Hey, did I tell you we filmed the St. Patrick's Day parade this past Saturday? Yup, Tim and I trudged downtown in the freezing cold to get this year's parade on tape. It was the shortest parade we have seen in years. The cold weather obviously was a factor in its brevity, but we had a good time as always. Tim did a great job editing the footage together and the show will be airing soon (I know that may be a shock since we haven't aired anything on public access in months, but consider this year's parade as the beginning of our comeback!)!

I don't know if I have told you this or not, but happiness is a John Dalton comic book.

March 13, 2005
It's over. The show is over. Fools concluded at the Muncie Civic last night and I think it went out with a bang. It's always slightly  bittersweet when a show ends. When you work on a play, you're helping to create a whole new world from scratch with the text and the director as your guides. For a few weeks, you and your fellow actors live and work in that new world. You develop a relationship with it and with each other. If you do it correctly, this world comes alive on stage during your performances. Sadly, this world also fades away once the show's run ends.

I have only done two shows at the Civic and I have been blessed both times to have been part of a talented ensemble of actors. It has been a challenge and a joy to have worked with so many good people and I'm truly going to miss them. Hopefully, we'll all be able to work with each other again someday.

I loved playing Count Yousekevitch. It was such a fun role and the audiences really seemed to respond to him well. It's such a thrill to be able to make people laugh and Count Gregor gave me plenty of opportunities to do so. I think I learned something new playing him during each performance. Plus he wore a kick ass cape and I'm going to miss playing around with it.

So thanks to everyone at the Muncie Civic for allowing me to play in their cool sandbox and to all my family and friends who supported me along the way! I hope you all enjoyed the show! I know I did.

March 10, 2005
Well, the show goes on and you couldn't ask for better audiences. Large or small, our audiences have been reacting positively to the show and its band of Fools. We even got a positive review in The Star Press the other day! Tonight's performance was a little shaky for me (I blew two good lines and a major plot point all at the same time! Egads!), but I did a couple new things on stage as well which got a good reaction. You learn from your mistakes and then you move on to the next performance, making it the best you can do. At least, that's what I'm going to do for tomorrow night's show! I can't wait!

Speaking of good reviews, Nibble #1 and #2 were mentioned over at Homemade Komics! Thanks for the nice comments, Larned!

March 5, 2005
Well, after weeks of rehearsals, Fools opened tonight and the show went great. We really had a good audience for an opening night. They really reacted well to the play, laughing in the right spots and applauding after every scene. Hopefully, we'll have similar audiences for the rest of our run.

Speaking of runs, I practically obliterated a new pair of tights tonight. For the last two dress rehearsals, I've been wearing red tights that fit pretty well. However, it was decided I should be wearing black instead of red so I was given a pair of black tights and they really didn't fit that well. They basically ripped apart, but I kept them up with the help of safety pins. We'll see if I'll be able to do the same tonight!

March 1, 2005
Tonight's rehearsal went pretty well. Better than last night. I did have a slight scare in the second act when I thought I lost one of my contact lens. Fortunately, I didn't lose it on stage. It merely slipped to the corner of my eye. Am I lucky or what?

My character wears a cape in the show and I enjoy whirling it around. It's a fun prop to toy around with and it really adds to Count Yousekevitch's character.

February 28, 2005
THINGS I LEARNED FROM THIS YEAR'S OSCARS

*Never pick on Jude Law if Sean Penn is around.

*Albert Brooks can add something to a comedy bit. Martin Lawrence does not.

*The Academy hates Martin Scorsese.

*None of the Best Song nominees really deserved to win.

*Mickey Rooney is alive and well, sitting in row Q.

*Maybe Jeremy Irons could host one year.

*Clint Eastwood and Barbara Streisand really seem to like each other.

*It was Marva's birthday.

February 25, 2005
Well, I didn't get a phone call from Touchy Feely Fotos today so that means I have one more week to play around with before I get called back. Let's hope I end up using my remaining free time productively!

Well, look who's using an ad to promote his blog! It's Farmland's top screenwriter, John Oak Dalton! Sharp and intriguing, that's my friend John!

February 24, 2005
Okay, get ready for a status report. Here we go!

As I write this, I'm still on lay off. Something tells me I'll be called back this Friday or, if not then, next Friday. I can't say I'm looking forward to going back, but I haven't really actively pursued any new career opportunities during my time off so I only have myself to blame.

Though it's fair to say I've been wasting most of my free time sleeping too much and watching endless hours of Law and Order reruns on TNT, I have done a few productive things while being unemployed. For example, I've been having a good time rehearsing Neil Simon's Fools at the Muncie Civic Theater. I play the devious Count Yousekevitch, a villain dealing with a low self-esteem and several father issues. It's a fun part to play and I'm honored to be part of an extremely talented cast. It's hard to believe, but the show opens next Friday, March 4! Get your tickets NOW!!!

Grandma Bev and Honest Abe Lincoln

Amelia and Baby Savage

On the cartooning side of things, I did finish a couple of minicomics: Nibble #1 and Nibble #2! Nibble is what I hope will be an ongoing anthology comic that features some of my many assorted characters. Grandma Bev Fundle stars in #1 and Baby Savage is featured in #2. If you're interested in grabbing an issue or two, more information is just a hyperlink away!

And here's some super-cool news: I'll be attending SPACE 2005 in beautiful Columbus, Ohio in just a few weeks! I'll be there to peddle some of my comic books and hopefully meet some great cartoonists! Though I'll probably be knee shaking nervous once the big day arrives, I'm really looking forward to going! Hope to see you there, too!

February 11, 2005
I should be writing some stuff in this space, but I'm on the verge of going to sleep. I'll make another attempt tomorrow.

January 28, 2005
Well, I'm back! Computer troubles prevented me from updating the last few weeks so I'm woefully behind. As always, my apologies to anyone who was kind enough to drop by during my unintended hiatus! More stuff soon!

December 31, 2004
Happy New Year, folks!

December 9, 2004
As I type this, I realize my fingers still smell of onion. I chopped some up for some soup I was making last night and their aroma still lingers. Excuse me for a second so I can wash my hands.

(Tom arises from his keyboard and he then staggers out of his bedroom. Seconds later he is in the bathroom. He pumps some liquid soap into his hands and then begins to wash them. Just as the soap reaches a latter, Tom rinses his hands with some cold water and then dries them off with an orange hand towel. Satisfied, the fat cartoonist leaves the bathroom and heads upstairs where his keyboard awaits him.) 

Sorry about that! Now where was I? Oh, I was going to mention the general blahness I have found myself in the last couple of days. It happens occasionally when I'm on lay off.
Hopefully, once I get busy doing some stuff, I'll leave my days of stupor behind.

I went to the Touchy Feely Fotos Christmas party yesterday. It wasn't too bad. The food was pretty good and they actually hired some entertainment this year. It was some sort of barbershop quartet from Lafayette (I forget their name) that sang corny, old songs and told corny, old jokes. Their act was the type you find working bus cruises and nursing homes. They were enjoyable in a corny, old way. I wonder if they need a roadie?

I'm almost done with my latest minicomic. I'll talk more about it once I get it printed up. Don't let the suspense kill you

 November 25, 2004

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 19, 2004
This past Wednesday I got laid off from Touchy Feely Fotos so I'm now gainfully unemployed. Potential employers, if you are looking for a fat cartoonist to add to your payroll, please contact me at thosefunkyidiots@yahoo.com!

A Justice League Experience

While digging through some back issue boxes at Bob's Comic Castle, I came across this issue of Justice League of America.
After glancing at the cover, I thought I stumbled upon the classic-but-little-known story where the JLA fought Jimi Hendrix, but sadly that wasn't the case. However, this issue did feature some fine Dick Dillin/Joe Giella artwork and wonderfully dated dialogue (circa 1971). At one point in the story, the Hendrix clone is described as having a "trigger-trained brain". Groovy alliteration, baby! Can you dig it?