Morty Comix # 2508

Morty Comix # 2508 was slipped into a little slot at a coffee counter in an Olympia, Washington grocery store.

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Ice on basalt, sundown

SR 8 near Summit Lake

Morty Comix # 2507

Morty Comix # 2507 was tucked into a support brace under a counter for a telephone nook in St. Peter's Hospital, Olympia, Washington. Placing and documenting this baby took some doing, let me tell you.

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2B or not 2B, that is the question

Morty Comix # 2506

Morty Comix # 2506 was left in the window of a sandwich shop in DuPont, Washington. This is one of the weirdest towns I have visited since the unincorporated Seabrook, Washington.

I had a turkey sandwich, by the way.

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The Evergreen State College

Olympia, Washington

Mort Drucker

This year for Christmas my Mom gave me a book of selections from the pen of Mad cartoonist Mort Drucker. When I asked her how she knew I was a fan, she replied, "Are you kidding? I remember how you loved his work when you were growing up!"

It's true. I started reading Mad during the JFK years, and two of the magazine's artists in particular were a major influence for me, Don Martin and Mort Drucker.

A master of caricature, Drucker has a gift for capturing the character of celebrities and politicians like no one else. Widely imitated but always without equal, I have yet to see a would-be Drucker who doesn't look forced. The work of the original Mort looks effortless and graceful. And fearless.

Drucker was the one who usually drew the movie parodies that included songs "sung to the tune of ...," a device I loved when I was a regular Mad reader and later employed frequently in my own comix.

I do not believe Mort Drucker was a factor in the naming of Morty the Dog, unless it was subliminal.

Anyway, this a great book and well worth tracking down. Published 2012 by Running Press.

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Fat Freddy's Catnip?

My cats love these catnip bananas, but I hope Gilbert Shelton is getting some kind of royalty for the cat drawing on the label.

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Speed Limit 25

DuPont, Washington

Favorite Movie Quotes: The Italian Job (2003)

"Steve, how many times do I have to tell you? I trust everyone, I just don't trust the Devil inside them."

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DuPont, Washington

Morty Comix # 2505

 

Morty Comix # 2505 was left at what appears to be one of the former ticket windows of the century-old Steilacoom Train Station in Steilacoom, Washington.  These days all the trains just pass the station by.

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Tumwater, Washington

Favorite Movie Quotes: La Cage Aux Folles

"Let's have a toast for this catastrophe."

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Morty Comix # 2504

 Morty Comix # 2504 is going on a little trip.

 I found my former cell phone

 and suspended it from the ceiling over a folding table

 Then I placed a paper grid divided into 50 squares on the floor near the table

 And here's the exciting action part: I set up wooden pegs and swung the cell phone

 The pegs landed on 22, 30, 33, 34, and 38

 So I made a new display

 reset the pegs, and swung again

 The winner was 38. Colorado, our 38th state!

At this point, rather than prolong the suspense, I just chose the city of Ouray, where my maternal grandfather was born in the late 1800s. I've never been there but I have some documents and old photos from that place. The first Ouray address I found online was a business in the chocolate trade. And so that's where this issue of Morty Comix will go today.

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Buster