Why shouldn’t we have a strip about Spring and Love? After such a long winter, I think a little love is probably a good idea. Unfortunately, Cupid is also a little kid, too, and darn-it if they don’t all love their goofy little texting-pods. Rumor has it, Cupid switched from arrows to suction-cups some time in the mid-70s. I salute his desire to adapt.
After months of snow-snow-snow, Spring has finally arrived. I don’t know where the Sun’ been hiding, but clearly it feels bad. I think it brought some cookies to apologize. While not totally necessary, I think it’s a nice gesture. Thanks, Sun. Let’s make it a good Summer.
Spring is really dragging its feet this week. It snowed twice and then rained, and now it’s very foggy. I’m not picky. It doesn’t have to be surf-weather, but a little sun for more than an hour would be great. While I know it’s sunny in other parts of the country, it’s kind of cold and soupy ’round these parts, and certainly so in Good Haven. While it’s a little easier to draw snow, I think I’m ready to make the switch to grass. I’ll play ball as soon as the weather does. Again, I’m just the messenger.
Today’s “Watson” is all about the icky snow that just won’t leave us be. After several Spring strips there’s just more snow. While I try to mix-up my topics a bit from week-to-week, I know everyone in the Mid-West is feeling kinda blue about the latest winter storm, and just wanted to toss this one out the have some fun. On the creative end, the new “experimental” style of getting business done is still holdin’ strong and opening new doors. This strip took about 15 min to ink (going slowly sans penciling) and turned out just fine. Clearly, I’ll never get as much crazy detail as I did using my uber-boring, Rain Man-style, but the light, fluffy clouds that enter my studio while drawing this way are well worth the trade-off. Over time, I’m sure I’ll grow into my new hippie shoes. Overall, another satisfying turn. No problems here… Just snow.
Today’s Watson strip is another step in what’s sure to be a long, fruitful path or renewal and discovery. If you’re wondering why Watson looks a bit more like a gazelle than in previous strips you’re not alone. Watson, as well as the rest of the strip, is undergoing a transformation in an unknown, new direction. Rather than hide it from my readers, I’m hanging all my wash out on the line to dry. After two years of drawing (and thinking about) “Watson” in one, I’ve decided to turn my laundry bag upside down, empty out all my drawing socks, and start down a slightly different path. …I’m not the first one to attempt this. If I had to comment on what prompted all this, I’d say: I’d just like the strip to be a little more “free” and more fun to draw. You may not see a real difference, but it’s there I promise you. – More good things are in store each and every strip. Not sure when or where the great transformation will end or stop, but I’ll be sure to tell you when it does. I suspect it will just keep on going. That’s what Art just likes to do.
After my previous strip of quick, zippy lines I’ve returned to a bit more structure. This strip took a little more time to draw: a return to my old method of doing things, but was still a bit quicker. I’m perfectly content to share my creative thoughts with my readers, as I find this kind of discussion is something of a rarity for features of this type, and it’s usually that “behind the scenes” info that fans enjoy most. I’m not sure where my “fast line” style will join hands with my previous tidy rendering. My original style is very controlled and sharp, but it takes a great, long while and tends to rob the strip of much of its energy. Readers may not notice, but I always do. Now that I’ve opened this door, I suspect I’ll have to continue on through. My style’s sure to evolve and my gags, as well. It’s a fitting new sprig for this time of year. We’ll see how things evolve and grow. Although Lemondrop seems to think Spring is truly here, Fudgey seems to think more cold’s a possibility. I tend to agree with both. Things will be warming and growing, but we should all be prepared for a bit of bite as well. That seems fine with me. Maybe a little bit of both is what we need to get to where we’re going. Hope for the best but keep the scarf on. – I’m cool with that.
Each year there’s a “Watson” strip that symbolizes, in part, the end of Winter, and I think this is it. Looking back through the Watson archives, the “Spring” strip is usually a good litmus for how the strip will fare for the next months. Each year, there are 4-6 strips that mark distinct turning points for either the look or the writing of the strip, and the Spring strip is usually significant in that regard. I never plan it that way. It just happens. That said, this strip was quite unusual in that I did no penciling on it and just dropped everything down, free-hand, with no outlines at all. Not only was it fancy-free, but it took significantly less time than previous strips; it took about 10 minutes, which for me is quite amazing. I’m not sure if this strip will usher in a whole new look: a total Renaissance, or was just a fluke. It was certainly fun to draw and felt quite good, so we’ll see what kind of road map that offers up. Two things I’ve learned about making art in my day: #1) If it feels good follow it. #2) If you know where you want to end up just start doing it badly and keep doing it until you’re good at it. Oh…! One more thing I’ve learned. #3) If there’s something you hate doing do the complete opposite and make that work. — These three rules have been extremely useful for me while drawing the strip, all of which I learned one strip at a time. They’re by no means infallible, but certainly better than having no rules at all. Take ’em for what they’re worth. And, again, they’re all free.
This strip was inspired by a number of strange ideas. Number one (for those who can relate): the oddity of being one of the only kids at school eating a PB & J sandwich on two little scraps of dry-wall (i.e. matzo) the day after Easter. Number two: How, when you’re a kid, how everything that’s bad always gets worse just by sheer virtue of you being you. And, Number three: How anything that falls in water (when you’re a kid) automatically grows 5x its normal size, except you, your friends, or any of your pets. Originally, I think the idea for this was just about the horror of eating matzo sandwiches at school, but then turned into something a little more strange. FYI – Just in case you’re scared, matzo is actually quite delicious. It’s like a giant cracker with no flavor that tastes great with almost anything else that isn’t matzo. When you’re looking for a quick ‘n’ easy snack, I’d say matzo with anything else is the way to go. – Happy Passover!
The idea for this strip came from a wonderful place; Little Free Library, which is, in fact, a very real thing. Little Free Library is a grassroots organization that started in Wisconsin, whose mission is to get people sharing books by building “little free libraries” in their yards. You can use one of the models on the LFL website, or you can make your own. Once you have your library built, you can then register it with LFL and make it an official part of the movement.
Like Clover – the little girl in the strip – I love reading and have always made reading and books a central theme of “Watson.” I rarely draw strips that are a clear “shout out” to specific groups or movements, but this was a pleasure to do.
This strip is a little unusual for a “Watson” strip in that it doesn’t feature any of the regular Watson characters. I thought about this, briefly, when drawing this strip, but then decided I wouldn’t worry. There are a number of strips who occasionally take a break from their usual fare to introduce alternate perspectives/ adventures, so I thought I might grant myself a pass on this one. At the time, I remember thinking this idea was very funny and probably worth a spin. It may not make into any collections and may ultimately be forgotten, but it was certainly a fun experiment. Of note, while I don’t usually like to use a lot of special effects when making the strip, I think the last two panels here are a little more fancy (and blurry) then I like to get. That, too, was a bit of a cheat but for a strip like this it’s okay. – Some early feedback I’m getting seems to indicate that “Watson” fans seem to prefer traditional “Watson” strips more. — I never would’ve guessed. …How swell.
The idea for this strip, I think, is pretty central to one of the main themes of “Watson,” which is what the Good Haven kids know and why. If you haven’t noticed (yet) there are no parents in “Watson” and it’s a deliberate choice. As a comic strip “Watson” is meant to be fun and enjoyable, but I occasionally think about some of the larger issues I’m trying to touch on, and one them is certainly how kids go about navigating themselves in today’s busy world. In the strip, the kids only have each other to learn from and occasionally get things wrong. While it’s fun to laugh at the funny things they do and say, I think it’s also good think about what “Watson” is telling us about how we live and what example we set for others, especially kids.
The idea for this strip was “generated” while trying a slightly new writing approach, which may or may not be a repeat event. Aside from the obvious gag, which may or may not make you chuckle, I think the best part of creating this strip was coloring the inner tubes. – As I sit here writing, I realize I have never typed the word “inner tube” in my entire life. WOW! …It just happened. If only all my nipples had been hear to see it.
In any event, this strip was a fun new thing and we’ll see how increasingly “zany” my strips will get. Of added note, I’m also trying a few new things with my shading, so we’ll see where that goes, too. I’ve always been very resistant to doing things with color (like fades) that don’t show up well in-print, BUT I’ve decided to let my hair down …and my nipples! – We’ll just see where the whole nipple parade takes us!
See you soon, Watsoneers!
Oh, what the heck! This is what the strip would’ve looked like if I had really wanted it to make sense. If you prefer my usual flavor, see the one below.
Somewhere in this strip, originally, was the spot-on idea that daylight-savings time turns everyone into zombies because they’re all so darn tired. I think the joke here, as I had intended, was that the first three kids are kind of zombie-like because they’re all really tired and, low and behold, Fudgey on the end is so tired he’s actually become a zombie. The original title for the strip was going to be “Daylight Savings Apocalypse,” but then became Daylight Cravings, as you you can see. I had also considered “The Waking Dead,” but thought it was a little to subtle. For all I know, that was a better choice. Overall, I’d say the best part of this strip (for me) was drawing the little blue veins in Fudgey’s head. – It’s the love that keeps me going.
This strip follows just a few days after President Obama offended nerds across the universe by saying he couldn’t resolve the Fiscal Cliff crisis by putting Congress in a “…jedi mind meld.” While we all applaud his genuine desire to make with the “common speak,” we also cringe at the inter-stellar, nuclear gaff of his joining two, very different universes that have no business touching: Star Wars and Star Trek.
For those of you who have no idea why term “jedi mind meld” is like eating a bag of glass be thankful. Knowing the answer would only relegate you to a lonely, tortured life of eating Cheetos, drinking gallons of Mountain Dew, and nose-snorting with similar wretched goblins about everything that was left out of the blu-ray release of “Firefly,” Season 2. — I, myself, have never seen a single episode of “Firefly,” but I know a lot of the nerds who love my strip really like it. — Just kidding nerds! I love you all!
That said, while the intention of this strip was noble at best, I fear there might’ve been too much information packed in for it to be a true gem. Not only do you do you have to be familiar with the uber-quotable line from Star Wars used in the strip, you also need to know what President Obama said in his speech, why the fiscal cliff crisis is where it is and why, and – if you like doing mental gymnastics – why any of this is worth putting together for a mere 1-second chuckle. The answer is, of course, it’s not worth it all. — Life is too short to spend time worrying about such matters.
At this point, if you’re still reading, you’re probably better off turning on your Death Star screensaver, microwaving a burrito, and “un-pausing” your game of World of Warcraft. In the big scheme of things, I think we all know what’s really important.
The idea for this strip, I’m sorry to say, came about in a completely pedestrian way. I wish I could tell you I thought of it while actually BUILDING an octopus detector, but I didn’t. …It’s close but not quite there. — Mrs. Jim and I were driving in the car and she was trying to sell me on the idea of taking an exotic adventure on a very high-end cruise ship. To help sweeten the sale she began to rattle off a number of wonderful features about the ship, one of which included “radar.” Needless to say, while I do like gizmos I followed by saying “…Who cares if they have radar. It’s not like the have an octopus detector.” At which point I chuckled, made a quick mental note, and realized that was the most brilliant thing I’d said in about 9 days. The term “octopus detector,” in my opinion, is insanely hilarious and that’s how this strip was born.
For long-time fans of “Watson,” I can tell you that the same “energy” I experienced when I came up with the idea for this strip is exactly like the “strange energy” I felt when I came up with the Super-Chicken strip. At the time it seemed so awful that no one would like it, but I now realize that feeling may actually indicate I’ve hit the jackpot. – It’s a concept that feels totally free and floating, so bizarre that it doesn’t associate itself with anything common one might normally grasp. It’s, in plain terms, just “completely out there.” These are the kids of strips that separate true “Watsoneers” from all the rest. If I’ve still got you at “octopus detector,” then my strip is truly just for you.
This strip was inspired by the awful, frigid snow-storm socking the Mid-West right in the guts. As a matter of fact, we’re in the middle of it as I “speak.” If nothing else, I think this comic strip has reminded me that one of the key roles a cartoonist plays in its readers’ lives is to be a little pat on the back, perhaps a little smile, when things get tough. I know this morning lots of people will be getting up while it’s still dark, putting on layers and layers of clothes, and going out to snow-covered cars to begin the frigid, arduous process of scraping off snow so they can get to work. If nothing else, I hope this strip reminds them that I, too, am thinking about how this effects them (and everyone), and that I hope a little chuckle (if this strip is at all funny) makes that walk to the car just a little bit better. I’m not splitting atoms or sewing a brain back together; nothing that grand or lofty. I’m doing that little bit that I can do, my little contribution, and when I get it right I feel like I’ve done some good. It’s the little part I play in the big scheme of things. Not the fanciest, most “important” job, but the one I like best. — I could totally split atoms if I wanted to. I just don’t feel like it right now.
This four strips at once, all published on the same day, was something of a new experiment. Lately, I’ve had a lot of strange thoughts swirling around in my head about comics and internet, and just decided to mix-it-up a bit. Be on the lookout for more, strange “Watson” experiments in the immediate future. I fear many new things are abound.
I’ve had the idea for Mulk, the pro-biotic milk-alternative, for quite a while. I think a carton of Mulk may have even appeared in a previous strip. While I’m not a die-hard health-food nut, I’m very interested in alternative/advanced nutrition and do try to keep healthy. We shop at a lot of different stores, many of which carry a variety of milk alternatives. In addition to soy, rice, and almond milk, I’ve also seen flax milk and maybe sesame milk, but I think that was in a dream. I think the role that milk plays in kids’ lives is both fun and hilarious. I think it’s fair to say that a lot of kids don’t like milk, but it seems to follow them wherever they go. It’s at school. It’s at home. Wherever you go adults are always telling you to “drink milk” because it’s good for you and “makes you strong.” Milk! Milk! Milk! …I bet most kids think it could never get any worse, but we know it could. And, in case you didn’t catch it the first time, Mulk is…GRAY. Be thankful you have milk, kids. I fear Mulk may have no nutritional benefit at all.
This strip was inspired by a number of birthday parties I went to as a kid, and the whole new experience of attending parties, again, now that I’m a parent. By any measure, children’s parties are delightful: there’s cake, there’s running, and someone always ends up in the garbage. In that sense, they’re not unlike most office, fraternity, or White House functions one might attend. …A party’s a party.
The thing that I was reminded of while doing this strip (its original inspiration, I think) was just how important parties can be to the whole childhood social-standing, popularity structure. Under the age of 3 most kids don’t remember what happened at little Timmy’s birthday, but as soon as kids are old enough to realize what brand of sock they’re wearing, the whole thing comes crashing down. Kids become “cool” or “uncool” for not having the right plates. Skippy’s party was better because his clown performed at the Super Bowl. …It’s a whole big mess.
What was once sweet and innocent becomes a blood bath similar to the chatter one might here on the sidelines of a Victoria’s Secret runway show. These rosy cheeked cherubs turn on themselves and each other, and what was once cake becomes an under-priced delivery device for everything that’s horribly wrong with you, your family, and the world. There’s too much frosting and Lumpy’s dad took some awful middle-management job across the river. No wonder all of Lumpy’s clothes come from that awful store in Mid-Town. “…This party sucks.”
I think it’s time for presents.
The idea for this strip was inspired by something that happened to me when I was a Freshman in high school. To spare those involved I’ll keep details brief, but the story did end with my confessing (in an opaque way) my love for a girl who I had never spoken to once. As I recall, she was horrified and we never spoke (or continued to keep on not speaking) ever again. I guess the moral of the story is be careful to whom you confess you love.
I think loving (at least in concept) is great, but isn’t always the greatest thing when acted upon, as the bard has clearly shown us. I can’t say that I was the world’s most awkward teenage romantic, but I was still on the sliding scale.
While, in today’s terms, I might not have had my own highly-rated HBO TV show, I most certainly would’ve had a popular YouTube web-series with a modest cult-following.
I thought of the idea for this strip while standing in the crowd at a Magnetic Fields concert. In case you’re not familiar with them, the Magnetic Fields are a delightful, Byronic-esque band whose songs focus on relationships, break-ups, back-stabbing, betrayal, and appeal to people who wear black pajamas in an non-ironic way. They’re most famous for their 4-CD collection “69 Love Songs,” which I’ve had a wonderful relationship with since September 13, 2002.
All I can say about this strip is that it came from a creative place of fearlessness. I was standing in the crowd rubbing elbows with all these groovy people, and thought “What kind of ‘Watson’ strip would someone who likes The Magnetic Fields write?” The idea for this strip probably emanated from a much more clear-headed way of thinking than I’m used to; it was purely emotional. I’ll try to come back to this sort of thing in the future.
