Today I have to check out the author’s section of the cartoons in Gocomics, to see who has written a bio,  displays their book, or blog, or whatever. Uclick has given us (the cartoonists) instructions on what we can and can’t put in our author column on the right. Problem is, I don’t like their pre-done widgets, so not sure what to put there… Anyway, while I’m finding out what the other cartoonists have done in their column (if anything) I thought you might like my take on the cartoons, as well.

I decided to review the Comics instead of the Editorial Cartoons as I’m a little biased in that category. (My cartoon on Gocomics is Donna Barstow Editorial Cartoons. Snappy, huh?) And since, sadly, we only get paid by hits, I’m helping all the other guys by visiting their pages! Spread the hits!

I’ll only review the cartoons that I have some familiarity with or get an instant reaction to. (Sorry for grammar – this is a blog.)

This is an...interesting layout. Argyle Sweater, by Scott Hilburn.

Also, I rarely read cartoons one by one, so it’s not really fair to either me or the cartoonist if I can’t see a bunch of them. If I like a strip I like to devour it, and I much prefer reading them in book form, if at all possible. The cartoon book, if any, after my comment.

Adam@Home is drawn by a different artist now, no likey. It used to be one of my favorites. Adam looks dumb now and has a weak chin – so do all the other characters. Artist is unnamed – that’s the spirit, Universal!  Daily Cartoonist reports on it, with a lot of feedback, but he’s closed comments there, due to his silly rule of asking for real names. Lots of cartoonists defend the new artist there, which is not exactly unbiased, so take from it what you will. If you want to change the artist, people, IT’S NOT THE SAME CARTOON. Dumbbells. Book by the original cartoonist: Life Begins At 6:40 (An Adam Collection)

Argyle Sweater. Can’t read the lettering, so I don’t read it. Marty Murphy used to start screaming every time he talked about the panel. It’s very popular though, and Gocomics is always pimping it. Book:  The Argyle Sweater: A Cartoon Collection

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It’s looking that way.

If you haven’t seen Fox’s Glee yet, you must, especially if you like musicals. (Think Broadway, not American Idol, which I’ve only seen for a few minutes. Ugh.) One of the ingredients that makes it different are how many minorities there are. I mean, almost everyone. Of course, most of the main characters are straight and white, – so far as we know – but that is a very diverse cast. They’re all good actors, and so it isn’t stuck in a minority ghetto, then.

I come from a society that hates show-offs, in any color or form.  Kurt and Sandy are so over the top flamboyant, so flaming that smoke comes out of their noses. And yet…they are so charming and spot on, with great dialogue, that I love them! Kurt in particular is a very strong actor, and great singer. They can stay. And Sue sure acts butch, even though she gave the eye to Puck. She’s brilliant.

HOWEVER…What is with all the coming out? Kurt came out to his good friend last week, and this week to his father. Bo-ring. Stop with the politically correct lessons.

This outfit is spectacular. I froze the tape several times, trying to remember it. She's backlit, so we can't see the real color of her skirt, which was more green. I'm going to use these colors in my next cartoon!

Kurt grudgingly admitting his neuroticism and sexual preference TWO EPISODES IN A ROW?? I wondered exactly how many of the writers are gay. Turns out the main producer, Ryan Murphy, is, and also turns out that he admits in articles that this is exactly how he came out to his own father. How very self-indulgent of him to take up 2 episodes with this.

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The women are better than the men this year! At least so far. Part of the fun is watching things change.

I didn’t like the opening pro dance at all. At first I blamed myself: am I too boy-crazy? Do I need men in each dance? :( But thinking more about it, I think the dance itself lacked a focus. I don’t know what it was trying to say, and I can’t remember one frame from it.

The LA Times this Sunday came wrapped in a full color plastic bag advertising DWTS! (It also had their Fall Season New Shows reviews, FINALLY, but that’s another story.) I’ll include  their description on the bag before my opinion!

Debi Mazar (the actress with attitude) had a great personality, and set up a nice dynamic with Maks. I do think Maks is a little sexist. But he can laugh at himself. She was good, not the best.

Joanna Krupa (the sexy supermodel) – very pretty, not that super. She and Derek are a great team though. I think they got the highest scores of the night, and I thought their salsa was the only sexy dance so far! The only part I didn’t like was at then end of the relay, when she screamed and flopped all over. Gloating is bad manners, Joanna.

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Well, it began last night, but I had to do my term paper on why the evil USDA is killing coyotes in the city of Los Angeles.

Anyway, here is a list of the new competitors this season, from People, with my comments after:

Mya, singer, and Dmitri Chaplin Never heard of her. He’s a popular hunk on the show – he’s okay.

Melissa Joan Hart, actress, and reigning DWTS champ Mark Ballas She’s from TV, right? I really don’t like Mark at all – boring, boring, boring, with a fake smile.

Michael Irvin, former Dallas Cowboy, and Anna Demidova Never heard of him. She’s the newly elected teacher. I didn’t vote for her.

Ashley Hamilton, actor, comedian, singer-songwriter, and Edyta Sliwinska Never heard of him. Edyta is…okay. Shows her privates too much. Not the best choreographer.

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For Illustration Friday: topic is Welcome.

What better way to welcome a judge to a new case than a bouquet? Defense attorneys have it tough anyway, because they have to defend guilty people.

Cartoon Caption: “From the defense attorney, Your Honor. Just because.”

Whoa, Jim, I’ve been pretty disappointed in you the last couple years, as you broke up with the captivating and beautiful Sarah Silverman, made even more stupid jokes about older people, overused your overacting security guard, Guillermo and your dull uncle Frank, and TOTALLY IGNORED the death of your other security guard, Veatrice. I was so shocked when you casually announced last January that she was DEAD.  I thought it was a joke. She was your only natural funny person. I liked her. You sucked, Jimmy.

But I still do watch you, sometimes – love the Cousin Sal bits the most, and the Dancing with the Star losers.

I got all excited when you announced that Governor Rod Blagojevich was going to be on last week. I did a Blagojevich cartoon a few months ago, and was fascinated by him last winter as he got knocked down and just kept on coming. Plus, I tend to like Mafia types. Your first interview that night was a man who is married to Mariah Carey. Don’t know his name, but that’s all you talked with him about. You were all awkward, kiss-ass, and uncomfortable.

Then Ex-Governor Blagojevich came on (I think he’s ex-gov) to pitch his new book, called The Governor- so maybe he’s not an ex-governor? I found him very interesting. He said there were a lot of secret tapes that he is NOT allowed to talk about, that would clear his name, and that the whole scandal is upside down. Hmm. So you let him talk about that – and he is an interesting speaker – and then you made him talk about his hair, and how he conditions it. Funny as hell. The 2 of you hit it off, didn’t you? Youtube.

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