Fun_PD.DogieMojo1

This is the "book" version of this illustration for the Penny Dreadful. I think I wanna recolor this further...

Hey, did I ever tell you the weirdest fan interaction I ever had? This girl came up to me and went, "Hey, you're Reuxben! You do the Doggie Mojo in the Penny Dreadful! I love that!" I wanted to go like, "Yeah, I also do some comics on the side every now and then..." Haha. But anyway, it was pretty cool to be known as the "Penny Dreadful" guy for someone rather than the "YDN" guy, especially since that was my first time doing pure prose comedy writing (not comic or TV scripts, but prose), and yet it seemed to have gone over pretty well--so much so that a random girl felt compelled to come up to me and tell me that's how she knows me. Also, I feel like most of my college fans were female...what's up with that?

Speaking of which, I miss Yale. It hasn't really sunk in that it's all over, but it's getting there. I'm already in a quasi-nocturnal cycle...Yale was great for helping me structure my day. Now it's all me, and I don't have a scanner, a desk, or proper workspace, and it's blazing hot in sunny California...how long until my art reserves give out? How long until I have to resort to this for new art content? How long until I start showering daily?

Animorphs #3, let's dance,

Reuxben

Fun_PD.Boy

After hiding out in JE an extra day after a last minute flight-fiasco, I'm back in California, Internet's up, and I'm somewhat sad to announce that my book has SOLD OUT. Technically I just run out of copies, I haven't sold out of copies--it's a free Sudler-funded book after all. So if you didn't get a copy (or my word that you will receive yours in the fall), tough luck, buddy, that's it (sorry, Mom!).

Anyway, now that I'm in Yale-retirement and have the rest of my life to "look forward" to, I'm thinking of how to spend the rest of my days. It's weird. My first time waking up in California since Winter Break was this past Thursday, and it started to sink in that I was always just visiting Yale; I was never a resident. It's like it was only a dream. which I just now woke from, like it never really happened.

Ok, so I'll be posting the exclusive recolorings and some of the printings hitherto only available in my book, the first (cough) of which was actually featured last time, but this is the first color job, a revamp of one of my very first pieces ever for the Penny Dreadful.

I made a To Do list on the plane, and here's a bit of it:
-Lose weight, maybe via exercise for a change?
-Re-read my Animorphs collection
-(Re)-read the Everworld Series
-Clear my Fiverr Waitlist
-Project DF
-Project SHS
-Project BRB
-Project ZLM:A

So now we get to see who the real fans are, since Yale's been done for a while now, and now it's just me and you, Removal. None of those pesky fair-weather fans. And heaps of Animorphs to tear through (I've got books 1-39, 3 Megamorphs, all the Chronicles books, an Alternamophs, and even the "Meet the Stars of Animorphs" book about the TV show...). Removal book club, anyone? Animorphs #2, you're up next, kid.

Reuxben

Fun_GivenTheAx

My last post from Yale (from my home away from home away from home, the JE computer lab) shall be this apology to Laura Zax.

Sorry, Laura Zax. You are wonderful, as you well know. I am an idiot, as you should definitely well know.

Ok, I'm now off to fly back to California. Goodbye forever, Yale. I owe you everything, and I thank you for everything--regrets and all.

Also, am I the last 2010 in JE right now? Creepy.

Reuxben

YDN_sls.Leavin

Reach for your wallet too quickly in front of an important official's secret service, it's Sick Little Suicide #19, "Leavin" in which I talk about what even an executive order cannot make happen.

Does this one really count as a Suicide? It's not in the book, I can tell you that. But it is in the Commencement issue. I don't believe I've ever felt so un-self-conscious about a Suicide than on this one, even though it's printed bigger than any other piece. I didn't even know the issue launched on Friday until someone started talking to me about it. Surprise!

Welp, that's it for my undergraduate YDNing days. And my undergraduate existence, for that matter. When next we meet, I'll be an...alumnus...

Forget Vitamin C, this is how you do a graduation theme.

Thanks, Yale...it's been real.

Real disappointing. Now get out of my sight.

Kidding...

...not really.

...yes really.

...maybe really.

Reuxben

Fun_NobodyKnows

It is with great pride and joy I officially announce:

Nobody Knows Who The Funk Reuxben Is.
Advance copies are OUT NOW for people on the reserve list from the class of 2010 only, since it's a more time-sensitive case to get them their books. So if you are 2010, you should be getting your book soon. Just be sure--if you haven't already--to email or call with details on how/when/where to make the delivery! And preferably don't be in a crowded place for the delivery, I get sheepish(er) like that.

Anyway, this was a huge undertaking and I literally lived in the JE computer lab for a couple of weeks hurrying to get this and my other final Yale projects wrapped. When the proofs came in Wednesday, that was the first night in a good while that I slept in my room and on a bed, rather than at my library desk or on two library chairs facing each other.

There are still some unreserved copies left for anyone who wants them and you are certainly still welcome to write me for your free copy, but the volumes that are in at present are kinda limited to just 2010s, unless it's a spontaneous sorta thing, or if you will not be here in the fall. The non-2010 copies will be in on Monday and while I can deliver them until Tuesday, after the 25th you can pick up your copy at the JE Dean's office starting this fall.

Special thanks to the great and powerful Loide for her help with the book design. And thank you for helping make this possible! And ironic!

Reuxben

YDN_ill.Clintmon

And you thought we were done? What are you NEW?!

Usually I listen to rock while drawing but for this guy, I made an exception. I listened to Norm's run at Weekend Update.

So this is going to go in the Commencement issue, and it'll be a coloring activity! Grab your crayons and kiss you boola goodbye!

Fun Facts: I drew two presidents in 24 hours for the issue! This one was the more difficult one...stay tuned for the next one.

Reuxben

Record_Australia

This is the last interior art I ever did for the Yale Record...

Caption:
World map proportional to koala population
Ok, putting finishing touches on the book, while listening to one of my favorite Yalies (and trying to tune out Charlie Rose's constant interrupting). If they ever make a movie about Jonathan Coulton...

Also, fresh YDN art coming soon! Even I thought I was out, but they keep pullin' me back in.

Reuxben

Fun_NadieSabe

 

Nadie sabe.

Nadie.

Hasta luego,

Reuxben

Fun_LateNight3

This is the third in my Late Night Conversations series. They say Yale is famous for its Late Night Conversations you have among roommates and friends and stuff, but I've only been a part of about two or three in my entire time here, which is pretty ridiculous. It's so bad it's good, or at least it's comedically bad.

So anyway, I had my annual end of the year Late Night Conversations art session, as I was taking down my gallery show, which oddly enough took exactly one entire play of the Motion City Soundtrack LP cycle, minus Commit This To Memory, which is unavailable because my new laptop doesn't have iTunes yet and I haven't gotten around to transferring the album to Windows Media Player. I actually wanted to listen to as much of the Deltron 3030 album over YouChoob as possible, but couldn't get Internet in the basement. The title track indicates an incredible, must-hear story, though, and we're talking about rap, man. Rap sucks. Ok...usually. I like Del The Funky Homosapien. And I love (real) freestyling!

So, from the pin-wreckage of "I'm Uncomfortable and They're Making Me Do This" comes Zero Zetsubo. I heard a rumor he might not be in as grave a state as some may think...

Reuxben

Fun_TimeTurnedFragile

I'm Uncomfortable And They're Making Me Do This
The Art of Reuxben

JE Basement Gallery
5/8/2010 - 5/10/10

260+ Pieces of Artwork

Featuring
The COMPLETE Zero Like Me
The COMPLETE Sick Little Suicide
The COMPLETE Darling Find
The COMPLETE Quarters Crisis
The COMPLETE Monsta Crash
the complete, uncut, and expanded note to self by jack kelly

Escape! 2 Cover
Escape! Issues 1 & 2
Select Lighter Light
Comics Club Posterboard 2010
Record Animal Issue [magazine]
Record Interior Cover: Murakami
Penny Dreadful Issue [magazine]
The COMPLETE Doggie Mojo

Rarities
ZLM Goes to Oxford (Scene Special)
Select ZLM Paraphernalia
JE People Drawings
Reed's Comic
Fan Note
Enemy Note
JE IMs Poster
Sandy Gill Affair Poster, Orig.
Unfinished Suicide
Oz Character Design Packet
SUGARY DRINKS [installation]
Sophomore Poetry Corner
Herald Proof Page
Deadboy
Penny Dreadful Interiors
Record Interiors

Select Guest Art
-jack kelly
-Yoonjoo
-Amelia
-Zach
-Jinjin
-Spencer
-Anna
-Eric
-Anonymous Fan
-Anonoymous Enemy
-Howard Dean

"I thought you said you weren't having an official opening!"

"I know, I didn't...people just showed up."

Thank you to everyone who showed up.
Thank you to everyone who signed up for a book.

I am happy to have made you happy.
I am happy to have made you sad.
I am happy to have entertained.

It wasn't as uncomfortable as I was hoping for.

Reuxben

Fun_RoguesGallery

ANNOUNCING:
I'm Uncomfortable and They're Making Me Do This
A gallery show featuring the art of Reuxben

Saturday and Sunday ONLY at the JE Basement Gallery. Come/go any time, there is no formal opening or structure. I will still be assembling/disassembling the show as I continue to scan in the artwork for a special project.

Peruse uncut originals, sketches, and other interesting artifacts from my adventures with my imaginary friends, from Zero Like Me and beyond, spanning all four years of comicsing at Yale.

See the debut of several never before seen comics, including the revamped Herald Finale and more!

If you spot me, I am honor-bound to answer questions and talk to you, MAYBE even make eye contact.

UPDATE: THE EARLY REVIEWS ARE IN!
"Oh, wow." - R.I.G.
"--OhmyG--!" - C.L.M.
Stay thirsty, my fiends,

Reuxben

Fun_OnTheStack

Notable Quotable: [Tues, 5:44am] this book might not happen if prep takes 2 long...srsly, wanna assist? plz email!
Continued from Monday, it's more bookwatch; since I don't have the Twitter (I'm not sure if it's even worth getting at this point since I'm no longer relevant to Yale and not yet to the World), I'll use this post to keep track of updates on the collected comics book, which is Coming Soon(TM). So...

11:35am
Currently:#ZLM is now wrapped! All 111 plus the special editions, previously only available online, plus the revamped #HeraldFinale and more! Now I finally get to shower, brush my teef, then it's essay time. And then we start loading up the JE gal'ry then start scanning in the special features. See you , @SpaceCowboy!
Listening to: The Roots cuz the guns are finally drawn.

11:35am
Currently: Just got back from Tyco--the books will be in THURSDAY at the earliest, so 2011 and younger people will have to wait till fall semester to pick up their copies. 2010 people...I will look into mailing these out or tracking you down over our remaining time in #Paradise, shouldn't be too big a problem. This weekend's gallery show will be a preview of the book, then. I'll still include rarities and cool stuff I may or may not include in the book for legal reasons (if you come, I will tell you the TRUE stories behind the stuff, but you have to promise to keep it our secret). On the bright side, since it's no use gunning the book prep to get the books in by Monday, I will be able to make this thing extra nice, with all the features I envisioned. So the plan is fin scanning #ZLM, write my last essay, then start scanning in special features.
Listening to: Cake cuz "friend" is a four letter word.

10:29am
Currently: #zlm102 is in. Another huge favorite of people's. I like it too. I wrote it back in May last year, so it's also one of my oldest comics. I created @AlexisBlight for the very purpose of being in this comic. Almost done with the #ZLMs!
Listening to: Cake cuz the singer should be really unappealing but isn't for some reason.

7:33am
Currently: 100 down...11 to go...but first pass out time is now.
Listening to: At the Drive-In cuz that's some raw energy.

6:30am
Currently: Dude, #zlmzr19 took forever...
Listening to: Bloc Party cuz it seems like bands I start listening to break up soon after--Over It, ELLEGARDEN, The Matches, The Ivy League etc...

5:04am
Currently: Now into the last full month! Almost done! I hope I'll have time for the special features...! Also, just realized I haven't heard anything about the yearbooks coming in...how are we supposed to get our yearbooks?
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cuz they played Toads once and I almost got to meet them, but I had homework and couldn't wait up for them...

3:54am
Currently: All Suicides are IN! So glad I went out with a bang; I've been told #sls18 is some peoples' No.1 fav piece of mine. I like it cuz I beat everybody to the Why-Ying-Yang? party, including the esteemed second person to opine, @igEd. Writing #sls was always the most thrilling cuz the pressure was ridic.
Listening to: RADWIMPS cuz I won't be going to Japan any time soon...

2:57am
Currently: Finally at Spring Break. Sleepiness is settling in, but gotta have this done today or bust.
Listening to: The Postal Service cuz it sounds so bittersweet.

1:35am
Currently: Just finished scanning #zlm86. I showed the making of that comic to the kids I taught comics to at a local elementary school and they LOVED it! They were adorable about it, as only kids are.
Listening to: Kyosuke Himuro and Gerard Way cuz I like gang vocals.

^Thechnically Thursday^
\/Wactually Wednesday\/
11:39pm
Currently: So JE reqs I put on a gallery show for them to print books. Just confirmed dates. ANNOUNCING "I'm Uncomfortable and They're Making Me Do This," the mandatory JE gallery show for the collected comics of Reuxben, Sat/Sun ONLY. Don't expect anyone to show up cuz 1st, timing's horrible, and 2nd, nobody cares. But if you want to take a look, it's there. I'll include some ridic'ly special, stuff. I know you guys hate materializing, even using real names in comments. Me too. Honestly though, I would like to meet you guys...this thing's designed to entertain you/me, so if you have nothing better to do, please do stop by or write or something. It's lonely. I'm lonely.
Listening to: Cake cuz I want a girl with fingernails that shine like justice.

8:59pm
Currently: Just scanned in #zlm71! Meeeeeeeemories!! Funnily enough, I keep forgetting that kid's name! lulz.
Listening to: Reuben cuz its just screamy enough, which isn't easy.

6:19pm
Currently: I think some @JE guy mumbled "hey" to me while I was carting JE's supply of @Escape!s to the @JEnaggingTable. I'm only distant as a self defense mechanism; bas'ly, I always assume nobody's talking/listening to me. So if you want to randomly greet me, go for it, but could you please not make it so comically ambiguous as to whether you are coughing, moaning, or talking to me? Cuz I assume the worst. k thx bye.
Listening to: Reuben cuz it makes me think of Farnam for some reason.

5:55pm
Currently: Just distributed @ESCAPE! 2. Still a semester of ZLM to go...at least I didn't get the art travel fellowship to Japan I was counting on to guide my post-college life. One less thing to worry about, y'know? SWEET!
Listening to: Reuben cuz I need a place to rest my bones.

4:36pm
Currently: FINAL SEMESTER! GO! Also @ESCAPE! 2 is OUT NOW! Get it!
Listening to: Reuben cuz it's just a kick in the mouth.

3:26pm
Currently: Just scanned one of my personal favorites, #zlmzr11. Ok, I'm going to take a dump. Nobody steal my computer.
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cuz it's been a good year, I've been a good little worker bee, and I deserve a gold star.

2:18pm
Currently: Just met with @mongoose for an inDesign tour. Also just broke 51. Officially approximately halfway done.
Listening to: Jimmy Eat World cuz the sweetness will not be concerned with me.

12:31pm
Currently: Whew. That went pretty well shoutout to JE dining hall staff for being excellent. Ok, well-fed, sorta well-slept, so let's cock-a-doodle-do this. Assistant still would be nice, though...you'd get your name in the book...
Listening to: Tom Waits cuz man, he's pretty cool.

11:56am
Currently: Overslept! Scared to go eat cuz some idiot's prolly gonna try to steal my computer. I always eat at Commons but that's a 14 minute round trip, and can't risk this computer. Must eat at JE, but it's always crowded, they take forever to make burgers, and the non-grill food is usu horrific...ugh.
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cuz I wanna ask you to the promenade.

6:38am
Currently: All right, can't fight it anymore, gotta sleep. Sorry, progress. Must sleep...please wake me up, cell phone alarm clock...I fear I may have grown immune to you...
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cuz I wanna break dance with you.

5:51am
Currently: Ok...roughly half way done! Just scanned #zlm41 so that plus the ~10 tweaks means ~51/111 ZLMs...I really hope I can get to the bonus material...I'm wondering if it'd be more effective to stop production, sleep, and then sprint to the finish or not to sleep but continue limping onward.
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cuz it feels like oxygen or wind.

4:16am
Currently: May have dozed off for a tiny bit...but we're ~back in action...Just scanned the first Suicide that ever got cut #sls12...this'll be the first time it ever sees print!
Listening to: The Postal Service cuz I love their soft jams and how lonely they make me feel.

To Do:
Digitize specials
Hand off to Tyco
Print
Do the Gallery Show
Distribute books
Get Money

Status Logs:
All Zero Like Me are digitized!
Tyco quote and deadline received
All comics treated, awaiting digitization
All comics inked
All pages are collected, numbered

Reuxben

Fun_BookWatch

Notable Quotable: [5:44am] this book might not happen if prep takes 2 long...srsly, wanna assist? plz email!
This is a doodle of Frankie Paupunk from Quarters Crisis. Remember her? Course you don't--this is leftover art from 9/1/08!

Anyway, since I don't have the Twitter (I'm not sure if it's even worth getting at this point since I'm no longer relevant to Yale and not yet to the World), I'll use this post to keep track of updates on the collected comics book, which is Coming Soon(TM). So...

11:26pm
Currently: Just finished scanning in ZLM35, infamous to me personally because it started a rift that I refuse to believe is mended. I know how stuff can sit in the back of your mind no matter how much you assure someone it's resolved. So eternal apologies for the misunderstanding on 35...
Listening to: Reuben cuz their soothing and loud songs both deliver.

9:41pm
Currently: Now scanning one of my most famous comics, the infamous Fulmer Nelson, technically my second censored comic (and right while the YDN was jeering the Yale Press for censoring the Mohammad comics). Fulmer Nelson and its censored post have now been restored. Take notes Rumpus, if you even still exist, that's how comics is done; don't try to second guess me on how to do my job, thanks.
Listening to: New Found Glory cuz that cover'll pick you right up cuz I want to pass out right about now, but one of those MS-Word-on-the-Scanning-Computer chumps is eying me like a hawk...

6:52pm
Currently: ~1/3 done! Suspect books'll be in Sunday. Frustrating you guys are bas'lly all anony, so I've no idea who's even into my work til we meet face to face (I reserved copies for fans I've met, with remaining books going to reservers, and then dropping a few at dining halls. Thought my main audience = 2010, but come to think of it, most I meet are 2011...you guys move out ~12th?...ugh...
Listening to: Jimmy Eat World cuz I can't get enough of 23. I'm so hungry and tired....man...

4:12pm
Currently: Finished semester two of ZLM! It only gets harder because I started going twice a week the next semester, then 4x in the final semester! This is actually kinda fun, revisiting these and taking the journey again...is this what it was like for you strangers to read the random little bottled messages I sent out all these years?
Listening to: The Postal Service cuz I love that song and that singer is absolutely haunting.

2:57pm
Currently: Ah...man, now entering the pass out at any moment stage...fortunately you don't have to be too alert for scanning, or at least I know exactly what I'm doing so it's kinda automatic. Up to ZLM17.
Listening to: Reuben cuz need to stay awake.

11:59am
Currently: Looks like I've reached the point where I'm too tired to sleep...mild hallucinating has set in (these cool little worm things)...now entering my prolific Suicide phase; that was some action, man. Gosh, I hate being out of the game.
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cover cuz nobody does a cover like MCS.

10:30am
Currently: Brunch...hopefully that will recharge me...so tired...10 ZLMs down, 101 to go?! Not really, but sounds dramatic if I ignore the tweaks I've already scanned...sigh.
Listening to: Jimmy Eat World cuz Theo has no idea what he's talking about.

8:46am
Currently: Just fin'd semester 1 of ZLM, 3 more 2 go (and with every semester usu comes an increase in comics--I started Tuesdays, then Weds, then MW, then MWF/F! Gauntlet above: left's to scan, right's scanned.
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cuz they're great to rest/wring your eyes to!

7:56am
Currently: Aww, man the tiredness is starting to set in, eyes feel heavy...but on the +side...ZLM6 just made me lol. Haha...man...that's weird. I love how anyone, even the artist who made it, can enjoy visual art.
Listening to: RADWIMPS cuz their fast/rock-y songs are the best, but their slower songs are hit or miss.

6:59am
Currently: Done with the first 3 comics plus pilots and even some bonus material! Seeing this old stuff is cool cuz it's been so long I can now read it like it's new plus I get to see how far I've come artwise.
Listening to: The Postal Service cuz, well, take a look at me now.

5:44am
Currently: Finished all tweaked comics...now rescanning the remaining doods...21 pieces down about 150 to go. Just like pogeymanz!
Listening to: Cake cuz perhaps (x3) this book might not happen if prep takes 2 long...srsly, wanna assist? plz email!

4:44am
Currently: Wow--coincidentally digitizing ZLM4 now (4=Death in Japanese). Spotted this doodle below the comic...N started out way more violent (beheaded a dude in my early scripts). Feel like they'd never let me go where @thejinjin goes...
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cuz coincidentally the song's called "Even If It Kills Me."

4:13am
Currently: Digitizing the uncut (oooh) version of my first major controversial piece--Show Me Ya Moves (original post is now RESTORED). I feel dangerous. Someone get me a leather jacket and a 45-degree neck-crane.
Listening to: Arctic Monkeys cuz they are all about the ASBO.

3:40am
Currently: Still not even done scanning the tweaked comics but already discovered I've passed out!! BEHIND SCHEDULE!! (I got up pretty early Monday...)
Listening to: Bloc Party cuz they make me think of freshness, usually, especially this track.

1:50am
Currently: 8 comics scanned...about 162 more things left to scan...this is going to take forever...send help...
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cuz if you had to bet, MCS would be a good one.

^ TECHNICALLY TUESDAY NOW ^
\/ ACTUALLY MONDAY \/

11:48pm
Currently: All right...first one digitized is 106: Election! Keepin' it classy...
Listening to: RADWIMPS cuz I'm back on my trusty scanning JE Mac.

9:51pm
Currently: Everything's inked, tweaked, and stacked!! Scanning time!! When will it end? That stack is HUGE!
Listening to: Arctic Monkeys cuz man, that gets you going.

9:07pm
Currently: Two more tweaks and then we scan!! Aforementioned idiot exited my windows, so now I have to refind all my youchoob music...jerk.
Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack cuz it's never not a good idea.

8:20pm
Currently: Back from dinner and now some idiot using GMAIL is on the scanning computer. How did these lovelies get into Yale?
Listening to: Taking Back Sunday cuz I know exactly what goes on.

6:24pm
Currently: Oh man, working on ZLMZR 10 and I just received an email about the senior photo the very moment Taking Back Sunday hit the best part of "You Know How I Do." I need to stop narrating and relating my life through music...makes as much sense as living by horoscopes.
Listening to: Taking Back Sunday cuz we WILL stand for hazy eyes.

6:10pm
Currently: Only a couple more comics before scanning marathon...wish I had an assistant...or at least a Nyao.
Listening to: Reuben cuz I need to rock.

5:15pm
Currently: Tweaking ZLMZR16 and chuckling because for those who have asked about the ZLM finale, this comic is the most concretely all-answering; ironically it's all a dream! And now that comics's over, I have no more need for pursuing uncomfortable situations, so...screw the senior dinner.
Listening to: The Roots cuz I need rock and roll.

4:50pm
Currently: Just tweaked a bunch of comics still a couple left including a bigger update ZLMZR10 and got what I hope is the final version of the Escape! file off to the printers thanks to the indispensable @thejinjin, but it's chaotic.
Listening to: At the Drive-In cuz weren't you listening? It's chaotic!

12:42pm
Currently: Just got back my final project for Literature for Young People--a comic version/reimagining of the Wizard of Oz--and finished updating a bunch of comics, still a bunch to go, cuz some ABSENT gentleman is hoggin' the DESKTOP PUBLISHING computer while only using MICROSOFT WORD.
Listening to: Reuben cuz we out of work geniuses need to stick together!

10:42am
Currently: Finished updating SLS 8 Rip, now brunch then meeting with Tycho, then back to tweaking cuz some gentleman is hoggin' the DESKTOP PUBLISHING computer with MICROSOFT WORD.
Listening to: Cake cuz aww, man, that's smooth.

10:18am
Currently: Finished updating ZLM 23 Perdedor, now tweaking SLS 8 Rip cuz some gentleman is hoggin' the DESKTOP PUBLISHING computer with MICROSOFT WORD.
Listening to: Two Tongues cover cuz she sings like @thejinjin draws.

9:58am
Currently: Tweaking old comics cuz some gentleman is hoggin' the DESKTOP PUBLISHING computer with MICROSOFT WORD.
Listening to: The Roots cuz if I got beef wit you, you the last one to know.

8:48am
Currently: Revamping old comics
Listening to: Arctic Monkeys AND some annoying guy coughing literally every 10 seconds AND who is on the ONLY desktop publishing computer in JE yet is only using MICROSOFT WORD.

To Do:
Digitize files
Hand off to Tyco
Print
Do the Gallery Show(?)
Distribute
Get Money

Status Logs:
Tyco quote and deadline received
All comics treated, awaiting digitization
All comics inked
All pages are collected, numbered

Reuxben

Fun_EscapeAgain

Sup, gangstas!

Aww, naw, we ain't done, son, whatchu think? Naw, playa--
Comics Club Presents ESCAPE!, Spring 2010, ya heard?
The hot new single drops soon, like I drop dimes, rhymes, and mad dope zip lines.

Look for all yo favorite G-thangs includin':
Slightly On Center
Zero Like Me
Small Talk
The Bear Truth
Generically Untitled
Dead Squirrel Shenanigans

Plus phat, original beats by the freshest MCs in tha game:
Jinjin
Annika
Sarno
Chika

And we rap wit da gran' master,
Kazu Kibuishi,
creator/editor of tha Flight Anthology

No snitchin'; but it's aight if you hype dis spit.

Peace easy,

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Friend

This is the end, my only friend, the end.

Zero Like Me #111:
Friend
<- Previous Comic
-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in bushes. "Question Yale" on hat. "Zero Ethos" on shirt. Radwimps (superlative weakling) on poster. The ending is a reference to The Courier and to a lesser extent, the Sopranos.

Fun Facts: Today's setting is just outside of JE-E. My final Herald was #22, and my final YDN is #111 (and not a zero to be seen), weird huh?

You know how sometimes shows have music that plays during crucial times? Well this comic has one of those soundtrack dealios (especially considering the Sopranos' wonderful music cue technique). So just set this on loop, and you'll know what it sounded like while drawing this: Zero's theme, Nyao's theme, the setting's intro theme, and then closing credits roll.

Zero Zetsubo, did you get what you deserve or just what you always wanted?

Baa: I don't know how other artists do it, but for me, I sort of involuntarily match whatever emotion I'm trying to convey, which is why it's usually fun drawing Nyao, cuz she's always so happy, but man, I felt trashed drawing those last two panels, and even Z writing his letter. So, yes, you jerk, I got choked up drawing this, partly out of that symbiotic sort of thing but also because this is the last comic I am ever guaranteed to see published or even viewed. It's sinking in that this is it. It's like losing your identity, you know? Not like credit cards and numbers on a sheet of paper, I mean like waking up naked, homeless, and with amnesia. That's it. Nothing left. That's it. I've lost my identity.

Special extended, grand finale edition of the End of Semester Thanks section:
D. Kato for getting me started in comics all those years ago. David for stoking my need to do this for Yale, and for inspiring this website. Charles for letting me use my artist name in the YDN and for getting me my first gig. Jordan, Phil, and Tom for inspiring this series. Claire for Nyao's hairstyle and for making my YDN debut oddly timely. Takeshi Obata for Zero's hairstyle. Cullen for hiring me back when it seemed a little more formal. Ruth for encouraging me literally from before the beginning. Andrew M. for ensuring I never trust too much and for avoiding eye contact with me on tap night or whenever he needed to be let in to JE. Thomas for inadvertently helping my traffic with your antics. Reed for being just distant enough to help toughen me up, but just close enough so that it felt like there was something on the line. Pete for pretty much always being in my corner. Harrison for helping bridge into this new board and being almost too supportive. Sarah N. for making me look good on page 2 with her keen script-selecting sense. Heeling night and the people I met for making me feel like a somewhat valuable cog in a gigantic machine. Nicolas and Jay for being ridiculously kind. And Paul, for making EICs seem human, and even...neat.

And of course sincere thanks to all the nice people who've ever emailed, spoke, or otherwise communicated with me over this run with the YDN, and even when I was just at the Herald. It's been such an honor and I will miss you, and entertaining you, severely. Oh, gosh...misty eyed right now, I'll be honest.

Ok, that's it...

I don't know what will happen to me or this site...I do not have plans to abandon it, but I'm going to be realistic: unless I go pro, I don't anticipate any reason for people to tune in (like the good ol' days). Fortunately, I always write (and draw) under the assumption that no one's going to see it, anyway--I've just been talking to myself this whole time (kinda like Z?). But I still have some art backlogged, waiting to post, as well as some new art still coming up (including my comics' collected edition--email to guarantee a reserved free copy or pick one up at the gallery show!--it will have tweaked and even fresh art, so Z and Nyao aren't done just yet!). But long term, we'll see what happens.

If I never see you again, please know it's been the highlight of my life entertaining you through my artwork, and even through this site.

Thank you so much for everything,

Reuxben

Record_AnimalCover

 

This is the cover to The Animal Issue, the final issue of the year for the Yale Record, and my final one period.


Reuxben

YDN_zlm.ZeroLikeMe

The warmth from burning bridges feels so beautiful.

Zero Like Me #110:
Zero Like Me
<- Previous Comic...Next Comic->
-First Comic-
Easter Eggs:"Yale" and this dood in Panel 2, plus some presumably Sick Little Suicide action on "page" 2. Guest star's hairstyle based on a sketch of the Battle of the Bands girl in the killer jacket, plus a ref to Scene in panel 1.

Fun Facts: This is another example of taking an old script and plugging in a contemporary reference to make it "timely," utilizing this incredibly heartwarming shout-out by those right proper lads over at Scene. Although I've got to say, if I've ever embodied anything, I hope it's only ever been just your fears (at least that's been the goal), cuz if what I write about represents your hopes, you're in some bad shape, man! I gave my first sort of "interview" after my first major controversy, and my stance was/is I want to represent the people who aren't covered by the smile-laden admissions propaganda. There are people miserable here, and I want them to know they aren't alone. Ok, technically they are alone (zing!), but you know what I mean. I was so flattered to see one of the greats cover ZLM, but I couldn't help notice she made Zero smile. I think he's smiled maybe twice in 110 comics. This series isn't for kids who smile, it's for kids whose own imaginary friends won't even hang out with them.

Oh, hey, actually, you want to have some fun? Read the following sentence out loud:

This comic is called "Zero Like Me."
All right, for this to work you have to actually read it out loud, jerk, so go back and read it out loud (if you're in public, just start kissing the person closest to you so that your reading aloud will seem far less weird by comparison). Great, assuming you've read it aloud, now think about what you just said. I find that this is a bit of a Rorschach test: when I read it, it's Zero Like Me. But when I hear optimistic people pronounce it, I noticed they say Zero Like Me. Although how you pronounce it is up to you, I stress the second word because it's about being alone, not about being special. But to each his own, I guess, you smiling little hyena, you.

Baa: Ok, so the Scene shout-out's no Scroll and Key tap, but it really hit me and made me feel like less of a loser for wasting my Yale/life on comics, so I really do think the world of those Sceney-Bopper heartthrobs. I have difficulty expressing gratitude, but I do want to thank the Scenesters for their absolutely warm reception, and while we're at it, I also want to thank any fan who's ever come up to me: you people make this worth it.

I know I really suck at being approachable, but please know I didn't/don't mean to be rude or weird if I ever came off that way, I'm just awful at being off the cuff and I get nervous easily, especially in front of strangers and/or attractive people (and I am proud to say, from what I've seen, I've actually got some incredibly pleasant enthusiasts!). But I have this fear that if I allow myself friendship, it will weaken my ability to be creative or perhaps worse, it might permit an echo of something that happened a while ago that I would rather not re-experience.

Now that my college career is basically all over, I'm starting to wonder how badly I screwed myself in the long term...you know? To be honest, I wanted to accrue fans first so that I could develop friendships later, but perhaps I should have prioritized otherwise? The plan was Fans -> Friends -> Love. Seemed reasonable.

After he figured out I live a peculiar lifestyle due to my comics, one of my prefrosh asked me point blank why I "torture" myself. Surprisingly this guy--literally a kid, who's not even a college student yet--made me feel just as feeble and out of place as Freshman Year did. As I began to tell him before ninja-ing out of the subject, it's because I simply don't know how to do this, how to exist, otherwise; I am too scared to change my process. But this--everything--is getting harder to deal with, so it's like my own perfected system is now rebelling against me.

I've been trying to figure out how to handle the finale, which angle to take...I think I had a breakthrough Sunday night after fleeing a birthday.

So, yeah...the big finale is this Thursday. Where will you be...when it happens?

...

Answer: taking a dump.

Reuxben

Herald_zlm.Lame

 

You get what you pay for, I guess.

[Update: Final art up top.]
Zero Like Me #109:
Zero Romance #22:
Lame
<- Previous Comic...Next Comic->
-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: Romance 22 on sleeve.

Fun Facts: More than being extremely exhausted from marathoning these YDN assignments plus the regular one over the previous 48 hours, I was also in a huge amount of pain. My arm was absolutely shot. I've even got a blister, so I was drawing literally at blistering speed! So I understood there was no way to get this comic to its full completion in time for press, so I tried to think of creative alternatives, including just having the dialogue bubbles, but no pictures...anyway, this is the result, the final Herald comic of my life.

Baa: I really wanted to feel something turning in this final comic, but I didn't and that weirds me the poop out. I remember really feeling it when I turned in the final installment of Darling Find. But this one's a special case for a couple reasons. First I was physically and mentally exhausted from being up for a couple days drawing, so my capacity to really be conscious of myself was a bit deprived (I don't drink but I get "drunk" when I'm short on sleep, so I relax out considerably). Second, the series isn't done, still got Monday and Thursday. The third reason, I believe might be because the comic doesn't feel finished since it's basically still a thumbnail sketch. But I know I will start feeling it Thursday when I realize that the screaming voice in my head is gone forever, never again to shout "It's Herald Day, get moving!"

Anyway, you didn't hear it from me, but jack kelly got a little choked up (only briefly) doing his finale, a two parter(!) called "representation," found here:

And "thanks," which looks like this:

So there you have it. Herald's done forever. (Final Art Coming Soon, though...?)

Finally, this semester's Thanks section: Emily and Jinjin, for their tolerance and/or help.
And then Special Thanks across the years: Mr. Kato, Mr. Chittenden, Mr. Kanter, Laura Y., Laura B., Cassandra, A. Kaufman, Bonner, Kirk, Joe, the random people who talk to me in the streets who's names I don't even know, and all the people I've inconvenienced at 305 Crown.

In other news...I'm Sudlering a book collection of my comics. They're only printing 50, and about 25+ are already reserved, so if you want one for sure, Ishmael me or get to the JE gallery show they're making me do. If you don't know what I look like, I will be the only one there, and I will be trying to avoid eye contact with my reflection by staring at things on the ground. Further details coming extremely soon.

My dining hall bucket list is about to conclude Saturday: Trumbull dinner/drawing sesh. What an achievement!

Reuxben

YDN_Scene.WPSIATWIN

And now the big coming out announcement: I am a hipster.

Sigh.

You see, I did a three piece gig for Scene. Yes, Scene. I feel like I should feel guilty...I am the enemy of all things hipster, right? Yet here I am not only contributing, but doing the cover, right in the thick of enemy territory! AND as a result I couldn't bring the final Herald comic of my life to its full potential for print. Sounds all around horrific, but turns out this was a highlight of my Yale/life and a heck of a way to wind my year down (not that we're done yet!)

It was a lot of fun, the early reviews were quite positive, and the Scene crew is comprised of some of the best people at Yale, and thus by extension, on Earth. So everything's coming up Milhouse. The only real downside is that I was/am exhausted from squeezing this cover plus two interiors into my regular schedule...more on why being exhausted is bad when the Herald Comic post pops up later today...

So the cover is the Woolsey-esque Radcliffe Camera at Oxford. I got into this foreign entanglement after a couple of the Scene editors stopped me in the YDN office and tag-team proposed I do a cover. They mentioned there was some sort of British one in the works, so I thought it would be good times since that first Scene editor is British...or Greek...or Switzerlandese...or something.

Anyway, both eds were ridiculously nice people and I had a lot of fun marathoning this after sprinting to get my Friday comic turned in a record 24 hours earlier and then immediately gunning the cover (huge thanks to Stavros for the insanely nice paper!!) and as a result, my entire arm was shot with piercing pain, and that was just after finishing the cover! I still had these two interiors to do as well and then my Herald finale, and I was already an hour behind the YDN deadline!

Anyway it all seemed to work out in the end, and I cannot believe I pulled off this YDN assignment! Unfortunately I had to rely on Monster, which is something I really, really, really don't like to do cuz it jacks up your sleep pattern.

Final Art Coming Soon. Also, Fun Facts: this is the biggest drawing I've ever done for publication--I had to scan it in pieces, but since it was just the pencils and time was of the ess, I rushed the stitching. And I also had to fight my OCD desires and not use a ruler...ugh. Well, ok, I used it on the guitar.

So huge thanks to Nicolas (Easter Egg'd "thx Stavros" in grass, plus random Britishisms), Jay, and Harrison for all their support and/or patience during this endeavor and thanks to the Paul for the hall pass from Wednesday's activities and the extension. And big bonus thanks to Scene for the absolutely heartwarming salute on page 2! Gosh...!

Baa: I'm trying to be more accessible before graduation, so if you'd like a drawing, please contact me and I would prolly be happy to do it. My Good-Will Slash Dining Hall Farewell World tour continues with Saybrook for dinner, where I will be drawing the final regular edition of Zero Like Me (the big finale is a bit specialer in format and will run Thursday).

Reuxben

YDN_zlm.Caroline

I'd hack that.

Zero Like Me #108:
Caroline
<- Previous Comic...Next Comic->
-First Comic-
Easter Eggs: "Yale" in panel 1.

Fun Facts: Today's setting is Trumbull, because some of my favorite humans are from there.

Baa: There actually is such a thing as a less than appealing British Yalie...but there's no such thing as a dumb-sounding one. And from an overheard conversation between two Texan Yalies, there's no way Southern accents can get around sounding like idiots. And I can't stand it when y'all write the word "y'all" out...please stop. Also stop saying "shoot me an email," I don't know why it's so ridiculously annoying hearing that phrase, but it is.

Anyway, almost time for the coming out party. Aren't you excited?

Also, if y'all are interested in a drawing after my schedule clears up, shoot me an email.

Reuxben