JAMMIN' INTO THE NEW YEAR!!!

And we're back!  Hope y'all had a wonderful Christmas and aren't too sad it's all over.  I'm actually kinda happy the Holidays are passing.  Two-and-a-half months of nonstop Christmas programming can be a lot sometimes!  I'm also happy to see 2013 end.  This wasn't a very good year for me on a personal level.  Many trials I'm afraid.

Creatively speaking, however, 2013 had many things for me to be proud of at least.  I put out some very funny comics, made many new friends, launched a new book and did fairly well at two of the three Cons I exhibited at.  Life's all about silver linings folks.  Gotta take the good with the bad.  I'm alive, still making comics and having fun while doing it.  Can't ask for more than that.

There's much to look forward to in 2014.  More hilarity from Mike And Mindy and Mushrooms are on the horizon and Bubble Fox will officially launch in the coming month!  And let's not forget, the animation Kickstarter with Kim Belding of Picpak Dog!  I know we've talked about it on our sites numerous times, but I promise it's gonna happen.  Just gotta catch up with real life first is all.

A rather large announcement is also coming towards the end of January.  This one's not gonna be easy to make but is a necessary one.  But more on that when the time comes.  2014 is shaping up to be a busy year already.  Hope y'all are ready for the ride!

But enough on 2014 for now.  Let's send 2013 off on a good note.  It's time to Jam... ART JAM that is! I took part in a few of art collaborations this year, and here are the results!  Enjoy...  

 First up, this piece for Jackie Williams' Festival Of Robots Art Jam!  Had a lot of fun with this piece featuring two robots relizing they exist.  It was only the second time I've ever drawn robots!  Thanks again Jackie for giving me such a fun opportunity!

 Next up, another piece for Jackie, this time for the Trick And Treats Art Jam!  I can't give away too much on this one other than it features a character from a story I'm doing that is literally YEARS away from being seen!  So stay "Tooned!"

Last up, we have "Cactuar" from Edgar Recinos' Final Fantasy Art Jam!  Really loved doing this goofy character.  Given my CCE history, guess it was a given I'd pick this one!

Well folks, that's all for now.  I'll be back next time with a new Mike And Mindy that's "Bursting" with excitement for the new year!  Until then, take care, have a fun and safe New Year's Eve and I'll see y'all in 2014!

GUEST ART FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

One more week to Christmas!  I got my CRAZY Christmas Tree up and decorated and am just about done getting all my CRAZY Christmas gifts bought!  Yes sir, it's gonna be one CRAZY Christmas if you haven't caught on yet!

In keeping with the Holiday Spirit, I thought I'd share some awesome Fan Art I received recently from some amazing Twitter pals!  Enjoy... 

 First up, this great sketch of Mike from my good pal Daniel Barton of the always hilarious Goober And Cindy!  Love how Mike retains his gigantic eyes!  Thanks again Danny boy!  May Holland fair well next Summer!

Next up, this beautiful piece from Elora Lyda, who gave Mike and Mindy such a feisty but cute look!  If you've never checked out her artwork before, do yourself a favor and click the link!  Your life will be richer for it!

Well folks, that's all for now.  I'll be back next time with some fun stuff to help combat post-holiday depression!  And speaking of holidays, remember that there's still time to make a difference this Christmas!  Donate food, clothes or toys.  Give money to the poor.  Deliver holiday meals.  There are MANY ways to help!  Don't be a Scrooge this holiday!  Take care, have a very Merry Christmas and I'll catch y'all next time!

ONE CRAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!

Welcome back!  Christmas comes ever closer, and the gift shopping is getting even more frenetic!  But I made it out alive, and what better way to celebrate than with a new comic!

The Christmas season chugs on here at the CRAZYVERSE, as the Mushrooms gang heads far north to search the Holiday spirit!  Santa's in the mood too... Just make sure to have a gas mask handy...

Holy smokes!  Santa dropped a Yule Log in the porcelain punch bowl!  Perhaps this year I'll leave some Pepto and Tums out for the Jolly Old Elf! 

Well folks, that's it for this time.  Frankly, I'll be lucky if ALL I get is coal in my stocking after that comic!  I'll be back next time with some awesome fan art I've received recently!  Until then, take care and remember to help others this holiday season.  Catch y'all later! 

IT"S CRAZY CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

 As Slade once said sang: "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIT'S CHRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISTMAAAAAAAAAAAS!!!!!"

Yup!  The merriest month of the year has arrived!  So let's skip ahead to the festivities shall we?  Mike and Mindy are out looking for the CRAZY Christmas Tree, and think they may have found a winner! Time to head on down to the lot...

 Wow!  Talk about a harrowing experience.  Next time they probably shouldn't shop at an Ent lot!  Cheer up kids, I hear they still do a gift exchange in prison!

And now, a late entry from last week's Crazy Cartoon Experiment Rewind, this one from Christina Wald, http://christinawald.blogspot.com/!

Loved the inspiration for this piece!  Christina had mentioned being heavily influenced by The Great Gatsby, and for that I'm thankful!  She delivered a truly wonderful entry!  Thanks again Christina!

Well folks, that's all for this week.  We'll be back next time with a new Mushrooms that will certainly land a lump of coal in my stocking!  And remember folks, we're at a time of year when people are going without, so please think of others.  Donate to charities and food banks.  Give to toy drives.  Drop a dollar in the Salvation Army bucket.  Every little bit helps.  Take care, and I'll catch y'all later!

IT'S TIME TO REWIND... WITH THE CRAZY CARTOON EXPERIMENT!!!

Well, it's been an awfully long wait, but the CRAZY CARTOON EXPERIMENT is back!  And just in time for that long Thanksgiving week!  So everybody grab a plate and enjoy this extra big helping of cartoon goodness!

Due to the large volume of entries, and the fact that a few folks did multiple entries, I've split it up into individual artists and will try to keep the commentary to a minimum, so enjoy!

Lynn Adams, lynnadamsillustration.co.uk

 That poor dog!  Don't think I'll ever look at a cork the same way again!

Jim Haas, Nate The Robot

 Does this mean love is bloated instead of blind?

Ashley Taylor, loveashleydesigns.tumblr.com

Ladies and gentlemen, now presenting the World's cutest Cactus!

Kevin Parham, Another Comic Strip

 

Anybody else thinking *BOOM* here?  Thinking outside the box!  Ashley and Kevin deserve a ton of credit for creativity here.  A helium-filled dog DOESN'T necessarily mean an inflated dog!  Good work guys!  

Chris Grady, Lunarbaboon Comics

 Damn snowmen!  Always leaving puddles in bad spots!

Corey Davies, The Grind Comic

 Smashing pumpkins.  A teenage global phenomenon!

Jackie Williams, dessinez.tumblr.com

 Without question the sweetest entry in this experiment!  Absolutely love Jackie's take on Linus and Lucy!

James Point Du Jour, CoffeeRoll.com

 I try not to play favorites, but this strip is my favorite of this CCE!  I love James' take on Mike and Mindy!  And in true M&M fashion, their plan fails!  Love it!

Kim Belding, Picpak Dog

 The King of the CCE returns!  And boy did Kim deliver, hiting all four themes in one shot!

Nicole McCurry, Ecadian Chronicles

 

 Fire and Ice and Magic... ALWAYS a lethal combination!

Rebecca Horn, Penguin Capers

 Not even steel-plated bloomers are enough to stand up to super powerful Dog Farts!

Next up, Nathalie Kokke (studioafh.nl) was awesome enough to do THREE entries:

 Wonder what cactus he took a bite out of!

 Talk about a Great Pumpkin?!

 Somebody had a rough night!

Another triple entrant was kind enough to take part!  The wonderful Wendy Caston!  wenartgal.blogspot.com

 That blockhead Charlie Brown ALWAYS gets in the way!

 How do those gourds get so big?

 Those silly kids!  Mike and Mindy will never learn there's no such thing as easy money!

Bearman, Bearman Cartoons

 I can hear Frank Zappa laughing now!

Brian Simpson, omnomables.blogspot.com

 I'm playing favorites once again here because I REALLY loved this strip!  Mindy has never looked more evil!  Mike's an even bigger dummy than Linus!

Dave Wessels, Bad Boy Comics

 And we're back to the helium dogs!  Lord only knows how these mutts got into this predicament, but I hope Mr. Wessels will be kind enough to "fill" us in some day!

Frank Haba

That's a mean looking Cactus!  We've had quite the range this time around!  Frank does a lot of kids' book illustrations, and I hope he turns this one into a full story too!  Great job!

Thomas Barnett, of The Li'l Miesters, did these fun strips, two of which haven't been seen yet!

 I feel guilty about posting this one as it hasn't appeared yet, so consider yourselves lucky because your cousin Thomas gave y'all a sneak peek!  To see how the "Hindenburg" storyline began, click here!

 Poor Ned!  That Swiss Miss will really mess you up!

 Poor Linus.  Always the last one to cross the finish line.

And lastly, Bo Bigelow, BoBigelow.com

Poor Frosty!  Suddenly, I really wanna see a Watchmen/Frosty The Snowman animated special!  Come on Warner Animation!  Make it happen!

And there you have it: THE CRAZY CARTOON EXPERIMENT REWIND!!!  I'd like to thank all the artists for taking time out of their very busy schedules to take part.  You guys totally rocked this one, especially the many first time participants!  And don't be too sad it's over.  I already have a new theme in mind and plan to announce it shortly!

Well, that's all for this week.  I'll be back next time with some new holiday fun featuring Mike And Mindy!  In the meantime, take care, have a safe, happy and wonderful Thanksgiving, and try to be courteous on Black Friday.  It's a tough day for all!  Until next time, catch y'all later!

HOLD YOUR BREATH!!! MUSHROOMS IS BACK!!!

Yep folks!  I'm heading back to Long Beach Comic and Horror Con next weekend!  And since I'm gonna be out of town all next week with a pre-show trip to Disneyland, I'm updating now!  Basically, here's how it will all go down:

Saturday, November 23rd through Sunday, November 24th, I'll be in Artists Alley at table 1110A.  I'll be selling books, sketches and sketch cards at the following pices:

• All books $6.00
• 8.5In. x 5.5In. Sketches $5.00, FREE for kids younger 12 and younger
• All Sketch Cards $3.00

ALL commissions MUST be family-friendly, no exceptions!  Other than that, come hang out, have fun and make the Long Beach Con the CRAZIEST one ever!  See y'all next weekend!   

Well, it's time for another serving of Mushrooms!  You'll definitely be left "Breathless" after this one...

Let that be lesson teachers.  Never just assume your students know the procedure!  Better not teach those kids CPR.  They might make someone explode!

Well, that's all for this week.  I'll be back next time with another installment of the Crazy Cartoon Experiment as well as an update on the Kickstarter project with Kim Belding!  Until then, take care and I'll see y'all at Long Beach!

MIKE AND MINDY ARE "SNOW" FUN AT ALL!!!

And we're back!  That belly-bulging holiday I love so much (But tends to be forgotten these days due to Holiday greed) is finally upon us!  Yup!  It's time to get all my ingredients ready for Thanksgiving!  I do love this holiday as it's one of the few times I get to show off my cooking abilities!  Yes sir, gotta go buy some extra big pants and get ready!  Oh wait a sec... It's a new month!  And that can only mean one thing: NEW COMICS!!!

Mike and Mindy are back and ready for some fun in the snow!  Let's check in and see how those goofs are doing...

 Whoa!  Talk about being left out in the cold!  Better get a shovel!  And somebody really should've told Mindy that polkadots and stripes don't mix!  Nobody can accuse her of not having a personal style at least!

Well, I said last time that I had a big announcement, and here it is: In january of 2014, I'm launching a NEW series: Bubble Fox!  It all came about after a chat with Twitter pal Erika Meza brought about the drawings below.

Well, I had so much fun with the character and got such a great reaction that I decided to make a new series out of it!  Not all the details have been hammered out just yet, but I am planning to launch the the first week in January and hope to do at least two strips a week!  It's a pretty big step, but I'm really looking forward to this venture and hope y'all will join along for the ride!

In the meantime, enjoy this amazing Bubble Fox animation that Australian artist, Joe Mettam, did for me!

I gotta say, seeing this was one of the proudest moments of my life.  I never thought I'd get to see one of my characters animated!  Thanks again Joe!

Well, that's all for this week.  I'll be back next time with a NEW Mushrooms comic and possibly some more info on the Kickstarter project!  Until then, take care and I'll catch y'all later!

GUEST STRIP FUN!!!

HELLOOOOOOO!!!!  Sorry for such a long sabbatical.  I'm afraid the WiFi issues are still happening and I've also been INSANELY busy at work!  It's probably gonna be like this for a while, so I apologize for any inconveniences.  Mad thanks to my good pal Tim Green from Vinnie The Vampire for the awesome Fan Art!  Tim was kind enough to send me this "Gourd-geous" piece after I did a Guest Strip for him back in September featuring his cute "Windbag," Sunny!  Certainly gets me in the Halloween spirit!  Thanks again Tim!

Anyway, it's a very special post this week as England's Corey Davies delivered this awesome Guest Strip!  Mike and Mindy have always had a rather volatile relationship, but now it's reached a boiling point!  Let the battle commence...

Er, maybe not.  That's the problem with those two.  Their clumsiness often cancels out their tenacity!  Still, gotta love those outfits!  Ninja Mike with the Bike Pump Nunchuks and Luchadore Mindy with the Anvil Mask NEED to be made into action figures!  Thanks again Corey!  You're a true rising star in the web comics realm!  Be sure to check out more of Corey's comic, Grind Comic!

And now for something completely different yet somewhat related...

Now, back in August, me and Picpak Dog creator Kim Belding, announced that we were planning to launch a Kickstarter campaign to help finance an animation project featuring some of our toons.  Then, promptly nothing happened.  Well, I'm here to report that we ARE gonna do this still!  Real life has taken a toll on our free time lately.  Kim and I both have day jobs and bills to pay, so those kinda got to take top priority.  We also wanted to do our due diligence before jumping headfirst into uncharted waters.  Well, we did the research and we are very close to getting this party started!  We have our title, our animator, our price goal and our incentives list and prices!  Next on the agenda is shooting the launch video!  This IS gonna happen people!  And with your help, it can become a reality!  Stay "Tooned"...

Well, that's all for this week.  I'll be back in November with a New Mike And Mindy strip and THRILLING news on a brand new CRAZYVERSE series starting in 2014!  To celebrate this coming event, I'll also feature an amazing animated piece from cartoonist/animator Joe Mettam!  Until then, take care and have a fun and safe Halloween!  Later y'all!

THE DARKER SIDE OF HALLOWEEN!!!

And we're back!  Had a phenomenal time at San Diego Comic Fest last weekend!  It was my most successful show to date!  I made some new friends and did a BUNCH of sketch cards!  It was great fun to be had by all and you can believe I will be back next year if they do it!

But more on that later.  It's Mushrooms time!  And this one is special as it points out that as bad as things are, they can always be worse!  So sit back and enjoy Bad And Worse: Halloween Edition...

 Man, you know it's bad when the kid dressed as a pumpkin owns you!  And at least the Principle wasn't rocking Rocky Horror cosplay!  And seriously folks, fruit on Halloween?  What gives?!  And I know first hand about Dum-Dums as my Mom always gave those out.  And every year, there'd be a pile of them on my patio the next day.  And clunky costumes are a curse.  They may look cool but pray you don't drink too much while wearing it!  Sadly, my cousin learned firsthand why loose costumes are a bad idea!

One of the best parts of San Diego Comic Fest was interacting with all the wonderful fans!  And one of them was even kind enough to do this great Mike and Mindy Fan Art for me!

   

Those two just never play nicely with each other, do they?  A sweet girl named Charlie gave this to me!  She and her friend made quite a fuss over my sketch cards, which certainly made me feel good!  It was a lot of fun hanging out with everybody and I can't wait to meet even more fans at Long Beach Comic Con next month!

Well folks, that's all for this week.  I'll be back next time with all my recent Sketch Card art as well as a few Fan Art pieces I've done for friends!  Until then, take care, and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE AND MINDY: "SHATTERING" EXPECTATIONS!!!

Welcome to October!  It's gonna be a huge month here at the CRAZYVERSE!  In addition to new comics, it also marks the second ever San Diego Comic Fest, of which I will not only be in Artist Alley, but a panelist as well!  But more on that later, because right now, it's time for some comics!

Mike and Mindy are outside getting some fresh air!  Lets just hope those two goofballs are behaving themselves this time...

Wow!  Guess you can say Mindy's trip was a "Smash" hit!  Anybody got any glue?  We gotta get him pieced together in time for next month!

And now, onto the big news!  This Friday through Sunday, October 4-6, you can find me at the second annual San Diego Comic Fest!  I'll be in Artist Alley on the Ninth Floor of the Regency Tower, in the Windsor Rose Room.  On Friday afternoon, I'll be a part of the It's All Happening On The Web Panel at 12:00pm in the Eaton Room.

My prices are as follows:

BOOKS: $6.00 per copy or $12.00 for both.

SKETCHES: $5.00 for a 8.5in. x 5.5in. sketch, FREE for kids 12 and under.

SKETCH CARDS: $3.00 per card

*ALL sketches MUST be kid-friendly!  No exceptions!

And there you have it!  It's a much smaller and intimate show, so you can actually walk around and meet  folks.  It's gonna be a lot of fun, and I hope y'all will come on down and say hi to me!

Well, that's all for this week.  I'll be back next time with a new Mushrooms and a recap of all the Comic Fest fun!  Until then, take care and I'll catch y'all later!

THE BUTTERFLY DID IT!!!

Greetings!  Long time no blog, eh? Sorry about that.  My WiFi's been down so I'm pretty much having to mooch off my brother and friend for updates (Sad I know, but what else am I gonna do?).  I've also been insanely busy with stagehand work and that's what pays the bills, so I gotta give that my top priority.  Luckily, I'm back now and even got a Guest Strip ready from my good pal Andrew Grieve, a real stud on Calgary Cartooning Farm! So let's jump right into it...

So much for being cute and innocent.  That's one wicked butterfly!  Guess Mike and Mindy will think twice before trying to catch anymore bugs!

Andrew Grieve is the creator of the action-packed web comic Team Stryker, a wild adventure that must be seen to be believed!  We became fast friends on Twitter and Andrew's even bought a couple shirts off of me, including a custom design made for the Calgary Stampede! In exchange for a Team Stryker cover page I sent him, Andrew sent me this amazing Guest Strip featuring Mike and Mindy looking as sinister as they've ever been!  Andrew nailed the spirit of the comic and I'm proud to have this in my collection!  Thanks again dude!  May your Poutine always be covered with bacon!

Well folks, that's all for this week.  I'll be back next time with a NEW Mike And Mindy plus a Mike And Mindy Halloween Splash and info on my appearance at San Diego Comic Fest next weekend!  Until then, take care and I'll catch y'all later!

FATHER KNOWS BEST!!!

Welcome back folks!  Sorry for the late post this week.  I had an insanely busy week setting up for the Sonic Fast Food chain's corporate show and prior to that, I received the sad news that my Uncle Don had passed away.  He really was a hell of a guy and a very beloved figure in my family.  As sad as I am that he's gone now, I take comfort that he was a part of my life and lived his to his fullest.  His life was truly one worth celebrating.  Heaven certainly got better last week.

With that said, life must go on, and so too should the comics.  So here's the latest installment of Mushrooms...
  

Longstanding rule of childhood: If your parents like it, it CAN'T be cool!  The one time I saw my mother try to dance to rap music, I immediately stopped listening to it!  I still bear mental scars from watching her flail about like a Muppet!

Last week, I forgot to mention all the cool Guest comics I've done recently, so click the links below to see some CRAZY-fied versions of some of the Web's best comics!

CRAZY Vinnie The Vampire

CRAZY Picpak Dog

CRAZY Penguin Capers (Coming 9-18-13)

I'm also excited to tell y'all about the Viva Comics art show taking part at the Artlab here in San Diego!  My good friend Batton Lash is putting this show together, so if you'd like to meet me and see some wonderful comic art,  come on down to the Artlab, located at: 

3536 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

The reception begins at 7pm!  Hope to see y'all there!

Well folks, that's all for now.  I'll be back next time with some sketch card fun.  Until then, take care, and I'll catch y'all later!

SHOOT THE MOON!!!

Welcome back!  It's September which means several things: School (Hence the teeter totter cartoon above and Mindy's apple bloomers), Football and Fall, my favorite season!  Gonna be rolling out the pumpkins and turkeys soon, but first, it's time to roll out the comics!

Mike and Mindy are back and ready for some CRAZINESS!!!  Mike just wants to read, but Mindy will have none of it.  How will this standoff end?  Only one way to find out...

WOWZERS!!!  Its a full moon tonight!  Guess you can say Mike just visited the "Light" side of the Moon!  At least he "Rolled" things up rather nicely.  As John Lennon once said: "Instant karma's gonna get you!"

Well folks, that's all for this week.  It's gonna be a very busy month, so the postings might be a bit sparse, but  I'll be back next time with a new Mushrooms and hopefully some more info on the animation project with Kim Belding.  Until then, take care and I'll catch y'all later!