Carol Cleveland looked like a pretty girl. What else could you want? The only thing that would have made the night even better would have been if we went to that Hawaii Kai restaurant advertised on the cast page.

So, yeah, I was in idiot heaven. I never laughed so hard in my life. And the funny thing was, I clearly remember my mother laughing so much her mascara kept running. She's still not a fan, she never watched the show after that, or saw their later films, but I spoke to her recently and she remembers she laughed her ass off. I'm glad she had a good time, too.

Anyway, some nice memories, thanks to my mom, thanks to Python, thanks to my wife. Thanks.

Brought To My Attention

Sat, 23 May 2009 22:52:23 GMT

And now yours.

A member of the Zen Boy and Karma Girl project sent the top two images to me. I tossed in the Cheese card cel for the hell of it because it brought it even closer to home. And home is where the hate is, eh wot? Although I harbor no hate for Susan Boyle in the least. I just wish that any human being that gets within firing range of Simon Cowell would unleash a few rounds in the direction of his head and clear some air in the world. Ha ha, I know, why be so hateful and say such vile things? Only kidding, just a larf, I certainly don't wish him dead by violence at my behest or anything. I guess. I really do despise him, though. Stomach-turning individual. May his money somehow blow across the seas into the hands of others who could use it and he wind up in a hell filled with angry American Idol rejects armed with paring knives, for he has committed far too many crimes against pop culture, let along 'actual" culture (whatever that is), the worst perhaps being the incredible transgression against man and god that is Paula Abdul's revived career and presence. Just catching the man in occasional snippets, unavoidable despite not having cable and trying my best to live cleanly, is enough to land him a top spot on my Amazon shitlist.

Anyway. Decent resemblance, eh?

And there's my usleess contribution to "internet culture" for today. Ta!

Vault of T-Shirts

Tue, 19 May 2009 20:36:00 GMT

If anyone's interested, we're selling off a lot of our extra HOF t-shirts. We can't warehouse all of them any longer, so, they gotta go. And for the most part, they're going fairly cheap. A few designs date back to the early 90's, a few are recent, almost all of them are out of print or unavailable in the sizes we're selling. Couple of oddball leftovers from our comps, Exhumed FIlms, WFMU Glen Jones designs, a rare, old All You Can Eat shirt with Milk and Cheese. one or two way old HOF/SLG designs.

You can see the list, with links to pictures of all the shirts available, by clicking on this.

First come, first served, flat-rate shipping in the US of $5. Everything you need to know is at the link re: sizing, shipping, payment.

Sorry for all the commercial messages as of late. Things have been a minor wreck here at the HOF, we've only had time to work, clean and cull, and go to various doctor's appointments. I expect regular blogging/ranting/meandering to continue soon.

More HOF Art On The Chopping Block

Sun, 17 May 2009 19:16:29 GMT

We've put some more artwork up on e-bay:

- A page from my Hellboy: Weird Tales story
- Art for the second Exceptions CD
- Another Mad Magazine illustration piece
- Three Milk and Cheese layouts for the Indie island T-shirt from last year's Heroes Con (with a t-shirt)
- A Milk and Cheese trading card original, with the production "cel" and card

Also, the Milk and Cheese pin-up I posted previously is on our art for sale list, if anyone's interested.

Thanks for looking. As you believe, so shall you do.

I'll Take You To Burn

Sun, 17 May 2009 06:58:14 GMT

I Will Kick The Living Crap Out Of You For $5

Fri, 08 May 2009 20:56:19 GMT

My friend Rob Beck sent me this picture years ago, it's fairly wonderful. And still a mystery.

Unique display of panhandling? Performance art? Maniac crazy on the loose?

Where is this charming individual now? At work? Incarcerated? On top of the pop charts? We may never know. I salute you, wrapped-up man with unsettling sign, wherever you are.

Milk And Cheese Commission

Wed, 06 May 2009 18:06:18 GMT

Football Boy Speedy

Mon, 04 May 2009 08:59:43 GMT

Shecky

Fri, 01 May 2009 17:28:44 GMT

Today's Business

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:51:10 GMT

- Sarah just sent off the Futurama/Simpsons pin-up we did for the Bongo collection. I think it came out pretty a-okay. It has a robot, and a lot of beer. How classy of me.

- Currently working on the script for the Simpsons' Treehouse of Terror, also for Bongo, a 15-page story where I think I'm destroying Springfield and killing a lot of characters in the process. Why do I always do that? it's not intentional, as in, "Hey, I'll kill everyone they've got on hand just like in World's Funnest!". I dunno. I guess I just like rampaging and stuff. Inner rage and all that. Plus, it's fun. I'll be drawing this as well, so, expect clutter and background gags and the like. Again, Mr. Class, at your beck and call.

- Looks like Sarah and I will be working on Yo Gabba Gabba! season three. I'm too tired to be all excited about it externally, but internally, somewhere near all the inner rage, behind the small intestine, I am quite ecstatic. Normally I don't mention this stuff until it's contracted, but the process is underway and we've sent in episode treatments and are collaborating with Christian Jacobs, so, if it falls through, big funny bad fate ha ha on us. Once again Sarah's done swell stuff with the springboards they gave us, fixing some problems and giving the episodes a natural throughline for everyone to work off of. I had a few ideas, I don't know if she used them. Fingers crossed the material passes muster with the execs, and at some point I guess we'll be working on a script or two. Wake up the children, energize their day with this great news.

- If all goes well DHC should be sending me some promo materials for Beasts of Burden in time for MOCCA. Some color copies of pages from the first issue, possibly some signing cards to give out, if they still have any left over. So, that'll be nice.

Later, skaters.

Sundays With Walt and Skeezix and Emily

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:26:09 GMT

When we attended TCAF two years ago, Jeet Heer was nice enough to show us a pre-release copy of the oversized Sundays With Walt and Skeezix. (published by Sundays Press, who have also released several amazing Winsor McCay books and have just solicited a book of Oz strips) When we saw how absolutely beautiful the strips looked, Sarah made a comment about how if we ever came across a cheap, possibly damaged copy, we could buy it and remove some of the pages to frame them. We had a copy on pre-order, but I wasn't going to chop up a $95 book, even one purchased on store credit.

Anyway, as I posted recently, some cheap copies popped up on Amazon, and we purchased one for the framing project. Our plan hasn't quite worked out, however, as Emily has started reading the second copy, and has sort of adopted it. Not that I'm complaining. Seeing her pore over the book kills me. She's been quoting some of the dialogue ("Well I'll be jiggered", being the line that cracks me up the most) and really enjoys reading the strips, especially the ones where Skeezix is a toddler. Emily has up until now had a strict policy of not enjoying comics that "have people in them" -- she's been reading Disney books (mostly Donald Duck), some old Disney film adaptations (mostly Dumbo), Molly and Emmett comics from Ladybug magazine (Molly is a girl but Emmett is a cat), Polo (two new volumes out soon), Johnny Boo (ghosts and a monster) and Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks comics in an old Whitman collection. She has been reading Julie and Grampa: Shark Hunters, actually, which has human protagonists, but there are a lot of talking animals in that as well. And there are monsters and creatures in Magic Trixie and Scary Godmother, which she's nuts about. But Dennis the Menace was out, as were several other comics "with people in them". But so far, the Walt and Skeezix Sunday strips have passed muster, perhaps because of the many dream sequences and strips based on Halloween and Christmas and whatnot. Who knows, I'm not going to press her on it, we let her enjoy what she likes and don't shove anything down her throat if she's not interested. For some reason she won't read Hideshi Hino comics. Don't ask me.

We never pushed comics on her, but they're everywhere in the house, and many of her children's magazines feature comics of some sort, and by osmosis or what have you, she's reading comics. It's fascinating -- to us at least (your kids are always fascinating to you, but some folks have the idea their kids are fascinating to everyone) -- to see which comics she gloms onto, and which ones she dismisses. As a parent and a geek and a cartoonist, I have to admit it's a thrill to see my daughter reading funnybooks and enjoying them. And reading in general. I did not grow up in a house filled with books, which I have always regretted. But let's not get into that. This is a happy post. It is.

This, That And The Other Thing

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:28:45 GMT

Mad #500 has hit the stands, and they've apparently crammed in as many contributors as the page count would allow. Sarah and I did a small spot illustration for it, a Star Trek movie audience. The jokes are on the screen, typeset, so, the image is pretty incidental, but I tried to get some visual gags in there. A small bit, but I'm glad to have been in the final monthly issue. Hopefully we'll get another call to contribute sometime down the road, I like working for Mad, and it's a kick to be in a magazine I grew up with.

I will be appearing at Comic Book Jones on Free Comic Book Day, which is Saturday, May 2nd. Check the link for other guests and information on the signing. I hope to have color copies from beasts of Burden #1 to show folks. If not, I'll be doing the usual, signing, sketching, kvetching.

I'm working on a pin-up for a Futurama/Simpsons crossover collection forthcoming from Bongo. I looked for an official Bongo website and couldn't find one. Is that for real --? Or am I dosed with stupidity --? Anyway, once I'm done with it, I will start scripting a 15-pager for the Simpsons Treehouse of Terror, then I wrap up the last script for the Beasts of Burden mini-series, then I'll be drawing the Treehouse story, and all the while it looks like we'll have some tv stuff to juggle in there. And another gag for Nick Mag, and a few new Fun strips to keep my hand in that sort of thing. And some other stuff, a one-shot comic book gig I can't talk about yet, but the contract was signed, so it should get done, and it should be a pip.

Speaking of stuff, the purge of our stuff stuffing up the House of Fun continues, we have an auction up on e-bay for a rare Robert Tonner Lois Lane porcelain doll, if anyone is interested. We should be placing more art and items up for auction in the near future, when and if time allows.

Otherwise, I've been fairly obsessed with Oscar Levant as of late, but reading his books and reading about him has been kind of depressing. Poor Oscar. What a brilliant disaster.

Back to work.

More H.O.F. Art On E-Bay

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:44:29 GMT

We're auctioning off a few more pieces of art on e-bay: a Milk and Cheese page from issue #5, another page from the Bizarro World "That's Really Super, Superman" story, a pencil trial for a Ron Jeremy/Cookie Monster illustration for Mad, and the cover layout rough for Dork #10, as seen below.

You can see the auctions here. Thanks for looking.

On a semi-related note, I'm no longer taking art commissions, at least not for a while. Work has become more hectic than expected, and I can't fit anything else into my schedule for the time being. My thanks to those who responded, and to those who are still owed art, it is forthcoming. Thanks again for the interest and support, it is appreciated.