Plan Foiled by the Blockheads?

I was supposed to go up to Central Coast today to attend a memorial service for the late Art Clokey. Unfortunately, a monkey wrench gummed up the works and I won't be able to attend. Nevertheless, I hope the friends and family of Mr. Clokey have a great time remembering the late Gumby creator, who passed away on January 8. He was truly an original.

It's Friday! Here's Your Weekly Comic: Greenblatt the Great!

Click on image to enlarge...

Clooney Batman to Justice Society: I'll Shut You Dooowwwwwn....

Even Dr. Fate can not control his own destiny, it appears...

For the first time ever, I've been looking forward to an episode of SMALLVILLE, namely because they seem to be ditching their dumb "no tights no flights" rule (what's the point of a Superman show without Superman?) and going hog wild by introducing some kind of version of the Justice Society on the 2-hour season premiere.

This magical episode was supposed to air Jan. 22. Then George Clooney decided to hold his Haitian relief telethon on every single channel, which left me wondering whether or not this show would be postponed. Well, today I got my answer and for anyone else out there looking forward to seeing live-action Dr. Fate, Hawkman and Sandman on network TV, below is the delio, cribbed from another site.....

(Kudos to Clooney for his Haitian relief efforts, but I find it amusing that Clooney, who played the a-hole Batman who shut down Robin's motorcycle by remote control while Robin was about to jump off the Statue of Liberty, has now shut down the entire Justice Society....he really is the worst Batman ever!)

SMALLVILLE

A number of readers emailed and asked if Friday's episode will be pre-empted by the Hope for Haiti Now telethon organized by George Clooney. We've been able to confirm that yes, the episode, "Disciple," has been pre-empted and will air on the 29th. Meanwhile Micheal Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly has discovered Perry White, in the form of Michael McKean, is making a return to the series. Also, Cassidy Freeman -- Tess Mercer on the series -- guest DJed on KCRW and the station has made her set available for streaming or download on their site.

New episode: January 29th, 2010

The all-new CARTOON FLOPHOUSE company is on the way!

A reconfiguration of the CARTOON FLOPHOUSE imprint is currently in the works that will grow the company bigger, better, faster, stronger. And not a moment too soon: in this day of recession, depression, crazy weather, and all-around gloom, doom and despair, America needs humor comics! (Says who? Says we!)

There's a lot being planned at the moment for 2010 and 2011, and that includes a slate of comic books that will see new material featuring many of the CARTOON FLOPHOUSE stable of characters. Keep your peepers peeled on this site for an official announcement in the weeks to come.

In the meantime, just in time for Valentine's Day (aaawwww!), be sure to get the latest release, currently being shipped: FLOOP! FEATURING HARRY LUMMEL

Send a check made out to "Michael Aushenker" for $5 (plus $2 shipping) to:

Michael Aushenker
P.O. Box 480045
Los Angeles, CA
90048

Michael Mann's PUBLIC ENEMIES (2009) movie review haiku

Despite mixed reviews
I loved this Dillinger tale
Michael, you da Mann

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my buddy boy, RICH CARRADINE!

And speaking of special birthdays, today is a really major one for RICHARD CARRADINE, my best buddy and frequent collaborator on all kinds of writing and art-related mischief, not to mention the famed annual "Double Man Dinner" (to be explained another day or never!)



Rich, by the way, is the president of GHOULA (Ghost Hunters of Urban Los Angeles), a group he co-founded with Lisa "Mouse" Strouss, a fellow cartoonist. They choose a (reportedly) haunted destination in the L.A. area to meet at on the 13th of every month, and Rich is currently preparing a book and a comic book that ties into the mission of his club. The book will most likely enjoy a reception at GHOULA's March meeting. For more information on GHOULA, visit http://ghoula.blogspot.com/




Rich is a talented writer and one of the funniest and most perceptive men on the planet and I'm lucky to have a friend as true and terrific as he is all these years, going back to our first day at Fairfax High when we were around 15 or 16 and realized that we shared all six classes.



He's always a loyal friend and a fun person to talk to. And he's found a wonderful partner in his wife, Angela, who I've known since high school as well.

Why, just last night, we met at the cafe and he gave me the Chutzpah I needed to get me through the week.

Rich, here's to a terrific 2010 and a lot more good times to come.....

--MICHAEL

Madman Artist Matt Lorentz is on a Roll....

My buddy MATT LORENTZ, a veteran artist of the surf 'n' skatewear circuit, had an art opening for a group of skateboard designs he displayed a day after his 35th birthday on January 14. Check out the photos from the gathering below in classy black and white! Matt is the guy with the soul patch thing going on!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimmian/sets/72157623237012096/detail/