Well… vacation is over, I can tell you.

Actually the old drawing board is a little light when it comes to heavy duty projects. Just a few small and one long, ongoing one-

• iPad App- Art for another app for Ray Griggs, the developer of Bobble Rep. Should have this done today.
• Caricature/Character Design- This for a UK company for an advertising project. Awaiting feedback on a round of sketches.
• Workplace Poster- My usual monthly assignment for The Marlin Company
• WB Animation- between episodes right now for the upcoming MAD Show

That should keep me busy until the Comic Con starts in… only 3 days!!?!

Q: Why all the secrecy involving the MAD TV show and especially the magazine? I don’t see why you can’t at least say what movie [or TV show or other subject] you are working on for MAD… it’s not like they have any competition out there that might ‘scoop’ them is it? As for the animated TV show, when can we expect to hear some details??

A: Sorry if it seems like there is a Maxwell Smart “Cone of Silence” paranoia surrounding things I post about sometimes. It’s not just MAD you know… almost all the publications I do work with do not want me posting images I worked on for them before they are published. For that you can hardly blame them. They paid me to do the work and want to be the first to publish it. It isn’t like anyone is worried about it getting stolen somehow, or that they or I think the work is important or anything. It’s their privilege as the commissioners (??) of the work that they get to publish it first. In fact I just assume they want it that way and always wait until I get my tearsheets or I know for a fact the publication is out before I share any of the work I did online.

I think a large part of that is the viral and instantaneous nature of the internet. You have to be careful of what you say and who you say it to because one tiny post on some seemingly inconsequential little blog like this one and it can be all over the world in a matter of hours. Look what happened last November when I posted complaining about Apple’s rejection of Ray Grigg’s “Bobble Rep” iPhone app because my artwork was deemed “defamatory” to the 540 politicians I caricatured for the program. By the next day it was on Fox News, CNN.com and a host of other major news and technology websites and blogs. Who knows what will catch people’s eye and become viral.

As for MAD, they like to keep the issue under wraps until it is released. It’s less fun to get that copy in the mail with no surprises at all. They do release some sneak peeks to certain internet outlets, and that is also their privilege and they get to chose what and when that happens. Totally understandable. I got into a little hot water with MAD a few years back when I published some rough sketches for an article I was working on before it was published. In fact, as it turned out due to the timing the sketches were online before MAD even saw them. They were not happy about that, and I learned my lesson about blogging things before they are published… even just cryptic individual sketches with no explanation of their significance.

As for the TV show, they are very emphatic about not giving away any details about the content or direction of the show. There is a non-disclosure agreement and strict media policy. TV is certainly a cutthroat sort of business, and I can see where they want to keep it all under wraps and debut a show with as much fanfare and mystery as possible. That said, I understand that this Saturday’s “Mad about MAD!” panel discussion at the San Diego Comic Con will feature some kind of video presentation which I hope will reveal some of the details about the upcoming show. Rest assured the second there is any clearance to share any info you’ll read about it here, and if those video clips are available online (legally) after the panel I will link to them. Beyond that, all I can say is that some segments of the show will be based on some of my caricatures/character designs, which I am quite excited about seeing.

Thanks to Richard Griffin for the question. If you have a question you want answered for the mailbag about cartooning, illustration, MAD Magazine, caricature or similar, e-mail me and I’ll try and answer it here!

I know I promised an artcentric review of the iPad a long time ago, but I haven’t had the opportunity to test out very many drawing and painting applications on it so far… I’m also wating deleivery of one of those silly marshmallow tipped “stylus’s”.

I did run across this intriguing video recently, showing that someone is working on one of the two biggest limitations to drawing on the iPad… the lack of pressure sensitivity. At first I thought the case the iPad on the video is in might be the source of the pressure sensitivity, but from reading the brief description at tenonedesign.com it seems to be a pure software solution. The pressure sensitivity would be something any drawing app could incorporate into their programs.

Don’t get too excited. According to the developer the software uses a “private function call” to work and Apple of course refuses to allow developers to use private APIs, so right now this functional software is not allowed on the iPad.

Oh, and in case you are curious, the other major limitation to drawing on the iPad: the lack of a precise stylus.

One of the less picturesque bits of scenery on Sint Maarten…

I think it’s safe to say this will be my official signing schedule for Comic Con:

THURSDAY, JULY 22

• 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Signing free copies of MAD at DC Comics Booth (#1915)

FRIDAY, JULY 23

• 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Signing free copies of MAD at DC Comics Booth (#1915)

SATURDAY, JULY 24

• 10:00 am – 11:00 am: Mad about MAD ! Panel discussion on both the magazine and upcoming cartoon Network show with MAD Magazine editor John Ficarra, MAD Art Director Sam Viviano, legendary MAD artist Sergio Aragones, me, MAD Story Editor/Producer Kevin Shinick and host, MAD Creative Exec Peter Girardi (room 7 AB)
• 11:-15 am – 12:00 pm: Signing free copies of MAD at DC Comics Booth (#1915) with other panel participants
• 4:15 pm – 5:00 pm: Signing something at the Warner Bros. Booth promoting the Cartoon Network show

SUNDAY, JULY 25

• 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Signing free copies of MAD at DC Comics Booth (#1915)

As I said before, I’ll also be selling MAD originals, signing stuff and drawing caricatures here and again at the National Cartoonists Society booth, schedules to be posted on site.

Speaking of Comic Con, here is an interesting article by Heidi MacDonald (hat tip to the Daily Cartoonist) about the possibility of it moving up the coast to L.A. or Anaheim after 2012, when the current contract with the San Diego Convention Center runs out. There have always been rumors about it moving but this time they seem serious. If you’ve been to this event anytime in the last 5 years, you’ll know why.

I love San Diego and love the convention in that spot, but it’s clear to me that this thing is just too big for that city. It has become impossible to enjoy properly with the ridiculous crush of humanity you have to endure to attend. Getting from one end of the main exhibit hall to the other is an exercise in major frustration. It’s nigh impossible to just drop by and talk to someone at a booth space without being jostled, banged into or just plain run over. Finding a hotel room at a reasonable price within walking distance is either impossible or ridiculously expensive. Getting a table at a restaurant in the surrounding area is a nightmare. Last year I took my teenage son to Comic Con with me, and walking the 2 miles back to our hotel one night we must have stopped at half a dozen places trying to find less than a 90 minute wait to get a table but no luck. We ended up eating at an incredibly expensive fancy restaurant that was only available because it was so pricey. I’d never consider going to the Con unless I had a booth of some kind where I could put a table between me and the rest of humanity when needed. I’m a reasonably patient guy (when necessary), love people and have no problem putting up with being physically put out a bit at events like this, but the SDCC has become out of hand.

It’d like to see the convention center magically double in size overnight as well as see about 4 major hotels with 600 or so rooms each grow like mushrooms within walking distance of the exhibit space… but that is not going to happen. It will take years and years and many, many millions of dollars for the infrastructure of San Diego to grow to accommodate the demands of this 4 day event, and that is not a realistic thing to expect anyway. As big as SDCC is and as many millions as it brings to the area it is still just 4 days and I do not think San Diego will be able to support all that infrastructure the other 361 days of the year. Maybe if 10 years ago the city and the hotels and restaurants around it had better embraced the Comic Con instead of rolling their eyes at it, things would be different today. Many of the local businesses do embrace comic con by welcoming attendees and doing their best to handle the crush of patrons, but in the several times I have attended the con, especially years ago, a lot of them seemed to turn up their nose at the con and had an attitude like it was a big pain in the ass for them. That kind of attitude is bizarrely still going on. Case in point- according to Heidi’s article linked above the Manchester Grand Hyatt… a hotel mere yards from the convention center, has scheduled a major health professional meeting featuring keynote speaker Al Gore at the SAME TIME as Comic-Con. That is beyond being indifferent and into the realm of a big F.U. Well, the Grand Hyatt and many others with similar attitudes may get their wish in a few years and that 4 days in July will have the quiet and peaceful tranquility they so desire.

I’d miss San Diego itself but I would have no problem attending the convention in L.A. or Anaheim. Hopefully there will be a way to figure out how to keep it in San Diego, but I am not holding my breath.

Q: I usually assume most artists are skinny or out of shape guys like computer nerds… but when I saw your picture you looked like a WWF wrestler. I workout myself and I was wondering if you could share with us your regiment and more importantly your diet and/or supplements. For instance I stick to a complex carbohydrate diet and I take creatine. I lift weights every 3 days yet I go all out. My main exercises are bicep curls and dips with a weighted belt. Also, I was wondering if you could share with us people’s reaction (such as fans or industry professionals) to your stature when meeting you. Artists get pinned with words like “emotional”, “sensitive”, “touchy” and I think it’s great that you potentially battle the stereotypes of creative types.

A: I hope people will excuse the departure from art-centric questions to one like this once and awhile.

Your question make me chuckle, because I often do get some shocked looks when I first meet someone who knows me through my work and has never met me in person. Not that I am a hulking giant or anything, but after nearly ten years of active weightlifting I have a noticeably big build. Many people do not expect a cartoonist to be a big, buff guy, but I know several who make me look like a wimp. My friend of 20 plus years, comic book superstar artist Doug Mahnke is one of the strongest guys I know, and holds some powerlifting records for his age bracket in Minnesota. My pal Tom Nguyen, another well known comic book artist and inker, has competed as a bodybuilder and has a great physique. There is an actual former WWF wrestler named Lash LeRoux aka the Ragin’ Cajun who is now a pro caricaturist and illustrator! There are several other examples. As professional artists we sit on our butts all day long, and as many people who have a sedentary job do we feel the need to get exercise. I know I feel better and have far more energy when I am working out regularly. Some people run or swim or play tennis… I like to lift weights and challenge myself physically.

As far as workout advice, that is a very individual thing. It all depends on your goals and what you want to get out of it. Lifting to build size (hypertrophy) is different from lifting to get stronger (strength and power) or to lose weight and get toned (endurance). That said I believe strongly in the concept of “Periodization”, which means alternating between hypertrophy, strength, power and endurance workouts at 2 to 6 week intervals. Periodization keeps your body guessing by changing the demands placed on it and not giving it time to get used to the routines and plateau. Working on the other aspects of weightlifting only helps achieve your primary focus… Whatever that might be. Since my primary goal is to build and maintain size, I focus on the hypertrophy workouts by doing more of them or greater lengths for those periods. However I still work in a three week program of endurance training and maybe a month of strength training between hypertrophy routines. I will also do hybrid routines where I will work from hypertrophy reps (8 to 12) down to strength building reps (1 to 5) or incorporate some power movements like snatches or cleans into some other training periods. Some time back I blogged about some of my workout routines, so if anyone is interested they can read about some of the exercises I do for chest, legs, back and arms and shoulders.

Regarding diet and supplements: Following my rotator cuff tear and surgical repair I obviously had to lay off lifting for a long time. In fact it took over 9 months before I was able to even really begin to work out again, and I had to take it easy for several more months. Now, about 16 months removed from the surgery, I am almost back to 100% with just a slight drop in stability and strength in my repaired shoulder… and that will catch up in time. However during my convalescence I did not watch my diet very well (actually I watched it extremely well… I watched a lot of food disappear into my mouth). I was at an all time high of 243 pounds in late November following all the traveling I did last fall. Australia did me in… too much good food, beer and wine down under. Upon my return I was finally able to get back in the gym regularly but more importantly I figured out that I need to start paying attention to the amount of food I was eating. Bodybuilding demands good eating habits to be successful, but I never paid much attention past making sure I ate every few hours and got plenty of protein… meaning I overate and also ate bad stuff too often. I was never really “fat” until this fall, and I decided to do something about it.

Despite the proliferation of bizarre diets you see all over, losing weight is a relatively simple thing… you simply consume fewer calories in a day than you burn. The trick is to do it in a manner that doesn’t mess with your body or cause you to lose too much too fast, lose lean mass rather than fat or lose it in a manner that will result in gaining it quickly back when you cease whatever insane diet you are following. Slow and steady wins the race, as they say… I simply started counting calories and adjusted my caloric intake so I would consume less than I burned every day at a pace that should cause me to lose 1 to 1.5 pounds of fat per week. I still ate six times a day, getting in 220 grams of protein and eating low gylcemic carbs as much as possible (green vegetables, whole grains, etc) and avoided too much sugar and starch. That’s really all there is to it. 5 to 6 small meals a day prevents your body from going into “starvation mode”, where it believes food sources must be scarce as you are denying it adequate intake, and slows down it’s metabolism. It also hoards fat for later use, meaning it won’t burn much fat for fuel but instead will burn your muscle tissue. Starving yourself by eating hardly any calories make you into a skinny fat person, as you lose more muscle than you do fat. Plus, once you actually do break down and have a bad meal or two, your body kicks into storage mode and packs that all on as fat at a much higher rate than usual, gaining your weight back quickly.

I have had great success and I heartily recommend My Plate at Livestrong.com for keeping track of calories. This is a free online program that allows you to track your daily calories and measures it against your goals. You answer some simple questions about your lifestyle, habits, body type and goals and it gives you a base calorie goal for the day, then your enter the foods you eat and count down your calories. Their database of food is incredible… Almost every kind of supermarket brand food or restaurant fare is listed, which makes it easy to track both your calorie intake and macro-nutrient consumption. Since my weigh in at 242 in late November I have lost 34 pounds and likely close to 40 lbs of fat (gained a few pounds of muscle) for a new leaner weight of 208. I’m hoping to keep this body fat percentage and gain about 10 to 15 pounds of muscle back to settle in at 220 or so.

As for supplements I used to take everything under the sun that was legal. These days I have learned only a few really work well enough to take. I take an NO2 supplement pre workout, a creatine mixed with l-glutamine post workout, protein powders and a good multivitamin daily. I also cycle a test booster like tribulus with ZMA for testosterone support. That is it. Most supplements are garbage.

Nothing worthwhile comes easy, but this is a lot easier than many people would credit it to be. It takes a few weeks of militant adherence and then a commitment to keeping up with the program. I have many bad nights of eating but my approach minimizes that impact and keeps me from gaining back the weight. at 44 I look better than I did at 30 and feel better as well… it’s a win win. I hope to keep achieving my modest goals as the years roll on.

Thanks to Stephen Busfield for the question. If you have a question you want answered for the mailbag about cartooning, illustration, MAD Magazine, caricature or similar, e-mail me and I’ll try and answer it here!

Yep. It’s not too often I take any real time off during the summer, but The Lovely Anna and I are taking our recently graduated and off to college daughter The Dramatic Victoria to the Caribbean island of St. Martin/St. Marteen for a week as her graduation present. Believe it or not, a little one on two time with just us is what she wanted for graduation (well, the Mini Cooper was out of the question so this is choice number two) so we are off today. As always, thorough the magic of post-dated blogging and hopefully a decent wifi connection at our condo The MAD Blog will roll on.

… and yes, I am bringing a little bit of work with me. Just pencil sketches for a few different projects so nothing too strenuous. It’s going to take a few days to recover from the multiple near-all nighters I just pulled to get out of town without blowing any deadlines.

This just in: after only about two weeks of being in existence The Cartoonist Studio website has already significantly lowered it’s standards. Yes, The MAD Blog has learned that my virtual studio on TheCartoonist Studio.com was just added today, along with those of Chuck Ayers, Brian Crane and Jan Eliot… although their inclusion in no way demonstrates a lowering of standards. Here’s a direct link to my studio page on the site. Once there you can click on any of the pictures for a closer look, and roll over them with your cursor to read about this and that. This is a fun idea where you can see the workspaces of some of your favorite cartoonists (and me) and read about their process, etc. Go visit and check out the other a cartoonist’s studios as well.

I did a blog post about the website’s debut a few weeks ago. The initial unveiling of this site is a “soft” launch, and it the near future there will be other features like a cartoon store, auctions, originals for sale and such. This looks like a fun corner of the web for cartoonists and fans of cartooning alike. I’m happy to be a part of it.

Crazy busy right now. Here is a quick and simple line caricature sketch of Ty Pennington from “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”.

… to do my annual post about The MAD Blog‘s birthday. As of June 26th, the MAD Blog has been chugging along for 4 years. The stats as of today:

• 1,594 posts
• 5720 comments
• 0 accidental deaths or dismemberments
• 1 regular reader (Hi, Mom!)

So far so good. Up until my recent decision to take Saturday’s off from posting there has been at least one post every day. Thanks to everyone who has supported the MAD Blog by visiting, reading, commenting and occasionally tipping.