SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - EXTRA BONUS EPISODE

 

Here is an Extra Bonus Comic Strip as not to interrupt the current storyline...

In memory of Robert Duvall. No relationship to Shelley "Olive Oyl" Duvall.

However, my mind wandered on the passing of the great actor over the weekend thinking about his greatest roles. I somehow thought of this cartoon ode to him that just came out of nowhere that entered that big noggin' of mine using the THIMBLE THEATRE Popeye cast of characters - buddies Ham Gravy and Castor Oyl.

Since it is timely with Mr. Duvall's passing, I just had to get this ode out today for the late actor and his portrayal as Lt. Col. Kilgore in APOCALYPSE NOW with the fleet of Huey helicopters that I somehow linked the two distinctly separate concepts here together.

I dunno. It made me laugh. Hopefully it will give you a chuckle.

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 71

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Character Spotlight: Popeye The Sailor Man

A Bonus Surprise for Today and a new feature...

 

Look for new "WHO AR' YA WHO NOW?" FILES every Saturday morning (usualy bu 8:00 a.m. U.S. Central Time) in lieu of a webcomic (as that is when I'm taking my regularly schedule weekly break with no webcomic.) Also, I will post new Character Spotlights whenever I need to take any additional time off from working on the comic strip for whatever reason (i.e. vacation, I'm tired, sick, need a break, too busy at home or work with some other project, etc. etc. etc. you get the drift...)

 

Please note these are written for my own SEA SHANTY FUNNIES webcomics cast and continuity and do not necessarily reflect official portrayal, histories, or continuities elsewhere.

There are so many characters coming in and out of the stories, and not all readers here may know histories or who they are, so this guide will help provide some reference material.

These are inspired by DICK TRACY’s “ROGUES’ GALLERY” entries as well as DC Comics’ “WHO’S WHO IN THE DC UNIVERSE” and Marvel’s “THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE”. Heck, even G.I. JOE ORDER OF BATTLE and bio cards! And those that know me and my past, know that DC Comics had me write up bios for GREEN ARROW SECRET FILES & ORIGINS and THE DC UNIVERSE ROLEPLAYING GAME… so these are done in a similar fashion for SEA SHANTY FUNNIES. And as time goes by (and if I stick around doing these) and there are any necessary updates I will do so.

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 70

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 69

 

Today, we return and check back in with our current storyline already in progress to see how Popeye is doing as he searches for a cure to the W.O.T.S. Virus he caught that is tearing the fabric of his universe apart..

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 68

 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

 

Here is a special comic strip for this special day with Popeye's special sweetheart. 

 

We will return to our current storyline tomorrow...

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - We will be back tomorrow!

 

ART: President Abraham Lincoln

 

Part two of a series of personal artwork that I didn't realize I was doing a themed series until I woke up this morning today for Lincoln's Birthday where we have an official holiday and the day off from work (here in Illinois). I'd like to share this one as I don't always share my artwork.

 

For those that don't know, I live in Springfield, Illinois. Home of President Abraham Lincoln and where he is buried. I grew up in "The Land of Lincoln" and have been soooooooooo surrounded by Lincoln all my life that you begin to take him for granted. Lincoln is everywhere. "Oh well" you think becoming numb to his name. Especially where everything around here is named after him and he is branded on most things. 

 

But today feels different for me.

 

Since I was a kid, I collected Lincoln Pennies. Well, this year, Trump ordered the U.S. Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Part of me feels that is symbolic of the times though I know others will say logically it was cost prohibitive because it now costs three pennies to press a one-cent penny. It makes cents. I mean sense. But you know. 

 

In these times, instead of thinking "Lincoln" is just a name of a local town, a name of a high school, our local airport here in Springfield, or the name of the local cab company... the armchair historian and hobbiest that I am who loves collecting Lincoln pennies and Lincoln on postage stamps (going back to the second official U.S. Stamp ever printed... my philately geekiness is showing) wants this to follow up to my recent MLK jr. drawing from a few weeks back as I think about Lincoln then and what he means to me now with the memory of his words today. 

 

I remember my impressionable childhood that the first "real" book I ever read as a kid was Lincoln's biography around the time I was in second grade. Before I even moved to Springfield that next year in third grade. My ancestors from the South fought for the Confederacy on the other side and opposed Lincoln and the North. I have that part of my family's history that I acknowledge and it has led me to look at history and our society. However, growing up in Springfield and having Lincoln's heritage and memory as part of my DNA makes me realize that he was indeed one of our greatest American Presidents for a reason. 

 

I, myself, truly respect Lincoln and admire him. Controversial to some, I know. And even so 161 years after his assassination that he didn't do enough of this, or he did that, or whatever. I'm not getting into that. I hope all Americans may continue to look up to him, honor his memory, and think about what he represents as we should lean into "The Better Angels of Our Nature" as he spoke about in his first inaugural address.

 

Just this week, I helped design a poster as a collaboration between the Illinois State Board of Education (where I work at as my "day job") and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum here in town for the upcoming Illinois Arts Education Week where students from Illinois (Kindergarten through High School) entered a competition to showcase their artwork for America's 250th Anniversary.

 

I've drawn Lincoln before. Sometimes for farcical reasons (My Benedictine University folks might remember the "Imma B" campaign. 'Nuff said.). But this time, I woke up this morning, paused and thought on having the day off (like we did for MLK, Jr.), and wanted to truly use this day to think about his legacy. I looked at one of his old photos for reference where he had a glint of a smile that I always loved. I think about visiting his home. His grave. And to have walked in rooms and streets that he himself walked. 

 

So, I let this drawing, if you will, come out of me as my sincere expression and hope for America as a reminder that we remember Lincoln's Gettysburg Address that we had to memorize as kids over the founding principles of our country where he urged Americans to dedicate themselves to preserving the Union and ensuring the "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth" in which liberty and equality will be granted to us all as inalienable rights.

 

Anyways, I'm rambling.

 

Thank you, Honest Abe.

COMICS - Working on TWO books for the Printer. Plus 3:30 a.m. ruminations about Self-Publishing Comics

My 3:30 a.m. rambling. (I usually sleep in two shifts at night called "biphasic sleep"... I'm digressing. You can look it up) Going back to bed now. SEA SHANTY FUNNIES will resume on Friday morning. I was resting yet keeping busy with these projects for production on the print side. More info later. More comics later. Thank you!

I'm working on two projects at once as I prepare two books for the printer. 

 

 

 

THRILL SEEKER COMICS ANTHOLOGY #2 is being printed now as I type this. I just got an email that the printer looked over the files and is proceeding with the printing of this book. I purchased an initial first print run of 50 books out of my pocket that I will make available directly from me for sale. Details later on how to do that if you're interested. It is a hefty book of about 40 pages in this comic. They should be shipped to me by my birthday in about two weeks. 

 

I had to make some adjustments after looking at some proofs and I decided to go with a different printer that I trust a little more. I've decided after discussions with Jennifer that I am also abandoning the faux Benday dot look due to the artwork looking a little too blurry and muddy in print on paper. Yet, I'm keeping the paper tone look. So all faux Benday Dots have been removed. I made my decision in that.

 

I'm also proceeding with production of SEA SHANTY FUNNIES #1 which will collect all of the webcomics from 2025 that I released. About 40 episodes. I'm estimating 24 to 28 pages. I haven't decided how it will shape up just yet as I have to merge all these various sized comic strips. Some strips were one row. Some were a full page. I'm up to page 13 right now in this book and have "remastered" and cleaned up the artwork and made some corrections. I also removed the Benday Dots that I had originally placed on the artwork. 

 

 

 

Once this book is finished, I will place it as a viewable PDF on my website for those that want to read the stories thus far. I think that is how I am going to archive the SEA SHANTY FUNNIES stories for new readers to "catch up" since I make this a "freebie" to read online as a webcomic. It'll be more organized that way. I will have a limited print run as an actual comic book on paper for those that want a copy to read in a traditional way as a give away to a SEA SHANTY FUNNIES Fan Club that I plan on launching where I will give a personalized Popeye related inked drawing that I'll do for you along with some other things. Again, more details later.

 

But here are two sample pages from each project. The THRILL SEEKER COMICS artwork is from a story that I illustrated about 20 years ago. Though I've redrawn recently two of the panels and reconstructed the artwork and made improvements due to being able to use my Wacom monitor with digital pen to draw on where I can zoom in for details. The THRILL SEEKER COMICS work is painfully slow for me to do while I can crank out the simpler cartoony work on the public domain-based Popeye related comics with SEA SHANTY FUNNIES. 

 

It's like I'm working in two different worlds and ways doing these yet there are similar processes where one is slow and the other is fast-paced.

 

I thought some might be interested in seeing what I'm doing in my creative processes and these side hustle projects. Well, I really shouldn't say that as I'm not really making any money with this side hustle, I admit. I spend more money and time in this project and coming out at a financial loss... but it does satisfy my soul to create and make this putting it out into the world. Kind of fulfilling a dream. This is more of a creative outlet for me and if anyone... I mean anyone... finds any enjoyment or entertainment out of these, then that is reward enough for me at this moment in time. Kind of  a vanity project some would say as there is no financial return on investment. Not that I am complaining... but it is the reality of wanting to be an independent self-publisher, writer, and artist. I'm digressing. I have my day job. And it is a good job. But for decades I longed to work in comics full-time as a living but just couldn't swing it. Sometimes I look in the mirror and in my best Brando voice say, "I could've been a contender". Then again, I have come to realize, agree,and understand the alleged advice of Jack Kirby that "working in comics will break your heart". 

 

Yet, God willing, I will pick up my pen and draw again tomorrow because that's what I do. That's what I love.