We’ll admit we had not heard of Loud and Smart, an independent comic strip by Alex Krokus. But now Silver Sprocket have released a great big collection called Loudest and Smartest. “Meet Alex: an internet-addicted millennial raccoon and his misadventures in the big bad city. Loudest and Smartest collects over 350 pages of Loud and Smart by Alex Krokus, featuring comics about punks, horrible couples, love, jobs, and the disgusting depths of viral videos.” [Here’s to wishing you all the best of times in 2024 — ye ed-otter.]
Comic Strips
Lauren the Lapine Librarian
We got this directly from the creator themselves! “Smallbug Press is proud to announce the release of the Lauren Ipsum book by Charles Brubaker. The 130-page black-and-white paperback contains over 200 Lauren Ipsum comic strips, as well as a bonus story The Flying Catfish. The comic stars a rabbit named Lauren, who works as a professional librarian and part-time writer. Along with Dewey DeSmall (a fox) and Gutenberg (a cat), she runs a library in the all-animal city of St. Paws… Lauren Ipsum first appeared online on October 31, 2022, and has since gained a dedicated following. The Weakley County Press started running the strip on November 15th of the same year. Lauren Ipsum is available for purchase through Amazon worldwide. Signed copies can be purchased directly from the creator at laurenbook.smallbugstudio.com.” You can also find the latest on-line comic strips there as well.
Things are Better with a Weasel
And then we met these folks at a local comic book and toy convention… “Fleaboy & Weasel is a fictional comic strip about a man named Fleaboy and his pet, Weasel. Fleaboy adopts Weasel from the animal shelter thinking he would be the perfect pet dog. While Fleaboy is brainless and Weasel is quite smart, the two characters develop a unique bond that take them on many adventures (and misadventures).” The strip was created by Ashlee Wyatt and her father more than a decade ago. Now he’s moved on from the project, leaving Ashlee as the primary creative force behind the silliness. Visit the official web site to see more.
Does THIS Cat Dance Maybe?
Turns out there’s there’s another feature film in the works for everyone’s favorite lasagna-loving feline, Garfield. The big orange fellow has appeared in two previous live action/CGI films, both times voiced by Bill Murray. Now Alcon Entertainment is working on the famous feline’s first fully-animated feature film, where this time he’ll be voiced by Chris Pratt. (Is there anything that guy isn’t involved in?) Like many animated films of the past few years, this one features an impressive voice cast of well-known actors, including Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult, Hannah Waddingham, Cecily Strong, and Ving Rhames. Interestingly, this new film is directed by Mark Dindal (of Cats Don’t Dance and Emperor’s New Groove fame), whom we have not heard from in a long long time. According to Animation World Network, Garfield should be out in mid-2024.
Oop! Ack!
Well, bad on us for having no idea this was even on the table! But here it is, right from Animation World Network: “Emmy Award winner Tim Long (The Simpsons) has been signed to write, executive produce, and showrun Fox’s Bloom County, an animated series based on the acclaimed comic strip of the same name, created and written by Berkeley Breathed, who will also executive produce.” In case you need a reminder: “The comic Bloom County evolved from Breathed’s first published comic strip, The Academia Waltz, which originally appeared in The Daily Texan, the student newspaper at the University of Texas. This work led The Washington Post to recruit Breathed for a nationally syndicated strip; Bloom County debuted in 1980, appearing in more than 1,200 newspapers worldwide until its end in 1989.” No word yet on a release date.
Feline Funnies
And speaking of Magnetic Press, here’s another one they recently brought us from Europe: Cats Cats Cats! by Stephane LaPuss (!) and Philippe Larbier. “Do they like us? Do they hate us? Who knows, but they’ll make you howl with laughter! Each feline in this book of silent comic antics may have its own personality, but any cat-lover will recognize these always-adorable but often-frustrating quirks, each with a touch of madness!” Available now in paperback.
This Just In… No, Out… No, In!
Another series we’re only just learning about! Breaking Cat News is a comic strip for middle-grade readers, created by Georgia Dunn. The latest collection is called Behind The Scenes With Burt. “It’s big changes for the kitties at BCN! Burt is bringing this news station up a notch. Join Burt behind the scenes as he updates some of our favorite broadcasts from the past, with better imagery and brand new footage! Including a trip to the vet, exploring the cupboards, hordes of trick-or-treaters, the action packed ‘Our IX Lives’ Christmas special, and Puck daring to believe in the elusive, mythical Mailman.” Have you got all that? Then look for it in trade paperback from Andrews McMeel.
Oop and Ack on TV!
The last time we saw Berke Breathed’s iconic comic strip series animated was the 1991 TV holiday special, A Wish For Wings That Work. And then, just this week, we get a new press release: “FOX Entertainment has announced the adaptation and development of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, screenwriter, producer, and children’s book author Berkeley Breathed’s acclaimed comic strip Bloom County into an animated series… Bento Box will serve as the animation studio on the project.” The article at Animation World Network has a lot more details. No word on a planned release date yet, or whether this will be for broadcast TV or streaming, but we do know that an animated film adaptation of Mr. Breathed’s book HitPig is supposed to be out in theaters later this year.
Not Actually A Cat At All
No, honestly, we’re not off on a feline kick! It just that a lot of the stuff we’re finding is… Like most any serious Marvel fan will tell you, a flerken is not a cat — even if they look very much like one. Well thanks to Nao Fuji, everyone’s favorite flerken has her own comic strip, Marvel Meow. “Join Captain Marvel’s pet, Chewie, as she wreaks havoc in the lives of Marvel’s most popular characters! Gain a new perspective on beloved favorites such as Spider-Man and Iron Man, formidable villains including Thanos and Galactus, and antiheroes like Deadpool, as they all become the playthings of this capricious ‘cat’ creature. Originally shared on Marvel’s official Instagram, these comic strips have been collected with all-new content into a gift book that will delight Marvel and cat enthusiasts alike!” Look (out) for it now from Viz Media.