The Comic Critic Reviews Lucky Number Slevin

Yikes! It’s been a few weeks since I posted one of my cartoon movie reviews. Something that should be expected with all the traveling I’ve been doing… First it was a trip to Denver and then a trip to New Brunswick. The latter’s return trip was absolutely miserable. The flight was delayed by seven hours. I’m just glad that I can get one out this week before I head out on yet another trip.

The Return of Stickman #475

This The Return of Stickman strip was inspired by my mom, who had a big influence on me as I grew up. She didn’t like it when people swore, so now I hardly swear at all. And there are some swear words I can’t use without thinking that I’m a complete jackass. Thanks, Mom.

The Return of Stickman #474

This The Return of Stickman strip was inspired by one of the many bits of advice I give other creative professionals. I actually spend a lot of time answering questions about pricing, contracts and ethics. In fact, I’m thinking of starting a blog for my “Dear Mark” column that I’ve been writing for a few years now.

The Return of Stickman #471

I finally finished my The Return of Stickman rant on funerals and the like. One of the rules I’m learning about a daily cartoon is that you need to keep themes short, down to one week at least. Unless you’re drawing an action or a soap serial. I’ve been doing a lot of traveling this year, which inspired today’s strip.

Golf Themed Greeks and Other High Art

One of my projects last week was to create some Greek-themed images for my friend Denny Osthus. One of those images was a Caesar-type figure holding a golf club. There was less debate over whether or not the figure should be wearing sunglasses than you might think. I thought it was an excellent suggestion on Denny’s part. It’s nice to know that colleagues can work together to create memorable pop culture moments such as this.

The Return of Stickman #469

This The Return of Stickman was inspired by real life. While sorting through Grandma’s belongings, we discovered a pile of photographs. Thankfully, Grandma was pretty good about writing descriptions on the backs. But considering that she had never met my parents, finding a picture of their old Saab in their driveway was just a little bit on the bizarre side.

The Return of Stickman #467

Sure, I promised that I will put Stickman back in his cubical, but have I done it? Well, I have a few more funeral-related strips lined up. Then I have a few about, well, I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Yesterday I attended the SPGA/Seattle Chapter of the Graphic Artists Guild. It was a pretty busy luncheon. I was asked to write two articles and to write up an estimate. The speaker, Larry Coffman, is a pretty amazing guy as well. I took a lot of notes on his Success Secrets.