Max Reads!

Max Zing, of the eponymous comic strip, reading Galactic Politics 101 while being threatened by Cycloptoyeti. Curse those crazy Cycloptoyeti!

Always coveting books on Galactic Politics.

Granted, it's a pretty interesting read.

So I am not without empathy.

The Amazing Ed Binkley

I met Ed and his lovely wife at Spectrum 2015 down in Kansas City. Ed's talent incarnate. I went by his booth at the show and was stopped in my tracks by his piece Rickshaw Pass. It's like Maxfield Parrish crossed with Arthur Rackham. The handling of value is exceptionally deft.

Rickshaw Pass was nominated for a Spectrum Gold/Silver award and rightly so.

Check out more of Ed Binkley's work here.

W.R.A.I.T.H.

VON BLOFF

Welcome, gentlemen, to W.R.A.I.T.H. Our mission…

DELIVERY GUY

Dominos! You, lessee, Mr. Von Blof?

VON BLOFF

You aren't allowed in here. This is a top secret organization, dedicated to terror, extortion, blackmail…

DELIVERY GUY

…and you owe $34.95.

VON BLOFF

$34.95? That's outrageous. 

DELIVERY GUY

No money, no pizza.

Von Bloff turns to his seated subordinates.

VON BLOFF

Gentlemen: which one of you is behind this juvenile little prank? 

Delivery Guy notices fish tank behind Von Bloff's chair.

DELIVERY GUY

Hey, is that a pufferfish ya got in there?

VON BLOFF

What? Ja, ja. An extremely rare breed: the leaping Tetradonitadae Malificus. One touch means death. In excruciating--

DELIVERY GUY

They're cute. I got four at home.

VON BLOFF

Preposterous. I paid ten thousand pounds each for these. Half the expedition died in the Amazon--

DELIVERY GUY

Dude, you wuz robbed. They had them on discount at Pet Value. Hey, there lil’ fella. Coochee coochee coo!

VON BLOFF

Wha-what are you doing? Don't touch them!

DELIVERY GUY

It’s okay. Only the spines are dangerous.

Delivery guy pulls out deadly fish and strokes it.

VON BLOFF

Put it back. Give me that fish!

Von Bloff grabs at fish.

DELIVERY GUY

Hey, watch it.

A spine pierces Von Bloff's finger.

VON BLOFF

Ow! Schiesse. You dumbkopf!

DELIVERY GUY

Oh, dude. You’re turning purple. 

VON BLOFF

The pain… is excruciating.

DELIVERY GUY

Man. I better call my wife, throw those fish out.

VON BLOFF

You… idiot. Unnnh!

DELIVERY GUY

Wait! Don’t die. You owe me thirty-five bucks!

VON BLOFF

Yes. Stiffing you shall be… my revenge…

Heist Skit

MARTY

Is this legal?

CECIL

Course it is. Now shut up.

MARTY

Why are we wearing masks then?

CECIL

I value my privacy. Hand me the blowtorch.

MARTY

You never told mom you owned a bank.

CECIL

I don’t talk to mom anymore.

MARTY

She always said you were a real loser.

CECIL

Uh huh.

MARTY

She said you’d never amount to anything.

CECIL

Take this. Lemme pull the bars off.

MARTY

She said you’d wind up being somebody’s bitch in prison.

CECIL

This is why I don’t talk to mom. Give me the code cracker. Box with all the buttons on it.

MARTY

OK. It’s her birthday next week.

CECIL

Here we go.

MARTY

Why don’t you have a key?

CECIL

Told you. I lost it.

MARTY

But…

CECIL

And i forgot the combination and passwords.

MARTY

That seems kinda irresponsible, Cecil.

CECIL

DO you have any idea how many passwords I have?

MARTY

I have two.

CECIL

Ha! More than that. Just a few more seconds.

MARTY

Three?

CECIL

97. Yes! Gimme a hand. Push.

MARTY

Wow. This is a really big vault.

CECIL

Start filling your bags. Put’em on the cart, yeah? 

MARTY

Look at all the money and gold an’ shiny stuff.

CECIL

Less gawking, more stuffing.

MARTY

Can I give this gold watch to mom?

CECIL

No. No gifts for mom!

MARTY

She likes watches.

CECI

So? She never got me anything for my birthday.

MARTY

She got you socks.

CECIL

Socks don’t count. 

MARTY

We should get her something.

CECIL

No. Okay. Fine. You wanna give her something? She can have the damn blowtorch.

MARTY

Aw, c’mon, Cecil. You know they won’t let her have a blowtorch in prison.