Moon for My Mother

Sometimes the rat gets thoughtful. Sometimes I get thoughtful. Love to the mother of the rat and me.

Rat Poison

I hear Shermin speaking with a French accent.

Butchered goat heads left outside Hyde Park homes

Shermin’s Cincinnati goat farm.

(For those of you who live too far away from Cincinnati’s Hyde Park neighborhood to understand, please follow this link to our WKRC local news coverage.)

Shermin's Bilingual Flash Cards: More!

 Shermin the Vermin and U.S. Education: "Waiting for Stupid-man."

(Special thanks to Dan Schubarth for this wonderful idea. His prize will be awarded immediately: the newest addition to Shermin's vermin cast is hereby christened "Dan the Squirrel.")

Merry Christmas, Vermin!

Happy Catharsis from two new vermin: a squirrel, and (I believe) a groundhog.

If some nice reader suggested names for them, this rodent team might be back.

And, yes, I said THEY might be back. Yes, the squirrel is dead, but c'mon. It's only pixels on a screen, folks.

Think of the Children

In the very first "Shermin the Vermin" cartoon, I depicted him after attacking a baby. I deeply regret that, and I hope today's cartoon makes up for that insensitivity, which, as I said, I deeply regret.

Shermin's Bilingual Flash Cards: #1

¡Olé!


Shermin's bilingual flash cards. They can't be licked.

Welcome, Welcome to "You Bet Your Life"

It's not often that I can make my wife say, "Wow." I think that's a good thing.

Really, though, I'm just waiting for the sponsorship deals to come roaring in. Health workers, animal experimenters, animal experiment protestors: we can all unite in loathing, can't we?

The "Shermin Sicky Army" is on the limp, and they've got to get sick some time!

A Messy Thanksgiving!

I learned a new term this November: the "toilet hat." This handy, portable creation sits beside more hospital beds than most people want to know about.

For those who require photographic proof of the existence of this fine machine, follow this link to see the fantastically unwearable Toilet Hat.

And remember Shermin's thoughts on what to be thankful for: "It's not the eating - it's the excreting."

Cheer-Up Chaps!

A rat of principles, Shermin puts his ass on the line.

Because, yes, everyone deserves to be respected for who they are.

Out There Havin' Fun/ In the Warm California Sun

Shermin the Vermin says: "Give the gift that keeps on giving: Cruelty."

And who is this big black cat? She hasn't told me yet...

Cholly Churchmouse: Shermin's Goody-Goody Brother

"Cholly Churchmouse" makes his first - and LAST? - appearance.

In the Animal Research Lab

(CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE AT FULL SIZE.)

What can I say? Shermin really loves the lab's drug policy.

Shermin's Nightmare

In case you were wondering, today's cartoon isn't meant to be funny. Sometimes the funny-animal art style builds the expectation of all humor, all the time.

But Shermin the Vermin is no mere two-dimensional rodent. He has nightmares, too. Just like you and me.

Happy Halloweenie!

Salad Days

The Belle Diver and the Liquid Fly

Happiness is a Wet Rat, as reported in "Poor Shermin's Almanack."

Lab Rats

This could have been finished an hour ago. Sign me up for the clinical trial when they develop a cure for "Perfectionism Addiction."

(Click on image to enlarge.)

You Got a Friend

Alternative title: "Contractual Obligation to Mommy #1."

My family dynamic: Mom wants a rat? Mom gets a rat. With love.

Credit where credit is due: cartoonist Joe Kuth suggested using my hatred of parrots for a cartoon, and film-maker & artist Kevin Necessary inspired the bird's ability to inflict self-loathing on its victim.

Taste Like a Chocolate Milk Shake - Only Crunchy!

(Click on the image to see at full-size - it'll make more sense.)

This one's for the cereal commercials of and before my youth. The "Taste Like a Chocolate Milk Shake..." title was the slogan for a Cocoa Krispies commercial starring Snagglepuss.

And this one's also for good hygiene.

Research Rat

Didn't everyone have their age of experimentation?

Seriously, I love all my readers, and I'm just trying to share that love.

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Beer Me!

"For me, cleanliness is next to impossible." - Pig-pen, from the comic strip "Peanuts."

House Mouse

Once, while visiting family, my aunt looked through my sketchbook. After several pages, she turned to my mother, saying "What did you DO to him?"

My mother said, "I don't know."

Rah Rah Rodent

What in the world is wrong with me that I come up with strips like this? Love and kisses.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

You Can Leave Your Hat On

This cartoon is based on a very creepy personal experience. I still shudder when I hear Randy Newman singing "Baby, take off your coat/Real slow."

Shudder, Shermin, shudder.

Click on image for full-size. As if you'd want this to take up a larger section of your brain.

Oh, That Lovable Misogynist!

No, no, no, NO! BAD Shermin!

Click on image to see full-size.

(Special, sloppy thanks go to D.C., and my quality control expert, H.H.)

Ouch Goes my Heart!

Lookin' for the seat of the soul.

Irreconcilable

When you're lost, not only do you not know where you are, but you don't know where you aren't.

So you fight. While your ships sink in the harbor.

Spill, Baby, Spill!

My finished piece for the SOS Art 2010 show, here at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. I'm pretty darned happy with it - though I think it sends a rather bizarre set of signals to the viewer.

Drill, Baby, Drill

When New Orleans bleeds, I bleed. When the Gulf Coast bleeds, I bleed. I lived and worked and loved all over that land.

So, today, Shermin the Vermin (born in the gulf and the swamps) is Mucked. Mucked along with the rest of us.

I'll Regret This in the Morning!

"To get back one's youth one has merely to repeat one's follies." - Oscar Wilde.

"Consequences, schmonsequences. As long as I'm rich." - Daffy Duck.

Ice Skate Crime

All due credit to the Cincinnati Rollergirls' own superstar "Sk8 Crime." Her name inspired the title for today's Shermin cartoon.

Some day, I'll do a picture inspired by her skating style, which is NOTHING like this foo-foo ice dancer.

Although foo-foo is plenty terrifying for the rat.

Performance Anxiety

It's hard to sit down and do what your heart demands, inn'it?

Hard to ignore the screams of:  More. Important. Stuff. You know, money and immediate gratification.

The pressure: does the Chop-Chop-Chop of "Must-Do" wants to cut off your tail too?
.
- - - Cheese Us. Mellow out. Have a hamburger. Tomorrow will be a better day.

Oh, poo - it IS tomorrow.

Without a Nest

The homeless vermin. Shermin's sometimes blue, just like you.

Buzzed Again

Inexplicable. Check your dream journal for clues.

Featuring, from left to right: Guano, Shermin the Vermin, and the Big Bee Statue.

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Pillow Talk

Today's a day to dare to be stupid!

Click on image to enlarge - as if you'd want to. Yuck.

#006 Light Headed

 

Drawing smoke, fire, and bad news is fun.

As ever, CLICK ON COMIC STRIP TO READ FULL SIZE.

#005 The Inside Job

This is what breaking out of a creative block looks like for me.

Lynda Barry's book "What It Is" is wonderful for creative types, teaching us to create with uncertainty as our guide. The book has brought me out of my fear twice now. Thank you, Ms. Barry.

As ever, CLICK ON COMIC STRIP TO READ FULL SIZE.

Pirates and Kitties!

Question: How can I make Shermin less popular?

Answer: Today's strip.

Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me!

CLICK ON STRIP TO SEE FULL-SIZED.

Officer Shermin!

 

"Officer Shermin:" This strip has nothing to do with the current Frog/Underground storyline. I've just got a dozen things to do tomorrow, big plans for the next 2 Shermin strips - - - and I didn't want Shermin fans to wait that long!

Hence, this Shermin strip from the vaults. Enjoy!

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE, OR YOU WON'T SEE THE WHOLE STRIP!

#004 Requiem for Guano

The other night, Shermin revealed another piece of his character to me: that he acts on impulse. So was born this strip.

"Guano the Bat" - we hardly knew ye.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE ENTIRE STRIP! (Otherwise, you'll see only half of today's strip, and wonder why it doesn't make any sense.)

#003 Never Trust Your Monster

Click on image to enlarge. 

You know, I should create a blog with a bigger image space, thus saving all of you the trouble of enlarging the comics to read them. 

And - darned frogs.

#002 Unique Tastes

Click on image to enlarge.

But what does it all mean? As Buster Keaton would say, "Damfino."

#001 Frog Monster Follies

"Organic" not "Bubonic"

You are what you eat.

I actually read the label "70 % organic" on a product.

Hello, Boss!

The office rat on morning break.

By the way, "Hello, Boss" is the name of a sugary-sweet canned coffee drink I used to buy by the case in New Orleans East, in the Vietnamese "99 Market." The name and can alone was worth the drive.

Devil on your Shermin

Shermin is the Devil on your Shoulder.

Exchanging Views

In Which:
A.D.D.Man and Shermin meet, and Shermin appreciates the experience of life.

The old Winnie-the-Pooh chapters always begun with the words "In Which" before summarizing the next adventure. "In Which Eeyore has a birthday and gets two presents."

As to what today's Shermin cartoon means, all I can figure is this: Shermin has sides he hasn't shown me yet.

He Sells Sea Shells

Out of business.

(Click on image to see at full size.)