Visit "Barkeater Lake"
http://www.comics.com/comics/barkeaterlake/index.html




"Jest Sports" is the belly-busting comic that shows us just what happens when the wacky world of sports collides with everyday life. Jest Sports is a celebration of our love for and addiction to the quirks and perks of sports.

Visit "Jest Sports"
http://www.comics.com/comics/jestsports/index.html




In "Your Angels Speak", Guy Gilchrist demonstrates his award-winning illustration talents using vibrant and moving images. Through weekly inspirational drawings for thought and reflection, Gilchrist transports the reader to a place of peace and calm. Recommendation: enjoy this strip at your leisure with a cup of tea.

Visit "Your Angels Speak"
http://www.comics.com/editoons/yourangelsspeak/index.html




"CEO Dad" takes a critical look at contemporary Corporate American life, namely family life. And, when your family is run like a multi-billion dollar conglomerate, nothing but pure humor can result. Jerry Seinfeld calls CEO Dad "Fresh, funny and entertaining -- make room for CEO DAD!"

Visit "CEO Dad"
http://www.comics.com/creators/ceodad/index.html




Great Gifts for Mom!

Mother's Day is a day to celebrate and honor mothers for all that they've done for us. Find the perfect gift to say thank you!

http://www.cafepress.com/unitedmedia/285465

Q&A with Corey Pandolph, creator of the brand-new strip "Barkeater Lake"

Question: "Barkeater Lake" was inspired by your fondness for your own hometown of Saranac Lake, NY. Is there a character that most resembles you? If so, which one and why?

Corey Pandolph: I suppose any cartoonist would say that there's a little bit of them in each character they create. I'm certainly no exception. I guess Allen is most like me only because I, myself, am allergic to just about everything. I also share his bold ideas as far as fashion. For sense of humor and general personality, I'm closest to Banks: Laidback, cynical, selfish, not always fond of people. That's me.

Q: The main character, Delores, comes from Brooklyn, NY. Why Brooklyn? Why not make her from Manhattan, to further show the contrast between her big-city background and the small town she's about to enter?

CP: I love Manhattan. We go there every chance we get. So does everyone else on the planet. There are other great places to see in the city and people should know that. Brooklyn's a great place. Plus, I've only been a handful of times. This will give me an excuse to go back. Selfish, I know….I refer you to my previous answer.

Q: Why do you suppose the contrast between big-city life and small-town life works well in a comic strip?

CP: I think the majority of people in either location have an embedded stereotype of what the other place should be like. Mine was put there as a child, when I was told that nothing good came out of New York City, except the Yankees. In my adult years, I unlearned my stereotype, but I have met many intelligent people who are blown away when you tell them FedEx delivers to Saranac Lake. I think a lot people believe small towns are all like "Little House on the Prairie".

Q: The bar owner, Chuck, has been all over the world, yet seems very down to earth and small-town. The pharmacist, Allen, has never been out of town, but wants to appear worldly. Explain this paradox.

CP: I suppose you always want what you haven't got. Chuck has seen it all, so very little fazes him. He doesn't put people on a pedestal. He embraces people and places for whom and what they are. If you're famous but a jerk, you're just a jerk to Chuck. This is similar to who the real Chuck was. Allen, I think, tends to have a skewed sense of what things are like outside of small town life: A Shangri-La sort of vision. He lives with the notion that people of status are removed from the regular human race.

Q: Let's talk dogs. Banks is a pilot. So is Snoopy — at least in his mind. Why the fascination with dogs and flying?

CP: It's a natural progression. I often fit my dogs with paper wings and send them off on little flights of fancy. Not really. There's really no good reason Banks flies a plane. He's super intelligent, so why not make him the town's pilot? I think it's a riot that everyone in Barkeater Lake just accepts the lunacy of a dog flying a plane and reading the New York Times next to him or her at a bar. That's what makes Saranac Lake so great. Outside, you may be nutty, but at home, you're just another dog who can fly a plane.

Q: And then there's bacon. My goodness, you make it sound good.

CP: I'm currently lobbying Congress to make Bacon a fruit. I'll keep you all posted.

Q: At first, "Barkeater Lake" seems more adult in its perspective. Can kids enjoy it too?

MH: I think kids are smarter than most people give them credit for. I bet they get more jokes than most folks think. That being said, kids probably mostly enjoy reading about Banks. I watched thousands of cartoons as a kid, and I didn't get half of the jokes. I just knew there was a cartoon cat chasing a cartoon mouse. High jinks ensued. 'Nuff said.

Q: You tried for years to land on a successful idea for a comic strip, yet when asked by your editor at your newspaper to create one, you seemed terrified. Why?

MH: That statement was more for shock value than anything. At that time, I was frustrated and burned out on the idea of ever having a comic out there. I was more hesitant than terrified.

Q: Did any of your previous attempts focus on your hometown? If not, why? Since you've been away for several years, did you feel you needed time to get some perspective on it?

MH: This strip started as "Social Order", just about Chuck's bar. After a few months, the bar became limiting, so I expanded it to include the whole town. The idea of the town had never really crossed my mind before.

Q: What do you suppose it is about "Barkeater Lake" that's been a breakthrough for you?

MH: This is the first strip I've drawn, (and there have been many failures), where I feel like I have an endless reservoir of ideas. The characters are based on people I know, so they're easier to write. If a character or story line gets tired, I can always introduce someone new in the town.

Q: What can we look forward to in the development of the strip? Does Delores find the happiness she's looking for in this small town? Does she find romance? Does she learn to coach football?

MH: I'd like to see more residents of Barkeater Lake introduced over time. I think, in the short term, there will be lots of exchanges between Chuck and Banks. I'm really liking the way their relationship is developing. Delores will always, I hope, be the linchpin of the whole comic. She's sort of the straight man right now. I imagine, though, as she's pulled further into the depths of mountain life, she starts to act as loony as the others….in which case, I guess more people will have to move to Barkeater Lake from the city. Lousy tourists. They take over everything.


25 Years of "Drabble": Kevin Fagan's Funny Family Celebrates a Quarter-Century in the Comics

Kevin Fagan's wacky Drabble clan celebrated its 25th anniversary in the comics on March 5. The strip chronicles the witty, wacky mishaps of the Drabble family, especially Norman, a goofy college student, and his father, Ralph, a donut-eating mall cop.

When Drabble debuted in 1979, Fagan was, at 21, the nation's youngest syndicated cartoonist. Over the past 25 years, Drabble has grown into an endearingly silly strip with universal appeal and a loyal following. Fagan now receives thousands of e-mail messages every year from fans of his zany humor.

"I take pride in the fact that every drawing and idea in 25 years of Drabble has been my own," says Fagan. "One of the best things about this job is meeting and hearing from readers. What fun it is to go to the drawing board when you know there are so many people who can't wait to see the finished product. I'm very lucky to do something for a living that I love to do. I intend never to take it for granted."

To celebrate 25 years of humor with Kevin and the Drabble family, follow the link below:

http://www.comics.com/comics/drabble/index.html


Think You're Good? Try This Month's Trivia Question

Who are the members of the band 4Evah? Where are they from? And what accident causes them to lose the battle of the bands? Click here for the answer.


Now in! The second Hilarious Pearls Before Swine book