MERRY CHRISTMAS CRAZIES FROM YOUR FASHIONABLE CRAZY PALS!!!

Merry Christmas CRAZIES!!!  I'll keep things short this week as we're all pretty busy today!  The CRAZYVERSE's biggest stars have come out in full force (And sporting their ugliest holiday threads) wishing that your day be very happy, your tree's lights be the brightest and your stockings be filled to the brim with goodies and treats!  Take care CRAZIES and I'll catch y'all next week.  Merry Christmas!

 

SANTA AND THE DIRTIER SIDE OF CHRISTMAS!!!

One week to go until the jolly fat man makes his long trip over!  What?  No wise ass, not Uncle Elmer!  Santa Claus!  'Course, Santa has a lot of prep to do before heading over.  In addition to the toys, he's gotta make sure the sleigh's well oiled and properly aligned and that the reindeer are fed and well rested.  With all these incidentals going on, how does Santa find the time to prepare his own self for the long night ahead?  Scroll down and find out if you really wanna know!  Enjoy...

It's not all fun and games for the elves.  Some are good at making toys while others excel at baking cookies in trees or repairing shoes for old cobblers.  Then there are those that just plain can't cut it anywhere.  Those elves get designated as Santa's personal groomers!  Exactly why Santa would want the career slackers to be in charge of how he looks is anyone's guess, but some say it is a means of coaxing these bottom feeders into trying a little harder!  And it seems to be working as these elves have found a very creative means of escaping their duties using a little bit of diligence and a LOT of helium!  Lucky for them, Santa's jelly bowl belly prevents him from looking up much, so they are in the clear...  So long as they don't deflate too soon! This art was originally part of the legendary Animaloon Collective on Twitter.  Elfloons were a bonus challenge held for a few Decembers during Animaloonies run from 2017-2023.  Those were fun days, but all good things must come to an end eventually.  The Loons always gave us a lift I tell ya!

Well folks, one week to go, but I promise next week will be a fun post, and a quick one, to compliment all you holiday merrymaking!  So be sure to come back and check it out!  In the meantime, please think of others this holiday season!  Donate to food/toy/clothing banks ASAP!  It's never too late and your help makes a world of difference.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

HE'S A MEAN ONE..

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  Are we really halfway to Christmas already?  My how time flies!  Well, we best not dawdle then as time is ticking!  Especially now that HE has been spotted in the area?  Who, you ask?  Scroll down and see for yourself!  Enjoy...

Yup.  HE is here and apparently Christmas just ain't enough for this grubby little scoundrel.  Now the Grinch has moved on to more lucrative dealings!  Mark my words, if Dr. Seuss were still alive, How The Grinch Stole My Stereo would exist today and be another holiday standard waiting to be inevitably ruined Illumination Studios!  If I remember correctly, this was a piece done for Animal Alphabets when they were doing their horror creatures theme.  I wouldn't consider the Grinch a creature, though Ron Howard certainly did his best to turn him into one!  Some things just weren't meant for live action.

Well, another week down as we get closer to our annual visit from the jolly old elf himself, but there's still a little fun to be had!  Santa's giving us all an exclusive sneak peek into his prep for the long night ahead, so be sure to come back and check it out! In the meantime, please think of others this holiday season!  Donate to food/toy/clothing banks ASAP!  One act of kindness can make such a difference in somebody's life.  Please perform that kind act if you can!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

A HOLIDAY WELCOME FROM THE REINDEER CHORUS!!!

Welcome to December CRAZIES!!!  I know, it's a bit sad that Thanksgiving is over now, but hey!  Christmas is just around the corner and is essentially the same thing only now with presents!  Pretty sweet deal, eh?  I know how busy y'all are this time of year (And believe me, I'm no exception!), so why don't we just dive on into the art, shall we?  Enjoy...

Aw, the school Christmas pageant.  I guess these aren't really the norm anymore, but when I was a kid, public schools still held them.  None of the religious parts were covered, just students and faculty banding together to belt out some of the worst renditions of Christmas carols this side of a karaoke bar on half-price beer night!  The above piece was inspired by real events as I was once a part of the Reindeer Chorus for the Berry Elementary Holiday Concert in 1989.  Of course, my school didn't have an actual auditorium, as we were considered an "Inner City Facility," or "Poor School" for the uninitiated.  So we had to go another school a mile away that did have one to hold our concert at.  Needless to say, my school wasn't know for its strong academics.  Anyway, my kindergarten class was set to take the stage and performer our rousing rendition of Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer, or about as rousing as a bunch of tone-deaf five-year-olds in matching red sweaters, construction paper antlers and red glitter-painted noses could be!  By the time it was over, we certainly left our mark!  Half the kids were crying while the rest were either frozen, cranking up their decibel levels or just plain lost.  Then you had me, off in my own little world, hollering to my parents and grandparents to see if they could see me!  Yup, young CRAZY makes a cameo on this week's art, originally done as part of my Illo_Advent effort I posted on Twitter last year.  It got such a good reaction that I decided to make it this year's Christmas, where it is currently for sale on RedBubble!  I wanted so badly to do this in colored pencil, but I just didn't have enough time.  Such is life...

And thus ends our first post of December but fear not!  We'll be back next week with a familiar adversary to all things holly and jolly, so be sure to come back and give it a look.  In the meantime, please think of others this holiday season!  Donate to food/toy/clothing banks ASAP!  Be the good you want to see in this world!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

TOM TURKEY AND THE SWEET SMELL OF VICTORY!!!

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING CRAZIES!!!  I'll keep it short today as y'all are no doubt already prepping.  I know I am! (Today is stuffing and pie day traditionally!) So let's dive on in and see if Tom Turkey's plan worked this year, shall we?  Enjoy...

Welp, looks like Billy and Dorothy did in fact meet their new friend in that cave, and as expected, he delivered a smelly greeting from the dark chasm!  Turns out Tom's Cackle Corner only makes HIM cackle! And he certainly has reason to!  But what of the Brat Twins?  Well...

...They are certainly feeling it.  They should be thankful Tom ain't a rabbit!  For those wondering why Tom ain't running away, well, he doesn't really need to.  The Brats know when they are defeated.  Plus, I've had two dogs that were spayed by a skunk.  They had no energy at all for days after, and those pooches were a boxer and pitbull, nothing BUT energy!  Tom can merely stroll away while Billy and Dorothy look for a bathtub!  (Contrary to popular belief, tomato juice has ZERO effect on skunk smell.  A solution of vinegar and dish soap helps with the initial smell as it is somewhat oil-based while dusting the affected areas with baby powder also helps absorb the skunk spray.  It just takes time to wear off.)

And so ends another tale of that Tricky Tom Turkey!  Will he be back next year?  Hard to say really.  As much as I have enjoyed coming up with these tales, it's getting tougher.  You can only do so much with a turkey and two incredibly dumb kids.  The Looney Tunes school of gags only goes so far folks!  But it would be nice to tie up any loose ends with these characters, so we'll see.

And with that, we close the book on November 2024!  Don't be too sad though.  The holiday y'all are REALLY looking forward too is already underway having usurped the throne of the turkey ages ago,  but next week it becomes more official as we kick off our CRAZY Christmas celebration, so be sure to come back and check it out!  In the meantime have a safe and happy Thanksgiving and please be mindful if you're braving the Black Friday shopping crowds.  No gift is worth getting hurt over!  And while you are out, donate to any of food/clothing/toy drives currently open!  Spread kindness in this rude world when you can!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and Happy Thanksgiving! 

TOM TURKEY AND THE CACKLING QUEST FOR FREEDOM!!!

ONE!!!  ONE WEEK TO GO!!!  I'm already doing a lot of Turkey Day prep work, including buying my supplies for the big day itself and watching unearthly levels of Mystery Science Theater 3000 so I can be ready come eight days from now!  You know who's also making preparations?  O'l Tom Turkey!  But those preparations might actually be funeral arrangements as the Brat Twins finally caught him!  But there was a glimmer of hope last week as Tom finally seems to have spotted his Cackle Corner!  Is the wily old bird gonna get his final chuckle or will Billy and Dorothy have the last laugh?  For the answer, you'll have to scroll down and see for yourself!  Enjoy...

Well, Ol' Tom's certainly cackling!  Maybe he really did find his Cackle Corner?  Billy and Dorothy certainly seem interested, but will they really buy it?

If you've been following along these last few years, you'd know by now that the Brat Twins have a combined IQ lower than an Amish electricity bill!  They're making a beeline for that cave and a smelly new pal just waiting to greet them!  How will it all end?  Come back next week for the grand finale!

And now dear CRAZIES, the moment you've all been waiting for!  Presenting this year's "Float" for the CRAZIES Day Parade!  Enjoy...

Pepper flies high above the CRAZY streets as his pals Lollipop, Picpak and Sunny follow behind!  With 2024 being the Year Of The Dragon, Pepper volunteered himself to be this year's float and he did not disappoint!  Also, it was a chance for him to fly, so of course he was eager to loon up!  The parade itself is an annual art collective that takes place on what's left of Twitter tomorrow as well as BlueSky, a place I'll likely be hanging out at more often in the coming year unless karma quits dragging its feet on Voldemusk!  Be sure to give it a look with the hashtag #CRAZIESDayParade!

Well, one week to go with Tom Turkey, the Brat Twins and Thanksgiving in general, but that's still a whole week away, so be sure to come back next Wednesday and give it a look!  Be sure to think of others this holiday season and donate to local food/clothing/toy drives.  Be a beacon of kindness and light as these dark times hopefully start to dissipate.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

TOM TURKEY AND THE SEARCH FOR THE CACKLE CORNER!!!

We are back and halfway to Thanksgiving already!  Time seems to move faster when you're older.  Moves especially faster after you hit 40!  But there's no time for that now!  Tom Turkey is in trouble!  DEEP trouble!  Billy and Dorothy, the Brat Twins, have finally caught their prize poultry, but in a surprise act of humanity, have allowed him to go to his Cackle Corner one last time to enjoy a good laugh.  Will Tom go out on a happy note?  Scroll down to get the answer!  Enjoy...

Well, they're out for a stroll, but so far no Cackle Corner.  I'm starting to think the Cackle Corner is something he made up to buy himself some time!  Perhaps that bee might know?  They certainly know a thing or two about places of laughter!

Or, perhaps Ol' Tom Turkey just spotted exactly where his Cackle Corner just might be!  And it looks like he's not the only one aware of it!  Will Tom Turkey get the last laugh?  You'll have to come back next week and see!

Well, another week down as we march towards Turkey Day, but we have a BIG post ready for next week as the CRAZY faithful get the very first look at this year's CRAZIES Day Parade entry, along with the continuing tale of that Tricky Tom Turkey!  So be sure to come back and check it out!  As I mentioned last week, holiday donation centers have begun to open up, so please think of those less fortunate and donate.  A little bit of kindness goes a long way.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

TOM TURKEY IS BACK!!! AND HIS GOOSE IS... COOKED?!?

Welcome to November CRAZIES!!!  And y'all know what that means right?  Christmas is next month?!?  NO!!!  I mean, yes, it is, but aren't you forgetting something first?  That's right folks, THANKSGIVING IS HERE!!!  My favorite holiday of the year is coming up and I'm already eagerly prepping for the big meal!  But that is still a few weeks away.  We are in the here and now and right now, an old pal has come back and is ready to tell his most harrowing tale yet!  That's right dear readers, Ol' Tom Turkey is back and boy is he in for it now!  Don't believe me?  Scroll down and see for yourself!  Enjoy...

What the?!?  Tom Turkey's been caught?!?  This can't be?  He's ALWAYS five steps ahead of those dastardly Brat Twins!  How could this have happened?  Wait, maybe this is just a dream or something?  I'm sure the next page will solve everything...

...Or maybe it won't, but hey!  At least Billy and Dorothy are somewhat merciful in letting Tom have a last request.  Given his history of quick thinking, most folks would've just done him in already.  Will Tom get to enjoy his Cackle Corner one last time before heading to the dinner table?  You'll have to come back next week and see!

Well, that's it for Week 1 of November as we go on an extended ride with Tom Turkey and the Brat Twins!  Be sure to come back next week and see how the story unfolds!  In the meant time, with the holidays rapidly approaching, Food Banks, clothing and toy donation centers are starting to pop up again so please consider donating this year.  Not everybody is as fortunate as others and every little bit helps.  Through kindness, we can heal our world.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN CRAZIES!!! 2024 EDITION!!!

It's here!  Halloween is here!  Tomorrow even!  I'll keep things short and sweet this week as I'm just as excited about things as y'all are!  Clover, Sap and Mooch are certainly ready to score big at Trick-Or-Treating, and I'm sure all three remembered to be wise enough to leave an offering to the Gregarious Gourd, lest they be tricked like last year!  Of course, wisdom and these three knuckleheads are often like oil and water, so hopefully they brought soap and water with them!

And that's a wrap for Halloween and the month of October!  I hope you enjoyed hanging out with some classic movie monsters and will come back next week as that tricky old bird, Tom Turkey, makes his return to the CRAZYVERSE!  For those taking part in some spooky festivities tomorrow night, please be safe.  Lotta things going on and a lotta people don't use their heads on Halloween night, so please be cautious and observant!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

NOSFERATU!!!

NEXT WEEK!!!  HALLOWEEN IS NEXT WEEK CRAZIES!!!  But this week we still got a guest to entertain!  He's enjoyed quite the resurgence in recent decades thanks to a certain cartoon sponge that appears on a network notorious for their poor treatment of creators, but that's neither here nor there!  He was gracious enough to appear this week at the CRAZYVERSE, so let's get to it!  Enjoy...

Count Orlok is here!  Often referred as Nosferatu, which ISN'T his actual name, the Count is actually among the earliest icons of the horror genre.  Largely forgotten as silent films began to get lost, it was a chance gag on an early-era episode of Spongebob that Count Orlok saw his star reignite!  Only problem is, we are now moving into a third generation of kids who think his name is NOSFERATU!!!  Eh, at least he was rediscovered.  As Meatloaf used to say, "Two out of three ain't bad!"

Well, that's four down and only one left to go as we get ready to scare the pants of a few people!  So be sure to came back next week and help get All Hallow's Eve off to a good start!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

METALUNA MUTANT MANIA!!!

We are almost there CRAZIES!!!  Halfway to Halloween!  And the call of turkey and sleigh bells aren't too far off either, but that's for another time!  Right now, these pumpkins we're made for carving, and that's just what we'll do!  We got another horror icon waiting in the wings and he's a bit blue that we haven't gotten to him yet, so lets get to it!  Enjoy...

The Metaluna Mutant!  An icon of early SciFi cinema, he's certainly got his fans.  So much so that there was actually a bit of backlash towards the MST3K crew when they riffed on it for Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie back in 1996!  If you take into account that A) It came out in the 1950's, a time when special effects were practically still being invented, and B) It was low budget to begin with, the movie was better than it had any right to be.  I feel MST3K's criticisms of story elements and such were fair, as it is cheesy as all get out.  But it's also one of the better films to get the Satellite of Love treatment and there were definitely more deserving titles out there.  I will say though, the film's low budget and inventing-wheel-still special effects are nowhere more evident than with the Metaluna Mutant.  I didn't just halfass the mutant's bottom half.  He LITERALLY looks unfinished in the movie too!  In someways, he set a trend.  Plenty of movie villains wear sweatpants now too!

Another one down as the Witching Hour gets closer and closer!  But before that can happen, we still gotta get through a few more posts, so be sure to come back and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

QUASI'S HERE! GET PUMPED!!!

We're back and getting more and more excited as the night of the pumpkin draws near!  At this point I'm hoping to have my yard display set up, but I've been seriously lagging in other areas lately, so, fingers crossed!  One of these days, I'll do an in depth post on how I put it all together and build the props, but that's for another day.  Y'all want art AND monsters, and I'm gonna deliver!  Our next CRAZY legend is here and ready to get spooked!  Enjoy...

No need to hunch over dear readers.  Quasimodo has entered the party scene and believe me, he is PUMPED for Halloween!  Few literary buffs realize just how practical Quasi's hunch truly is.  In addition to it supplementing his personality, it also servers as a crash pad and floatation device!  Yeah, I'm glad Quasimodo accepted our invitation.  The party was a bit flat without him!

Well, another week down as we get closer to the night of all things spooky!  But we still got plenty of fun left to be had, so be sure to come back and see who will show up next!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

ROCKIN' OUT WITH LUDO!!!

Welcome to October CRAZIES!!!  We're already deep into the Spooking Season, but now we're REALLY amping up the creepy factor as Halloween is that much closer!  And how is the CRAZYVERSE getting ready for the big day?  By inviting some horror legends to come get CRAZY with us!  Our first guest is even here already!  Who is it?  Scroll down and see for yourself!  Enjoy...

Hey hey!  It's Ludo, the gentle giant of Jim Henson's classic fantasy film, Labyrinth!  Granted, it's not a horror flick, but those goblins (Not to mention David Bowie's, er, Major Tom) gave quite a few kids nightmares back in the day.  Luckily, we all grew up to be well adjusted adults who now appreciate just how wonderful Henson's fantasy epics truly were!  Here, Ludo displays his amazing ability to command rocks.  Wonder if this means he can command THE Rock?  Guess we'll learn in the future when this movie gets inevitably remade!

Well, that's it for this week, but we'll be back next time with another legend of fantasy and horror as the CRAZY march to Halloween continues!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE & MINDY GET PENCILED!!!

Well, another month is just about down!  Leaves are turning, the air is cooling and the Sun is setting earlier.  Yup, Fall is really here!  And with any luck, I'll have already had some apple pie and spice cake by now!  If not, I guess some colored pencil art will simply have to be my consolation prize as that's what I got to show today!  So let's get to it!  Enjoy...

 

How do ya like that?  Two months in a row now that we end things with the original CRAZY icons, Mike & Mindy!  Yeah, when I started doing these, there was no doubt in my mind that these two would be among the first characters I rendered in colored pencil, and I'd say these two came out great!  It should be noted that these are two separate pieces combined into one, hence the double signature.  I should also note that these are based off of poses that my dear friend Scott Warren did for M&M's anniversary back in 2020, as seen below...

My art doesn't have anywhere near the toony energy that Scott put into his, as he's just that amazing.  But I do feel the colors on mine came out great and the backgrounds really make the characters pop.  Color theory's very important CRAZIES.  If you wanna be an artist, be sure to study it!

And that's a wrap on the month of September!  It's been fun, but I'm in the mood for some spooky things, and I'm sure you are too!  So be sure to come back next week so we can kickoff October properly!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

PEPPER GETS PENCILED!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  We are now past the halfway point of September and that much closer to All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween to you modern types!  But there will be more time for that later!  Right now, it's time for art!  So let's get to it, shall we?  Enjoy...

Hey hey!  Pepper has popped up!  Bubble's adopted dragon son has become quite the fan favorite since he hatched eight years ago, and continues to gain new fans everyday!  This was actually the first of the colored pencil portraits when I began this effort to better understand the medium back in April of 2023.  Although I'd been dabbling since 2021, it really wasn't until I did my piece for Team Cul De Sac last summer that I really started to better grasp colored pencils and see how cool they can really be!  Pepper got me off to a good start, though, much like Willow, there were about two or three more colors I could've used to make the blending smoother between shades, mostly in the background.  His skin, scales and fins though came out perfect!  Practice makes perfect y'all!

Well, three weeks down one more to go in our colored pencil walk through, but fear not!  I got a double dose of color blasting your way to end September on a high note!  So be sure to come back and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later! 

WILLOW GETS PENCILED!!!

We are back CRAZIES!!!  Some of you no doubt need a break from doing the Monster Mash right now, so why not use that time to check out some art beautifully rendered in colored pencils?  Seriously, it'll only take a few minutes and then you can get back to your Frankenstein walks and Dracula talks!  Enjoy...

Willow's up next!  Bubble's long suffering girlfriend certainly has the patience of a saint and now glows like one too!  Not many realize that neon/fluorescent colors can be used for more than just black light effects.  They really pop in their own right, and neon colored pencils especially just have a very radiant glow to them, even without UV lighting.  In hindsight I should've used a couple more shades of pink as the blending deepened, but overall I'm happy with this one.  I know I've mentioned this in past posts, but it's worth mentioning again here: It's important to use quality colored pencils when coloring with them.  You just can't get a good result with Crayola or Artist's Loft.  I use PrismaColors and am very happy with them.  Also, electric pencil sharpeners are a must with colored pencils!

Wowzers!  Almost halfway through September already!  Well, that just means we're closer to the next colored pencil portrait which debuts next week, so be sure to come back and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

BUBBLE GETS PENCILED!!!

Welcome to September CRAZIES!!!  And welcome to Fall!  My favorite time of year has arrived with all the seasonal treats, festivals and holidays I love so much all on the horizon!  Summer was a mixed bag.  Lotta highs, but some lows.  VERY busy time actually and Fall's looking like it's coming at me a mile a second too, so best I can do really is brace myself and hope for a little sleep once Christmas rolls around.  But enough about that!  I got a lot of cool art to showcase this month that won't get posted if I keep droning on in the opening paragraph, so let's get to it!  Enjoy...

It's Bubble Fox!  Bubble Fox in color!  What's so special about that you might ask?  Well, this piece was done in colored pencils!  Most regular readers, as well as those that follow me on social media, know that in recent years I've been exploring mediums outside of my typical marker coloring.  Markers are still my primary coloring medium as they're quicker and familiar, but I'm always interested in trying new things.  Some mediums are easier to pick up on than others.  Watercolors have proven to be tricky thus far, though I haven't practiced much.  Oil pastels have also been a mixed bag.  I've created a few really cool pieces with them, but nothing I'd truly brag about.  Colored pencils, however, have really become my favorite medium!  The way they blend and just give a textured, picture book look to art...  I love coloring with them!  Last year I made a commitment to do one colored pencil portrait a month featuring a different CRAZY character.  Haven't always been able to keep up with it as much as I'd like to, but I've definitely got a catalogue going and I'm gonna see how far I get on this endeavor before I run out of characters!  We got Bubble Fox so far, so that's a start at least!

Well, that's one down with four more to go as the Fall season kicks off here at the CRAZYVERSE.  Be sure to come back next week which citizen of CRAZY gets the pencil rendering next!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE AND MINDY... LOONY FOR LIFE!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  Well, we've reached the end of another month...  In a few days at least!  But for all intents, August and Summer is just about over.  Believe me the abundance of early pumpkins is making that VERY clear!  But there's still a little time for some fun in the Sun, so how's about we see what guest fun has been floated our way this time?  Enjoy...

Would ya look at that?  It's our old pals Mike & Mindy drawn by the amazing Sean Foley Hall!  Sean is the amazing artist behind such fun titles as Dirk Brody and Agnes From S.P.A.CE.!  He's also a good friend and amazing guy.  When a fellow friend needed help last fall, Sean did not hesitate to offer commissions as a means of raising funds.  Well, I just couldn't pass up getting some original art from Sean, not to mention helping a dear friend, so I ordered two pieces: One for me and one for our friend as a birthday present.  The top piece is obviously mine and with Sean having already taken Bubble Fox to new heights in last year's guest month (And believe me he raised the stakes further this year!), I just had to get his take on Mike and Mindy in one of their funniest moments!  And, not surprisingly, Sean delivered big!  Sean reminds me a lot of Jack Davis in that he can draw these really detailed and realistic characters and yet still make them feel lighthearted and cartoony.  It's an amazing skill and I get lost in his art constantly!  As for that other drawing?  Do some snooping around Twitter or BlueSky and you'll catch a glimpse at one of the funniest cartoons ever drawn!

And that's a wrap for the month of August and the season of Summer!  And yes I'm aware Fall doesn't actually start until late September, but when there's already Halloween decorations out and the smell of pumpkin spice permeates the air, it's kinda hard to think about beaches and BBQ's at this point!  Luckily, I do have some cool, colorful art coming next month to bridge the seasons, so be sure to come back next week and see how it all starts!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

BUBBLES AND TROUBLES!!!

We are back!  Hard to believe the spooking season is literally knocking on our door already!  Granted, it's already been Halloween at most arts and crafts stores since before the 4th of July even, but that's neither here nor there.  It's still summer dammit and as such, it is the time for summertime fun!  Childhood fun!  And what's more childhood than blowing bubbles?  Popping balloons you say?  According to Professor Google balloon popping is indeed considered a tradition of sorts, albeit an old one, but it still counts!  Can the two pastimes be combined with Bubble Fox fan art?  Scroll down and find out!

Uh oh!  Looks like that darn silly Bubble Fox has gotten some more of his friends into some danger involving helium and sharp objects!  Given his reputation, you'd think more pals within the realm of webcomics would be very wary of hanging out with Bubble, but I suppose some lessons must be learned firsthand!  Those claws look sharp too!  Might be time to start thinking about burping or farting boys because those are the only other options for escape!  Geoff Munn's been a pal for years, having first connected on Twitter and thankfully keeping things going on BlueSky (Geoff's the one who gave me an invite code!).  His comic, #Parenting, has long been a favorite, highlighting the silly, often surreal things one encounters while raising children.  From yard peeing to kazoo irritants, the comic covers it all!  Geoff's boys were all little dudes when he started, with his youngest not even being born yet!  Now they are all maturing into slightly bigger dudes with personalities as wacky as their old man's!  I should also note that my favorite trope of this comic is how each boy starts out with dot pupils that grow into full-on eyeballs as the characters age!  It's small touches like that that add to the humor and sweetness of Geoff's work.  When Geoff began offering commissions earlier this year, I knew I had to get a piece with Bubble interacting with his characters, and he delivered BIG!!!  Thanks again Geoff!  You, Bubble and the boys have never looked so buoyant!

Well, another week down as we march towards Fall.  But I promise we'll end the Summer on a high note, so come back next week for a DOUBLE dose of fun as Bubble PUMPS up the laughs!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

AND THE FOX ROLLS ON!!!

Well, after ten weeks, we've finally returned to normal here at the CRAZYVERSE.  Returning from the insanity that is Comic Con is never easy, but much like Christmas, we'll love it even more when it comes back next year.  Besides, we're still celebrating the 10th Anniversary of BUBBLE FOX!!!  Amazingly enough, I'm still getting fan art of that wily old critter all these months later, so I figured I'd take some time this month and share a few more pieces with you fine CRAZIES!  Not a bad way to close out the summer eh?  Enjoy...

Would ya look at that!  Our old pal Kim Belding is back yet again to give Bubble some more of his fun brand of cartoony love!  I could obviously (And have!) go on for hours about how wonderful Kim is and how much I love his comics and art, but frankly I'm running out of synonyms!  Kim, you know I love ya buddy, and I hope the married life is proving to be a fun one so far!  I also love that longtime Bubble Fox costar, Mr. Gully, appears alongside Bubble!  Mr. Gully is based off of another longtime friend in the cartooning world, teacher and Off Season creator Warren Frantz.  Warren's been a dear pal to both me and Kim all these years with lots of cartoon play between all of our characters.  Who could ever forget the infamous Root Beer Wars of 2012?!?  And as far as Bubble lasting longer than Calvin & Hobbes?  I'd obviously never put myself at THAT level, as C&H's output still dwarfs mine, but it's pretty incredible to consider the mileage I've actually gotten out of BF.  I never thought I'd have so many stories to tell when I first came up with Bubble.  It was all pretty much on a lark even!  That he's lasted this long and has so many fans...  It's very humbling.  I only hope someday that people will look back on Bubble and pals and put them in the same league as Calvin and his best bud.  Thanks again Kim.  You are the Hobbes this Calvin badly needed!

That's all she wrote for this week, but we'll be back next time for some very well-rounded laughs from another longtime friend of the CRAZYVERSE who wanted to help celebrate Bubble's big milestone, so be sure to come back and check it out!  Until then, take care and I'll catch y'all later!

COMIC CON 2024... CAME, SAW, CONQUERED!!!

Well, we've come to it at last.  The conclusion of the CRAZY Comic Con Countdown 2024...  It's never easy to type up this particular post because it more or less means that Con Season is over for me, especially now that Long Beach Comic Con has officially been cancelled (Yeah, I was still mulling over whether I should go or not).  But not all hope is lost.  The holidays will be here soon enough to keep me and many others preoccupied while we wait for WonderCon, which is less than eight months away!  But enough about that.  Y'all came for the biggie!  The pride of San Diego!  The time has come for us to take one last trip back to the San Diego Convention Center for a final lap around the exhibit hall and surrounding offsites.  We went big with this post, so hold on to your Batman Underoos and Code Red Mountain Dews, because the CRAZY Comic Con Countdown is set to launch!  Enjoy... 

I don't know Apollo. You couldn't even take on Ivan Drago!

The DragonBall World Tour returned to the the Marriott Marquee for the fifth straight year!  I actually spent the bulk of Preview Night there, collecting swag and taking pics!  The lines moves fast at this one and the giveaways are always worth it.  Easily among the best run offsites at SDCC.  Hopefully they'll keep coming back.

Ultraman had a VERY large presence in the exhibit hall this year with two dedicated booths and several panels on the schedule as the very first Tokusatsu hero has returned to pop culture in grand fashion!

Spongebob is celebrating his 25th Anniversary this year while Nickelodeon celebrates 20 years of bleeding the franchise dry!  This sculpture/fountain, which looked for all the world like poor Spongebob is receiving the enema to end all enemas, also doubled as a refill station for water bottles.  Incidentally, Nickelodeon itself turns 45 this year.

Speaking of anniversaries, Rainbow Brite turned 40 this year and is still rocking her colors as vibrant as ever!  She even gave me some Star Sprinkles!  Which I promptly wasted while trying to add color to some old Three Stooges shorts!

The Petco Park Interactive Zone returned with its usual fair of food trucks and fun free experiences!  Although I did get to walk around it for a little bit, I sadly didn't have time to try any of the experiences being offered.  Was a busy year to say the least.

Abbott Elementary returned to Comic Con this year with a truly fun and efficient offsite that left many smiling!  Ava Fest was a carnival complete with a big ass slide, ball pit and swing ride!  I was impressed with the line management of this one as they simply let people in (After signing a liability waiver of course) and left everyone to their own device.  And wouldn't;t you know it?  Crowds moved through fairly quick!  Imagine that?

Nice to see Chilindrina and Chavo hanging out again!  I'm sure Don Ramon would approve!

The Lounge!!!  Paramount+'s infamous offsite that's nearly impossible to get into without a reservation and wasting an entire day away in the standby line.  I was determined to try it anyway, so I got there early Friday morning and was shocked to see the standby line so small.  As the hours wore on and the line got longer, I remember being thankful I was among the first 15 people in line that day.  Even more surprising, the line for people with actual reservations never got any longer than 20 people the entire time I was there.  As it came time to open, a lady named Katya walked by and informed the standby line that her friend couldn't make it and she had an extra ticket.  One is indeed the loneliest number, but in this case, it served me well because I was the only loner in the standby line and she got me in early!  And even better?  Within ten minutes, all the people that had been waiting with me in standby were let in too as folks missed their reservations!  So we all won!  The experience itself was pretty cool with activations from Star Trek, Spongebob and Ninja Turtles among others.  I did get some cool swag and some delicious lemonade.  Overall though, it's hard to justify missing out on a day in the exhibit hall for an experience that lasted less than an hour.  Always weigh the risks and rewards when choosing offsites.

Cliff Vandercave and Sharon Stone!  Easily my favorite cosplay of Comic Con this year!  I'm a big fan of obscure character cosplay and these two nailed it, choosing the villains of The Flinstones live action movie!  They said I was the only person to get it, though I'm sure others figured it out as well as the day went on.

Another huge waste of time on my Comic Con Friday was Hulu's Animayhem activation!  Was there cool swag?  Yeah.  Were the photo ops fun?  Yeah.  Should it take three hours or more to wait and experience this?  HELL NO!!!  Flat and simple, there is no reason at all this offsite should take as long as it does, especially considering that several of the shows are either no longer relevant or just plain not popular (Seriously, NOBODY wanted the Solar Opposites swag!).  Even worse, my group was never given the donuts we were promised!  If it comes back next year, I'll likely skip it.

Batman always come prepared when out surfing with his Batboard, Bat-Trunks and Bat-Shark Repellant!

The FX Lawn.  Some loved it, some hated it.  Easily the most coveted swag of SDCC this year came from The Bear activation within, with the What We Do In The Shadows umbrellas being a close second.  While the experiences inside were fun and immersive, I feel line management could've been much better for this one as well.  In the past, they just let people in at their leisure and it all worked out.  This year, not so much.  I waited two hours just to get in then waited another hour just to get my umbrella!  Why was the wait so long?  Because some dudes were scribbling your name and a stick figure drawing on the umbrellas with Sharpies!  A friggin' kindergartener could done the same deal quicker and just as sloppy (Believe me, these guys aren't gonna be in Artists' Alley anytime soon!)!  Still, I made some friends while waiting in line, so it all worked out.  

A Tiger and his Boy, out on another adventure!

The Adult Swim lawn was back and bringing the fun as always!  I had hoped to get in, but it took so long to get through the FX Lawn that AS became another casualty of my swag hunt.  By the time I got there, the line stretched towards the boardwalk.  There's always next year...

Strawberry Shortcake loves her some Godzilla!

The cast of Jurassic Park had a heartfelt reunion with their biggest costar!

Another offsite oddity at Comic Con this year, The Penguin Slushy Truck!  This pic was taken on Preview Night before it opened, but every time I walked by this thing during the show, there'd be an insanely long line and workers standing inside the truck just looking confused by it all.  All they had to do was hand out eight ounce cups of knockoff Slurpees.  How friggin' hard is that?

Doctor Who and Star Trek teamed up for a fun little offsite featuring costumes and props from both legendary SciFi series!  Nothing too immersive, but still a nice break from the blazing weather outside!

Peanuts returned to their usual spot with a fun museum/shop that looked at the history of their holiday specials and even had a fun photo op in Charlie Brown's kitchen as Snoopy and Woodstock attempt to make Thanksgiving dinner out of toast and popcorn!  Just outside the museum, guests could sit in a shaded spot and watch the latest special before being locked away for AppleTV subscribers only!

The very fun and VERY immersive Planet Of The Apes offsite!  The line rarely went longer than 20 minutes and the staff just straight had their crap together!  I even got to have my picture taken with a live hawk!  Easily among the best run offsites at SDCC this year!

Can't really post this without talking about the elephant in the room: The Gaslamp Fire!  One of the buildings on 5th Avenue near J Street, where several offsite activations were in full swing, caught on fire.  Exactly how it happened is still under investigation as of this writing, but thankfully it was contained fairly quickly, though the staff at the Penguin Lounge offsite did have to be evacuated and the actual show was postponed for several hours.  Anything really can happen at Comic Con!

These fine young men came to Comic Con to learn about AI!

Lastly, we'll end the post on a happy note with some folks dressed as happy characters: The Flintstones!  Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty were there to promote their amazing new alternative fuel source: FEET!!!

And that was Comic Con 2024!  It was a wild time for sure, packed with swag and a few exclusives.  I still can't believe I did all the things I did this year!  I was pretty exhausted heading into the show.  I'd had little rest between SDCC and the show before it, ESRI, while also dealing with a home renovation that was complicated by a sinus infection.  By the time Comic Con ended, I was past my physical limits.  It ain't easy coming to grips with the fact that I'm not a young man anymore.  The day job's taken a toll over the years, and it's really starting to show now.  What does this mean for next year?  Well, we'll have to wait and see as it's time to re-verify again.  It's a process that always rattles me, even more so now as it's all online now, and I'm just not good with tech.  I have other ways in, but I'd rather not be that guy, the type that takes advantage of connections.  It just doesn't feel right.  The form's been submitted, so it's all up to fate now.  One way or another, I'll be back and it'll be great!

And thus wraps up the CRAZY Comic Con Countdown 2024!!!  I hope you all enjoyed these last ten weeks of looking back at the Cons of recent past!  I do enjoy looking back and seeing how things have changed over the years and I promise no matter what happens with my pro status, I will be back next year with another edition of the Countdown, two of them even as WonderCon's not too far off!  Be sure to come back next week as Bubble Fox takes center stage with more art celebrating his 10th Anniversary!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!