"Blind Date"

The first of two posts that feature works that were actually drawn a few years ago, and were published the year after that (hence the 2014 date on the copyright fine-print). Typically there will be a handful of panels that, even after getting finished, sit in the pipeline on pause acting as emergency backups in case I ever need a filler on short notice. This as opposed to the bank of ideas kept incubating in the piles of sketchbooks in the studio - these particular panels are all ready to run, and the content is that of something which is independent of any topical factors like what time of the year it happens to be in the real world outside. Normally I observe broad zones of influence as per the seasons, in that it wouldn't make sense to run snowshoe gags in June (sometimes - though if the occasion happened it wouldn't be funny at all). But these backup panels are prudent artistic insurance which I've had to utilize on occasion when the logistical juggling fails, ie I drop the ball(s) and get caught up short on deadline. Fortunately not very often, but I still am in awe sometimes of cartoonists that manage a daily feature and have to herd cats on hundreds and hundreds of pieces. 

A noteworthy critique of this piece was that I had forgotten to shade in the moose's glass of wine. ot true: it was entirely intentional, as everybody knows a wolf would want a red, and thus moose tend to chardonnays. Hence there not being a bottle on the table, as they would also buy by the glass. Silly. Besides which, they can't read either, but hey.

And yeah, this was a sketch I had done before sketching it out in my sketchbook. Sketchy.
I have enough dietary issue trying to juggle the finicky needs of the cats in my cabin, to say nothing of preparing meals for the human in my life. Above + beyond the literal matter of taste, it's another analogous situation to making art that will be served, if not consumed, by a wide range of different people.

Finally, the question was asked of me earlier... so here is my answer. And a good thing it wasn't a hot date.