4/8/09

Chris Wilson @ The Graphic Classroom just wrote a very thoughtful and in depth review of my book 'Another Dirt Sandwich' advocating it's vocabulary teaching potential, something I had offhandedly thought of but never seriously considered until he talked about it.

Please give it a read if you're in the mood for that sort of thing! I'll definately be quoting it on future back covers.

4/5/09

Went to a wedding on saturday and to go see Gilligans Island The Musical on sunday, did lots of dancing at each. I wore a very spiffy pile of the best clothes that I have, all black (with my belt notched on #7! Never been that far before. I either need more new pants, or take the frugal option and gain more weight. Yes, I know that's a stupid solution, and not at all serious) and a red bow tie to match my only pair of shoes. All the pretty girls seemed to evaporate off the dance floor the second I entered it, but I got to flail my limbs and shake my various groov things nonetheless.

Gilligan was lots of fun, we brought dad along, and apparently his love of gilligan wasn't enough to make up for his distaste for musicals. It was delightfully corny, the actors playing Gilligans and The Professor were especially talented. Some good songs, and space aliens too for some reason.


3/27/09

NAME THAT RANDOM CHARACTER CONTEST!

I got a bunch of entries (for me anyway) for the Snooty Waiter Character, here are the runners up:

'Chardonez o'Jackson' from Milton W. of AU which I rather like, although I've used o'Jackson somewhere else before, so minus points.

'Mrs. Tinkleberry' from Ethel G. of Idaho, which is funny, but doesn't seem to be taking the waiter's gender into account. (Did I ever actually mention he's a guy? I thought the moustache was a good giveaway.)

'Eric Erickson' from Eric E. of the UK, which while I admit is certainly a funny name, seems to be lacking a certain amount of fictional pizzaz. (IE good for real people, not so much for cartoon weasels)


THE WINNERS!

It's a TIE! Somebody submitted what I thought was a good first name, and someone else a perfect last name, so PRESTO! We arrive with the name 'Brimble B. Balderdash!" Yay!

Congratulations to Brittni H. of UT for the Last name, and Rose R. of WI for the first! Rose actually submitted a number of names, all of which I thought were great and very creative, but a bit too 'epic fantasy' (the sort of names you'd give to people with capes and swords and magic rings, but not necessarily cowboys) -- however, one name in particular you submitted I LOVED! So you've won the next 'Name That Random Character Contest' in advance! Be on the lookout for a chicken with glasses named 'Oostenberg' in the near future. You only get one prize book though.

Thanks everybody! It's very nice to know people are paying attention to me. I have website stats, but I can't tell if they're lying or not. Creative people crave that feedback (I suspect my comments box might me kind of broken too, it keeps doing weird things. If you've tried to leave me a comment and had an error, would you please email me?)

Thanks everybody!

Ray

3/25/09

My family is going to Las Vegas this weekend, but I'm not. I want to, I've just turned 21, and so while i've been there before when I was younger, I wasn't able to appreciate it on it's fundamental terms. But they're going and I'm not, and not because I'm busy and have to stay behind, but just for general mysterious reasons that they seem to understand that I do not. Such is life, although I'm still going to complain about it.


Ooh! I stole some octopus tentacles the other day!

Allow me to explain: We were at the Big Fancy movie theater instead of the tiny not-so fancy local one, and they had a 3D display for "Night at the Museum 2" -- it has all manner of kraken sea monster type tentacles coming out of it -- 8 in total, although 2 had been ripped off allready. I felt that since it was defaced allready, it was my right, nay duty, to take some for myself. I went around back and unscrewed them, I'm not unseemly. I even got some strange looks, but I pretended I worked there, and that I was unscrewing them for some official purpose, gave a friendly smile, and went back to hurting my fingers trying to undo the washers. 10 minutes later, I rememberd the swiss army knife on my keys has a screwdriver attachement. Blast!

I took two, smuggling out in my shirt, giving me a very strangely shaped torso to anyone who happened to be walking. I met my mother and sister coming out of their bathroom, muttered 'be cool!' and proceded to the car.

Now I'm back home, and have made the tentacles clamboring out of my filing cabinet, it looks QUITE spiffy. I can no longer reach any of my files, but it's totally worth it.

Okay, there are the tentacles, I felt they were especially apt because of the cover of cupcakes of doom. Look at it over there, all manner of tentacley.

Also pictured is a pair of giant novelty ceremonial scissors, jammed into two of the handley thingies so the drawers can't be opened by marauders -- a very hi tech security system. uP on top is a Shere Kahn Maquette Purchased by my ex-girlfriend Rhianna but paid for by me as a gift to myself (rather confusing I know, but women are involved.) There's also a plan to give him a pit of jungle, and make my office less drab for when the tv news people (person. Julie) were here last week. The magnet is one that I designed for the TLL. I have more that I did the magnet art for around the corner in the 'you-can't seeyit land'

If you want to see more Random Raymond Rphotos, head on over to my LiveJournal Blog and become my Friend! I'm so lonely.

3/23/09

Well hello my public! I am writing these words on my blog so that you may read them and become amused and like me as a person and individual. Is it working?

I never feel like I'm having a chat with friends while I write these sort of things, more like I'm up in a pulpit delivering some speech. Speeches are hard when you don't have anything in particular to say. I have to give a speech next week actually. I should figure out what I plan on talking about... It's for career fair, and I'm trying to make my speech not shout 'High Schoolers! Quick! RUN AWAY!" Not that I'm advocating getting a real job, because I know that's horrible (Just like how I know dead weasels dipped in melted slug juice doesn't taste good without ever having to try it) -- you better be doing it for love, because you'll never make any money. That's certainly my experience for the moment. I'm still planning to become a bojillionaire from cartooning in the futuretimes.

Not that I'm complaining. Well, I sort of am. But that's what blogs are for! And for rambling on and on, telling people what you had for breakfast that day or whatever. As I said, it's tricky to come up with topix of conversation when not much happens to you.


3/19/09

Several important matters of note! Well, not really, but sorta:

First up, everybody wish my sister Lexi a happy birthday! Actually, you don't have to, she doesn't read my comic strip anyway, the little brat...

Also, I've just reached episode 50 of 'The Rambunctious Ramblings of Tbyrd Fearlessness!" Hooray! I love big round numbers! And it's got a nice slapstick sequence too. Delicious.

I've had better milestones cartoonwise, but big round numbers are always a cause for celebration. My previous Daily strip on this site reached 137 episodes before I ran out of steam, and then I've published 4 books @ 100 full size comic book pages each, plus 6 or 7 twenty four page comic, the odd guest comic, that's about 500 pages of cartoons in the past 5 years. Now THAT's A big round number! Woo! Although I've seen bigger and rounder... STILL. Pretty darn cool for a few months effort. that's 25 pages worth of a new Tbyrd Book. I suppose I'll be publishing that at some point, as soon as their's some demand and I feel like I'd sell some...

Speaking of which, "the Rambunctious Ramblings of Tbyrd Fearlessness"... Anybody got any ideas for a snappier title? It's descriptive, but doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. His first book was called 'Another Dirt Sandwich' which I rather liked (in retrospect, the 'another' was both redundant and confusing') and I'm thinking the next Tbyrd Collection will be called 'Gullible Muffin Heads' (at least untill I think of something better, 'Cupcakes of DOOM!' was originally called 'Yells I learned in Pirate School'

Brevity is not my forte.

Except in that last sentence.

Ooh, the 'Name That Random Guest Character' Competition is still in full effect! What do you guys think the weasily waiter should be called? I'll give you a hint: Not Irving. Leave you entry on the comments board, or send an email to me: Ray@donteatanybugs.com -- winner gets a free copy of 'Another Dirt Sandwich'! -- Aren't I nice?

Also, the soup in this episode is Nauntering, a kind of clam soup made out of lobsters. If that confuses you then YOU HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION. But that's okay, because I made it up and it's not important anyway.

3/15/09

The past couple of days have been pretty darn exicitng and fun for me!
On friday, Julie Flannery from ABC TV came by, we had been in talks for her to interview me and put me on the news! She kept having to reschedule, breaking news kept happening, but friday morning we hooked up, chatted for several hours, and that evening I was on television! Again! In my longest and totally best appearance so far, lasting several minutes (I'm arranging to obtain the video, I'll have it up on here website soon. She did a great job, I look all interesting and witty. Thanks Julie! You rock! Can't wait for you to get your own talk show so I can be a guest on it! Click here to go to their page and watchit! or, watch it on my cruddy uploaded youtube version right here! (Ignore the Advertisment for FELDMAN FELDMAN FELDMAN I can't seem to make it go away. Also, there's a flip for mac watermark -- my humble apologies.

Ooh hey, also, speaking of youtube, here's a clip of me at Russos Books, they're doing cool author interview thingies when authors sign in their store, and I'm their inagural author!

Then friday evening, we went out to the theater -- my local home time has finally refurbished an old 30's moviehouse into a play theater, and their debut show Oliver has been sold out for weeks -- we just showed up at the door and got their last 3 tickets (mom and sister went too) -- I got in the front row, so the performers could see me when the light wasn't in their eyes. They did a funderful job, very enjoyable. I think I want to audition for their next whatever it is they're doing, get involved and excercize my theatrical bent. Plus, I wore my top hat to the show, as I get so few chances to do that in public. Most all of the kids playing the orphan ragamuffins recognized me from when I came and gave a cartooning class at their school, it's very surreal after a play having the actors come ask you for your autograph -- you can see why I have the ego I do : )

Saturday, I had a booksigning down the hill aways -- the Community Relations Manager of that store wasn't there, family emergency, her young daughter suddenly caught pneumonia (They had had several days of not knowing what was wrong with here at all, so I think it was sort of a relief to just diagnose it and know what to do next -- Krista is doing better now I hear.) The daughter was all sad, she's an artist too and was really looking forward to taking my free cartooning class -- so I made sure to draw her a special picture of Mellville the Penguin riding a unicorn and wish her to get well soon. The lady that stepped in to coordinate my signing last minute did fabulous, there were posters everywhere, and the biggest display of my books i had ever seen. There were allready about 20 kids milling around waiting for the cartooning class, and about 20 more arrived during the course of events -- the kid section of the store got way too crowded, they kept having to bring in more tables and chairs, and I was dashing all around, because if I was at one end, they couldn't see or hear me at the other. Fun times had by all! A representative of the Antelope Valley Press local daily newspaper showed up, they're going to be doing an article about me, and most likely running my tbyrd strip in their comics page, so that will be fun too! Afterwards, I went out to eat and celebrate my good fortune at a nice delicious restaurant, which I'm pretty sure gave me food poisoning, as I spent most of Sunday throwing up and not getting any of my work done.

Thats all for the Raymond-ventures for now! Stay tuned!

I've had my highest amount of hits ever lately, a combination of my recent newsishness, I'm sure, but also because of my Guest Strip for Scott Meyer of Basic Instructions -- I'm running at about 4 times my usual traffic, so I hope all you people reading this stick around, I'm gonna be doing my darndest to keep updating my strip every day in the morning! Sorry they're somtimes late, I don't have a backlog anymore, I'm creating these in my office the day of that I'm posting them, I'm trying to get that under controll but I'm hecka-distracted with busy deadlineyness lately.

Merry Fishmas!

Ray

3/5/09

Hi Everybody! But a special hello to everyone coming over from Scott Meyer's comic Basic Instructions -- (Scotts feeling hotsy-notsy, and I did a guest strip to fill in whilst he recuperates.) Take a look around! I reccommend starting at the beginning of my various cartoons, while I try and keep them funny and self contained, I'm also trying to tell a rather longwinded story, so starting at episode 1 is more helpfuller. Also! Read some samples of my various books, they're chock full of hilarity and also pirates!

2/27/09

The 'Name That Random Guest Character' contest winner goes to Vincent for his submissiong 'Officer Poodling' which makes me giggle every time I hear it. More of these contests next time I introduce random characters!

Ooh! Also, the American Library Association reviewed Cupcakes of Doom! Here's what they thought:

"The cookie-loving pirates from previousYARG! efforts return as the featured players in this unrelentingly pun- and gag-filled adventure. Escaping from a desert island, the pirates tackle everything from the justice system and going into business to relationships and dealing with mothers (all in an age-appropriate fashion, of course) as they trade blows and jokes with a bunch of rather hoity-toity Vikings. The point here is not serious social commentary but rather to offer as many jokes per page (and panel, and word balloon) as possible. While some will fly over the heads of the intended readership, it hardly matters given their extraordinary density. It’s notable that if manga is the reigning graphic format art style for young adults these days, the style for younger readers is quickly settling upon what is on display here—a lighthearted, animation-inspired use of cartoon figures, digital colors, and rough backgrounds—so that the transition from reading to television and back is becoming disturbingly seamless.
— Jesse Karp

Nifty, eh? Don't you love a positive review that contains the word 'disturbing'?

2/25/09

Announcing the 'Name That Random Guest Character' Competition! The police officer in this strip is nameless -- most of my random guest characters are -- come up with an awesome monicker for him, and you win a fabulous prize! Say, a free copy of Cupcakes of Doom? email your entry to: ray@donteatanybugs.com subject 'contest' and I'll post the winners tommorrow. Enter as many times as you feel like it!

2/22/09

I'M BACK

Hey look! New Comical Strips! I'll do a proper update later, I can't right now because I'm covered in post-vacation-back-to-work-paperwork-crud. May I point you in two interesting link directions? Comics In The Classroom has a very nice Sort Of review of Cupcakes, and ComicsCareer.com has a lovely interview with yours truly amongst others. Check them outwards! That is all.

Love!

Ray

2/03/09

Hivribody!

Guess what? I'm busy having an ADVENTURE, and am out of town for a few days or a week or a month or something. My loyal minion DYLAN is uploading new strips for me -- so if the website goes a bit wonky, it's his fault. But cut him some slack, he's doing me a huge favor, and I only taught him how do do all this html nonsense last night.

Thanks Dylan! You rock!

Everybody else, I'll show you some pictures when I get back, if I remember to take any. See you in 2 weeks!


1/30/09

So, I did some various things today. I don't remember what any of them were, otherwise I would tell them at you. Oh well. Lets pretend I went on some sort of magical adventure involving piratical unicorns.

I would read a book about pirate unicorns...

Maybe I'll have to write one.

1/29/09

So, after doing my sales tax and figuring out all my various incomes, it turns out I'm alot more in debt than I thought I was. Hooray! Wait, not hurray, the other one. What's the opposite?

Anyone want to buy any comic books? : )

1/28/09

Hivribody!

Hope you guys are having a spectacular day! If not, you're just not trying hard enough. Or maybe some overarching external tragedy is forcing itself upon you -- that I understand. If you're having a gloomy day, caused by nothing but your own self, I shower you with scorn. Go eat some cartoons and watch some candy and report back to me.

I'm wearing my jaunty 'incliment weather' hat which makes me look like a paperboy from teh 1920's.


(imagine this, only with my heat instead of that robot's)

Also, did I tell you about my new shoes? I'm gonna tell you about my new shoes. So, my old shoes were all wrong. They were several years old, and composed of more hole than shoe. I went into the only local shoe place, which is a bit too uppidy for my tastes, all hip and cool and filled with expensive designer products. I tried on some of their various overpriced footwears, and all of them were stupid. Ugly and uncomfortable, with how much arch support? NONE. So, dejectified, I trundledoutward, and notice their bargain bin. Lo and behold, I found the exact pair I wanted! They were the same kind as my old pair only new, Red instead of Brownish, the only pair left and exactly my size, AND 50% off! Was that my lucky day, or WHAT? I then rushed out and bought a bunch of lottery tickets, but apparently my luck didn't extend to all aspects of my existance.



Oh well. They're still cool shoes!
1/23/09

Hivribody! One more follow up to myway cool review on the '7 Impossibly Things Before Breakfast' book blog -- I did fun header drawing and charicature of them -- whatcha think?

1/21/09

I could write a really interesting blog post here, but instead I'm going to be instead. gniiiightzzzzzz

1/20/09

Hi Everybody!

Sorry todays strip was a wee bit late, I could give you an explanation, but the real reason is boring, so I'd just have to make one up, and you probably wouldn't beleive me anyway.

How are ya? Good!

My booksigning/cartooning class the other day went FABULOUSLY, I wish someone had taken pictures. We had about 40 kids, and so instead of lasting about 15 minutes like I was thinking, it turned into nearly 3 hours! They were 3 awesome hours, I had a great time showing off, and the kids all loved it, and were coming up with some great stuff. I wish I could have taken their drawings home with me, but they wanted to keep them for perfectly understandable putting them up on the fridge related reasons.

Also! The Book Review blog '7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast' just did a very cool interview thingie with me HERE. I drew them a special header, they have an alice and wonderland tea party theme, so I drew that with the 2 gals Jules and Eisha as part of it, so they should be putting that up rather soon too.

Also also! I have a secret mystery project IN THE WORKS! I shall inform you more about it later, when it's less secretive and mysterious.

In case you were wondering, I went to the dentist again today, and NO! I don't need a root canal. At The Moment. Yay! At The Moment.

My local big daily paper, the Bakersfield Californian is doing an article on me on friday! Guess what I'll be posting on friday?

I'll be having a booksigning at the Barnes & Noble in Bakerfield on Saturday, and also doing free cartooning classes! So, everyone reading this within driving or flying or walking or running or teleporting distance, COME ON DOWN! Or up, or east, or slantwise as your direction may be.


here are some photgraphs of me in my new hats. Whatcha think?

1/1/09

Hippidy Happidy Hopalong Cassowary New Year!
But don't say that too much, you dont want to wear the year out before it even gets started.

Here's a witicism my friendly friend vince said at me new years eve "If you have been unhappy with the current year, we will shortly replace it with a new one free of charge" -- oh the humorousness! Thanks vince!

How is everybody? Here's wishing you an exciting and funderful 2009! 2008 was a pretty darn interesting and strange year, I'd go so far as to say my best year ever! Glad to have existed in it.

12/22/08

For the next week, I'm gonna run a 6 page series of previews from Cupcakes of DOOM! To enticify you and to stall while I draw some new things!

12/12/08


Hello again! Just thought I'd poke my head in and say IT's HERE! I got my publishers advance copy of my most glorious new book, Cupcakes of DOOM and have spent the past day just gazing at it's wonderfulness. All my lovely preorders will ship out next week, when the bulk of my actual stock gets here (I only have 1 copy at the moment, but one is better than none! But worse than 2, 7, 93 or 5000. ALSO! Lee at the Comics And... Other Imaginary Tales blog has just hosted a very cool interview with me! Go over there and see what I think about various things! (I'm in favor of them for the most part)

12/08

I have been drawing like crazy lately, on all sorts of various projects, and can't wait to share them with you! Up above is the final installment of 'Abominable Soup" My 2nd Colonel Heckinshaw's Cooking With Danger installment . If this is your first time here, go back to the begining, as it's a continuing adventure, and quite alot of fun!

the next cartoon that will be appearing on this website is a sneak preview of my Cupcakes of DOOM! Book (a Different sneak preview that what's allready here, one that's even sneakier!) to whet your appetite for all the piratical sillyness and fun that this book has in store. Preorder it today! I should have stock oh so very soon, winging it's way toward all you lovely folks who want one! I'm still offering a free piece of original art for every preorder, so snap them up while you can!

Then! I am going to start doing a Tbyrd Fearlessness Daily Strip! I've been working like crazy stockpiling and archive, so that I wont miss a day! For a while! I've tried a daily strip before, and lasted 6 months before I fell apart, so lets try it again! I'll also be doing bonus other comics too, so if you like me, but want more than JUST Tbyrd, I'll have piratey bonus comics, another new weekly idea I want to do called Vampire Dinosaurs on Motorcycles, plus 6 other things! 2009 is going to be a very productive year. I do beleive

Merry December Gift Giving Holiday of your Choicemas!
Give your friends and relations the gift of humorous comics! Hopefully mine, but any will do!

I know times are a bit tight at the moment, less money floating around to buy interesting things with, that's why this book is the perfect december gift: The lighter side of doom! With pirates and vikings and lots of silly nonsense! You'll thank yourself for it, and so won't even have to give yourself a thank you card, because you'll allready know how grateful you are!