First Post of 2009!

I used this image on some New Year's cards I sent to various clients.

I usually send a card for Christmas, but thought I'd try something a bit different this year.

I noticed a significant drop in cards I received by mail. PLAYBOY sent out an e-card this year. A new trend?

Anyone else still send paper cards at the holidays -- either business or personal?

New Sale!

Just in time for Christmas, I received the good news that I made my first sale to READER'S DIGEST.

Not sure when the cartoon will appear -- maybe sometime after the February issue.

Here's a spolier-free sneak peek:

Great Minds...

Allen's Brain has inspired me of late. I can't stop doing brain-in-a-jar gags. Maybe there's a new feature here...?

Question: Why does the brain look different in every gag? Why can't I draw a consistent brain? It's obviously the same brain, but you wouldn't know from looking at these cartoons.

Which version does everyone like best? I admit I'm still trying to find the best way to draw a cartoon brain. Don't think I'm there yet.

p.s. My son (16) voted for the Thanksgiving brain.

One Tough Cookie

Here's a design for Christmas 2009.

The gag's been floating around for a couple of years; finally got purchased for a card.

Submit, submit, submit...the freelancer's mantra.

Bow-wow-ow!

For the past year or so I've written funny T-shirt sayings for the What on Earth catalog. I generally send them a new batch of gags every three months. Here's a recent favorite.

More than a Nickel's Worth (Part 2)

Hey! My blog is now worth $16,668!

That's more than my 401k after the stock market meltdown this week. Yay!

New Books

Just received my author copies from Stone Arch for three new titles.
Check 'em out!

Secret of the Summer School Zombies

T. Rex vs Robo-Dog 3000 (not my original title)

Wind Power Whiz Kid: A Buzz Beeker Brainstorm

(my original title: Gone With the Windmill)

More Than a Nickel's Worth?

According to this site, my blog is worth an astounding $14, 511!

For comparison purposes, here are some other comics-related sites and their respective values:

Richard Thompson's blog = $76,569

POV Online (Mark Evanier's blog) = $102,845

The Daily Cartoonist = $216,383

The Daily Ink (King Features' comic site) = $217,826

The Comics Reporter = $1,062,300

Go Comics = $1,385,378


Then there's this...

The high...
Disney's official site = $3,118,661

and the low...
Lola's official site = $293

Madly Yours (finally)

Months in the making (or at least the waiting), a new cartoon graces the current issue of MAD (issue #492, to be precise).

MAD uses funny little puns to identify each cartoonist. I am PLUGGED NICKEL, which I guess is better than NICKEL AND DIMED or NICKELODEON (which would probably invite an immediate cease and desist letter from Viacom).

Eagle-eyed readers of A Nickel's Worth (hey, that's not a bad title either) will remember that I previewed a version of this cartoon many (many) months ago on this very blog.

Love isn't pretty

A recent card design.

Unlike comic strips, greeting cards are actually fairly lucrative.

Will they eventually be replaced by online greetings? Who knows?

I'm sure the dead-tree Mother's Day cards will be the last to go. You look like a real schmuck just sending Mom an email on her special day ("What? It would kill you to go to the store and buy something, Mr. Cheapskate?")