MIKE & MINDY!!! GOING GLOBAL!!!

Welcome back to the CRAZYVERSARY dear CRAZIES!!!  As you can see in the top pic, Mike and Mindy have floated out of San Diego and are on their way to any place the wind takes them!  (And before any of you ask, go check out last July's Comic Con splash page to see what led to their buoyant posteriors!)  A lot of pals in the web comic realm really wanted to see them travel, so I put it out there in an art challenge called #MMGoGlobal!  I got quite a few entries so far, and I'd like to share a few of them with you now as we continue to celebrate the Terrible Tykes' birthdays!  So scroll down and see where they head to first!  Enjoy...

First up, the kids head off to Lively, Ontario way up in Canada where they meet up with their old pals Gayle and Gloria from Off Season!  These kids often had a fierce rivalry out on the playing fields, but always shared laughs after the games were through.  As they floated by, little Gayle tried so hard to reach out for Mike's shoelace, but the winds blew in and changed the puffed pals' course!  It was a nice try at least!  Thanks to my dear pal Warren Frantz for this hilarious take!  Gubble Bum may strike soon here!

The winds didn't blow them too off course it seems as Mike and Mindy are still in Ontario, but have now floated over to Toronto where they meet up with their pal Lollipop and her trusty dog, Fraser!  Lollipop was happy to show the Buoyant Buds around, but the winds came in again, blowing them dangerously close to the sharp point of the CN Tower!  Luckily, they just missed it and they headed east.  Thanks to the always wonderful Jennifer Cuthbert for showing them around!  I hope Bubble Fox is behaving himself in that continuity! 

When I said east, I didn't realize just how strong those winds were!  Mike and Mindy have made it to Merry Old England where they encounter the very merry Dog and not-so-merry Cat, stars of the hilarious comic strip, What?  Cat is not known for his welcoming demeanor, and today proves not different for the Balloon Bozos!  Thankfully, he's a cat and as such has terrible aim!  Thank you to the great Anthony Moorin, aka, Weird Bean!  Going the extra mile and putting them into a comic made my day!  Thanks again Bean Of Weird!

Where will Mike & Mindy float to next?  We'll be seeing in the very near future I assure you!  It's busy times all over right now, hence the reason the CRAZYVERSARY is being cut short this year.  But there are quite a few locations that they have visited so far and I can't wait to show you all!  In the meantime, watch the sky!  You never know when they might float by!

And that's a wrap on the CRAZYVERSARY!!!  I know, it was way too short this year.  But there is a good reason, for you see, something big is starting up again next week!  For those of you who've been around this blog for awhile now, you can probably guess what's coming: The CRAZY WonderCon Countdown!  That's right folks!  It's that time of year again, and starting next week, we are going into eight weeks straight of WonderCon coverage!  So be sure to come back and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE & MINDY!!! 16 YEARS AND STILL CRAZY!!!

Welcome to February CRAZIES!!!  Already a month in, can you believe it?  Lots of big things coming up  this month.  Valentines Day, Presidents Day, the CRAZYVERSARY...  What's that?  You forgot about the CRAZYVERSARY?!?  Well, let's fix that right here and now!  Yes folks, it was 16 years ago this very week that Mike, Mindy and a very young, unsure cartoonist and writer all took their first steps towards web infamy!  It's certainly been an interesting ride to say the least, some lows, but far more highs,  I can honestly say it has been an absolute pleasure creating these silly comics and writing these blog posts for you CRAZY faithful!  And although Mike & Mindy ended their five-year run back in December of 2014, they still have fans, and every so often, I'm gifted some fan art of the Terrible Tykes!  Don't believe me?  Scroll down and take a look for yourself!  Enjoy...

Oh Mike and Mindy.  Those two sure did seem to get inflated a lot.  They must've really enjoyed having squeaky voices afterwards?  A good many of you will likely remember this gag from one of their most memorable comics where they inflated themselves with an air compressor and use the propulsion from deflating to get to get school on time, only to learn that they'd had the day off all along!  Well, that comic also inspired a host of pals and fans online to take part in a Draw This In Your Style challenge that led to a fun blog post several years ago with many takes.  Well, my good pal Alex Schumacher wanted in on it too and recently delivered this wonderful and insanely detailed take on that legendary moment!  Alex Schumacher is an incredible cartoonist and illustrator whose resume speaks volumes.  That he was willing to take time out of his insanely busy schedule, which included tending to a newborn baby, really means a lot to me!  Seeing this classic cartoon trope rendered in such a detailed and realistic way is also very mind blowing!  Thanks again Alex for puffing up my cartoon kids reminding everybody about the trouble that having an inflated ego can cause!

That's all for this first week of February, but fear not!  We got a little more bloated fun to have with Mike & Mindy next week as we wrap up the CRAZYVERSARY festivities a little early this year.  Why such a short celebration?  Well, you'll have to come back next week to see!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

SUPER KID!!! THE NOT-SO-SUPER INFLATION BUSTER!!!

Well, we're a few days away from being a month into 2026.  Hopefully things are going good so far (I tend type these out well in advance).  Know what is good though?  Comedy!  And you wanna know what's funny?  Bloated cartoon characters pumped so full of gas they're practically bursting!  And since we are still fighting Bad Inflation this month, we may as well send in a REAL hero to take care of things!  Who is this man of myth?  Scroll down and find out!  Enjoy...

Well...  A young man of myth at least!  Meet Superkid, the sworn protector of Walnut Street down to its first stop sign!  A true marvel of genetic engineering created by the sinister Dr. G, Superkid has super strength!  So long as he holds his breath, which usually isn't for very long.  He can also fly!  So long as his eyes are closed.  Come to think of it, his abilities aren't very practical at all!  But make him go to bed early, and the tantrum he throws is epic!  Mooney the Turtle isn't totally wrong though.  Sometimes a moral foe is the WORST foe!  I need to get onto that scurvy dog JW Cornelius about using Superkid in the comics more often!  He's clearly got charisma!  That or he's full of hot air!

And that's a wrap on January 2026!  I do have some cool stuff lined up for February, including the return of the CRAZY WonderCon Countdown!  But in addition to that, it is also the birthdays my original cartoon stars, Mike & Mindy, and their awesomeness MUST be celebrated!  So stay TOONED for that one!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

FOXLOONS!!! THE SAFEST WAY TO TRAVEL!!!

We are back at it CRAZIES!!!  More Loony mayhem is on the way because THAT is exactly what you fine folks demand!  At least that's what I think you all want.  Frankly, I have no idea how the metrics work.  The only thing I've ever truly noticed is that my Comic Con posts seem to be the only ones that ever get any traction on social media.  Which reminds me!  We're only a few weeks away from the CRAZY WonderCon Countdown!  So stay TOONED for that!  Speaking of toons, they tend to blow up like balloons a lot, and this month is a celebration of that classic cartoon trope as we use GOOD inflation to combat BAD inflation!  So scroll down and see how this week's LOONY TOON fares!  Enjoy...

Planes?  Trains?  Automobiles?  All outmoded and outdated!  Foxloons on the other hand?  Now THAT is the way to travel!  Sure, there's not much room, but the seats are comfy and with a quick tug of the tail, you're soaring at jet speed!  When my pal Mike Hartigan's characters needed a quick ride from Australia to San Diego for a book conference at the Marriott, Bubble was more than happy to help!  Unfortunately for Bubble, He wasn't expecting Super Unicorn Princess, Squish, Squash and Chase Speedington to have ten canisters of helium at the ready!  I guess they decided to do unto him before he did unto others!  Still, the flight was enjoyable and touched down long before Bubble "Deflated" much to Chase's relief!  Not sure how they made it back though.  Perhaps Mike can "Fill" us in on that one someday?

Well, only week left to go for this first month of 2026!  But fear not!  We'll end it on a high note, as any post about inflation should!  So be sure to come back and check it out!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

INFLATED EGOS AND SWELLED HEADS!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  We are already having quite the ball here at the halfway point (ALREADY?!?) of January 2026!  And of course, you can't really have a ball without inflation, for THAT is what makes a ball round and buoyant!  And speaking of round and buoyant, we got some art below that will keep the ball rolling as we continue our fight against bad inflation with funny inflation!  So tie yourself down and read on!  Enjoy...

Ego can be a dangerous thing (Something we're learning daily, sadly).  It can be even more dangerous when said ego is inflated more grossly than a Macy's parade float!  And here, Peppermint Twist from Jennifer Cuthbert's Adventure's Of Lollipop comics demonstrates why it's better to be humble about things!  Although PT, as Bubble calls her, normally is sweet natured and loyal, she can be quite greedy and pigheaded at times, especially when things are going her way!  After she and Bubble Fox were given their own talk show on Canadian TV after a magic show gone hilariously wrong, she's let the success of it all go to her head.  And her arms.  And her gut.  And especially her huge butt!  If she don't curb her attitude soon, she'll be stretched completely spherical and have her own gravitational pull!  That or get a wicked case of gas, whichever is funniest!

Another week down as we float towards February, but I assure you the next two weeks will be a gas, likely because they are full of gas!  So be sure to come back and check it all out!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE CRAZY INFLATION BUSTER 2026 IS HERE!!!

Welcome to 2026 CRAZIES!!!  New year, new opportunities, SAME PROBLEMS!!!  Yep, everything is much more expensive these days, and for very obvious reasons.  I, however, vowed long ago not to be topical in my work or posts, so instead I'll point my finger to an easy scapegoat: INFLATION!!!  And the best way to combat inflation is with even MORE inflation!  The cartoony kind to be precise!  So put away your economic fears and prepare for some belly laughs as the sight of these animated bellies stretched spherical will hopefully get a chuckle or two out of you!  Enjoy...

When it comes to cartoon foxes, they don't get any loonier than the great Bubble Fox!  And I'm not just saying that because he's my primary IP!  Bubble's been stretched every which way in his now 12th year of being a bad influence on children!  Today, he's hanging out with Marty & Spud, the creations of veteran cartoonist Matt Hansel who felt that Bubble was looking a little flat, so they decided to "Lift" his spirits while also "Expanding" his horizons, not to mention his waistline!  Last year, Matt was kind enough to do a doodle of Bubble meeting Marty and Spud for a cartoon playdate, as seen below...

As you can see, Bubble decided to help them test the limits of toon buoyancy, greatly inflating their expectations!  As Matt was a good sport about things, I felt it was only fair that young Marty and his feline pal get the last laugh as Bubble clearly had the first one.  It was well-rounded fun for everyone, and best of all, nobody questioned how any of them were able to float without helium!

Well, that's one week down for January 2026!  Only 51 more to go!  And for those of you still bummed about the holidays ending, just remember: There's only 352 more days until Christmas!  And only 322 more days before we are assaulted with nonstop holiday movies and music for two months straight, so how's about we just enjoy a few months of something different while we still can?  We'll back next week with more inflatable fun, so be sure to float back and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

HAPPY 2026 CRAZIES!!! TAKE COVER!!!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR CRAZIES!!!  I'll keep things short again as it's New Year's Eve, we're all busy and I got pizzas and a non-sanctioned fireworks show waiting for me!  2025 was an odd year.  I can't ignore the shape of the world around me, or the fact that my day job seems to keep stalling despite 22 years of hard work and loyalty.  None of it is good, frankly, but it is what it is.  I'll just have to try harder to set things right.  On the flip side of things, I had an awesome time at both WonderCon and Comic Con this year, had some great days at the San Diego County Fair and even reached a few milestones with my art and comics.  Sometimes, a mixed bag is better than an empty one.  I pray that 2026 will be a better year, that somehow, some way, we can all improve ourselves and world around us, but more than that, I pray that humanity will find its heart again.  That logic and reason will dictate decision making instead of proclamations based on hearsay.  We are one people.  We need to remember that.

Have a fun, happy and ultimately safe New Year's Eve and Day folks.  Know your limits.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all in 2026!