Seriously, We’re Not Bitter

I kind of regret writing this one. Either folks will think T and I made a ton of money (we did okay, but we got a very small percentage of the box office) or we were unhappy with the film or unhappy with our deal (neither of which is true).  I like the film. I like the folks at Dreamworks. Considering the modest popularity of the strip the deal was very fair.

I (and I think T agrees) just feel Hedge was/is deserving of a sequel. The problem is Dreamworks is a relatively small company that makes three films per year.  The HAVE to make hits. HUGE hits. Like Shrek, Madagasgar, Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon.  (all of which have done north of $500 million in world wide box office). That kind of money guarantees the second film will do well. $335 million (stacked as one dollar bills or not) is not enough to guarantee anything.  Remember the movie costs $80 million to make.  Another $80 million to market.  And the studio only gets half the box office AFTER a distribution fee. Hedge only went into profit when DVD, merch, video game, etc. are factored in.

Making movies is a tough, risky business and we were lucky to get a film made much less have it turn out so well.

Still, it would be nice to have a sequel one day.

Neckless Freaks

We could Hammy-proof Hammy’s head, but what fun would that be?

Not much fun.

El Rancho Camelot: Gateway to Adventure

Fun Fact: when I write the scripts for T, the two guys in the third panel are referred to as The Two Stupid Guys.

Okay, maybe it’s a mildly amusing fact.

 

So You Want to be a Cartoonist

If you look online, Cartooning looks pretty healthy. If you look offline (with the exception of a few of us doing illustrated novels) Cartooning looks pretty bleak. Newspapers are slowly fading. Comic books aren’t doing much better (don’t confuse comic books with comic book movies).

There’s probably less net money to be made right now. But that’s beside the point since most of us don’t do this for the money.  Or fame. Or glory. Or girls. Or boys.

In my case, I do it because I HAVE to do it. It’s a compulsion. And not always a healthy one.

Bottom line: as long there’s a long line of neurotic, masochist doodlers out there Cartooning as an art form will do just fine.

Go for it, Clara. If you can learn to barter for health care and how to avoid collection agencies you’ll do just fine.  And you might just end up as lucky as me and get repeated opportunities to perform one of the best (and hardest) jobs in the world:…

Involuntarily inducing smiles.

 

Pretty Belize With Hammy On Top

Wait. I want my own trailer!

A Squirrel in Motion

I like Zen Hammy in the 7th panel.

Ommmmmmmm.

Love Is a Many Antlered Thing

Sorry. Things got busy yesterday FINALLY finishing Odd Squad Book 2: Zero Tolerance that blanked on posting.

Or I’m just getting old and I forgot.

Why can’t I forget stuff that matters? Like where they sell donuts or what channel the Giants are losing on.

Where was I?

The Love That Dare Not Pipe It’s Name

The best concert review I ever read was just a headline: Barry Manilow Wears Tight White Pants. 

Bang the Head Quickly

Here’s probably one of the best drum solos ever (from The Ventures version with Mel Taylor on drums):

Bad Has to Pee

I like the Bad Bunnies. They’re good for three or four strips per year. But they’re pretty much just one gag…

We’re bunnies. And we’re bad.

Up to the point where it conflicts our bunny-ness.

Over the Hedge: way over explaining itself since 1995.