Vending Machine

The other night I decided to just pick a topic and write a skit about it. The result is today's comic. It's quite a good exercise for cartoonists, a bit like theatre sports - pick a topic, and then just brainstorm and see where it gets you. Try it!

If I were to use one word for this comic which starts with an R (and ends in an "andom"), I'd probably say it's random. The last panel appealed to me because, despite their situation, the conversation is still so light hearted. It is very silly, but I will not apologise for my acts of silliness against you. You have no choice but to read it, right until the end, in fact, you've already read it, haven't you?

Now go and make yourself a sandwich and we'll forget this all happened.

Donde esta la pollo?

If you ever find yourself in this situation with a waiter, please follow it up with a prompt "ho ho! Just kidding!"

Undercooked chicken is not a laughing matter. Well, it is, but...ah just don't go there.

Woaaaah Didja see the penguins?!

Phillip Island is one of Victoria's tourist attractions, some friends and I went on a day trip out there a few months ago with a tour group. We stopped at a few places on the way - a farm, a vineyard, an ocean observatory etc before reaching our destination. It was a really fantastic trip and I recommend you check it out.

In the days leading up to our excursion, I quickly discovered that Phillip Island is synonymous with penguins, and let me tell ya, if you plan to go with a tour group to Phillip Island to see penguins, you will.

Subsequently, whenever I tell people that I went to Phillip Island, the next question without fail would be "did you see the penguins?". That's like telling someone that you went to China and they ask you "did you see the Chinese?"

In fact, I dare you to go to Phillip Island, and not see any penguins - I will buy you a beer... and maybe a penguin.

Ev'ry heart beats true for the red and the blue

In Melbourne they have this sport which foreigners would know as Aussie Rules. Just like the poms with soccer and the kiwis with rugby, the locals have given it the very ambiguous nickname "Footy". So depending on where you are in the world, the meaning changes. For example, if you go up to an Afrikaner and call them "skat", then go up to a Greek and call them "skat" - one of them will be insulted, and the other one won't. I won't tell you which though, go try it out in Oakleigh and let me know how you go.

The big footy league in Australia is the AFL, and it is massive. At first glance, it's just a bunch of very fit blokes in ridiculously tight shorts with very pretty haircuts who are forever getting arrested for making bad calls when on the booze. Ahhh society's role models. But on closer inspection...well... nothing's changed really, but I did go and watch a live game a few months ago and it was fantastic. Hawthorn versus Collingwood, over 70,000 people at the MCG - the atmosphere was incredible.

The Hawthorn Hawks and The Collingwood Magpies are two very big teams who have been doing quite well lately - and that brings us to our comic - Melbourne Football Club (the Demons) - For the past couple of years, things have been rather bad both on and off the field for the club - a few Fridays ago, I was at my local pub and saw them playing on the TV, there were more free seats than a New Zealand Knights soccer match. And if there are any New Zealand Knights reading this, you'll know what I'm talking about.

So what better way to give them a boost than to have Baz (who constantly wears Collingwood colours) give them a little pep talk? Let's see if he pulls it off...

Is he an Aussie? Is he, Lizzie?

Over the past two weeks, I spent a few free moments sketching concepts for some cartoon characters. Last week I resigned from my current job as a result of an internal promotion. I'm taking two weeks off before I start in my new role in head office on September 8. On the first day of my break, I went on a very long overdue creative rampage. After writing a few scenarios, I was able to get crackin' on a comic strip! Scandalous!

Having lived for many, many years in NZ, I heard about how the Aussies stole this and the Aussies stole that - fair enough, but what's hilarious is that many of the Aussies A) Are blissfully unaware, and B) Couldn't care less. Not unlike Canada and Zimbabwe, New Zealand is often confused with it's bigger neighbour and that brings us to Melbourne Fuzz's debut starring Baz the koala with special guest appearance from Australia's very own Nuck the Kiwi (get it? Cos he's actually...ah nevermind.)