F-ART: The Art of F Minus

Sometimes when people hear I'm a cartoonist I get the question, "Do you also do any real art?" I used to do a lot of "real art" in college, but after I graduated I focused on doing the comic and learning the harmonica.

Turns out the harmonica is really hard, so I gave it up and got back on the art train. Showing now at Gold Bar Espresso is my first art show in years. I call it F-ART: The Art of F Minus. F Minus comics re-imagined in a "real art" style.

There are four pieces showing for the next few weeks. I've been told they have already made one baby cry.

World's Best Grandpa

This year for Christmas my grandpa asked for a World's Worst Grandpa shirt. I think he's under the impression the character is based on him.

Here is a photo of him from last Thanksgiving:
Pick up World's Worst Grandpa stuff and other F Minus merch at the F Minus Store.

Thought That Counts

My brother, Mike, displaying his favorite Christmas gift this year. Possibly his favorite of all time.

Hate Mail! This means war?

F Minus is proud to be carried by Stars and Stripes, which publishes a daily newspaper for the United States Armed Forces serving overseas. I've had a great response from soldiers serving in Iraq and around the world (including an email from a soldier in Germany also named Tony Carrillo).

However, today I received a very different email. As always, the grammar and spelling is exactly as I received it.

Tony,

I really wish the Stars and Stripes newspaper would stop wasting space in the comics with your F Minus strip (exactly the rating I give your effort).

Do you really get paid for these elementry drawings and non-comic crap?

Quit wasting the worlds comic strip space.

Find something your good at.....

To be fair, I don't have any proof that this guy is one of our men in uniform. I'm sure anyone can get a hold of this paper. For all we know this guy could be living in a shack somewhere in the woods, using Stars and Stripes to make himself a paper-mâché cocoon. This theory is supported by his "elementry" grasp of the English language (I love the incorrect use of "your" in that particular sentence), but countered by the fact that he has electricity.

This email has the two standard traits of F Minus hate mail; the aforementioned poor spelling, and using the name F Minus against me. Overall, it's pretty typical of the hate mail I receive.

Nevertheless, I'm reluctant to respond in this case. Mainly because no one in this world scares me more than guys living in cocoons made of military newspapers and pee.

Click here for more F Minus Hate Mail

Super Sketching

I've been doing a lot of charcoal drawings lately, and today I got to spend the afternoon drawing people dressed as superheros at an open session at Mesa Community College, courtesy of the Arizona Avengers.

Above are some of my ten-minute sketches. The hand-made Iron Man costume was especially impressive, and even had the glowing eyes and chest-piece. He had some trouble with steps though... I guess the rocket boots weren't working.

Pop-Ups

Now that the good people at Pop-Tarts have started printing "edible" advertisements on the frosting, I think it's time they officially changed their name to Pop-Ups. Then I can install a pop-up blocker on my toaster, to make sure only Toaster Strudel makes it through.

While we are on the subject, my method of eating Pop-Tarts is to break off and eat the unfrosted edges first, then the frosted edges, and finally the middle. It's been my MO since I was a kid. Now I eat them upside down so I don't have to read about Nascar.