Indeed Dogbert, Why Wait till Midnight?

Some New Year's Eve cheer to all of you from three of the funnies that I read every day 365 - -
Drive Safely. See ya next year.

Rogue Evolent Really IS Going to Stretch This Out into 2010, Sigh...

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

Burning For You - or - S.O.S. To Your Tooth Fillings

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

CREEPY ARCHIVES: Volume One

Thank goodness for good libraries. My local public library has a nice selection of graphic novels and comic book reprints. I just finished reading, savoring, and slobbering over the magnificent Volume One of CREEPY ARCHIVES. This fine hardback is put out by Dark Horse Comics, and re-prints the famous first five (5) issues of Warren's epic black and white horror anthology magazine. Dark Horse and other retailers sell this 232 page hefty tome for 49.99 bucks. After reading it, holding it, and caressing it, I can testify that it IS WORTH every penny, if: you like stunning art, you enjoy pretty decent stories, and you have even a scintilla of nostalgic feelings and remembrances of the era and magazine itself. I say "pretty decent" stories, only by way of balance. The stories by Archie Goodwin are quite good. The adaptations of the Otto Binder "Adam Link" human robot stories are excellent. But, the "zingers" (or "gotchas") which conclude each 8-pager, much like a mediocre episode of Twilight Zone are telegraphed a mile away. But that's okay. I mean, there's only so much you can do with the genres of Werewolves and Vampires ( I mean REAL vampires, not those sissy Calvin Klein Twilight metro's currently polluting the big screen et al).
So, yes, though the stories all have that Ambrose Bierce, O. Henry, Saki, "twist ending," it's okay. What always set CREEPY so far above the pack, was the stunning black and white artwork.
These first five issues contain some of the best ever done. Reed Crandall, Al Williamson, Alex Toth, Joe Orlando, Gray Morrow, Al McWilliams, and MY FAVORITE ANGELO TORRES will knock your eyeballs out of their sockets (and then Uncle Creepy will laugh at your 'far-sightedness'). And yes, the paper is heavy and thick; the original color covers are all there (two words: FRANK FRAZETTA...well, two more words: JACK DAVIS); the house ads remain; and the original letter pages are also included.
This is a labor of love. Even if you don't plan on collecting the entire set from Dark Horse (and who really can afford it; I think they're already up to Volume 6) this first book with those seminal first five issues is a treasure trove of Horror Graphic Stories that has never been topped.
Well worth it at 50 samoleans, but AMAZON.COM (no, I don't work for them, or play them on tv) is selling it for $32.97 ! ! Make those charge cards hum my friends.

FLASH!!! Late Breaking News!!! tROAD Awarded Award!!!!

I just found out that my pal (I first discovered his genius prose and macabre sense of humor over at CHFB [Classic Horror Film Board]) Max, the Drunken Severed Head, has awarded tROAD and a bunch of other nifty & fun blogs the coveted ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD. This singular honor, first created and bestowed upon Max's wonder-blog by famed Doctor Zaius (of Zaius Nation) has now been passed along to tROAD and other blogs meeting Max's stringent and arcane approval (he likes my wierdly bad cartoons :) )
Seriously, I am honored that Max even follows this here ol' blog and count his cyber-friendship a boon, and great gift, of this passing year of 2009.
I will shortly be re-gifting the award to several other worthy blogs.
Now, without further delay... if you're not a follower of Max, surf on over and check out his strangeness (but in a good way)
THE DRUNKEN SEVERED HEAD http://drunkenseveredhead.blogspot.com/

Clothes "make" the Cranium

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

The Plot - - Rancifies

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

We Meet Again? -or- A Face By Any Other Name

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

LOGO/MASCOT Character of the Week: BOY HOWDY

No, I didn't do drugs. Heck, I rarely even bought a copy of CREAM magazine (I was more of a Zoo World and Rolling Stone kind of guy). But I loved this little mascot buddy that adorned the pages of CREAM as their mascot.
I think I first heard the phrase: "Boy Howdy" when Max Baer Jr., playing Jethro Bodine on the hit 60s television series The Beverly Hillbillies uttered it as: "Boy Howdy, it's good to be home."
But heck, he's a bottle of milk!!! How cool is that.
I realize now, years, decades, and a life-time later, that BOY HOWDY was probably meant to be enjoyed while smoking a big fat Dooby (and I don't mean "Takin' it to the Street" Doobies)

Darkest before the Dumb

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

tROAD Blog of the Week: STANLEY STORIES

This week, the award for BLOG OF THE WEEK is joyfully bestowed on a wonderful research and re-print comic book blog by the name of STANLEY STORIES. No, not Stan Laurel. No not Stanley the Monster. This blog is about the writing (and to a lesser extent the penciling) of legendary kid's comics 'Shakespeare' John Stanley. The blog is run by Stanley expert and aficionado Frank M. Young. In addition to posting many of Stanley's better stories (Little Lulu, Woody Woodpecker, Tom and Jerry, Jiggers, Andy Panda, and a host of others) we are graced by the delightful prose commentary of Frank Young. Mr Young is currently working on a major project for Abrams Books. If his scholarly, yet thoroughly enjoyable essays which accompany the Stanley stories are any indication of what's in store, BUY whatever books you see his name attached to. This "must read" blog is a true labor of love. After reading it for a few weeks you too will be convinced that John Stanley was a titan in the writing of truly classic american sequential children's literature. Frank Young draws back the curtain on a still, somewhat, unrecognized comic book genius, every bit the equal of the better celebrated Carl Barks.
For a real Christmas season treat, surf over to:
http://stanleystories.blogspot.com/
Blog of the Week, and darn deserving: Frank M. Young's STANLEY STORIES

EVERYBODY SING: FOOM, FOOM, FOOM

JONAH TO THE WORLD

Well, the new Jonah Hex movie IS supposed to come out next year (2010). It should be worth seeing just cause Josh Brolin is such a convincing actor; loved him in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.

O, Little Town of Innsmouth

Now We Are Two

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

PEACE ON EARTH - - AND GOOD WILL TOWARD MONSTERS

Well, I find it amusing. I love it when Chucky (apparently) gets off his end of the teetor-totter; also love the Wolf Man at the end! This, I take it, was a Spanish made tv commercial for Direct TV which ran in Argentina.

FAB FOUR NO MORE?

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

What IS Your Snailment?

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

Not In The Proper Horrorday's Spirit Yet?

Play this...you'll like it.
This is Elvis being "possessed" by the Lovecraftian Great Old One (and all-around swell cosmic entity) Cthulhu. Here he sings the heart-ripping tune: "Blue Solstice."
Seriously, the video is from the "King's" '68 comeback concert, but the voice is that of Dan Conroy. This comes off a fun (if you're warped) CD titled: "An Even Scarier Solstice: The HPLHS Solstice Carol Songbook and Sing Along CD" which is available for purchase from the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society's website. You can surf over to their site and get a free Mp3 download of this tune!
You can also read both the lyrics and the spoken section.
I love the line "you'll be down in your tomb, in cyclopean gloom"

Forest Denizens Flee ! ! !

[c] 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

What! Another Blog?

Kind of. Side-ways, sort, of. (an old "Libby the Kid" reference for you 1960s "Boomers")
I've started a rogue evolent "dump" (is this like Jerry Beck's Cartoon Dump?) of old art-work, doodles and quick (no talent) sketches. Come by and geek at the train wreck. Why should real artists and cartoonists have all the fun. Although 3-D glasses are not provided, black eye-patches are recommended.
The new blog is called "the OUTLINE LIMITS" (a 'play' off the television series, and my style of drawing, to-wit: my art is to a real cartoonists' like a police outline spray painting of a corpse's position at the homicide scene, is to a portrait painter)

url: http://sorrypencilsketches.blogspot.com

I at first called the blog PEN[c]ILL, but, thought it was just too clumsy. Then, I was going to call it PENCILLUS Non Compos Mentis. I like Latin, but, it was too clever by half. So, now I think I'll stick with this third title. What say ye?

The Keenest Canine Quality: Sense or Scents of Loyalty?

[c] 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

CALL OF THE WILD

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

When Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth: B.C.B.S. (before comic book shops)

One of the sad realities of today, is that ubiquitous distribution points for comic books aimed at kids, no longer exist. Oh, sure, a kid can buy comics at Hastings, Borders, Barnes & Noble, and some grocercy stores, but it ain't like it used to be when the spinner racks were everywhere. And boy do I remember buying comics before the day of the specialy shop. That's not to say when I first discovered Comic Book Stores, I didn't appreciate them -- I did -- but by then I was 24 years old. I remember The Orange Crate, and its incredible successor store (my favorite comic store ever) COMICS & FANTASY's (both in Topeka). I remember Collector's Bookstore (in Corpus Christi, TX) and Clint's Comics (Westport in Kansas City).
And now, as an old-guy I can frequent Astro-Kitty (in Lawrence, KS). But long before all that, before all of them...
there was the GIANT THAT STRODE THE BANKS OF THE BIG MUDDY.
The picture below is of me (rogue evolent) back when Grant was president. I am buying some silver age (or later) comics at SHINDER'S in downtown Minneapolis. The date is late summer of 1975. The photographer is bookman187. The hat, is, without excuse.
SHINDER's had a large and wonderful selection of D.C., Marvel, Charlton, Gold Key, and all the others. It also had a ton of porn, cigar smoke, racing forms, degenerates, paperback books, and who knows what else. I didn't get to SHINDER's very often, but when I did, it was comic book heaven

tROAD LOGO/EMBLEM OF THE WEEK

"Charlie the Tuna, the cartoon mascot tuna for StarKist Tuna, was created by Tom Rogers of the Leo Burnett Agency after StarKist hired Leo Burnett in 1961. StarKist Tuna is the name of a brand of tuna currently owned by Dongwon Industries.

As reported in news stories about Rogers, Charlie the Tuna was based on Rogers' friend, the actor-songwriter Henry Nemo. B-movie actress Maila Nurmi claims that the character was originally sketched six years earlier by the actor James Dean while she was sitting with him one night in Googie's coffee shop in Los Angeles. However, StarKist and Burnett both give full credit to Rogers, and there is no actual evidence for Nurmi's claim.

The advertisements depicted Charlie (voiced by actor Herschel Bernardi) as a hipster wearing a Greek fisherman's hat and glasses, whose goal is to be caught by the StarKist company. Charlie believes that he is so hip and cultured that he has "good taste," and he is thus the perfect tuna for StarKist. Charlie is always rejected in the form of a note attached to a fish hook that says, "Sorry, Charlie." The reason given by the narrator (voiced by Danny Dark) for the rejection was that StarKist was not looking for tuna with good taste but rather for tuna that tasted good. The commercials were animated by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises." [from wikipedia, so, believe it.... or not]

"Sorry, Charlie" became closely associated with StarKist and was also a popular American catchphrase. Charlie appeared in more than 80 advertisements for StarKist until the 1980s, when the campaign was retired.

And, I actually eat this stuff. Chicken of the Sea is my brand of choice (the Little Mermaid is cuter) but right now, StarKist is cheaper... every penny counts in tough economic times :)
As a little kid I ALWAYS thought Charlie was way-cool; he kind of reminded me of Phil Silvers as a fish.
Anyway, I do eat plenty of the stuff-- got to keep my mercury levels high.

Blog of the Week: WHIRLED OF KELLY

This week the tROAD award goes to Thomas Haller Buchanan and his blog of love: WHIRLED OF KELLY. This has been a blog I've been surfing over to everyday now for several weeks. Such visits pay off big time since Thom is an almost daily poster (sometimes multiple posts). And unlike me (who rambles and puts forth a whole lot of filler) Thomas give the viewer CONTENT: Kelly CONTENT! POGO CONTENT. A blog needs no other justification, no other testamentary accolades from an amateur like me. If you adore Walt Kelly's Pogo (and if you don't, you're probably here by mistake as well) you will love what Thomas does for the legend of this creative genius.
It's been specially nice during December as the blog has regaled us with the various interpretations, variations, permutations, and oscillations of the Christmas music of the Pogo strip (particularly Deck the Halls with Boston Charlie). And "lands o sakey" all you tads.... Thomas seems to like Porkypine almost as much as I do.
If you want, or need, to smile, feel young again, and believe in the simple power of goodness and friendship, make a friend of this web-site: http://whirledofkelly.blogspot.com/
tROAD Blog of the Week: WHIRLED OF KELLY by Thomas Haller Buchanan

See, you don't even have to be a "follower" (in an official capacity) of tROAD to win this delectable no-prize from my "House of Idears"

One More of Sid Stork (whoo-boy this is going to be fun)

Just for the record... I can't draw. I can't cartoon. So, I steal images, forms, blockings, et al, and trace my guys' over the top. But, if we follow the time-honored tradition which Jules Feiffer so lovingly talks about in his 1965 book on Comics (SWIPING), it's not really theft, it's homage. :)
This picture of Sid is swiped, I think (been too long ago to remember) from the cover of a Mutt & Jeff comic I think...?
But the head and beak are all mine.

And now, I'm heading over to Nov Shmoz Ka Pop (well, sometime in the next 72 hours) and deciding on which comic story to print/scan.
Mykal, Gabriel, Lysdexicus, Chuck, Thomas, Frank, Aaron, Apokolyte, Groovy Agent, Keith, and youse other guys (heroes of mine: ALL) I'm coming to join the fun.

Testing, Testing, 1...2...3...

Arguably, this first-ever (hit the trumpet fanfares) attempt by the luddite, techno-phobic, in-competent rogue evolent SHOULD happen over at Nov Shmoz Ka Pop, (cause the image is of one of my first ever comedy "funny animal" characters)... I thought it fitting to try this initial dry run here at the flag-ship blog.

This is a quick sketch that I did (when I should have been studying for a class) of my comedy character SIDNEY (Sid to his friends) STORK. There was never to have been an issue #1 of this comic; I was just messing around.

Even the Journey of a Million Miles must begin with three wasted panels

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

My Artistic & Editorial View: CREATIVE FREEDOM

Over on the other blog (Movin' Moose & Maroons) I got myself all wound-up thinking of how corporate fat-cats ("suits" as I call them) are always (repeat loudly and non-stop: ALWAYS) trying to mess with the vision and completed product of the MEN & WOMEN who actually CREATE and DO. It is the writer, author, poet, cartoonist, illustrator, artist, sculpter, toy-maker, and musician that I have respect for. And I DON'T CARE what the money-men, ad-men, and salesmen say. I'm a crank and fanatic on this issue.
So, I include one of my favorite clips (scenes) from Orson Welles' CITIZEN KANE. In this scene, newspaper publisher Charles Foster Kane explains "How it's gonna be" with HIS newspaper. It's really about the last 20 seceonds of the clip that make the point. He's willing to loose his own entire personal fortune... but BY GUM, he's gonna do it HIS WAY! Now, this is how an artist (heck, even a newspaper man) should do things.
Ha-rummmphhh.
("I didn't hear a 'ha-rummmphhh' out of that man" -- Gov. William J. Lepetoman)

PCH: Princess' Clearing House?

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

Bruddaly Love (for a "Hot" Dog)

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

Has to be Seen to be Believed

The very gifted artist Pete Von Sholly painted this extended (and extended ... ) mural of monsters section by section and then photo-shopped the whole thing together as a moving painting. You won't believe how many famous, near famous, and obscure monsters he's included. He starts with mythological, but graduates to the movies, television, comics, and magazines. I swear, everybody is there. Give it time if myth and legend is not your thing... it really GETS FUN at about the 56 second point.

oh, I forgot to mention, I was tipped off to this video mural by John Rozum.blog; although, I had seen it several weeks ago over at the CHFB boards (Classic Horror Film Board) but had forgotten to post it here.
John Rozum included it by way of a link on his blog today. A portion of the Von Sholly mural is used for the 10th anniversay issue of MAD SCIENTIST magazine.

MOVIE REVIEW: [DVD] "Shadow of the Vampire"

SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE (2000) directed by E. Elisa Merhige, 92 minutes, color, Saturn Films.
It is rare that I see a "vampire" movie that immediately "vaults" into my pantheon of "all-time" favorites. SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE does. It is probably one of my favorite five movies in this admittedly glutted genre. That's saying something.
From the very opening credits and "title pictures" I was hooked. Artist John Goodinson, who prepared the opening montage sequence, puts the viewer right into both an imaginary realm, where anything is possible, and, into 1920 Germany. His pictures which run "under" the screen credits, take the viewer through the doors of a meta-Movie theater, into the palace of imagination (as director Elias Merhige says in his bonus-feature comments). The art is a curious but well-blended fusion of cubism, art decco, bauhouse and art noveau. The methodic pace, beautifully filmed on a sepia toned background, is a beauty to behold for this silent-film aficionado.
This is a movie about the making of a movie: A Very Famous Movie.
This is a movie about the director, cast, and crew of the early 20th century production in Germany of the classic NOSFERATU. The twist (the "what if") of screen-writer Steven Katz is: "what if famed director F. W. Murnau instead of employing real live (creepy looking) actor Max Schreck to play the part of Count Orlock (i.e. Dracula), instead hires (unbeknown to any of his crew or actors) a real live, er, un-dead vampire to "play" being the "actor" Shreck...playing Count Orlock." While not an earth-shatteringly original concept, it really is a nice piece of fantasy on a very famous and historical event: the making of the first Vampire movie in cinema history.
The movie is filmed on location in Luxembourg and it shows. Old world versimilitude is in every shot. And oh how the shots evoke that long gone strange German "expressionism" of the first two decades of the 20th century. Many of the camera angles accentuate an excessive angularity and mix-match of perspective which is both off-setting and inducive to anxiety. Anxiety is a wonderful precursor to fear. But this is not a horror movie per-se. There really are no "classical" terrifying moments; at least no "gotchas" or "seat-jumps." This is a thinking-man's movie that focusses on themes of lonliness, dislocation, change, ennui, creativity, and pride. This is also a movie seeking to explore the passage of not just time, but of generations and cultures. From the sterile and scientific on-set studio locations, to the decadent cabarets and bordellos of Weimar Berlin, to the remote and ancient (and lost in time/i.e. timeless) hills of Czechoslovakia, the film explores how these early 20th century film-makers were harbingers of a whole new way of not just telling stories, but of interpreting the past as well.
John Malkovich is, as usual, brilliant. The man brings an intensity to his role of Murnau that is as arc-light hot as the acid producing set lights that are used to illuminate the shots. The desire to create art which transcends time, is so overwhelming for Murnau, that it drives his obsessions to insanities. Malkovich entirely inhabits this drug-like manic man's personality (to be sure, based on Katz's screenplay and not on real life...necessarily) to be a god. This motif of the filmaker as god, or, as one who re-creates the world, is a powerful archtype to be played against the sad and tragic figure of Willem Dafoe's Vampire. Dafoe should have won an Oscar for his performance. He convinces the viewer that he is INDEED, NOT A REAL ACTOR, BUT A VAMPIRE. Only an actor of Dafoe's accomplished skills could imbue such a, by-now, caricatured vampire/type with such believable pathos... and animalist and feral ferocity. It's the little twitchings, hissings, sniffings of the night air, and finger-nail rattlings that utterly CREEP the viewer out. Dafoe is so "alive" in this role that he truly is UNDEAD.
Two bonuses are Eddie Izzard's strong performance as Gustav and the utterly mesmorizing (as in vampiricly hypnotic) score written by Dan Jones. If this is not available on Cd, it's a crime.
And though not a typical scare film... the portrayals of nihilistic drug use are chilling. And, the final scene where Count Orlock is given his victim by the now "knowing & fully participating accomplices" of Murnau is blood-curdlingly horrifying. We see extremism in the pursuit of "art" make murder merely a mechanistic and utilitarian sacrifice to a greater subjective "good." This vampirism of the soul would indeed find its real-world fruition, in Germany (and Poland) in a few short years.
Rent this DVD.

John Malkovich as F. W. Murnau & Willem Dafoe as "Count Orlock/"Max Shreck"

One More Wouldn't Hurt

PROFESSA WIENERGOBLET by Roger Evolet
(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

I Love Robots: Toy Excursus

As much as I love robots, or should I say, as much as I loved robots back around 1966 (or thereabouts) I could NOT CONVINCE Mr. & Mrs. Parent-of-rogue-evolent to buy me the mega-COOL "Rock'Em-Sock'Em Robots." I would drool over them when the tv commericals played. And yeah, when my bestest buddies Alex & Gary (brothers who lived across the street kitty-corner from my house) got the game, and I saw up close, that it wasn't quite like the tv "spots" ... I still loved 'em. Battling Robots...c'mon!!! What kid doesn't like the concept of boxing and robotics mixed together. And that little "sneeeieezzzz" noise that the loosing bot's head would make when it was "chinned" off his shoulders-- how keen was that? I liked "Blue Bomber" better than "Red Rocker" by the way :)
They don't make games like this anymore.
I want my 1960s back!
And, where the deuce is my flying car?

Red Skull? or "Hatless Horseman?"

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

ROBOT: EXCURSUS

I suppose you might have to be a cigar smoker (or at least be aware of the cheap domestic brand-names) to appreciate this, but maybe not:

As Rudyard Kipling once said: "A woman is only a woman... but a good cigar is a 'smoke'"

"Roc" Beats Scissors Too

(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

How Can It Talk So Much Without A Tongue?

And you didn't think I'd have a Saturday strip this week??


(c) 2009 Cushlamochree Comics

Huge Announcement to all ANIMATION "followers" and Comic Book/Strip Reprinters who "follow" this Blog

I was not just "blowing smoke." I meant what I said when I started (albeit, in an inchoate way) my two new blogs earlier this past week. To be sure, I can go on blogging (imbedding from YouTube) on the animation site forever without any new equipment or technological know-how. BUT... I also want to re-print/publish/blog/SHARE with youse guys stuff from my collection.

Well, I did it. I actually ordered (via Amazon.com cause it was mucho cheaper than going down to the local BEST BUY) my EPSON Perfection V300 Photo Color Scanner. And, according to the amazon gnomes... they have now filled the order and SHIPPED it! How long it will take to arrive here at Castle Rogue Evolent is any four's guess?
But soon my friends...soon. I will begin to take tiny baby steps and imitate my heroes in the blog-o-sphere of four-color (and b&w) reprint blogging!
I will be doing an appropriate "shout-out" to my stellar inspire-ers when I start posting on the other two sites (see side-bar for links) but for now, just another thank you and tip-o-the-skullcap to Mykal [Gold Key Comics Blog; The Big Blog of Kid's Comics] the Apocolyte [Black 'N' White and Red All Over] Lysdexicuss [Ten Cent Dreams] Thomas Haller Buchanan [Whirled of Kelly] Frank M. Young [Stanley Stories] Gabriel Corbera [Joyville] Karswell [The Horrors of it All]
There are others. More shout outs on the two respective blogs in the days and weeks 'O FUN-to-come.
See you in the funny papers
r/e

LOGO of the Week: BIB

C'mon, how cool is BIB? He's a "tire guy," a giant smiling, plumpy guy made out of white tires. I've always loved him, even if he's not a "true-blue" gen-U-whine AMURICAN! Bib, is probably French, since he's the spokemsan logo for French tire manufacturer MICHELIN TIRES. That's okay. Bib would have helped General Washington defeat the British in 1779 too.
Check out the one 1920 poster that has Bib smoking what looks like a small cheroot; probably a Suerdieck from the Netherlands as France produces no good cigar that I know of :)
I've also included a modern promo poster which shows his "evolution" over the years.
au revoir

Won't Get Fooled Again? Read K.W. Monster's Blog of Evil

As a quick follow-up to the post below (tROADs Blog of the Week) I wish to draw your attention to the additional piece of trivia that K.W. (of K.W. Monter's Blog of Evil) likes THE WHO and the KINKS.
How cool can he be?
I love these bands too :)

Which reminds me of the famous saying (as modified by my cousin Dave S.)

"The Beatles went for your heart"

"The Stones went for your groin"

"The Kinks went for your funny-bone"

and THE WHO went for your throat"

.... ...... ...... and David Lee Roth went for your sister, daughter, mother, etc."