Many Ghosts of Ohia

The last few weeks have been tumultuous to say the least. I was finally able to go on vacation back to the old homestead in Ohio, which was good....but also a little sad. Things have changed so much up there. I return feeling totally unfocused and unable to concentrate. My mom, who went with me, has expressed the same sensation.
What's interesting is that a comic that I've been working on for years  has a segment that takes place in this area. I ended up seeing some of the places I've been drawing from a twenty-plus year memory. It's more depressing than I remembered, but it was also cold and rainy. Plus, we went to a nursing home and a couple of cemeteries to visit our ghosts. What do you expect, after all?
The good news is that my long lost brother, Viruss,  and I have reconnected! It's only been twenty-one years. He's basically a bigger version of me. Our brains work in a similar manner. Heck, we even have the same hairstyle! That means there are two of us running around. You should be afraid...cuz we really do'nt care what you think about us.
I also met my two younger cousins and was big brother to them for an evening. Lots of tree climbing and hill walking. It was kind of nice to just sit in a big, green field of grass and hang out. We skipped stones in a mud hole and found the skeleton of a cow that was struck by lightning.
So, really, the good definitely outweighed the bad. Thank god for those three guys up there (and my brother's new family) because all of that other stuff was a little tough.
I leave with more resolution about finishing my book and dealing with the Black Worm.

I'm just a little unfocused for the moment...

Chew

Fluke 2011 Report (Part 2)

The chronicle continues. In pictures. A special thanks to Roger for taking these ...

Chew and Jeff in front of 40watt

Inside the 40watt club

Chew, Klay and Jeff 

The Fluke 2011 Report

What can I possibly say to sum up our experience at Fluke this year? It was ... AWESOME! Alright. So on with the report:

I got up at 3:45 A.M. to get ready and pick up Chew and Klay Hillz. After several cups of coffee and a few good-morning-I'm-to-tired-raise-my-hand-high-fives we left Columbus and headed for Athens at 5:15 A.M. We rocked out to Chew's new and soulful 80's mix-tape: Horseradish Hairnets Part I (featuring the likes of Hall & Oates, Prince, Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson, and Sheila E.). We stopped for Gas and Donuts and discussed Geek topics. We finally arrived in Athens at 8:30 A.M. (I'm sure we could have gotten there sooner, but I obnoxiously observed the speed limit -- sorry, Klay).

There was already a line at the 40watt club and it continued to grow as we stood waiting. By 10:45 A.M. we estimated about 60 to 70 people were in line trying to get tables. If there is no pre-registration next year, I would really suggest (to anyone reading this and planning on going) to arrive early.  We rented a whole table this year due to Chew's non-stop-I-need-to-create-comics-and-art-all-day-long pathological tendencies (yes, I'm jealous). Yep. That's right. Chew had (count 'em) five new books on display this year. Klay spent the three weeks leading up to Fluke printing Chew's books. Chew's books look amazing. If you haven't picked up a copy, I'm telling you, you're missing out.

Speaking of books, we made it into the Fluke Anthology this year! Our little five-page story is titled Harold and starts on page 12. The anthology features stories by Drew Weing, Joey Weiser, Falynn K & Kevin Burkhalter, David Mack (and many others) and is full of comic book goodness.

Athens was like a ghost town this year (Easter weekend). Not so inside the 40watt club. With an attendance of over 400 people this year, you could feel the entire place buzzing with excitement. We sold, we laughed, had some coffee, and met some really cool people. Chew left for an hour and sold more books during his absence then when he was behind the table (I think it's part of his sales strategy). Fluke wrapped up a little before 6 P.M. and we headed over to Bizarro Wuxtry and sold some more of our books – and immediately spent the money on their graphic novel collection.

We stopped for dinner at Little Italy and attempted to eat a 18"x18" super- thick-deep-dish-crust pepperoni pizza. We're grown men. And we were hungry. We stuffed ourselves and still had two slices left over!

We left Athens at 8 P.M. Chew and Klay let me listen to the original 13 part NPR Star Wars Radio Drama on the way back and I got giddy like a 11 year-old school girl and I was totally geeking out. We stopped for some more coffee (which was horrible), talked about the day and listened to Klay snore softly in the backseat.

I'd like to thank a couple of people before I wrap this up:

Patrick Dean and friends: Thank you for creating such a cool event. Chew and I look forward to coming every year and it's getting better and bigger every single year. You guys have created something special.

Steve: Thank you for the Blake 7 DVD collection. For you to remember our conversation last year and go through all of the trouble ... you rock. Send me your e-mail and address. You're getting free books for life.

Roger (Our fan club president): It's one thing to buy our books when they come out. It's a whole other thing to drive 3 and half hours and bus friends to Athens to support the home team. Thank you. Roger is relocating to New York next week, so we wish him the best of luck and much deserved success.

Klay: Thanks for printing all the books and coming along. It would not have been the same without you. Hopefully, you all will see some of Klay's comics next year (nudge, nudge).

The Car Rental Company: Thanks for upgrading the car for free when you ran out of compacts. The upgrade was a gas-guzzler but it was roomy, quiet and comfortable.

The wives and kids: Thanks for letting us be geeks, letting us go, and sitting patiently as we recount the day's awesomeness in excruciating detail during breakfast the next day.

The Aztecs, Incas and/or any South American Indian Tribe: Whichever tribe started brewing and guzzling coffee first ... Thank you. This trip would have been impossible without drinking large amounts of hot, steamy Java.

And finally:

Thanks to everyone who came by our table. Whether you bought a book, traded or just stopped by to say hello, we really appreciate it and hope to see you next year.

Fluke rocks.

– Jeff Tuffenstuff

 

 

Chew's workin' the table



Our table at Fluke



  

 

Klay's reading his free Fluke Anthology

Club President Roger and Dan



And we're off!

We're going to Fluke tomorrow! Chew has several new books for sale. Come check out our table and buy stuff! See you there!

- Jeff Tuffenstuff

Monkey Paw

Whew! It's been super-busy out there! I had me a deadline to finish up a couple of covers for my brand new HAIRBALLS! I know all three of you are very excited. Jeff and I have been trying to gear up for the upcoming FLUKE, which will be on April 23rd in Athens, Ga. More info to come on that.
Then there have been the travails of life, which always like to pop up and either make things really, really irksome or uber-complex. Or both.
Whoa! I think I'm on the verge of passing out. I...think...I...shall....


C----H-----E-----W

Vinnie-Gar the Barbarian

I recently purchased the entire series of Thundarr the Barbarian. It was cartoon that ran from 1980-81, then was shown again from 1981-82 (when I saw it). It lasted all of two giant seasons. Twenty one episodes!
The cartoon features, naturally, a barbarian named Thundarr who is accompanied by sidekicks Princess Ariel the sorceress and Ookla the Mok. Ookla (my absolute fave) is a big wookie-like cat who screams a lot and breaks things. The show is set some two thousand years in the future, where science and sorcery intermix like bad food at a party.
You can imagine how insane a nine year old me must have gone over a show like that. Insane enough for a late thirty-something to buy it years later!
As fun as the show has been, there are a couple of gripes I have.

One: The animation is sub par. Veteran comic dudes Alex Toth and Jack Kirby worked on production designs for the show, which is kind of a big deal. But the animation, though not as bad/funny as the Star Trek cartoon, is pretty down there.


Two: No blood. I am now a jaded, corrupt, bloodthirsty adult (who is actually pretty squeamish). I want blood. I want decapitations. I want dismemberment. I want to see the Rat-king being drawn and quartered. I want to see the evil wizard Morag blow a hole through a puny human. I know it's a cartoon for kids...but still!

So I drew this. Not really Thundarr, but another mindless barbarian doing what he does best. Killing something he does not like or understand.

Give me MORE!!!!

Chewy

Head City

It's been a crappy couple of weeks here in the Land of  Globster. There has been death, disease, and impairment -both mental and physical. The good news is that I am appearing in a short film, I've seen a lot of beautiful women, and we have a NEW little project that we are working on. It's too early to talk much about it. So instead, take the above image as a hint.
And know this...we are very excited with it!

Chew...