The Home of the Creative Mind

Welcome to PooBahSpiel, the online voice and home of the creative mind of Mark Monlux, Illustrator Extraordinaire. Prepare yourself for an endless regaling of art directly from the hand of this stellar artist. And brace yourself against his mighty wind of pontification. Updates are kinda weekly and show daily sketches, current projects, and other really nifty stuff.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The Return of Stickman #1347


Here is the news article which was the inspiration for this strip. Part of me wonders where this young gentleman will be a year from now - aside from jail.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Monday, November 21, 2011

The Comic Critic Reviews A Very Harold & Kumar 2D Christmas



My wonderful wife wanted to take me to the movies on my birthday. She’d take me to see anything I wanted, but I certainly didn’t mean to test her loyalty by taking me to see A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. Gullible, I truly held the hope that the magic of the first film would be recaptured; instead, I got something every bit as awful, if not worse, than the second film, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. (It was a crushing blow because it was such a disappointment.) That experience should have set my expectations lower. This one was filled with an homage to past Christmas films, crass toilet humor that left my shoulders aching from cringing, and a seemingly endless stable of obvious 3D effects constructed solely (and obviously) for the post-theater-release 3D TV market. This movie has me hoping that today’s 3D craze will follow the pitter-patter of past 3D fads and just fade way, taking this movie with it.

Here’s an odd side story: As we stepped out of our car in the theater’s parking lot, my foot came down on a baggie. I picked it up to find that it contained a bud of weed. I put it into my pocket because I was going in to watch a movie that heavily featured pot smoking and promptly forgot all about it. During the movie, a familiar aroma kept hitting me at odd times. It was confusing because, regardless of how interesting pot smoke may be, I knew 3D couldn’t broadcast a smell. Certainly the film wasn’t good enough to bring back old memories. Then I remembered the bag in my pocket and mentally let out a long, “Oh!” When we left the theater, I left the baggy behind—on the floor. I have not indulged in years; besides, there’s no way I’d ever smoke something that I found in a parking lot. Why did I leave it behind instead of tossing it away? I wanted the next person to sit there to undergo an unexpected odorama experience. Maybe it would make sitting through the movie a little bit more pleasant for them than it was for me.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Return of Stickman #1345 and the Portland Comic Book Show Report



I've drawn smoking before, usually for iconic or gag reasons. I plan on doing a few more strips about smokers and non-smokers without very much thought. Most of my stickman strips don't have a lot of thought behind them. They just pop out. I never was a smoker. Several of my friends and family members who were smokers managed to quit. Some are doing their best to stop right now. And I have some friends and family who continue to pound coffin nails. So before they and everybody else starts sending smoker hate or support letters I just want to say... (sound of footsteps running followed door slamming shut.)

The Portland Comic Book Show



My wife and I had a great time at the Portland Comic Book Show. My profits were double of what they were last year. I attribute this to the increased amount of merchandise I had available (Brains! t-shirt.) A few other members of The Cartoonists League of Absurd Washingtonians also attended. I want to thank everybody who stopped by to say, "Hi."

Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Return of Stickman #1344



I'm not the only person who thinks this is a conspiracy.

If you like near Portland, Oregon you might want to check out The Portland Comic Book Show this Sunday. I'll be there selling my various merchandise.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The Return of Stickman #1343



I've a client who wants me to do an animation. It's been a while, but I'm thinking it might be fun. Falling a little behind on my software tutorials. And I need to draw some coconuts today. It all beats being homeless.

Monday, November 7, 2011

The Comic Critic Reviews Breakfast on Pluto



Growing up in religiously and politically divided Ireland has enough troubles of its own and has been used as a setting for a number of movie. Now add into that movie the hero as a boy orphaned as a baby. That’s not enough? Go ahead and make the boy transgendered. You think that would be enough for the writers of Breakfast on Pluto, but no. I’m not against writers adding in lots of details, but don’t focus those details on character development when the character is formed twenty minutes into the film. I can see the effort placed into Breakfast on Pluto, but I found some of that effort to be misdirected. The soundtrack was likeable, but I didn’t attach the soundtrack to the film since I wasn’t emotionally attached to any of the scenes.

p.s. For Dr. Who fans: There are no 'real' Daleks in this movie - just fanboys. Didn't I say in the first panel that this was not Sci-Fi?

Friday, November 4, 2011

The Return of Stickman #1342



You might think that this is an urban legend, but no. It is a real story. And sadly it gets repeated every time there is an election.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Return of Stickman #1341



Today's strip is inspired by all the relatives I expected to visit this summer, and didn't. And to all those relatives I didn't expect a visit who did show up out of the blue. Oh, yes. You know who you are.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

The Return of Stickman #1340



My brother Randy asked that I do a few strips using characters that a few of the older fans know and love. This won't be a huge saga. I'm going to try a formula of weird news bits along with a story arch. I'll be searching for feedback along the way.

I spent a few hours yesterday being couched by Adam The Alien on monetorizing my YouTube channel. I'm considering do the same to this blog.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The Return of Stickman #1339



My wife was the inspiration behind this strip. I was driving down the highway and she was asking me, "Why? why? why?" And this strip popped into my head. She thought it was funny, which is a good sign that you might enjoy it too.