Can someone explain to me why...

The streets seemed frightfully quiet today, it must have been because England won a decisive match in the cricket. The strange thing is there were numerous Germans wandering around making a nuisance of themselves, looking oh so bloody happy, they clearly didn't understand the value of a well delivered leg cutter, googly or sweep stroke. They clearly don't know anything about current affairs.

Trip report a

A fine day. En route to Crosby to view Anthony Gormleys 'Another Place' statues at Crosby (details to follow) we popped by Poulton le Fylde to sample comic creator Rob Jackson's homemade ice cream. Bloody good it is too, between us we tasted blackberry, gooseberry, rhubarb and sweet potato (which has been rubbed off the blackboard as we bought the last one). Don't be afraid of the sweet potato, it was nice, and personally I can't stand them usually. For me, the blackberry was the winner.

I fancied trying the Kreik (cherry beer), but there's only so much ice cream a man can cope with in one day eh?

Highly recommended.

The day involved a feast of art too, as you may note from the photograph that I've purchased the original artwork from the cover of the pasty anthology off Rob. I can't wait to see this one on the wall.

Norman

...really, really didn't like the black eyed peas.

I know they're an easy target, but jeez, what appalling bubblegum.

Just for completeness, I nearly did this one instead, perhaps I should wait and see for later eh?

Come on lads!!! Please?!

Norman

As the balloons carried him ever higher and higher, Norman realised this whole 'Guiness Book of World Records' thing had been made up by his brother to get out of buying him a birthday present.

A tank of thank to Rob Jackson, who has sent me this top Norman cartoon. And congrats to him on an auspicious start to his homemade ice cream business. Have a butchers at his website and why not buy one of his many small press comics while you're there?

More contributions welcome!

Norman

..is taking contributions! Mojo did this rather splendid 'Norman' cartoon and has published it on his blog. It's a great combination of Belgian nature photography, travelogue, art and oddity, well worth a look. The big box on the right says 'Happy Jumbo' by the way.

If anyone else fancies having a go at a Norman cartoon it would be most welcome (please!), and if I get enough I would publish them in the final book as well as my blog. I'd be interested in seeing a wide variety of ideas and styles.

Norman...

...wished he'd locked the hotel room door.

or maybe 'Norman was just trying something out'

Socialist..

...sparrowhawk.

Not popular with the union of songbirds though.

Mothy moth

No new drawing to report this week. There are things I should be doing but am not getting round to, such as a fine script I've been given for the upcoming Zombies 2 anthology. It's a difficult one to draw, and zombies are not usually my thing so I'm finding it especially challenging. It will be fun though.

Here's a moth in the meantime. A brimstone moth. It did a little moth poo on my hand. Silly moth.

June Geoscientist

Here we are again with this months Geoscientist, I always like the idea that complex or difficult situations can be explained away with terms like 'zone of complexity' or in the case of Petroleum Hydrocarbons, 'Unresolved complex mix' which is just a bunch of chemicals that are too much effort to separate more properly.

As for frame 4, I'm not sure I can comment on the state of anyone's office/workspace, but hopefully it reaches the holy grail any strip cartoonist strives for: being mildy amusing for the target audience. I would love to be organised but I'm a messy bugger, I can't even say I have a tidy mind.