Author: Smeary Soapbox Press

Handcrafted comics since 1985!

“Under the big top”

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While you may have seen the origins of the Watusi/Teebo feud in my recent “Wonder Valley Weekend” storyline, Teebo has been plaguing Watusi in print time and again since his first appearance way back in Watusi #10 (March 2004). This appearance (from Watusi #18, June 2005) is probably my favorite Teebo jam comic…

About the contributors: Tom Cherry took me up on an offer to write his own blurb: “Although he considers himself a cartoonist, Tom Cherry’s current output of work may argue otherwise. Examples of his toonage can be found at www.thosefunkyidiots.com and tomcherryexperience.blogspot.com” ; in addition to being a tireless Teebo promoter, Keith O’Brien makes wonderful postcard comics and blogs about life in Forbidden Falls, Maine.

“The Whiz-Banginator!”

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I like to do the opening and closing panels on these jam comics, so that at least half of the comic can be my work. But Nate’s ending to this comic (from Watusi #19, Sept. 2005) was so much better than anything I’d have come up with that it instantly became one of my favorites!

About the contributors: Erica Well writes and draws her own comics including “The Miller Sisters”, and is currently working on an original graphic novel, Grafitti ; Nate Corrigan draws great dinosaurs and other fantastic comics under his Gumshoe Comics imprint (my favorite may just be Captain Spectacular).

“Snow day”

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I love to use this strip (from Watusi #4, Sept. 2003) when I teach classes. It’s great to show to kids who are timid about their ability to draw Watusi “on model”– even though Matt and Michael’s versions are so different from mine and each other’s, it continues the story in a lovely way.

About the contributors: Matt Levin is the writer/artist behind Walking Man Specials and Musicomics, an amazing mixture of poetry, comics, and rubber stamp artwork ; Michael A. Carroll is the creator of “The Accidentals” (among other entertaining stick figure comics, both mini- and web- style).

“Payback!”

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Rather than dive right into the next storyline during a busy holiday season, I’m going to showcase some of my favorite jam comics from Watusi’s print title for the next five weeks. As many of you know, Watusi got his start through jam comics such as this, and while I’m using the characters I introduced there in more fully-scripted fare these days, I still enjoy these improvised one-pagers. I’m kicking off this stroll down memory lane (for me, but hopefully they’ll be new comics for most of you) with my favorite strip from the first of Watusi’s Halloween issues (Watusi #15, Oct. 2004). I liked the challenging problem that Terri left me with, and I’m really glad I accepted her premise that it wasn’t just a bone.

About the contributors: Billy and Terri McKay hail from the comic-filled state of Ohio, and Billy makes some of the most beautiful handmade comics I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy. He doesn’t seem to have much of an internet presence I can direct you to, but if you’d like to know more about his work write me and I’ll get you connected with him…

“Well that was fun … let’s do it again!”

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… and that’s where we’re going to leave Watusi, to enjoy the rest of his festival weekend. Hopefully it will be less eventful than his stint as Mystery Mutt was (even if he doesn’t remember it)!

Rather than dive right into the next adventure during a busy holiday season, next week I’ve got something different in store for you. I sincerely want you to know that I’m very thankful for the time you’ve given me to follow this strip every week– hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!

“Mob mentality”

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With this episode we bid adieu to that criminal clown, Teebo. A big thanks to Keith O’Brien for letting me borrow Teebo and wrap a long story around him; it’s been a lot of fun and made the story a lot richer than it was when I first jottted it down in my sketchbooks years ago without Teebo as a foil. I think it’s a safe bet to say we haven’t seen the last of him, either…