“My expectations were high, since the last issue was a Midnight Fiction Favorite. Well, I’m happy to report that in many ways this one is even better.” -Richard Krauss
I go to Fluke every year, and this was one of them… The end. Just kidding. I shouldn’t rib you this much before your morning Zero Bar.
Is this communist Russia? Nope, it’s Fluke!
Oh man, I love Fluke. It’s really my favorite comic show of the year. Why you ask? That’s a pretty pushy question, but okay, it’s because it’s all about the comics, that’s right, comics. Y’see most cons have gone the way of courting Zombie no. 2 from Walking Dead and the old dude that played Mike TeeVee in the original Willy Wonka vehicle to darken their hotel lobbies, but Fluke maintained it’s mission after all these years. (10 at press time -ed.) There is no hierarchy at Fluke, the tables are first come, first serve basis. Whether you are a fresh-faced SCAD student with your first mini, or a grizzled pro, you get the same Fluke treatment. Which is, by all accounts, good. Kudos to my buddies Robert Newsome and Patrick Dean for going above and beyond the call of comic duty and organizing this truly unique funnybook expo.
Adam from the Dollar Bin interview Robert and Patrick in that order.
You can find me by searching for Moz’s angsty visage.
Not to sound like I am bragging, or anything, but I gotta admit, I did pretty well at this Fluke, sales-wise and all that. Like I said, though, i am not bragging. The money has already been blown on snack cakes and temporary tattoos.
Shannon Smith and Josh Latta: I can’t stop counting my money.
Henry Eudy and Josh Latta
People seemed pretty stoked about the latest, and greatest Rashy Rabbit adventure, ‘Droppin’ Anchor.’ I heard lots of nice things about the book and the art inside the book. Thanks everyone. I know funny animals are a tough sell, what, with there waning popularity over the last 5 decades, but you guys make all the blood sweat and ink worth it.
Rashy Rabbit 7
I gotta give credit where credit is due, Droppin’ Anchor’s cover was designed by my main man, J. Chris Campbell. I always trust his intuitions. Chris slam dunked it, he knocked it out of the park and other sport references I don’t quite get.
J.Chris Campbell
This jam piece by J.Chris, Shannon Smith, Andy Runton, Ashley Holt & Josh was in loving tribute to Brad McGinty. (RIP)
Mr. Big-Shot signing a comic book.
One thing I need to make abundantly clear, however, is that I don’t just go to Fluke to sell comics. I go to Fluke to trade comics too. Nothing warms my little black heart like reading comic books. I especially like mini comics simply because of their wide array of genre and subject matter. You never know what you’re going to get. I got a lot, believe you, me I got a lotta comics. In fact, I think I might even tell you about some of them. You may wanna freshen up your drink.
The booty from Fluke 2011
Welp, another Fluke has come and gone, and the stack of comics will stay with me forever. Seriously. I can’t get rid of comics. The only thing missing? YOU. That’s right, you. Make the trip already. Well, not now, Fluke is over, but next year, true believer.
Excelsior!
all pictures stolen from Heather, Adam and Delaine.
For more Fluke coverage listen to Dollar Bin’s fluke podcast with a hard-hitting interview with me .
Posted in comic convention, comics, comix, Rashy Rabbit
Tagged comic convention, comics, comix, Rashy Rabbit
Boy, naming a comic sure is hard. Why, it’s much harder than naming a part of your anatomy or a child. You really got to live with it forever.
Other titles I have kicked around: ‘Rashy Rabbit in Mutiny On The Booty‘ or just ‘Rashy Rabbit’s Droppin’ Anchor’.
What do you think, dear reader(s)?
“Latta’s background in animation really shows through in things like character design, great gestures/expressions, and a wonderful sense of timing–and it all works great on the printed page.” – Ben Towle, cartoonist.
Some things the Belgians will always be better at doing than us, like waffles and uh, more waffles. Oh, and cartooning. The best cartoonist in the world seem to all come from that tiny, little European country. Today’s case in point: André Franquin (January 3, 1924 – January 5, 1997) could be the finest draftsmen to ever dip his pen in the ‘bigfoot’ well.
Franquin cut his teeth on children’s comics,from a early age, first appearing in the pages of Spirou from the 40′s through the 60′s, drawing and scribing such hits as Spirou et Fantasio and Gaston Lagaffe.
After Franquin’s second nervous breakdown (cartoonist are the neurotic types), he started work on his finest and most personal strip yet, Idées Noires (aka “Dark Thoughts”). It’s a shame these strips haven’t been translated into English, or actually, the shame is that I don’t read a word of French.
Despite my lack of worldliness, I really connect with these strips, and if you read my blog, chances are, you will too.
Back in a magical time known as the 70′s comics sales were already on the down-slide thanks to plenty of free kids television. Publisher Gold Key was hit particularity hard time keeping with the times and were being muscled off the newsstands by DC and Marvel. To combat complete irrelevancy, Gold Key just printed tons of crap, tossed it in three pack and distributed them to be sold in department stores and called it a day. Here’s a few choice nuggets from a rather-forgettable era in comics history.
Zody The Mod Rob No. 1
We first meet our hapless hero, Randy, in the newsroom of the Tinker High Times as he is sent on assignment to write a feature on a professor who’s “booked for a school assembly next week.” As it turns out, the good professor is laying claim to proving astrological energy-waves (scientifically). As luck would have it, Randy is an Aquarius, which is just what the professor needed to try out his latest invention, a “horoscope hat.” Although it’s vague, what, in fact, the horoscope hat even does, Randy agrees to wear this contraption all day to see if ” he feels a little bit smarter.” Giving in to self consciousness, Randy stops at his local wig shop and get’s a long haired wig to feel less conspicuous. After a long day of interviewing science-types and wig shopping, Randy settles down and takes a nap in Poe Park. When he comes to, he realizes that he has the power of the zodiac. What is that, you ask? Why it’s the ability to gaze into the future and build robots. Randy does both with gusto, despite the fact, “He somehow can’t make the robot work”. Fear not, as the stars aka the zodiac brings this robot to life! Zody, the titular mod rob, makes jokes and cavorts around. Realizing the ramifications of a wise cracking robot, Randy disguises the robot with a poncho and a mop for hair, despite the fact Randy had a brand-new wig at his disposal.
Randy and Zody The Mod Rob (more like the Hippy Rob, though)
Of course hilarity insures as this trippy robot spews his hippy speak and his free love, that is to say, until he announces with no uncertainly that the school will blow up in 5 minutes because mice accidentally arranged a bomb from pilfered supplies from the chemistry lab. Does the school blow up? No. It doesn’t , thanks to Randy’s new chum, Zody The Mod Rob!
Harlem Globetrotters No. 2
The Harlem Globetrotters were on route to play against the Hillbilly Hillstars when, suddenly, they drive through a shoot-out between the feuding Flatfields and the, uh Coys. Ever the peacemakers, The Globetrotters intervened to find out what’s the dilly-yo. If you can believe it, the beef is over a wedding – or, more specifically, the lack there of. You see, Rock Flatfield (who looks suspiciously like a blonde Li’l Abner) refuses to marry the Coy’s kin, Cora, on the account that she is not “his type”.
When The Harlem Globetrotters full court press, they find that this marriage would end the feud, as it’s stated in the “hillbilly rules”. The Globetrotters arrange a picnic. As Granny stated to Cora, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” and let’s face it, Cora is no prized pig. Things were going well until the unscrupulous Flatfields cheat at all the scheduled picnic events so they can knock off the Coy’s and “take over the whole valley.” This comes surprising close to fruition, especially as they cheat at a basketball game against the globetrotters using unregulated props. If you ever seen the Globetrotters regular use of ladders and breast pumps, Flatfields must have been going way overboard to be considered “cheating”. As luck would have it, though, Cora falls in some “super beauty mud” and comes out with a svelte figure a higher hem line and a face to match. Now that Cora has the only kind of beauty that matters, outer beauty, sparks are flyin’ between her and Rock. Granny considered taking a dip in the magical mud, herself, until protests from the team made her decide to stay a spinster forever. The end.
Keep your mind on basketball.
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Posted in comics, reviews, Uncategorized
So, this is how the magic happens, how the fudge is made, how the, uh,um. I guess I am all out of analogies now. Here’s another super-secret sneak preview of the STILL untitled 7th issue of Rashy Rabbit. I am almost done with the thumbnailing process. I guess I have to start writing a script. I am thinking of just blowing these up, printing it as blue line art and inking directly on the bastards. That’d save me the process of tracing in pencil. I really need to speed this crap up. I got many Rashy tales to tell and not much time. Y’see, I am dying. Not really. Well, one day I will.
Posted in comics, comix, Rashy Rabbit, sketchbook
Tagged comics, comix, Rashy Rabbit, sketch book, sketchbook
Rashy Rabbit Droppin' Anchor.
7"x8" 32 pages B&W $4.00
A Rabbit In King Arthur's Food Court: A Rashy Rabbit Adventure
7"x8" 32 pages B&W $4.00
Redskin Rashy
7"x8" 32 pages B&W $4.00
