The webcomics blog about webcomics

And Then There Was Mr. Toast

I was roaming around the interweb when I came across a link on the Patches website titled Mr. Toast. I curiously clicked and was transported to a world of quirky foodstuffs. The comic is written and drawn by Dan Goodsell who hails from L.A. His website is full to the brim of fun thingy things to click on and enjoy.

The comics are one –panel drawings that focus around a main character aptly named Mr. Toast. His best friend is Joe the Egg, and they are found in many non-adventures, such as magical tic-tac-toe games and doing hard time. It may seem ordinary, but when you are dealing with a toast and egg duo, there is no telling what will happen. Mr. Toast and his friends are a light-hearted bunch, and appeal to the child-like innocence that is buried underneath our adult, real-world exteriors.

The website is bright, fun, and simple to navigate. There are a wide variety of items to enjoy, from animations to storybooks about the solar system (which is quite informative). He is working on his own store, where he will sell Mr. Toast dolls, books, and hopefully some original artwork. He has some great fans, which send in some fantabulous drawings and pics of themselves posing with their Mr. Toast doll. I might buy a Mr. Toast doll myself, because I’ve decided that Mr. Toast is the balls.

If you would like to see why Mr. Toast is the balls, go ahead and click here. And if you like Mr. Dan Goodsell’s artwork, then check out his art shows or his personal gallery. And if you really like Dan Goodsell to the point of weird obsession, here is a link to his very own bloggy blog. You’re welcome.

Just to piggyback on Gary’s Post…

I thought I’d point out the best shirt to give your special man/woman/transformer this Valentine’s Day. Check this shit out. Go show your love to Beaver and Steve by purchasing this shirt. Then go show your love by giving the shirt to your better half or enemy. It works both ways.

Since I’m pimping out shirts today, here is one worth a gander. Nothing beats Quincy sporting snazzy medical duds. It may not be suitable for Valentine’s Day, but it might just do the trick for a break-up gift. Just a thought.

Sex and Wiz Rollins? I’m So There

To start off the new-year, I decided to interview Wiz Rollins of Bad Shape and Yirmumah. This is gracious of Wiz, especially when most of his time is consumed with writing comics and straight chillin’.

Fleen: First off, I understand that you are now writing for Yirmumah. What is it like to work with D.J. Coffman?

Rollins: Contrary to internet lore, D.J.’s a pretty easy cat to get along with. He’s straight forward and willing to try new things-so long as there’s a good reason for the newness. I mean, if I were to say “Yo, got this idea. Let’s drop Drew and Calypso from the cast and make Tappy, the Tapdancing Ass, the main character,”…well, that’s not gonna fly with him.

Fleen: Coffman has a rather loyal fan base. How have the fans reacted to the partnership between you two?

Rollins: They guy’s readers are beyond loyal. Some would not only take a bullet for him, they’d catch it in their teeth, swallow it and then bust said cap in the would-be assassin’s ass-from their ass. Ass-on-ass violence. That’s the kind of loyalty you won’t see in Dilbert fans.

So, when D.J. first contacted me about writing for Yirmumah, he laid it out like this… I really dig your stuff (meaning Bad Shape) but the fans get the final word.

Fortunately for me, Yirmumah readers are a lot like D.J., straight forward and willing to try new things-so long as there’s a good reason for the newness. I think our collaborative work has given them all the reason they need, ’cause, so far, the fan reaction has been positive.

(more…)

Hey Everybody, It’s Minus

So here I am, slightly rocking like a weather phenomenon. I sat down today and read the entire archive of Minus. It was one of the most refreshing, enjoyable reads that I’ve had in quite a while.

The strip is done by Ryan Armand, who makes time to carefully and delicately paint and ink each strip onto a 15×20″ illustration board. He says that he likes to think that he is illustrating a comic strip for a newspaper in the early 20th century. To me this is an interesting creative choice, since a number of comics are set in present day or the salaciously tempting future.

The main character in all of the strips is Minus; a quiet, creative little girl who just might have some magic up her sleeves. I instantly liked her, probably because she carries herself with a sweet innocence that is hard to come by anymore. The comic itself feels like it was created in the mind of a child, and each strip is the product of Minus’s wild imagination.

There is no one continuous plot line. It is mainly little Minus getting into mischief and trouble. There are a few strips that are connected together, but these are usually three to four strips at best.

No matter if there is a storyline or not, there is an undeniable sense of whimsy and fairy tale-ness within Minus. It is difficult for me to put into words the thoughts this comic invokes.

The best way to get my point across is for you to close your eyes for a moment and think about your favorite childhood moment. Can you feel the sun on your arms? Can you feel the warm breeze as you climb that tree to get a better view?

That is what Minus recreates in an astounding little girl, who just wants to have fun being young.

I’m Not Dead…Yet

I know it’s been waaaaay too long since I’ve written anything. But I figured I would come back to let you all know that I will make a triumph return to webcomic stuffs with an upcoming review of Minus of Koala Wallop. I haven’t forgotten about you Wallop-ites, I just got a serious case of Strep Throat and difficult finals. I’ll be posting this review on Wednesday, so keep your eyes open for it.

Check Out The Rockets On That Builder

I’m continuing on my Koala Wallop review-athon with I am a Rocket Builder by Ben Shur. The comic is actually comprised of five separate comics; A Cave, An Old House, A Large Tree, A Tiny Shack, and The City.

All of them have been somewhat developed, except for A Cave. An Old House is a story about a small bird who is captured by The Pocket Witch. It is an interactive comic, with the last panel usually animated. And when I say interactive, I mean you can spur animations with you cursor. It’s a fun read, and I would like to see how this little bird ties in with the other storylines.

There is only one comic so far for A Large Tree.**Edit** There is more than one comic strip for A Large Tree, which can be found here. It is about a young bird couple, Brad and Janet. We see Brad telling Janet that he is going into the army to be able to afford a family. Then he drops on his knobby-bird knee and begins to propose to his dear Janet, but right then disaster strikes! What happens next, you ask? Only time and Ben Shur can tell.

(more…)

Something New For The Masses

I received an email through the Fleen contact site from Brad Shur, letting me know that there is a fairly new web comic collective in our midst. The collective is so cleverly titled, Koala Wallop. I’m not sure where Koalas come into play, but I like the name nonetheless.

The collective is comprised of five web comics: Perfect Stars, Dresden Codak, I am a Rocket Builder, Minus, and The Secret Crocodile Adventure Club. I’ve browsed through their sites, and decided to talk about The Secret Crocodile Adventure Club today. I’ll get to the others later this week, if all goes well in Allison Land.

Now on to The Secret Crocodile Adventure Club. With a name like that, I came into this comic with high expectations. It’s a secret club, with adventures. That’s pretty damn hard to pull off. First off, the site is explained as a secret order of crocodiles, which comes with it’s own hierarchy and rules of engagement. Their main enemy is the Michael J. Fox Society to Prevent Parkinson’s Disease. Why? I don’t know. I guess they have something against Michael J.

(more…)

It’s Disgusting, Foul, and Offensive…In Other Words, It’s Perfect

Ok, so I don’t have much to write today because I’ve been studying like crazy for two exams and a practical that take place next week. October is the Punisher of the academic calender. I’ll show you October; you’ll be my bitch after next week.

Anyways, I thought I’d point out today’s A Softer World comic. It makes me chuckle in a twisted, sadistic way…which basically is my typical laugh. The idea of bringing a cooler filled with alcohol to watch sea mammals die is oddly entertaining to me. If it isn’t to you, then you must have one of those things called a “soul”.

Oh, How Wonderfully Inappropriate

I’m sure by now everyone knows that I love me some foul, inappropriate humor. That is why I’m mentioning the Perry Bible Fellowship today. This is one of those comics that I enjoy showing others, simply for the shock value. The PBF starts off innocent enough, but leads you to a rather different conclusion than one would expect.

There is no story, no lesson learned here. These are simply fun, delightfully dirty comics that appeal to the darker aspect of your personality. You know, the side of you that slows down to look at horrendous car wrecks and marvel at human tragedy. So go treat your inner devil, it deserves a good laugh.

I Want A Hoover That Obeys My Commands

Damn, I want a rechargeable dog. I guess the next best thing will be living out all my electronic dog dreams through Hoover the Rechargeable Dog by John Mahood. He emailed us through our nifty contact address and presto!-he gets a review.

I read all of the August archive and sifted through the September back log to get a feel for his style and sense of humor. He draws a newspaper-style comic which is black and white, but also has color-rendered Sunday editions as well. The comic is about a boy named Skip who receives a robot dog for what I believe to be his birthday. He eventually names him Hoover, for the obvious robot-dog reasons.

The comic chronicles the mishaps and mini-adventures one would have with a super-awesome robot dog. The humor is cute, as is the artwork. The characters are memorable and adorable to boot. You can check out this foray into cuteness here. I like real dogs, but Hoover the Rechargeable Dog gives them a run for their delicious milk-bone money. Â