Category: Other

I saw The Incredibles last Sunday.

Wow! I loved it! My wife on the other hand wasn’t so enthusiastic.

I felt like Pixar was trying to stretch here a bit – something a little more mature, while still full of stuff for the kids.

She felt misled by the trailers she’d seen that promised the Pixar-style family comedy we’ve grown accustomed to. She also thought the movie was intensely violent for something aimed so directly at children.

Newsweek’s Jeff Giles had similar misgivings about the gunplay specifically in his November review.

The more we discussed it the more I got to wondering: Are we more concerned about violence and/or gunplay in a cartoon than in a comparable live-action film?

Were you to cast this same script with actors instead of animation would we balk less? What if the characters involved weren’t children?

Is it because we’ve used to more of a warm fuzzy from Pixar that my wife and Giles don’t understand the need for more violent action?

What if we replaced the bullets with laser blasts? Would separating it more from reality help?

Whatcha think?

Fresh off our humble little cartoon blog’s mention in Editor & Publisher, this week we welcome Slowpoke‘s Jen Sorensen to Inside the Cartoonist’s Studio!

This blog will self-destruct in five seconds…

1) If you were to cast a movie entirely with cartoon characters, what movie would it be and who would star in it?

How about a remake of “Last Tango in Paris” starring Matt Groening’s Binky (from “Life in Hell”) as Marlon Brando, and Basil Wolverton’s Lena the Hyena as Maria Schneider?

2) You’re a syndicate editor launching a new comic strip. What’s the worst possible title you can think of?

One Big Happy Pickle

3) A light bulb over a cartoon’s head signifies an idea, while a string of random characters denotes swearing. Invent a new cartooning icon and what it means.

A bran muffin appearing over a character’s head indicates that the character is in need of dietary fiber.

What’s this bran muffin doin above my head?!

Anyway, thanks Jen for playing along! And please check out Slowpoke online and in papers near you, and be sure to pick up one, if not all, of her books!

Welcome to another installment of everyone’s favorite cartoon Q & funny A, Inside the Cartoonist’s Studio!

This week I’m pleased to welcome Bill Hinds of Cleats!

Make it so…

1) If you were to cast a movie entirely with cartoon characters, what movie would it be and who would star in it?

“Conan the Barbarian” with Tank McNamara in the title role–because he’s due a break, and he looks great with long hair.

2) You’re a syndicate editor launching a new comic strip. What’s the worst possible title you can think of?

I was talking to an Aussie cartoonist awhile back and asked him if he thought my strip “Cleats” would work Australia. He politely said it might, but the name would have to be changed because the word “cleats” wouldn’t register with Australians. I asked him what they called those things on the bottom of soccer shoes in his country. His reply? “Studs.” For a kid strip about sports, I believe “Studs” fits the bill as the worst possible title–in the U.S.A.

3) A light bulb over a cartoon’s head signifies an idea, while a string of random characters denotes swearing. Invent a new cartooning icon and what it means.

A “Corked” baseball bat, signifying the Viagra has taken effect.

Hee-hee… “Corked”!

Thanks Bill! And everyone be sure to check out Cleats!

Until next week…

Welcome to a brand new feature here at the ol’ Andertoons Blog entitled “Whatcha Think?!”

Every so often odd little questions about cartoons/cartooning pop into my head and I thought my blog would be the perfect way to exorcise some cartoon query demons and create a little discussion.

So, here we go!

OK, on Monday I blogged about a Get Fuzzy strip (click here to see it) in which Darby Conley makes a joke about the medium itself. Conley has continued the trend this week and I’ve really enjoyed them.

Here’s the thing though. I’ve found when I’m faced with a really bad cartoon idea dry spell I’m often drawn to writing about myself or cartooning in general.

Which got me thinking…

Are cartoons about cartooning/cartoonists fiendishly clever? Or, as I’ve experienced/heard offered up, simply a way to get past a particularly nasty case of writer’s block? Maybe a little from column A and a little from column B?

Whatcha think?

I’ve been working on a few different comic strip ideas lately (although sometimes I wonder why, but that’s another blog) and have been exploring what’s out there.

To be honest, between my stay-at-home dad duties and cartooning deadlines I rarely have time to sit down and read the funnies. But there are a few I keep bookmarked on the ol’ laptop, as well as some newer discoveries, and I thought it might be interesting to showcase my current faves.

Pearls Before Swine

Pastis’ simple graphic style and outrageously funny writing make this strip a daily must read.

Rhymes With Orange

Fresh and pulpy indeed! Hilary Price’s hysterically original panel/strip keeps me inspired to write better cartoons.

Sherman’s Lagoon

It seems like the Lagoon took a few years to climb out of the primordial comic ooze and get the attention it deserves, but I’m so glad it finally has.

Speed Bump

Dave Coverly’s cartoons are loverly. (I couldn’t resist!) Honestly, it’s the funniest panel out there. Period.

Liberty Meadows

Cho’s beautiful art and smart writing make me really really jealous. And you can’t beat Brandy! GRRR-OWL!

(Note – I used to love this strip in the paper, and it looks like it’s still appearing on Comics.com, but I think it was/is(?) also a comic book from Image. Anyone know the current status?)

Frazz

I don’t remember my school janitor being this funny. Don’t miss some great stuff, and it’s only getting better!

Spot the Frog

Mark Heath’s sweetly funny strip continues to dazzle me. Whimsical and clever, it stands out in a sea of stagnant strips.

And finally…

Get Fuzzy

I named my dog after Conley’s delightfully dumb Satchel and the strip continues to live up to its own incredibly high standards day after day. In a word – wow!

Well, that about does it. Give ’em a try if you haven’t already. I think you’ll really enjoy each and every one of them!