Strictly speaking, this isn’t a Rufus cartoon. However, I unearthed this from the Small Wonder vault for your viewing pleasure on All Hallow’s Eve.

As reported by Thomas H. Maugh II for Tribune newspapers

Archaeopteryx, believed for 150 years to have been the first bird, was probably only a feathered dinosaur that had great difficulty getting off the ground when it lived 150 million years ago, researchers reported last week in the journal PLoS One.

While I slowly revamp my website to reflect the end of “Small Wonder” and the beginning of “Rufus,” the comic strip. 

There will be changes. Some characters will continue; others see their contracts expire and bid a hasty retreat–all for a leaner, meaner humor machine.

Monday will debut the first “Rufus” cartoon. Be kind to this fine, feathered friend and toon in–oh, and please tell YOUR friends.

I know I’m a little late in posting this, but Jarrett Osborne has resurfaced and posted another chapter of “The Pursuit of Mandy.” It’s a rare and welcome treat when he does. (Post some more, Jarrett.)

In this Mandy webisode, Rufus makes an unexpected cameo–along with a strange, flatulent moose.

 Just received word that my comic feature (along with 249 others) has advanced to the second round of the Comic Strip Superstar contest cosponsored by Amazon.com and Universal Press Syndicate.

This is a pleasant surprise, considering I only found out about the contest a week before entries were due. I scrambled and cobbled together a comic strip featuring our fowl-feathered friend, titled aptly enough “Rufus.”

 I’m not sure how many initially submitted entries for the contest. They were predicting around 5,000. I suspect 251 (sorry, Jarrett). Around mid-October, the third round will whittle the number down to 50. I’ll keep you posted if I make the cut. 

If you don’t know about the Comic Strip Superstar contest, go to http://www.amazon.com/comicstripsuperstar.

UPDATE: Monday brought the names of the 50 semifinalists for the Comic Strip Superstar contest and, unfortunately, I didn’t make the cut. It took all I could to keep Rufus from keying the judges’ cars.

Mark London Williams, author of the Danger Boy time-travel series, had some nice things to say about Dwight MacPherson’s and my graphic novel Kid Houdini and the Silver-Dollar Misfits.

“Not everyone in a graphic novel has to have cape. There have been some terrific, recently published adventures as well: Into the Volcano, by Don Wood, kind of an updating of Danger Island for new readers, as kids head to Hawaii to visit mysteriously lost relatives, only to find themselves taken literally into a roiling volcano, that’s about to blow; Rapunzel’s Revenge is a fun, old west spin on the Rapunzel tale, as the titular heroine slings her long hair like a bullwhip, when encountering baddies; and Kid Houdini and the Silver Dollar Misfits is kid-friendly while offering enough gothic elements — magic, children orphaned to a dark carnival — that it will get your reader ready for when she does finally read some Alan Moore. Or Neil Gaiman.

“Which will be soon. In Middle School. 

“In the ‘adventure’ category, we reviewed both Rapunzel’s Revenge and Into the Volcano previously in this space. Kid Houdini is a new entry here, published by Viper Comics. It’s just creepy enough — in reimagining the great illusionist’s childhood — to serve as a ‘gateway’ comic to those older, darker — inevitable — titles.”

You can read more of Mr. William’s reviews on his Nexus Graphica site.

Mike Maihack has published a second collection of one of my favorites, Cow & Buffalo. The book, Stuperheroes, collects the webcomic’s entire superhero epic from August 2006 to December 2007 and includes an all-new six page back-up story, select comics from 2007’s “Journey Cow” event (featuring a cartoon from yours truly), new illustrations, guest art and a recipe for The World’s Greatest Sandwich.

Mmm-mmm, good!

Visit the Cow & Buffalo store now!

Yep, that’s right. Now I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “Why won’t that lazy @#%&*@ cartoonist get off his @#%&*@ fanny and draw some @#%&*@ cartoons?”

Well, I have my reasons, and I’ll try and lay them out for you.

1) The first few Small Wonder cartoons originally appeared in glorious black and white. For the first time, I plan to present them in radiant technicolor for your viewing pleasure. My eventual goal is to publish a comprehensive color collection of Small Wonder cartoons…say that 10 times fast.

But you’ll get first crack at seeing them in all their glory.

2) I’m also busily at work writing and drawing a new graphic novel– involving young, intrepid reporter Sam Clemons (a.k.a. Mark Twain). I hope to launch it soon on a website near you.

And

3) Regrettably, I feel the time has come for Small Wonder to draw to a close. I am eternally grateful for the support and friendship you’ve given me. May I never betray that. However, I feel that Newt, Jackie, Nigel and the gang have gone about as far as the Web (and publication) will allow.

I’ve been mulling this over for some time, and the decision was not an easy one to make. But never fear (if that was actually fear in your eyes), I am developing a new strip that will debut after the run of newly colored Small Wonders.  

May you enjoy it as much, if not more.

Not only has irascible Jarrett Osborne brought back from the dead his webcomic, The Pursuit of Mandy, but he also has thrown a Survivor-type contest into the fray. Yes, that’s right, 16 lucky (or unlucky) webcomic characters will be playing for one-million dollars. Rufus could sure use the money.

Which begs the question, what ever happened to Some Day Hero?