First, hello and welcome to anyone that might have found their way here via Journalista!
Next, a bit of news: By popular demand, I’ve reprinted the ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH? mini comics. They’re once again available in my store. This batch is limited to fifty copies, so grab one while they last. Also now available is YOU ARE SPECIAL TODAY, the EP that the band I play drums for recorded at the very beginning of this year.
Finally, here’s a new family portrait!
This is my cousin, Zach. I don’t have any neat dusty old photos or newspaper clippings about him. He’s current generation! He’s a pretty neat kid, but I will give you a few interesting bits of information about him: I’m pretty certain he owns more PEZ dispensers than anyone else in New York state. He once swallowed a live goldfish on a dare, and then puked it up 15 seconds later. It was still alive! His favorite movie is The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996 version).
Here’s another interesting family member I’ve come across. Charles McAndrew was Jane McAndrew’s brother, making him my great-great uncle.
He was a professional hockey player for the Philadelphia Arrows, which the internet tells me was actually Philly’s first pro hockey team, way back in the days of the Canadian-American Hockey League. It’s an absolute delight to learn that I had a pro hockey player in the family! I grew up playing hockey and as a little kid I of course assumed I’d grow up to be the next Wayne Gretzky (and a cartoonist in the off season).
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Chuck had a very long career. I have an obituary clipping saying that he was hit and killed by a speeding car in 1928. According to wikipedia, the Arrows had only just formed in 1927.
Charles is smoking a pipe in every single one of the handful of photos I’ve found of him, even the one picture of him all suited up, posing for a shot on the ice.
Continuing the series I started yesterday…
I don’t have a ton of information on Jane McAndrew, who was my great-great aunt on my father’s side. I know she lived in Philadelphia. I’ve found a few old photographs, and one old letter.
The letter is very short:
“Baby grand was pinched by a dick, someone spilled the beans. Bring the coffin varnish tonight, I’ll bring the heavy sugar. No applesauce, no beating your gums. We’ve got to know our onions from now on.”
The letter is signed “S”
A bootlegger? I sure think so.
I’ve been digging around in the attic, finding all kinds of old family photos, letters, newspaper clippings, etc. The more I dig, the more I’ve been discovering that I’ve had some pretty wacky family members. Heck, I have some pretty wacky modern day family members.
Anyways, I decided that I’m going to start a little project. I’m going to draw portraits of some of the more interesting ancestors and family members I’ve come across in these old albums, and maybe of a few of my relatives who are still kicking.
This first fellow, Tadeusz Prelewicz, is my great-great-great-uncle on my mother’s side of the family.
From what I’ve been able to piece together, it seems that Uncle Tadeusz made headlines towards the very end of the 19th century by declaring that he intended to fly in a balloon from Poland to the North Pole. People thought he was nuts. The fact that a group of Swedish guys attempted something similar just a year before and never returned (they were assumed dead at the time) didn’t help his case. Despite jokes and criticism, he did embark on his mission.
Another article reveals that, much like the Swedes before him, he failed miserably. No news came from him for quite some time and eventually he was presumed to have perished. Nobody was sure what had become of him until several years later when a group of Belgians exploring the Congo happened upon a tattered balloon that appeared to have crashed into the jungle. After further exploration, they discovered a man fitting the description of Tadeusz living amongst a group of native pygmies.
For the record, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a few well placed bits of decoration on certain faces. Just don’t get carried away!
I hit a small bump in the road regarding reprinting Are You Man Enough? (some technical difficulties), but I think I’ll be able to work around it and should have another printing ready for consumption quite soon. Hang in there!
Doodled for the most recent DREAMO TEAMO challenge. Beware, it can hear our thoughts!
I now have everything I need to put together a second printing of Are You Man Enough?, so expect it to be available in my store again sooooooon.
JW writes:
Ok, “Are You Man Enough” has been sold out on your website for months. Ahem.
My own mustache can summon a motorcycle, but not a copy of your comic.
*waves money in your direction*
When can we expect some more copies up for grabs?
One of your many fans,
JW
JW,
Dang! I feel like a chump now, and rightfully so! I’ve been an absolute slacker in regards to reprinting Man Enough.
I do plan to do another printing of the minicomic. In fact I am going to write a note right now, reminding myself to get the ball rolling tomorrow by ordering the necessary materials.
Thanks for giving me a friendly kick in the ass! I really do appreciate it.
- Phil!
