Below are a few illos drawn up years ago for Australia’s RSPCA’s style guide.
I don’t think these, or any of the other RSPCA illos not seen here, ever saw the retail light of day … #storyofmylife .
Matrix's Cousin Itt | A Starlog Archive Cartoon
Circa 1999, from Starlog Magazine #268 (pg.10) is one of a number of Matrix gags I did at the time. Being decades old, how Cousin Itt* came to mind when doodling Matrix cartoon ideas is a head scratcher… I might’ve heard a discussion on radio about Itt, something along the lines of “… and all he is is a gigantic sentient fur ball…” So, being completely devoid of a central nervous system, Cousin Itt would naturally be immune to the machine world.
* As I learned afterwards, and recently relearned, in the gagline I’d spelt “Cousin It” with only one “T” - coinesseurs of Addams Family will point out the correct spelling is “Cousin Itt”.
"biddy-biddy-biddy" | A Starlog Archive Cartoon
From the (poorly scanned) pages of Starlog Magazine #268 (pg. 22 to be accurate) comes a “crossing the streams” gag - where one universe merges somewhat with another.
In this case, it's Vader sporting a new life support control box in the form of Dr. Theopolis from Buck Rogers In The 25th Century (Universal, 1979-1981). And thus, Vader's trademark breathing sound now sounds a lot like Twiki.
FYI: from 1998, my pen name for my gags was "B.B.B." (Big Bad Bubba) until 2006 when my BortQ. pseudonym took over.
Darth Maul And The Precog Tattoo | A Starlog Archive Cartoon
An old Starlog Magazine cartoon of mine - circe 1999 - a personal favorite.
When Phantom Menace hit the theatre over two decades ago (#yikes!), Darth Maul - despite not having enough screen presence than the character deserved (oh, but, by all means, let’s give more time and “dialogue” to that fuckstick JarJar! [#sarcasm]) - by gum, he was a wealth of gag material.
Forced Vacation @ Home
Back at work for only a week (#covid19)(#lockdown)(#socialdistancing), I had to take some annual leave in order to be paid 100% of my regular salary (it’s a complicated accounting thingy). And it’s compulsory to let the company know when you go on annual leave/vacation/et al, generally by email.
So I emailed this as I walked out last night.
The Big Toe™
Poor ol’ Licensing Lady broke a toe or two at home.
In recovery, she requested a illo of a big toe.
So, with notepad at hand, I gave her a big toe on a (thumb) pike.
Revenge Of The 5th
Sure, everybody loves to post “May The Fourth Be With You” via the tweety (on May The 4th) to acknowledge STAR WARS Day - if there’s such a thing - but what about the day after?
So Long “Working From Home”. We Hardly Knew Yee!
Got word from the boss: "Back to work on Monday!"
Huh... after only 30 days working from home, I sorta banked on this whole isolation thing to last a couple of months more...
Lando Is "Highlando"
When there are too many space-travellin’ scoundrels, self-preservation helps thin out the herd.
Yes, Lando’s talky-talk balloon is a glaringly obvious “Highlander” parody.
Kitty With Bag On Head
This painting was inspired by a YouTube video (via facebook) of a kitty with a chip bag stuck on its head.
“Kitty Rampant In A Field Of Flowers Chasing A Butterfly With A Baggy On Its Head” (c.2010)
The original painting’s aspect ratio was more-or-less square-ish. I extended the canvas’ width a few years later, adding more background: flower fields; clouds; sky.
The kitty portrayed in the painting, and butterfly chase, was inspired by the kitty I animated in the “award-winning” FlipBook movie short, “The Clyde”.
(BTW: that Clyde animation was made on a 2G iPhone - drawn frame-by-frame.)
Easter Bun Hoard 2020
#happyeasterween
Covid-19 has rudely disrupted just about everything for everybody. And Easter, for most people, has been totally ruined - it literally climbed up onto the festively decorated dinner table, pulled down its pants and peed all over the smoked pork butt ‘n’ taters!
Lucky for me, thanks to my way-under-the-radar micro hoarding* over the last two weeks, I found an upside.
(* micro hoarding: where one goes to one grocery store and buys only the essentials… then, on the way home, drops by a second store and buys the exact same items & quantity - with some wiggle room for product alternates.) (No, I’m not crazy.)
Makeshift Face Mask
What to do when there are ZERO protective face masks on shelves?
Why, you be creative!
The Downside From Working From Home? Working From Home
Introvert Heaven
No managers physically looking over my shoulder. No forced co-worker comradery.
God bless you, Emergency Work From Home Policy!
Comic Strip Escapism Is Not Immune
Not even Calvin & Hobbes can hide from Covid-19.
Fathom Boy® Don't Need No Stinkin' Mask
A global company email was sent out to all workers. Subject line read “We have face masks for all who want them!”
But Fathom Boy® refused and replied with the following statement:
Kwik Birthday Doodle - More Valuable Than Apple Stock
Blow out the candle and your 3-Ply wish might come true!
Choose Your Aisle
Hoarding toilet paper. That’s right. It’ll be the single thing historians will point to and say “yeah, they were really REALLY stupid back then”.
But the one thing - the one aisle - the panicking masses had overlooked was literally the sweeeetest of ‘em all: the GODDAMN CONFECTIONARY aisle!
Have Coronavirus Concerns?
Meesa Luvs Star Wars Shorts!
Now, before you condemn me, lemme explain…
Doodled up as a Facebook comment in a post by Starlog's editor, David McDonnell, where he briefly chronicles Lucasfilm/Cartoon Network's "Clone Wars" micro-series - or shorts - made around 2003-2005.
Hence… the shorts.
On its own and without context, this doodle makes no sense. I suppose it could make an okay t-shirt print... yet, set aside the anything-Star-Wars-is-great crazies out there, who'd wear it?