Tag Archives: comedy

12/11/2014 · 9:34 pm

McNugget Anatomy

It may seem obvious, but when over a million people see your creation, it is quite a rush. When you make something that goes viral, I explained to a friend recently, it’s like surfing the inside of a tornado. It’s euphoric, but it taxes your emotional equilibrium, and if you aren’t careful it becomes an addiction. How would you handle the attention of a million people?

Sometime in 1999 (I think) I conjured up this piece, basing the shapes on the most common McNuggets. Nothing I have done since has elicited the same level of emotion and hysteria from readers, which I take great pride in. And despite my commitment to accuracy (for example, the crunch of the ‘eye’), I still enjoy eating the godforsaken things on occasion.

Before you ask, yes, there were t-shirts and posters. Grimace ate them all.

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Filed under Bad Influences, Comix Classic & Current, Eatable Things, Nostalgic Obsessions

Tagged as #tbt, 1990s, anatomy, chicken, comedy, corporate crap, fast food, Last Laugh, McDonald's, McNuggets, Mike the Pod, old internet, Throwback Thursday

10/16/2014 · 3:09 pm

Softballz

SOFTBALLZ details the trials and tribulations of senior citizen Shelly Softballz, and his autumnal life as a hardworking newspaper cartoonist who’s never quite managed to hit the big leagues. It’s not for lack of trying, though; Shel’s work appears with some regularity in the Weekly Shopper, but only time will tell if he can conjure up that elusive million-dollar idea that’ll second-guess the syndicates. (Or at least a greeting card company.)

Originally posted on Mike the Pod, July, 2009

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Filed under Comix Classic & Current, Magazine Rack

Tagged as #tbt, behind the scenes, comedy, comic, depression, despair, Mike the Pod, senior citizens, softball humor, Softballz, strips, Throwback Thursday

08/12/2014 · 6:22 pm

Come In, Orson

Folks, this may surprise you, but I can feel your pain. I may play the angry cartoonist on TV, so to speak, but sometimes a hurt is so great that I feel it’s a better thing to reach out to you now.

First let me say that it’s wonderful that you’re taking the suicide of Robin Williams as an inspiration to learn more about depression, or as an opportunity to reach out to people. What could be more tragic than a man who almost literally spent every waking moment trying to make people laugh, taking his own life? The mind won’t accept it. It’s too harsh. It’s the story of Pagliacci, writ large before our eyes.

I’m telling you it’s going to be okay. It will. Continue reading →

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Filed under Faint Signals, Nostalgic Obsessions

Tagged as comedy, laughter, Mork from Ork, Robin Williams, suicide

07/29/2014 · 6:06 pm

The Folder

Behold- the folder I’ve been using since the late 1990s for Bands I Useta Like strips.

Note:

Early on (1999-2002), I would jot ideas onto the folder; see “I didn’t want to become the Tori Amos Guy” in pencil at bottom, “Guy Sieg Heiling” and “Guest Conductor” next to Scatterbrain, and “hippie ballsmokery” next to The Doors
The West Side Story/Freddy Kreuger(sic)/Dave Brubeck thing is too complicated for a single strip, or to delineate here; I’ll probably write about it eventually
It’s hard to make out, but next to Nelson (ha) are the notes “Village of the Damned”, and “Nelson Muntz Haw Haw”.
Ha ha ha, Better Than Ezra. Remember that cushy little 90’s bubble of Jerky Boys/Dirty Work/Collective Soul? That’s probably what I was going for. It’s a safe bet I was gonna make fun of the guy from Collective Soul again for not knowing what “sophomore” means, somehow.
I’m putting this picture up for posterity as there are over a hundred strips at this point and the damn folder will eventually fall apart or be sold for a ludicrous sum long after I croak.