Frank55 Spreads His Wings

I'm not a professional cartoonist. I can't draw, don't have any pens, and have never been paid for anything even remotely worthwhile. But I am a passionate amateur. Is it possible to be a cartoonist if you lack any of the essential skills and equipment?

Yes it is.

Frank55 is a character I created. He's the flagship (and only) character of my creative... boatyard. I've shown you his adventures before: here, here, and a little cameo appearance here.

I've realised that I can't hide these genius needles in the huge haystack of my archive, so have created a place for Frank55 to call his own:

http://frank55is.tumblr.com/

It's on Tumblr. I don't really know how Tumblr works yet. I spent a long time messing around with the settings and background. I'm sure you can tell. It seems pretty fun. I need a new place to waste time - Twitter, Facebook and this blog aren't enough. I find that I'm only distracted for 90% of my waking life. I'm trying to nudge it up to 95%.

I joined Google+ a while ago, but I haven't really spent enough time there. Also, I don't know anyone else who uses it. I've just used it to write a sporadic analysis of the slotted spoon. If anyone would like to add me to their circle, please do. (I think that's the right terminology. I'm not making a inappropriate proposition.) My stage name is 'Paul Fung', which is a letter-for-letter copy of my actual name.

But Tumblr is my chosen platform for Frank55. If you visit the above link, you'll see all of the existing cartoons, plus quotes from experts, plus an unpublished third cartoon (that I apparently didn't post here because I thought it was rubbish). If you'd like to "follow" me on there, please feel "free" to do so.

You can also see the most recent instalment, which I include below, to give you a flavour of my artistry.

Pretty moving, right?

I'm hoping to get some kind of publishing deal. Webcomics are big business now. They're a way for people to show off their talents and reach a wide audience.

I could bring out a book. I might need to be more productive, though. Five cartoons in nearly four years isn't enough. I'll try to step things up.

I might also start a Tumblr page for myself. I can't be cluttering up the Frank55 page with interesting links and photos and videos. It needs to be pure, unadulterated ART.

I hope I'm not spreading myself too thin. This blog, my tweets, and now a "regular" cartoon... I just hope I can maintain my current high standards.

***

Now that's out the way, here is some entertaining content. I give with one hand, and give with the other. And if someone wants to hand me an ice-cream, I have to hold it in the crook of my elbow. I then give that away.

I'm worried that this much generosity will lead to me giving everyone the same clothes off my back, which could lead to infighting and spine pneumonia.

In other news, I was in my work canteen today, and overheard a physics expert at another table describing Stephen Hawking as "fundamentally second-rate". He said it with such conviction, that I've started to believe it. Stupid Hawking.

I suppose Hawking's celebrity must annoy other physicists. He gets all the plaudits, all the glory, all the women, and they have to do the hard graft. It's the same with Prof Brian Cox. That pretty boy is basking in the limelight (analysing the limelight's wavelength and eloquently describing the behaviour of limephotons), when the REAL scientists are wrist deep in gluons and sweating into a beaker.

But I suppose that's the way of the world. It happens in all walks of life. The Queen makes all the headlines, but its the unsung royals that are putting the blue-blood, blue-sweat and crystalline tears into making this nation one of the greatest in Western Europe.

It's just the way it is. Let the Coxes and the Queens and the Hawkingses be the glamour-magnets. There's work to be done. And you can't smash protons together if a paparazzo is staring up your lab skirt.

***

I seem to have mislaid my entertaining content. I'll rummage around and see what I can wrangle for next time.

I hope you enjoy the wedding you might be attending this weekend.

Serious

Let's get serious.

The world is a serious place.

I can't be flippant all the time. I recognise that awful things are happening all over the world. People are suffering. Such suffering should be avoidable. Or at least reduced. But the self-interest that dominates the human race means this doesn't happen.

And self-interest dominates me too. I should be helping the world. But I'm too busy being depressed by my minuscule problems. Bored by work. Stuck in a rut.

What right do I have to be upset about going to work? And being paid relatively handsomely to do something that's not too taxing?

I should be grateful. Things could be so much worse.

The thing is, I'm an optimist. I recognise that there's a lot of good in the world too. I recognise that compared to humans throughout history, we're in a very privileged position. People don't think that's true, but it is. Humanity is in a much better situation than it was a hundred years ago. Or a thousand.

But I complain about things anyway. I lost my keys yesterday. It got me down.

Keys. 

My problems are insignificant compared to the evils of the world. And the goods.

I resent that.

I'm sure I'll be happier soon. But until then, there's only one way to deal with a serious world. And that's to produce some serious art.

Here is some serious art.

1. serious egg

 2. serious Frank55

3. serious peg

4. serious Sarah Greene

5. serious invisible oven gloves

6. serious Sirius

7. serious mistake

The world is a beautiful and terrifying place.

Live in it.

Frank55: Part II

I've completed the long-awaited second Frank55 comic. The first part is here. You should probably read it again, or you won't understand what's going on.

Frank55

For the first time in about seven years, I bought some comics. In tribute, this blog will be in comic form. Enjoy!