Wave News Personal favorites

In honoring my "First Birthday" as an Editorial Cartoonist, for The Wave I just wanted to re show some of my personal favorite toons.

Oct 16 Wave Editorial Cartoon

This weeks editorial cartoon is pretty explosive. It is sparked by a recent event that happened in the Edgemere Section of the Rockaways where police cars were brazenly fired upon by some trigger happy homies. This event set off MASSIVE manhunts in the area which was covered with police cars, helicopters, and beat cops in a matter of minutes. It seemed as if every police officer in Far Rockaway converged on that location. It was discovered that many of the guns reocovered in the shootings had been linked to illegal gun sales in Southern States, the buying of which were made easier by two Congressmen, which you can read about in the editorial reprinted below. This is by far one of the best Editorials I think that Ive done, and I know the paper is going to get letters on it claiming it is "racist" We'll see what happens... If I DO get letters, I will consider myself as "having arrived" as an Editorial Cartoonist. This Month, incidently, marks the one year Birthday of my coming on staff with The Wave Newspaper.
The ARTICLE:

Death On Our Streets
Thanks To Gun Show Sales

The findings of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has linked 30 percent of the guns used in New York City shootings to gun shows in other states. Earlier reports from the same agency as well as from the New York City Police Department show that the great majority of guns used in crimes here come from Virginia, Pennsylvania, North and South Caro-lina, Ohio and Florida, states with lax gun laws. A large number of those guns eventually show up on Rockaway streets or in our public housing projects. Many of them come from gun shows in those states, where individual sellers have no requirement ei-ther to check a buyer’s background or to file paperwork with the federal agency recording the sale. That gun show loophole exists because Congress, convinced by the National Rifle Association (NRA) that such show sales were made not by professional gun dealers, but by individuals who wanted to sell personal or an-tique weapons only. Mayor Michael Bloomberg sent investiga-tors to gun shows at some of those states and blew that lie out of the water. The investigators found not individual sellers looking to get rid of a gun or two outside the usual rules, but profes-sional dealers with dozens of weapons to sell. In one particular egregious case, the investigator asked if he had to go through a background check. The vendor told him he did not. The investi-gator then said, “Good, because I probably could not pass the check anyway.” The vendor sold him a semiautomatic .380 cali-ber weapon for $399. It is clear, at least to us, that our federal representatives, Anthony Weiner and Greg Meeks, have dropped the ball. Something must be done to close the gun show loophole, and it has to be done quickly before even more young people die on Rockaway streets.

Bagels and Glocks.... Hassidim & Homeboye Neighborhood Block Watchers

"BAGELS and GLOCKS"

Hey! It COULD happen!!!


Originally, these two caricatures came out of my subwaysurfing travels. The Homeboye was drawn while riding a Manhattan Bound A train, and the Jewish man was drawn (and sold) while doing Street Caricature in the park.(He had such a memorable face that i couldnt forget him!) I started to upload them seperately, but the more I looked at them, I found my mind going back to my old Brooklyn Neighborhood, Crown Heights. Crown Heights is a neighborhood that is made up of African Americans and Hassidic Jews. Eastern Parkway is the "invisible dividing line" that literally "seperates" the two sections. If you past the line going twds Fulton street, you will be in predominately African American territory, and if you past the dividing line going towards Crown street and Empire Blvd, you will be in predominately Jewish neighborhood. When i was growing up the two groups lived pretty much in harmony, one respecting the other without to much incident. The neighborhood gained national attention during the Dinkins Administration when a riot broke out in the neighborhood resulting in the death of a young Jewish scholar and an African american boy. This incident set up racial tensions that reverberated for years, and I couldnt help thinking how great it would be if the two races got together to work in harmony and fight a common enemy, namely crime. I would be great if the political savvy Rabbis could some how pair up with the street smart homeboyes to form some sort of posse. I thought how hilarious and entertaining such a pairing would be. Perhaps someday, I or someone else will do some sort of graphic novel, comic or series on the subject. When that happens make sure you give the SUBWAYSURFER the credit for sparking the idea!
"BAGELS and GLOCKS" seems to be the perfect name for the series!

Ariel, like You've Never seen her Before!

Here's an "artists Nude you're not likely to see anywhere...'



I remember watching this OLD "Bettie Davis" movie, "What ever happened to Baby Jane?" It's a hilarious dark drama comedy ( IMO) Starting Bettie Davis and Joan Crawford. Davis, is the aforementioned, "Baby Jane" a former child star whose star has long since faded along with her sanity. Davi literally terrorizes Crawford in the film, and it has some frighteningly hilarious moments. I began to think, what if DISNEY cartoon "child star" characters made "movie combacks" Even the more drop dead gorgeous stars look like they're about TO "drop Dead"when they get older, so little "Ariel" should be no exception! This pic was drawn originally in response to a "DRAW A MERMAID" topic that was posted on the weekly drawing site, "ART JUMBLE" As you might expect, everyone was drawing these sexy gorgeous mermaids, but being the MAD cartoonist that I am, my twisted mind had other ideas. In addition to Old Ariel, I also drew her gay Merman cousin, who wants to be a "little mermaid" and also another Ariel picture when she let herself "go" I will upload those later. I encourage artists to check out ART JUMBLE. Its a great site that will definitely FIRE UP your idea engine when you just dont know what to draw. I certainly wouldnt have thought to draw THIS on my own without their posting the topic.

Cabbie Vs Pedi Cab Driver

There's an old New Yawk City saying that goes, " Dont let your MOUTH write a check, that your "ADDRESS" cant cash..." At least they used to say that where I'm From. Here's a classic case of that scenario with Cabbie vs Pedi cab driver. If you notice, the pedicab driver is the initial aggressor. He's throwing the coffee cup, and even hops off his bike and pushed the cab driver through the open window. Clearly by his actions, body language, and attitude, the Pedi cab driver thinks he's going to "own" the cabbie in a fist fight. Like most of New Yawk city's little ironies, the opposite happens. Notice how the cabbie, in CLASSIC "UFC" like fashion, evades the pedicab drivers initial strike, and does one of the SWEETEST wrestling leg takedowns, that you are used to seeing on TV, but not in real life! LOL! Notice how the cabbie immediately establishes dominance in the mount position and is about to administer some SERIOUS "street justice" before a courageous pair of gutsy good samaritan pedestrians break up the scrap.

Just goes to show you that you NEVER know who youre messing with. Do yourself a favor, and keep your mouth SHUT.

I sure learned MY lesson to not get NYC Cabbies upset a few years ago. I was having a severe asthma attack and called a cab to be driven to a clinic. The driver, showed up a little drunk, I could smell it in the car, and drove like a maniac. I was so angry and frazzled by the ride that I demanded rather strongly that he stop and let me out. We were several blocks from my destination, but angry and frustrated I decided I had enough. He turned around and demanded his money, and i got angryly out of the car and threw the money in the front seat slamming the door hard. I started walkking with halting steps, breathing heavy towards the clinic.

That's when I heard the door open and sounds of cursing in spanish.
I kept walking.
I heard the trunk of the cab opening
I kept walking.
I heard the sound of a chain being pulled out of the trunk.
I turned around.
To my horror, he had one of those BIG chains you see them tie boats to a dock with. He began wrapping the long chain around his wrist/arm for support, slammed the trunk and began running at me swinging the chain over his head, like a barbarian out of a conan movie.
Remember, I was having a ASTHMA ATTACK
I couldnt breathe
I could hardly walk
But when I saw this guy coming at me swinging this chain above his head
I kid you not, I literally ran FIVE BLOCKS on my tippie toes, so fast that i didnt even REALIZE I was running!
I left him in the dust and darted into a building that had a doorman.
I fell on the floor to the horror of two tenants in the building and pleaded with the doorman to call 911, I was having a major attack now and this maniac was after me
The doorman literally bent down, grabbed me by the back of my collar, and the back of my pants, and THREW ME OUT ON THE STREET COMIC BOOK STYLE!
I staggered the remaining few blocks to the clinic, and collapsed on the desk. Needless to say I was given immediate care.

Now all of this trouble could've been avoided if I'd JUST KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT!

But I had to learn a lesson
just like this Pedi Cab Driver did.

I think his was a little more painful though.

  SORRY FOLKS ABOUT THE FILM NOT BEING AVAILABLE. DUE TO SO CALLED COPYRIGHT ISSUES, THE FILM HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN... WHAT PROBABLY HAPPENS IS THAT THE TAXI COMMISSION FELT THIS WAS BAD PRESS FOR THEM, AND ALSO WHO EVER IS IN CHARGE OF PEDI CABS AS WELL, AND THESE TWO GOT TOGETHER, COMPLAINED TO SOMEONE, AND GOT IT PULLED. THIS IS A SHAME BECAUSE THE FILM IS REAAAALY A MUST SEE.

unlikely pairing...

Let me start off by saying I have NOTHING against inter racial dating , marriage or pairing.... but seeing THESE two together on West 57th street and Bway caused me to shake my head in wonder. He was a very short male white , five feet soaking wet, with a scruffy look about him, unshaven, thick oily hair, wearing a tank top long cut off jeans and boots with no laces. She was a well over six feet, so much so that she appeared to be almost all legs. Extremely curvy and had this childs hair style on her head and this impish expression. They were obviously in love and very taken with each other, but were so visually striking that nothing less than this Cartoony rendering could capture my reaction.
I guess he was her "scruffy little puppy" and she was his "chocolate Covered Giraffe!"

Michael Jackson doing Old Skool funkstyle LOCKING

As some of you here know, i am a big dance enthusiast, particularly the okd skool funk styles of the 1970's 80's of Locking, Boogaloo, and Popping.
I found this OLD CLASSIC clip Of Michael and his brothers doing a Locking routine with Dom Deluise of all people! I knew Mike was a great dancer, and this only adds to his legend!!!

With faces like these....

How could I NOT draw caricatures when people are walking around with faces like THESE??????

Newest Editorial Cartoon Wave Publishing

With the impending closing of some of the SRO's in the Rockaways, local residents are preparing themselves for an increase homless people who will soon be populating the area. Many of these people are on fixed incomes to begin with, are taking a variety of meds for various illnessness, including mental, and have scarely enough money to buy food. It remains to be seen what local officials plan to do about this problem.

911 Memories

Just a few thoughts on that awful/glorious day

"GLORIOUS" is a word that perhaps is not associated with that day, but I use it because a lot of miraculous things happened.

First and foremost, we saw how vulnerable we really are. As a result, certain security measures which should have been there in the first place were re evaluated and put in place. It's not perfect by a long shot, but we're dealing with imperfect human beings here.

It was glorious to see New Yorkers of every race color creed neighborhood come together for one brief moment and to recognize our common humanity. In a city as big as NYC you can forget that commodality and become stuck and polarized within your own neighborhood. People were actually helping each other, comforting each other , TALKING to each other! which brings me to my next point...

For one brief moment, all the NOISE of our cell phones televisions and electronic devices were cut off and as a result we were FORCED to confront and establish contact with another flesh and blood human being. Families starting talking together and re establishing contacts, old scores were settled and apologies were made.

We really thought were going to die that day.

I recall,with much heartache whether or not I should put my dog to sleep in order to spare him intense physical pain and mental suffering.


I remember being in the BOROUGH PARK section of Brooklyn, on my way to a computer class where I would be learning Photoshop Quark and Illustrator. The Smoke of the towers had already reached that remote park of Brooklyn and documents from peoples computers had blown literally across the water, and were raining down on me like confetti from a tickertape parade for The New York Yankees. I remember one man running up to me holding a page from a document that had been on somebody's desk in Manhattan minutes before.

We really thought we were going to die that day.

The indescribable feeling of death was literally in the air and the anxiety of that reality could be seen on every face.

As a believer in Christ A Scripture from Hebrews 9:27,28 came to mind


And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

As I had put my trust in Christ for eternal salvation, There was a place on the inside of me that felt settled and anchored, an assurance that i would go to meet my Lord who I had trusted, very soon. And As My thoughts turned to my family, I said prayers for them and had the same assurance for them, as they had trusted their lives to him also.

Yeah, I'm preaching here.

In fact, during this period, there was a LOT of preaching going on in the city and that preaching, and those prayers were GLADLY received. It's easy to be an agnostic or atheist, while you're in Starbucks sipping your latte and eating your bagel, but when the rubber hits the road, and your LIFE is about to end, you start thinking about what's on the other side, and maybe those "religious fanatics" Like me, are right after all.

We All Didn't die that day....
In fact,
many of us
began to Live.


FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON
THAT WHO SOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM
SHOULD NOT PERISH
BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE

JOHN 3;16

It aint just a banner at a football game folks.

Park Party and Subway Sketches

As the Summer comes to a close, Im spending as much time as I can at the park trying to coax tourists into my chair, before the autumn chill and subsequent winds set in making it impossible to draw. I've missed the majority of Summer drawing in the park due to my back injury, but thank God Ive gotten a LOT better and no longer require the use of the cain, or even the chair that I habitually carried. These are a series of sketches done at the park(which customers rejected!!) on the subway, and at a party. Can you guess which is which? Enjoy.

My New Promo Flyer

Needed to make a new black and white one. Decided to do something simple and to the point. This flyer contains a new comical cartoonicature of me at the top, plus my daughter on the right with the pony tail, and my son with the extra wide grin on the left side. The girl with the BBBBBIIIIIIGGGGGG smile is my "bugs bunny girl" one of my favorite all time caricatures. The other caricatures are taken from live subjects that ive drawn on the train years ago. All the major info of who I am what i do. ,my level of expeience are all there at a glance.

Big lady, big hair big everything!!

My latest memorable party sketch of a young woman who had big "everything" the most memorable was her blond hair that stood up in that odd way like a blond version of mount everest. I drew this sketch from memory in Dunkin Donuts following the party.

Mother Daughter on the A train

After a day of retail in the park I caught a mother daughter on the Queens Bound A train. They both had nice hairdoos

Smoking, giraffe , gun plus Kenly Dillard Produces this

If you've ever been to a "Dr. Sketchy's " Live art model drawing event, theres a point where they have a challenge and throw out a couple of unrelated words, give you five minutes to come up with a picture involving the models and the words... In this session the words, Smoking, Giraffe, and Gun were called out and this is what Kenly came up with. I was laughing so hard that I couldnt even draw my picture. He won of course.

oh yeah, I can "do cute"

As much as i LOVE LOVE LOVE to exaggerate and jack up people's faces, if I wanna pay the bills, I better KEEP doing caricatures like THESE. At parties expecially kids events parents dont take kindly to you jackin up their kids.... they WILL Jack up your wallet, and who wants THAT?

These two were part of a class of kids I did for a private school in Queens. I lectured at the school initially on career day for FREE and the response was so favorable they HIRED me to do a job two weeks later.

Take notes newbies, THIS is how you get clients. Be WILLING to do some freebies every now and then.

Latest Wave Editorial... sweeping out the dustmites

This time The Wave Newspaper Editorial is going after Queens legislators like Shirley Huntley, Malcolm Smith, who've served waaaaay too long and need to be swept out

HERE'S THE TEXT
A Zero Sum Reform For Our State Legislature

In the wake of the recent debacle on the part of the State Senate, there should be little doubt on the part of any of our readers that the New York State Legislature needs reform, and we believe that the reform should be zero-sum – that there is nothing about the legislature that should not be on the table for that reform. We believe that a number of things must be done before the legislature can be truly little-d democratic. First of all, to stop the empire-building and power-grabbing that now occurs every day, and to stop the three-men in the closed room mentality that now drives both the Senate and Assembly, we must have term limits. Those limits should mandate a set term of eight years and then out. Let the fresh air in and the new broom sweep clean. Secondly, the state must be redistricted honestly. Senate and Assembly district must be drawn along community lines, not to insure the election of an incumbent or to insure that a minority candidate wins. To this end, we need a non-partisan redistricting committee made up not of politicians, but of political scientists and community activists with no political agenda. Then, reform the campaign finance rules which now allow almost anybody to fund a political campaign with an excess zeal and without sanction. Disclosure is poor and enforcement is non-existence, allowing lobbyists and special interests to call the tune in Albany. Lastly, open the ballot so that candidates who want to run have a chance to do so. The rules for getting on the ballot in New York State are draconian and ridiculous. The state’s Board of Elections is made up of political hacks whose only job is to insure that incumbents and other party favorites get on the ballot and insurgents do not. That has to change. We need a clean sweep. Only by making all of the necessary changes will we really have a democratic process in Albany.

subway bum, or standup comic?

A lot of these bums that ride the rails must moonlight as standup comics. It's not so much what they say that makes you laugh, it's the way that they say it. This particular guy was sporting a mullet which I thought was very funny by itself. He kept harassing this lady who was desperately trying to ignore him, and had a comment for everyone who boarded the train.

Great hair day.... lip day... eyebrow day....

This guy has such outstanding EVERYTHING it was hard to focus!!! Great hair, THICK eyebrows, large lips, a very full meaty face,and a massive build, but not fat, just... huge like a Samoan, only he was Puerto Rican. He had the skinniest girlfriend though and the contrast was so interesting that I had to literally have them stand apart so not to get distracted. Wish I could have had enough time to do the bodies, but these two are definitely going to make an appearance one day in a cartoon or character design of mine!!

Just too good to draw once

Often when Im drawing couples, one of the pair is just sooooo visually stunning, that I request they pose by themselves just so i can capture them again. Such was the case of this magilla gorilla lookin dude here. He didnt REALLY look like my favorite primate, but there was SOMETHING about his face that made me wanna ask Mr Peebles how much wuz that gorilla in the window. I made a reference to that, and he didnt seem toooo happy about it... I kept drawing....all the while thinking about the Magilla Gorilla theme song.....



We've got a gorilla for sale...a yellow gorilla for sale.
Won't you buy him...take him home and try him...gorilla for sale.
See in the window, Magilla Gorilla...full of charm and appeal.
Handsome, elegant, intelligent, sweet...He's really ideal.
So if you want a yellow gorilla you can call your own...
a gorilla who'll be with ya when you're all alone.

(Magilla speaking): "Its the MAGILLA GORILLA SHOW.
Starring me and Mr. Peebles...
with Mush-Mouse and Pumpkin-Puss and Rickochet Rabbit and Droop-Along"

(Little girl speaking): "How much is that Gorilla in the window?"

Take our advice...
at any price...
a gorilla like Magilla is mighty nice.
Gorilla...
Magilla Gorilla for sale......