THE BIG, BILLOWING, BLOATED, BALLOONY BLOWFISH!!!

We are back!  It's the end of the month and I saved the biggest laughs for last!  I know y'all are feeling the buildup right now and the pressure's pretty strong, so I'll end the teasing and innuendos right now and give you all some relief!  And with that, enjoy...

Aw, the blowfish, or pufferfish to those that think they're cute.  Living balloons that are always there to cheer us up.  These breathing cartoon gags are the clowns of the oceans, though the real trick is on any predator that tries to eat one, because if their spines aren't a good enough deterrent, their highly toxic flesh definitely is!  Though fugu is a delicacy in many sushi restaurants, it takes a very skilled hand to prepare it.  I do loves me some sushi, especially a rainbow roll, but I don't want "Killed by a balloon" to be in my obituary someday, so I'll stick with the less harmful fish!  Pinch Punch Post put out this theme yet again, and I'll tell ya, there was some very well-rounded art on Twitter that day.  It wasn't a stretch to say we all expanded our horizons!

And that's a wrap for the month of May.  As of this writing, things haven't been all that merry, but every day is a new day.  I hope in some small way, these art posts have offered some relief and that June will give us all some good news to look forward to.  Until next time CRAZIES, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later.

CAREFUL!!! THEY SPIT!!!

Well, here we are, screen to screen.  What?  Did ya think I was gonna bust into the Silver Spoons theme?  I barely even remember what the plot was!  Wanna know what plot I do remember?  Jurassic Park!  Now THAT was a movie!  Hard to believe we are almost coming up on 30 years since it came out!  Seeing that on the big screen was pure movie magic.  My nine-year-old mind was totally blown and just wanted to keep watching it!  Damn near wore out my VHS copy even!  We all had our favorite dinosaurs in it, but which one was my favorite?  Scroll down dear reader and you shall see the answer!  Enjoy...

The Dilophosaurus.  Small, colorful and not particularly screen accurate!  They were bird-like and did have the ridges on their heads, but that's where the accuracies more or less end.  In reality, these dinosaurs were considerably bigger than the relatively small one that Wayne Knight encounters.  It's also highly doubtful they could spit slime.  Whether they had neck frills or not isn't really known.  Skin impressions for dinosaurs are fairly rare, so that one might be true.  Guess we'll never know.  Still, it looked great on screen and was a lot of fun to draw.  Much like the previous two entries, along with next week's, this came from the wonderful minds at Pinch Punch Post.  I think they just had a dinosaur theme, and I chose the Dilophosaurus to try and stand out.  It worked, as this one got a lotta looks on Twitter!

And that's all for this week!  Be sure to come back next time as we give May 2020 a sendoff so big, it's literally bursting!  The pressure may get to you even, so try and keep calm.  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE SWIFT SEA TURTLE!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  Think we could all use a bit of the beach right now.  The sand, the sun, the sea gulls swapping food and crapping on everything...  Okay, maybe not that last part, but sand, sun and surf always puts me in a good mood as do those wonderful shelled critters known as sea turtles!  These guys aren't as slow as you'd think!  Don't believe me?  Scroll down and see for yourself!  Enjoy...

See?  These reptiles are quite swift under the waves.  That blowfish certainly thinks so!  Turtles have always held a special place in my heart.  Kind and gentle, you'd have to be made of stone not to love these creatures.  When Pinch Punch Post made them their monthly subject some time ago, I jumped at the chance to draw one.  This particular sea turtle is a leatherback, though in hindsight, I don't think they have ridges along where the upper and lower shells meet.  Hey, an artist is allowed a little creative license, right?

That's all for today dear CRAZIES.  We got some prehistoric fun coming next week that'll hopefully spew forth in laughs, so be sure to come back and give it a look.  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE RAMBLIN' RHINO!!!

Hey CRAZIES!!!  We're back with a new month!  I'd like to say there's some good news to report, but, sadly, we're all under quarantine still.  Has some progress been made?  Some, yes, but not enough to salvage a few a few things.  Comic Con and the Del Mar/Sand Diego County Fair have been canceled, as has WonderCon, formally abandoning its postponement.  This news hurts a lot folks, but it is what it is.  Hopefully, happier days are on the way and we can all return to some form of normalcy.  I shall try my best to offer y'all some relief, or as much relief as my goofy art can muster.  Having said that, let's dive in, shall we?  Enjoy...

Here we have a Rhino!  Not just any rhino, but a southern white rhino, given its grayish color and more come-like horns.  Northern white rhinos have rather odd shaped horns that look more like rock shards while black rhinos more closely resemble their southern white cousins, only with darker skin.  All three share a bond though: They are all endangered, critically in some cases, and need our help!  With any luck, recent breeding success at the San Diego Zoo could hold the key for bringing these magnificent creatures back from the brink!  Sorry to get preachy there.  I just love rhinos and don't wanna see them vanish.  This piece was done for Pinch Punch Post quite some time ago as the signature suggests.  Where does time go exactly?

And that's all for today.  I guess I'll go ahead and get this bit of bad news out of the way now: No CRAZY COMIC CON COUNTDOWN this year.  I'm torn to put it off for a year, but it just hurts too much having lost it this year.  I went through a lot to get reverified for pro status, and now to have nothing, well, it just seems like posting pics would be like rubbing salt in the wound.  I'm trying to take the "out of sight, out of mind" approach, but so far it's not working very well.  In time, I think we'll all be able to move on.  Sorry again folks and I hope you will all come back and see what's swimming by next week.  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catchy y'all later!

WONDERCON 2019: IT WILL ONLY GET BETTER FROM HERE!!!

Well, we come to the end of April and the end of the WonderCon Countdown.  As of this writing, the show has yet to be rescheduled, but I'm confident it will be soon, if it hasn't already.  I write these in advance folks, and as we've already learned once, things can change at any time.  Come what may, let's end things on a high note and jump right into WonderCon 2019, sound good?  Enjoy...

Old Shred Head was there and ready to fight some turtles! 

PIGS... IN... SPAAAAAAAACE!!! 

I believe in Harvey Dent and believe that Billy Dee Williams would've been better than Tommy Lee Jones.  Then again, Billy Dee probably dodged a huge bullet not being in the Schumacher Batman flicks!  George Clooney doesn't even like talking about them!

I think these folks would be better off heading for a DVD box set instead of the graveyard of failed Cartoon Network shows that Boomerang has become. 

This Haunted Mansion-themed Bounty Hunter was awesome enough from the front... 

But her rocket pack took things to an even higher level!  The detail to Both Star Wars AND Haunted Mansion lore was incredible!  One of the best costumes I've ever seen!

This adorable tyke came as the classic Webbigail Vanderquack from 80's Ducktales!  I was hanging out at my pal Josh Hauke's table when she waddled by and everyone in the aisle just melted!  Just a real cute kid!

 Merlin and Mad Madam Mim were able to put their differences aside just long enough to score some swag in the exhibit hall!

And since we're on a Disney kick, here's Gizmo Duck! 

This Weird Science cosplay was funny, but would've worked better were it not for the Twitch shirt.  There was no Twitch in 1985!  Still, it takes courage to walk around with a bra on one's head.  Now if only someone would cosplay Chet post-crap pile transformation! 

Now THIS is a true media rarity: A Star Wars CED disk!  For those not in the know, which is many because this format straight tanked, the CED was an early attempt at a disc-based format.  RCA spent close to two decades working on it before finally releasing it.  It was vinyl-based, like a record, but had to be contained in a cartridge of sorts and was simply too big and clunky to really be viable.  By the time it came out, Betamax and VHS already dominated the home video market and even the laserdisc format had been released, though it too would fall victim to the same clunkiness that killed CED.  Still, it had some nice innovations about it and was popular enough to at least have George Lucas give it the time of day, so that's certainly something!  If my pal Matt had been there with me, the exhibitor's kids likely would have had their entire college tuition paid for that weekend!

He doesn't make monkeys, he just trains them! 

Chip and Dale as Chip 'N' Dales!  This was certainly a creative and hilarious cosplay!  The radio from The Brave Little Toaster was a nice touch and yes, it worked, and yes, it played Workin' For The Weekend! 

We end things for this countdown with some folks from over the rainbow!  Last year marked the 80th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz as well as the 100th anniversary of the passing of Oz's creator, L. Frank Baum.  It was nice to see so many cosplayers paying tribute to these wonderful stories and characters.  I'm hoping to someday see some Return to Oz cosplay at one of the shows I go to!

And that was WonderCon 2019.  Bit of a mixed bag last year.  It wasn't a bad show by any means, but sadly, the troubles of home kinda followed me to WonderCon and it just made it hard to enjoy myself.  The saddest part of it all was, there was no reason for it to happen.  I let stress get to me and ruined the week for myself.  Luckily, SDCC totally kicked ass the following July and helped make up for it!  Hopefully the next WonderCon will be one for the ages!

And that's a wrap on the month of April!  While we didn't get WonderCon after all, I hope the look back at past shows gave you all some relief from the real world.  I think things will get better and maybe next week, we'll have some good news to share, along with some new art.  We got hope and we got each other.  Stay strong CRAZIES.  Until next time, be safe, take care and I'll catch y'all later!

WONDERCON 2018: AN EXPENSIVE AFFAIR!!!

Another week, another post!  Through fate, WonderCon 2020 is neither a distant nor recent memory yet.  We still have a reason to countdown to it, so we are!  WonderCon 2018 is on today's docket, so let's cut to the chase, shall we?  Enjoy...

He's Mary Poppins y'all! 

Fruit Stripe Gum cosplay...  Where to even start?!? 

The Z Fighters were there in full force that year!  And yes, Krillin got owned, twice! 

I get the Feeling Mary Poppins was a Ravenclaw.  Bert for sure is a Hufflepuff, let's not kid ourselves! 

Being a "Popular" web cartoonist, I often do get recognized by folks who desperately need answers to important questions.  Here, I explain to Arthur Weasley what purpose a rubber duck serves.

Ruby Rhod was in the house and he had the party rolling! 

Lo Pan left the big trouble he created in Little China to bring the Thunder and the Lightning to WonderCon and then they made it Rain!

Rainbow Brite spread color all throughout the exhibit hall! 

Unlike McDonalds, this Rick variant was fully prepared for the demand for Szechuan Sauce! 

Clever Girl... 

Seriously Disney, put Captain Eo back at the parks!  It's pure 80's cheese! 

Warner Bros had a demo set up with an updated version of the game Rampage that also helped promote the upcoming film adaptation.  As far as popcorn flicks go, Rampage was actually pretty entertaining.  It was certainly nice to see a monster movie where the monsters were the focus.

If Hocus Pocus came out today, she'd be riding a Roomba! 

We end things today with a glimpse of the famed Anaheim Convention Center Fountain.  The site of many group cosplay pics, it's a great spot to camp around with a camera!

And that was WonderCon 2018!  I had a great time that weekend and easily spent more money than I ever have at any con!  I usually pride myself at still having $100-$200 left at the end of any vacation.  I clearly failed on this trip!  Still, I got nothing on my pal Matt.  I won't say the amount he spent, but let's just I was trying to talk him out of one of the things he bought!  Sometimes you just gotta splurge!

That's all she wrote for this week.  We'll be back next Wednesday to wrap up the countdown and the month April and who knows?  Maybe we'll even have some good news to report on when and if WonderCon 2020 will happen!  Until then, stay safe, take care and I'll catch y'all later!

WONDERCON 2017: A GLORIOUS RETURN!!!

Well, normally I'd be typing about how my past self is too tired to be posting about this past weekend's WonderCon 2020.  Unfortunately, current events ended that played-out joke.  But, as a veteran cartoonist and stagehand, I know very well that the show must go on and that we all need an escape from things.  And so it is that I will soldier on with the Wonder Con Countdown.  Obviously, things are gonna be a bit different this time around, but the world needs laughter, and I will do my best to deliver.

So the year is 2017.  The location is the Anaheim Convention Center.  The event is WonderCon and I'm making my triumphant return after a year off.  Let's dive in, shall we?  Enjoy...

Bill the Butcher cosplay!  Interesting character to dress up as. 

MORTAL KOMBAT!!!

DU-DU DU-DU

DU-DU DU-DU

DU DU DU

YEAH!!!  SO PUMPED!!!  LET'S HIT THE ROLLER RINK BRO!!! 

 Ruby + Sapphire = Garnet!

Even the show's recent ending, when cons pick back up this year, there'll probably be a LOT of Steven Universe cosplay, especial Spinel!

Griff and his pals are totally unaware that Deadpool is photobombing.  Frankly, neither was I until I queued this pic!  I get that Deadpool's a wiseass character, but the cosplayers are starting to take things a little too far with it.  Some go out of their way to ruin people's pictures, and that's just not cool.  Always be courteous to other attendees folks. 

Tink's been hitting the weights a little too hard! 

I'll always be of the opinion that the Joel era of MST3K was the greatest, but Pearl Forrester was a damn funny villain! 

A very rare sight during WonderCon: Open fountain space!  If I had to guess, this was early the first day before the exhibit hall opened. 

The amount of effort and detail that goes into some of these costumes is mind blowing.  I remember seeing these kids wheel them in, piece by piece, using luggage dollies from the nearby Hilton.  They had a tough time getting through security, not because of badge issues, but because the costume, once put together, couldn't fit through the RFID scanners!

Captain Mexico!  This dude's my hero for sure! 

Wouldn't be a comic con without Harley and Joker cosplay! 

One of my oldest and dearest pals, Riki Medina!  Last summer, I told the tale of a pal who put a bunch of hot shot gamer kids in their place on Mario Maker at the SDCC Nintendo Lounge.  The man above is said pal!  It's been a while since we tore through a comic con.  Hopefully, that streak will end this year.

Double the Foley, double the fun! 

Doodle Bob!  One of my all-time favorite Spongebob episodes!

OOOEE!!!  I couldn't think of a funnier way to end this week's post than with a look at Mr. Poopy Butthole, who we all know now is very much real!

And that was WonderCon 2017!  One of the best weekends of my life, I had nonstop fun the entire time!  It was also the first time I didn't table there.  It was a weird feeling at first not being behind the table, but it really was for the best.  Besides being expensive, tabling can be pretty darn stressful.  I have no regrets about it.  I love walking around and seeing everything.  Maybe someday I'll get a table again, but for now, I'm back in fan mode!

And that's all for now.  We'll be back next week with a look back at WonderCon 2018!  Until then, stay safe, take care and I'll catch y'all later!