The Black Bird

My favorite mystery/crime author of all time is the great Dashiell Hammett who wrote The "Maltese Falcon" in 1930. He also wrote four other novels: "Red Harvest" (1929), "The Dain Curse" (1929), "The Glass Key" (1931) and "The Thin Man" (1934)) all of which were made into movies. Here in San Francisco where he lived and worked, there are numerous monuments and landmarks featured in the films, life and writing. John's Grill downtown is the ground zero for Hammett enthusiasts with what is essentially a Hammett museum. Above you can see me in front of a case containing a replica Maltese Falcon. The previous bird (one of the several made for the 1941 movie with Humphrey Bogart) was stolen last year! Not many people know Hammett also wrote a comic strip back in 1934 called Secret Agent X-9.

I Suck

Of course the real reason that the vacuum cleaner isn't working is that I forgot the draw a power cord on it.

Gorillas in the Mix

The Cartoon Art Museum had a party for the Monsters of Webcomics exhibition on Saturday. He's me (on right with magnifying glass) with a gorilla (left) who answered to the name of Mike.

Lumpy

I don't drink coffee for this very reason. Apparently instant coffee used to be sold in cubes. I'm glad they stopped otherwise this cartoon would not have worked.

I Saw it on the Comic Vine

The Comic Vine people talked me into appearing on camera during the APE show. My few seconds of fame start around the 6:30 mark. I look (and felt) very uncomfortable but I sure look tall. Thankfully the always amusing Michael Capozzolla came on after me to save the show.

Sticky Issues

Originally I had "Superglue" as the punchline instead of "Epoxy". In the end I thought Epoxy was a funnier word and probably would adhere more than Superglue.

Ape Man

I had a lot of fun at APE this weekend! Thanks to everyone who stopped by and donated money to the Cartoon Art Museum.

SPF

Jo Jo over at GoComics commented that this must be the Shroud of Daytona.

Dog Headed Victorians

This is from my new favorite blog, Mostly Forbidden Zone. Nothing fancy, just wonderful ephemera and curious images.

Cash for Comic Strips Clunkers

It was just pointed out to me that Weenus made an honorary appearance in the most excellent "The Knight Life" by the uber-talented Keith Knight a few weeks ago (alongside Gary the vampire from the wonderful Scary Gary, Michael from It's All About You, and Alice from the Cul-de-Sac). I think that according to the rules of the Cartoon Union, Keith now gets to appear in a Rabbits Against Magic strip.

What was I smoking?

The Sunday "DSL" strip I ran on September 27th was a "Take 2" after my first effort (above) was deemed "too druggy". Well, I can't really argue and I think it worked out better in the end (below) plus I didn't have to do the psychedelic coloring and probably avoided a copyright infringement from Gilbert Shelton for my "Fat Freddy's Rabbit".

Anthropoid Antics

I'll be at APE this weekend doing original sketches for donations (any amount) to benefit the Cartoon Art Museum. If you happen to be at the con, come find me at booth 364.

Mime Crimes

Mime gags = easy humor.

Bubblicious!

It happened again! Just to prove that great minds think alike.... after I drew this strip, which ran today...:
...fellow Brit, Piers Baker who draws one of my favorite strips, Ollie and Quentin ran this:Piers clearly wins the prize for best rendered bubble wrap. Strangely enough, here's a bubblewrap cartoon I did back in April!

The House of Cartoons

From Ediciones B in Spain comes this amazing house of cartoons from cartoonist Francisco Ibáñez for his strip"13, Rue del Percebe". It's all crazy pop-up, push out, books within books with characters included. Francisco Ibáñez is also the cartoonist responsible for the more famous "Mortadelo y Filemón". Awesome.

Cheap Plug

I always draw those little electrical sockets in my backgrounds to fill space. The rules of the Cartoonist's Union require that all regular props like this are required to have at least one major role during the course of a strips lifetime.

Bunny the Frankenstein Slayer

This is another strip I had to do a bunch of research for in order to avoid a strew of comments from sharp-eyed readers. Frankenstein's monster didn't actually die in Mary Shelly's book. He was abandoned in the North Pole. Obviously Hollywood thinks flaming torches and pitchforks make a much better ending. I don't think the monster wore jeans either. I see him more as a slacks man.

Curried Britania

Of course it's okay to make fun of British food when you spent the first 25 years of your life there. I'm happy to say when I visit the land of my birth these days the food is always sensational thanks to immigration for the Asian sub-continent.

Gel Wristbands

This cartoon took quite a lot of research. It seems that all the good colors are taken so a lot of charities have to share. They've even started doing striped ones. Apparently there is a brown one that is claimed by anti-tobacco, colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer. Who knew! I guess that's why they're called "awareness" bracelets.

Cartoon Correspondant

The most excellent Tom Racine was kind enough to risk inviting me back on his Tall Tall Radio show to talk about webcomics and listen to my babbling on-the-spot reporting at the new Monsters of Webcomics exhibit at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco. There's an interview with Nick Gurewitch, creator of the amazing Perry Bible Fellowship and much more. Hear my nervous rambling views on original art versus prints, my Top Five Webcomics and quickly realize why I should never have my own show.