WHAT'S THAT?!? IT'S TERRIBLE!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  Well, it's almost time!  I know I'm getting excited!  Got my yard display up, got my candy ready and have already performed all ritualistic spirit dances to ward off the evil spirits while welcoming the good ones.  Yes sir, I am ready for Halloween!  Just gotta remember to leave an offering to the Gregarious Gourd so that he will leave me treats instead of tricks!  But enough about that.  It's art time!  And we got a monster today that will leave you with twice the scares for the price of one!  It's all free anyway though, so scroll down and take a gander why don't ya?  Enjoy...

What's that?  It's a What's It.  A Terrible Whatzit to be precise!  Another entry from Animal Alphabets, the Terrible Whatzit is the imagined villain from the classic children's picture book Harry and the Terrible Whatzit.  Oddly enough, this one wasn't part of my bookshelf as a kid.  I remembered the monster, as he was always on the wall of Barnes & Noble along with other picture book icons like Clifford and the Cat in the Hat, but I never read the book.  It was a fun draw though, as monsters usually are.  And I can't complain about a palette that uses so few colors!

Well, only one week left to go, but don't worry!  I promise we got a BIG finish for HALLOWEEN!!!  So be sure to come back and help us close out October right!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE MEAN STREAK OF STRIPE!!!

We are back CRAZIES!!!  Man, time's flying by, ain't it?  As I'm typing this, in addition to working on new comics and art for Bubble Fox and this blog, I've also been building a mask for my nephew for his halloween costume!  It's his first college party, so I obviously don't wanna let him down, but it is a challenge.  I'm not really a 3D artist per se.  I still can't believe I pulled off his sister's watermelon armor at SDCC eight years ago.  Still, it is amazing what you can accomplish with a little bit of patience, a lot of craft foam and about 72 hours worth of YouTube tutorials!  But enough about that!  Y'all want art!  At least I hope you do?  If so, scroll down and see what monster has sprung up this week!  Enjoy...

 

Uh oh...  Looks like someone fed a Mogwai after midnight!  Yup, the original Halloween/Christmas mashup movie, Gremlins was one of those weird 80's movies in that everybody knew, it even had a sequel, and yet was totally forgotten about by the time it hit its ten year anniversary.  Then us 80's kids all turned 20, discovered DVD's and were like "Oh yeah! Gremlins scared the &%#@ out of me as a kid!  Let's show it to OUR kids!" and thus a new cult classic was born!  Another Animal Alphabets entry, Stripe was the lead Gremlin who led an army of mutated Magwai in terrorizing a town one VERY dark Christmas.  Seriously, Kate (Phoebe Cates character) hates Christmas because her dad died while getting lodged in a chimney trying to play Santa Claus.  How friggin' terrible is that for a kids movie?!?  Anyway, this was a fun piece to draw, but holy crap was it a nightmare to correct in PS Elements!  Took me well over two hours to separate all the colors!  I know it's the dark side beckoning, but maybe it's time to time to go all digital?

Another week down as October rolls on, but fear not!  We got another monster coming as our Monster Fest continues here at the CRAZYVERSE!!!  So be sure to come back and see DOUBLE the trouble!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

EGADS!!! IT'S THE ROBOT... MONSTER?!?

Welcome to October CRAZIES!!!  I know, it's already a week in, but that's how the calendar fell this year!  The Spooky Season is upon us and I gotta tell ya, this Fall is already off to one of the busiest starts I've ever had at work!  I haven't even had any time for cider yet!  But there will be plenty of time for seasonal snacks and festivities as the creeps and terrors start to dip in. Coincidentally, this month is all about things that go bump in the night as we celebrate Halloween over the next four weeks with spooky art that will have you howling with terror, maybe even laughter.  Or it could be gas.  LOTTA bratwurst being consumed right now after all!  Either way, let's dive right in with our first entry, shall we?  Enjoy...

What the?!?  Grab the kids Miriam!  Head for the hills!  We're under attack!  It's a creature!  It's robot!  It's a monster!  It's a Robot Monster! Wait a tic... THAT is a Robot Monster?!?  Believe it or not folks, in the 1950's, this passed as high level science fiction.  Well, not really, but the film genre itself, not to mention the concept of special effects in general, were still pretty new, so a guy in a gorilla suit with a fishbowl on his head and set of TV antennae sticking out was about as good as it got at that point.  The real kicker though, if you got up close to the fishbowl, you could see a HUMAN SKULL!!!  In the words of the late great Count Floyd: "WOOOO!!! VASN'T DAT SHOCKINK KEEDS?!?"  Today's art is an oldie but goodie from Animal Alphabelts from 2018 where we depicted classic (And not so classic) monsters of horror, SciFi and fiction.  This creature was from the notorious 1950's schlock-fest Robot Monster.  I'd describe the plot, but I enjoy having brain cells left.  Should you ever feel the urge to watch it, the good fellas at Mister Science Theater 3000 already took all the guess work out and did it for you, so go watch their take on it instead as it's readily available on multiple platforms and far more entertaining!

Well, that's it for this week, but we'll be back with more Halloween fun next time with a monster who's better known for causing trouble at more jollier time of year if you catch my drift!  And no, it ain't who you think it is!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

WAVIN' BY TO SEPTEMBER WITH WENDY!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  Well, we have come to it at last.  The very end.  The grand finale.  But if we are gonna end things, we are gonna do it right.  And I can't think of a better way to say goodbye than with the first character I ever came up!  So let's put an end to things here once and for all as we cross the T's and dot the I's one last time for the month of September 2026 and prepare to move forward into October!  What?  Did you think I meant something else?  Y'all are stuck with me 'til I croak!  Anyhoo, onto the art!  Enjoy...

Hey hey!  It's little Wendy Oriole!  The very first character I ever created, Wendy has drifted in and out of stories over the years, debuting initially in the ill-fated One-Shot Express to even popping up Mushrooms and random CRAZYVERSE toons over the years.  Her intention though has always been Peppertown, the tale of a lonely slacker named Joe Oriole who sees his life changed drastically when an odd little alien girl named Wendy is suddenly thrust into his care!  I've started and restarted this story on several occasions and even did a solo offshoot Christmas picture book called Wendy's Christmas Chaos a few years back that proved to be somewhat popular, but not much else has come from it since largely due to lack of time.  Prior to Covid, I had quite a bit free time on my hands.  I'll never truly understand why previous regimes at my work seemed so determined to hold me back, especially since I've always just kept quite did as told.  Post Covid, my schedule's never been busier.  Financially it's been a blessing.  Tough from a creative standpoint, but bills must come first.  Just wish I could've been working like this before I got all old and broken!  Regardless, I came to the conclusion that as a webcomic, Peppertown just doesn't work.  It's longform and as such should really be a book.  I will eventually get around to doing it.  I too have many ideas and love the characters too much not to try and get something done with them.  However, it'll likely mean a reduction in Bubble Fox comics during the times the books are being worked on.  It's a small sacrifice to make, but these are the kinds of things creators gotta do.  As for the piece itself, it actually came out really good, only a few spots that didn't smooth out all the way.

And now that the Spooking Season is upon us, don't forget to leave your offerings to the Gregarious Gourd this Halloween, otherwise he will leave you TRICKS instead of TREATS!!!

And that's a wrap on September 2026!  I hope y'all enjoyed these colored pencil portraits of CRAZY Characters!  Be sure to come back next week as we kickoff October with some spooky art!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

A COLORFUL POST FOR A REGULAR JOE!!!

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back...  We are almost done with September CRAZIES, but there's no reason feel sad about it.  That means we're that much closer to Halloween!  And cooler weather!  Depending on where you live, you might even have a sweater on already!  Here in Reverse Narnia, aka San Diego, it's pretty much always hot.  Think I might retire to Canada someday.  The heat just gets to me!  But enough about that, it's art time!  Dug up a really old pal for today's post so scroll down and get reacquainted!  Enjoy...

Well bless my soul!  It's Joe Oriole!  Who?  You know?  Joe Oriole?  From Peppertown?  The series I started and swore I haven't forgotten about I've just been too busy to really continue with?  Look, cartooning is a fun hobby and all, but the keyword here is hobby.  I'm not paid to do it.  I got a job, I got a house, I got pets, I got responsibilities.  It's all I can do to keep up with this Blog and Bubble Fox sometimes.  Peppertown will have its time and place eventually, but more on that next week.  This was a piece that I was relatively happy with.  The background came out really cool but accidentally ruined Joe in the foreground with all the dust from the black and dark blue colored pencils spreading!  Just goes to show you that sometimes, it really doesn't matter how careful you are with these things.

Well, one more post to go, but I promise you we'll be ending September on a colorful note before heading into the dark corners of October, so be sure to come back and check it out!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

DANCIN' IN THE MOONLIGHT!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  More than halfway through September already, can y'all believe it?  I don't know why it is that time feels like it speeds up the older you get, but man I wouldn't mind things slowing down a little bit at least.  Especially when it comes to things that I enjoy, like colored pencil art.  Speaking of which, I have more to show off this week if you'd be willing to scroll down and take a look?  Enjoy...

Simon Asparago: The Dancing Asparagus!  Born of the Former Buns & Wieners Art Collaboration on Twitter so many years ago, Simon came about from the first Comic Jam I took part in.  For those who don't know, a Comic Jam is when a comic is started and then passed on to another artist from panel to panel until it is finished.  Early on in the comic, one of the other artists had made mention of a giant, dancing asparagus.  I took it a step further and drew the asparagus and gave it a bowtie and personality.  He became the unofficial mascot of B&W until the club just kinda faded away for sone reason (To this day, there are at least two or three unfinished comics floating around in somebody's inbox waiting to be passed on).  From time to time, I still drew the asparagus, but had never given him a name, until recently.  When he reemerged in a Mike & Mindy anniversary comic, I finally gave him a first name, Simon, after my dear pal, Simon McLaren from England whom I'd met through the Comic Jams.  We bonded quickly over a mutual love of cartooning and absurdist humor and always kept in touch, even as the world rapidly changed around us.  Simon sadly passed away a few years ago.  His digital imprint is all I have left of my pal.  Though I never met him in person, I know he of all people would've appreciated the outrageousness of having an anthropomorphic dancing vegetable named after him.  After all, absurdist humor is how we became friends in the first place!  Sly, I really miss ya bud.  I wish we could've had a few more chats.  I hope you're in a Heaven where Bullet Paw and his pals play you their critter style of blues nonstop.

Another week down as we continue our trek through the falling leaves.  But, more art is coming, so do be sure to come back and see who our next CRAZY subject will be to get the colored pencil treatment!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

BAGPIPIN' FOR THE SEASON!!!

We are back!  Have I told y'all before just how much I love the Fall?  I don't know.  Maybe it's the food, maybe it's the weather, maybe it's because it's the prelude to the holidays, but there's just something about the Fall Season that's just so special to me.  There's nothing nicer than hot cider and a slice of spice cake on a cool Autumn's eve...  Getting a tear in my eye just typing that!  Anyhoo, I got some art!  It's rendered in colored pencils!  You should scroll down and check it out!  Enjoy...

Hello there! It's Gerty MacGrouse!  She's a little Scottie bird, a grouse to be precise, who plays the bagpipes and wears a kilt and a glengarry!  She initially came to the Crazy Forest to teach music, and was nearly driven crazy by her students, but all ended well when the critters showed Gerty how much of a difference she made in their lives and how much they wanted her to stay!  She still appears in Bubble Fox comics from time to time, as recently as this year even, being among the patients wedged into the Balloon Ward at Stokes General Hospital!  This piece came out considerably better than last week's art featuring Nega Bubble.  Again, the colors on Gerty herself blended very well (Smaller Area = Easier Blending).  The background actually looks pretty good all things considered.  Sharper lines can offer greater contrast, but the point of colored pencils is smooth transitions.  Slowly but surely, I'm getting there.

Another week down as we head to the halfway point of September!  But never fear, for we got some more colorful art dancing its way over, so be sure to come back and cheer it on!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

WELCOME TO COLORFUL SEPTEMBER CRAZIES!!!

Well, another September is upon us, and with it, another Fall!  The Spooking Season has arrived!  I tell ya, I am ready for some crisp Autumn weather.  This past Summer was miserably hot and made it damn near impossible to enjoy anything.  BRING ON THE COLD!!!  Anyway, enough talk, it's time for some art!  For the past couple of years, September has highlighted some of my efforts with colored pencils, and I see no reason to change things now.  So scroll down and see the first of this month's CRAZY, hand-rendered, fine art offerings!  Enjoy...

Oh my!  He's vicious!  He's dastardly!  He's cunning!  Or at least he wants to be!  It's Bubble Fox's arch nemesis, Nega Bubble, Bubble's evil opposite self from a parallel dimension!  Whereas Bubble Fox is orange, Nega Bubble is Blue.  While Bubble Fox is kind and caring, Nega Bubble is evil and nasty.  And while Bubble Fox isn't necessarily the smartest, he is swift and crafty, of which Nega Bubble isn't, hence the reason Bubble Fox is always able to trick his foe into defeat anytime he shows up!  This piece could have turned out better if I'm being honest.  The blends on Nega Bubble came out great, but the backgrounds definitely did not transition very smoothly.  Admittedly, smoother blends are easier to accomplish on a smaller scale, as Nega Bubble doesn't take up much space in this piece.  To pull off a smoother background, I would've needed about six additional colors in-between the four already used.  Colored pencils are a time consuming process, but well worth the effort!

That's one week down as we kickoff September, but fear not!  Another more legend of the CRAZYVERSE will be making their way here next week in a newly rendered post!  So be sure to come back and give it a look!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

BUBBLE AND PEPPER: LOONY BALLOONISTS!!!

 

I'll keep it short this week.  Summer's coming to an end, it's super hot right now and the annual Guest Month is kicking off for Bubble Fox!  That won't affect the posting schedule for here since it's all cleaned up reposts anyway.  I do have some fun and VERY colorful posts coming your way that I'm excited to show off!  One of the reasons I take a month off every year is to not only rest and recharge for a bit, but also to work on other art, even learn knew skills and techniques.  I'm very behind on colored pencil work, so it'll be nice to catch up on those finally.  An artist never rests.  Even on break, I'm busy!

Well, that's a wrap on August 2026, but fear not!  We are gonna start fall off right with so much color it'll make Rainbow Brite lose her mind even!  So be sure to come back and check it out!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

BOYSENBERRY BERRY COOL!!!

We are back again CRAZIES!!!  Hard to believe we're just under two weeks away from the start of the fall season.  Well, actual fall starts in a month, but for all intents, the flags go away and the pumpkins come out the second the clock strikes midnight on Labor Day!  Since we still have a bit of summer left, let's cool off with some Fan Art, shall we?  Enjoy...

Would ya look at that?  It's Marigold, Heavenly Nostrils and her kid, Phoebe from the popular comic strip, Phoebe And Her Unicorn!  And they are all decked out for the annual Boysenberry Fest at Knott's Berry Farm!  Phoebe brings up a very good point though.  As adorable and scientifically accurate as her boysenberry costume might be, it's not very practical for going on rides, of which most can't accommodate a creature of equine origin either!  I'm sure Marigold will simply yell "UNICORN" and make it all work somehow!  A longtime favorite of mine, Phoebe And Her Unicorn is the creation of cartoonist Dana Simpson, who also created the beloved Ozy & Millie.  Phoebe and Marigold recently wrapped up their run as a daily comic as Dana looks to focus more on long-form adventures starring the two.  Thankfully, we still get a weekly dose of their shenanigans as a Sunday strip, and who knows?  Maybe someday, Phoebe and Marigold will don their boysenberry looks for real?  (Hey!  An artists can hope, can't he?)

Well, another week down as we head towards the fall, but cheer up!  We may only have one post left for August, but I'll make sure we end the summer on a high note!  So be sure to come back next week and see what floats in!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

ROOT BEER PARTY DEEP CUT!!!

Well, after nine long weeks, we're back to normal here at the CRAZYVERSE.  I'm actually okay with it.  Frankly, these art posts are much easier and quicker to queue up!  As many of you know, one of my favorite things to post here is fan art.  It's always fun to play in somebody else's sandbox for a little bit, as it gives you a new perspective while trying to get the characters right.  We're only getting a couple bits of fan art this month, but they were among the most fun to work on!  So scroll down and see who's up first!  Enjoy...

It's no secret that amongst web cartoonists, root beer is our carbonated beverage of choice!  Of course, not all brands are created equal, as few can truly hold a candle to the amazing flavor of Barq's Root Beer!  There are a few, a VERY small few at that, that prefer A&W Root Beer.  It's not bad, but it just ain't Barq's.  Unfortunately, my pal Kim Belding, creator of Picpak Dog, just can't see the light and wouldn't stop harassing the good fans of Barq's Root Beer, so, as a way to get him to let up, I drew this fan art for him depicting Picpak humiliating Cartoon Me and Mike & Mindy as well.  We all made a great sacrifice so that Kim could feel big about himself while also taking a shot at this nasty soap-flavored gum he sent me as a gag gift once!  But it worked, and now cartoonists can drink Barq's in an stress-free environment once again.  In reality, Kim is one of my closest friends in comics and easily among the funniest to ever pick up a pen.  And although our root beer preferences can get a little intense sometimes, it's always been. in good fun and has always led to funny moments with our characters.  This art has also been in my archives for 11 years now!  Feels good to finally clean it up and post it!

That's all for this week, but we'll be back at it again seven days from now with some flavorful fan art for a very magical duo!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

VAMOOSE WITH THE VAQUITA!!!

Well, another month has come to pass here at the CRAZYVESRE.  But when one door closes another one opens up, and this door is a particularly fun one, for you see...  SUMMER IS HERE!!!  Okay, technically it's still a few weeks away, but come on now; we all know summer really starts the second Memorial Day weekend rolls up!  And the smell of BBQ is already permeating my neighborhood!  But enough about that.  So much cool stuff is on the way that one post isn't enough to contain it.  So let's get our swim trunks on and dive on in with this week's guest who is already jumping for the season!  Enjoy... 

Flipper?  Please!  This Vaquita is way cooler than some pampered porpoise!  Very similar to their dolphin cousins, these marvelous marine critters are critically endangered but hopefully on the road to recovery.  Thankfully, this cartoon vaquita is safe from the perils of our reality.  Another entry from Animal Alphabets, I had a lotta fun with this one.  Keeping the color scheme simple really helps things.  It's easy to get overwhelmed in the coloring process as so many of us want to do shades, highlights and gradients, which are great if you have the time and skill for it.  But, there is a lot to be said about simple flat coloring as well.

And that's a wrap on May 2026, but there's definitely no need to be sad folks!  Why is that?  Because next week, the annual CRAZY COMIC CON COUNTDOWN returns!  Hardly seems real that we're already gearing up for the biggest show of the year, but it is on the horizon as guest and show exclusives are already being announced as of this writing!  It'll be a long trip down memory lane well worth taking, so be sure to come back and check it out!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT!!!

We are back CRAZIES and halfway past the merry month of May!  Time flies for sure, but we are keeping pace with all the CRAZY critters that come out to play here at the CRAZYVERSE!!!  And we got another beauty coming up that could tame ANY cold-hearted beast!  Don't believe me?  Scroll down and see for yourself!  Enjoy... 

There are many gorgeous butterflies that bless us with their existence.  From being great pollinators to their stunningly beautiful wings, butterflies make the world a better place.  Among the real attention-grabbers is the Ulysses Butterfly!  Their wings of black and iridescent blue stand out in any environment and are quite hypnotic as they flutter from flower to flower!  They would certainly be welcome in my yard that's for sure!  Another 2017 piece for Animal Alphabets, this one was a blast to do!  Aside from being an easier color job with so few colors, I just loved how well these hues all worked together!  If it wasn't for the fact that non-digital coloring mediums aren't very practical for current cartooning standards, I'd hand color everything I do!  Hopefully these art collective pieces make up for that.

Well, one week left to go in May 2026, but have no fear!  We have a guest next week that will have you jumping for joy that summer's around the corner!  So be sure to come back and help us end the month on a high note!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE TEENSY TANSY BEETLE!!!

We are back again CRAZIES!!!  And another week closer to the fun and festivities of summer!  I know we still got a few weeks to go, but how can I not get excited?  It's right around the corner and the San Diego County Fair is on deck!  But there will be time for that later.  It's time to meet our special guest for the week!  She's a bit if a diva if I'm being honest and quite frankly, she'd kinda starting to bug me!  But, her beauty truly shines through as you'll see when you scroll down.  Enjoy...

Meet the Tansy Beetle, a true living gem!  Similar to the junebug in appearance, these living emeralds are for more elegant with their shiny, glossy exoskeleton that shines in iridescent hues of green and gold!  I'm sure many have mistaking these gorgeous bugs for actual polished gem stones, only to be deeply disappointed (And probably greatly disturbed even!) to see it fly off!  This week's piece was part of the Animal Alphabets Art Collective back in 2017.  I don't recall what the specific theme was, but I do recall enjoying this one as beetles are always a fun draw.  They're like little bug tanks!

Well another week down as we March to summer, but more fun is coming, so be sure to come back next week and give it a good look!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE SLIMMING EFFECT!!!

Welcome to May CRAZIES!!!  Another month is upon us, and with it comes new art, never before seen outside of Twitter!  We got a lot of fun planned in the coming weeks as we get ready for summer, the San Diego County Fair, BBQ Season and, of course, COMIC CON!!!  But we're already getting ahead of ourselves here.  Let's just ease on in with some art starring a ferocious feline who clearly got his fill!  Enjoy...

Tigers.  Fierce.  Gorgeous.  Hungry.  VERY hungry!   Certainly the one above hasn't missed too many meals.  Perhaps he should try hunting for his food more often instead of hitting the buffet line at the ol' Bengal Barbecue!  Those stripes only camouflage the background, not your bad habits!   This piece was originally done for the Pinch Punch Post Art Collective on Twitter back in 2017.  One of many that used to dot the social media landscape, it too recently came to an end, bringing many sad faces to a once vibrant online art scene.  All things must pass I suppose, but it's still sad to see something that made so many happy go away.  Perhaps in a few years, when happier times return, we will see the art collectives come back.

That's all for this first week of May 2026, but fear not!  We got a stunning critter coming in next week that'll leave you green with envy!  That or nausea, I always mix those two up!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE OCTOPUS' SYMPHONY!!!

Well, another month is coming to an end here CRAZIES.  The passing days get a little more meaningful to me as the months go on.  Having just turned 42 a few days ago and coming off losing my grandmother earlier this year, the passage of time REALLY starts to hit home.  But you know what?  There's still a lot to do and a lot to enjoy, so we're gonna keep the good times rolling with some critters and music because that's the right thing to do!  Our next musician is ready and waiting, so scroll down for some symphonic groove!  Enjoy...

Our final participant of the Animal Alphabets Jam Session this month is this Ocarina-playing Octopus!  He took many lessons from the legendary Bulgarian crooner, Yablo, and now, he's putting us all at ease with his gentle brand of Yacht Rock!  Octopi (Octopuses?) are such fun critters to draw.  Wiggly and colorful, they are naturals as far as cartoons go!

And that's a wrap on April 2026!  But don't worry CRAZIES!!!  I got YEARS of backlogged art to show off, so I'll be sorting through it to find four pieces of CRAZY art worthy of the CRAZYVERSE!!!  So be sure to come back and see what we find!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE NEWT FLUTE IS QUITE THE HOOT!!!

We are back!  I don't know about y'all, but all this lovely spring weather has really got my heart singing!  I mean, I am really hearing the Pipes of Pan as I frolic through the flowers!  I got a fever...  Spring fever!  And the only cure is musical-themed art!  Scroll down and get your prescription CRAZIES!!!  Enjoy...

My goodness!  These musical Newts have got a real symphony going here as they play their Nai!  For those who don't know, the Nai is an instrument similar to a pan flute but with MANY pipes attached.  In addition to strong lung capacity, long reach is another requirement of being able to play these wacky wind pipes!  One of the things that I really liked about this theme overall was the variety of instruments Animal Alphabets chose.  They really picked some off-the-wall contraptions for the critters to play!

Well, another week down as we head towards a new month, but fear not dear CRAZIES!!!  We'll be back next week with a new post that will send April off on a high note.  So be sure to come back and give it a look!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

SHAKE IT MOUSE!!! SHAKE IT!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  Well, it's back to normal here at the CRAZYVERSE.  I know it's a bit of a bummer that all the WonderCon fun has come to pass, but that only means other traditions are on the way!  But there will be time for that on another day.  For you see, I am in a musical mood this month and the art coming up will reflect all that!  Don't believe me?  Scroll down and see for yourself!  Enjoy...

Oh my!  This Mouse is feeling hot hot hot!!!  Are you feeling hot hot hot?!?  We got a Mouse with Maracas here and he's getting the rhythm going!  This piece was done for the wonderful Animal Alphabets art collective which I miss so much!  The overall theme was musical animals and for the letter M, the theme was literally what you see above, I just put my own spin on it.  Mice are fun critters to work with as they are naturally toony!  This guy clearly got into some quest fresco before finding his groove!

That's all for this week, but we'll be back next time with some more critters that got a song in their heart!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

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!