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!

UGLY SWEATERS: WORSE THAN YOU KNOW!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  The march to Christmas is on!  Have you started your shopping yet?  I actually haven't yet!  Usually I would've been halfway done by now, but a little thing called Comic Con Special Edition occurred Thanksgiving weekend and kept me a bit preoccupied at a time when deals were gonna be at their best.  Yeah, I let bargain prices slip away, but it was totally worth it!  CCSE was a blast and I promise I'll have a full review of it up in January!  But for now, we're sticking with the holidays!  I know y'all are itching to see some new art, and I just happen to have some!  So quit scratching and start scrolling!  Enjoy...

The dreaded wool Christmas sweater.  Itchy as all get out and uglier than a baboon's ass as my beloved Nana used to say, it seems that no kid can truly escape them.  Little Wendy here discovers firsthand just how nasty these inanimate beasts really are.  It's like the sheep's revenge for shanking its fur!  Today's art, along with most of the art this month, comes from my first foray into Illo_Advent, a Twitter art collective that challenges artists from all over to make a Christmas or holiday themed drawing every day in December leading into Christmas Day itself.  Some years have been easier to do than others.  One theme even led to my first, and only so far, picture book!  As of this typing, I don't know what I'm gonna do yet, but I'm confident I'll come up with something!

That's all for today.  Be sure to come back next week for some laughs that have been stuffed to the brim!  Until then, take care, stay safe and please think of others this holiday season.  Toy, food and clothing drives are all in full swing and need help, so please do what you can!  Catch y'all later!

MERRY CHRISTMAS CRAZIES!!! 2019 STYLE!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS CRAZIES!!!  It's been a long wait, but the big day is here!  Hopefully y'all weren't naughty this year otherwise the elves might be going full-on Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck on you!  Anyway, I'll keep things short today.  It's Christmas week.  We all got some fun things planned!  So let's jump to it!  Enjoy...

The Bumble!  The first time I can ever recall seeing a bad guy outside of wrestling do a face turn (Become a good guy for those who aren't up to speed on their kayfabe).  I always had a feeling he wasn't such a bad dude.  It can't be easy living in the North Pole where the weather's always bad and food is scarce and extremely risky to get.  No wonder he's in a bad mood at the start!  This was another illo_advent entry that got a good reaction on Twitter.  Had a lotta fun drawing this one too.  Certainly one of my easiest coloring jobs to boot!  All in all, the Bumble is A okay!

That's a wrap on this week, this month AND this year!  We'll be back next time with a pretty big announcement concerning a rather spirited pair of kids that'll be celebrating their 10th Anniversary next year, but I won't give it all away here!  So be sure to come back and check it all out!  In the meantime, Christmas is on Wednesday and there's still time to help someone in need, so please be generous!  Have a safe and wonderful Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa and  I'll catch y'all in the New Year!

KICKING OFF CHRISTMAS WITH A LITTLE BIT O' CHAOS!!!

WELCOME TO DECEMBER CRAZIES!!!  And with that, welcome to the Christmas Season!  I know, it's been Christmas at every department store since October, but now it's okay to proudly display that ugly sweater with the light-up snowman you have hidden in your closet!  You wanna know what goes good with an ugly Christmas sweater?  A funny Christmas book!  And I just so happen to have one now available on Amazon!  Yup!  I have officially crossed over into the realm of picture books with my first offering, the hilarious Wendy's Christmas Chaos!  Peppertown star Wendy had been in hiatus long enough, so last year, she leapt from the comics to the pen and ink drawings of my ill_advent theme.  Well, actually, it goes a bit deeper than that.  You can say it all started back in 2016...

I had never taken part in anything like Inktober or illo_advent before, so this year marked a first.  For those not in the know, both take place on social media platforms, usually Twitter and Instagram, and you just post a drawing a day throughout the duration.  Both have themes, but some, like me, just do our own deal.  Since I was new to the concept, for ill_advent, I just did a bunch of random Christmas scenes involving the CRAZYVERSE characters.  One such drawing had Wendy eyeing a gift she couldn't open yet (See above image).  Two years would pass and I just kept coming back to that image and it always felt like more could come from it.  Fast forward to 2018 and suddenly I have a revelation: EVERY page for the 25 days of illo_advent would be part of a story!  Far from groundbreaking as many people have done it already, but this was a breakthrough for me.  I'd longed to get back to drawing Peppertown, but time just wasn't on my side, and this seemed like a good way to at least get little Wendy back out in the open.

In the end, I had a blast drawing it!  The art and story got a great reaction from the Twitter CRAZIES and generated a lot of interest in seeing it as a book.  A few days after Christmas last year, I took a good long look at things and agreed I did have something there.  In addition to posting art, I'd also posted a rhyme with each piece of art that I'd tweeted out and found that to be enjoyable too.  So the decision was made: Wendy's Christmas tale was gonna be a book!  But first, some things needed to be fleshed out a bit...

Funny as it was, 25 pages wasn't going to be enough for this tale.  Granted, it didn't need to be much longer than it already was, but some gags did require some setup pages, particularly the beginning.  If you go back on Twitter, the story literally just starts right before the madness ensues!  So the work began and new art and rhymes were created!  The above art, for example, was not originally in the illo_advent feed.  With everything drawn and corrected, all that was left was to put it all together and publish it!  That's a story I'd rather not talk about though.  It was a learning experience to say the least, but I'm through it now!

All in all, I could not be happier with the book!  The colors are great, the action is fast paced and the rhymes are pretty darn good if I do say so myself!  The above and below pics were illo_advent originals that have now been colored and polished and look even better on the printed page!

For those who aren't on Twitter, the Cliff Notes version is Wendy's not patient enough to wait until Christmas morning to open her presents and gives in to peeking, only to learn that her gifts have been charmed by elves to prank her any time she tries to peek early.  After catching the elves, she tries to trick them by disguising herself as Santa Claus, leading to disastrous results from the clearly-not-buying it elves!  What follows is a cat-and-mouse chase that culminates in a harsh but earnestly learned lesson about patience and karma!  It's a fun tale for any age, even the grownups!  So be sure to pick up a copy!  It's now available on Amazon and even qualifies for FREE shipping with a certain purchase amount!  Not a bad deal eh?  So pick up you copy of Wendy's Christmas Chaos today!  It's the perfect counter to the sappy Hallmark holiday specials!

Before I end this week's post, a HUGE thanks goes out to Joshua Hauke and Warren Frantz for their help as I created this book.  Both gave me a ton of advice throughout the whole process, especially on the cover art and Warren, being a Kindergarten teacher, tested it out on several grade levels at his school.  It was a huge relief when he reported back that the kids loved it and wanted another story!  Tell the Kindersmurfs that I'm happy to oblige, Warren.  But they have to take a lesson from Wendy and be patient!  I'm blessed to have such great pals like Warren and Josh.

And that's all for now folks.  Posting a bit earlier than normal this week so that I can get the marketing machine up and running, hence the reason you're seeing this on Monday.  We'll be back next week on our normal Wednesday schedule with some more Holiday fun!  As always at this time of year, try to think of others.  There are many out there who won't have such a merry Christmas without a little help, so please donate to food, toy and clothing drives,  Even some spare change in a Salvation Army bucket can make a world of difference for some.  Share the love this holiday!  Anyway, take care and I'll catch y'all later!

HAPPY 2019 CRAZIES!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR CRAZIES!!!  Going with a short post today.  I'm sure we all got a lot of things to do before the big day hits.  To briefly summarize though, 2018 was definitely a marked improvement for me.  Got a lot accomplished but still feel like I could've gotten more done.  Among the big goals I have planned for the coming year is to get myself back into shape.  I'd like to take a few trips outside of the usual Anaheim and Long Beach stops as well.  I also hope to FINALLY get the second Bubble Fox book done while also possibly putting out an art book for cons and such.  And as the above art likely suggests, I'm also hoping to get Peppertown back up and running at some point in the New Year.  I have a lotta plans and a lotta energy.  Just need the time and resources really.

I'm excited for the coming year folks and I hope y'all are too.  There's a lot to look forward to and I hope y'all will hop along for the ride.  So for the last time in 2018, thank you all so much for the support and kindness.  Take care and I'll catch y'all in 2019!

MEET WENDY!!!

Five months ago, I introduced a shadowy figure with a pair a pointy pigtails on this blog with the promise of a more revealing look down the road.  Well, we've reached our latest rest stop, so here's that more revealing look...

This here is Wendy Oriole, one of the stars of my new series set to debut in 2015!  She's a very mischievous but sweet little girl with an adventurous spirit and endless hope for all that is good!  She lives with her cousin, Joe, whom we'll be meeting sometime further down the road.

Gotta be honest folks, I'm not sure what route I'm gonna take with this story.  My original plan was to do it as a graphic novel for the POD and con circuit.  But with my books just plain not selling, doing this new tale as a web comic is looking more and more likely.  Only time will tell I suppose, but rest assured, Wendy and friends will see the light of day!

Well folks, that's all for today.  I'll be back next time with a New Mike And Mindy that'll settle your "Hunger" for laughs! Time permitting, I might also have some Comic Con fun in store too (Yup, it's that time again)!  Until then, take care and I'll catch y'all next time!