THE ADVENTURES OF HERMAN UTIX

[Zlatko Waterman]

Thank you, gentlemen:

We artists are very vain and like to believe, in our heart of hearts, that someone is reading out there.

There are now more than three thousand hits on this comic strip ( like the 911 dead and our own tragically and unnecessarily slaughtered Armed Forces men and women) and I like to have faith and imagine someone is reading it.

The story has been all opening exposition so far. Now things are really going to start moving. When I used to read POPEYE, MUTT AND JEFF, PRINCE VALIANT, FLASH GORDON and BUCK ROGERS as a kid, I couldn't wait to smudge my fingers on the fresh printer's ink in the newspaper to read those "funnies."

Trivia bit: Why was "Flash" Gordon called "Flash"? ( this had nothing to do with the later character "The Flash" in comic books . . .) ???

Ummmmm?

Answer: He was an outstanding polo player before he met Doctor Zarkov and became an interstellar adventurer.

Even more interesting trivia:

In England, for copyright reasons and others, as well as the fact that "Flash" was not a clear attribute of speed and prowess in sports, the same character and the same comic strip was called:

SPEED GORDON !


--Z

p.s. for Bonhonato:

Biff put on his Billy Casper/ Frat-rat blazer and turtle neck to resemble "Your Neighborhood Professional" Real-Estate agent. Since Biff is the one hundred percent clean, Mormon Youth straight-man, he is forced to wear the uniform. Later, he changes costume again.

Thanks for noticing.

"The Z"

[Zlatko Waterman]

EPISODE 15 !


The story so far:

Doremus Felsteiner, co-faculty member with Pleni Gudinski and Herman Utix at the Noetic Foundation of North America, has been rescued by his friends, and the teleportative intervention of Biff's marvelous craft, THE CLAW.

As this episode opens, our intrepid team welcomes their friend back in their midst.

But there is more to this little group than meets the eye, a fact that is about to be revealed . . .


( click to enlarge images)














TO BE CONTINUED . . .

[Zlatko Waterman]

EPISODE 16 !





(click to enlarge images)

[Zlatko Waterman]

EPISODE 17!

While Colonel Tissaia pilots THE CLAW to her secret base on VERITAS ISLAND, where she will explain her plans for saving the Earth from annihiliation, other forces come to bear!

The Land of the Free and The Home of the Grave isn't missing out on this one, and the most distinguished, rational, altruistic and wise leadership team ever assembled in history prepares to defend the Free World . . .

(click on image to enlarge)

[stilltrucking]

I love it Norman. This the first time I have been able to read it since I went bonkers with the deletions. I felt so damn guilty about the deletions I was depriving myself of the pleasure of reading your latest episode.

I been trying to post back to the dot dot dot's but it is getting surreal, I would not blame you at all if you deleted my replies.

I thought you might get a kick out of this

:

our pet president, July 18, 2004
Reviewer: Erica F. Verrillo (Williamsburg. MA)
For anybody who wants to know about pets, or goats, or simply wants to avoid the responsibilities of national leadership, My Pet Goat is a "Must Read"!

"A real page-turner! When you pick this one up, you'll wish you never had to put it down!" George W. Bush

http://www.sadlyno.com/uploads/sadlynogoats.htm

[Zlatko Waterman]

Thanks, ST:

I would never delete anything you post, here or anywhere else.

Truth to tell, I was so discouraged by the fact that no one has posted any comments on my comic strip for months ( except luminous "bh-onato"), and doubly distressed that you had exited, I skipped the episode for this week.

But now that I know I have at least two readers ( you and bohonato), I'll cook up the omelette of my next episode . . .

Thanks for your comment.

Really good to see you back.

--Z

[Lightning Rod]

Z-ko

this just keeps getting richer and richer. Thank you.

I'm sending you a private message

[Zlatko Waterman]

EPISODE EIGHTEEN!

The Vice-President and his boss prepare to board Air Force One while Herman Utix and his friends fly toward VERITAS ISLAND piloted by Colonel Tissaia, a benign alieness from another galaxy!

During this national emergency, the VP quickly issues some vital orders to his executive secretary . . .

( click to enlarge image)











TO BE CONTINUED !!

[stilltrucking]

"IT IS BETTER TO REIGN IN HELL, THAN TO SERVE IN HEAVEN"
"He demanded they manipulate specific stocks to reach a set price, often $6.66, a number with possible Biblical or apocalyptic meaning"

Nothing to do with your story, but that line about lowering the DOW to condition orange made me think of The Bishop
I think Chainsawe is just as delusional as the bishop.
I wonder what that makes me for thinking so?



bloody brilliant work Norman

thank you

[Zlatko Waterman]

Dear ST:

Your praise, yea, your NOTICE means a lot, because you see so much.

Hmmmm. I'll put it another way: if you had been my graduate student in 1985, I wouldn't have had to direct you at all. You would have been coming up with ideas from somewhere that hadn't even occurred to me. That's what "the education game" ought to be about: the student educating the teacher, breaking him loose from all the accumulated plaque of scholarship he had to accrete to get a damned Degree, or whatever sheepskin was required to be supported by the state.

Apropos of the comic strip, people often ask me how I would cast it as a film ( actually, no one has asked me at all, but I think it's a fun game to play):

Here we go:

HERMAN UTIX: Rip Torn or William Windom

PLENI GUDINSKI: Anthony Quinn
( The name, PLENI GUDINSKI, comes from my grandfather. He was a logger in the Oregon forests in his younger days. Back then ( the 1930's) many Swedes and Poles worked the Oregon forest . Old Norman Isaiah
( my namessake) learned some Swedish and Polish to communicate. Then he taught them some English. When things were going well, my grandfather got in the habit of answering the question: "How are you? or How's it going?" with the phrase "PLENI GUDINSKI!!" . . .)

DOREMUS FELSTEINER: Jack Warden

BIFURKOS PANADIDES (BIFF): Troy Donahue ( ca. 1963)

LI-LI ( aka Colonel TISSAIA, benign alieness): Yvonne Craig or Natalie Wood

SHURHAVA-bin-HAYDN: AKIM TAMAROFF

VICE-PRESIDENT CHAINSAWE: ANTHONY HOPKINS

HIS BOSS: Shemp Howard



Zlatko

[stilltrucking]

Geez Norman I spent twelve years as a sophomore pre-med student. No exaggeration. I could not decide on a major.

I hope all is well with you

I am trying to be patient

waiting for an episode.

[Zlatko Waterman]

For you, Still, I shall make an episode.

I am pretty much disappointed on the response here in general.

But with you, I am not disappointed.

--Z

[stilltrucking]

Thank you.

I am surprised that you have not got more feedback on episode 18. I think it is the best one yet. I like the one panel format.

But please don’t be disappointed that’s the way it is.
"I am sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Ouside of a small circle of friends." Phil Ochs

http://play.rhapsody.com/philochs/20thc ... ounce=true

[stilltrucking]

How's it hanging? I mean your hip. I remember you said something about surgery.

You know what I been noticing a lot lately? Cheney's sneer.

I don't remember the last time I saw a picture of Cheney in which he was not snarling.

I been trying to take up some slack on culture while you been on hiatus.

I learned a new word in yiddish the other day
totenputz.
don't be a stranger.
hope all is well with you and yours.

[Doreen Peri]

I am pretty much disappointed on the response here in general.

Other sites probably have more of an audience, that's true. We're just a little stop on a side street on the internet super highway. I've noticed a lot of artists use email lists to promote their work. I know this because I get so many of those emails... announcements about updates to their blog, announcements about updates to their websites, announcements about an art show or performance. Just thinking of ideas about how to direct people you know to see & read your work. But yeah, the bigger websites might have a built-in audience. We've missed you.