Fun_BigBuns_MO

Thanksgiving break is here, so I'm going to post some artwork every day this week.

Today is the Making Of...this comic, one that got me some interesting mail. One email said I was "out of control funny" and literally the email right after that one called me a "sack of [stuff]," so yeah.

At right is the thumbnail sketch of the comic, where I loosely figure out where everything's going to go.

Whenever I have to draw real people, I try to get a practice sketch in, and this is lo de Koalabear Onedrop.

Her last name is a reference to my favorite game, Magic: the Gathering. A "onedrop" is a creature that costs one mana, an essential part of White Weenie decks, which win by swarming the opponent with massive numbers of dudes to win as fast and as efficiently as possible. Koalas are cute and are a play on words.

She reminds me of my old high school teacher...

These are some costume designs. I wanted neophytes (Zero) to wear Snuggie-styled robes, regular members (Nyao) to wear costumes modeled after the E Stone society in Toshihiro Ono's Pikachu Shocks Back, and I wanted the leaders to dress like Team Rocket. I love Team Rocket, and you've got to be feeling cool and powerful if you dress like them AND wear a cape.

I wanted all caps to be unique, and so to test my designs, I tried designing a "Be Square" hat based on Dan's old Herald comic's characters.

Up next is a trial sketch of Rivercreek Pacifism. I wanted silly names, but their first names are based on the real people, and the last names are just based on funny sounding words. Coincidentally, "Pacifism" is a card you might use in a White Weenie deck, and it's actually one of my favorite white cards, but it sucks when they use it on you.

A society or movement to appreciate Beauty and Justice is a great idea, but I would have liked it if they just stuck to beauty as their main goal, without justice entering into the picture, because I feel the former weakens and even counteracts the latter goal. I love aesthetics, and even in my graphic novels class, I learned to appreciate some at first really ugly comics styles, so I would actually be quite interested in a society that tries to explore different aesthetics. But when coupling beauty with justice...the justice part just feels kind of frivolous or trivialized, no matter how you slice it. "Justice" as an inferred subsection of "beauty," that's where it's at, but I have a hard time grasping them placed on the same footing because it just feels like they're cheapening Justice by having it so closely associated with Beauty.

Reuxben

Design_catalyst.PacPrez

This last round of The Game shirts wasn't terribly inspiring. There was even a ridiculous scandal on one of the shirts.

Anyway, these were the sketches for this year's cycle of The Game shirts brought to you by Catalyst Apparel.

They had some difficulty with Yale's licensing department, so we weren't able to cast any new shirts, but I did see someone wearing my old Flag design, which you can also wear year round (the guy sitting next to me in Japanese class was wearing it on the first day of class, even).

Funny thing, though, I saw a Harvardian wearing some kind of Pacman shirt, where the figures were inside a giant H.

This next sketch started as a kind of "wacky idea." What if we made a shirt that made fun of how gung-ho Yalies get about Yale? What's the most ridiculous way to show school spirit? What if we had a shirt saluting all of Yale's men who've become US presidents (all of whom have been at best mediocre presidents)?

So, minus Gerald Ford (Law), I designed this gangsta style shirt with all the Eli's who kept it real from the White Hiz-ouse.

Ok. Daily post challenge is on. Artwork every day until school's back.

Reuxben

Fun_TheGame2009

So today was The Game, can't tell if it was frustrating, depressing, or just plain sad. But hey, that's what she said, am I right?

In any case, I was feeling a little blue(r), despite the high of seeing someone wearing my shirt, so my friend, jack kelly, tried to cheer me up with a joke: "Maybe if Yale Football didn't suck, they wouldn't have choked." I told him to shut his face. One of those footballers was pretty nice to me when we bumped into each other in Farnam one night. He knew my name!

These last two sketches are actually from tonight's basketball game. Lost that one too, but it was actually pretty close: Yale trailed for about 10 points the whole game, and a late comeback just got cut short.

Baa: My dad once asked if I regret not going to Harvard. Honestly, I more often wonder what life woulda been like at Stanford.
I love Yale and can't imagine life elsewhere.

In fact, when I stayed at Harvard, I was really unimpressed with the place--everything looks like Pierson. And maybe it was because I was decked in Yale gear, but people didn't seem too nice. Not that I'm a good judge of character. Some of them were kinda off-handedly mean while trying to be not mean. One girl said she liked my art and then followed right up with "sorry you go to Yale." That really depressed me for some reason. Like for a split second I really wished I had gone to Harvard so I could poop all over Yale without feeling like I was biting the hand. But mostly, Harvard felt like an overly spacious series of husks. It was literally and figuratively cold and empty over there.

In Harvard's defense, some people were nice. One guy stuck around to watch me draw and he was really nice, acted like I was a big deal (but have you seen the Lampoon's art?!) YDN 06-8 called, they want their art back. Anyway, I greatly regret not pointing him to this site, but I feel really self-conscious advertising this site. That's why I kinda Easter Egg my signature/site into my artwork rather than just slap it on. If you find the plug, then great, I hope you enjoy if you choose to visit. If you don't, then all right then, off you go, and let's not waste anyone's time.

The only exception was that I decided to put out my usual call for a writing partner, except this time I printed posters with pulltabs in the hopes that I can start one of those legendary college partnerships. I like how it's so fate-oriented: the right person has to find the poster, placed in the right spot at the right time to catch their attention. So even if I don't get any bites, the idea itself is a lovely piece of performance-print art in my mind. I saw three tabs pulled and even one poster got torn down, like someone hates my guts. I guess that's a good thing because someone was so moved by me that they took time out of their day to demonstrate. LeSean Thomas once said, "If you ain't bein' hated on, then you ain't doin' $&#%." So there you go.

Reuxben

Herald_zlm.AirportRomantics

Kids say the jackedest things.

Zero Like Me #56
Zero Romance #11:
Airport Romantics
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Easter Eggs: Romance 11 in plant, Arthur's mom, subtle reference to another plot.

Fun Facts: I imagine all kinds of really mean, awful conversations in my head, distill them, and then make them into comics for all you pretty people.

Baa: I met this guy, Sal, in an airport who just completely freaked out on me: "Wait, do you really go to Yale?! That's like...for geniuses! It's in, like New York right? Or is that Harvard? Man, you guys are so smart!"

The Herald publishes a day early the week before breaks, so this came out Thursday, not Friday, actually.

Overheard Cantab: "Anybody know how to get to TD House?"

Also, at the Purple Crayon slash Immediate Gradification Players show, no Harvardians got the reference to "The Dead Shall Be Raised." They must have been really confused by the huge laughs the line got. Beautiful.

I'm pretty lucky. This year I'm going on to The Game with four people! FOUR! That's four times the usual amount! There's jack kelly as always, but also this new guy Gerardo Manera, and my good friends Zero and Nyao.

Sweet!

Reuxben

Design_catalyst.ImSObond

I designed a shirt for the International Students' Organization. Yeah. With a Z--that is, not a "Zed" and not with an S. So there.

This was booked by Catalyst Apparel, but I get the sinking suspicion I'm not getting paid. Got two shirts though...yay?

And if you need some international tunes to rock out to while wearing this, you're welcome.

So even though it looks like I'm not getting a cut, be sure to buy yours today! Also available in black. Like my sole (my shoes are black).

It's bound to be a collectors' item because I don't anticipate any more shirts in my future.

 

Quick note...why would they second guess a native speaker on this line of text? The original line for print on the shirt's back was "Outsourcing friendship since 1701," but they printed plural "friendships," which just sounds weird, dude.

I ain't even gonna front,

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.DOOEET

This can't end well.

Zero Like Me #55:
Zero the Traitor Pt.1 - DOO EET
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Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 3, Doggie Mojo.

Fun Facts: While designing Alexis, one of the hairstyles I studied belonged to the girl who let me use the scanning computer for this comic! I still need to work on the hair, but I definitely want to try that girl's style soon. Even I don't know how this story will end exaclty; we all gotta wait to see what T. Willie busts out. It's like when they asked readers to determine if Robin would die. I'm excited.

Baa: Things I heard while scanning this comic in the JE cluster:
"Do you know how long you're going to be using the scanner?"
"Does it take a long time to draw those?"
"Oh, is that for the YDN?"
"Of course, don't you recognize him?"
"Is this for tomorrow's paper?"
"Oh! So we get to see it before everyone else!"

Who's a pathetic little rock star?

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.TealDear

Wait, hang on...almost...wait, lost my pla--oh, wait there we, oh dangit, waitaminute...

Zero Like Me #54:
Teal Dear
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Easter Eggs: "Yale" in tree, "co-mixed" and "comic" in the rant.

Fun Facts: I have to draw two technology themed comics by the end of the year, so this'll be the first one, and the second one will be here in two weeks.

Baa: I'm not that into social networking sites (maybe cuz you don't have any friends ZING!); I just use them for their ability to announce to a bunch of strangers that a new comic is up because having my Friday, Monday, and Wednesday schedule announced at the top banner, as well as at the bottom of the page, as well as maintaining that update schedule for the past 2 years is simply not enough.

Myspace is only good for bands. Recent discovery: Lichter.

Blogs also annoy me. Unless it's an artblog, where you're contributing something truly original to the world for people to check out at their leisure--essentially a gallery with a curator you can easily ignore by staring at the pictures rather than his mute words--it's such a ridiculous idea to assume you're so important that your thoughts must be heard!

For the record, I do not assume people read the text, but just check out the pictures, so that's why I'm okay opening up with those who do choose to read, since I'm not forcing you to read or even visit, but it's nice that you do.

At the Brian Williams Master's Tea, he basically echoed these lamentations about this generation's blogging/vlogging/twittering narcissism.

Ironically both he and I have blogs.

Imagine that.

Reuxben

Record_7DeadlySines

An illustration for the Yale Record's Seven Deadly Sins issue, out TODAY! Grab one now as these are always hot sellers.

Easter Eggs: A dude's hair cut and suit. Blech.

Fun Facts: Only the head piece feels somewhat like it's not a real sine since it starts concave up, assuming all graphs start at the origin.

Baa: I hate hearing people cough...even worse feeling it...ugh, grossed myself out there just now.

Reuxben

Herald_zlm.TheYooshz

Monotony ensues.

Zero Like Me #53
Zero Romance #10:
The Yooshz
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If you want to see a polished comic today, check out this STEAMY COMIC too hot for the YDN. Or was it just asking too much of you as a reader? Anyway, it's for grade-A geniuses only. For their own protection, no stupid people are allowed to read it because they will not understand it. It is too difficult to understand, you see. Therefore, if you are stupid, do not read this comic. If you do, you will feel stupider for not being able to understand the comic. I am warning you for your own protection: you will not be able to understand this comic, and in fact, I have it on very good authority that you will not be able understand it. Likely because statistically, you are too stupid to understand it. So don't even try, as again, it will only prove that you are stupid.

Easter Eggs: [Loading...]

Fun Facts: [Loading...]

Baa: [Loading...]

Final Art and full update coming soon; until then, check the Herald Comics Site.

But there is also that yellow stinking rat, jack kelly. I bet he puts in a lot of hours into his comics...

First up from that corny ogre is "complain" which may or may not look like this:

And the foul villain has the gall to insult people who wish people well who have weblogs--he should be grateful for all the people saying unwittingly to his face things like "I LOVE jack kelly!" Ugh...

A sack of feces if ever there was one.

Ok, final art and update coming soon.

Reuxben

YDN_sls.BikeCurious

Even though you go to Yale, I think you are stupid. I do not think you will understand this comic. Drop out of Yale right now.

In conclusion: Hey Rocky! Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!

11/16/09 Update: This is scheduled to run in my normal comics slot today, and my regular series, Zero Like Me, will run Tuesday and Wednesday this week, thanks to my generous Comics Editor. So here's the post:

Drive into oncoming traffic, it's Sick Little Suicide #15 - "Bike Curious," in which I combine the complaints against apathetic cops not stopping bike dangers, and the complaints against overzealous cops for stopping booze dangers.

Easter Eggs: Barney Fife's outfit, Zero and Nyao.

Fun Facts: I had to sprint over to 202 York to argue this comic's right to debut in the Opinion section, but I lost that argument. It was a Herald night, and I don't have time to waste like that.

Baa: I have never even sipped alcohol, but I get "drunk" when I am really sleepy--if you ever want to see me drunk, find me stumbling into Commons at 7:45 on a Friday morning after a marathon of Heralding. I have on occasion bumped into people while in this mindstate and I am actually quite proud to say I can be much more open with people in person, a condition I usually reserve only for written communication.

Rabbit pulled,

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Orientation

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade; when life gives you beans, make hotdogs.

Zero Like Me #52:
Orientation
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Easter Eggs: "Yale," Ash vs. Richie at Orange Street, Hemmingway, omen, and Richard Pryor in Panel 2. Narita shirt.

Fun Facts: Today's setting is the OC's High Street gate. Also, this one is definitely more "about" race than last time, so hopefully we've now got precedent to talk a little more freely about the subject. Funny how we end up talking about being a minority all week and somehow hotdogs and hamburgers get involved; a happy coincidence.

Baa: I really don't like Mexican food...sometimes pepperoni pizza is too spicy for me. I once asked the burrito cart guy for a burrito with just beans and cheese but he started lopping on some weird sauce and I'm like, "Oh, no, I mean literally JUST beans and cheese, please," and then after he finally understood the order, he whipped it up and then stared at me for a good 30 seconds trying to figure out how much to charge me for such a baby burrito! In his eyes, I am surely a "Mexican't."

Until next time, don't forget to viva la raza, everybody!

Reuxben

Design_FullMoonLanding

This is a poster I drew for Neat Yale Thing The Sandy Gill Affair to hype their Wednesday show at The Space.

Easter Eggs: 5 pins for 5 band members.

Fun Facts: Narcissistic webcam pics are good for something.

Baa: I played the trumpet from 5th grade through high school. I was pretty okay until I got braces, and had to start over from scratch. A year later, braces removed, I had to start over again from scratch, at which point I said, ehh, I'd rather just draw.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.BurgerTime

Some guardian Nyao is, although it seems people are apt to watch police brutality rather than help, actually.

Zero Like Me #51:
Burger Time
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Easter Eggs: Dan's Squareman plus inside joke with my editor in panel 1, "Yale" in panel 3.

Fun Facts: This is a landmark comic for modern YDN Comics because I had to fight for the ability to talk "about" race. The inside joke with my editor is that he keeps insisting I'm "edgy," but really, I'm not: this comic is not "about" race, it's literally about race--around it, with relation to, etc.--but it's not "about" race. I remember submitting this comic ignorant (for the most part) that the YDN felt so tenderly about anything regarding race being spoken of in a comic, and that comic went over just fine! But hopefully this comic allows us to talk a little more freely about race.

Baa: This comic goes out to RSR, who believed in me; PFM, who tried not to; and to Bill Burr, the greatest comedian alive. Also, this comic is in no way related to this comic, just coincidence.

Hold your horses,

Reuxben

Herald_zlm.BigBuns

If I ever start a Movement for Peace, I'll propose a merger so that we will become the Movement for PB&J.

Zero Like Me #50
Zero Romance #9:
With Beauty And Justice For All Pt.3 -
Big Buns
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Easter Eggs: Romance 9 and "Yale" in plants. Team Rocket and E Stone society style outfits (from Ono's Pikachu Shocks Back), Snuggie, pentagrammy happy face, Yale SOBs, Kool-Aid (not this kind).

Fun Facts: In my Beauty and Justice, a cult dedicated to happiness with a hint of evil, different costumes stand for different ranks: neophytes wear Snuggies, regulars wear gowns, and the Big Buns wear Team Rocket styled gear, and only they do not wear bunny caps, but otherwise each cap is uniquely styled for its wearer.

Baa: I wish I was in a band. Not necessarily musicians, but I mean, I just wish I had a group of people who would reliably walk in slow motion with me. That would be awesome.

Final artwork coming soon (man, just look at that Herald version...yikes. What a way to celebrate the big 5-0). Until then, don't drink the water.

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Fellas

What exactly do you do at a gun show, besides trying to one-up each other in the semi-unspoken I'm-totally-not-into-murder-I-just-love-killing-animals contest?

Zero Like Me #49:
With Beauty and Justice For All Pt.2 - Fellas
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Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 1, an old poster, Bravo is not something I associate with 1988.

Fun Facts: Today's setting is JE E32, fortunately a nobody was home so I just sat there and drew the room.

Baa: I'm scared of death. At my physics teacher's funeral, I overheard someone who was close to her mention that she would never have believed that so many people came to the funeral because she was so self-conscious. I guess the upside is that you're not really around for that literally ultimate popularity contest.

Whenever somebody dies I can't help thinking what's going to happen when I die. It's lose-lose, really: either people show up because they actually care and I lived my life clueless or people show up and lie like they knew me. This is one of the reasons I especially fear dying during my school years; I don't want to put other people in uncomfortable situations. I didn't go to the vigils out of respect for him and her; I would feel insulted and embarrassed if a total stranger showed up. But I pray for them.

Quick Update Re: Comment #3: I mean, you're right, I guess. But then again, because this is a public site, it's a little more complicated and personal than I was and am willing to detail here, but I can only tell you that I can remember how incredulous, depressed, and angry I felt after my physics teacher died, especially when I tried to imagine life just carrying on like nothing after she was gone, so I know how horrific this current climate is for those affected. But as someone completely unconnected from these recent tragedies, I'm at a total loss on how to legitimately respond to them specifically. I mean, what do you want from me? How am I supposed to deal with this? I prayed, I reflected, I cried. I really don't know what to do beyond reflect on what death means to me. --Reuxben 11/6/09

You know, Comment #3, I gave it some thought and realize I was unwittingly out of line and I apologize. Out of consolation, I'll keep my offending text up, plus your comments (unless you want them taken down of course), so that if anyone ever thinks I'm any kind of a good guy, they can refer to these posts and be corrected. Although if you read any of my comics, you'll find I am quite aware of my shortcomings as a human being. -- Reuxben 11/8/09

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Special

Gosh, that must be so awesome...

Zero Like Me #48:
With Beauty and Justice For All Pt.1 - Special
Schoolwork is unavoidable recently, but it's almost over, and then we can get back in business.

Final artwork and full update coming soon, although I will say that this was supposed to run a while ago, but a bigger story came up out of nowhere.

Quick Update re: comment #1--I don't like to break the 4th wall in comics unnecessarily so I likely won't address this in a comic, however I did want to do a post about it on this site, but I didn't think anyone cared to know. Basically having a cat sidekick is based on the supportive characteristics I find in "Puss in Boots" and my family's cats. And it is because I am weird that I made these two connections. I'm not sure if your comment is a backhanded compliment but, you know, sorry to ruin your day if I did. --Reuxben 11/6/09

Reuxben

Fun_Headshout1

The following is a Headshout. I repeat, it is only a Headshout.

1. Hi's Zero! What are you being for tonight?

2. Did you hear the JE is has bathrobes?

3. Has you seen the Herald this week?

1. Same thing as always, Nyao. A suicidal emokid.

2. That's counterproductive--why would I want to take a shower, then dry off afterward in JE gear and immediately feel dirty again?

3. Yes. And by "yes," I mean "no."

The preceding has been a Headshout. Had this been an actual comic, it would have been accompanied with backgrounds, bodies, and bubbles.

Reuxben

Herald_zlm.Trick

We put the Boo! in "boo-hoo."

Zero Like Me #47
Zero Romance #8:
Trick
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Easter Eggs: Today's setting is outside Woolsey/Commons, and the references are to some Yale secret societies. The captions come from Mad Max movie posters and stuff.

Fun Facts: November 7, 2011, posted from Japan, this comic has finally been updated. Not my best work, but man, I was in one heck of a bind when I drew this (see the original post's text below for more). Alexis Blight is representing Skull and Bones and her design seemed to have gone over best.

Baa: I never wanted Skull and Bones, just Scroll and Key. But no dice. Ugh.

[update: final art, updated text, at top.]
Technically still haven't missed a deadline...right? And if this Frankensteinian comic isn't a horror, then what is? I hate you too.

They pushed my deadline up even earlier since a couple of them had a field trip to the New York Times early Friday morning, so I had a sinking suspicion I wasn't getting this comic done in time.

Knowing it was likely not going to be ready for print, as Herald Comics Editor, I got so depressed I wanted to cut myself. But then jack kelly showed up and figured out how I could make it to print after all.

Stupid midterm garbage is making it impossible to breathe/draw so I can't even finish pencils, but the real comic will appear prolly Thanksgiving week, so this failure will remain here until then...

Did I mention I hate you?

Reuxben

Penny_dm.MechsuitShuffle

This volume of The Penny Dreadful debuts my official entrance into the prose arena, featuring the first "deal" of my series Doggie Mojo, which will eventually be available here.

I couldn't afford time for two illustrations, not that I'm thrilled with this one, and I haven't even read the published version yet(!), but I wanted to take a moment to properly kick off this Dreadful art series.

Easter Eggs: Braille R. Design cues from Evangelion, Mobile Suit Gundam, and Pokemon.

Fun Facts: I wrote this series for my Writing Sci-Fi and Fantasy Class this past Summer Session, at first as a salute to my favorite gang, Team Rocket, and then it grew into a nod to all those inspirational Toonami shows that were just so phenomenally meaningful to me creatively.

Baa: Before writing, I would listen to these old Toonami hype clips to get in the zone, and even summarize the day's work in that excellent voice that I always associate with Toonami over Transformers. I would repeat in that husky voice, "Toonami is proud to present...Doggie Mojo...Saddle up." Or whatever, just thinking of cool, pithy taglines at the end. Man, I'm getting all inspired just thinking back!

A part of me wanted to write for narrative practice (since, as a literature major, merely reading stories can only do so much for you artistically), and a part of me just wanted to prove to myself and others that I am no one trick phony, I can draw and write, pure drawing and pure writing both co-mixed together, in fact.

Part 1 and its volume seem to have sold out, and parts 2 and 3 will be upon us soon enough, but until then, here's a snippet from part 1, "Mechsuit Shuffle":

"His powerful, meaty fingers hungered, tenderly caressing her soft, sumptiou--"
Wait a minute, WHAT?!

Reuxben

Fun_Roastmaster'sTea

In my comedy history class tonight, F-bombing Roastmaster General Jeffrey Ross visited and told stories from his life and from his excellent book, I Only Roast the Ones I Love.

Speaking from his own experience with hardship, in his unexpectedly quiet and relaxed off-stage demeanor, he encouraged me that comedy doesn't need to rely mostly on negative experiences; tragedy is just one aspect of comedy and it doesn't have to dominate inspiration. It's about diversifying, mixing experiences, good and bad.

"You don't draw comics about comics, you draw comics about life." -- Jeffrey Ross

So now I gotta go live life. Great.

Reuxben