Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Fun_SpuringuFuringuru08

These are sketches drawn amidst the jumping, bumping, chaotic crowd before the stage at this year's Spring Fling! Me and my sketchpad got crunched, shoved, and crinkled but it was all part of the experiment/experience and I had a blast trying to sketch within the madness. The guerrilla sketchwork has been maintained as much as possible and only traced over for better visibility.

The bulk of the page, featuring: Benji grooving, the Roots guitarist rocking, "Berto" gazing, Kelsey dancing, and the Battle of the Bands winner-lady strumming (Skulls from GBAB).


Jimmy Eat World won Spring Fling! These sketches were particularly hard because that's when the moshing and the darkness started.


Jimmy's spectacular smoke/light show plus his fellow vocalist/guitarist. Some (drugged?) guy kept collapsing, but I tried to get him to lean on me while I leaned on him so he wouldn't fall and I could have a steady support while drawing.

Whoever hired Sean Kingston should be fired. Whoever hired the Roots should be lauded.

It's proof that rap can win over a rock fan, as long as it's rap worth listening to! Kingston could have been lip-syncing or just playing his CD for us and it would be a similarly dull, boring experience.

But the Roots put on a show, though. Really great! I feel much better for having experienced that act.

This guitarist from the Roots was incredible. The band itself was completely entertaining. But let's not risk any more rap; hopefully next year is rock heavy.

A (drunk?) girl asked me to sketch her and boyfriend, but he subtly declined. I think he was embarrassed, so I just drew a happy face.

Reuxben

Monday, April 28, 2008

Fun_Salute2TehBenji

Some people are bad.

Some people are good.

Some people are something else.

Here's to you--

Wait a minute...

*adjust*

*adjust*

. . .

*adjust*

That's better!

Ahem...! Here's to you, Benji.

You:
-Power the funniest group at Yale yet don't charge!
-Create imaginative stories every show
-Make Yale improv worth watching
-Could be the next Phil LaMarr '89
-Move like a cartoon
-Are Yalie of the Year

Thanks,

Reuxben

Friday, April 25, 2008

Herald_Scrunch.df

Last find: Kelly tries to talk to Joe but discovers he’s taken.
Now Find 12!


Well, it's the last Herald of the semester. But is it the end of the series? . . . Yes.

I have some great ideas for the next semester that I want to explore. Besides, it'd be a hassle losing an entire week to recapping.

So the next story prospects are:
1) BLR, likely my independent summer comic
2) An action-adventure featuring joyriding con artists
3) A Sci-Fi thriller about humans and their human-like robots
4) An urban Gothic tale about modern vampires
5) An adventure of classic characters with a twist

Easter Eggs: [Edgar Allen] Poe, infinite sophomore slump?, plant monster, Find 12 in frames, burrito.

Fun Facts: This was supposed to be a cliffhanger ending for next semester to pick up, but I came up with this more final ending that is still vague enough for imaginary futures. After inking, it accidentally ended with someone winking, an even better ending.

Thanks To: Eiichiro Oda, Toshihiro Ono, Rufftoon, Laura, Leena, HSAR462: Shops and Shopping, You've Got Mail, isolation, rock.

And thanks to you for checking out the comic, it's meant a lot to me. This year has been quite miserable so it was nice to have an escape device.

And of course, thanks for visiting,

Reuxben

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Fun_GildaFinal_Dvp

These are development sketches for Gilda.

So I picked up an issue of the Rumpus Monday night and flipped to its only section worth reading: Remedial Media. I was flattered to see our humble comics section mentioned, leading off with praise for jack kelly's comic, "ydn". But the segment attempted to mock Herald Comics as being just as ugly and unfunny as YDN comics. I intend on sending the editor a letter, and this is me collecting my thoughts.

The Rumpus can criticize the Record for being unfunny because the Rumpus is funny/er and the Record is basically not funny; no one's going to dispute that. The Rumpus can criticize the YDN and the Herald's writing because it is objectively bad at times--misinformation, misquotes and other measurable flaws running counter to the publications' very purpose for existing. No one can deny these shortcomings and thus the Rumpus is indisputably justified in calling them out.

However in this issue, although they concede jack's "unfunny" comic is actually, in fact funny (take that, Herald EIC!), they chastise me, Herald Comics Editor, for not putting the same disclaimer on all Herald Comics. That means the anonymous Wizard(s) of Odd behind Remedial Media find Herald Comics neither beautiful nor funny. This is where the Rumpus loses its footing: they can't just say that and expect anyone with eyes and the ability to read to simply accept that judgment because--guess what?--Herald Comics are beautiful and funny reliably. This is not just my opinion; unrelated Yalies also believe this. IvyGate brought out passionate Yalies to despise YDN comics and their unfunny ugliness while some valiantly, independently lauded the Herald's superior comics in the bottom comments section of this IvyGate article, which has nothing to do with the Herald at all.

In addition, I get positive feedback in person from people I don't even know just while walking around. They approach me just to let me know they enjoy my stuff. Other Herald artists have similar experiences. Clearly Herald Comics can't be blanketly dismissed by some Remedial writer pathetically trying to make fun of something clearly not nigh unanimously disliked like Record/YDN/Herald writing.

The segment came across as desperate because it tried (and failed) to mock Herald Comics. It would be like me trying to tell Michael Jordan he can't play basketball for beans. Who am I to speak? I can't even play--and even after Michael invited me to play, I refused (still waiting for Rumpus comics). But I have the gall to criticize and even attempt to mock Jordan by lumping him in the same class as some C-string Ivy League basketballer? It's quite sad that the Rumpus would fail so outrageously at what they normally excell at--they even included a four-letter word, which is guaranteed comedy gold, you know. If you're doing insult comedy, you ought to do it well or you defeat the purpose.


So I renew my challenge to the Rumpus: if you think you know comics, I dare you to demonstrate what a good comic would look like under Herald conditions--meaning no blue Rumpus humor, and if you want to be truly authentic, you'd have at most 12 hours to create it in. So be funny, be beautiful, and be tactful, or kindly be quiet.

And to close, me and the rest of the Herald Comics staff have certainly earned the right to mock YDN comics because every single week we prove that we know what we're doing, while every single day the YDN proves it does not. Rumpus, you have no credibility in our world, so put up or shut up (please).

Best wishes otherwise,

Reuxben

Monday, April 21, 2008

Fun_RockKorea

Special hello to Yale 2012: congratulations!If you're reading this, please know that at Yale, you're set for an incredible freshman year; it will be the best single year of your life. And then other stuff happens after that, which I won't go into right now.

Anyway, Yale has great stuff for you, including Yalie rock shows--that's right, it isn't all a wasteland of "hip" "hop." They even had a benefit concert for Korean aid recently. These are some drawings from waiting for the show to start.

This is a great guitarist from New Jersey band ASBPN or "After School Band Practice" for short. The guitarists redeemed the unimpressive vocals.

A lady in the crowd.

A Loide in the crowd.

Here's the other guitarist from ASBPN.

I'm happy to report that I most enjoyed a band called the Sandy Gill Affair, even more than the typically dominating Mad Mad Prophets. These are both Yale bands and while the latter is a bit more polished, it still feels too similar, and thus inherently inferior to, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. SGA is significantly improving and captures that spirit of escape I love in music.

So you can catch the Sandy Gill Affair tonight at the 10pm Battle of the Bands in the Saybrook Dining Hall.

Take care, 2012, and please come to Yale, especially if you draw comics, in which case, check out the Herald,

Reuxben

Friday, April 18, 2008

Herald_glumglum.df

Last find: Kelly successfully delivered the Guffinium but only earned enough for a milkshake after Gilda's trumped up fees and fines.
Now find 11!


I apologize. In an ironic twist, my endeavor to bring more professional comics to Yale fell victim to my actually bringing professional comics to Yale. I'm the hired cartoonist for the Rudd Center and I lost about three hours of Heralding time to researching my next Rudd cartoon. This explains the crude inking, blank backgrounds, and oversights in what is inked. This one could have been great but I ran out of time. I'll revisit this comic as soon as possible to at least salvage it online.

Easter Eggs: One Piece, BLR, Find 11 in the bushes.

Fun Facts: This had to be the comic that comes out for Bulldog Days...*facepalm* Maybe they won't realize it's incomplete, maybe it's some kind of sophisticated stylistic choice. At least the general joke comes around.

So next week is the semester finale. Will it be the series finale? I don't know. I've got the second and final "spree," or season, generally planned out, but I don't know if I want to stick with Darling Find, debut BLR, try something completely new, or what.

I wish I knew what to do. This summer might help me figure it out. Also:
Doo yoo right wel?
If so, I'm looking for someone to write, co-write, or adapt an original short story into a comic book over the summer. Trust me, it'll look better than this week's comic. I want to create a "graphic novel" with quality as high as possible for undergrads, but I need a killer story first. If you or anyone you know wants to team up, please email my Yale address.

Thanks for tuning in online and in print,

Reuxben

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Fun_BLR_Preview3

Another preview of BLR development sketches; this guy's named Elueso. Which reminds me--

DO
YOU
WRITE
GOOD?


If you do, I'm looking for a writer to work with on a high quality comic book over the summer. I know my written storytelling limits, so if you (or someone you know) would like to write a short story or adapt an old one you've written for us to turn into a comic, please contact my Yale email address!


I do decent work on the Herald weekly, but imagine what I could do with summer's more vast free time? So if you (or someone you know) write well, please email me for more details, as I am extremely eager to push myself artistically this summer by producing a full blown , as-professional-as-possible comic book. Thanks!
Wrapping up some of my big news, I'm going to JAPAN this summer to study Japanese cinema and culture. I can tell this will be a life altering event and I can't wait to get inspired.

The downside of course is that I'll miss Comic-Con, I won't be able to intern somewhere cool (assuming someone would take me), and I can't tutor full time.

But it's Japan!

Hoping against traveler's diarrhea,

Reuxben

Monday, April 14, 2008

Fun_ToWhatEnd!_MO

The MO of this is unrelated to the story, but just breaks up the text.

So here's some of the big news for me.

IvyGate mentions me (sort of).
I knew the April Fools special was well received, but visitors from 7/8 Ivies? (Sadly, no Columbia) . Well, IvyGate started a comics review segment and after the article and comments finished bashing the uninspired featured comics, some people were kind enough to declare the Herald as Yale's true comics at the bottom of the comments section. Beyond that, someone cited me specifically for great work.

I was writing a paper at around 2am in an open common room and I chanced across the article. I broke out screaming and clapping and laughing like an idiot. I kept shaking my head and reassuring myself I didn't misread. It was like reading my first acceptance letter--I felt validated after all the toil and frankly miserable build-up.

This has been the most difficult year of my life and my comics reflect that. I was actually considering quitting the series after being so unhappy with the then current week's comic. But I was re-energized by those supporters and I hope that fervor came across this week.

Anyway, I feel incredibly honored someone would go to bat for me; nobody does that. Thanks again certainly to that guy, but also to all the H>YDNers. This is why I do what I do. I am here to make Yale comics worth reading, redeeming us from what the YDN currently misrepresents. I want Yale comics on the map. I want to embarrass every other publication for not trying.

I can't think of any other way to put it. The Herald is proof undergraduate comics can rock, and it's time people knew this. I'm trying to get the Herald to publish our comics online, and I think they may. If IvyGate catches us, Yale will be the comics capital of the Ivy League. Easy.

In a related story, I was writing another paper in the senior study room. In what must have been hour 15, someone passed by, returned, and poked in through the door to tell me he likes my "cartoons." We'd never seen each other before, so it was incredibly flattering that he would come up to me like that.

In addition, The Purple Crayon used my art in their ad campaign, which was also an incredible honor because those guys, Benji especially, are insanely talented (WildNOut!). I cannot understand how they don't charge, yet the Viola Question and Ex!t Players do. I could see Ex!t maybe charging, but the VQ? The Crayon owns Yale improv, and I am glad to help them out.

I've been posting art for a year now and I think I'm finally finding a place. I am happy when my art makes others happy. So I am happy right now.

Reuxben

Friday, April 11, 2008

Herald_Snkkt.df

Last find: Kelly finally navigated her way to Dupin's to deliver the Guffinium to its rich, powerful shopkeep.
Now find 10!


Ten and still introducing characters. I'm so inexperienced.

Details on some personal, GREAT NEWS! during next week's posts (cuz who else am I going to tell?).

News:
1. Ivygate (kinda) mentions me and the team via article comments!
2. I'm finally going to JAPAN!
3. The Purple Crayon uses my Benji sketch in their latest show ad!

Easter Eggs: Tri-force, Maltese Falcon, GS Ball, Mexico, Deadboy.

Fun Facts: This comic cured my desire to quit the series after last week's funk. For fun, I tweaked Kelly's design a bit; more on redesigns later.

note to self: Back on Fridays, jack kelly offers "ydn" and "anorexia." Yeah.

This one was dedicated to the H>YDNers who supported/validated us all at IvyGate. I back this one for the most part--my goal is to make the Herald Yale's bastion for quality comics and the envy of the Ivy League, even the nation. It is also a challenge to the YDN to, in jack's words, "freaking step it up." Oddly enough, today the YDN wrote on Garry Trudeau's ugly yet funny undergrad comics!

This one was not published and I didn't fight for it, either. I know it's controversial, but the Herald has permitted commentary on other disfunctions (depression, violation, racism) why not anorexia? I understand they want to be especially sensitive because the relevant story is being published this week, and I myself am a little disturbed by the comic's darkness, but this satire is worth making because the issue is that important and fixable.

"You can take [readers] to dark places so long as you make it bearable."
--Garry Trudeau

Thanks again for the support,

Reuxben

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Record_Narcissus

At long last, it's this year's final contribution to the Yale Record, for the Love Issue. I eagerly await the new administration to kick in next semester.

This piece will accompany an article I pitched about Narcissus experiencing a lovers' spat with himself. Further delightful is that one of the few funnymen on staff wrote it. The original draft was really funny, but the editing process watered the gem down to grainy sand. In any case, the article's relatively worth your time.

As for the art, drawing reflections is a nightmare for me because I'm not good at replicating specifics, and here I have to do it thrice. I just rely on the hair and eyebrows to indicate this is the same person.

Easter Eggs: The Old Owl, the Record's lonely, rejected mascot soars majestically in the sky's reflection. Ambrosia-coke for the win.

Fun Facts: This composition mimics a real painting of Narcissus I googled.

And of course, the usual warning about wasting your life reading the Record is in effect! So check out the art then hit those recycle bins hard.

Reuxben

Monday, April 7, 2008

Herald_nigelpiggy.jk

Excellent news: that eyesore jack kelly will never darken Mondays again--jack kelly mondays are canceled!

Although I don't want him polluting my comic's posts, I must respect our mutual hatred of blurred Herald printing. So to make it easier for Friday audiences to understand his trash as soon as possible and be done with it, he'll be rejoining me on Fridays.

So enjoy "nigel," his hypocritical, anti-British racism incarnate.

He also surprised us with an extra dose called "piggy," a dated reference to a song nobody remembers. Great.


To take the high road, I'm also including his contributions to the Herald Comics' April Fools Stunt, where he leeched off of the incredible Jinjin for humor.


Above is "hunter" and below is "headshot." Riotous.

To normalcy,

Reuxben

[Update! Yesterday was my one year anniversary! A whole year posting art, and I think I'm finally getting somewhere. More on this later. Thanks for the support. --Reuxben]

Friday, April 4, 2008

Herald_Bling.df

Last find: After the Ruemore escaped Kelly's headlock, the Ruemore got a strange call and an even stranger delivery.
Now find 9!


This comic's goal is showing that map and explaining the Elite system pithily. And cleverly pulling last week's comic into the actual story.

Easter Eggs: Find 9 on the California-y map, post-rejection Brock helping out, last week's onomatopoeia, and a plant creature in the final panel.

Fun Facts: The VP combines the two Herald Editors-in-Chief I've worked for because they share the same first name. This is my most edited comic, but I'm still not entirely happy with it.

So much for getting ahead of schedule...

Reuxben

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Penny_DoomsdayVaultII

Here is my other Penny Dreadful submission, for the second episode of a story called "The Doomsday Vault."

Easter Eggs: "All ur base" and an evil face appear on the left screens, the final lines appear top right.

Fun Facts: Since this guy grows plants, his chair is apple y and the holo-projectors are twiggy. White people are convenient to draw.

That's it for this issue's previews. If you see the publication around, please pick it up.

Jerks.

Reuxben