C.L.A.W.

CLAW JULY OPEN SWIM RECAP #1

Stowe — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:59:16 +0000

Last night CLAW hosted another absurdly entertaining Open Swim meeting. The B-Movie themed poster contest was well received… producing such never ran movies as Dino-riding Werewolves From Beyond Space, I Married an Alien Squid, ANTS! and Hirsute Cartoonist Overtakes T-Town (seen here). CLAW also welcomed our twelfth member Shawn Clayton with the first musical member initiation ceremony EVER!!!

Stowe's Co-Winning B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

Brill's Co-Winning B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

Other entries include:

Monlux's attempt at B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

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RR’s “Aliens vs. Pet Detective vs. Predator”

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Debivan’s FREDO PLANET

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B-Movie Themed Open Swim

MarkMonlux — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:43:04 +0000

Classic Attack of the 50 Foot Woman Movie Poster

Once again The CLAW will be holding its Open Swim on the fourth Wednesday of the month, July 28th at 7:30pm at The Mandolin Café, located at 3923 South 12th Street
Tacoma, WA 98405-1508. Look for the secret gathering behind the French doors just to the left of the stage. Dress for the heat. This month’s them is “B-Movie Posters You Wish Existed”. The challenge is to pitch your idea for the greatest B-Movie ever to our stellar room filled with studio executives. You will have just over an hour to create a poster comp to support your one-minute pitch.
The CLAW Enters the Man Cave of the Northwest Convergence Zone

Mark Monlux, Big D, Double D, Wonderboy, Electric Elliot and Adam Botsford in The Man Cave

Every Sunday, Big D, Double D, Wonderboy, Big Joe and Squeeze post a podcast that keeps the South Sound up to date on all that is happening in Tacoma’s musical and pop-culture scene. After Big D saw The CLAW host Tacoma’s 100 Monkeys, he just knew that they needed to be guests on the show. So on Sunday, July 15th The CLAW (represented by Elliot (Electric Elliot) Trotter, Adam Botsford and Mark Monlux) entered the Man Cave of The Northwest Convergence Zone.

Check out the podcast at http://nwconvergencezone.com/wordpress/2010/07/the-boys-have-a-secret-meeting-with-c-l-a-w-and-talk-with-the-falcons/

The Great Convergance

Stowe — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:40:45 +0000

Apparently the stars have aligned in the correct unholy configuration because today CLAW celebrates not ONE… not TWO… but three member’s birthdays. Please join me in spreading the joy to #6, #7 and #9 on the event of their extremely unlikely conjoined birthing miracle.

Scholarship Winner 2010

RR Anderson — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:48:22 +0000

ARISE: Amelia Davis, young cartoonist of the future!

Every year The CLAW selects one lucky “at risk youth” (at risk of being seriously awesome) and awards them the YOUNG CARTOONIST OF THE FUTURE Scholarship consisting of a over-sized novelty check for photographic purposes and a large sum of money. This year The CLAW was able to AWARD $370 dollars to Ms. Amelia Davis, an art student at Cogswell Polytechnical College in Sunnyvale, California.

While Amelia tries to eat her novelty check, why don’t you browse her inventory of amazing illustration art here at http://lupis-fox.deviantart.com/ Yes!!!! Excelsior!

Learn more about the CLAW scholarship and see past winners here.

Secret Meeting Notes July 2010

RR Anderson — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:28:41 +0000

Meeting is called to order. SECRET CLAW OPENING RITUAL: What are Robots? Robots are Cool. Zombies Must Die! Shoot ‘em in the head. [One CLAP] Ceci nes pas une pipe. [Rotate Self 3 Times]

Old Business

CLAW vs. the World Bowling Challenge . . . ?
Non Profit Status? Mark Monlux is much to busy to do the paperwork.

New Business

Adopt Amocat as new Open Swim meeting space – RR tasked with talking our way in there.
CLAW online store – So far only RR has posted anything
STAN SHAW REPORT – motion to taunt professional Tacoma cartoonist Stan Shaw PASSED.
Beautiful Angle Local Currency project – limbo. Motion to pester Lance exponentially in September PASSED.
Tacoma Art Museum – members committed to July 31st CLAW team-up with Frost Park Community Chalk Militia to bring chalk art to dead concrete of TAM. Passed.
FeedTacoma.com Comics Page – Members discussed picking a day to post their comic strip. New members are still thinking of new strip ideas.
Agreed to appear on PODCAST: Northwest Convergence Zone – Sunday July 25th at about 5PM?
JUNIOR CLAW CADET NO. 12 to be voted in soon! Check out Shawn Clayton

Show and Tell

Mark Brill has a new gay-furrydom time travel comic out. UNBELIEVABLE + ASTONISHING!
Stowe gave a preview of his latest SCATS web comic
VEX zine is interested in a CLAW collaboration… RR brought in his VEX zine collection. CLAW’S MESSAGE TO VEX: Show us the money! Minimum donation to CLAW Scholarship fund is $150.

SECRET CLAW CLOSING RITUAL: What are Robots? Robots are cool. Zombies must die! Shoot ‘em in the head! [1 CLAP] Beware the flying monkeys.

CLAW does 100 Monkey Photo Diary

RR Anderson — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:14:55 +0000

Some favorite photos from the 100 Monkey party courtesy of war photographer Derek Tong, huckster RR Anderson and Friend of CLAW Kevin F. Remembering the times. Oh, the times! (click to view larger img)

Purchase original cartoon mystery art!

RR Anderson is going to pump you up!

Mark Monlux can’t control his mind!

Stowe is merry

Ms. Stowe is kind

Business is brisk!

Derek and RR discuss photography in the field

Mr. Fusion wins hearts and minds

Jinxmedic and Jr. CLAW Cadet

Electric Elliot is a true patriot.

“I love cartooning!” ~ Anonymous

Mark Brill, Winner of Best Fez People’s Choice

Anique can’t stop drawing!

Adam M. Botsford owns the mean streets

Kevin.

Thorax O’ Tool aka Larry (Government Informant)

Stowe Signage

Ms. Darcy enjoys drinking

“Look at all these awesome cartoon fans!”

Art is selling like hot cakes!

Adam the Alien doing his thing

Ms. Fusion, bowler roadie

February – Robot Month of Voltage

Anique Zimmer — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:42:13 +0000

Robot Calendar - February

BRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAP

-AZ

100 Monkeys was a Success!

MarkMonlux — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:53:34 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmonlux/4729912345/in/photostream/

Everyone loved the cartoons at the 100 Monkeys

There was music, there was laughter, there were folks eagerly waiting to look inside their bags to see what their cartoon looked like. We are happy to report that all of the tiles sold out. We even sold a few extra that were drawn on location. Half the proceeds to the extras will go to the next 100 Monkeys and half to the CLAW Student Scholarship Fund. Thanks to everyone who participated and came together to make this happen! To see more photos of the event you can check out the CLAW flickr account here.

Sneak Peak at 100 Monkeys Tile #96

MarkMonlux — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:07:14 +0000

100 Monkeys #96 by Electric Elliot

Electric Elliot is CLAW member #1, one of the four founders of The CLAW.

Save the 100 Monkey, Eat the 100 Monkey

RR Anderson — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 05:31:01 +0000

YOU have a modest chance to own one of these simple doodles FOR ONLY $4 DOLLARS; thanks in part to the generous altruistic nature of once City Council Appointee Applicant, Political Cartoonist and Professional Male Model RR ANDERSON, in glorious MONOCHROME! Drawn, as it would appear, with his feet using a prismacolor marker. You cannot possibly criticize his whimsical (read: naive) drawing style because it’s HIS street-cred style. RR Anderson is a celebrity, so what you’re really buying here with your $4 dollars is buying-into the brand or life-style-choice philosophy of this gritty-Tacoma artist… not necessarily a “quality” art piece because “quality” is relative and all part of your perspective and so what i’m really saying is you are an asshole if you compare these drawing to the other CLAW cartoonists who have trained for years with pen and ink renderings. That’s just not what the idea of RR Anderson is about man.

100th Monkey Tacoma

Location:

The Stonegate
5421 S Tacoma Way
Tacoma, WA 98409

June 23rd 7:30 to 9:30.
Band: Mr. FUSION
Tile artist: THE CLAW

Bring food and beverage to ’share’ and measly $4 for collector art piece and support the monk

NO cost art community building

Sneak Peak at 100 Monkey #87

MarkMonlux — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:20:45 +0000

100 Monkey #87

Eleven of the one hundred monkeys were drawn by Mark Monlux, one of the four founders of CLAW, freelance illustrator extraordinairé, and the 2009 winner of The Golden Toonie. Will you be one of the lucky few who walks way with one of the monkeys?

Sneak Peek at Monkey Tiles

adambotsford — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:19:20 +0000

Here is a glimpse of just a few more tiles available for a puny $4.00 at the 100th Monkey event.

It’s FREE to attend. Free to mingle. $4.00 for an elusive tile. And well meeting the C.L.A.W….priceless.

(Disclaimer: For legal reasons, value may not be assigned to meeting any member of The C.L.A.W as most victims are haunted by the experience well into their senior years.)

Monkey Tile Preview

Here are some details:

100th Monkey Tacoma

Location:

The Stonegate
5421 S Tacoma Way
Tacoma, WA 98409

June 23rd 7:30 to 9:30.
Band: Mr. FUSION
Tile artist: THE CLAW

Bring food and beverage to ’share’ and measly $4 for collector art piece and support the monk

NO cost art community building

A special note from the artist:

Dear reader,

Please join us in an effort to lessen our shame as fez wearing artists. We hope that through community awareness, other artists will take us more seriously. Only with the help of viewers like you can we overcome the life of oppression that awaits us. Shed some light on the plight of the artist.

And while you’re at it take home one of these cute monkey. They need loving homes where they can be admired and doted over.

Humbly yours,

-Adam M Botsford

ps: If you’re making baked good to “share”…The C.L.A.W. really likes cookies. Big ones! Much thanks.

Sneak Peek at Monkey Tiles #30 and #39

Stowe — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:18:09 +0000

Sneak Peek – Monkey Tiles 64, 66, 70

Anique Zimmer — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:14:21 +0000

100th Monkey Tile 64

100th Monkey Tile 66

100th Monkey Tile 70

100th Monkey fast approaches! And of course noir, infernos and gnashing monkey teeth making everything more awesome, buy a tile and it might be one of these.

-AZ

Sneak Peek at Monkey 91 and 95

the jinxmedic — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:29:29 +0000

Drawn during the Secret Meeting, here is a Sneak Peek at two of the Jinxmedic’s Monkey tiles.

One may ask, “What else is there to come?”

The Jinxmedic answers: “That is not for us to know at this time. For now, we must be content basking in the mystery of not knowing until all is revealed in the due course of time. (and if you don’t like that answer, too bad for you.)”

Respectfully Signed,

The Jinxmedic

Making Fezzes look good since 2009

Cave Monkey – Tile 57

Briller — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:10:39 +0000

Cave Monkey - 100th Monkey tile #57

Evolution meets Creationism dead on in this clash of critters that time forgot which is 100th Monkey tile #57!

100th Monkey Tile #46 Sneak Peek!

thoraxotool — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:08:35 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen! As you may well know, CLAW is hosting this June’s 100th Monkey on June 23rd. As such, Talons of the CLAW were tasked with creating the tiles. I was assigned tiles #40-50 and #98. My tiles contain everything from a cameo by a famous cartoon character to ancient deities to motorcycles and female nudity.

To whet your appetite for what’s in store at 100th Monkey, CLAW is offering sneak previews of our hand drawn tiles. All of my tiles are drawn with 100% REAL India ink and a nifty red paintbrush from Tacoma Art Supply. How can you get more local than that?

Tile #46 above is your taste of what the warped mind of Thorax O’Tool can conceive… and yes, that hard-rockin’ monkey is a southpaw.

Want to see the rest of my tiles? Come to the show on the 23rd and buy a tile or seven!

Blatant Self-Promotions from CLAW Founder Mark Monlux

MarkMonlux — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:16:21 +0000

I want to thank Adam Manley and Joe Izenman for helping me with this noble masterpiece.

OMG–it’s like watching the love child of Monlux & Stowe!

Briller — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:39:49 +0000

Jim Woodring Documentary Preview

MarkMonlux — Sat, 29 May 2010 13:46:27 +0000

As part of STIFF 2010 (Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival) a documentary on Jim Woodring entitled “The Lobster and the Liver: The Unique World of Jim Woodring” will be shown. This is a preview.

Comic Critic by Mark Monlux: Next Frost Park Chalk Off Sponsor

RR Anderson — Fri, 28 May 2010 03:38:06 +0000

[fig. 1: comic critic by Mark Monlux - Book of Movie Reviews in Cartoon Format]

From his announcement on FeedTacoma.com:

I would like to announce that I, the grand and glorious Mark Monlux, will be sponsoring next week Chalk Challenge.

FIRST PRIZE will be a signed and personalized copy of my first book (fig. 1).

SECOND PRIZE will be the sloppy seconds Princess Leia Bobblehead.

It’s true I coveted the Princess Leia Bobblehead and, after beating Adam the Alien in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to break our tie, I enjoyed taking her home. But it just hasn’t worked out between us. Rather than enjoying her on the shelf, I’ve been keeping her in a bag behind the fireplace. In all honesty, she is just a wee bit creepy. So she will be up on the block next week as second place.

FROST PARK CHALK OFF!

12 – 1 PM, 9th and Commerce St. Downtown Tacoma!
FREE CHALK, COMMUNITY EVENT

CLAW Open Swim: “Sell this Reboot!”

RR Anderson — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:51:00 +0000

UPDATE:

Space Invaders the Summer Blockbuster (winning entry by Mark Monlux)

Stowe – Second Place

Adam – Steam Punk Mario Brothers (Second Place)

Mark Brill -

McWars by Thorax -

Anique “Moby Dick and Monster Trucks”

SpeedRunner! (Junior Guest CLAW Cadets)

Jihadfield by RR

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Join the CLAW tonight at 7:30 PM at Mandolin Cafe’s back room! This week’s OPEN SWIM cartoonists game activity will be to REBOOT any intellectual property; making it appealing to today’s audiences with their cynical, post post modernist world views AND pitch the TV show/comic/movie to the group who votes on the best one.

ACTION STEPS:

1 . split into teams

2. pick your character franchise that could really use a reboot.

3. DRAW DRAW DRAW! (Transformer Babies? Lego Garfield Video Game? Family Circus with Zombies? Fraggle Emo?)

4. Make your pitch. Sell it!

Adam M Botsford is CLAW NO. 11

RR Anderson — Thu, 13 May 2010 06:40:22 +0000

Please welcome Adam M Botsford. He is our first Young Cartoonist of the Future Scholarship winner way back from 2009, fellow Frost Park Chalkie, and now a full fledged member of CLAW making him FEZ NUMBER ELEVEN! Here are some photos from tonights secret initiation ritual:

see more of our cartoonist absurdity in our flickr pool.

CLAW Does Poetry? YES! CLAW Does!

Electric Elliot — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:50:35 +0000

On April 28th, 2010, CLAW member #1, Electric Elliot, was joined by #3 Mark Monlux at Mouths & Mics: Poetry in the 253. The event took place in the Washington State History Museum and featured 7 fantastic poets from across the 253.

CLAW has obtained footage from the event, shot by Adam the Alien, which featured Electric Elliot and Mark Monlux’s collaboration in which Mark’s art compliments Elliot’s poem “Up, Up and Away”. Check out footage from the entire event over @ The Melon, and see more Electric Elliot poetry @ ElliotTrotterCOM.

The Robot Month of MOBILITY

the jinxmedic — Mon, 03 May 2010 04:27:54 +0000

One of the requirements that makes a robot a robot is the ability to move independently, and alter its course without outside control. In Aerospace, the change in velocity required to manuever to a higher or lower orbit is simply referred to as Delta Vee. Therefore, The Robot Month of Mobility is represented here by the formula for Delta Vee, and a cool little guy with a flying helmet.