Herald_mc.FancyElevator

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam gets whisked away.

Grids gone wild.

Monsta Crash #7: FancyElevator
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Easter Eggs: Bruce Wayne's W, Crash 7 in panel 3, Rufio, and 1955.

Fun Facts: I knew I wanted a character named Howell, I didn't know he'd smoke, but maybe it's a lollipop. He's based on Roger Smith and he who lets an awesome name go to waste.

Sometimes I want to quit. That's the worst part.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Colleges

It's not biting the hand that feeds you if you eat at Commons.

Zero Like Me #14: Colleges
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: A carving between the lovely Hallers in panel 1. "Yale" in panel 4. Zero Ethos. Farnam B.
Fun Facts: This is a revamp of the very first Zero Like Me I ever drew, part of last September's YDN audition. Also, in one of my very first classes at Yale (taught by who would later become Morse's Dean), we studied ethos.

I like that the only way for a Morsel to take offense to this comic is to admit that Morse does suck. If taken as a compliment, well...alrighty then. I'd just love to see the looks on kids' faces when they get their Yale acceptance letter juxtaposed with their expressions when they learn they're in Morse or Stiles! JE sucks, but it could be a lot worse: I could live in a dirt clod at Yale's outskirts.

So from last week, while I'm flattered and humbled you like what I do, please understand: I don't draw for JE's sake, I do it for mine (aside--we both ignore Xs: you from my name, me from JE's motto). It hurts that you'd implicitly claim my artwork as a point for JE. I only jokingly submit things to JE anymore to avoid emotional investment, but nothing I do is for JE. I sincerely wish it wasn't so, but I feel disowned by JE, so in general I don't have any pride for, personal investment in, or giri to the college.

...Unless I get arrested or something, in which case, it's all for JE's credit--brag away!

Reuxben

Fun_ExitPurpleRichRifle

This past weekend was actually pretty exciting. I had planned on staying in and contemplating where my life went wrong. But there were a whole four things to get to: the Ex!t Players' show, the Crayon's show, the Miron concert, and then the 90s music event.

First, I'm no Ex!t fan. They seem to think they're the best improv at Yale, and maybe they are since Benji graduated, but come on, charging $2? Benji alone made Crayon shows worth charging, yet they were always free for some reason. So I went to the Ex!t show (see a player at left) just to make sure, and yeah, their only memorable event is still just "Jeopardy!"

And while I still crack up over tons of old Crayon sketches, some years old even, the only Ex!t thing that sticks out is last year Mr. Litt (as Babe the Blue Ox) picking a Jeopardy! category: "I'll take ox that are not blue, for how I pity them."

So after Friday's Ex!t show, I went to the Crayon's Saturday show, which they voiced in complete darkness.

Extra cool that they picked my suggestion, "Pokemon," for their theme, and I got a sad dose of joy in correcting their errors under my breath.

...Machop evolve into Machoke, not Machamp...

I saw Benji at an Ex!t show last year and since have always wondered what goes through his head when he watches others improv, especially Ex!t.

Anyway, after that, I blitzed over to TD in time to catch Richard Miron (at right, during the Ex!t show) and Oliver Hill play an incredible set. It was actually emotionally moving stuff, but the audience was a bunch of drunks who wouldn't shut up.

If you're at a concert, you should be there to listen to the music; if you're going to talk, just get out--the door was like five steps away.

But these guys were definitely the best.

The TD venue had some weird chairs. Including a giant dodgeball.

The second band was pretty good, but I could have done without the Christopher Reeve joke.

...as well as the aimless between-song chatter student bands are contractually obligated to make.

I met the guy at right in Japan and had no idea he was in Rifle! Pretty neat.

I really tried to like the band, but I just couldn't get into it and left early.

They sound-checked a Weezer song, so I may have missed out, but I mean, they just blasted their music, the room was tiny to start with, and my sketches weren't coming out too nice anyway.

At left is an audience member who has got the exact hairstyle I've been trying to capture for some time now.

So on the way back from TD, I stopped by the 90s music dance party.

They'd finished all the good tunes already.

Last year's was ridiculous.

Reminded me of Freshman Year.

Reuxben

Fun_1321BlastOff

A bonus drawing because today is Saturday, February 21st.

Easter Eggs: Question Yale and "Zero" in Japanese.

Fun Facts: I don't drink but I'm going to the Crayon's BAT show tonight plus hopefully the TD concert, so that's kinda like a party.

I don't usually remember what happens on these days, but last year's as well as 8th grade's always stick out. Last year I had a Herald comic, classes, and a paper to marathon. In eighth grade, my dad forgot to pick me up from school, so I waited in the parking lot for a couple of hours.

I'm celebrating 13 Zero Like Me's.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.BigDaddy

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam gets free duds.

Be brash funny and twirl your 'stache, sonny; get cash money and get that crash honey.

Monsta Crash #6: BigDaddy
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Easter Eggs: Crash 6 in panel 4. Great Caesar and the GoGetters, the Cure, RADWIMPS, Maximum the Hormone, Batman's Lamborghini (says Google), jack kelly.

Fun Facts: I'd been striving to work "big daddy" into the script ever since I saw it dropped casually by Harland Williams.

So now we know where "Crash" comes from...now we need some monstas.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Celebrate

If you didn't want a party, why did you tell her your birthday?

Zero Like Me #13: Celebrate
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 2. JE's wind thingy gets pwned.

Fun Facts: The punchline is inspired by a Yalie I saw at a Master's Tea last year.

Also: my editor said he liked this one. What is his name? Reed. When did I start at the YDN? Junior year. Where else do I draw? The Record. Remind you of anyone?

So all you JE-lovers need to tune in next week; I've got to set you straight.

Reuxben

YDN_sls.Fiona

Find a juicy, juicy vein, it's Sick Little Suicide #5 - "Fiona," in which at one point I actually had to Google search for pictures of bongs.

Easter Eggs: "Yale" and "Hope" along his hair. Majin Buu's "M" in "SMOKE."

Fun Facts: I studied Windsor McCay for smoke technique; that man is amazing.

Frankly: If you smoke in my face, I want to smash a brick through your skull...BUT histrionics aside, it really does hurt to see pleasant people smoke.

With that in mind, this one goes out to:

Mr. Obama
Mr. Suarez
Gerard
Scott
Theo
Kira
Kai
Anyone else who smokes.
Please quit, not for anyone but yourself. It's 2009 and you have no excuse to have started smoking anyway. Except maybe for Gerard...but not really.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.TheCure

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam teams up with Peepi the country sprite.

Emo kids, man, I'm telling you.

Monsta Crash #5: TheCure
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Easter Eggs: Emo182, ma[kishimamu za horumanu], The Sandy Gill Affair, The Cure, four-star dragonball, guffinium, RADWIMPS. Crash 5 in panel 5.

Fun Facts: Robert's hair and name are from the Cure's Robert Smith, but is otherwise modeled after another rocker Smith. A theme by the Cure helped inspire this series.

This one was fun because of all the Easter Eggs. AND it's even Valentines-y, too.

ALSO: Check out Yoonjoo's recently launched page as well as Yale Herald Comics Online.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Homework

Gotta hit those books...

Zero Like Me #12: Homework
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 1. Three heartbreaking things in panel 4.

Fun Facts: Today's setting, the Old Campus High Street gate, is actually under construction currently, but I omitted it, unlike the JE construction. I met a TD '79 on an airplane once, and he said his suite got nicknamed the "Heartbreak Hotel" because they each got dumped and some got suicidal.

So this is the 12th comic and we only need 6 comics to qualify for staff...yet I've got to wait until #15...

Don't hold your breath to hold hands on Valentine's Day,

Reuxben

YDN_sls.miNOrPRESSURE

The economy's bad, Commons never has any clean cutlery, and I have two papers due this week--time for a Sick Little Suicide. This fourth one's about minors and the women who love them.

Easter Eggs: Lou Grant, "Yale," and "FOB."

Fun Facts: It's a minor miner symbolizing a minor, get it? I'm so funny!

So...I personally hate it when people say XYZ was "so good." You go to Yale, can you seriously not come up with a better description? At least dress it up: that was "so incredible." Something. And stop saying "um" like it's an actual word--I'm talking to you, editors of any Yale publication ever. Ummm....I also hate the 70s, but dang, Mary Tyler Moore was an incredible show, from the few episodes I've seen.

Ok, well, if you have an issue you'd like me to suicide, do feel free to gmail "reuxbenart" or something.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.LittlePeepi

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam's mugger gets trounced by a country sprite.

Yeah. (Oh yeah) Ultra Peepi...

Monsta Crash #4: LittlePeepi
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First Comic: Here

Easter Eggs: Crash 4 n panel 3. Jetta. "Yale" and Emo182 in the last panel.

Fun Facts: I don't know anything about cars, but I do enjoy driving the Jetta. Also, I don't want to say he lied, but as I cowered in a corner at one of the new admit receptions in my last pre-college summer, my Yale interviewer said not to worry, that everyone meets their kindred spirit at Yale...

And back in black (and yellow) the devious jack kelly returns, promising a double shot every time he's up this semester...ugh.

First up is "jolly good."

I'm telling you, he has something against British people...what a jerk.

He also spews forth more bigotry in "benny lava."

I'd love to see you pee on him tonight.

In other news, I'm again applying for a scholarship, entering these five quite diverse picks (never really realized how many hats I wear):

Pooping
Bully
concentration
Eve
Somewhere

I hope something comes of this.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Please

I am whatever you say I am. If I wasn't then why would I say I am?

In the paper, the news, every day I am.

YDN won't even play my jams.

So let's play Spot-the-Difference instead!

That's better.

Zero Like Me #11: Please
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Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 2. "West Coast Kid" brand in panel 4.

Fun Facts: I didn't think the editors would get this, but apparently they did and made me change it...sigh. At least that says something about the attention span of YDN editors versus Herald editors (as long as you don't mention anorexia, you're solid). In any case, this comic goes out to Mike Birbiglia, Bill Burr...and my brother.

I still crack up over the original and will always consider it the real version. All the cool kids do, anyway (not really).

Reuxben

Fun_ComedySketches

So a while ago, Mike Birbiglia came to perform for us and no one was looking forward to him except for me. Imagine everyone's surprise when I was right, they were wrong, and Mr. Birbiglia was a hit.

So a while ago, Dat Phan came to perform for us and everyone was looking forward to him except for me. Imagine everyone's surprise when I was right, they were wrong, and dat sham was a poop.

But I'm so freaking optimistic, I'm not here to tear down. I'm here to show you the sketches I did during this suicidal "comedy" show. Note, Corey Kahaney was actually pretty alright; great improvising when the mics kept messing up (for her, the mic kept turning off; for him, the mic kept turning on).

The above is the sham himself. At left is a girl wearing a jacket from Spanish last semester, which I've admired so much, it subconsciously snuck into one of my comics. The next pic is a girl ready to scrap.

I went to the show solo (all my friends were busy) but when the guy two spots to my right tried to cellularly coordinate his party, he was gripped with worry when he thought he'd unwittingly promised the seat between us to his phone pal, because it suddenly occurred to him that I might have saved it for someone. He got all apologetic and was ready at a word to call up his friend and tell him to beat it.

For a few solid minutes of "are you sure you're not saving this seat?" I let him keep on thinking that I had indeed reserved the seat but was simply too uncomfortable about confrontation to speak up about evicting his en-route friend.

It was he-haw-larious seeing the guy literally begging to dismiss his friend. Yeah, that's how I get my kicks at this point. To be fair, this guy's flaunting all his friends in front of me (literally like half the row was his!)...so I mean come on. Screw 'em if they can't take a joke.

But I also get my kicks drawing to entertain, so I drew for the very guy who "stole" my saved seat. The way it works is I draw stuff, nearby people notice, and we both have a (usually silent) good time as the guest tries to (usually covertly) peek at my paper, like I won't notice; it's my job to notice stuff, so it's fun all around. It's lovely when it works, sucka. But then I always wonder who the real sucka is, yo.

Also, I met this guy after the show, and of all people, he was in league with the gentleman I was messing with earlier--haha!--but he was quite nice, and I was quite nervous.

To close, here is another retrato I've been working on.



I'm eager to finish it soon.

Reuxben