Greetings, visitors to my site! I haven’t been posting as many updates here as of late since the majority of my updates are now delivered in a monthly newsletter to which you may conveniently subscribe here: http://eepurl.com/hdgbFv
Anyway, here are a few morsels of recent news so your trip here isn’t completely in vain:
First off, the issue of MONKEYS FIGHTING ROBOTS magazine featuring my essay, The Durability in Being a Cartoonist, was successfully kickstarted and all rewards were delivered to the various backers in September. While I am well aware that the pandemic has affected every supply chain, the publishing world being no exception, I was thrilled to find my contributor copy in my mailbox shortly after it was announced that the kickstarter rewards had all been shipped! Again, my thanks goes to Matthew Sardo for inviting me to pen the aforementioned missive regarding the myriad ways being a cartoonist has shaped and informed my life. The issue is not available to purchase as of yet, but I will include the information here if/when anything changes.
As of November 24th, FairSquare Comics‘ MUTINY MAGAZINE # 1 was unleashed upon fanboys and local comic shops everywhere. In fact, the issue was so highly coveted it completely sold out and is no longer available to order from Diamond! Included in this issue is my short comic Memory Box (pictured below), an emotionally-charged reaction to the tragic loss suffered by my wife and I earlier this year. Thank you to the savvy and talented Fabrice Sapolsky for this opportunity to share, process, and heal! Should you be interested in obtaining a copy, you can do so from the FairSquare Comics online store while supplies last.
MR. BUTTERCHIPS continues to chug along over on the SLG Publishing site and, as of last Wednesday, has reached 31 episodes. I wanted to extend a personal thank you to everyone who has been reading the webcomic! There’s much more satirical zaniness headed your way in 2022, so bookmark the dedicated landing page on the SLG site to delight in new installments every Wednesday 🐒
Lastly, though I can’t divulge the specifics, there is some TREMENDOUSLY exciting news on the horizon regarding my latest graphic novel. Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter at the link above to be kept appraised of all projects coming down the pipeline in the new year.
Happy holidays to all and I want you all to know just how much I appreciate your continued support!
This Saturday I will be returning to one of, if not my favorite local comics shows: The Marin Comics Fest! Via their website:
The Marin Comics Fest is proud welcome cartoonist and comics creator Alex Schumacher to Blue Moon Comics in San Rafael on Saturday, September 25, from 1 to 3 p.m. Based in [the Bay Area of California], Alex produces the weekly misadventures of that wise-cracking, socially attuned simian Mr. Butterchips for SLG Publishing, which published a collection of the strip last year. He also produced the weekly webcomic Decades of (in)Experience for Antix Press from October 2015 – January 2021. Alex’s other books include the satirical social and political collection ‘Defiling the Literati’ and the all-ages works ‘Benjamin and the Fish’ and ‘The World’s Crummiest Umbrella.’ Admission is free.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, or restaurant, or any social gathering on a large scale, we’ve been hit with the announcements regarding the highly transmissible Delta variant of Covid-19 which only served to reignite my deep-seated paranoia and anxiety. While my family and I have returned to some normal activities (e.g., regular grocery shopping, dining out, etc.), the latest infection surges have me rethinking said outings in the immediate future. That said, it has been enjoyable to once again see family and friends and I do have a couple of in-person appearances planned as well as some new work on the way.
Before the belly-bursting nationalistic brouhaha of this weekend’s holiday commences, I wanted to drop a sizable summary of the most recent creative goings-on.
Francis Lombard also invited me onto his utterly unique podcast PORTRAIT OF AN EDITOR. Francis and I reminisced over our five-year run on the slice-of-life webcomic DECADES OF (in)EXPERIENCE in this episode posted on June 4th. We also talk about my mentor Morrie Turner, but, more importantly, we talk about the relaunch of the MR. BUTTERCHIPS series. Listen to our full exchange here.
On Wednesday, May 26th, pal and comics journalist E. A. Henson of Biff Bam Pop! posted our chat regarding the relaunch of the webcomic and a smattering of other creative-related shenanigans for his inaugural HEROES AND VILLAINS podcast. Listen to our full exchange here.
As I recently updated my prehistoric digital device, I have once again commenced to create and post additional content to my YouTube channel. Most recently, I uploaded a time-lapse video capturing the illustration of a commission (as seen below).
I next plan to record the “answer” portion of a Q&A. So if you harbor any burning inquiries on which you’d like to see me elaborate, feel free to send them way through my contact page or by emailing me at alexschumacherart@gmail.com.
MONKEYS FIGHTING ROBOTS: THE MAGAZINE
This ongoing magazine is a combination of comics and articles about comics from an experienced team of writers and artists. After discussing “superheroes” and “the future of comics” in previous installments, Matthew Sardo and company have returned to tackle all things “cartoonist.” In the current issue, only available to kickstarter backers for the time being, yours truly composed an essay on what it means to be a cartoonist entitled, THE DURABILITY IN BEING A CARTOONIST. Please find an excerpt below and I will be sure to inform you all if/when the issue is available to the public:
“I was not a very good painter, and I was not as good a writer as I should’ve been. These two ineptitudes put together made one [aptitude].” – Will Eisner
Aptitude, or talent, are two words which are hurled about frequently in the world of visual arts. An unquantifiable factor which endows the individual practitioner with some seemingly recognizable skillset necessary for success in a brutally competitive field. However, technical ability alone does not a cartoonist make. The world of comics is a veritable minefield of subjectivity and disappointment.
In 1987, I was oblivious to the fact that I was mere months away from the first of many setbacks I was to endure on my journey. My adoration of cartoonists existed at the purest of levels as I pored over the Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comic Strips gifted to me by my maternal grandparents who always encouraged my evident need for expression. The coffee table book masterclass transported me to different worlds fabricated by titans of the industry like Roy Crane, Frank King, Chester Gould, Walt Kelly, Rudolph Dirks, George Herriman, and so many more. Typically irreverent and blunt, the humor of these characters that were rendered in exquisitely flowing linework spoke to me in a manner which no medium had before… or has since.
MUTINY MAGAZINE
Another upcoming project pertains to the quarterly periodical Mutiny Magazine, curated by former Humanoids senior editor and Spider-Man Noir co-creator Fabrice Sapolsky. (continued below)
This new anthology was designed as a platform to give extra attention to independent creators, especially minorities and marginalized groups. As I’ve been lucky enough to get to know Fabrice over the last few years, he invited me to submit a piece for the upcoming edition. Said submission was accepted fairly quickly, along with some incredibly kind words from Fabrice. I don’t want to divulge too much about my contribution as soon there will be a kickstarter launched to fund the issue in which I will be featured. As soon as the campaign goes live, I’ll be sure to announce it here.
UPCOMING APPEARANCES*
On Saturday July 31st SLG Publishing, home to the MR. BUTTERCHIPS weekly comic, will welcomeyours truly, cartoonist Jaime Crespo, and 215 Ink’s Mike Perkins for a day of spectacular creator-owned comics to celebrate this years “Buy Indie Comics Day”. The relatively new day of observance was conceived to celebrate the thousands of indie, local, and small press creators pushing the graphic novel medium into the next millennium!
The event is free and open to the public. More information can be found on the events page.
More announcements to come in the very near future! For now, I want to take the opportunity to remind everyone that fireworks are not fun for everyone or every species. In fact, they cause far more harm than entertainment. While I do hope everyone enjoys their time celebrating with friends and family, please be responsible and considerate this Fourth of July weekend.
May 4, 2021, (TAOS, NM) — Get set. One seriously maniacal monkey is about to be unleashed on the unsuspecting public! On May 5th, weekly installments of Mr. Butterchips by Alex Schumacher (The Unemployment Adventures of Aqualung, Defiling the Literati), will launch on SLG Publishing, accompanied by new apparel to help fans show their love for the celebrated curmudgeonly capuchin.
Mr. Butterchips illustrates the day-to-day antics of a prickly organ grinder’s monkey set in a surreal fictional West Coast town, which is populated by an array of quirky characters. It’s through this satirical hallucinogenic lens that the pitfalls of a “gig economy” are examined, while touching on such timely issues as class disparity and intolerance; amplifying the absurdity of what it means to be alive in a world which seemingly becomes more insane by the second.
“When offered the opportunity by SLG Publishing, I decided to retrofit Mr. Butterchipsfor a new era and a broader audience,” said Alex Schumacher. “While the comic will now be set in the hallucinogenic fictional town of Los Puritanos, readers who enjoyed the salty simian’s tenure at Drunk Monkeys Magazine will be pleased to know his low threshold for stupidity and intolerance remains wholly intact.”
The comic first appeared in the online literary magazine Drunk Monkeys beginning in April of 2016. SLG Publishing released Mr. Butterchips: A Collection of Cantankerous Commentary in 2020, assembling the initial run of the webcomic along with a 22-page standalone acid trip of a story entitled “Psychotropic San Francisco Sojourn.”
For additional information or press queries, please contact Don’t Hide Publicity Director, Melissa Meszaros: melissa@donthidepr.com.
With a competent administration once again displaying how leadership should work and vaccines being disseminated, I am for the first time in nearly half a decade hopeful for the immediate future. I never thought I would miss book signings and conventions, but times are strange. Speaking of which, I’m doing my best to remain creative in a thoroughly uninspiring era.
THE LATINX COMICS ARTS FESTIVAL
On Friday March 12th I was honored to be a panelist during this year’s Latinx Comics Art Fest! I participated on the Storytelling Across Mediums roundtable, moderated by Dr. Frederick Luis Aldama. Other speakers included my pal Jaime Crespo, Candy Briones, and Carlo A. Flores. Find the conversation in its entirety below.
ADRIAN HAS ISSUES
On March 24th, Adrian King posted our conversation for his tremendous podcast Adrian Has Issues. We realized it was my THIRD appearance on the show and gabbed as friends would about the conclusion of the DECADES OF (in)EXPERIENCE weeklies, the future of MR. BUTTERCHIPS (and other projects), stage diving, and more. Listen to our full exchange on Adrian’s site!
MR. BUTTERCHIPS
Earlier today I firmed up details with SLG Publishing for the MR. BUTTERCHIPS relaunch. I’m excited to divulge all information soon and hope you’ll join me for this new chapter in the maniacal monkey’s saga, especially if you’ve followed the comic since its debut in 2016!
In the event you missed this on social media, here is the teaser panel I’ve floated around sites like Instagram and Twitter for the past couple of weeks.
Happy Monday, friends! It is utterly mind-boggling that March has arrived, signaling a year of enduring this pandemic. With the inept administration ousted at least there’s some actual progress towards ensuring the populace is inoculated promptly.
On a brighter note, there are a few projects currently in the works! While they are under wraps for the time being, I look forward to the near-ish future when I can inundate you all with incessant announcements. In the meantime there is one particular piece of news I am at liberty to share followed by one piece of news which I can merely tease.
Last Wednesday (February 24th) Eva Webb of the Titular Characters Podcast posted the impossibly fun interview she conducted with this kooky cartoonist covering a vast array of topics regarding my years in the business of storytelling. I do hope you’ll give my episode a listen (below) as we had an absolute blast during the recording!
A new beginning for an old friend will also arrive this year. The official press release and promotional images are forthcoming…
Coming soon is also my 3rd (THIRD!) appearance on the eternally welcoming Adrian King’s podcast Adrian Has Issues. This winding exchange plunged deep into not only the thought process behind creation, but the mentality required to forge ahead in an artistic realm against all odds. A link will be shared as soon as the episode is available!
That’s correct, folks! I’ve started my own YouTube channel to compile interviews, tutorials, Q & A’s, and all other manner of video content. Visit my channel for regular uploads, and feel free to submit a question you’d like to see me address in an upcoming clip.
Below is one of my first tutorials, INTRO TO INKING TOOLS. I hope you enjoy. Thanks and don’t forget to subscribe!
My first attempt at a YouTube tutorial, featuring the February 2021 MR. BUTTERCHIPS page.
Welcome to the first post of 2021… Or is it 2020, the extended dance remix? Regardless, here we are in January and another twelve months stretching ahead with which to influence change and share stories!
As some of you may already know, my weekly webcomic DECADES OF (in)EXPERIENCE ended a 5+ year run on the first of the year. Fear not, for even in the absence of a weekly comic there are plenty of projects in the works including my new graphic novel (on submission now!) and illustrating a picture book starring an intrepid snail written by Douglas Cole. Of course, the monthly misadventures of your favorite foul-mouthed monkey MR. BUTTERCHIPS returned to the pages of Drunk Monkeys Magazine last week as well!
Speaking of, for the new year I wanted to offer some incentive for folks to support my work and/or share my Patreon with their friends and family. So, if I were to acquire ten more patrons at the $10 or higher levels, or twenty new patrons at the $5 or higher levels I’ll send EVERY patron a copy of MR. BUTTERCHIPS: A COLLECTION OF CANTANKEROUS COMMENTARY!
Sound good? Then let’s start spreading the word 😎
I hope you all enjoyed a lovely holiday season and look forward to the possibilities of the new year!
Good tidings, inhabitants of the digital realm! As we’ve now crested that death-defying plunge into the holidays, I resolved to make at least one more post here on the blog before this hellish year has officially come to a close. Since last updating in August there has been a flurry of activity. Without further ado, let’s dive right in!
MR. BUTTERCHIPS
Since SLG Publishing released the curmudgeonly capuchin on the world, he has garnered attention from a variety of online review outlets thanks to the help of Don’t Hide PR. A couple which arrived online in the wake of my last post were from the venerable A Place to Hang Your Cape and Graphic Policy.
If you are looking for a little bit of truth wrapped in some dark humor, Alex Schumacher‘s Mr. Butterchips: A Collection of Cantankerous Commentary is the perfect anthology to check out. – Carla Vazquez, A Place to Hang Your Cape
Read the write-up in its entirety on the AP2HYC site.
Schumacher’s brilliance and timeliness of subject matter make this a MUST READ as he makes the reader laugh as much as he makes you think. – Pharoah Miles, Graphic Policy
Soda and Telepath‘s own Anthony Pollock was also gracious enough to host me for an interview regarding the book, my genesis with the character, etc. Our spirited exchange can be found on the S & T site in their interview section.
You still have time to obtain a copy as a holiday gift for the comics lover in your life! Visit my books page for purchasing options.
DECADES OF (in)EXPERIENCE
Following a transcendent five-year journey, Antix Press and I will be making a monumental announcement regarding the webcomic come December. My gratitude for Francis Lombard and the dedicated audience attracted over the course of our run cannot be overstated. You all are the sole reason I’ve continued pushing this boulder up the hill, so to speak. My efforts as a Gen-X Sisyphus would have been insurmountable were it not for the encouragement and support I’ve received since the onset of the comic in 2015.
Truly, from the bottom of my soul, thank you all.
That said, there are some Decades-related projects in the works. One of said ventures is a limited edition sculpt of everyone’s favorite inebriated immortal, Drunk Death (pictured below)! In partnership with You Are Player One, these gorgeous figurines will be available shortly in time to order the perfect holiday gift. Stay tuned for details…
HOLIDAY COMMISSIONS
As the gift-giving season approaches, I’m planning to open 4-5 commission spots for interested parties. Original art makes for a distinctive, one-of-a-kind holiday present! An added bonus is that you’ll be supporting an independent artist, which has become increasingly vital for the survival of our trade.
Slots will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. Use the form on the contact page, or email me at alexschumacherart@gmail.com for more info. Samples below.
PATREON
If you’re looking for exclusive content, behind the scenes access, and other goodies unavailable to anyone else, please consider subscribing to my Patreon page. With many projects in the works, there’s sure to be an abundance of material specifically presented for my patrons in 2021!
I’m pleased to announce that I have signed with the phenomenal Allison Hellegers of Stimola Literary Studio! I want to state that my former agent (Pete Ryan, also of Stimola) and I split amicably. He’s an amazing person and there were simply circumstances beyond anyone’s control which led to our parting ways. The groundwork he laid and faith he had in me/my work will ALWAYS be held in high regard.
That said, I’m considerably reinvigorated to be repped by Allison! While there’s nothing I can properly announce at this time, I’m currently prepping several projects to be shopped by Allison in the near future. One of which is my latest graphic novel, but I’ve already divulged too much. You’ll just have to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for further updates.
There is also a comic strip being considered by Universal Press Syndicate for possible syndication. My initial pitch was a sanitized version of Mr. Butterchips, entitled MONKEY SEE… (excerpt below), but Universal respectfully rejected the idea with an invitation to propose other concepts.
Thus, I spent the last few weeks putting the pitch package together and delivered my submission the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to the acquisitions editor with whom I’m in contact. Whatever the outcome, 25-year-old Alex would absolutely lose his mind if he knew we had a personal connection at one of THE big syndicates. Life is weird sometimes…
Anyway, Hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far and we’ll see you in 2021!
alexschumacherart.com 