beardo comics

Multi-tasking.

2011-06-28T09:36:00.000-05:00

Wow, that last post was a real pill popper. It felt right at the time, but damn! If space aliens were to view that post as a representation of what Earthlings are, they'd think we all listen to Morrissey. Because space aliens would know who Morrissey is.

Month two of Meg's internship/school/work phase is underway. We hardly see each other, which isn't always a bad thing. Believe the hype, absence DOES make the heart grow fonder. So when I do see her, I'm very aware that I only have maybe a few hours, and even then our attention is still divided on a million things. Also, since I am (for the time being) essentially the sole bread winner, I'm more productive in solitude. I mean, I've been typing "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" at TWICE the speed that I used to!

But of course, I'd rather have her around. Not just for the company, or because I miss her, but for her own sake. She's like Jack Bauer right now, jumping from one mess to the next. I won't get into the specifics of her day, but when I hear about it, it's definitely an undertaking of Herculean proportions. and she comes home exhausted. There is that part of me that wishes I made more money so she didn't have to do all of this. But then again, she's really something awesome when she's on a roll with all this stuff. And if we had everything handed to us, we'd be a Kardashian. And who wants that? Sure, we all want to go out and get recreational butt x-rays. Hell, some of us actually NEED one! I have two lumps back there, and they have hair on both of them! Zing!

Remember when blogging was cool? (trademark copyright Jackie)

2011-06-22T10:38:00.000-05:00

Okay, let's blog.

There is a beautiful breeze outside my window, and the sky is super blue with bright white clouds. I will soon be out on my balcony, trying to soak it all in while working. But not quite yet. I've been trying to take a moment before everything to make sure my mind is as clear as I can get it and that I have my bearings. With all the hoopla that comes with being a middle class cartoonist who tries to be everywhere and everything to everyone, (you know the type) I've been getting sloppy lately. Things that I thought I would've had done by now (I'm looking at you, unfinished flooring trim) are still not done. I've been double booking myself for things because I don't take the 20 seconds to write in a damn calendar. I take care of 9 things, and the 10th I can't get to, and then I've somehow become a disappointment to someone.

This will all change, I'm sure. Just like everything, you push yourself a little bit to grow, and lo and behold, you grow a little. And hell, now that I have an iPad (long story short, I was GIFTED an iPad2 by a friend/colleague who is too kind) my life should be all synched up, right?

Really what this feeling boils down to for me is my inability to accept things. If I just keep pushing this square peg, it WILL fit into that round hole! (Who the hell is manufacturing square pegs and round holes anyway? THEY'RE the ones with the real problems.) Isn't it always the way that your best and worst qualities tend to be the same quality. I get all kinds of praise and encouragement for my work ethic and drive, and yet - if you were to see me in my work mentality - you probably wouldn't enjoy talking to me very much. I get as calculating as an Asperger's math quiz.

So I'm going to go sit on my balcony and try to balance this whole business up here (gestures towards skull and it's contents), with all that beauty out there.

Smoke and mirrors.

2011-06-13T16:01:00.000-05:00

Facebook status.

2011-06-08T16:24:00.001-05:00

Blogging? What the hell is that?

2011-06-03T08:27:00.000-05:00

My friend Jackie has a great tagline for her blog: "Remember when blogging was cool?" Jackie is someone who actually makes her blog a thing that it should be, which is to say "genuine." For me, this thing has been a dumping ground for all the stuff I'm working on. And as genuine as that stuff may be, I remember a time when I'd use blogging as a sort of diary. That was way more fun.

I've drifted in and out of this particular blog, mostly due to my uncertainty that I'm accomplishing anything here. (I post everything I'm legally able to post on my facebook accounts). But this particular lapse wasn't my fault, this time - the damn blog wouldn't work! I couldn't type, couldn't insert photobucket code, nothing! I tried fixing it at the time, to no avail. I then gave up, taking it as a sign from the gods that I'm not supposed to be blogging. Because I like to imagine that the gods' first and foremost responsibility is to reach down from the heavens and jack up my blog.

And now, for some strange reason, it's fixed itself! Bringing me back to my initial quandry: what the hell do I do with this thing?!

Fireside Chat: Extreme Rock N Roll Boot Camp Montage!

2011-04-22T20:06:00.000-05:00

The Sweet Burning Smell of Success!

2011-04-20T13:11:00.001-05:00

Your work is great.

2011-04-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

Class for Comics.

2011-04-15T13:11:00.001-05:00

It's good to be back.

2011-04-14T11:27:00.000-05:00

This one would be from the Beardo: Art School Days, not our present day continuity. And what HAS been going on in the present day? Where have I been?

I finished Rotten 10, by the skin of my...well, it was tight. Now I'm looking to wrap up Sam and the Jungle Band, but this time around I will be getting back into the swing of things with my baby, Beardo, as well as my other baby with another daddy, Newton. So many babies! Oh, and eventually getting into Bob Howard for book 3! So many babies! I gotta stop taking creativity out behind the middle school and getting it pregnant!

I digress. Another thing that happened: Meg, Lauren and I went to Pennsylvania for 6 days to visit their grandparents, see some sights, and get away from the monotony that is known as "working." I got to go jogging nearly every day. I read, AND FINISHED, books. I lived in a world OUTSIDE of my head. I actually learned NEW things, instead of congratulating myself on the things I already know. I did crosswords with my wife. And it was glorious.

The big sights we saw were Philadelphia (yes, I ate a cheesesteak. Also glorious.), and Atlantic City. I don't know what the cost of living is, but I'd sure like to live in Philly for awhile. I always enjoy the colonial cities. Something about that sagging brickwork.

If you go there, check out the Art Museum, and don't be ashamed to run up the steps a la Rocky. So what if everyone else is doing it. Go the East State Penitentiary, and get the headphone tour narrated by actor/director/dental nightmare Steve Buscemi. Visit Independence Hall, and let a creepy Ben Franklin actor tell you where the bathrooms are.

If you go to Atlantic City, use the bathroom every time you see it. Because the next one won't be for blocks and blocks, and they might have it locked up so self-loathing workers can clean it without you sullying it up with your "leavings." Honestly, if I didn't love the show Boardwalk Empire so much, we probably wouldn't have even bothered with this place. I could feel Donald Trump's hairpiece eyeing my wallet as if to say, "it isn't worth the trouble, but I'll try and steal it anyway."

One other thing to note: if you're driving through Ohio, you will be tempted to kill yourself. After all, the cops are jerks (I was not speeding!), their rest stops are few and awful, and are the only notable thing along the way, as Ohio has virtually nothing to offer the traveler, or indeed, the world. But don't kill youreself. America does gets better.

(To all my Ohio fans: you are too good for your state. Evacuate immediately.)

And now, back to work for me! Thanks for your patience! Alot of books to come in 2011! I've counted 11 on the slate so far! You'll meet your "drivel quota" in no time!

Dan

Marathon March.

2011-03-24T10:46:00.000-05:00

Wow, time flies when you're constantly fighting deadlines.

For the five of you who follow this blog and not my "book of faces" page, you're probably befuddled by the abrupt absence of posts from a blog that's usually a daily update. Allow me to explain...with a comic.

To be more specific, I realized somewhere in February that I had officially bitten off more than I could chew, and that in order to dig myself out of what amounted to a half dozen projects, I was going to have to sacrifice two of my personal projects, namely Beardo and Newton's Law, for the time being. At first, I fooled myself into thinking that I'd only need to take a break for a week, because I am crazy like that. It eventually dawned on me that it would be approximately a month before I could get back to my babies. I coined the term "Marathon March" (because "March Madness", while more appropriate, was already taken), holed myself up in my condo, and got to work.

And what are the results? Well, I finished Bob Howard 2, which I'm particularly fond of, and was released in time for C2E2! I am well past halfway through drawing Rotten 10, as well as the childrens book Sam and the Jungle Band. I've lined up some future projects which I think are going to be game changers. And I found two more white hairs in my beard! What a month!

On top of that, Workhorse Kings have been KILLING it lately! We did an awesome set on WLRA last night, playing and talking for nearly two hours. We rocked Ashbary with an acoustic set, which was one of the most encouraging nights we've had in awhile. A day before that, I had a great time playing a solo set at Chicago St. Pub, and NOW we're gearing up for a THREE HOUR set at Cool River on April 30th! Plus, we've lined up another acoustic gig, this time at Goose Island in Wrigleyville. The best part about this is, we're finally getting people really excited. I think we've started to hit our stride as far as engaging people, and that's a good feeling. We never wanted to be one of those bands that's too precious.

Anyway, you're here for Beardo. And I promise, once Marathon March is over, there will be a hella lot of Beardo coming your way. I'll be making a big Beardo push, because - come hell or high water - Beardo 3 is coming out this fall!

Thanks to everyone who has written me asking for more strips. Maybe you realize it, maybe you don't, but knowing that people like the strip enough to ask for more really makes my day.

Killing time on the porcelain throne.

2011-02-28T09:18:00.001-06:00

Angry Beards: The Game!

2011-02-26T10:58:00.001-06:00

Hey, Daddio!

2011-02-24T11:23:00.001-06:00

Over a thousand!

2011-02-23T19:51:00.001-06:00

It's gonna be hard not to let something slip.

2011-02-22T10:51:00.000-06:00

A good show last night with Workhorse Kings, even though I required THREE guitars to get through it. I'm starting to wonder if my pick is cursed. I plugged in MY guitar, only to find that it's dead. I don't even know why, the jack isn't loose, I haven't had any indications or forewarnings. But there it is, dead. So the house lends me a guitar that someone left there. I play three songs, and then snap a string. Strumming! I wasn't shredding it up, I was playing the rhythm part on "Can't Look Back!" So the band Big Wig Mechanic was nice enough to lend me a guitar, which was resistant to my bad mojo, and we finished it out. But what the hell!?!?

Anyway, my long weekend is over. Thursday was our show at This Must Be The Place, Saturday was our semi-annual pilgrimage to Volo for a rare friend appearance, Sunday was DanCon, and yesterday's Reggies show rounded it out. And now, the grueling task of working on FIVE books can continue unfettered. Let the love handles grow, baby!

Cranberry Juice.

2011-02-21T10:41:00.001-06:00

A well crafted story, filled with nuance and complexity...

2011-02-19T11:29:00.000-06:00

A slideshow of someone approaching complete annihilation.

2011-02-18T14:24:00.000-06:00

By my estimates, I've drawn 6 Beardos this week, 2 pages of DJ's project, 2 pages of Rotten, 2 pencilled pages of Bob, 1 Newton Law. For anyone who calls artists lazy, I wish I could reach through your monitor and twist your nipple.

But hey, what am blithering here for? There's more work to do! Can't stop won't stop!

Hey meatheads! I got some mashed potatoes for ya!

2011-02-17T09:21:00.002-06:00

Join me at This Must Be The Place in Lemont TONIGHT, as my band Workhorse Kings is playing there. We go on at 10! BOOM!

I hereby declare I have only myself to blame.

2011-02-16T09:40:00.001-06:00

Best man jitters!

2011-02-15T10:35:00.002-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T09:35:00.000-06:00

First off, I love my wife. She is renting Paranormal Activity 2 for our night. Other things on our to-do list for this romantic holiday.

1. Drink wine.
2. Work on respective projects.

And this was her idea! Don't get me wrong, we'd both go out and have romantic dinners, we are thoughtful in our day to day. But the girl doesn't wrap the whole concept of romance around a hallmark holiday. I oughta marry this one...

Beardo's back after a much needed weekend off. Well, when I say "off," I mean I just worked on other things instead of my alter-ego. Just to keep you abreast as to why I've been a ghost, here's what I've been up to.

- A new kids book with writer DJ Corchin, which has given me the opportunity to show off a skill I haven't used in a while: actual watercolor painting. I can't reveal the name yet, but soon! Very soon!

- Rotten 10, which is just a slugfest of grossitude, with special guest Glenn Beck. No joke.

- Bob Howard 2. Yeah, our silent but violent hero is back with three new adventures!

- Newton's Law. Garrett has been cool with me taking a break on this one, due to the overload. But we mapped out the next big chunk of script in the meantime, and the poop is poised to hit the fan.

- Workhorse Kings. This is the most therapeutic one. We have some new songs, and I am not exaggerating when I say that we have never been more excited about our music as we are about our NEW music. Had a great practice last night, in preparation for our shows this Thursday and next Monday. Go check out the WK FB page if you'd like to see my happiness.

- And after a meeting yesterday with Raf and John, I think I have an INCREDIBLY awesome project lined up in the very near future. This is another one I can't really talk about yet. But let me say that it'll be a very...ghoulish collaboration.

So there you have it. My life (mostly) indoors. I'm hoping to have a more manageable schedule when spring and summer roll around, so I can see what this whole "sunlight phenomenon" is about. Then again, I said that last year, and the year before, and the year before...

Money is money.

2011-02-11T15:05:00.000-06:00

Beardo is taking a few days off from new strips, as his creator is hard at work on five thousand things. That's what happens when someone is dissatisfied with their place in the world, they become a working machine, totally devoid of any greater urgency to find meaning beyond accomplishment!

But, since I'm a stickler for keeping my fans happy, here is a classic Beardo strip, which was recently given a polish in my latest push to be syndicated. Enjoy!

Short or long hair?

2011-02-09T09:52:00.000-06:00

Frigging facebook won't let me post this one, as it is "either too tall or too skinny to upload." You be the judge.

I had written this drivel to accompany it, "Meg asks our hero the age old question: do you like my hair long or short? Either way, looks like she's got out hero by the short hairs! Zing! Wocka wocka!" and so on and so forth...

The huntress pounces!

2011-02-08T15:44:00.001-06:00

Free meals.

2011-02-07T09:32:00.001-06:00

Holy Jumpin' Java!

2011-02-05T12:10:00.002-06:00

Holy Jumpin' Java! Since the odds are good that no one will be paying attention to anything other than football tomorrow, I'm dropping my Sunday Beardo today! I pulled the story behind this from an article I read in the paper. So in one sense, it's true. But it really just gave me the excuse I needed to Beardo-ize the guys from the movie "Airplane." Enjoy!

Bill Murray!

2011-02-04T12:57:00.001-06:00

When you work from home, there is no snow day!

2011-02-03T09:44:00.001-06:00

Shovel it IN, stupid!

2011-02-02T08:32:00.000-06:00

Yeah, it's snowtastic around here. Meg got home from work yesterday as it started to REALLY come down. Unfortunately, she brought the store keys with her, so we had to go back out. We made it all the way there and back, and then got stuck about fifty feet from the parking spot. I had to shovel us to safety.

And then it was a night of watching Mother Nature dump all over everything. I mean, it's beautiful, and it's also fun to see the social networks blow up with reactions, but what are we going to do in a few days when it's still here and we're bored? Maybe we'll get a hurricane or something to keep it lively.

Well, back to work. That's right. There is no snow day for the self-employed.

A Manlier Fork.

2011-02-01T08:29:00.000-06:00

This is my 421st post on this blog. So if you weren't jamming out to "Buffalo Soldier" yesterday, you missed your chance.

I'm hearing "blizzard," but so far the A-Game has not been brought. I for one welcome Mother Nature's little tantrum. What does it matter to me, I'm homebound most of the time anyway! Bring it on, you old bag!

Teamwork!

2011-01-31T07:41:00.001-06:00

Friday Night.

2011-01-28T10:27:00.000-06:00

Looking for something to do tonight, just like Beardo and Meg? I'm doing a Rotten signing at Horrorbles in Berwyn TONIGHT, from 7 to 10pm, with the great writer Raf Nieves, of Apocalypse Plan and Bob Howard infamy. Join us, won't you?

Empty Ring Finger.

2011-01-27T09:32:00.001-06:00

Beardo and Kevin Bacon: Together at last?

2011-01-26T08:54:00.001-06:00

More "classic" Beardo.

2011-01-25T10:06:00.000-06:00

I've been hard at work on Beardo, except I've been working as an agent lately more than an artist. So instead of drawing 6 strips last week, I drew 4. To make up for that, here is the remastered version of one of my favorite Beardos.

Irrefutable proof.

2011-01-24T10:00:00.001-06:00

You can't spell Beardo without "Bear."

2011-01-23T12:00:00.000-06:00

An old favorite, which I thought was appropriate given today's playoff game with Da Bears. I hope they win, it'll help me with my comic material this week! Oh, and also it'd be great for the fans and the city and blah, blah, blah...I know. I'm a jerk.

"Classic" Beardo...ha.

2011-01-22T11:57:00.000-06:00

In my efforts to get syndicated, I had to piece together a "Best Of" Beardo for the portfolio I sent. Here's one of them, featuring one of my favorite characters, Cranky Jim.

Meg: Super Detective.

2011-01-21T09:50:00.001-06:00

A little unreliable.

2011-01-20T09:24:00.001-06:00

I'm with smart phone.

2011-01-19T11:08:00.002-06:00

Where is the Revolution?

2011-01-18T08:53:00.001-06:00

Early birds and night owls.

2011-01-17T10:22:00.001-06:00

Holy Bird's Nest!

2011-01-16T11:26:00.001-06:00

A letter to Conan O'Brien's Beard.

2011-01-15T12:31:00.000-06:00

And here is the full letter. I wrote and sent it on Wednesday. I'll keep you posted if anything comes of it.

Unusually productive!

2011-01-14T17:54:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow's post is going to be a special one, as it will also include a letter I wrote to a certain bearded celebrity.

Contemplating the universe.

2011-01-13T10:07:00.002-06:00

Dan Vs. Kevin Round Two: Death Shower!

2011-01-12T11:10:00.003-06:00

The thrilling follow up!!! Starring not one, not two, but THREE Doughertys! How could this be? Watch!

A real mystery.

2011-01-11T13:53:00.001-06:00

Tune in tomorrow for the next Workhorse Kings FIRESIDE CHAT, continuing the Dan vs. Kevin Battle to the Death!

Comics Q&A

2011-01-10T13:50:00.001-06:00

I could slap you all at any time, never forget that!

2011-01-09T10:32:00.000-06:00

Tale as old as time!

2011-01-08T10:01:00.001-06:00

Making sense of the mess.

2011-01-06T09:46:00.001-06:00

Fireside Chat: Anthony's Veggies!

2011-01-05T11:24:00.002-06:00

This is what I was talking about the other day. Kevin had such a rash from this video, I felt guilty. But then it got better, and the video turned out great. Moral of the story: don't put Ranch Dressing on your skin unless you're a trained professional!

If you were a young man again...

2011-01-04T10:28:00.002-06:00

Despite this cold I have, Workhorse Kings shot a video last night. It turned out hilarious, but Kevin got a brief but colorful skin rash all over his head and neck. What caused it, you ask? Ranch dressing. And that's all I'm gonna say about that for now.

Cold Feet

2011-01-02T09:47:00.000-06:00

New Years was a blast, as we hosted our fourth annual Eve bash, this time with the theme "Dead Celebrities, or Celebrities You Wish Were Dead." I was Billy Mays, and I was voted best costume! Although we gave it to the guy who tied with Rosie the Riveter (aka Meg) for second, dressed as Justin Bieber.

Kevin was Leslie Nielsen, and yet in a certain light and angle he was also Ted Kennedy, and even Dennis Hopper. Marco didn't dress, so we dolled him up as Snooki. We had a Marilyn, a Ke$ha, a Steve Erwin and Stingray, a 1920's movie star, and a few others that I can't recall now in the harsh light of day.

All in all, a great night and a great end to the year. 2011 AND a new decade, ho!

Hollywood

2010-12-31T10:52:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a great day for Beardo. The national monthly newspaper Funny Times is indeed picking up Beardo as a feature! When I got the phone call, I was in the middle of cleaning up for our party today. I had my comics strewn everywhere trying to organize them, and when I say MY comics, I mean hard copies of the ones that I have done - Cyclone Bill, Beardo, Rotten, Bob Howard, TAP, etc, etc. I had a TON of Cyclone Bill, made me really bummed out that they never really sold. I thought of all the time I had spent working on that book, the other books, the whole thing. I briefly considered lighting them on fire, and then the phone rang.

They said they don't normally call to tell people the good news, but I hadn't given them a return address in the packet I sent them over a month ago. So the lesson here is: never leave a return address or you might end up lighting your life's work on fire.

There's probably a better lesson in there than that, but who cares?!? I'm gonna be in Funny Times! Happy New Year!

One last note for this post, I want to say thank you to the people who have been following and supporting my comic work. Of all the online escapism there is out there, you picked mine. So, thank you and I'll see you in 2011.

Fundamentals.

2010-12-30T17:03:00.001-06:00

When is an alarm clock behind the times?

2010-12-29T11:42:00.002-06:00

White Christmas.

2010-12-28T09:34:00.001-06:00

Ribbit!

2010-12-27T11:23:00.002-06:00

Beardo and Oprah.

2010-12-26T10:16:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas from my blog to your eyeballs.

2010-12-25T11:05:00.002-06:00

Trying to embed a link

2010-12-23T17:06:00.002-06:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More christmas

Bob Howard: Slay Bells!

2010-12-23T14:37:00.000-06:00

I guess I'll just have to unwrap this candy, put it in your mouth, and gently rub your throat until it goes down smooth. A comic book present from me, Raf, and Bob Howard, no strings attached. But hey,at least take a minute to let us know what you think!

Just use this link.

http://issuu.com/rafnieves/docs/bob_howard-slaybells

Fireside Chat: Dan vs Kevin Round One - DEATH LUNCH!

2010-12-22T10:14:00.004-06:00

We haven't done one of these in awhile, so we figured we'd knock one out and see what the public thinks. If you like it, hate it, or just plain old don't care, let us know. Leave a comment, show a friend, do something to let us know you're alive, which makes us feel as though we might be too.

Fixing the tree, parts one and two

2010-12-21T10:13:00.002-06:00

Sorry, forgot to post yesterday. Just been a rough week. Who am I kidding, it's been a rough month!

Mister Handy Man

2010-12-19T11:57:00.001-06:00

Ambidextrous

2010-12-17T14:48:00.001-06:00

For the record, I DID draw that last bit with the ol' southpaw. Just sayin'...

Smoke grenades and regifting.

2010-12-15T12:51:00.001-06:00

The Christmas budget.

2010-12-14T10:17:00.001-06:00

Tis the season.

2010-12-13T09:43:00.000-06:00

Beardo and Inception!

2010-12-12T13:07:00.001-06:00

I murdered Gasoline Alley.

2010-12-10T08:58:00.001-06:00

Beardo and Cathy.

2010-12-09T10:50:00.001-06:00

Dropped phone call.

2010-12-08T14:22:00.001-06:00

Broken promises.

2010-12-07T13:07:00.000-06:00

Workhorse Kings had a great practice yesterday. New song, and we will be debuting it at our next show, Reggies on Thursday, December 16th, and the NEXT show, at Double Door December 19th! Details to come!

Feeling better...sigh....

2010-12-06T12:56:00.002-06:00

For Sale Signs.

2010-12-05T12:54:00.001-06:00

Sick in more ways than one.

2010-12-04T10:15:00.001-06:00

No Energy!

2010-12-02T09:00:00.000-06:00

Last night was mostly fun. Had a great time at Evil Squirrel Comics, doing a signing with Raf. A bunch of good friends and a few fans braved the cold to check us out, and the store is awesome. I'd driven past it a bunch of times, as it's right down the street from a venue I've played often, The Red Line Tap. Finally, I got to go inside. Bucket list, you just got shorter.

And now, I'm off to my mom's to hang out and draw. On the agenda: Toy Story 3. Boom!

Not sick.

2010-12-01T11:35:00.002-06:00

Coming soon, some major changes round here. Perhaps the MAJOREST of changes!

From pencils to finals.

2010-11-30T11:36:00.000-06:00

A sampling of art from Rotten 8, available in the FINER comic shops everywhere!

Speaking of which, Rafael Nieves and I will be doing a signing TOMORROW from 6 to 8 at Evil Squirrel Comics, located at 6928 N Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL. What will we be signing? Why, Bob Howard, Apocalypse Plan, casts, playbills for Les Miserables, deeds to homes, the back of your drivers license. It's all fair game!

Just to show you a little of my comics gam - as it were - here's a teaser page from You're So Veined, a Bob Howard joint!

Supporting the music.

2010-11-29T16:11:00.000-06:00

My mom had surgery today. A very sobering day, but she's fine and she'll be back home tomorrow. Nothing too serious, but definitely necessary. So if you have some thought vibes or mental well wishes lying around, send them to my mom. Just to be safe.

Converging jobs.

2010-11-28T09:35:00.001-06:00

The Gentle Sound of Summer Rain.

2010-11-27T10:34:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving 3 today. My God, how much more stuffing can one man take? This (hopefully) will be the last one. Not that I don't love everybody, but my stomach can only take so much!

Anyway, I hope this next week is a productive one. I feel off lately, there's too many things going on for me to get my usual rhythm. C'mon, next week!

The World of Independent Comics!

2010-11-26T11:44:00.000-06:00

Sigh indeed.

Great time at Thanksgiving yesterday. Had a late morning Baker's Square meal with most of Meg's sisters and her mom, as well as the adorable nieces Keeley and Reagan. Then brought it to my Aunt Denice and cuz Melissa's for a feast that left me unable to do anything but watch the movies of Will Ferrell. Not that I'm complaining...

And today is Thanksgiving 2: Revenge of the Tryptophan! (AKA: we're going to Meg's Uncle Sim's dinner.) Hope your Friday wasn't too Black.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T13:34:00.000-06:00

Hope you eat yourself silly. More Beardo tomorrow, unless I am still sleeping off the turkey juices.

Beardo Hates Early Christmas Decorations

2010-11-24T10:44:00.000-06:00

And yet, we put up our Christmas tree last night. Hypocrite!

Saw some fun as hell pics from the Workhorse Kings photo shoot last Saturday. And today I FINALLY get to see Rotten 8 in print. This is something I finished a LONGGG time ago, but - due to the unnecessarily complex world of publishing, comes out today. If you see it in a store, let me know where, even if you don't buy it. It's helpful to see where we are reaching an audience and where we aren't.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. But do you think Beardo takes a holiday? Heck no! Beardo tomorrow too! It's on!

The first three pages of Rotten 8!

2010-11-23T15:37:00.000-06:00

A little something to whet your appetite.

If you want more, the WHOLE issue comes out TOMORROW, Black Wednesday. I know for sure that Amazing Fantasy carries it, but ask your local retailer. If they have it, great! If not, DEMAND (politely, of course) that they carry it! This is how books that aren't Spiderman survive, by people speaking up and showing the retailers that there is more to life than fighting the Green Goblin.

Go Rotten!

Healthy Ego.

2010-11-22T14:31:00.002-06:00

Tonight, my good buddy Jason is taking me to see Grinderman, in "the year when Dan's birthday presents seem endless." Here we are now, Nick Cave. Entertain us.

Catharsis.

2010-11-21T12:09:00.000-06:00

We did a Workhorse Kings photo shoot 'round noonish yesterday. The goal is to reboot the website a bit, as well as officially bring our new member Kevin Broadwell into the fold. And nothing says official like a picture of four guys in a rotted out old canoe out in a forest.

So keep an eye peeled for that. And thank you to the people who have jumped aboard my letter writing campaign! For those who are wondering what I'm talking about, read the post below! And then write to:

Funny Times Editors
PO Box 18530
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

C'mon! When's the last time you wrote a good old-fashioned letter?

Last legs.

2010-11-19T14:23:00.000-06:00

Went to Andrew Career Day yesterday. Fun times, hanging out with Dettwiler and Moss, talking to the kids about my career, such as it is. I even sat in on a critique and did a little drawing for the entertainment of the students. Not bad.

Speaking of my career, I've been doing a lot of emailing and snail mailing to companys, trying to get my name out there as well as get Beardo syndicated. So if you're feeling supportive and your letter writing hand is strong, tell the good people at Funny Times how much you'd like to see Beardo in their fine publication. That's...

Funny Times Editors
PO Box 18530
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

I could use a good letter writing campaign right about now! Anyone who can prove they sent one will get a special Beardo 11 by 17 print. What's so special about it? Write a letter and find out!

Post.

2010-11-18T13:32:00.001-06:00

Let go.

2010-11-17T09:23:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow I'm speaking at the Andrew Career Day. Dan Dougherty: Misguiding the Youth of America Since 2006.

From the other side of the counter

2010-11-16T10:24:00.000-06:00

My dad does not have a facebook account, but he does have the same name as me. Or should I say, I have the same name as him. Anyway, what it amounts to is that I get messages from his old friends, and sometimes family members, asking about him, and asking me to pass along information. I suggested to my Dad that he gets a facebook account, and he said "no thanks." I wonder if it's because he doesn't like the facebook, or if it's REALLY because he likes having me be his messenger boy! Either way, the old papa bear has friends. Who knew?

Talking to a television.

2010-11-15T09:50:00.000-06:00

Congratulations, World.

2010-11-13T11:19:00.000-06:00

Yep, this is another one of those "this really happened" moments. Sometimes I wish life didn't make it so easy to be a punchline. Ha ha ha ha ha..heh..heh...uh.

The wife's had a rough week, which means that I've had a rough week too. But I've had some small comforts. I managed to turn in one of the best covers I think I've ever done, for Rotten. I drew up some legitimately terrifying stuff for Bob Howard, we might've turned this thing into something truly horror-ific. We had a strange show at Elbo Room, but managed to sell some cds. I was confronted by a young man who asked me "has your band ever thought about their fashion?" Which I of course, took to mean "you have no style." The conversation only got more interesting from there.

But Beardo was the real winner in the small comforts department. I was struggling at the beginning of the week with my ideas, which is no good considering I'm pretty much turning them in a week before they go to print. And then the floodgates opened and I think I came up with some real winners. It's funny, Garrett had mentioned this webcomic about some snotty girl who is struggling much like Beardo. Except she has a frigging agent, apparently. So really, she's not struggling, she's just smug and has no sense of what struggling is. G commented that nothing good comes from people who are self-satisfied, as they have no real conflict. I guess I'll be making Beardo for a long time then.