King of Indie Animation
May 15, 2012
Surely you know that we mean Bill Plympton! We’ve been fans of his work for decades, so we seized the opportunity to see his panel at ComicCon last summer. (There will be a bloop devoted to the rest of ComicCon 2011 later.) All joking aside, he’s very animated in person and has lots of interesting stories to tell. He was there showing “Guard Dog Global Jam,” a remake of his Oscar-nominated short “Guard Dog,” but redrawn, shot for shot, by dozens of other animators using their own styles. It’s brilliant! See it if you get the chance.
But, I digress. He was also plugging his new book, Independently Animated: Bill Plympton. The deal was that if you went to his booth and bought a copy, he would sketch a quick cartoon of your choosing inside the front cover. Previous bloops have highlighted some of the drawings we’ve commissioned of D&McT. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have one by Bill Plympton, plus we got the awesome book too! I think we look a bit like the grandparents in the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
But, I digress. He was also plugging his new book, Independently Animated: Bill Plympton. The deal was that if you went to his booth and bought a copy, he would sketch a quick cartoon of your choosing inside the front cover. Previous bloops have highlighted some of the drawings we’ve commissioned of D&McT. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have one by Bill Plympton, plus we got the awesome book too! I think we look a bit like the grandparents in the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
D&McT ala Bill Plympton
The Frontier Medical Woman
May 14, 2012
The sitting room at Dr. Pogue’s residence was a comfy setting. The overstuffed chairs and couches made a neat ring around a wooden table. A score of fringed pillows had taken up residence on the sitting surfaces. The embroidered cloth on all of the furniture was of rich colors: burgundies, deep blues and teals, with intricate gold patterns. This splash of impressive decorum was a direct result of Esmeralda’s influence on Edmond’s furnishings.
The wooden table was thick and heavy, and didn’t quite fit the Victorian décor. It had been handed down through the Pogue lineage, and had originally been a worktable in the Scottish Crookston Castle located about five miles southwest of Glasgow. Edmond and Esmeralda had ancestors who had worked in the castle back in the first half of the eighteenth century. The lore surrounding the table was that one of the table legs was damaged in the bombardment of cannonballs from the famous cannon Mons Meg, when it was used to attack the castle in 1489. The table had been left unused in storage for two hundred and fifty years until it was repaired to a working state by Edmond’s great, great, great grandfather. Upon this table he performed many of his smaller workman’s tasks, including machinery repair, leather tooling, and toy construction. The table was passed down to his family upon his death, as one of many tokens of gratitude by the castle’s owner, William Graham, 2nd Duke of Montrose. ...
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The wooden table was thick and heavy, and didn’t quite fit the Victorian décor. It had been handed down through the Pogue lineage, and had originally been a worktable in the Scottish Crookston Castle located about five miles southwest of Glasgow. Edmond and Esmeralda had ancestors who had worked in the castle back in the first half of the eighteenth century. The lore surrounding the table was that one of the table legs was damaged in the bombardment of cannonballs from the famous cannon Mons Meg, when it was used to attack the castle in 1489. The table had been left unused in storage for two hundred and fifty years until it was repaired to a working state by Edmond’s great, great, great grandfather. Upon this table he performed many of his smaller workman’s tasks, including machinery repair, leather tooling, and toy construction. The table was passed down to his family upon his death, as one of many tokens of gratitude by the castle’s owner, William Graham, 2nd Duke of Montrose. ...
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First Anniversary
May 09, 2012
When our buddy, John (who is the inspiration for the various, doomed incarnations of John Redshirt), “bet” us that we would only write about half a dozen episodes of D&McT before giving up, the gauntlet was thrown! We missed a couple of weeks that first year. Okay, we’ve missed a couple of episodes this year too, but who’s counting? But when we got to July 5th, 2011, we had 50 posts and miscellaneous other material on our website, and that sounded like as good a reason for a party as any.
Mad Fondant Skills
To read further about our first anniversary, click here.
The Misfortune of the Mislaid Missive
May 08, 2012
“Will you be havin’ another, Tavis?”
“Just keep them coming, Angus. There’s new gettin’ tha sight ou of me head.”
Ferguson’s Public House had been in Angus’ family for seven generations and Angus himself had learned the art of listening at his father’s elbow while perfecting his glass washing skills. Angus could wash, rinse, and dry a pint glass without ever taking his eye off a patron. And he could put three glasses back on the shelf with one hand while tapping a fresh pint with the other. He topped up a fourth pint for his old friend and faithful customer, Tavis Haversham. It wasn’t like Tavis to drink more than two at a go. He was one of those fellows who would make a big show of drinking with his lads on a Friday night, but he paced himself. The only time Angus had seen him drink as many as three was the morning after Mrs. Haversham had given birth to their first healthy child. She’d already miscarried one and the birth had been a long, hard one. Haversham was a solid sort and liked others to think him a proper, stoic Scot, but Angus knew that the only thing Tavis had feared more than the loss of his child was the loss of his beloved Moira. Whatever Haversham had seen at his mother’s cottage had frightened him even more than that. ...
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“Just keep them coming, Angus. There’s new gettin’ tha sight ou of me head.”
Ferguson’s Public House had been in Angus’ family for seven generations and Angus himself had learned the art of listening at his father’s elbow while perfecting his glass washing skills. Angus could wash, rinse, and dry a pint glass without ever taking his eye off a patron. And he could put three glasses back on the shelf with one hand while tapping a fresh pint with the other. He topped up a fourth pint for his old friend and faithful customer, Tavis Haversham. It wasn’t like Tavis to drink more than two at a go. He was one of those fellows who would make a big show of drinking with his lads on a Friday night, but he paced himself. The only time Angus had seen him drink as many as three was the morning after Mrs. Haversham had given birth to their first healthy child. She’d already miscarried one and the birth had been a long, hard one. Haversham was a solid sort and liked others to think him a proper, stoic Scot, but Angus knew that the only thing Tavis had feared more than the loss of his child was the loss of his beloved Moira. Whatever Haversham had seen at his mother’s cottage had frightened him even more than that. ...
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Empty Hand
May 02, 2012
It was well past eleven o’clock when Sparky exited the Chapel Royal through a gauntlet of hardy handshakes and “so pleased to meet you” speeches. She was practically hoarse from using her lowest octave to croak out “just call me C. L.” and “so glad we finally met” and all of the associated social niceties that one exchanges with complete strangers.
Through all of the smiles and nods, her inner voice was reciting, “Why did I follow through with this insane idea? Becoming a knight? In a society that doesn’t permit women or foreigners? And on top of all that, displeasing a monarch that now wants favors?” As she hurriedly walked away to return to her aunt’s home, she thought back over the ritualistic protocols and formalities that she just went through for three hours: the wearing of vestments and accoutrements, the call and answer chanting, and the standing and kneeling. Was this really what she wanted? ...
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Through all of the smiles and nods, her inner voice was reciting, “Why did I follow through with this insane idea? Becoming a knight? In a society that doesn’t permit women or foreigners? And on top of all that, displeasing a monarch that now wants favors?” As she hurriedly walked away to return to her aunt’s home, she thought back over the ritualistic protocols and formalities that she just went through for three hours: the wearing of vestments and accoutrements, the call and answer chanting, and the standing and kneeling. Was this really what she wanted? ...
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Gaslight Gathering 2011
April 26, 2012
As we’re busily making preparations for the second Gaslight Gathering, we thought we would take a moment to reflect on last year’s Gathering, a wildly successful event right here in our own backyard, figuratively speaking. We don’t call San Diego “America’s Finest City” for nothing!
With two and a half days of events, we got to try out a few costumes (although I confess to devolving to my limited-edition D&McT t-shirt for the end of the last day out of sheer exhaustion from wearing multiple layers). Like this one where I’m wearing my John Bull topper and the cool, purple leaf vest my mom made me, but no leather duster. (It gets really hot!) Drake proves that he has more fortitude than I by wearing his.
With two and a half days of events, we got to try out a few costumes (although I confess to devolving to my limited-edition D&McT t-shirt for the end of the last day out of sheer exhaustion from wearing multiple layers). Like this one where I’m wearing my John Bull topper and the cool, purple leaf vest my mom made me, but no leather duster. (It gets really hot!) Drake proves that he has more fortitude than I by wearing his.
Oooo, McTrowell loves Drake
To read further about Gaslight Gathering 2011, click here.
C. Llewellyn McTrowell
April 22, 2012
“Just hold you trews on! I’m not as spry as I used to be,” the lady hollered as she made her way from the kitchen to the front door, wiping the flour from her hands onto her apron. She looked the visitor on her stoop up and down. His face was fortified with the expression that boys on the verge of manhood wear when they’re attempting to be serious and authoritative beyond their years. “Good day, young sir. What can I do for you?”
“I have a important message for Mr. McTrowell.”
“Oh dearie, you’re a wee tad too late. Mr. McTrowell has been dead and gone more than ten years now.” ...
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“I have a important message for Mr. McTrowell.”
“Oh dearie, you’re a wee tad too late. Mr. McTrowell has been dead and gone more than ten years now.” ...
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Curses!: in Which Our Authors (Nearly) Achieve International Fame
April 20, 2012
Surely all of our readers are familiar with League of S.T.E.A.M. We’ve been following them since McTrowell got to wind up the Crackitus Potts’ plunger launcher at Steamcon II. So when the League of S.T.E.A.M. put out a call for local-ish steampunks to work as extras in a webisode for season two, we jumped at the chance! We packed the Dr. Sparky-mobile full of costume bits and headed up to South Pasadena early one Saturday morning. They provided coffee and bagels, and we provided our photogenic selves.
To read further about our being extras for “Curses!”, click here.
Golden Gears
April 18, 2012
Just about the time Drake said, “We shouldn’t let this thing take over our lives,” we strolled into our favorite jeweler’s, Charles Koll, and Drake asked one of the jewelry designers, David Armstrong, to make us a couple of lapel pins with our logo. Thinking such a design task would take quite a bit of time, we left and went on our merry way. David Armstrong is a jewelry design geek…and a steampunk fan. He called a week later, “Oo, oo, oo, you guys have to come in and see the design.” We were thinking it would just be a sketch or maybe the CAD.
Okay, he had the CAD. But he also had the wax parts fabricated from their 3D printer. (Seriously, these guys are amazing designers!) Including, wait for it, the actual gears. The center of the gear with our faces is stabilized by the pin on the back. The outside of the gear turns…which turns three, tiny, gold gears in the back which counter rotate the bezel on the front holding the diamond!
And here are the results!
Mine, on the left, also has a fold-down bail so I can wear it on a chain. And then I had to have matching earrings. Too. Cute! I just have to remember to wear them in the correct ears so we’re not backwards.
Many thanks to Charles Koll Jewelers and their incredible designers.
Crossing Poultry
April 15, 2012
Standing alone in his flat, Erasmus was beside himself. He thought he had conveyed the proper level of concern to Sparky that she was edging into a dangerous area with her graph. He also remembered the warnings that he had received at the meeting about not revealing anything to anyone. But at what cost? He had to talk to her.
Erasmus realized that he didn’t even have a vest on. He grabbed one and slipped his arms into it as he scampered down the steps. He stopped at the bottom, looking out of the glass in the large doors to see if he might have caught her in time. ...
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Erasmus realized that he didn’t even have a vest on. He grabbed one and slipped his arms into it as he scampered down the steps. He stopped at the bottom, looking out of the glass in the large doors to see if he might have caught her in time. ...
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Steampunk Croquet
April 13, 2012
Way up at the top of our list of people to party with is The League of Gentlemen Adventurers. Last year we participated in their Second Annual League of Gentlemen Adventurers International Invitational Croquet Tournament & Symposium. (Okay, so that was way back in May of 2011 and we’re obviously running a little behind on our non-story posts.) These guys sure know how to cater an adventure! Here we are, defending the honor of D&McT and acquitting ourselves with valor.
Photo credit to The League of Gentleman Adventurers - May 2011
Inexplicably, we didn’t win. I think the fix was in. However, my wounded pride was considerably assuaged by the scrumptious repast and the perfectly executed kir royale. Oh yeah, I also got a story idea out of the whole affair. The tournament was the inspiration for an episode of D&McT, Pall Mall.
Steampunk Cufflinks
April 11, 2012
