Andre Richard Guest Week
November 29, 2010 ~ 33 Comments
Andre and I both had comics on Girlamatic.com when it launched, so we got to know each other through that and have remained friends ever since. I like his super-cute artwork, so I was very happy when he volunteered to draw “Narbonic Babies” and let me have a week off.
That said, all younger versions of Helen are basically just me, only blonde, so it’s kind of weird to see other artists draw her.
About this week of strips, Andre writes:
When I got the opportunity to do a Narbonic fill-in, I could resist the chance to do a baby version of the cast, mostly because Helen’s Mom was my favorite character, and the idea of her babysitting anyone could only lead to horrible things. Shaenon had some short flashbacks in the series that influenced Lil’Helen’s look, and there’s always a good reason to give Artie some sort of futile job. I hope people liked it! It ended up being a fairly long installment.
“Why do the toys bleed?” is one of those great lines that applicable to so many situations in life.
About this week of strips, Andre writes:
When I got the opportunity to do a Narbonic fill-in, I could resist the chance to do a baby version of the cast, mostly because Helen’s Mom was my favorite character, and the idea of her babysitting anyone could only lead to horrible things. Shaenon had some short flashbacks in the series that influenced Lil’Helen’s look, and there’s always a good reason to give Artie some sort of futile job. I hope people liked it! It ended up being a fairly long installment.
“Why do the toys bleed?” is one of those great lines that applicable to so many situations in life.
LITTLE DAVE HAS A SUCKER IN HIS MOUTH. THAT IS AWESOME.
You know, all things considered, this is kind of a disturbing strip.
I really like the Angry Li’l Helen in the first panel. I also like that Andre makes the characters roughly the correct ages relative to each other. That’s the attention to detail you want from your guest artists.
Looking over this week, it occurs to me that I haven’t done a guest week in the three years I’ve been drawing Skin Horse. No wonder I’m so tired. Guest weeks are great and they let you avoid drawing stuff! Anyway, as bizarre and terrifying as the idea of Helen’s mom running a daycare is (I imagine it would be like those supposed Satanic daycares of 1980s urban legend fame, with skeletons and secret tunnels under the floor), this is an adorable week of strips. Thank you, Andre!
Monday:
Every little girl wants to clothe small animals in something humiliating, right? I don’t really understand the tea parties, though – it’s not like there are that many real-life tea parties for them to be mimicking.
(Also Artie would never say “I’d of”.)
AWWWWWWW I’ma see if I can get that in the fanstory.
Party hearty, Artie!
It’s my party, so you’ll dress if I want you,
dress if I want you,
dress if I want you.
you will say crud when it happens to youuuuuu…
Dawwwwww! Also, love the opaqueglasses.
“Toy Story 4: The Nurseryville Horror”
Is that Speedy in panel 2? He deserved a more heroic fate … bungee-jumping into an active volcano or some such.
And in panel 4, Artie is wearing a 1939 Mainbocher wine silk strapless gown …
That is not Speedy in panel 2. He did not exist at that Spacetime frame. Speedy is still quite active, having just returned from Mexico, and about to leave for Rome for Christmas.
The first meeting of Artie and Mongor?
“Why do the toys bleed?”
Those aren’t toys, Artie…
He hasn’t yet never started sucking on lollipops.
Holiday sale at the Couscous store! Through the month of December, get Skin Horse Volumes 1 and 2 together for $20: http://www.couscous.2dcomics.com/store/
D’oh.
This “Shaenon Garrity” character is trying to spam Narbonic with ads for online stores! Don’t fall for it! Tomorrow she’ll be offering “Narbonic OEM Prada pharmaceuticals” and it will be a link to some Taiwanese site you can’t even read!
(TUNE: “Lady Madonna”, The Beatles)
Baby Narbonic!
Wholesome daytime care!
Keeping kiddies out of their parents’ hair!
Baby Narbonic!
Run by Helen’s mom!
Artie starts to panic! Says Dave, “Stay calm!”
Baby Dave on lollipop is sucking …
Baby Helen plays with dolls for fun …
Baby Mell has ev’rybody ducking …
She’s got a gun!
Baby Narbonic!
Now it all makes sense!
Mom will use the kids for ex-per-i-ments!
Narbonic pharmaceuticals would be AWESOME.
Clearly what we have here is the un-credited inspiration for Toy Story 3.
@DvD: Considering the Narbonic Pharmaceuticals that keep finding their way into Dave’s coffee, I’d say Hell No! Unless you look good in heels, anyway.
Dave’s too young to drink coffee.
He really needs to get off the hot chocolate, though.
Thursday:
What kind of tail is that? Is that… horsehair?!
Mell eating very big ants deserves to be in a slightly less disturbing episode.
(1) They just got a new computer in the classroom, and she’s helping Dave debug it.
(2) She’s just trying to make those ants say “uncle”.
(3) She re-enacting the battle of Ant Eat ‘Em.
Leon: It’s a puppydog tail. The snips and snails are elsewhere.
Narbonic Pharmaceuticals; Our R&D labs are years ahead of the leading Universities (currently tracking 8+ years ahead of Harvard).
http://www.facebook.com/nature/posts/153342178045650
http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101128/full/news.2010.635.html
To get the full picture of Mell’s personality, those should be spiders….
Eegad.
Friday:
I just noticed that throughout this week Artie never looks any of the other characters in the eye when he’s speaking to them. He just doesn’t want to acknowledge this slightly-more-humiliating-than-usual situation.
(TUNE: “April Showers”, B.G. DeSylva and Louis Silvers)
You’re in my power,
To your dismay!
Now I can scour
Your DNA!
And see this kiddie
With poopy smell?
You know this kiddie is a hideous
Monstrosity called Mell!
So if you feel sick,
Don’t whine, it’s fine!
Your double-helix
Will soon be mine!
It’s now my turn to play with Artie,
I always get my way!
With glee, I’ll fricassee your DNA!
Ed: due to my being new to the comment section, I haven’t had an occasion yet to praise your talent for parody.
I’ll do it now: YOURAFREKKINJEENIOUS! *cough* You’re a freaking genius, Ed. Thanks for all the laughs.
It’s “playing dress-up” on a chromosonal level, Artie.
And we know you’d rather become a hideous monstrosity with Mongor, but he molting right now.
I’m sorry, but I’m looking at the last panel and seeing Ron Stoppable stuck in Kim Possible’s body: “Your hair! It’s so FLIPPY!”
(TUNE: “Happy Days Are Here Again”, Ager & Yellen)
Crush the proletariat!
‘Cause vi-o-lence is where it’s at!
So we’ll smash the class rebellion flat!
Crush the pro-le-ta-ri-at!
We say, “Hooray, bourgeoisie!”
By that, I mean you and me!
Laser powered by a cat
Will vaporize them, just like that!
Or we’ll smack ’em with a softball bat!
Crush the pro-le-ta-ri-at!
@Shaenon & Jeff: I beg of you! When you someday far in the future run your ‘director’s cut’ of Skin Horse, don’t forget to have a special place for the daily Ed filk. In fact, a sound widget that plays the right tune alongside it would rock. Start planning now…
But Dave never ate lollipops.