Ever wish you could see more of the phenomenal artistic detail in Tod and Bob? Want to enjoy the soundtrack in all its uncompressed glory? Well now you can, because Tod and Bob has made its debut on YouTube and Vimeo! Markedly less popular than Dragonfist, Tod and Bob combines the visual eyesore of stick figures with the cumbersomeness of reading subtitles in a bad movie.

Episode 1: World-Famous Pilot

Episode 2: The Wrath of Boss

Episode 3: An Unjust Office Policy

Episode 4: Convicting Evidence

Episode 5: Marketing Strategy

A couple of months ago, some of my friends participated in a 24-Hour Film contest and the result was quite good, especially considering the sort of half-realized muck that can often emerge from such nasty time constraints. Particularly impressive is the animated sequence at the end by Josh Larson and Wayde Stover. As I understand it, they were given extremely short notice and still put something very fitting and luscious together for the conclusion. Watch it here or click over to the YouTube page for more details on the film.

The West Excursion by Napkin Sketch Productions

Ten years after their original airing, Williams Street has finally released a DVD of the 1998/1999 Space Ghost Coast to Coast episodes. This was one of my favorite nonsensical shows when I was younger, and as a result, I’ve snatched up a copy pretty quickly. Here, for those interested, are some screen captures of the menus, which feature the guests sketched out in pencil with rollover Space Ghost masks. As with Volume Four, I’ll be shipping several copies overseas via eBay auctions, seeing as though the Williams Street shop only ships to the U.S. and Canada.

Menu from Disc 1 of Space Ghost Coast to Coast: V5

Menu from Disc 1 of Space Ghost Coast to Coast: V5

Menu from Disc 2 of Space Ghost Coast to Coast: V5

Menu from Disc 2 of Space Ghost Coast to Coast: V5

It’s back. Finally. Due to certain unforeseen freak disasters such as my car’s front passenger rim literally erupting in flames, I have been unable to attain my original goal of one nonsensical stick-person animation per week. I say this because I’m not mature enough to take responsibility for being unable to animate a mouthless businessman eating a sandwich. It’s difficult. But here it is anyway. Complete with M. Night Shyamalan twist.

Budget upgraded! New characters!

Here’s a brief animation I created for the Star School Project called The Corn Will Become Milk. Derek Van Gieson made the illustrations which I then adapted and animated for a concept Kim Keiser wrote up. I’m still awaiting the music track from Kim, but you can view the animation here in the meantime if you’d like!

Screenshot from The Corn Will Become Milk.

You like courtroom dramas? You like it when one dude nails another dude with a biting, screamed, and convicting remark? No? Well, do you like dudes? This week’s long-belated episode of the continuing Tod and Bob saga is for you.

Yes, this is the sort of thought-provoking question you can expect no answers to.

Don’t look at me like that. I know I missed publishing this episode last Monday, but my car got impounded for unknown reasons. I never asked why because I didn’t want to complicate matters. Complications tend to arise when the police discover that you’ve been driving without a valid driver’s license for four months. Their eyes grow like giant, moist chicken breasts. Ripe for the saucing. And roasting on an open flame.

Why did I not have a license? Because the impenetrably stringent legal system at the Iowa DMV states that an Iowa driver’s insurance card is not sufficient evidence for proving that you actually live in Iowa. So what does qualify as proof? A check from an Iowa employer. It’s a shame that I’m working for people in Nevada, North Dakota, and California at the moment. So without a license, I couldn’t change the plates to my name when I bought the car last year, which means the only person who could get it out of the pound was the previous owner, who graciously helped me free my vehicle.

Then, after narrowly dodging a ticket in that situation, I was pulled over for expired registration and got ticketed on the way home, while narrowly avoiding a night in jail. So if this chain of escape-followed-by-ironic-recapture holds up, it means that when I go to pay this most recent ticket I will be pulled over again and actually spend a night in jail, where I will narrowly escape being assaulted by a fellow prisoner. And so, friends, this ongoing war between me and irony itself is why episode three of “Tod and Bob” is being posted this Monday rather than last.

At the end of this season, Bob’s chair will be auctioned off on eBay for charity.

I very rarely get excited about anything on television. This is likely partially due to the fact that I don’t watch much television, but 12 oz. Mouse was a wonderful 11-minute spot of joy for me each week when it aired on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block back in 2006. Now, finally, the DVD has been announced and can be pre-ordered from the Williams Street online store for a mere $12! All 20 episodes have been strung together into one giant movie with new scenes created to transition between episodes. The DVD also comes with two bonus episodes, a documentary, promos, fan art (possibly including my own), and more. A little over a year ago I got the opportunity to interview writer/creator/voice actor Matt Maiellaro (of Aqua Teen Hunger Force fame) about this hilarious little gem and he had a lot of detailed information to share about the low-budget show’s development. Not only is the show frequently hilarious, but it also develops a rather complex plotline over the course of its two season run, which is extremely rare for a show on the Adult Swim block. As far as absurdist humor goes, the show is top-notch. If you’re looking to check it out before buying the DVD, you can still catch re-runs of episodes on the Adult Swim Web site and check out my collection of episode reviews.

12 oz. Mouse horizontal DVD art by the artist at Robotcult.

Your brief weekly dose of the completely inane is here. Episode two of Tod and Bob is now up at www.TodandBob.com. Watch, love, and send it to all of your many friends who enjoy watching stick figures text message about mustaches.

A screenshot from “The Wrath of Boss”.

After spending so much time on fairly serious projects, I’ve decided to begin a small outlet for brief, light-hearted, lo-fi animation. Earlier this week I posted a link to an episode of Tod and Bob and now the full site has launched at www.TodandBob.com.

Behold the high-brow humor of Tod and Bob.