By Candlelight

Merry Christmas!

Magi Road Trip

 Don't know how many wise men there actually were, but I can see some impromptu sing-alongs of varying quality and success popping up during the trip.  Especially if, say, an understudy or a caravan driver's son managed to tag along for the ride. 

(Don't) Let it Snow

Might have to rethink that Christmas pool party. 

Tinsellitis

Tinsel also wins against the vacuum.  No one is safe. 

Asking For It

Incident from college.  With students from all over the country, some weren't exactly prepared for cold weather, which I garnered maybe a little too much entertainment from.  Fortunately, most of them were looking forward to the snow as much as I was. 

Head of Security

Could be worse.  If dogs had thumbs, she'd probably be preparing Medieval-style defenses.   

I don't think I've shown her here before, but this is my late doggy Rosey (and yes, that's how her name was officially spelled, because I got her when I was nine).  She died before I first started this blog, so I guess it just didn't occur to me to make a comic about her.  Which considering all the excitement her cast-iron stomach caused, it's kind of surprising.  Maybe sometime I'll remedy that.  

Anyway, as pictured, she doubled as an alarm system for visitors.  Sometimes better than a doorbell. 

Okapi and Paste

No effort of science is too great to secure a pun. 

Paino

Rumor has it that it was built in a nice little tower in London. 

The real pain is the fact that the spikes are grossly asymmetrical. 

Sugar Skulls

That moment where you wonder how on earth you got roped into this.  The Grim Reaper is next on the list. 

Happy Halloween!

Not So Keen

Historically, several banshees appearing at once is the omen of the death of a great or holy person, so this is actually a compliment!  A very, very noisy compliment. 

Fun fact - the Irish spelling of "banshee" is "bean si."  Because Irish. 

Hidden Talents

Just because she's a half-skeleton Norse underworld goddess doesn't mean she can't appreciate romance or pretty things.  A little ominous for everyone else, though. 

Pushing Up Daisies

Not exactly your typical underworld aesthetic. 
Well, it's that time of the year when I pull out the Deities of Death, starting with Hades, Charon, and of course, Persephone.  Let the chaos commence. 

Dracula Ants

Yes, Dracula ants are very much real.  Don't worry - they don't drink human blood.  Probably. 

Dubious Honesty

Let us close the curtain of charity on the remainder of this scene.

Champion of the Joust

Good luck knocking this guy off his horse.  

It occurred to me that I've drawn quite a few jousting-themed comics.  I don't know why it keeps happening.  But I'm okay with this. 

Pop-Up Book

Well, that's one way to make science interactive.  And also to take out the ceiling fan, but try not to worry about that. 

Scheduling Troubles

Secure your passwords and put on a helmet.  It's going to be one of those days.  

The question is, does knowing make things easier, or is it the anticipation that kills? 

Having a Ball

And that's a ticket for unauthorized vehicular modification, a ticket for compromising highway safety, and a ticket for causing a UFO panic. 

Teamwork

If all those teamwork-centric little kids' TV shows were taken to their logical conclusion. 

Mandatory Grilling

Neither letter of the law nor spirit of the law, but maybe they'll get points for creativity. 

Run on the Blood Bank

 Otherwise known as the reason why a large percentage of medical workers have also graduated from the Van Helsing Institute of Vampire Smiting. 

For Gold and Glory

 Nothing says world peace and unity like people from around the world gathering to compete in events that are most definitely against the Geneva Convention, right? 

Magical Mirth

 Actually, never engage a unicorn in any kind of war.  The results of this kind at least will be hilarious, as long as you don't mind losing spectacularly. 

Washed Up

 There's "work smarter, not harder," and then there's this. 

A Basic Guide to Automotive Controls

 Cars have a lot of little buttons to keep track of.  Hopefully this helps. 

Shock and Awe

 Humans can't possibly enjoy bright, loud explosions... right?

Note:  Just to clarify, Bonfire Night is November 5th and involves fireworks, which is what the goats are referencing in the last panel.  Which yes, my family celebrates, because why not? 

Knotweed

 Who's weeding the field?  Exactly. 

Five Little Monkeys

 How to use duct tape as a sleep aid!  

(Note: only useful in very specific circumstances.)

Cave Capra

 Thou hast meddled with Security.  Thou must be punished.  And also allow Security to show how macho he is. 

Wonder Waffles

 

Why the Nazis lost, reason #874. 

Okay, so wunderwaffes were revolutionary Nazi superweapons, so said their propaganda department.  There's a bit from the Wikipedia article that sums it up.  

Historian Michael J. Neufeld has noted that "the net result of all these weapons, deployed or otherwise, was that the Reich wasted a lot of money and technical expertise in developing and producing exotic devices that yielded little or no tactical and strategic advantage".  

And when I first read about them, I kept reading wunderwaffe as "wunderwaffle," and the German version of waffle just happens to be waffel, so it was practically begging me to exploit it. 

If there's a language safe from my puns, I haven't found it.  

Note:  Color will come later.  But right now I'm tired and technology is ornery.  

EDIT:  Color has invaded!  Such as it is. 

Clean Sweep

 Whether it is the cause of or solution to problems is in the eye of the pyromaniac. 

First Will and Testament

 An incident from back in driver's ed.  To be fair, I wasn't exactly a picture of confidence behind the wheel either.  But the instructor at no point screamed hysterically, so we were maybe probably not going to actually die. 

Language Barrier

 Yet another misadventure in communication. 

Statistically Significant

 Just diagramming something we all know to be true. 

Tumbleweed Graveyard

 There's several different kinds of tumbleweed.  The ones where I live are actually very civil, providing amusement for motorists before wandering off to the foothills.  Meanwhile, the ones in the rest of the country are far less considerate, burying houses and having the nerve to have spikes.  And are also an invasive species, which doesn't exactly improve relations. 

Always and Forever

 Some friends you can count on always being there. 

Nose Mythology

 Spell-check fails us once again.  

And if you were wondering, yes, those are real myths.  Among others.  Yes, there are other nose-related myths.  You have been enlightened. 

Melodic With a Chance of Bricks

 "Chance Music" (also known as "Aleatoric music," from the Latin word alea, meaning "dice") is music either written or performed with elements of chance.  For example, a song written with the notes chosen by the roll of the dice, or one that includes a drawing of a tree in the sheet music, with the performers improvising based on what they think that should sound like.  When learning about it back in my college musicianship classes, my teacher asked us to list a few ways a few ways chance music could be written.  I was sorely tempted to write this one down, but restrained myself. 

Easter Dragon

 An egg is an egg, right?  

Happy Easter! 

Perfect Disaster

 Eh.  Close enough. 

Perfect Logic

 Yes, this is a true story.  A rare glimpse into the exact thought process of a five-year-old. 

Temporary Pet

 Being a vampire means having to clarify things people normally don't need to clarify. 

Unstandard Procedure

 No one expects the chinchilla inquisition. 

Degrees of Action

 I'm told that the Minnesota thing is true.  Somehow.  

In other news, I'm back!  The photo comics were kind of fun, and I'll probably do more sometime, but it feels good to be drawing these again. 

Magnificent

We all know guys like this, right? 

Designated Babysitter

 It's a tough job, but he'll rise to the challenge.  After all, his pride is at stake.  

I originally was going to do a Valentine's Day comic, also featuring modified lion photos.  Then I realized halfway through that it wasn't working, and wouldn't be able to salvage it in time.  Thus this.  Oh well.  

Oh, and before anyone asks, my wrist is healing well, and I can draw again!  But I have a few other art projects I'm trying to stay on top of, so I'm trying not to overdo it.  Should be back to regular comics soon, though. 

One With Nature

 A picture of elegance and majesty. 

Mistakes Were Made

 Just because you can jump into the feed bin doesn't mean it's a good idea.  

These were some goats I saw at the state fair a few years back, so I don't know if this particular goat was already in a habit of trying to be clever.  But if he's anything like the goats I know, probably. 

Nature's Ninjas

 Such clever invisible bunnies. 

An Introduction to Nature

Being stranded among beautiful plant life builds character! 

I know it's the middle of winter, but I found these photos and couldn't resist. 

Queens of the Mountain

 Goats of all ages love climbing mountains, including the ones made from imagination. 

A Glorious New Year

 

 Have I jinxed things enough today?   

 

So after busting my wrist a couple weeks ago, I went hunting for alternate ways to make comics.  My present solution, as illustrated above, involves sending old photos I've taken through the Deep Dream Generator to look more artsy and assembling them into a page.  All things considered, I'm pretty happy with the result, so I'll probably keep experimenting with this until I can draw again.