Sticking Points

The latest Skwigly feature is on a brilliant chap who I got to chat to recently as part of Project Group-Hug, Canadian animator/documentarian Jeff Chiba Stearns. The piece focuses on his short film Yellow Sticky Notes, an extreme-auteur production (it was animated entirely straight-ahead, using Post-Its) that went viral in 2008, as well as its follow-up Yellow Sticky Notes: Canadian Anijam which extended the same production approach to a mass collaboration with every exceptional Canadian animator under the sun - including the likes of Cordell Barker, Janet Perlman, Paul Driessen, Alison Snowden, David Fine and many more. Check out the interview (and watch the films) over on Skwigly.

While I'm a-blogging I want to mention that on Saturday February 7th I'll be exhibiting at my first indie comics fest in a good long while. The True Believers Comic Festival will take place in my old stomping grounds of Cheltenham at the Racecourse and will be open to the public from 11:30am. Please do swing by and say hello, I'll be predictably touting my graphic novel wares in a bid to shift some leftover stock. On sale will be House Guest: The Graphic Novel (with a free DVD of the film), Brain Spillage and of course multiple versions of my 2012 labour-o'-love Throat. I also want to mention that I will be selling the last handful of copies of my 2006 comic anthology That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child. Once these are gone, they're gone for good (I'll be pulling the eBook editions too).

Not that anyone's asking but there are two main reasons - I'm not that crazy about the overall presentation of the book and, being nearly a decade old, I wouldn't say it's dated terrifically. I'm still proud of the stories in some regard and, at the time, I felt I was being terrifically witty in lampooning all sorts of social taboos and bigotries. It seemed back then that people were getting smarter and more attuned to the role satire can play in pointing out the ludicrousness of intolerance, but I've watched with increasing despair in subsequent years as it's all gone the other way instead. It's less 'political correctness gone mad' (possibly one of the most misused phrases in the English language) than Poe's Law run amok. More to the point - especially as I'm loathe to self-censor in light of recent events - I feel like I've since moved away from my outlook and artistic direction of that time. So if you fancy yourself a Ben Mitchell relic that may or may not serve as an appropriate blackmail tool (for the shite drawings more than anything else) down the line, this'd be your last opportunity to grab it.
Check out the festival as well as the other smashing guests and exhibitors over at oktruebelievers.com - hopefully catch some of you there!

The Not-So-Fine Print

I recently tweaked some issues with last summer's book release "Brain Spillage". Mainly just to fix the layout and alignment on some pages, but I also took the opportunity to create a downloadable preview sampler to give the world a taste before they commit (not that they'd ever regret purchasing such a marvellous tome, sight unseen).

My bibliography to date, minus a couple of pending reissues.

These samplers are something I've done with all my books, though I don't think I've brought them up on this blog before, except for last xmas when I announced the reissue of "That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child". So, if you're in a literary mood have a glimpse at:
"The Best of 'Mitchells In England' Volume 1: 1994-1995"
"That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child"
"House Guest: The Graphic Novel"
"Brain Spillage: Excerpts from the Sketchbooks of Ben Mitchell" Changing the subject, I've been informed that "The Naughty List" will get an additional screening at Bang! on on the 28th, as part of the Bangimation segment. Double your festive pleasure, although hopefully it won't annoy people who go to the main event afterward and have to watch it twice. I was asked to record an intro for the festival which I tried to make succinct and of course ended up a stutterin', mutterin', ramblin' fool. I've given them carte blanche to edit it at will but here's the seemingly unending monologue I sent over:

Of course the virtue of the vid is my SPECTACULAR MOUSTACHE. It is quite possibly the greatest thing I've ever been responsible for, including my illegitimate daughter (oops...said too much). If you'd like to nurture its growth into a 'tache of resplendent beauty, don't forget there's still time to donate to Movember!

Pages To Turn

Apologies to any of you who may have had issues with ordering any of my books over xmas. Lulu have ordinarily proved themselves to be pretty dependable but I guess all bets are off during the holiday period. A little belatedly, I finally received my own copy of the "That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child" reissue and I have to say it's a vast improvement over the original edition in terms of print quality and binding.
I'm really getting a kick out of the whole book thing and have a whole bunch of ideas scribbled down for future releases. I can safely say that the reissues of "Mitchells In England" Volumes 2 and 3 are the next in line, which will cover all the old material and get my bibliography up to date.

The original covers for "Mitchells In England" Volumes 2 & 3

After that I have a few new graphic novel ideas, some short stories for children (believe it or not) and a couple of non-narrative concepts. These will be pretty simple to put together as they consist of material that already exists. One I'm thinking of would be a full-colour retrospective of my graphic design and illustration work completed over the last decade. The tricky thing will be going through all the backup CDs/DVDs/external HDs to locate the material, but I know it's all there somewhere.
Two others would both be black and white and thus a lot cheaper to produce. By the end of this year I imagine I'll have enough content to put out a book of collected storyboard artwork that would include the early animated music videos, "House Guest", both versions of "Ground Running" and the handful of animated projects I'm chiseling away at these days.What I've already started work on is a collection of sketchbook excerpts that showcase the gestation of a bunch of projects. Beyond the films these also include layouts and concepts for comics, commissions and projects that never came to be. I'm always fascinated by the published sketchbooks of illustrators and artists I admire, and it may be construed that I'm assuming that others will be similarly interested in mine. In truth I fully appreciate the virtual non-marketability of these more self-indulgent releases, it's more to scratch the personal itch of 'it sure would be nifty to get all this shit into a book'. And of course I can further exasperate my family and friends by extending my product line and dooming them to a lifetime of accepting gifts bearing my name with gritted teeth and forced grace.
I'm aiming to get the sketchbook collection done by June. Here's a proposed cover; title/cock visibility possibly subject to change when it comes out.

Reaching into my sack of treats

View from my balcony. Pity I can only go out on it for five seconds at a time.

'Hohoho'.
Right, that's enough yuletide spirit for one year.
Although, I do love giving presents. Especially the self-serving ones that promote my shallow li'l projects - and you're not allowed to be ungrateful because I made them myself and after all, isn't that the true meaning of the season?
Yeah, my family doesn't buy it either.I'm reminded of a Dr. Phil holiday special in which he urged the viewing audience not to buy things we think others should have, but things we know that they actually want.
Dr. Phil, in case there's any ambiguity left on this matter, is a redundant boob. Of course you're supposed to give people stuff you think they need at xmas. It's the one time of year you can force your own personal tastes and homemade crap on others. And if they don't like it, remind them that they got it for free and then backhand them.
Yes, I'm an angry, bitter man who will probably die alone.
But that aside, here are two presents from your close personal friend Ben Mitchell that you definitely didn't ask for, but I think you should have. Ain't I a stinker?Firstly, forget this RATM/X-Factor horseshit and instead check out my xmas single! Well, it has nothing to do with xmas, I just got it done last week and I'm too impatient to wait for the new year to put it up. It's called 'Spy Vs. Spy' and can be either streamed on MySpace or, for the next few weeks, downloaded as a full-quality mp3 right...wait for it...here!
The title is an obvious reference to the Prohias comic, which I love, but has nothing to do with it lyrically. More an analogy type-thingy.I've also put together a free preview sampler for "That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child", featuring the xmas-themed (it's a rip-off of "It's A Wonderful Life") short story "Vicky, Icky & Sticky" in its entirety! So download away, my adorable little buttered muffins, and drink heartily from the overflowing cup of my altruism!
Download "Vicky, Icky & Sticky" - gratis!
Now I'm off to watch old episodes of "Home Movies", drink some Cup-A-Soup and ever-so-gently weep. To all a good night!

Whoring For The Holidays

Need some inspiration for xmas gifts? Of course you do, you can't be trusted to think for yourselves. Break the annual pattern of disappointing every relative and loved one with your crappy gifts by giving them something they truly deserve for once.
Now that I've made you fall in love with me, let me present you with some fine items that will make the season seem a lot more holly and, I dare say, jolly to boot.

What better present is there than a book? How about three books? 2009 saw the beginning of my love affair with Lulu through the release of the graphic novel adaptation of "House Guest" (a short animation I made that I've possibly mentioned on this blog). There's also two reissues of books originally released in 2006, now with extra content and in full colour!

Buy "House Guest: The Graphic Novel"Buy "The Best of 'Mitchells In England' Volume 1: 1994-1995"Buy "That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child"

There's also some snazzy apparel you can get your greasy, materialistic mits on. Originally created for the film's crew, two "House Guest" t-shirt designs are now available! All sizes catered for.

Buy "House Guest: 'Face Off' cel" Men's shirtBuy "House Guest: 'Face Off' cel" Women's shirtBuy "House Guest: 'Duck' cel" Men's shirtBuy "House Guest: 'Duck' cel" Women's shirt

I'd have to be some kind of desperate, grasping whore to try and push a product that's nearly four years old, and yet here I go. "Agnosticaust", the third Struwwelpeter album from 2006 is the perfect treat for the impossible-to-buy-for music lover you know. With the fourth album "The Book of Women" just around the corner, it's the perfect introduction to my musically musical music.

Buy "Agnosticaust" by Struwwelpeter

(song clips featured on the order page)

Falalalala
Lala

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...


la.

If you know me, it's pretty obvious what you'll be getting for Xmas this year...

Well, I'm officially hellbound now that the reissue of "That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child" has been released. Just in time for xmas, so if you have any friends who you suspect may be cold-hearted sociopaths then it'd make a perfect gift.

To summarise, the book is a collection of short comics that I worked on between 2003 and 2006 that are all equally distasteful.

"Cuckold"

"Li'l Milly (The Adorable Bigot)"

"Honey The Hungry Hound"

"Vicky, Icky & Sticky"

For all my bewailing the subject matter I'm genuinely chuffed that it's out there and it is, sick or no, just a bit of stupid cartoon fun. You'll like it. Buy it.
As well as the full-colour and new content, I made a couple changes to the second edition's cover. It's a little brighter and the colour palette on the back page now matches that of the comics themselves.It's available to buy now in paperback from Lulu for the measly sum of £14.99, or the even measlier sum of £5.99 if you choose to buy it as a digital download. We are, after all, living in the eco-conscious era of the Kindle.
Stay tuned as in the next few days I will be putting up one of the book's stories in its entirety, the festive tale of "Vicky, Icky & Sticky". Xmas brings out the giver in me.

In Situ

I've just come back from two days in hospital having my throat mercilessly raped by an angry blue whale sporting a prophylactic woven from razor wire. Well, that's what it feels like. Actually it was a procedure that may go a long way toward keeping me alive in the long run so I should probably be feeling more upbeat about it than I am. Well heck, at least they gave me all this lovely codeine.
As a side-effect of my esophageal blues (if that isn't a Tom Waits album title it should be) I had a lot of free time on my hands yesterday and began cleaning up an old, dusty short comic I wrote back in 2005. I was originally going to include it in a collection of similarly distasteful tales called 'That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child' the following year, but I felt the end result was too inappropriate even by my standards.Looking at it again after several years, it's an odd exercise in catharsis involving my conflicted issues toward the pornographic industry, reality TV and Frank Capra (it's kinda like my version of 'It's A Wonderful Life'). Anyhoo, it's called 'Vicky, Icky & Sticky', it's awful and disgusting but it does have some funny bits. Frankly I feel that I'm afforded my gallows humour after the last couple days. When I finish the clean-up I'll either bung it on here as a free Xmas treat or throw it into the planned full-colour reissue of 'That Isn't Funny...'. Or both. Probably both.On completely the other end of the cartoon spectrum, I'm happy to say that my friend Veronika Broscheid's short children's film 'The Lonely Socks Club' is making it's festival debut at the Falstaff International Film Festival in Stratford-Upon-Avon on the 20th. I wrote the music for it and am happy to have my name attached to such a genuinely pleasant film, especially considering that the stuff I come up with on my own is so abhorrent (yes, Icky and Sticky are aborted foetus angels - is it any wonder I've been blighted by illness?). I need that element of balance.
Anway, her film plays as part of the Closing Strand from 2:30pm at the Civic Hall, along with another great film 'The Legend of Geb & Nut' by her MA coursemate Laura Ratta.Also, 'House Guest' is playing at Estonia's 'Animated Dreams' festival on Wednesday 18th, in the 'Best of International Student Animation' section starting at 8pm EET. The festival screenings take place at the Cinema Sõprus in Tallinn. Hurraahüüe!

Fully Booked

To quote the Professor: Good news, everyone!
Actually, I'm not sure what kind of news it is. Not bad, certainly...
Anyway, the 'House Guest' graphic novel has been selected by Lulu to be listed on Amazon, el internet bookstore-o supreme-o. I'm not entirely sure what their selection criteria is - not to denigrate my lovely book, but I'm guessing it may be random. I've been putting off promoting it properly before I hear back from a couple of potentially-interested publishing houses. Either way, this is helpful as it increases the book's visibility. Hypothetically, my book might pop up when somebody was actually looking for this:

Honestly, between this and that goddamn Sinbad movie...I'm gonna put a lot more research into all future film titles from now on.

The only issue is that they've automatically marked up the price, so take some advice from your soft'n'squidgy uncle Ben (me, not the rice guy) and buy it straight from Lulu. Well, you don't have to buy it at all, even though it could be the one vital thing that's presently missing from your life, but hey, I'm not going to pressure you. If you're a spendthrift (fair play to you) there's also the eco-friendly option of buying the digital download version at less than half of the price. You don't want to hurt those trees, do you?
Hey, let's keep talking about books!
In 2006 I put together a collection of various doodles, cartoons and comics I'd produced for student magazines, e-zines and anthologies mixed in with some stuff I'd scribbled out while on the can. Titled "That Isn't Funny, You Stupid Child", I kept it on the QT as I felt the humour itself veered toward the mean-spirited, callous and sometimes just plain disgusting. Looking through it again I think I was too quick to condemn it - there are no masterpieces of contemporary storytelling in there but you can see the seeds being sewn for my subsequent film work. Plus, compared to stuff like Drawn Together, South Park and pretty much anything on Adult Swim, the content isn't especially incendiary. In fact, the most unpleasant story featured - 'Honey The Hungry Hound' - is actually true, so it goes to show that my imagination is no match for the nastiness of real life.

Original layout sketches for the short story 'Cuckold'. A young altruist is savagely beaten while his vacationing girlfriend cheats on him. I'm not a mean-spirited person, it's just that sex and cartoon violence are both fun to draw.

As most of the publications that ran these pieces originally were low-budget, small-potatoes operations, the work featured was all in black and white. Having seen the quality of a full-colour Lulu book compared to a B&W Cafepress book (for the record, I still think Cafepress is the shizzle) I've decided to reuissue "That Isn't Funny..." in colour, as with the "Mitchells In England" anthologies.
With everything else that's going on I'm in no rush to get this done, but it would be nice if it could be ready by xmas.
My poor, poor relatives. If I actually finish the new album this year they'll all be doomed to a holiday season of having to accept my homemade pap with feigned, weary grace.
Mwahahaha.