Quotable quotes

"None of us can stand by when a state enters the business of legislating identity and insists that a person pretend to be something or someone that they are not..."

- Attorney General Loretta Lynch

(italics added)

Non sequitur

In 1963, National Periodical Publications first published a comics series called The Doom Patrol  <link> Patrol  about three heroes – a robot man, another man who could release an energized spirit from his body, and a woman who could get big. 

In 2002, Kerry Callen created a comics series called Halo & Sprocket <link> about three roommates – a robot, an angel, and a woman with a big personality. 

A couple of years ago, I thought time was due for a mash-up.

Ruff and Reddy and Finn and Jake

Consider this:  A pale-furred, jowly dog who speaks with a country accent.  He goes adventuring with his pal, meeting talking machines, creatures out of Fable, and other beasties. 

This could describe Reddy of The Ruff and Reddy Show (original airdate 1957) or Jake of Adventure Time (original airdate 53 years later).   Only Jake is shorter and bald, and his eyes look like corrective lenses for extreme nearsightedness. 

I propose they are one and the same.  Between visits with Ruff in the Old Age Home for Toons, an aging Reddy goes adventuring with Finn under the name “Jake.”

ADVENTURE TIME and all related characters and elements are trademarks of 
and © Cartoon Network

RUFF AND REDDY are trademarks of and © Hanna-Barbera.

Fox.

Great Art Shouldn't Be Smushed Up!

Jon from Maryland sent this sketch of a relative of The Snoof. 

Jon is an award-winning composer and flute player.  Here is one of his works in performance:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnCR_lsz04U

Bureau of Beasties: Martian Division

Big News from Wikipedia.  The theme music for the old sci-fi sitcom “My Favorite Martian” was performed on an electro-theremin by Paul Tanner, a former member of Glenn Miller's band. That spooky sound persuaded Brian Wilson to ask Tanner to work with the Beach Boys on "Good Vibrations."

Meanwhile, in the episodes themselves, I always noticed a painting hanging on the wall of the main apartment set.  In my surreal imagination, I assumed the painting showed some sort of mutant kiwi bird with a trunk, pecking across the sands of Mars. 

For better or worse, the internet has set me straight.  It was a normal bull, upside down; in a reproduction of an 1801 woodblock print by Sawa Sekkyo.  Thanks to J.H. Harison on her site http://members.tripod.com/~jhh_2/TVMFM.htm

I knew it!

Well, the internet still doesn't have everything.  Why can't I find reference to draw a mermaid in a shopping cart when I need it?

Mutant Mail-Box

Bill from New York City wrote, "Always a fan of interspecies romance."

Debbie from San Jose added, "I love inter-species romances, too!"

I think most romance is interspecies.  -Charlie

Mutant Mail-Box

Pam of Pamosworld.com had some questions about page 2.5  and before (and about the page numbers themselves).

"There were some scenes I didn’t quite understand like the one where he finds his “kickstart” money. (That joke was funny but I didn’t get the long scene.)

"Also, I didn’t understand the nomenclature (.5?) on your Archive page."

The Snoof was just philosophizing to himself about his solitary situation.  Ultimately he decided that buying a TV and stopping thinking was the best plan.

The page numbering is for my benefit (I draw two cartoons on one piece of art board, so 2.5 is the bottom half of the second board).  If it bothers more people, I will have to rethink.

Thanks for your thoughts!

If a cat breaks something, is it news?

I drew this in the style of the witty Breaking Cat News webstrip.  To a young cat, practically everything is startling, fascinating news!

Neither Evil; Nor a Talent

I just saw the MINIONS movie.  Although it has some good moments, I am not convinced by the Minions' origin.  They are obviously not products of Earthly evolution (unless you can use a squirrel or gecko as a glow stick, too).  The Minions were probably cooked up by Dr. Nefario.

Start Spreadin' the News...

If you know someone who might like Bureau of Beasties, please send them a link.

Two Shades of Gray

Those are the colors in this strip -- 25% gray and 50% gray.  Unless you count white and black as 0% and 100%.  Then there are Four Shades of Gray.

Mutant Mail-Box

I’m planning to use this blog as a letters page. 

Letters pages are fine things.  For years, I’ve written letters to comic books, like Thor, Supreme, and Savage Dragon.

I’ve also answered them.  From 2004 to 2010, I compiled letter pages for comic books in the DC Comics' line, like Scooby-Doo and Teen Titans Go -- I was Johnny DC!

If you have comments, questions, or wise counsel, you can write me using the form on the FEEDBACK link.  I’ll post some of the letters here, with answers. 

But if you're reading the strip silently, that's cool.

Hello!

As a child, every cartoonist starts out writing AND drawing -- putting down characters with balloons over their heads.  (I used a #2 pencil on typewriter paper.)

When we start to play with others or, worse, try to go professional, we’re often asked to specialize -- write OR pencil OR letter (or do “flats” whatever the heck they are). 

So I’m excited to be writing AND drawing again.  Hawk quill pen and Photoshop are a little more complicated than #2 pencil and typewriter paper, but they do expand the reach to the audience.

P.S. Updates will be erratic, which I blame on my day job.