YDN_zlm.WiiruSmissu

If you see Will Smith around, please do thank him.

Zero Like Me #85:
Wiiru Smissu
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" and dice silhouette in panel 1.

Fun Facts: Will Smith is pretty cool for reasons I hope you will be able to see soon enough!! I started then shelved this comic a while ago but thought it was relevant to run today because first: I'm absolutely exhausted this week after running the Master's Tea goings-on, so it was helpful to work on a comic that I'd already started drawing. But it was also pretty relevant because of how Will Smith has intervened into recent events! Take notes, Yale Herald: There do exist helpful, monied people.

Baa: I am really having difficulty with the Herald right now; it's becoming an environment I am ideologically opposed to, you know? After a lifetime of never having real financial security, I really can't stand when people trivialize money. I feel like the Herald is playing games with money, large sums of money, and I find this absolutely detestable.

Anyway, I'll be comicsing at Calhoun tonight throughout the dinner shift, and I'll be at Silliman Saturday. So...yeah.

And huge thanks (and congratulations!) to Kazu Kibuishi for flying out from California for the Tea. In four years of Master's Teas, this was the greatest I've ever experienced, no contest. And the Yale Bookstore just got in its shipment of Amulet 1, and there are still a few 2's left, so you'll want to pick those up so you can feel snooty and elitist when the movie comes out!

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.OrangeGroove

It's like it rhymes with orange.

Zero Like Me #84:
The Orange Groove
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 3, bunny sweater, courier costume, shameless ad for the Tea in panel 1, refs to The Orange Grove in panels 1 and 3 and Copper in 4.

Fun Facts: I really feel like a part of the team at the YDN now cuz there's a ridiculously bad factual error in this piece! As I learned from my esteemed guest, the Kazu Kibuishi (who will be speaking at a Record/JE Master's Tea today at 4:30pm) over some bowls of noodley-Chinese(?) food*, the Amulet movie, along with several other Will Smith-related projects is being shelved...!

*Yeah, I ate non-comfort-zone food.

Baa: I also learned how to pay for a meal with a credit card at dinner last night! I have actually never had to pay a check at a restaurant so this was my first time using that little credit card pamphlet thing and all that. I don't know how I will survive after Yale. In a related item, ordering at drive-throughs freaks me out.

Ok, Tea time is 4:30 at JE! It's going to be neat! Kazu Kibuishi knows all kinds of industry stuff and his artwork is jaw dropping, his comics are hilarious, poignant, and moving! Plus there's huge Flight, Amulet, and artists-of-Flight news afoot. Some copies of Amulet 2 remain at the Yale Bookstore; Amulet 1 is sold out, but they may have restocked by now.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.SnowyLocks

I prefer mustard, myself...

[Update: Final art up top.]

Zero Like Me #83:
Snowy Locks
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: Decomposer crow, Karate Kid ref, and "Yale" in panel 1. Riff on my favorite Shaggspeere quote in panel 3 (Big Macbeff to "Dolla Dolla" Bank-qwo). What looks like egomania (panel 1) is actually fun-filled self-destruction (panel 4)!

Fun Facts: Snow's melting now, but these Yale snowmancers know what's up. Also, this comic was begun a while ago when it was a bit colder, but who knows if snow will return, so I gotta use it now or perhaps never cuz of that whole graduation thing. That's the worst part--gotta rush stuff out because any missed exits are gone for good on this hideous temporal freeway.

Baa: On Saturday night after dinner, I received what may be the greatest gift I've ever received for anything. If you dropped that note off for me, please...who are you? It's murder not knowing who you (any of you) are, I hope you realize that. Not to blow any upcoming comics, but in the spirit of my impending graduation could you please stop lurking...? I try to make myself as accessible as possible online and in person, and if you really do follow what I do, then you know I'm more scared of you than you are of me. If it helps, I've been randomly encountering fans quite regularly this year, but I always get timidly tongue-tied so no one is ever more un-at-ease than me, guaranteed.

I really do want to meet people who enjoy my comics, as you are the only people who matter to me. And you know who and where I be, Note-homie, so help me out, aight? Peace.

Ahem. Speaking of last Saturday night, my rootbeeraganza at Branford went great, with all 12+ rootbeerios flying off the shelf. More free stuff here, by a Yale artist well worth paying for. I ponied up the 2 dollars last December, but he's giving them away for free now!

And, well, in the spirit of this do-or-die openness, I'm secretly comicsing at each dining hall 5-7pm according to this schedule, and you're free to stop by since those are not deadline days, so I'm under less pressure. The headphones are on cuz I can't draw in silence; I'm not trying to shut people out.

All ye, all ye, come home free,

Reuxben

Herald_zlm.Warebitland

Can I get some help now?
Zero Like Me #82
Zero Romance #16:
Little Zero in Warebitland
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Easter Eggs: Romance XVI in trees. The whole thing's a tribute to Chris Ware and Windsor "Silas" McCay. Actual dialogue from Nemo and Rarebit in the final panel, plus a Shakespeare ref, even!

Fun Facts: This was a lot of fun to research--I happened to have the complete Nemo and Rarebit Fiend laying around my room cuz I'm supposedly using them for my senior thesis, and I also had a Chris Ware Quimby the Mouse book sitting on deck, too, so I finally figured out how to unite 'em all. I've been wanting to do a McCay tribute since I started Zero Romance, and a Chris Ware tribute since even earlier, so I can now scratch two things off my bucket list.

I love how Chris Ware just goes for the throat, so I tried to go there, too, drawing from some nice little memories I store up for just such occasions.

Baa: I took a course on graphic novels, where I discovered Chris Ware. It blew my mind when I realized you can actually read his comics in multiple ways depending on which panel order you choose, so in my attempt to mimic him, I tried to make this comic as interactive as possible, so you can play around with it--you can read the comic in three or four different ways.

I've mentioned Chris Ware in every paragraph it seems...well he's really that amazing. Ugh, I got so close to getting him for a Master's Tea, but like a wild Suicune, he fled just when I got my hopes up!

Anyway, this comic goes out to you-know-who...

Hey Chris, Final Art Coming Soon,

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Promise

Birthday parties are for chumps and suckas.

Zero Like Me #81
Promise
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: My kicks and "Yale" in panel 1, My Favorite Accident, callback to last year's cake, (Ono) Misty's shirt in panel 4.

Fun Facts: I wear the same brand shoes as Gerard Way! Yes!

Baa: I'm gonna dump my supply of root beer this Saturday @ the staircase leading up to the Branford dining hall in time for dinner just for you. And then I will draw/eat there until closing time. That is how you party.

Betty won't stop listening to modern rock, oh...Final Art Coming Soon,

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.SellOut

Oh, Zero, you sold out a long, long time ago.

[Update: Final art at top.]
Zero Like Me #80
Sell Out
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 1, "Y?" means question Yale.

Fun Facts: I wanted to spend a couple comics on the merits of Senior Class Gifting, but turns out the deadline is Wednesday, so we have to cut to the chase today. Go Go Gadget Snowstorm.

Baa: A part of me is really disgusted by the idea of the Senior Class Gift, especially the part where they turn it into a competition and people dare ask you for money slash dare apply any sort of pressure whatsoever to give more money. But a part of me would feel honored to give Yale anything it wanted in a heartbeat, regardless of what it's done to me. If only I had more comics to explore the topic. I'm pretty sure one of the comics would have contained the sentiment, "If you are loaded but you have the gall to ask a financially-aided cockroach for money, you need to step off, you inconsiderate piece of garbage, because some of us have to jump through firey, poop-crafted hoops to do things you can do at your daddy's whim and it's freaking insulting that you are asking me for any amount of money, let alone an increase in anything I already opted to give you." Or something like that, y'know?

I am all right if they ask for money once, but it starts getting irksome on principle when they ask for more money and then announce how much they are giving. How tacky can you get? Get out of my toilet and go back to your gold-laced castles.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.UnCertainRomance

Comma turn your head and.

Zero Like Me #79
Un Certain Romance
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale," Jenny, ST3 aight?, and WOTC in panel 2.

Fun Facts: This comic, which started as an ill-fated Suicide, is based on some posters found around campus last week. The particular one I used as my reference had some huge footballista-looking dude on it, his neck was ridiculous! Like, HULK SMASH! ridiculous!

Baa: When I was walking down the street in Tokyo one night, this Japanese guy pulled me aside and tried to sell me something. "Socks? Socks?" he offered in a thick accent. He pointed to the placard in his hand, which had headshots of a dozen young, Japanese women, all smiling invitingly. I thought it might be fun to play with him, so I lifted my pant leg and pointed to my socks, and tried to communicate "Thanks, but I already have socks." He was flustered about the dire miscommunication and tried repeating the offer while pointing to his own pants, but decidedly farther up from his ankles. He corrected me, "Not 'socks,' "SOCKS!" I pretended like I still didn't understand what he meant as he began gesticulating towards his...ahem...and graciously declined this man's vehement socks salesmanship. Fun!

I really think romance is almost non-existent at this point. O RLY? YA RLY!

Final Art Coming Soon.

Reuxben

Herald_zlm.PrettySneakySis

Never let the walls down, never let them in.
Zero Like Me #78
Zero Romance #15:
Pretty. Sneaky. Sis.
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: Romance 15 in panel 1 of row 2. Sorta J. H. Williams III style (the center of the comic roughly forms a giant outline of Nyao) Jada Pinkett Smith's Oscar gowns plus Anastasia Romanov (animated) inspired Alexis Blight's evening wear. Callback to that tape recorder.

Fun Facts: Scarletto's is based on where I had the greatest meal of my life.

Baa: I don't know what people wear on dates, so I just went for Oscar wear. It sucks that male fashion doesn't really exist. Isn't that weird?

They apparently scheduled Rise and Return on the same night as the Yale-Harvard basketball game again, but I was totally out of the loop so I missed the mini-Game (the only interesting Yale sport, actually) and it was close too, dangit, down to the wire.

Go back to FB01 and chant "do you remember?" to get your fix of depression. Works like a harm.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.ASBOValentine

Lonely hearts are lovely longing.
Zero Like Me #77:
ASBO Valentine
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs:"ASBO" and "Yale" in panel 1.

Fun Facts: Zero's selectively uncomfortable about sharing, but Nyao can get him to open up.

Baa: I hate eye contact, but there was this one girl once that when you looked in her eyes, it really did feel like you were sitting in the most comfortable chair imaginable; it was weird.

Can't wait for the Miron show tonight! AND tonight's the final JE BAR Pizza night of my life...bittersweet (as is everything good this year).

Some Valentine's tunes to help the hurt: Nobody Loves You, Lovefool, Sunny Day.

Stay thirsty, my fiends,

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Theory

I can't believe you fell for that, why do you keep trusting her?

Zero Like Me #76:
Stella Theory Pt.1: The Theory
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 4. Shout out to Baby Beluga.

Fun Facts: This was one of the very first comics I wrote about Alexis, from way back in May, when she was still named Stella.

Baa: I am a literature major for no other reason than that it allows me to read fiction and write my thesis on comics, and Stella Theory Pt.2 will better explain why this major profoundly sucks. But the background is that Lit Theory is required for the major, and no amount of scrubbing will ever get that disgusting feeling off of me for having taken the course while people are starving, dying, etc.ing around the world.

I don't think I executed this one as I had envisioned it (the YDN version's even rougher), but part two will nail it.

This comic is dedicated to anyone who took Lit Theory and liked it, or just took it for kicks. Especially the latter.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Snowmancer

Air quotes are the way of the future.

Zero Like Me #75:
Snowmancer
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Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 4.

Fun Facts: Today's from the OC looking upon 'Nam and Lawrence and whatever's the building after Lawrence. This is actually my second piece about Prometheus.

Baa: As I was swiping in for dinner Sunday "family" night, the nice swiper lady asked me if I was excited for the game, and I stared back confusedly, "Uhhh?" She smiled politely, like you do to a crazy person, and I hurried off to scarf food so I could make my YDN deadline. The cake in the cafetorium said something, something, "Saints," and they were serving burgers and hot dogs and fries and it turned out it was the Superbowl and the Saints were playing. I love not knowing or caring about sports because I tend to be really into whatever I'm into, so I would probably not be able to focus all day if I was into football!

But this weekend was pretty exciting. I spent Friday cowering uncomfortably in the company of other comicsers/illustrators at a YDN drawers' dinner. I remember walking to the silli-site of the meal thinking, "Oh dangit, X is prolly going to be there and will see how inept I am in front of other people." Sure enough, X was there. So that was uncomfortable especially because I was bombing when lobbed softball questions, BUT it does mean I got some new comics out of the experience, and that's what matters, that's why I put myself through stuff like this. Afterward we went to see Tom Tomorrow give a talk. Really neat. Big thanks to the YDN for putting on this comicsers' excursion. And for owning the Herald in such a charming, yet hardcore way. Haha. Herald style: "Uh...let's everybody get drunk at some bar. Funyayhipster!"

If that wasn't enough, the next day I went to my fourth of four possible JE Culture Draws, to see "Race" starring James Spader, David Allen Grier (Yale Drama), and Kerry Washington. The pre-show meal was at Scarlatto and it was the most delicious meal I've ever had in my entire life (my first trip to this restaurant for last year's Culture Draw inspired this comic, by the way). I hate my generation's abuse of superlatives, but I actually mean it: I have had no superior meal to this one. Even the bread before the meal was firing on all four. For the very first time in my life I actually wanted to eat the salad put in front of me and I actually wanted more of it, it was that good! The spaghetti was also just absolutely wonderful (I cannot even say if it was better than the salad!). And then the dessert was this ice cream deal with some pastry thing called "profiteroles" or something, all under choco-sauce. Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. You almost want to cry just thinking about how utterly perfect everything was alone and in combination. The single greatest meal I've ever had, ever, and I've won Culture Draw every year plus a bonus trip last year. Absolutely the perfect way to end my Culture Drawing career. I only regret that Master Haller wasn't there, because he taught me how to eat bread at fancy restaurants way back when. Dean Farley was an excellent host, of course, and he helped me handle the usual being-amongst-humans-jitters. Not that I was at ease, but you know, nice to have someone in your corner. All in all, a great, great event. And golly, people at the table knew I draw comics!

The play, unfortunately was quite fast-paced, so I got pretty lost at times, but it was certainly a positive experience and multiple viewings would not be unwarranted (nor cheap, dude). This was my first choice event for Culture Draw, because I wanted to see David Allen Grier in a drama, but by the time I won, they had run out of spots! I knew if I joined the alternate list, I would likely get another shot at seeing this play, and it happened! So Mr. Grier was just great. I like sad stories, but this play was more angry than anything, and the only pathos I felt was in seeing a distraught, frustrated Washington near the end of the play, but I glimpsed that sorrow for only a split second, so it was a short-lived victory. I am a sucker for sad stories, and if it isn't depressing I'd rather it be hilarious; everything else just isn't quite my cup of tea.

Reuxben

Herald_zlm.DeathBeforeDisco

Don't believe the hype!
Zero Like Me #74
Zero Romance #14:
Ransom Dan Pt.3: Death Before Disco
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: Romance 14 in panel 1, Jane, shoutout to third of three YDN EICs this week (completing my collection), new challenger named after the OGs. 1933 counts, right?

Fun Facts: Today's setting is loosely based on just outside the Silliman Master's house (creepy dark skinned guy wearing all black snapping photos of your house...check!). This is based on a writing exercise I did, a fake news article about Ransom Dan's implosion (hence the heavy text).

I had this reporter character stored away in my notes and felt this was the best time to pop him out. He wears rabbit ears to get better reception because he's a TV newsman and he uses a carrot instead of a mike so he can have a snack after covering his story while remaining in theme. I thought it was a nice Eiichiro Oda sort of bizarre touch.

Baa: From what I gather, Lady Gaga is a fashion dynamo and her outrageous style is pretty neat. The Crayon had a show where they warmed the crowd up by having us sing a Lady Gaga song, and I was like the only person in the room who had no idea what was going on. Pretty ridiculous.

One of the biggest motivations to do this comic was because I love puns and I noticed that I could make a RuPaul reference, but also I wanted to try this weird news format since I wanted to kill Ransom Dan. A lot of improvised nonsense thrown in for good measure, too. I want to make higher concept comics, like how Gerard Way runs the Umbrella Academy with such high fiction. Above is the banner I ran all week leading up to the Ransom Dan World Tour, with the following dates:

Jan 30 Jonathan Edwards (Secret Basement Show), Encore - Woolsey Hall :: Feb 5 Timothy Dwight :: Feb 6 Pierson :: Feb 12 Davenport :: Feb 13 Berkeley :: Feb 19 Ezra Stiles :: Feb 20 Branford :: Feb 26 Calhoun :: Feb 27 Silliman :: Mar 5 Trumbull :: Mar 6 Saybrook

So that was a fun concept to start with.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Majide

Ding, ding, ding, that's the match.

Zero Like Me #73:
Majide
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Easter Eggs: Nyao zoning out, "FB01," and "Yale" in panel 1. An ugly, ugly number. Shout out to Monty and that sack of urine, the right dishonorable jack kelly via the Stiller.

Fun Facts: Today's setting is based on a building I spotted just outside of 8 Prospect (Who's marching up Science Hill second semester senior year despite being a lit major done with all requirements of any sort? This guy.). Anyway, this comic is a subject near and dear to my cold, black heart because Yale is so saturated with irony (sickeningly so, dawg) yet, it seems so selectively scouted for on some peoples' radar, especially when I use it, which is both irritating and exciting at the same time.

Baa: Freshman Year, I lived with a guy who would always call me on my blanket, uninformed statements, yet nobody would flinch when he'd say stuff like this, or any other general superlativery. This was as frustrating and as creatively crippling as my family's constant inability to understand sarcasm at all. But then again, using sarcasm does have a certain charm when people aren't on to you, you know.

Wow, as I was writing the above paragraph I got a call (wrong number, natch) and automatically launched into sarcasm mode...it's prolly cuz it's really fun being in character. Why stick to the script when there is no script in Life and you can improv, especially on the trivial stuff?

Get some, homie,

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.JohnnySalami

This comic brought to you by the letter E and the number Zero.

Zero Like Me #72:
Johnny Salami, or: Baby, I'll Be Your Minstrel
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Easter Eggs: "Yale" and "LOL" in panel 1, Godfather jamz in panel 2, Majin Buu crest, special hat and the Gaboozo Bruddas in panel 3, shout out to my oldest YDN Bwoss from beyond the tomb.

Fun Facts: Today's setting is jolly old JE, from whom I've just received a book deal! Golly, aren't you excited?

Baa: This series is called Zero Like Me, of course, so please understand if I move on and deal with stuff that matters to me now--we're back to business as usual, meaning subtly suicidal subjects shall reign supreme. For closure on recent events, I implore sports enthusiasts to read comics more deeply than mere pictures juxtaposed with words; there are things such as sarcasm, irony, and fiction in play, with only a touch of reality (same goes for what I write on this site, grrrr!). Also, as I've learned from the previous comic, it is apparently unsportsmanlike conduct to defend against an opponent's offense...really? You're the sports people, so I'mma have to take your word for it...

Finally, let me state once again for the record I do not care if you are an athlete, a member of chess club, the model UN, or the Future Gangstas of America, you're just another body in my way at Commons. But you are also just another Yalie, which means I immediately give you the benefit of the doubt that you can perform close reading. Also, unless you're football or basketball, I really have no real interest in your sport. If you are getting the impression that I have something against athletes, you have no idea what you're talking about, especially if you're going off a poorly researched Rumpus article which included as its centerpiece a comic where my sporty character's cutthroat-intelligent spice got censored. Sports/athletes do not interest me. If you are still feeling on edge, just check this out, son.

And as a reminder, the only grudges/vendettas I hold are against myself and FroCos. There was sarcasm in part of that last sentence, try to spot it.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.ComicView

Congratulations, you were mentioned in my material, now you are famous!

Zero Like Me #71:
Comic View
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Easter Eggs: The Beatles suck, true, but the four names spoofing that iconic Beatles shirt are mentioned only with the tenderest of intentions. Also, "Yale" in panel 1. Also, also, OCD is more popular with older Yalies, but it refers to the Oldest College Daily, or the "YDN" if you will.

Fun Facts: Today's setting is kinda sorta the YDN's 2room, but meh... Anyway, I do not believe in naming names on this site or in my artwork unless it's either: mentioned in a generally positive way, it's disguised (Easter egg'd, aliased, etc.), or unless it's clearly a public figure (and tactfully presented), but for this private citizen I will make an exception.

Baa: It was pretty funny because not only did I have no idea this guy even existed until about a week ago when I saw his audition (after which I tried to tell my fellow YCC Comedy Committee members that this guy was just lots of [nervous] energy with little actual hilarity--he forgot his act on stage, the set up being his major, slippery information, I'm sure), but also as a committee member, I was in the reserved seating, just a few seats away from him and one row back! In fact, I was sketching him as he was speaking. AWKWARD.

And, assuming the jeering from the audience was trying to shut the comedian up and it was not booing my name (oh spit, son, I'm a celebrity reference!) can I just say, that was really quite nice of you? If I had friends, I'd want them to go to bat for me just as loudly and maniacally as that. So thank you, you awesome little weirdos. Now go back to your blurking...thatta boy.

Okay, I don't see any reason to pursue this subject any further since we both got our shots in through our own mediums, so we're even. However, regarding that guy's stand up act, I believe my old YDN boss, Mr. Kaplan, put it best: "This is a tragedy first and foremost, but it does present some opportunities to do outstanding journalism."

Ransom Dan World Tour officially kicks off this weekend at...Tee Dee? Dang.

Reuxben