Mike Dawson Comics

This is a few years old, but I was just thinking about Gelatinous Cubes today, and was reminded of it. It’s some fan-art I drew based on my friend (and Ink Panthers co-host) Alex Robinson’s short Lower Regions. I would love to one day draw a full-length Gelatinous Cube story myself, as I recall this was a fun picture to put together.

I think the best thing about being a voracious comics reader is being aware of lots and lots of great cartoonists who’s work I am totally into. The next best thing is that you can buy prints and even original artwork from many of these cartoonists at very, very reasonable prices. I have quite a lot of comics-art hanging up around the apartment. Here are some things that I’ve got on the walls:

Print by Matt Forsythe. I got this at TCAF two years ago.

Print by Phil McAndrew. I pointed out to Orli that the man has a big nose. Now she’s calling it “Big Nose Man”. I am worried I’ve just taught her to remark on people’s notable features.

Print by Onsmith. I actually got this a long time ago, at an SPX. I really like it, but I couldn’t find a great picture of it online. I bet there is one, I probably just have to look harder.

Original art by Vanessa Davis. This is called “Sleepies”. I just got it this week. I think I’m going to hang it in Orli’s room as a reminder of what she’s supposed to be doing in there when I put her in the crib (“Look at those ladies, Orli. They are being good and going to sleep”).

Print by Kate Beaton. I just got this too, and I have to get a frame for it before I can hang it up. This will probably have to go into my study, because of the cursing and all that. It cracks me up though. A very funny strip.

I’m going to SPX in early September. Not sure if I’ll be squatting at someone’s table, or just walking around. I am fine with either one. I am hoping to get another print or even more original art while I’m there. That’s one of the best things about those shows for me, because so many comics and books I can buy in one of the great comic stores we’ve got here in NYC.

A small two page Troop 142 update this week, bringing the fifth chapter, Thursday, to a close. Wow – it’s kind of unbelievable to me to be starting in on what’s really the last full chapter, as Saturday’s going to be more of an epilogue, kind of like how Sunday was the book’s prologue.

I feel like I’ve said elsewhere that while I’ve only been actively writing and drawing this version of my Boy Scout comic since last November or so, I’ve been working on variations of it off and on for over ten years now. I remember when I first met Aliza, in 2002, I was taking a silk-screening class at SVA where I was making covers for a different version of this story I was working on then. So, it’s definitely been a long time.

Speaking of that SVA class, I also used the equipment there to make the cover of another little “graphic novella” that I had out at the time called CABARET. It was a semi-comedic, sort of dramatic slice-of-life story about some recent college graduates. I haven’t read or looked at this comic in years now, but gave it a re-read the other day, and had to say that it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. I dunno what I’m going to do once I finish Troop 142, but was thinking maybe of revisiting some of that material. At the very least, I’ve become a better cartoonist in the past 8 years, so could make a much better book now. I guess we’ll see.

Two new Troop 142 pages posted. Alan makes a phone-call home, and then finds himself with a little alone time.

Speaking of Troop 142, I haven’t blogged about it too much, but I’ve been putting together minicomics made from each individual chapter. These have been great for sending out to friends, and also for selling at MoCCA this past May.

I’m very excited to announce though, that the first four minicomics are now available in the Secret Acres Emporium, an online store that sells quality comics by a lot of talented cartoonists. My books can be gotten here.

In addition to distributing minicomics, Secret Acres has also published some books, including Monsters by Ken Dahl, and PS Comics by Minty Lewis, both of which I thought were fantastic reads.

Things are moving slowly this week RE: Troop 142, so I don’t think I’m going to be able to get any new pages posted. Instead, I’ve decided to post a sequence that isn’t going to make it into the final book, where the Troop wakes up early to participate in a Polar Bear Swim.

I probably drew these pages over two years ago, and even though I think this scene is funny, I’m not sure that there’s a place for it to fit into the story anymore. And, aside from that, my drawing style has changed enough since then that I think it would be pretty noticeable if I just dropped it all in somewhere. I’m pretty proud of some of the pictures of the kids swimming in the water, though, so I’m glad to be able to show this stuff off, even if only as a “discarded scene”.

Better late than never, here’s the picture I drew to submit to the Objet d’Afro art contest that AdHouse is running in support of the fantastic new book, Afrodisiac by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca.

I loved that Nixon was a villain in the book. I’m a fan of trivia having to do with modern American Presidents, so saw this as a perfect opportunity to make a very timely Spiro Agnew reference – everybody’s favorite disgraced Vice-President!

Between 2002 and 2004 I self-published a humor comic called GABAGOOL! with a co-writer, humorist Chris Radtke. We put out six issues of the series, as well as a few short things that appeared in anthologies. Gabagool! concerned the adventures of Christopher Vigliotti and his friends, a group of twenty-somethings living in Bronx USA. There’s actually a very detailed Wikipedia page describing the main characters and the series.

Because this was a self-published effort, it has for the most part been out-of-print. The only way people can usually get hold of the comics is directly from me at small-press conventions, of which I am attending less and less these days. So, I’ve decided it’s time that all of these comics should be made available online.

I’ve posted the first issue of the series so far, and will be adding new pages every Monday and Wednesday. I imagine everything will be up in a month or two, including all the really filthy stuff where Christopher and his friends take a vacation to the notorious swingers resort “Hedonism” in issues 4, 5, and 6.

The story continues with three new pages posted here.

To read from the very beginning, click here.

Also, speaking of Jack & Max, there’s a 12 page full-color story featuring the battling brothers in the new POPGUN anthology from Image comics, shipping to stores this week. I got my comp copy in the mail yesterday, and it looks great. I urge everyone to check it out!

I’m back from last week’s break with three new Jack & Max pages. Check them out.

Or, to read from the very beginning, click here.

Jack & Max Escape From the End of Time: Chapter 2 begins today, with seven brand new pages posted online. Some burning questions are answered, such as: do Jack and Max get along OK with the neighborhood kids? Click the picture below to see the new pages!

Or, to read from the very beginning, click here.

Note: I’ll be out of town next week, and unable to post new pages. Hopefully this extra-long installment will hold everyone over until I return two weeks from today.