BookLust

What's It All About, Alfie? Pt2

I figure I should really put my money where my mouth is. If I'm gonna gripe about other cartoonists, I'd better be ready to show up my work for criticism, too. So here is a sample strip. Now I'm not saying it's the best thing out there (well, it ain't really out there, except for, well, here), and I'm not saying it's the greatest writing ever in the world of comic strips, but at least it's all done by hand. The drawing is done with a very high-tech HB pencil and one of them fancy rulers was used to make the boxes, then inked with that high-falutin Windsor & Newton ink and a top of the line #2 brush. Lettering hand done!! With yer version 08 Pilot Drawing Pen.

Ok, so I did use a scanner and a computer to post it here, but it would take forever to mail it everyone, and besides, I don't know all your addresses.

What's It All About, Alfie?

Recently there has been a lot of chatter about a certain web cartoonist who has proclaimed that he is going to give his online comic strip to newspapers for free. He claims that he makes enough money from the merchandising of his strip (books, t-shirts, etc.), and so the strip's exposure in newspapers will serve as a great advertisement for his licensing empire. He predicts that he will shake up the lifeless comics industry, specifically those nasty evil syndicates, who presently promote, sell and distribute the comics we read in the papers today.

Okay fine. I don't wanna get into the whole argument about this guy's lack of knowledge about syndication and licensing; there's enough that's already been said about that online in various cartoon forums.

Here's my beef.

This guy, and all the other "cartoonists" who think his idea is revolutionary, haven't got a clue what it is to be a cartoonist. It's not about the t-shirts, it's not about the mugs, it's not about the canvas bags. It's about the ART. The comic strip. Remember that thing with the little boxes? It's about creating dynamic characters and interesting dialogue and luscious artwork that isn't drawn on a goddam computer. It's not about computer-generated type and balloons and duplicating backgrounds because you're too busy to do it by hand since you need to focus on the shipment of that real cool doll that you just recently developed. It's about creating something unique and personal and moving, that will hopefully last, and inspire other artists to do the same.

A comic strip is not free advertising for some cheaply made t-shirt. A comic strip is a platform to communicate ideas, to amuse, to inspire, to entertain. At least that's what I think it should be.

Yes, Mr. Web Cartoonist, you're gonna do something revolutionary for the comics industry. You're gonna take a precious unique artform and piss it down the drain.

Oh Nooooooooooooo!!!!!!

Munch's Scream has been stolen!

Give it back, you bastards.

Franzen, Shape-Shifter

Poor Jonathan Franzen. The guy just can't get a break. First there was that whole Oprah fiasco, and then he was accused of being a pompous ass and now they're criticizing his appearance. Maud Newton brought to my attention an article which discusses the difference between Franzen's very popular and attractive author photo and well .... what he really looks like.

I must confess the first picture I ever saw of Franzen was this photograph. My first reaction was: "Hmmmm.... smart and good-looking! Nice!" So I was very confused when I eventually saw other photographs of him, and television interviews, which were much less flattering. But I got over it.

Hey give the guy a break, ok? Who here does not have one or two really good pics of them, and given the chance, would use those pics to represent themselves? I only have two photos of me that I like, and one of them was taken 8 years ago. The other one was taken about two years ago. If you google my name on the image file, you can probably find them, because I still use both of them. Heh.

Ok, so Franzen doesn't really look like that photo. Well, maybe sometimes he does, if he's standing under certain lights that don't show off that chubby chin (remember that Seinfeld episode with that girl Jerry was dating who only looked good in the back booth at the diner?). Regardless of what he looks like, I think he's still a good writer. I really enjoyed The Corrections, as well as his collection of essays, How To Be Alone. And that's what's really important.

I actually think the real Franzen is cute, anyway. But what the hell do I know. I think Stephen King is cute, too.

Snippets 2

Another snippet for your reading pleasure.

I want it in Tripletcate

If you haven't seen the animated movie The Triplets of Belleville yet, then do it. Right now. Drop everything and rent the damn film, ok? Eliane kept telling me to see it, and I finally did and my heavens why did I wait so long?

What to say? Only the best damn animated movie I have seen in ages. What animation should be. A fascinating story, real characters with depth, breath-taking backgrounds, great sound effects and music. A movie created for the sheer joy of making great art. No promotional toys soon to be sold at McDonalds, no stuffed animals at K-mart, no Triplet ladies on bed sheets.

Just a wonderful story that stays with you for a long time after.

TrenDESIGN 4

Another TrenDESIGN for all you design kittens.

Where in the World is Watterson?

You know what I do when I'm feeling blue? Pull out all my Calvin and Hobbes collections, get a cup of tea and just fly away into a beautiful world.

I just realized today that next year will mark the tenth anniversary since he stopped creating the strip. The work still holds up, and will continue to do so, for many, many years, of this I'm sure. I know it's all been said before. But the man is brilliant. How I wish I could see more work like that in the comics pages again. Other than Mutts, I know of no other comic strip that really explores the playful, illustrative side of cartooning.

I wonder what Watterson is doing these days? Without meaning to, I'm sure, he has created a J.D. Salinger-like mystique to his life. His aversion to publicity just creates more of a fervant curiosity about where he is, who he is, and what he is doing. Hell, I'd love to know. I heard through the cartoon rumour mill that he spends his days painting, only to set fire to his works of art once they're done. But this is all just heresay.

There are so many questions I would love to ask him. The first of many being, "Dude, what's with the moustache?"

Drawing the Big O

Not too long ago, Eliane did a wonderful illustration of Oprah. It reminded me that I had once drawn a cartoon of the "Big O" myself, and lo and behold, this morning I dug it up out of my files.

But all I have is a copy. I kept wondering, where the heck is the original? Then I remembered. I went and mailed the damn original to Ms. Winfrey herself. Why the hell did I go and do that? I didn't even get a thank-you letter or nothin'.

Geez.

Re-Covered 5

This is a different kind of re-covered. This is a display of what I wanted the cover to look like, and what sadly, ended up after too many "creatives" got involved. Right now over at Foreward, those talented book-designer folk are showing off their rejected cover designs. Yeeeesh. If I could make my rejected work look that good.

So I thought I would show you's all a cover I did a couple years back which caused me no end of mental anguish. And it was supposed to be so simple!!! And I was supposed to have creative freedom!!

This is the cover that I sent to the art director. Pretty self-explanatory, I think.

And this is what it ended up looking like, after I don't know who got involved in the #@!!#* "creative process" if you care to call it that.

Pretty astounding, eh? I bet you're speechless.