Fun_ForTheView

This is my first totally digital/tablet-drawn artwork, inspired by the impending adventures at:
clemenrich.tumblr.com
I bumped into both of them at a Stray Balloon show one night, and they're absolutely wonderful. Well, they need funding for their noble adventures, and if you feel inclined to learn more, you can find their pitch here. You might say they're kinda like the real-deal, truer Movement for Beauty and Justice--like, everything that organization should have been, you know? Anyway, they're pursuing something neat and worth checking out.

If you don't want to just give money away, you can always get some of his tunes for your trouble, which he's graciously offering for free now, so maybe that can be your sorta tote-bag free gift thing you get for donating. Like donating to PBS but with more rock and less Lord of the Dance.

Good luck and safe travels,

Reuxben

Herald_zlm.FakeTales

And yeah,
I'd love to tell you
all my problem.

Zero Like Me #105:
Zero Romance #21:
Fake Tales of New Haven
<- Previous Comic...Next Comic->
-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: Romance 21 in Tale 3. A wacky haircut and Motion City in Tale 1. A Wii and Triforce in Tale 2.

Fun Facts: Tale 1's setting is the OC. Tale 3's setting is based on Fair Haven Elementary School. Garry is proud to live in New Haven for some reason...

This comic came about because I have too many scripts but not enough time...so we are literally cramming it all in there, aren't we? Curtain closes forever next week, on the Herald theatre at least.
They say he changes when the sun goes down...

And I can't get it started on my own.
When are you arriving?
The Herald version actually came out pretty all right.

I wanted to do more with music in my comic. I had this musical character named Justin, but since I was running out of opportunities for comics, I didn't think I'd get to use him again.

But then I thought to do multiple comics in one, like that incredible episode of Avatar, "The Tales of Ba Sing Se," so I lifted that script and plugged it in as the headliner.

It also gave me a chance to say goodbye to my first supporting character, Garry McGruder, someone who I really wanted to use more...the worst part about comicsing during college is you can concretely see what you didn't accomplish in your "life."

Baa: I've been trying to revisit every dining hall for the full dinner shift before I bite the bullet, but I'm running out of time...

TD's Saturday night, SY next Friday night, TC next Saturday, and PC...squeezed in next Wednesday? Anything to complete the world tour, even endure...ugh...college dining halls...

Gosh.

In more upbeat news, that wise latino Gerardo Manera returns in his groundbreaking Herald series, Kill All Your Friends, to salsa and sombrero his way into your heart, with another avant garbage piece, arguably not even a comic, which he entitles, "River," for some strange reason:

Quite frankly...

That hombre really creeps me out.

Or for our Canadian visitors:

That guy really creeps me oot.

Eh?

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.WhereToBegin

He's got it all.

Zero Like Me #99:
Where to Begin (The Dan Song)
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-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 1. "Dan's Got It All" or "Isn't Times Square Beautiful" scored to the best of my ability...Yale's very own master of pathos as I saw him at Yale-a-Palooza. Ref "The Future Freaks Me Out" and "DB" in panel 2.

Fun Facts: Today's setting is Branford, where the squirrels roam. I got a copy of "Dan's Got It All," one of his best unreleased tracks. I heard him play it live once. Incredible. Why doesn't he put this stuff online? Even if it's his version of doodles, it's still absolutely killer.

Baa: I sketched him as he played at Yale-A-Palooza and I was an instant fan, but I could barely remember what he looked like after he left the stage, oddly enough. So a bit later it was the Fall Show (starring Dat Phony) and I noticed the guy a few seats to my right had a mouth that looked just like the mouth I had been trying to draw back at Yale-A-Palooza. So I mustered my courage and went up to him and asked him about his music. I was so ridiculously nervous I was shaking and everything.

There are a few Yalies I get "star"struck around. One is obvious--I'm a huge fan. Another is more of a silly sort of starstruck, not so much a fan as an imagine-that sort of thing. A third is like I-can't-believe-he-knows-who-I-am. There's a fourth, but I haven't had an opportunity to draw her (plus I feel that might kill the aura).

Sometimes it weirds me out that I'm on a first name basis with certain megatalents. I was also a big fan of hers even before we became colleagues (her work got me into comics, really), and I remember being thrilled when she responded to my email four years ago inquiring about how to start a comic. I was so nervous when I met her at Comics Club, and now it's like she's just another human. Funny how celebrity and humanization quarrel.

Ok, Zero Like Me Number One Hundred is coming Friday! I can't believe it. It's sinking in that this is all going to end soon. I almost fell apart earlier today thinking about it. It's bittersweet. Maybe just bitter. But to celebrate 100 (and 1 with the Herald) trips into the abyss I'm going to hold another Rootbeeraganza. I'll dump a bunch of rootbeerios outside the JE Dining Hall, I guess, in time for dinner.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Shenanigans

And now for something completely different.
Zero Like Me #86:
Suicidal Squirrel Shenanigans
<- Previous Comic...Next Comic->
-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 2.

Fun Facts: This comic is inspired by a song by Yale's master of pathos. I feel like he is severely underrated at Yale; but I guess that makes him cooler, right? Like a secret underground kinda thing? Anyway, this guy rocks; you can keep your Michael Jackson cover artists, thank you very much (not that I don't like a fine cover). Today's title is inspired by the original comic of Yale's master of surprises. She is easily my choice for MVP of everything.

Baa: I saw the Crayon this Saturday, solid fun. Total buzzkill, though, cuz sitting right behind me was a gang of Ex!ts in matching little jackets, and as I was getting up to leave, I heard one nearly spit, "That was pretty funny," like he was appraising them, throwing them a bone. He said it like how the Nonchalant Super Cool Kid in the teeny-bopper movie reluctantly pays the Loser Main Character Kid a compliment (being careful to direct the comment towards his Henchman Kid, rather than the Loser Main Character Kid himself) after the Loser Main Character Kid just finished undeniably amazing the gymnasium full of hooting and hollering Extra Kids.

I'm telling you, the Crayon and Ex!t need to throw down in a series of one-on-one knife fights while non-combatant members snap their fingers rhythmically. I hated having to miss the two groups go head to head last year, but I heard the Crayon won, so all's well. I see Ex!t/Crayon as the Harvard/Yale of Yale improv; I guess I don't like Ex!t cuz they're sorta just...Harvard. The Crayon's totally Yale, though: scrappier and underdoggier, but awesomer. I guess that means JAW is Princeton! Haha. Sorry, Princeton!

I also gave sketch comedy a shot this weekend after someone requested I check out their group, Fifth Humor...wasn't that crazy about it, but they certainly nuked Red Hot Poker as advertized. I think I'll stick with crayons, though...they're the safe bet.

UPDATE: Ah! I completely forgot--Thanks Mr. Anonymous--yes, this song inspired the comic: how would I handle the subject matter?, but I decided to go all out and actually make them squirrels in homage to the "Sword in the Stone," because that was the first animated movie to make me want to cry. I couldn't understand why, but when I was little I always got really, really sad when Arthur rejected that squirrel girl. So yes, brilliant eye, dude. I can't believe I forgot--I wrote a little note to myself right there on the comic, too...

Reuxben

Fun_zeRock

How many life decisions did you make this weekend? I believe I made two. More on that this Friday.

What's more important right now is that tomorrow's the big launch! Of what? Of The Rollover Motive's debut EP, presumably located here! Aren't they called "Stray Balloon" now? And wasn't the more recent name simply "Rollover Motive," sans "the"? Yes and yes! But I greatly prefer the first version. So to get pumped for that, here's some rock themed artwork, wherein everything digests my dinosaur life.

Also, I've decided to start a rock band. It's like Arctic Monkeys meets The Roots. Basically Gorillaz type action. Only da bess join dis croo.

So besides the two big decisions, I had a pretty eventful weekend in general, actually: I lunched at the Friars' Club in New York and met the author whose book I used in my comedy history paper (he interviewed both old time Yalie Dick Cavett and '94 Yalie/Ex!t Player Allison Silverman). Comics Club launched Escape! and it sold out within 48 hours. I submitted a paper via email just before deadline, but discovered an hour later that I had attached the wrong file (the annotated outline, not the final draft). I learned I missed "Stray Balloon"'s likely final performance of the year. My boss dropped some Bull Tales on me that I'd never seen before (thank you). I bounced between ecstasy and depression and landed in neutral. Two separate young men in an hour's span asked me for input on their aspirations for naked escapades. I wrote a bunch of new comics, some of which could make certain people really uncomfortable, myself included.

All that in one weekend. What did you do? Write a paper? Loser. Study for a test? Loser. Consort with friends? Loser...

In conclusion: order lies within disaster.

Reuxben

Fun_Salute2TheMironMan

Some people are bad. Some people are good. Some people are something else.

Here's to you, Mr. Miron.

You:
-Deliver the fullest musical experience at Yale
-Are great to draw and travel to
-Command pathos
-Are always intimidatingly calm
-Will do amazing things
-Are Yalie of the Year

Thanks,

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Nar

Oh, Morse and Stiles, if you didn't want to be picked last, you should'na been born ugly. Which explains why I'm always picked last, actually...

[Update: Final art up top]
Zero Like Me #25: Nar
<- Previous Comic...Next Comic ->
-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 3, Munch's "The Scream" in panel 4, The Rollover Motive.

Fun Facts: I was checking my schedule for Monday when I realized I had this class slated for shopping and then BAM! comics idea!

Baa: I hate politics...reeks of the real world. Also, I'm going to see if he will autograph this...is that tacky? Haha. I hope he's cool with it...! I'm in I'll-never-see-him-again mode, which makes me execute bold, stupid interactions with people, nawmean?

All right, hold on to your hats, we're going for three ZLMs this week.

Let's dance,

Reuxben

UPDATE: Peep GAME, suckas! --->

He was very nice, insanely charismatic, and quite funny! He laughed a bit nervously, "Is this for the Daily News?" as he studied what he was about to sign. Really cool of him!

Reuxben

Fun_RolloverRifle

I hate the word "blog" and I hate the idea of having one, especially making more than one post a day, as if anyone gives a poop what you have to say. I justify having this site because it's never been about the words, it's been about the art: I'm providing a (study) break for people to check out some drawings with no expectation that anyone actually reads the text, that way the only time people lose is the time it takes to look at a picture, which isn't a lot.

So I don't want this site to be any more than me telling stories about the art, and since I'm going to be booked up for the foreseeable future with running published work on Fridays, Mondays, and Wednesdays, there will be no room for "Fun" posts any more. I don't want to post on more days, so I'll just throw in Fun posts now and then.

Which brings us to Yale-a-Palooza 2, which changed its name to something else this year. Anyway, it was yesterday, and I camped out for as much of it as possible while drawing today's ZLM, but also sketching some of the artists during breaks.

Up first, pictured above, is the front man for The Rollover Motive. He debuted two new songs and something of a 'fro. The song about Dan was particularly wonderful. He played BS, too, which was incredible! Excellent set all around! To my dismay, I've never been able to sketch him in action very well, but this one's an improvement, kinda.

The only other drawing worth sharing is this one, of (former?) co-front man of Rifle. I gave it an honest effort, but...well, it was very tough to get into the set, although his on-stage antics were entertaining. He's got quite a unique voice, almost like Beast Boy from Teen Titans, which is pretty cool, but I get a heavy Bob Dylan sorta vibe from him, and I can't stand Bob Dylan (or the Beatles, or Bruce Springsteen--which apparently means we're supposed to go to fisticuffs, according to his Herald A&E review of Springsteen's last album; you are un-American, sir). I've been waiting to use this pun for a while, so here it goes: after hoping for an improvement from the last time I saw him perform, I was bummed to find it was more of the same old spiel. Boom!

Anyway, highlights include a former Sandy Gill Affair member performing a massive expansion on the great Jake Pop Medley, meanwhile debuting some much stronger pipes on the recently solo artist. Suitcase of Keys also put on a fine show, although I didn't really feel that usual kick from my favorite track of theirs, "Fallen Leaves," when the bass picks up. Still a lot of fun.

Finally, I was bummed Laura Z. didn't play. I wanted to make up for last time, so I was getting ready to draw a real nice sketch of her playing, so that I could present it to her after the show, but she ended up not hitting the stage, unfortunately.

So it goes,

Reuxben