Herald_mc.GoingHome

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam throws down.

In conclusion, never assume.

Monsta Crash #13: GoingHome
Next Comic: THE END
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

Easter Eggs: Crash XIII bottom left panel. "JE"-shaped Monsta legs. Frasier's skyline. ZLM in the last panel's forest.

Fun Facts: I was so deliriously tired while drawing this one (hallucinations and shaking!), but after leaving the Herald office, I felt like jumping around; I couldn't stop smiling at the very fact that it's all over--I even let out an idiotic scream. Of course I still had a paper to finish in a few hours.

Thanks: JE, Variante, Invader Zim, Endling, Miyazaki, Joe & Andrew.

Baa: I don't drink, but I'm basically "drunk" every Friday morning after Heralding--I'm so exhausted (likely coming off of an energy drink), and giddy for finishing a comic, that I drop my guard and loosen up as I head over to Commons for my pre-nap/wrap-party breakfast.

So this series was alternatively fun and dreadfully boring to write and draw, but if I Herald regularly next year, I've got an idea that will rock, guaranteed. After two years doing this--FIFTY FIVE Herald comics later (82 total proper YDN/Herald pieces!)--I think I've finally cracked it. As much as I want to push for fuller narrative in the Herald, episodic is the way to go. I'm thinking of calling the next series Fishcarrots.

Well, thanks for visiting. I hope you'll check back over the summer. Also, check the JE basement stairway this Saturday for another Monster giveaway, just in time for reading week.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.UltraPeepi

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam watches her only friend die.

Some weeks, especially this, really make me want to quit everything.

Monsta Crash #12: UltraPeepi
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

Easter Eggs: Crash 12 in panel 4. SK fail in panel 5, callback to Crash 2.

Fun Facts: Ultra Peepi is a mix of the original form, Totoro, and a Laputian sentry. While drawing this comic, I also wrote another comic I will draw in exactly 365 days.

In addition, that generic-insult jack kelly spews forth "secret" and "confessions."

Baa: I'll never forget when my high school Spanish teacher said to me, "Doesn't it feel great to be wanted?" referencing my incoming college acceptance letters. He meant to emphasize being in-demand, not that nobody wanted me otherwise (true, though--strange how people start talking to you after you get accepted to Yale...), but I agreed, it felt great to have people actually vying for me for the first time in my life.

And for the first time since getting into colleges, I finally felt truly validated, legitimated, accepted; like all the suffering leading up till then was finally, finally worth it: I got accepted into Garry Trudeau's society, the ultimate seal of approval for someone trying so hard to match him (taped on the inside of my door is a YDN clipping: my ZLM debut, which has Doonesbury printed right above it; I see it every day). Like Yale, I got in without friends, connections, or anything; pure merit--you can imagine how amazing I felt.

And then it was all a joke. At first I thought, "well, at least I felt great for a day," but then it really went south as midnight ticked closer and I knew the real deal wasn't coming either. I've never felt so profound a loss as Thursday.

I mean, what do I have to do to prove myself? It's like losing a footrace: you do the absolute most your body can physically do, and you still failed, powerless to do any bit more. But I feel like this is what I get for betting everything on art.

It wasn't about power or prestige or elitism or anything, it was about feeling validated and I failed. I don't care about anything else at Yale but art, and now the one thing I care about feels meaningless.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.MonstaCrasher

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam meets a belligerent doppelganger.

Ooooh, so a Monsta Crasher is some sorta vampire slayer that slays creatures called "monstas," alluding to pocket monsters--now I get it.

Monsta Crash #11: MonstaCrasher
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

Easter Eggs: Crash 11 in the last panel.

Fun Facts: I've now updated this week's comics and it only took until summer.

And that so-and-so jack kelly also has some stuff.

First is jack kelly's "human"

And then jack kelly's "hetero" next:

Ok, off I go.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.FightinWords

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam and Peepi the Sprite pwn a rooftop monsta.

Sometimes these are really fun to draw.

Monsta Crash #10: FightinWords
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

Easter Eggs: Crash 10 in the countdown. Originally simply named Edwards, Gari's got Radical Edward's cheek things.

Fun Facts: This series is JE-centric, so Gari's named for the great JE Master, and her sprite is based on the Australian Emu. I couldn't find Gari's design sheet, so I improv'd new designs hours before deadline!

Even though Gari is the villain, the people referenced are both wonderful.

Example 1: I went to New York last Saturday to see a play for a class and all I learned was never to go to New York for a play unless it's with the Master.

Example 2: The second reference helped me clean up my spilled cup Freshmen Year and wouldn't let me flee after the formalities.

Anyways, the imbecilic jack kelly first brings us "derogatorial."

Originally called "rinasfs," jack kelly forgot that "derogatorial" isn't a word, so I generously corrected it for him here but the world will always remember his printed typo.

In any case, he concludes with "oink."

Yeah.

Final thought: I noticed I frequently draw people pointing dramatically.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.PocketMonsta

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam encounters a rooftop monsta.

It's the April Fools Special 2009, kid.

Monsta Crash #9: PocketMonsta
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

Easter Eggs: Dan's squareman, Crash 9 in center debris, Ash, Pokemon encounter text and scroll arrow.

Fun Facts: This year I went with an Un- set theme, where art pops out of the very page, and I got to use heavier Pokemon influence.

That fool jack kelly showed up, too. He got a teammate, but his half of the equation, "the giant," looks like this:

He weighs 1 gram.

I'm really happy with how the section came out, although we lost a bunch of the border's mini-comics in the 11th hour, but it definitely topped last year. I'm eager to see next year's edition.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.MatchUp

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam gets contracted to work on a rooftop.

Get scary and scream about it.

Monsta Crash #8: MatchUp
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

Easter Eggs: Crash 8 in panel 1.

Fun Facts: A "Monsta Crasher" slays monstas. Monsta design inspired by Endling, Chamba, and even me! I was sharper for splitting up drawing over three days rather than one exhausting 13 hour marathon to meet the earlier Spring Break deadline. Layout was especially fun and experimental.

Also, I was wondering what ever happened to my professor's feedback on Blue Type, but the critiqued script arrived yesterday! I have very little confidence in my writing but he really liked it! Now I want to draw it up.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.FancyElevator

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam gets whisked away.

Grids gone wild.

Monsta Crash #7: FancyElevator
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

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

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
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

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

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
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

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

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
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
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

Herald_mc.TheThief

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam gets mugged.

Monsta Crash #3: TheThief
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

Easter Eggs: Crash 3 in snoke. Building names. JE. Rifle (the band).

Fun Facts: I wanted to make this comic painful for me, and it worked--I almost cried drawing it. Really, I'm that good.

The secret stories: one name is the messenger I'm shooting, one never spoke a word to me until running for office and requesting my vote, one was the very first person to greet me after finishing my last final sophomore year but greeted me as a stranger this year, one had a disturbing discussion in my suite freshman year, and one is somewhat familiar yet estranged.

I kind of hope I won't be able to remember the full stories when I'm older.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.BigCity

Last Crash: Smalltown girl Bee Farnam hops a train to the big city.

Monsta Crash #2: BigCity
Next Comic: Here
Previous Comic: Here
First Comic: Here

Easter Eggs: Crash 2 in panel 1. Two Mary Tyler Moor refs. Same graffiti artist. ZLM.

Fun Facts: Cardigans are for geezers. Facebook helps with posing. I got carried away with this new ruler I just got.

This comic was fun for practicing perspective and for throwing stupid(er) words into speech bubbles.

Reuxben

Herald_mc.RomanceDawn

Welcome to this semester's weekly undergrad comic, Yale Herald Series 4: Monsta Crash.

Shelving a sequel to this, Monsta Crash was inspired by Houston Calls' "Elephant and Castle" and The Cure's Dragon Hunter's Theme.

Easter Eggs: "Lang" in the trees (another memorial dedication), happy/sad little trees, 1st Crash in panel 1.

Fun Facts: Ticket Hag Hillary, named for the politician, not the Fresh Prince character, is Mr. James' sister. I lived in FB01 freshman year, and it was the greatest/saddest year of my life. An old drawing influenced Farnam's design.

I hope this more heavily-comedic series works.

Next Comic: Here

Reuxben