· comics

Jeffrey Brown – Artist of the Week

October 30, 2008 in art, artist of the week, artists, cartoons, comics, entertainment, jeffrey brown | 2 comments

I’ve raved about JEFFREY BROWN on this site many times before as he is one of my all time favorite artist/writers…and I thought he was a great counterpoint this week for Artist of the Week to last week’s pick of JAMES JEAN.

Brown and Jean really could not be more different, and yet their works are singularly powerful, emotional, and beautiful. As a fan of clean lines and beautifully organized postive and negative spaces that artists such as JAMES JEAN and ADRIAN TOMINE and even ADAM HUGHES so excel at, I would never have thought years ago, before I discovered JEFFREY BROWN that I could fall in love with such a messy, sketchy, non-precise style. But from the first pages of Brown’s UNLIKELY, I was absolutely in love. I think the secret for me in what works in Brown’s style is the combination of story and art…the art on its own is easy to dismiss if you aren’t drawn to his style naturally, but combined with his poignant stories about love and loss and all the dimensions inbetween, it’s impossible not to appreciate the rawness of his style. In simple black and white lines (and with not a ruler in sight) JEFFREY BROWN conveys more emotion in a single panel than most artist can manage in an entire book. It’s a beautiful sight to behold, and I just never get sick of it.

Discovering JEFFREY BROWN was one of those transformative moments for me as an artist, as a writer, as a reader, and even just as a person. My whole world opened up to something I hadn’t even known existed. It’s an amazing thing to just go to the comic book store one day and have an entire world open up to you in the pages of a simple book…it’s the kind of moment that doesn’t just come around every day and so when it does, you really must treasure it…

Um…You May Have Noticed Rabid Lamb Is On Hiatus Again…?

October 23, 2008 in anna paquin, anna paquin boobs!, art, artists, cartoons, comic of the day, comics, true blood | 4 comments

Yeah, sorry about that my lambs, but we’re officially on hiatus again. I have both legitimate and totally non-legitimate excuses, none of which I’m going to bore you with, but instead of force feeing you more inadequate comics and making us both miserable I’ve decided to take a break.

The bad news is that Rabid Lamb may not be coming back, at least not in a daily format. I did Rabid Lamb basically every day for about a year October 2007 to October 2008, which was the original goal and I learned a lot and hopefully entertained at least a little in the process, but I think Rabid Lamb may have run its course.

The good news is that it will be replaced with something much more interesting. A project I have loved for almost ten years and have always wanted to explore, and I think maybe now is the time and this is the format…well, for it to get its feet wet. So what kind of good news would that be without at least a teaser image? I present…THE JILTED LEAGUE (logo to follow!)

So there. Hopefully that will keep you guys coming back and checking in…although if Anna Paquin keeps showing her boobs on True Blood (yes, she did it again!) then I’m not going to need any of you! Bwahahaha! Seriously though, I’ll still be posting about all sorts of things, including updates on this new project as it comes to fruition, so don’t abandon ship just yet, okay?

Thanks for all the Rabid Lamb support over the last year…hopefully you’ll enjoy these new ventures equally as much…

James Jean – Artist of the Week

October 23, 2008 in art, artist of the week, artists, comics, james jean | Permalink

I’ve talked about JAMES JEAN a lot on this blog, I’ve also linked to him, and sadly, stolen from him (see my much missed old header image…oh how I miss you header image!). So it’s only fair that he is our second featured Artist Of The Week. But really it is this insanely cute image – so cute that it practically makes me want to kill, from his new XOXO Postcard set that I blogged about that prompted this feature.

I’ve been staring at this image constantly as it is pinned up near my computer and I just can’t get enough of it. It is simultaneously gorgeous and meaningful and also so cute I just can’t stand it (sorry Paul).

So here’s my final homage (for at least a month or so) to JAMES JEAN, one of my all time favorite artists.

Thank you James, for both inspiring me to continue drawing and depressing me, since I will never be remotely in your league…

#221 ~ Rabid Lamb Comics

October 17, 2008 in cartoons, comic of the day, comics, food | 5 comments

These things that I become obsessed with – it’s not like I eat them everyday for every meal “Bread and Jam For Frances Style” (did you guys read that book as a kid? awesome!) – anyway, it’s more like I could happily have a peanut butter sandwich everyday for lunch for weeks (yes, sometimes months) and still crave it and be all, “boy a peanut butter sandwich sure sounds good!” and then all of a sudden I don’t want to eat it again for a VERY long time…sometimes up to a year. It’s crazy – I’ve also got a whole thing about un-heated food that’s weird – and quite frankly grosses Adam out. I’ll give you a non-gross example…I don’t heat up my pop tarts…if I eat them (which is pretty much never) I prefer them right out of the box.

Do you guys have any bizarre eating habits? I know Paul likes to eat in his bed…anyone else?

#220 ~ Rabid Lamb Comics

October 16, 2008 in cartoons, comic of the day, comics, politics | 3 comments

Not really of course (how could you take it seriously, I was contemplating using an AX!)

But many of you know what I mean. Did you watch the last debate last night? It was hard to pick between the debate and the season finale of Project Runway, but Project Runway was a bit of a let down this season (though LeAnne’s collection was pretty awesome) so I Tivo’d Project Runway and went with the debates like a good citizen. I’m glad I did. Obama trounced McCain again, though it was certainly McCain’s best performance so far, and probably Obama’s worst. Honestly, who is McCain’s handler? Because someone needs to get control over that man’s reaction shots (too late now – by the way!). He just looks like an arrogant sinister grouchy old man…so smug in his own self importance of how stupid everyone is but him. If there weren’t plenty of other things to help him lose the election that alone could do it for me. When I look at him I just see a guy who has never had an honest smile in his life – it all seems so forced and well, kind of evil. Whereas Obama is one cool customer. He’s unflappable. And SO likeable and natural. I love it.

Oh, and that little thing above my head in panel four? That’s a classic lead pipe…circa Clue 1982…

#219 ~ Rabid Lamb Comics

October 15, 2008 in cartoons, comic of the day, comics, politics | 5 comments

That’s either me losing it in the last panel, or the creation of an awesome new superhero/villain called ‘Broccoli Head’. Either way, the conversation was rife with hand gestures and big sighs of frustration and ended with at least one person (me) going to bed angry.

The thing is, I get some of it, I mean I don’t agree with any of it, but I at least understand some of it – Adam explained the concept in regards to schools and health care and all sorts of things that made sense (and that I already understood), but I just couldn’t grasp the concept of smaller/no government working when it came to things like getting a road built (or repaired). He explained it to me at least half a dozen times, and was incredibly patient, but I think part of the problem on the “roads issue” is that Adam doesn’t believe in it either – so neither of us really GETS how it would actually work…because we don’t think it will.

Anyway, it was an incredibly frustrating night and it will be a LONG time before I try to have a conversation like that again.

#218 ~ Rabid Lamb Comics…NSFW?

October 14, 2008 in anna paquin, anna paquin boobs!, boobs, cartoons, comic of the day, comics, entertainment | 3 comments

Yes, thank YOU Anna Paquin. I had my biggest blog day ever thanks to you!

And by the way, I’d like to add, perhaps unnecessarily, that I commend Anna for showing her boobs. I’m not into the gratuitous nudity for no purpose but I actually find avoiding nudity for no purpose equally as annoying. These (boobs and other various body parts) are not precious perfect commodities to be sold to the highest bidders (Halle Berry, I’m speaking directly to you), they are just part of the human body, and if there’s a scene where it’s awkward and bizarre to hide them – you know – that scene where lovers suddenly cover up after the sex when it’s time to get a glass of water? – sure that’s how we all behave – personally, it completely takes me out of a scene when they throw in that awkward “cover up” moment because such and such actress doesn’t want to “give away the goods”.

Now, unfortunately we do see a disproportionate amount of lady parts to man parts and that should change…but that’s a whole other conversation, this is just to say not only “thank you” to Anna, but also, “You go girl. Your decision, as far as this viewer is concerned, was well-considered and appropriate for the show that you are currently on.”

Also, as a side note – you looked gorgeous.

#217 ~ Rabid Lamb Comics

October 13, 2008 in cartoons, comic of the day, comics, entertainment | 6 comments

I love this one…maybe because it required very little drawing

I’m having severe writer’s block…actually that’s not true…that makes me sound like I’m trying. I’m actually having severe ‘not even trying’. I’m just down about the economy, worried about my job (and therefore my money), and it has become incredibly hard to concentrate. I’m in that horrible whining pattern of wishing and hoping – dreaming about sitting down to write all week – and then given two full days to do so – I roll about on the couch whining about how hard it is and what a failure I am. I think I wrote about a thousand words all weekend…AND I didn’t do any cartoons…here’s what I did do, by percentage:

2% getting drunk on my new favorite vodka drink Saturday night

8% being drunk or slightly hungover

2% watching Sex And The City (it wasn’t near as bad as I feared)

18% sleeping

10% napping

2% actually writing

10% surfing the internet and reading blogs and other mostly pointless crap

2% cleaning the apartment

8% reading (Men Without Women by Ernest Hemingway – excellent!)

8% watching legitimate TV (i.e. things I recorded or was interested in)

5% watching pointless TV (i.e. things I should never bother watching – but watch out of frustration/avoidance)

2% eating (Hmmm – eating and writing – equal percentages – coincidence? I think not!)

2% catching up on things I should have done during the week – emails, bills, etc.

21% rolling around on the couch whining and feeling sorry for myself.

#216 ~ Rabid Lamb Comics

October 10, 2008 in cartoons, comic of the day, comics | 4 comments

My emotions lately seem to be boiled down to a few basics: pissed, annoyed, tired, or worried. Good times! The day above was definitely pissed – and so again I was left with the feeling of having no control over my own sex appeal.

I realized this past week one of the things that bothers me so much about this whole “getting hit on” conundrum…First, it makes you uncomfortable – even the nicest least aggressive of compliments is quite frankly weird and uncomfortable, and immediately makes you feel like a sex object rarther than a person. This is not a good way to feel. Secondly, when you get hit on consistently at odd times (times you personally think you do not look your best – or worse – do not feel your best – like when you are sick, or angry, or skipped washing your hair) then it further takes the control away from you.

Not only are you being subjected to someone’s comments and opinions about you (positive or otherwise) but you also have to face the fact that you obviously aren’t even in control of whatever it is they are finding appealing about you…because you think you look terrible…and that day that you dressed up and were feeling really good? Nobody said anything to you THAT day. It’s very frustrating.

I hope everyone is heading into a great weekend. I’m planning a lot of writing, but I’ll be honest I feel REALLY tired right now…so we’ll see what actually happens.

#215 ~ Rabid Lamb Comics

October 9, 2008 in cartoons, comic of the day, comics | Permalink

To be continued…

The funny thing is, I never would have turned around for whistling (who is arrogant enough to assume whistling is for them!?) except I was walking over by our sister company, which has many people that know me and don’t see me very often and so I figured it was one of them trying to get my attention. But no…of course not. Stay tuned…

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