Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Wave Smurfin' Good-bye to SD Comic-Con 2011!


Even though I'm sure I'll be posting more Comic-Con pix, let's pay tribute to the convention, which began a week ago, in a single, powerful and poignant image...

....Great times, great memories, and shamelessly sentimental symbolism in blueface. I'm glad someone snapped this image because I left my camera at home...This is as obscene a Comic-Con image as I could possibly find this year!

P.S. -- If they grow Smurfs this big, imagine the mushrooms!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Behind the Flophouse: San Diego Comic-Con 2011

NON-EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: JIM LUJAN THE ANIMATOR.

In what was surely a sad, tragic, apocalyptic week between the events in Norway, the passing of Amy Winehouse, and the default on debt discussion STILL unsettled (jeez, people!), it's with great shame and embarrassment that I present to you the first of what may be several waves of photos coming in from San Diego, where the too-busy-for-wi-fi Cartoon Flophouse crew essentially operated in a ridiculous bubble that looked (and smelled) like this:

Yes, news of the world was put on hold at the San Diego Convention Center, where we all didn't have much of a clue and the biggest drama of the week was the guy who played the Lizard getting arrested at the Spider-Man movie panel for attacking a security woman (sounds like a publicity stunt to us...)
There's our humble photo supplier, animator Jim Lujan, doing his morning meditations before pushing DVDs of his Ghettomation cartoon comedy shorts such as "Shady Guys" and "Bench Warrant" (not to be confused with "Bench Warmers" starring David Spade, which is a live-action cartoon short on comedy). Jim tabled with the great Jose Cabrera of Crying Macho Man fame. (More on him in a moment...)
Here I am at the Cartoon Flophouse booth, which I shared with the Agimat crew, who successfully debuted their new video game "Flip Riders," which comes out in August on all platforms. Look for this dense, 21-level game here!

In this photo, I'm talking to one of my Super-Fans, Alex Acosta, who showed me some cool drawings of a pug character that coincidentally resembled Pugly Pug from "Chipmunks & Squirrels" and some other super upcoming concepts he's working on for his strips. Also: Alex drew me a very cool doodle of Greenblatt the Great! as Popeye. It's loyal Flophousers like Alex that keep the cartoon comedy coming....
My host once again this year was the amazing Alex Vallejo...and once again, his gracious goddaughter Geneva (wrong spelling) joined us for a week of hilarity and hijinks. She's a smart, grounded teen...so what the hell was she doing hanging around with us?
The new wrinkle on Comic-Con (other than the crows feet on these guys----ha ha!) was the Trickster "convention" across the street from the Convention Center. Amazingly, this "convention" went on until 1 AM every night, when we hung out on the patio. Meanwhile inside, they auctioned off original art and had guys like Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine play some acoustic tunes and models pose for a roomful of drooling men for a drawing class. Inevitably, every night, we wound up here after dinner in the Gaslamp, as it was an automatic after hours. It was a great mix of friends old and new, many of us from California. Above: Me (Michael Aushenker), Jose Cabrera, Jim Lujan, Dan C. from Denver, our newest L.A. crony gag extraordinaire Lonnie Millsap and Denver staple Stan Yan of the Squidworks network.
Here, "K Chronicles" cartoonist Keith Knight wonders why Lujan smells like Michael Aushenker. That's because too-cool-for-the-AC-amped-room Jim borrowed my sweater to stave off the goosebumps. He looks pretty sharp in that form-fitting blue number (designer: Old Navy...)
Around the bend from Jose and Jim, Toronto titan Blair Kitchen of "The Possum" series shared his table with one of my greatest pals, Javier Hernandez, creator of "El Muerto, Aztec Zombie." Together, El Muerto and The Possum tag-teamed the populace with a one-two cartoon punch.

On Friday night, we all blew our voices out at Dick's Last Resort (the restaurant where the staff insults you).

With a full bland blaring '80s hits like "Jesse's Girl" and "Summer of 69" and the waiter yelling epithets at us, Stan Yan and I valiantly ordered something called The Big Woody (not as dirty as it sounds...).

Cabrera ordered the catfish and, understandably, he didn't want to hear anything about The Big Woody...

...until our order arrived....holy Toledo! Beef ribs-o-rama! I felt the weight of jealous eyes all over me coming from every direction as it took me 45 chewy minutes to tackle just one of those delicious antlers. Random strangers took photos of me enjoying dinner. It looked that good!

Jose's one of my favorite people in the world so I can "rib" him on this blog. (Also not as dirty as it sounds.)

We had a great gang of friends with us. I love these people and it's always a gas hanging out with them (even outside of the convention center's wall-to-wall flatulence....maybe selling nachos and pizza to 100,000 out-of-shape couch potatoes is not such a hot idea...)

A grateful Grasiella Rodriguez (you know, the "Lunatic Fringe" comic) bought me a drink called the Hurricane because I helped her secure some hard-to-find lodging in Little Italy. Oh, what a night. Then it was back to Trickster for some more after-hours partying....

Evidently, Galactus not only banished his herald Norrin Radd to Earth but also condemned him to the worst job in San Diego - dealing with guests at this noisy, screaming zoo! I hope the Silver Surfer has as much fun as we did! Also spotted: Storm, a Stormtrooper (no relation).

Hey, Surfer....Tell Galactus that you're our little bitch now, you shiny little trailer hitch!

Back to the convention, where I often threw crazy fits in-between selling Cartoon Flophouse comics. Nobody noticed. It didn't help that people would pass by me and say, "Nice costume!" I don't even want to know what I was supposedly dressed like.
Dean LeCrone is a talented cartoonist who I had not seen in years. With his son Paul, he came by with a copy of "Tacklebear and Barko," one of my old favorites. The best riff on the absurdity of Comic-Con is his film "Dean LeCrone vs. the Mutants of Comic-Con," which I bough on DVD back in 2007. If you want to see the ultimate goof on Comic-Con, buy this DVD. It's hilarious!
"Suave" Jav Hernandez went into ladies' man mode when the sultry Mayra came to town.
Mayra was a ball of energy and we forgot all about the convention and the comics.

Gratuitous Broadway moves followed, and Jav quickly taped a Bob Hope variety special in which he did some George Burns dance moves. Special guest star: Brooke Shields
Then Jav told her to hit the road, he had some books to sell. You can take Jav out of the business...

A window into the relationship of Bernyce Talley and her beau Ricardo, who is enjoying his complimentary Tintin and Snowy bag more than she is. Jealous, Bernyce?
Ironically, cartoonist and children's book Rhode Montijo, author of great books such as "Cloud Boy" and "The Halloween Kid," is the least shadiest guy I know. But Jim Lujan found a way of corrupting him with this copy of his dirty, filthy cartoons. What a scumbag, that Jim!
Here, I'm doing my "Airport Security Dance" as we rally to take the trolley to the lolley in Old Town. Ta-looley-looley!
Here, Jim is saying something to the effect that his balls are cold and he needs to borrow my boxers. I happily obliged. Luckily, I always wear a spare thong.
The underworld has its cold, cutthroat characters----capable of unspeakable acts and heinous heists. Clearly, Aushenker and Lujan here are sending chills throughout the underworld...by buying them Slurpees and forcing them to drink them really fast. Brain freeeeeeeeze! Ooogh!
On Saturday night, our annual Old Town dinner went down, for the second year in a row at the El Fandango. Great food, great company, mango and strawberry margaritas....and only one person in costume.
Back to the criminal world. Remember that scene in "The Town" with Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner? Well, this was worse.
Taking our cues from "The Electric Company," Stan and I did the word game routine. "Shh!" "Utup!" "Shut up!" Do-to-doo-doo!
Here's the official album cover. Note the creepy ex-band member lurking in the back above Stan Yan's neck. Stalker alert!
In order to scare away thugs and ex-band members, I took to the air like a vulture. GAWK! GAWK! It pretty much worked, until I started to molt.
Jim Lujan and Alex Vallejo.
Jamie Baker shared a booth with Rhode Montijo as always. This year's costume theme: "The Great Grunge Revival."
I'd be lying if I didn't say that we are two handsome son of a bitches. More likely, I'd be lying if I said that.

Here we are at Fillipe's Pizza Grotto, enjoying a glass of red wine before making that long drive back to Los Angeles. Is there no end to this romance story?
You can write the caption for this shot.
Michael Aushenker, Jim Lujan, cousin Ted Lujan (mustache) and Crying Macho Man's Jose Cabrera. If you're wondering why Jose is the only one smiling, it's because he ate the entire pizza and did not leave any slices for the rest of us. Don't worry, we got our revenge by burying his car in Goldfish crackers (price tag on prank: $50,020). Ha-ha! Take that!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Off to San Diego Comic-Con July 20-24..Booth # O-08


Attending San Diego Comic-Con 7/20-24...Comic-Conners, look for me at the CartoonFlophouse.com booth #O-08 where I'll be signing/doodling my new "Those Unstoppable Rogues" collection and my other comics. Enjoy the week, Facebookers, Tweeters and emailers! I'll be back in L.A. on Monday, July 25.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

SDCC'11> Booth # O-08 -Look for the CARTOON FLOPHOUSE.COM banner


Okay, now I'm officially prepared for Comic-Con 2011. That's my friend, the glorious Adonna of AGIMAT Comics and Video Games, posing with my spiffy new, freshly pressed

Agimat and Cartoon Flophouse comics will share booth # O-08 in the Small Press section. That's OO8 - Think James Bond, licensed to kill....plus 1! (Yes, we're actually one-upping James Bond!!)

And here's the FLIP RIDERS banner, along with the banner for my CRYING MACHO MAN and part-time Cartoon Flophouse partner Jose Cabrera, who you should also track down in Small Press. He's got two new TPBs, including the full-color MACHO AND THE GANG.

Come down to the CARTOON FLOPHOUSE/AGIMAT booth #O-08 and hang out. Play the new FLIP RIDERS video game, check out the brand new THOSE UNSTOPPABLE ROGUES trade paperback, get all kinds of free comics, t-shirts, candy.

See you in Sandy Eggo, my shizzo! Gumby: Hi-five!



Friday, July 15, 2011

PHOTOS: July 3 Laguna Beach signing HI DE HO COMICS









Well, if you're sitting at home this weekend avoiding the epic car jam, you might as well thumb through this album from our Fantastic Fourth Weekend Laguna Beach Blast-Off comic book signing. For many more photos, follow this link to Facebook.


Friday, July 8, 2011

Visit CARTOONFLOPHOUSE.COM at booth # O-08

Working up to the minute on some top secret EL GATO, CRIME MANGLER projects that, if all goes well, will be available at San Diego Comic-Con 2011 (JULY 20-24).

Either way, there will be plenty in store at the CartoonFlophouse.com booth, located in Small Press at # O-08. (That's the letter O, number zero, number eight in case you've lost your decoder ring.)

I'll be partnering with the Agimat crew, who will debut FLIP RIDERS, a brand new motocross video game. Agimat is best known for their SHADOW CANDY webcomic. Arvie and Adonna of Agimat will have all kinds of snazzy limited edition T-shirts and other promotional freebies to give out so stop by the booth.

Definitely for sale at SDCC '11: signed and doodled copies of THE NINE LIVES OF EL GATO, CRIME MANGLER (the classic original book), THE NINE LOVES OF EL GATO, CRIME MANGLER (extra sexy issue for the mature reader), the first of three planned THOSE UNSTOPPABLE ROGUES trade paperback collections called THOSE UNSTOPPABLE ROGUES PARTY HARD!

Magazines for sale will include copies of HARRY LUMMEL, SILLY GOOSE and various GREENBLATT THE GREAT! books.

And don't forget, you can still pick up copies of GUMBY'S GANG STARRING POKEY, the book I wrote with artist Rafael Navarro, at the Gumby Comics table. Raf and I will both be at SDCC and happy to sign 'em up! Our book just got a terrific review over at Comics Journal critic Rob Clough's website. (Scroll down to post #2)

See y'all in sunny Sandy Eggo!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Comics Journal Critic Rob Clough Reviews GUMBY'S GANG STARRING POKEY


Hot on the heels of hangin' out with my buddy Rafael Navarro at today's Fantastic Fourth Laguna Beach Blast-Off signing (my head's still spinnin' from the fun times there), here's a rave review by Comics Journal reviewer Rob Clough for our love child, the epic kiddie comic GUMBY'S GANG STARRING POKEY. Here's the link to Clough's full-scale kiddie comic wrap-up, which includes several other comics aimed at the youngins, and below is a re-posting of his review, which is very positive. In addition to the talents he notes, I have to thank our publisher, Mel Smith, and our editor, Paul Birch, for their input in shaping our book.

JULY 3, 2011 post at HIGHLOWCOMICS.BLOGSPOT.COM

Gumby's Gang Starring Pokey #1, by Michael Aushenker & Rafael Navarro. (Gumby Comics. Aimed roughly at ages 7-10.) This is an agreeably dopey comic jammed with funny visuals, dumb puns and just plain nonsense. In other words, this time travel story is a snug fit in the continuum of strangeness that is the world of Gumby & Pokey. Navarro's loopy line and Lance Borde's garish colors give the reader something interesting to look at in every panel. Gumby and Pokey are funny-looking characters to begin with, but Navarro's drawings of Gumby & Pokey as Run-DMC, cube-headed people of the future and Gumby climbing the Trojan Horse are simply funny apart from their larger context. Aushenker's references to 80s rap, the Minutemen, and Suicidal Tendencies are meant to fly over the heads of any kids who happen to be reading the comic (sort of the way The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle did). Aushenker's frantic, silly and absurd style of humor is a contrast to the gentler, slower pace of the original cartoons, but creator Art Clokey designed these clay characters to be flexible in every sense of the word. Aushenker clearly respects the source material but exploits that flexibility to expand the world and references of its star characters. I don't think every kid who reads this would like it, but a certain kind of kid to whom absurdism is appealing would no doubt re-read it endlessly.