Images painfully seared into your brain!

Well, well. March has come in and we, here in the Land of the Globster, find ourselves inundated with many, many, many, many things to do. We are working hard on Flex 2, though. I thought I would take this opportunity to indulge you with a few choice words......
A couple of nights ago, I began my first annual one man "Naschy-Fest At Night" to celebrate the life and passing of that crazy Spaniard, Paul Naschy. He looked like John Belushi and acted like a plank of wood, but ohhhh that Naschy! He was quite the devil! He made some very enjoyable 'horror'/exploitation films from the 60's to the 00's (oughts).
Last night, I finished "El Carnaval De Las Bestias", a.k.a. 'Human Beasts'. It was a touching little film about cannibalism. Actually, it would be more appropriate if the title was translated literally into The Carnival of the Beasts. It would fall in line with the theme of masks...and the people who hide behind them...and how easy it is for people to let themselves be suckered after a couple of kisses.
There was this really ripe scene, and I'm totally giving it away, where this veterinarian gets eaten by these really, REALLY fake looking pig heads. VERY BOSS.
Next up? Blue Eyes of a Broken Doll!
Until then....keep busy!
I know you will, you few, you...

Albaric the Transmutationable Mute

Oh...my word. It's time for another post!

So, what IS happening out there? That is a very good question. I'm glad you asked it. Well, first of all, it is the Fourth of July holiday weekend. I am still housesitting. The cat crapped on the floor because he's mad that the cat litter is'nt to his satisfaction. I am still very angry about that. I am getting hungry and light headed right now. The dog wants to go for a walk, but it's about to rain and there are too many people in the park. Plus, I am light headed and need to eat now, so she's outta luck.
Did I mention that I am light headed? Well, I am.
There were so many ways to take the panel after Jeff's last one. Again, this seems to be a recurring theme with me...I opted not to follow the obvious route and show what Klepto could be doing to the Cretin. Plus, I felt my panel to be too small for the stuff I was thinking of. I really did want to get back to those pirates. Now, as in my last panel, the scenario widens!

Yeah, poor Jeff. He's had a tough week. I believe it's reflected in his last post. I remember that episode he mentioned from college (I acted like I did'nt, but I did). That still stings, does'nt it? Ahhh...yes! I remember the pain of those college days, just like it was from last week! Some people get under your skin like an infection that never heals. Let's all give a cheer to chronic wounds!
This is sympathy....

- Chew

A simple misunderstanding ...

About 13 or 14 years ago in college, I submitted a class project (a still life or a self portrait - I can't remember which) to a state fair art show. If the piece was selected, the artist would receive free tickets to the fair, could attend a small banquet and get his/her biography and artist's statement printed in a publication which would be distributed to all fair attendees. At the time, there wasn't a huge outlet for young, hopeful and aspiring wanna-be fine artists to showcase their work in our area. So when my piece was selected, I was ecstatic. When the publication arrived in the mail, I, of course, brought it to class to show all of my classmates ... and my professor. When I wrote the artist's statement, I wanted to be honest. I wanted to explain why I was compelled to make art. "Love to draw, huh?"asked my professor as he finished reading the statement out loud ... and proceeded to make fun of it and chastise me in front of everyone.

It stung.

Looking back on that moment, I should have done what every other artist did and still does... make up an explanation that uses big, smart sounding words that say nothing at all - a justification for creation - to appease the critics and the masses.

It took me a few days to write this post. I see this blog as an opportunity to share my process. The ideas that go into each panel. And I try really hard to sound smart. But I have to do this. Against my better judgement. I've decided to try honesty again ...

I wanted to draw Klepto peeing on Flex's leg.

- Jeff Tuffenstuff

Stuck to the wall with nowhere to go

It was a little tricky trying to draw this panel. According to how Jeff had the bolt enter Flex's leg, I knew that he would end up a little twisted. The problem was trying to get the view right. So I sketched and sketched and sketched until finally I got a draft that I liked. That, is pretty much the gist of it all. I decided to throw in the pirate as a reminder that there was more to the situation than just the hero, his dog, and a little Cretin. This widens the scenario. Now many possiblities can occur. How will the politics of the situation unfold? Will the pirates try to flee, take advatage of Flex/Klepto, side with the Cretin, or side with Flex? Anything can happen now!
One thing about this panel that I was not too happy about....the hair. It looks fine now, but I liked Jeff's approach to the hair and I wanted to maintain that look. But, it did not work. I am currently dogsitting and have to periodically return "home" in order to work on these comics. No big deal, but that does not leave me with a whole lot of time. So, feeling pressed, I worked quickly on this panel. Then I got to that hair. It almost did me in. Finally, I thought, 'this is dumb, I have to go. I have a dog to take care of and I need to get to bed. It's already late.' Feeling fairly frustrated, I put everything down and left. I forced myself not to work (overwork) the panel (or redo it altogether, which I have been known to do in the past, time permitting). I forgot all about it and took a look at it in the morn. Mmmm...not so bad. It's kinda funny when you drive yourself insane over a pointless detail that no one else in the world gives a damn about. It's kinda sad that there are so many people who consistently do it to themselves.

- Chew

Thonk!

Sorry for the repeat on Chew's panel, but the composition of mine makes no sense without it. Out of all of the panels I worked on with Chew, this one was the toughest. It's a small panel to begin with and Chew's arrow really took up a lot of my available space. I could have drawn Flex's reaction as the arrow went rushing towards him but something about that notion just felt ... wrong. Maybe it would slow down the pace? Or heighten tension. I don't know. Just felt wrong. Once I decided that Flex would actually get shot, I had the hardest time making that work. How do I draw the panel and compensate for the huge arrow tip? I thought about putting Flex on the bottom of the panel and showing a different arc on the arrow as it hits his leg but then it would have looked liked two arrows coming at him instead of just one.

I could have had one of the pirates take the arrow. Or Klepto. Or have the arrow just miss all together. Could have ... but didn't.

So there it is. A simple drawing. Not a lot of time spent inking it. But a whole lot of time spent thinking ...

Thinking makes Jeff grouchy. Jeff does not like being grouchy. Jeff is referring to himself in third person. Jeff thinks this is not a good sign. Jeff needs sleep.

Goodnight.

- Jeff Tuffenstuff

Shot heard around the world

So here it is. One of the simplest panels I have ever devised. There was so much I wanted to add into the panel, but it was so small, and I decided to cut back and go the opposite route. Just show the flying bolt. You do'nt HAVE to see the little dude getting prepped to kill, or Flex turning and reacting because...things just happen. The bolt in the air is immediate and details a swiftness of actions. The drama runs through the readers head as they fill in the blanks (i.e. the action, or expressions on the face of the players as this is occurring. Do they even see it? Apparently they all did'nt! And what about the pirates? Are they allowed to express themselves as well?).
This particular box, in the context of the whole page, is smaller than the others. I ended up shrinking the panel even more to give the impression that the bolt might be flying over the entire panel itself. I also wanted the black in the background to be broken up...not a solid. All in all, a functional panel. It will probably end up being one of my least favorites, although here, I'm kinda liking it.
Note: computer is back and running. I, however, am still sick. If you have any spare lungs, let me steal them from you without remorse. I like air.

- Chew

Because Bob said so ...

I have to admit that Chew's panel threw me for a loop. Why didn't he go with the pirates? What the? ... oooh, wait a minute. I get it. Tension. Mysterious figure behind some rocks on the other side ... interesting. So now I get to draw the figure with ... wait, what is that thing? Are those ears?

I actually like Chew's panel a lot. I love the fact that it has no dialogue and yet Flex is still screaming at Klepto. I hear all manner of curses thrown at that poor dog. And Klepto laying on the ground, ears to the floor. Nice.

So what was I thinking when I drew this minion of the "Goddess Bob?" I didn't want it to look like Mickey Mouse. I didn't realize it when I drew this panel that Matt meant for those "ears" to be head gear (I just read his blog!). I thought some kind of liquid respirator would be kind of cool. For a walking fish. Besides, I just couldn't ... wouldn't ... shouldn't let this creature (from the black lagoon) have big ears. Big ears in my mind means cartoon mouse or cartoon rabbit and that's going too far ... too far for a rubber hero and a flying dog trapped inside a hairy transvestite's insides. You gotta have limits, you know. You gotta make this stuff believable.

- Jeff Tuffenstuff

What evil lurks ...in the hearts of men...and dogs?

Well, here we are again. After a long journey west and back, I ended up catching a severe head cold. This was probably from some schmuck in the airport or on the plane. Regardless, I am here with you and I am still ill (just like the song). As Jeff mentioned, my computer is sick as well. It will be dealt with momentarily.

When this new page of Flex was presented to me, my drug-addled mind would not operate (nyquil, yo). I liked what Jeff did with the pirates hiding behind those broken stone fragments. Heck, I liked the fragments, too! Oh, the mystery! Where are we now? What are those things and how did they get there? Questions Abound! So, as explored in the previous cartoon, "How ah met yer muddah", I went along with my instinct. It told me to explore another avenue that was outside of those lurking pirates. I wanted to deal with them, and I would'nt mind seeing the remaining ones dealt with in some capacity...but, in order to create tension and stretch out that mystery, I opted to add in another figure. One clearly different from the piratical types (notice the fab headgear?). It was for this reason as well that this "watcher" is seen skulking from a direction opposite of the pirates.

Oh, look at poor Klepto. Is'nt that funny when dogs realize that they've gotten into trouble and get that worried look and then drop their heads? Just like little kids. Oh, the shame! How about that. Dogs can experience shame. Cats get embarrassed, too. One time, my cat got a little too comfortable in the sun and just lazed right out of the window and onto the floor. They do'nt always land on their feet! Talk about a mean cat being humiliated. She ran off growling and hid under the bed for the rest of the day!

Mmmm...long day. Despite my rant, I am sad. I think I will go home now to have a beer, finish watching "The Ruins", which Jeff let me borrow, and call it an early night. I'm beat.

- Chew

Bye Jeremy....