A Night in the Life...

This really happened to us, one night Ms. Cornpoppy and I were downtown having dinner and drinks at the Dizzy Cactus (now closed and something else), dining al fresco on the patio when this kid walks by on the street, stops and quickly asks us some questions:

It took place before we're married. I managed to sketch it up after that night, but only inked it recently as I've been going thru my stuff selecting pieces for Limp Lungs 3. It's rough but it gets the point across.

One Trick is Never Enough

click and zoom in to read and see detail

Let's face it, ever since 45 took office our political and social landscape has become more a shit show than we ever anticipated. We knew shit would get bad, but this is ridiculous now. I log in to facebook to check notifications and what not and I get inundated with video after video of "threatened" citizens stepping out of bounds and harassing other citizens, wrongfully calling the cops on them and what not. And I'm tired of this. I'm tired of feeling powerless, like there's nothing I can do other than joining out in the streets protesting hoping somebody gets the message. And then I realized (cuz I totally forgot) that I draw comic strips, and if there's anything I can do it's sharing ideas through cartoons. Okay, it sounds stupid when I say it like that, but in actuality it's quite brilliant. And historically speaking comic strips and cartoons have always been the one the best ways to spread ideas and rally people behind causes. So, yeah I just realized all of this. And now here is my first comic strip with all that said and in mind.
45's ramping up and expansion of ICE has my community in a panic. Not only are the undocumented extra cautious now but even naturalized citizens who have paid their dues and went through all the legal channels are on the radar. The splitting up of children from parents entering this country just to stay alive is shamefully and embarrassingly reprehensible. People on my side shout to "Abolish ICE" and "Shut down ICE" but what can be done to do so? Well, I just so have an idea of how to shut down ICE - cut the agents payroll. That's it. It's a simple, nonviolent way to stop ICE, even if it's temporary. Think about it, are these agents really that dedicated to their job that they'll carry out orders without pay? Would you do your job (competently) without pay? And keep in mind, besides what they do for a living these are working stiffs just like you and me; they have mortgages, car notes, debts, medical bills. They have to live too. Send a virus (don't just wipe it out, it can be replaced easily) to shake up the system, cut pay to field agents but let the higher ups keep their pay. That just may breed a shade of distrust between employees and supervisors. We got any hackers up this task? What about Anonymous? Where are they when you need them?
But then again what do I know? I'm just a cartoonist and what I wrote here is purely a hypothetical situation. These are just cartoons, not to be taken seriously. *wink wink

Side note: wouldn't this comic be great blown up and wheat-pasted on a wall somewhere? Holla.

Location x 3

Here's an unpublished Window Unit from seven years ago. It speaks of Arizona when shit was heating up about Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his stance on illegal immigrants. So weird, I thought I threw this up. But it seems only fitting to post this now since Arpaio was in the news once more receiving a Presidential pardon. Bigots enabling bigots.

This is something I actual considered, as a kid, when I really saw this graffiti in my neighborhood.

As I write this I just realized that this comic is similar to other "contraversial comics" I've seen floating around the interweb as of late, comics that lampoon racists in other places. Here's what I'm talking about, and these two comics also deal the Harvey flooding that's been happening here in Houston. I'll have a post on that next.

oOoOoOh Edgy! of course this is translated from French, below.

how the letters originally looked, cuz I love how letters look.

a pulled cartoon, gotta love it!

I love comics and cartoons that walk the edge or are just downright distasteful. Seems these cartoons have been drawing all kinds of criticisms, if not for the depictions of stereotypical racists in other parts of the world, then for the insensitivity to people who lost a lot in the recent flood. Agree with them? Well, not exactly. I do understand they are making broad generalizations of the people that live here, stereotypes, if you will. And while Texas is not certified Nazi-free I'd like to think it's a very small percentage of people here, especially in the Houston metropolitan area where the flooding has hit the hardest. A lotta people don't understand that Houston is a very diverse city, even more so than New York, and for the 2016 elections Harris County went Blue in a deep sea of Red. So, yes, broad generalizations all around. Although, this latter 'toon with the silly secessionist redneck, that seems like it can and, who knows, maybe it actually happened. What makes the news about Texas, our conservative leaders and policies, don't necessarily reflect most of the people that live here in Houston, but it's what other cartoonists go by. It's like what I did with my cartoon above. 

But I dig'em even if they are going for shock value. And people's reactions to them, priceless.  That's what it's all for, the reactions. Roust some people out of their bubble a little bit. Perhaps remind them to find the humor in the direst of situations, if possible.

So, let's continue to make art even if it may come out shocking, insensitive or offensive. Who are we protecting if we don't?

Moogle That Ass

A lil' comic I thought up about having a dancing moogle in my Final Fantasy party. In battle he would really look like this right? And it's gotta be kinda weird/super cute seeing it for the first time. 

Catch me this weekend at Comicpalooza, table 2237 in artist alley. I'll have a couple of new books, new stickers, new screen-print posters and ton of original illustrations and drawing. You know I represent for my hometown show! See ya there.

Fat Stuff

 

Inktober comic. It's an old idea, found it sketched on an index card in stack of old illustrations.

Relevant Fox

Started something new with this one; drawing lil' one-shot comics based on funny tweets. Sorta bring them to life.They're like 'Window Units' except based on a real-life tweet. This is going in Screw Comics #3, by the way.

Freedumb

 

I love my country, I just think we have a bunch of stupid rules that, ironically, impede on our freedoms. Take a look around, they're everywhere. You don't really notice them until you want to do something and there's another thing blatantly telling you YOU CAN'T DO THAT. 

Among the freedoms we do take for granted is the freedom to get upset over shit and cause a ruckus. Half the rules we have in place is because somebody got hurt, offended, or just plain scared and they raised a fuss and perhaps a lawsuit came into play, and now we have rules to prevent such measures from happening again. Some people think that strong rules and scary laws will take the place of common sense, that once enacted people just won't do it (pro-lifers and pro-drug law peeps, I'm looking at you). Not so. One thing I've learned is that people do what they want to do regardless. It's just if you have rules enacted against what they want to do somehow the safety of what they want to do decreases. Think about that.

So, instead of shelling out $15 for a corporate 'Freedom Fest' maybe we all should buy some fireworks and celebrate our country's freedom by blowing up a small part of it.

Crakt Team

Here's a lil' jewel of a gem, and older Window Units comic for Christmas time.

Why's it Gotta Be Black?

Happy Black Friday everyone! Today is that infamous unofficial American holiday (and I can't stress American enough) where we rush to wait in line at stores, battle through hordes of idle people, and shell out our hard-earned cash for goods and technology that'll be obsolete by 2013, all in the name of a good deal! To those participating in today's events be careful out there. In the meantime here's a short comic from the archive.

 

And if you're one of the few at home, here's what yer missing out on:

 

Facially

Got this idea going to a public bathroom the other day. Not quite a Window Unit comic but I have no other title to call it, it's just random like that. And yeah, there really is a dick there to bleep out.

Milk Me

The return of my favorite lil' one-window strip, Window Units. I can't believe I haven't posted all my past comics. I guess I have work to do since I got a grip of these lil' comics. The point is they're self-contained little pieces of fun. enjoy.

true story.