Fresh Pretzels! Week Three

It's Thursday, and that means it's time for a visit to Fishtown, Pennsylvania with Jeff Kilpatrick's weekly dose of Fresh Pretzels! (click on the link to see this week's strip).
You can start from the begining here.

Yet again, another cartoon.

Happy Birthday! (3/31/05)

As we end the month of March, NORMALLY, we'd be gearing up for the NHL playoffs. Unfortunately........not this year. @#!!%!!!#*!!!
What better way to pay tribute to one of my favorite sports than to give a shout out to this former Red Wing and Whaler.

A "check into the corner" Happy Birthday to.....
GORDIE HOWE!

This All-Time Great and one time boyfriend of Edna Krabappel is 77 today.

Today's uncovered cartoon.

Here's another one:

Happy Birthday! (3/30/05)

He has appeared in movies (West Side Story, for one) but made his name on TV. From Night Gallery, to Operation Petticoat, and even Night Court, but, of course, it was as the eccentric master of the house in The Addams Family, that we'll always remember him.

So, here's a "that's French Tish" Happy Birthday to.....
JOHN ASTIN!

Gomez is 75 today.

Today's found cartoon.

Here's another one I found hidden amongst a lot of artwork.

Happy Birthday! (3/29/05)

Today we celebrate the birth of this 5' 10" New Zealander who's appeared in Spider-Man and on an episode of The Simpsons but will forever be known as Xena: Warrior Princess.

A chest plated Happy Birthday to.....
LUCY LAWLESS!

This "piece of plastic" is 37 today.

Back from the holiday - here's a cartoon!

Friday was the first day I had off work for a long time (it truly was a Good Friday) so decided to concentrate working on issue #1 of Action Figure (which I've expanded from 24 to 32 pages) and I kind of shut myself down from just about everything else.

While digging through a lot of my files and art drawers (needed some reference) I came across A LOT of old artwork. Some of what I found was crap! But I did uncover some things that didn't make me retch, and since when I first drew these cartoonsd the internet wasn't invented yet, they could be considered new work. Or at least work that's never been seen before.

In any event, starting today I think I'll start posting them:

Happy Birthday! (3/28/05)

He was the Depression Era avenger in the short lived TV series The Manhunter and recently Jill Hennessy's father Det. Max Cavanaugh on the series Crossing Jordan. But to me he'll always be Thomas Jefferson, the violen playing lover from 1776 .


So for this very tall actor, here's a tall Happy Birthday to.....
KEN HOWARD!

The "White Shadow" is 61 today.

Fresh Pretzels! Week Two

It's Thursday, and that means it's time for a visit to Fishtown, Pennsylvania with Jeff Kilpatrick's weekly dose of Fresh Pretzels! (click on the link to see this week's strip).
If you missed last week's, you can start from the begining here.

Happy Birthday! (3/24/05)

He's the "B" of the H.B. team that are responsible for;
The Flintstones, Top Cat, Pixie & Dixie, Yogi Bear, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo, ...... need I go on?

Here's a Yabba Dabba Happy Birthday to.....
JOESPH BARBERA!

The living half of the infamous animating team is 91 today.

Happy Birthday! (3/24/05)

freddino
Originally uploaded by Baboon Books.

He's the "B" of the H.B. team that are responsible for;
The Flintstones, Top Cat, Pixie & Dixie, Yogi Bear, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo, ...... need I go on?

Here's a Yabba Dabba Happy Birthday to.....
JOESPH BARBERA!

The living half of the infamous animating team is 91 today.

Happy Birthday! (3/23/05)

He's responsible for directing two of the most incredible films ever made,
The Seven Samurai and
Ran .

So here's a battle weary Happy Birthday to.....
AKIRA KUROSAWA!

Japan's most famous director would have been 95 today.

No laughing matter.

Considering there are so few sit-coms on network TV these days, you'd think that there'd be an effort to produce a batch of daring comedies. Shows that take the next step, to challenge the work that's coming out of the pay cable channels. New programs that bring about a fresh take at life and a great new batch of unforgettable characters.

You'd think that, wouldn't you.

Well, according to articles released on, among others, today's USA Today, the major networks have finalized the batches of pilots they'll be choosing from this May - that will premiere this Fall.
And...... it don't look all that promising....

From CBS:
Old Christine - Yet another show starring a former Seinfeld star, Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars as a divorced woman battling her ex along with soccer mons at her son's school.

Stroller Wars - Stars Tiffani Thiessen about new parents trying to get by in Manhattan.

Three - Stars James van der Beek, is about a married couple and a single best friend.

From Fox:
Kitchen Confidential - takes place in a fancy New York restaurant.

The Loop - (pictured above) Starring Philip Baker Hall and Bret Harrison as a Chicago-based airline's youngest executive.

New Car Smell - Is set at a Las Vegas car dealership starring Brooke Shields. (What, didn't anyone learn anything from Suddenly Susan???)

Queen B - Stars Alicia Silverstone as a high-achieving trend forecaster. (is this the thin Alicia or the fat one)

From NBC:
All In - Janeane Garofalo is a single-mom poker champ. (god- no more poker on TV, please!!)

Dante - Is about an NFL star and his 3-foot-tall Uncle Goldy. (Didn't Pedro Martinez do this in Boston last year?)

Lies and the Wives We Tell Them To - A series focusing on four couples whose "innocent fibs" cause major ripples. (major ripples in what?)

Notorious - stars Tori Spelling in a fictionalized version of her life. (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...)

Happy Birthday! (3/22/05)

He was Chicolini in Duck Soup, Baravelli in Horse Feathers and Fiorello in A Night at the Opera.
It didn't matter though what his name was in all his films though, he was always just Chico, the Marx Brother with the funny accent.

Here's a Why a Duck? Happy Birthday to.....
CHICO MARX!

The "Italian" Marx Brother would have been 118 today.

Happy Birthday! (3/21/05)

Who HASN'T this guy been? From Beethoven in Immortal Beloved to Jor Orton in Prick Up Your Ears or Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula to Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK versatile isn't a strong enough word to describe his work.

So how about a "Siiid" Happy Birthday to.....
GARY OLDMAN!

Sirius Black is 46 today.

Happy Birthday! (3/20/05)

Yes, I am aware that she was the "barren" Edwina in the excellent Raising Arizona and that she even won a Best Actress Oscar for her mute performance in The Piano, but in the week that The Incredibles arrived on DVD she'll always be Elastigirl to me.

So here's a Miss Firecracker Happy Birthday to.....
HOLLY HUNTER!

Helen Parr is 47 today.

Happy Birthday! (3/19/05)

She didn't have a vast or well known movie career but she did portray one of the most pivotal roles in cinema history. When she walked out of the sea and onto the beach, in Dr. No, a franchise tradition had begun.

So here's a Bond Girl Happy Birthday to.....
URSULA ANDRESS!

Honey Ryder is 69 today.

The Dirty Secret of the Comics! (Part 1)

Happy Birthday! (3/18/05)

In the early days of Hollywood he was known most as the "comic sidekick" to Fred Astaire in such films as The Gay Divorcee and Top Hat. Or even as Mr. Witherspoon in Arsenic and Old Lace, but to me he'll always be the narrator from the classic Jay Ward cartoons, Fractured Fairy Tales

So here's a "Once upon a time" Happy Birthday to.....
EDWARD EVERETT HORTON!

The man with three names would have been 119 today ---
(if he hadn't died in 1970)

Free Comic Books!

To coincide with today's first part of Fresh Pretzels! we're having a special offer at Baboon Books. If you order two or more copies of any of our back issues between March 17 thru March 24 you'll receive a copy of A Bunch of Baboons our 2004 Free Comic Book Day edition, FREE!

A Bunch of Baboons is a 32 page comic of all original work (no reprints here) featuring six separate stories from six excellent cartoonists.

Don't miss out on this chance for a free comic book, but hurry! Supplies are limited.
Once we run out of the copies at hand, -- we run out.

Fresh Pretzels! Week One

It's Thursday, and that means it's time for a visit to Fishtown, Pennsylvania with Jeff Kilpatrick's weekly dose of Fresh Pretzels! (click on the link to see the strip).

Happy Birthday! (3/17/05)

Much like what I said yesterday about Jerry Lewis can also be applied to this guy. There are two types of people in this world, those who think The Three Stooges are funny and those who don't.
I think they're hilarious! (except the ones with Joe Besser. Those sucked!) While many will agree that the trio with Curly are the best, when this guy joined I don't think they missed a beat.
(and hell, how many comedians do you know that died while laughing, like he did.)

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here's a green hued Happy Birthday to.....
SHEMP HOWARD!

The "ugly" Howard brother would have been 110 today.

Yes! The DVD is Incredible too!

Yeah I know, I know, everyone is using a similar description when talking about the film The Incredibles--so why should I be any different?

Picked up the double disk The Incredibles DVD set yesterday and it's a winner! I enjoyed the film as much last night, even though I saw the film three times in the theatre, watching the widescreen version on my home set. I haven't had a chance to watch it with commetaries yet, maybe this weekend.

The second disk is what makes this a must buy. Lots of extras and behind the scenes stuff. Here are some screen grabs from some of my favorite extras (of the ones I was able to get in last night- I mean, I did have to get some sleep.

* Jack Jack Attack *: Here'
s the much anticipated original short (that's just about 5 minutes long) that fills in the gap of what really happened with Jack Jack and his baby sitter Kari (she's a really funny character!) while the Incredibles were on the island. And even though I watched it several times I'm still not sure what Jack Jack's powers are. (BTW, nice little "nod" to Jonny Quest with the opening credits)



*Deleted Scenes *: With some DVD films the deleted scene section can usually be disappointing but I really like how they handled it here. Brad Bird describes the scenes in detail, including the tragic end of Snug, a nasty argument between Helen and Bob and the original beginning--which would have REALLY changed the film. The limited animation with the story boards showing these missing scenes are enhanced by using parts of the original music soundtrack. The pictures below are of Syndrome's appearance in this original opening.





*Mr. Incredible & Pals *:
This was a GREAT addition for this set! A "lost" cartoon that was made just before the superheroes had to go into hiding.



The cartoon is done in the style of the infamous 1960's (extremely limited) animated series Clutch Cargo.



You know, that addition would be enough--for most DVD sets. The folks here though go one step further by having a commetary section with Mr. Incredible and Frozone giving their opinions on this never before seen cartoon short. Frozone's comments on the way he's depicted is priceless!!!!



*Vowellett - An Essay by Sarah Vowell *:
This bit was totally unexpected (by me) and surprisingly entertaining. Sarah Vowell is the voice of Violet and - uh - a character herself. A young woman writer who's obsessed with Abraham Lincoln and helps her father make films about...cannons. Very strange and very funny.



I was going to end this piece with a link to Amazon so you can order your own copy, but there are plenty of good deals at places like Best Buy, Costco and Circut City where you can get it in person (and maybe even get a free gift.)

I feel a bit.... guilty though, just throwing heaps of praise here, I should be somewhat critical. Hmmmmmmmm..... well, the Incredi-Blunders section, of goof ups, are pretty lame and avoidable.

There! Who says I'm a shill for Pixar.

Happy Birthday! (3/16/05)

HELLOO LADIEEE!
There are two types of people in this world, those who don't think Jerry Lewis is funny and those who do. Who'd ever think that I'd agree with the french on anything! From his films with Dean Martin (Artists and Models, That's My Boy and Hollywood or Bust) to his solo work (The Disorderly Orderly, Who's Minding the Store and The Nutty Professor) I can't help but laugh everytime I see these films.

So here's a "Labor Day Telethon" Happy Birthday to.....
JERRY LEWIS!

Julius Kelp / Buddy Love / Norman Phiffier / Eugene Fullstack / ( hell, all those funny named characters) are / is 78 today.

Oldest woman in the US dies.

Or was she the oldest woman??

Supposedly, Arbelia Wood was 119 years old when she died in her sleep of pneumonia on Friday.
She had been living in Michigan since 1993 but was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. Unfortunately Mississippi birth records date only to 1912 and Arbelia never had a drivers license and even if she was on the 1890 census those records were lost in a fire in 1921. The only evidence of her age was inscribed in a family bible.

So if it's true, if she was born in Caledonia, Mississippi on April 6, 1885 (the eldest of 16 BTW!!) she would have been only the second oldest person, documented, ever. According to the Guinness Book of Records Web site the record oldest woman lived to 122 years.

When I hear stories about the "extreme-aged" people my mind reels!
Take Arbelia, if she was born in 1885 she'd have been:

*- 15 yrs. at the turn of the Century (1900's)
*- 29 yrs. at the start of World War I
*- 44 yrs. at the start of the Great Depression
*- 56 yrs. at the start of World War II
*- 84 yrs. when man first walked on the moon! and she's still be around for another 21 years after that!

Hungry for a Pretzel?

As an added feature here at The Baboon Bellows (and Baboon Books) I'll be posting more comics and cartoons, when time permits. To kick this off, starting this Thursday will be a weekly comic called Fresh Pretzels!.

Fresh Pretzels! is the new strip by fellow PCS (Philadelphia Cartoonist Society) member, talented artist and a damn good guy, Jeff Kilpatrick.
Jeff's the creator of the comic Petey and was featured in our Free Comic Book Day book last year with the four-page Wonderful story.

Jeff has a very unique style that sets it apart from most comic artists out there and brings a very real, street (for want of a better word) feel to his characters and stories.

I'm honored to be able to feature this series each week online and hope to collect it in book form after it's full year run.

So join me (and bring along some friends) each Thursday for your weekly "Pretzel".

And keep stopping by this old "Bellowing Blog" as I plan on featuring more free online comics in the future.

Happy Birthday! (3/15/05)

You know it wouldn't be right for me, on this day, to point out that this guy appeared in one of the worst movies ever made, Independence Day, or co-starred in one of the rare Bob Newhart TV Show flops, George & Leo. Nope, I won't mention them at all.
I will say that he did star in one of the best and funniest TV Shows of all time in Taxi!
Yeah, that would be more appropriate to say on the day of his birth.

So, here's a Happy Birthday to Reiger, or more accurately....
JUDD HIRSCH!

Delvecchio is 70 today.

The Cat with Two Faces!

No, it's not a sequel to Steve Martin's The Man With Two Brains, but an actual cat. Saw this on the news last night.

Last Tuesday in Lake City, Fla., Teresa Morrison's cat had a litter. One of the kitten's born has two mouths, two noses and four eyes!

The veterinarian had never seen this before. He told Morrison that he didn't know if the cat has one or two brains, but having one would give the cat a better chance to survive. He said if the kitten lives 48 hours that it'll have a good chance to live a full life.

The cat's name is ----------------Deuce.

How about a Monster on your chest?

As I mentioned a few days ago I'm part of a group in this area known as the Philadelphia Cartoonist Society. There's a great bunch of talented artists among our numbers and from time to time I'd like to promote some of the members work here on this blog.

The cool Monster T-Shirts you see pictured here are by cartoonist Christian Patchell. Chris is a freelance artist in the Philly area who not only does comic work (as you can see here) but you can also see his work on greeting cards, postcards and stationary.

If you like what you see and would like to order any of Christians' monster shirts, like Frankenpatch(pictured above),Vamp Chick(pictured below) andGhoul Friend(not pictured) click on the links and buy yourself a gift.

Happy Birthday! (3/14/05)

Whenever I get a chance to salute a cartoonist on the Birthday of the Day, like this one from a few days ago, I jump at the chance.

This guy's magazine cartoon style helped make his panel unique on the comics page. His creation spawned a TV show and eventually a movie, but it's the old 50's and 60's stuff, when Dennis really was a Menace, is what holds up to this day.

A "menacing" Happy Birthday to....
HANK KETCHAM!

Dennis's dad would have been 85 today.

People do the darndest things.

As you know, I mentioned last month that I began getting Playboy magazine in the mail again. Of course, as expected, I've heard the typical jokes from some, you know, the old "you're getting it for the articles" comments. Well, no, I'm getting it for the pictures of hot women---
BUT---
they do have some interesting articles.

Like this month's Playboy Forum has this piece titled "Smugglers' Blues". It's a series of pictures and descriptions that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers came across last year. Some of my favorites are:

* - (pictured above) A 42-year-old Mexican man attempted to cross the border in San Ysidro, California posing as a car seat.


* - Agents in San Ysidro also discovered this Mexican woman stuffed inside a dashboard.


* - Agents in Tecate, California opened a heavy pinata and found a five-year-old girl. Mom was in the trunk.

There were other interesting subjects covered in the rest of the Forum as well, not to mention a pretty good crop of cartoon scattered throughout too.

But what the hell I'll leave you with this shot of Miss April saying "Hi".

Get Lost -- this September.

As I mentioned last month, the Season One DVD of Lost (the best new show this season, BTW), is coming this September. Here's what the box will look like and (thanks to TVShowsonDVD.com) all the particulars of the set:

Buena Vista has confirmed that this will be a 6-DVD set with a price of $59.99 SRP in the USA, and CAN$87.99 in Canada. Amazon.com (USA) already is pre sellingthis for a mere $41.99 discounted price!

At least 5 hours worth of extras are supposed to be packed onto these discs, along with a couple dozen hour-long episodes, of course! Rumored to be among the supplements - Buena Vista hasn't made a final list available yet - are the following:

* The original pilot
* Behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the show
* Audio commentaries
* Blooper reel
* Roundtable discussions with cast and crew
* A Matthew Fox photography featurette
* Deleted scenes
* Casting tapes
* New, original "mini-movie" that reveals why the plane crashed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And while you're thinking of DVD's to buy, don't forget, in two short days is the release of -- Ta Da! The Incredibles!

Happy Birthday! (3/13/05)

Here's a guy that you can always depend on giving a great performance no matter how good (or bad) the film he's in is. You remember his great work in Boogie Nights, Pleasantville or, of course, Fargo right? It's almost enough to forgive him for appearing in that SACRILEGIOUS remake of Pyscho.

Well.... almost.

Here's a "don't cha know" Happy Birthday to....
WILLIAM H. MACY!

The Shoveller is 55 today.

The next great Comic adapted movie.

Even though recent flops like Catwoman and Electra may have given some to doubt the validity of Comic Book or Comic Strips on the big screen, if this years films like Fantastic Four and Sin City buck this trend we could see even more four color favorites on the Silver Screen!!







(hey, if you enjoyed this, check out some of our hilarious comic books here.)