Headline DS #73 - Pig Farmers Fear Stigma From Flu

"Pig Farmers Fear Stigma From Flu" is from the April 29, 2009 edition of the Express. Even though this particular strain of swine flu cannot be transmitted by eating pork products of any kind, pork sales are down. It's such an unfortunate name. Come on people, pork is a tasty treat! In the words of Vincent Vega, "Bacon tastes good. Pork chops taste good!" Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #72 - Genome of Cow Mapped

"Genome of Cow Mapped" is from the April 24, 2009 edition of the Express. Now that we know the tasty gene, we can make more tasty cows! We win at science! Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #71 - Time for Twitter in Tikrit?

"Time for Twitter in Tikrit?" is from the April 23, 2009 edition of the Express. A group of internet entrepreneurs including a co-founder of twitter and representatives from Google and Yahoo are in Baghdad (yes, the mispelling bagdad is on purpose) to meet with Iraqi leadership to discuss business opportunities in what they think is a growing market. Now it may seem silly to hawk your web 2.0 in a country that can't guarantee electricity for the 5% who have internet access that's no better than modem speeds. But almost everyone in Iraq has a cell phone. The mobile web market could be potentially very profitable. Web 2.0, always looking for the quick dangerous buck. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #70 - Torture Charges Possible

"Torture Charges Possible" is from the April 22, 2009 edition of the Express. President Obama said he would support a Congressional investigation of the interrogation tactics approved by the previous administration including the practice of water-boarding by the CIA. Thank you! It's about time they were held accountable for something. We can't fight a war on terror when we're torturing prisoners who haven't even been charged with anything. I'm hoping for an independent commission to look into this like the 911 Commission. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #69 - Big Banks May Need More Help

"Big Banks May Need More Help" is from the April 20, 2009 edition of the Express. You know, at some point, unless we want to federalize all the failing banks, some of them are just going to have to fail. Period. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #68 - Sending E-Mails, Texting Banned in Howard Vehicles

"Sending E-Mails, Texting Banned in Howard Vehicles" is from the April 17, 2009 edition of he Express. County workers in Howard County Maryland will no longer be able to send or receive text messages and email while driving county owned vehicles. Um... DUH! Why is it taking so long for this to be banned nation wide? Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #67 - Pirates Attack in Retaliation

"Pirates Attack in Retaliation" is from the April 16, 2009 edition of the Express. I'm still completely baffled that pirates are running around in the new millennium. Now that we've thrown down the glove, the violence on the high seas is going to escalate quickly. But until conditions in Somalia improve, which doesn't seem terribly likely, we're in for a long fight. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #66 - KFC Gambles on the Grill

"KFC Gambles on the Grill" is from the April 15, 2009 edition of the Express. This week, KFC introduces Kentucky Grilled Chicken in an attempt to bring healthy eaters back to their restaurants. Grilled chicken may seem healthier than fried in terms of fat content. But the sodium content is still bad news for your heart. The real healthy choice is cooking your own food at home. So if you do end up grabbing some quick KGC, do it because you love the taste, not because it's good for you. Cause it's really not. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #65 - Unemployed Flock to 'Green' Training

"Unemployed Flock to 'Green' Training" is from the April 14, 2009 edition of the Express. I think green jobs will be huge once we get over this financial hurdle. But I think even now, there's worry that two-year colleges that have added green training to their curriculum are training too many workers. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #64 - Captive Ship Captain Saved

"Captive Ship Captain Saved" is from the April 13, 2009 edition of the Express. I'm happy for the Captain and his family that he was finally rescued. But why did it take so long? Four pirates in a dingy vs a fleet of Naval Destroyers? That's something you'd see in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #63 - Obama Seeks $84B in War Funds

"Obama Seeks $84B in War Funds" is from the April 10, 2009 edition of the Express. I'm not surprised by the price. The wars in Afghanistan and Iran should be funded. But where is the money going to come from? Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #62 - Piracy Thrives in Lawless Somalia

"Piracy Thrives in Lawless Somalia" is from the April 9, 2009 edition of the Express. In the new millennium you expect certain jobs to be obsolete, door-to-door salesman, slide rule technician, pirate. But piracy is going strong in Somalia which apparently has no central government. In 2008, 42 vessels were jacked by pirates. Turns out piracy is good for the local economy as pirates spend money in the local towns. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #61 - Ban on Photos of War Dead Ends

"Ban on Photos of War Dead Ends" is from the April 7, 2009 edition of the Express. No attempt at a cute punchline today. After 18 years, the Pentagon has lifted the ban on media releasing casket photos of returning soldiers killed over seas. The decision is now left up to the families as it always should have been. Distributed by Tubemogul.

HeadlineDS #60 - Porn Screening at UMd. Back On

"Porn Screening at UMd. Back On" is from the April 6, 2009 edition of the Express. In defiance of some at the MD State Senate, students at the University of Maryland at College Park have rented a lecture hall to screen the pirate porn movie that was canceled Saturday night. Sure, it's not the same as protesting a war. But it's good to see students standing up for porn... I mean free speech. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Healine DS #59 - UMd. Cancels Porn Movie Event

"UMd. Cancels Porn Movie Event" is from the April 3, 2009 edition of the Express. This is pretty stupid. The Maryland State Senate threatened to cut off UMD's funding if they showed a porn movie parody of Pirates of the Caribbean entitled Pirates XXX. Yes, UMD is a state run school. But it's not like they were forcing anyone to pay money for a ticket. Man, why is everyone afraid of a little skin? Okay, a lot of skin.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS #58 - GOP Offers Up Alternative Budget

"GOP Offers Up Alternative Budget" is from the April 2, 2009 edition of the Express. Sorry guys, but eight years of tax cuts for businesses and the wealthy inspired little more than corporate greed and helped land us in the mess. Cutting taxes in the middle of a freaking war? That's pretty short sighted. Sorry GOP, no one's listening to your broken record anymore. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS #57 - GM's CEO: Bankruptcy is Possible

"GM's CEO: Bankruptcy is Possible" is from the April 1, 2009 edition of the Express. I'm kind of curious as to why the administration didn't take a similar tactic with the banking and financial industries as it has with the auto industry. Fire the CEO, give them a month to come up with a plan, threaten bankruptcy. Rinse and repeat. I guess it's too late to do the same for the financial industry, but it'd certainly feel good to see some bank CEOs get the chopping block.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #56 - Spam for All

"Court Will Not Revive Spam Law" is from the March 31, 2009 edition of the Express. The VA Supreme Court overturned a law banning unsolicited bulk email, known to us as spam. Spamming days are here again! However, all it not lost. VA's attorney general is working on a new anti-spam law and the most prolific spammer to be convicted, Jeremy Jaynes, is serving time for securities fraud. So until someone takes over as Spam King, we'll be safe for now. Kinda.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #55 - New Tobacco Tax Packs a Punch

"New Tobacco Tax Packs a Punch" is from the March 30, 2009 edition of the Express. I'm not a smoker and I'm kind of thankful that smoking is now banned in most of the restaurants and clubs in the D.C. area. At the same time, it feels a bit wrong to legislate lifestyles. The new law would raise the cigarette tax from 39 cents to $1.01.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #54 - Obama's Event Nothing But Net

"Obama's Event Nothing But Net" is from the March 27, 2009 edition of the Express. Unlike our previous administration that seemed to be allergic to technology, the Obama administration fully embraces the information age hosting the first ever online townhall meeting from the White House. Wouldn't be at all surprised to see a White House app in the iPhone store sometime soon.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS on No Commercial Value

No Commercial Value is an online art project that features six new artists each week. For the week of March 25, NCV is showcasing my series of AIG cartoons. I really love how they edited the cartoons together.

Thanks to Amir Husak and Prem Sooriyakumar for including Headline DS in their gallery.

Headline DS Edition #53 - Stimulus Called 'Road to Hell'

"Stimulus Called 'Road to Hell'" is from the March 26, 2009 edition of the Express. The President of the EU said that the Obama administration's plan to spend $2T dollars to stimulate our economy is the "road to Hell." Cue some AC/DC music!

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #52 - EPA Eyes Action on Warming

"EPA Eyes Action on Warming" is from the March 24, 2009 edition of the Express. There's only so much financial news one cartoonist can take. The EPA released a report that declares global warming a public health and safety risk. Sure, it sounds like a "well duh" moment, but such a formal declaration will have an impact on Obama administration policies regarding global warming, hopefully for the better.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #51 - Bank Rescue May Cost $1T

"Bank Rescue May Cost $1T" is from the March 23, 2009 edition of the Express. The Obama administration wants to create a new government agency, the Public-Private Investment Program, that would be tasked with buying up toxic assets. The price tag could total up to $1 trillion. That's a lot of zeros. I've never understood how the government can spend money when it owes so much in the first place. I'm a bit uncomfortable with using tax payer money to buy up bad loans, but I honestly don't know what would work at this point.

Headline DS Edition #50 - Bonus Tax

AIG week ends here at Headline DS with "Big Bonus Tax Ok'd by House" from the March 20, 2009 edition of the Express. The House passed a bill yesterday that would levy a 90% tax on bonuses paid out to workers who earn more than $250,000 in annual income and who work in companies that received more than $5 billion in bail out money. A similar bill goes up for vote in the Senate.

This sounds a bit crazy. Certainly the measure reflects public outrage against AIG. But this sets up a dangerous precedent for singling out companies just because we don't like them. Congress should be a little more cautious than to respond directly to mob outrage. Setting up an additional tax structure like this could create more future problems than it solves. At this point, it'd probably be easier to let AIG fail.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #49 - AIG Gives Back

AIG week continues here at Headline DS with "AIG CEO: Bonuses Returned," a headline from the March 19, 2009 edition of the Express. AIG CEO Edward Liddy requested that any AIG employee who received $100,000 or more in bonuses to return at least half that money. According to Liddy, who came out of retirement to help clean up AIG's mess receiving $1 annually in compensation, many have given back their entire bonus. I have to say, I'm surprised and impressed. Shouldn't have happened in the first place, but I'm impressed they're giving the money back. I guess they're not all evil on purpose.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #48 - Give Back Bonuses

I figured it was going to be an AIG week and the headlines do not disappoint. "Dems Say Give Back Bonuses" is from the March 18, 2009 edition of the Express. Congress is asking AIG execs to voluntarily give back the $165M in bonuses they paid out last Friday. According to the NY attorney general, 73% of AIG employees received at least 1 million dollars in bonus checks last Friday. Congressional Democrats are threatening to tax the crap out of them if they don't give up the bonuses themselves. Gee, who'd have thunk that AIG would act irresponsibly with billions of dollars of bail out money. Oh, how about anyone with a freaking brain! No good could have come with handing these idiots a sack of free cash! Distributed by

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #47 - Obama Slams AIG

"Obama Slams AIG 'Outrage'" is from the March 17, 2009 Editon of the Express. Obama has ordered Treasury Secretary Geitner to figure out a legal means to prevent AIG from handing out $165M in bonuses giving me a chance to draw Obama dropping the "People's Elbow" on AIG fat cats. This is what I don't understand. If the federal government now owns a 80% stake in the company, why can't it just tell AIG to stop screwing around? Ah well. I have a feeling it's going to be an AIG week here at Headline DS.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #46 - AIG Fat Cat Bonus

"AIG to Pay $165M in Bonuses" is from the the March 16, 2009 edition of the Express. It's upsetting to say the least to know that tax payer money is going to pay the bonuses of these execs who are responsible for getting us into this mess in the first place. Shouldn't they be fired rather than rewarded? I guess I don't understand the intricacies of the banking world, but it seems backwards to get bonuses for utterly failing.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #45 - Shoe-Thrower Convicted

"Iraqi Court Convicts Shoe-Thrower" is from the March 13, 2009 edition of the Express. I just couldn't resist the Rorschach quote. It's little surprise that an Iraqi court convicted the reporter who threw his shoes at President Bush (and totally missed!). He gets the minimum sentence of 3 years in jail which should probably be the easiest time he'll ever serve in light of the fact that most of the inmates probably consider him something of a national hero.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS is on BOXEE!

Thanks to Aaron over at Blip.tv, Headline DS is now a part of Blip's channel on Boxee! All you have to do is grab Boxee for what ever OS you're running and you'll get Headline DS streamed directly to your brain meats!

Thanks again, Aaron, for the hookup. And check us out on Boxee!

Headline DS Edition #44 - Earmarks

"Spending Earmarks Approved" is from the Express for March 12, 2009. Oh man, poor Obama. He spent a lot of time on the campaign talking about changing Washington and specifically doing away with wasteful earmarks. And yet he has to pass a spending bill that's all earmarked to the gills. He says this bill marks the last of business as usual so I'm hoping for the best.

http://www.headlineds.com

Headline DS Edition #43 - Madoff to Admit Guilt

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Madoff to Admit Guilt" is from the Express for March 11, 2009. The puntastically named Bernie Madoff, who made off with a bajillion dollars, is pleading guilty tomorrow. I think if we've learned anything from this guy and this whole financial crisis in general is that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And we'll probably make the same damn mistake ten years from now because memories are getting shorter by the the decade. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #42 - Clone the Governator

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Stem Cell Policy Overturned" is from the March 10, 2009 edition of the Express. Stem cell research won't necessarily lead to human cloning, but it's always fun to draw Arnold Schwarzenegger yelling at himself. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Bonus - Smurf the Watchmen

http://www.headlineds.com -- Okay, so the Chun-Li movie was probably a bad recommendation last week. But Watchmen is pretty fun! I saw it on Monday. It's really fun and entertaining if you can get over the fact that it's nearly impossible to live up to the comic. Certainly, the comic will stand the test of time. This movie interpretation may not, but it's great to watch on the big screen. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #41 - Asteroid Missed Earth

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Asteroid Barely Misses Hitting Earth" is from the Express for March 5, 2009. Sometimes, you just want to draw a big planet with a goofy face. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #40 - Obama Five

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Obama Five Show White House Double Standard on Taxes" is from the DC Examiner for March 4, 2009. The article refers to five of Obama's cabinet nominees that all have problems with unpaid taxes. What is wrong with these people! Obama's team really needs to do a better job of vetting their nominees. I'm sure someone in D.C. has paid their taxes at least once. Oh, I also wanted to do a Watchmen tribute. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #39 - Burn the Evidence

http://www.headlineds.com -- "92 Detainee Tapes Burned" is from the March 3, 2009 edition of the Express. The Justice Department released documents indicating that under the previous administration, the CIA burned 92 interrogation tapes of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #38 - Green Youth

http://www.headlineds.com -- "'Green' Youth Flock to D.C." is from the March 2, 2009 edition of the Express. Power Shift 09 is in town with students from all over the nation here in D.C. to lobby lawmakers for stronger environmental protections. The conference culminates in a rally today at the capitol. I saw these kids all huddled in the Metro on the way in to work this morning. The timing sucks for them as today brought five inches of snow! We don't do snow so well in D.C. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Bonus - Legend of Chun-Li

http://www.headlineds.com -- When the news gets too depressing even for me, it's time to draw Street Fighter! Street Fighter: Legend of Chun-Li opens today in theaters and though I think it will be less entertaining than playing Street Fighter IV, I kind of still want to see it. Old thunder thighs is one of my favorite fighters in the game and I quite like Kristin Kreuk. "SPINNING BIRD KICK!" Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #37 - Fat Cat Stress Test

http://www.headlineds.com -- "19 Banks to be Given 'Stress Tests'" is from the February 26, 2009 edition of the Express. I always picture banks as unwieldy, greedy fat cats. They have yet to prove otherwise. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #36 - Uncle Sam Stronger

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Obama: U.S. Will Recover" is from the February 25, 2009 edition of the Express. Uncle Sam certainly needs to get "stronger." It's difficult to stay positive these days, even with Obama's speech, but it can't rain all the time (big "No Prize" if you remember where that's from). Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #35 - Obama Karate Chop

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Obama Vows to Half Deficit" is from the February 24, 2009 edition of the Express. If the fed was a person, they'd have some truly horrible credit. Deficit spending is never a good idea. There should probably be a balanced budget amendment in there somewhere, but first the halving. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #34 - Fish Stories

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Man Charged With 'Active Imagination'" is from the February 23, 2009 edition of the Express. The story is about a man who was charged twice with impersonating a police officer, but I think fish stories are funnier. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Bonus - Hammy Time

This is sort of a tech test of a Photoshop web demo I'm planning. I captured this painting of a cute hamster while I was working on a design for a new Erfworld website. The webcast turned out okay and I was able to capture this high def timelapse. It looks amazing in fullscreen since it's captured at 1280x720! Enjoy.

Erfworld is written by Rob Balder and illustrated by Jamie Noguchi (me!).

Headline DS Edition #33 - Shoe Ninja

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Journalist Defends Shoe Toss" is from the February 20, 2009 edition of the Express. As bad as the shoe throwing was, I was impressed with the way Mr. Bush dodged both shoes. He demonstrated crazy ninja skills. At least he's good at something. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #32 - Banking Fat Cat

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Housing Plan a Windfall for Banks" is from the February 19, 2009 edition of the Express. *sigh* So now banks will get paid to give people a break on their mortgage. Great. Give the institutions that screwed us in the first place even more money. No kids, it really doesn't pay to follow the rules. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #31 - Court Upholds Calorie Rule

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Court Rejects Challenge to Calories-on-Menu Rule" comes from the February 18, 2009 edition of the Express. A New York court upheld a rule that requires certain restaurants to post calorie information on their menus. I think that while it's everyone's right to eat whatever they want, consumers also have the right to make informed decisions. In most situations, nutritional information regarding restaurant food isn't readily accessible at the time of purchase. Posting calorie counts on menus gives consumers access to information that will directly impact their quality of life. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #30 - The Planet That Wasn't

http://www.headlineds.com -- "The Planet That Wasn't" is from the February 17, 2009 edition of the Express which lists places around the DC area to go and drink to celebrate the 79th Anniversary of the discovery of Pluto. Poor Pluto, never did nothing to nobody. You'll always be a planet to me! Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #29 - Obama's Cabinet

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Obama's Commerce Pick Backs Out" is from the February 13, 2009 edition of the Express. I guess the answer is "no," President Obama can't catch a break. I imagine his first cabinet meeting will look something like this, Obama, Geithner, and a bunch of stuffed animals. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #28 - Obama Uses Caterpillar to Push Stimulus

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Obama Uses Caterpillar to Push Stimulus" is from the February 12, 2009 edition of the DC Examiner. Who can resist such a cute and cuddly guy! Obviously, the article refers to the construction machine company. Obama wants to build infrastructure to create more US jobs. Makes sense to me. You can't exactly outsource building highways and such overseas. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #27 - Phelps Has Support of Pot Groups

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Phleps Has Support of Pot Groups" is from the February 11, 2009 edition of the Express. So Phelps is smoking the pot and more baseball players are juiced. Who cares. We certainly didn't need a congressional investigation of steroids in MLB in the middle of a WAR! And who really cares if Phelps smokes the pot. Better to have him at home killing brain cells than driving drunk and possibly killing people. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #26 - A Relationship That Works--Except in Bed

http://www.headlineds.com -- "A Relationship That Works--Except in Bed" is from the February 10, 2009 edition of the Express. Poor Battlecat. All he wants to do is snuggle with He Man. Granted, with his new rhino armor (I totally forgot what Battlecat looked like so I stuck a horn on him), the extra weight would probably crush the bed. Oh well. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #25 - The Bright Side of Unemployment

http://www.headlineds.com -- "The Bright Side of Unemployment" is from the February 9, 2009 edition of the Express. The article talks about a number of so called perks to being unemployed including spending more time with your spouse. I think it's a pretty sad commentary on working life that you have to lose your job in order to spend more time with your family. Sure, work is important. But if you spend more time during the week with your co-workers than your husband or wife, that just seems like an imbalance of priorities. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #24 - Labor Pick Put on Hold Over Taxes

"Labor Pick Put on Hold Over Taxes" is from the February 6, 2009 edition of the Express. I'd be a little pissed if I were President Obama right now. Who's vetting these people? Hilda Solis's husband failed to pay liens on his auto repair business for 16 years! Sure, he's not nominated. But it looks horrible for her. I hope Obama can catch a break soon.

Headline DS Edition #23 - Hot Stove Turns Cold

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Hot Stove Turns Cold" is from the February 5, 2009 edition of the Express. "Hot Stove" must be a baseball reference because this is the second cutie stove I've sketched off of a sports headline. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #22 - Tax Errors

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Tax Errors Sink Obama Picks" is from the February 4, 2009 edition of the Express. Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination as did Zoe Baird who hired illegal immigrants and neglected to pay their social security taxes. The good news is that they're both out. But how did they get nominated in the first place? Is Obama's "change" really just lip service? Or does everyone in DC have some dirt laying around? Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #21 - Daschle Grilled

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Hill Grilling for Daschle" is from the February 3, 2009 edition of the DC Examiner. Tom Daschle's tax "mistake" is irritating enough. But his lobbying activities on behalf of the pharmaceutical companies is really troubling. The fact that he's not a registered lobbyist just doesn't cut it. As much as Obama says he's about change, Daschle's nomination feels like business as usual. Still feel weak on my caricatures, but I keep on trying. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #20 - Disgraced Governor

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Ill. Ousts Disgraced Governor" is from the January 30, 2009 Express. I think even Martin Luther King, Jr. would balk at Blagojevich likening his struggle to that of Civil Rights leaders like Ghandi and Nelson Mandela. Corruption doesn't even rhyme with civil disobedience. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Extra Edition - Gouki

Gouki, or Akuma depending on your country, is one of my very favorite Street Fighters. Just love his character design. So with this little sketch I was trying out a new rendering style, all cell shading with just a big outline around the entire figure. Could be fun to see it animated.

Headline DS Edition #19 - Pigging Out

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Pigging Out on the Stimulus" is from the January 29, 2009 edition of the DC Examiner. Piggies are so fun to draw! So the House passed President Obama's $800B stimulus package with absolutely no Republican votes. Gonna be a long four years. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Extra Edition - Funny Face

Another in a series of girls with funny faces.

Headline DS Edition #18 - "Octuplets"

"Healthy Octuplets Born in California" is from the January 28, 2009 edition of the Express. I know octuplets are eight kids born at the same time, but I thought it would be funny to draw an octopus couple with a baby. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #17 - Fannie Mae Wants $16B More

"Fannie May Says $16B Aid Request Could Be Coming" is from the January 27 edition of the Express. Obviously, the bailout annoys me to no end. Banks are being rewarded for extremely bad practices. If any individual tried the same things, they'd be in jail for a very long time. So whenever I hear about my money going to the banks, I always think of a greedy exec lining his/her pockets just because they can. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #16 - "Stimulus"

"Dems Warn Stimulus Will Take Time" is from the January 26, 2009 Express. I can't help myself, but whenever they talk "stimulus," I think Viagra. Ah well, at least I get to start the week drawing a stripper. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS - "Wait, This Isn't The Demolition Derby?"

"Wait, This Isn't The Demolition Derby" is from the January 23, 2009 Express. If you ever have the misfortune of driving on the Capitol Beltway (495 as we call it), you will be filled with the growing desire to slam your car into the one directly in front of you. You see, our Beltway was designed for giant sardines, not cars as it typical for most highways. You will find yourself packed nice and tightly along side other motorists who have the same growing desire to smash something. This is why everyone who works in DC is freaking insane. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS - "Fed Plans to Buy More Fannie, Freddie, FHLB Debt"

"Fed Plans to Buy More Fannie, Freddie, FHLB Debt" is from the January 22, 2009 DC Examiner. Am I the only one who thinks of a stripper when they refer to "Fannie" on the news? The bail out really annoys me because basically, corporations are being rewarded for bad behavior. If any individual tried to pull what the banks did, they'd be rotting in jail for a good long while, not getting millions of dollars of tax payer money. I would almost prefer my money go to a stripper. At least then I'd know I'd be putting someone through college. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS - "For Many, A Dream Fulfilled"

"For Many, A Dream Fulfilled" comes from the January 21, 2009 Express. Now the hard work begins. I took the opportunity to once again display my atrocious caricature skills. Shepard Farey I am not. But at least I got the "O" right this time. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Doctor Doom, MD

A friend of mine wanted me to draw Doctor Doom. But I couldn't just do a regular old Doom posing all comic booky. So here he is delivering the bad news to Sue. I always imagine that Doc's bedside manner would be pretty good. He'd be the sneaky, devious doctor who convinces you to take that dangerous experimental treatment.

Headline DS - "Experts Hope Sanitation Supply Meets Demand"

"Experts Hope Sanitation Supply Meets Demand" is from the DC Examiner for January 19, 2009. The headline says it all. With so many people descending on D.C., a wall of port-o-potties may not be enough. I will be enjoying the festivities from the comfort of my own couch, mere walking distance from my nice comfy bathroom in my nice comfy and especially warm apartment. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS - "Jet Apparently Collides With Birds..."

"Jet Apparently Collides With Birds, Lands in Hudson River in N.Y." is actually the sub-headline of an article entitled "Passengers Survive Crash" in the Express for January 16, 2009. The only reason I can make a joke is because everyone made it out safely. In my head, I imagined the jet and the birds facing off like the Jets and Sharks in West Side Story, most likely because I just saw the National Theater production of the musical. It's also likely my brain is not quite ripe yet. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS - "Escapes From DC"

"Escapes From DC" is from the DC Examiner for January 15, 2009. So the eye patch is on the wrong eye, I didn't have a reference for the text, my Snake is more Solid than Plissken, and my post-apocalyptic DC is more post-rush hour, but here's Snake Plissken escaping from a blowed up D.C.

The article lists places for us locals to escape to for the weekend to escape the madness of the inauguration when a million people turn D.C. into a giant sardine can.

I have a small connection to Snake Plissken. Back when I was a colorist with UDON Entertainment, I had the opportunity to color the Snake Plissken book which was just about to drop. The current colorist was flaking out and they needed someone to pick up the slack stat. It sounded like a dream gig and the publisher was clearly in love with the project. Who could blame her. It's SNAKE FRIGGIN PLISSKEN! Unfortunately, the turn around time was insane. They needed the book colored by Monday. I met them on Saturday. No way I could turn it around in two days. I had to pass. Ah well. So there you go. Enjoy the inauguration if you're brave enough to come down. I will have the best seat in town, my couch in my warm, WARM, apartment.

Gundam Girl

This is my take on the Gundam girls.  She's wearing an RX-78 inspired jacket with yellow tinted glasses.  Kinda went a little overboard here with the soft brush, but I kinda wanted to see how far I could go with the Nintendo DS.  I'm pretty happy with the results, but of course, there's a lot I want to change.  Ah well.  Maybe next time.

Headline DS - "Clinton Urges 'Smart Power'"

"Clinton Urges 'Smart Power'" was the front page headline for the January 14, 2009 Express. The article focuses on her Secretary of State confirmation hearing in which she called for a more thoughtful foreign policy regarding the Middle East. But of course, any time there's "smart" in a headline, I just have to draw a brain!

Skinny Monkey King

More monkey sketches! Meant to upload this last night but lost track of time. Just another in a long series of studies to come up with my own Monkey King design.

"'I Think It's A Good, Strong Record'"

"'I Think It's A Good, Strong Record'" is from the Express for January 13, 2009. Caricature is not my strong suit, but with such a good headline, I had to give it a shot. So this is Bush trying to spin something good out of his horribly tarnished record. The article is about Bush's last press conference in which he tried his best to defend his record. History will ultimately decide, but for now, let's enjoy Bush spinning some old school jams.

Bad Wolf

On AZM, I posted a story that said ABC might be picking up Fables as a television series. This may or may not be good news depending on a great many factors. Honestly, it will be very easy to screw it up. But here's hoping for the best.

As tribute, I thought I'd do a little fan art. So here's my interpretation of the Big Bad Wolf.

Headline DS - "Bride Holds Bouquet of Hot Sauce Packets"

"Bride Holds Bouquet of Hot Sauce Packets" is from the Express for January 12, 2009. The blurb is about a couple who held a $200 wedding in a Taco Bell because they spent a lot of time there together. Now, having been through two of my own, I can say that an affordable wedding can be just as amazing as an egregiously expensive one. Besides, it's better to save up for a house or something rather than blowing it all on an insane wedding.

Orange Colored Glasses

Finally got around to creating an intro and outro animation for the show. Whee!

Couldn't help it. I had to draw a pretty woman. But I wanted to give her an accessory so I stuck the glasses on her head. And I can't stop drawing octopus lips!

Headline DS - "Dressed For The Dance"

"Dressed For The Dance" is from the DC Examiner for January 9, 2009. When I think "dance," I think "love is a battlefield." Go Pat Benatar!

So this really happened to me, except I was the idiot not dressed properly. In highschool, my Junior year Homecoming dance fell on Halloween. Being the creative soul that I am, I thought it would be fun to come dressed as a pimp. I got my disco bell bottoms, an awesome big collared shirt, fake gold chains, and a giant fake afro. I was all set to go. I drive on over to my date's house. She opens the door and she's standing there in a gorgeous evening gown, hair all perfect, makeup all done. And there's me. Looking like a complete idiot. What's worse? I was the only, ONLY, person dressed in costume at the dance.

Man, my highschool was full of stuffy people.

Fuuny Face

When most artists draw hot chicks, they always have a serious or seductive look on their face. So I thought it would be more fun to draw a hot chick with a silly face. Nothing is sillier than octopus face!

Headline DS - "Run For the Body, Walk For the Brain"

Look! More brains!

"Run For the Body, Walk For the Brain" is from the DC Examiner for Januray 8, 2009. Not the strongest headline ever, but it was a bad day for cleverness. So I grabbed the brain one and drew this cute brain going for a little stroll. And what walk would be complete without an iPod!

Monster Suit Gundam

Every Wednesday is Gundam Wednesday over at Angry Zen Master so I thought I'd celebrate with some Gundam action. This is my inerpretation of Gundam if it were a creepy, horror monster show instead of an awesome giant robot show.

Headline DS - "Wild Ride As Congress Starts New Session"

"Wild Ride As Congress Starts New Session" is from the DC Examiner for January 7, 2009. It's difficult to draw the House floor from memory, but I couldn't imagine any other setting for a wild bull ride when I read the headline.

Eye Touch

I did this truly horrible pun is in honor of Apple's last Macworld. Just couldn't help myself.

Headline DS - "Give Your Brainpower A Boost"

"Give Your Brainpower A Boost" is from the Express, the Washington Post's free daily, for January 6, 2009. Wouldn't you want to rice out your brain with a spoiler and some rocket boosters? Couldn't figure out where to draw in a racing stripe, but I thought this was fun.

Sagat Dearest Says, "NO WIRE HANGERS!"

When I go home from work, I just sketch whatever comes to mind.  This is Sagat screaming about wire hangers.  I always suspected he was a bit of diva.  Inspired by a piece I did for Super Art Fight.

"Residents Flee MoCo Blaze"

"Residents Flee MoCo Blaze" comes from the DC Examiner for January 5, 2009. MoCo is actually an abbreviation for Montgomery County Maryland, but to me, MoCo Blaze sounds like an oversexed mercenary. The idea of MoCo Blaze terrorizing poor suburbanites just made me chuckle.

"More Fuel For The Hot Stove"

"More Fuel For The Hot Stove" comes from the DC Examiner for January 2, 2009. All I could think of was a cute, potbelly stove. Kinda looks like a pissed off Domokun.