Back in 2007, Adam "Apelad" Koford created a marvellous, funny, weird alternate history for the then-viral phenomenon of LOLcats, running-gag memes of cats whose superimposed dialog had many odd grammatical quirks: the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats," a pair of comic-strip hobo cats straight out of the 1930s, who found obscure and clever ways to riff on our contemporary LOLcats. Read the rest

Adam "Ape Lad" Koford's published a new collection of his wonderful Laugh-Out-Loud Cats comics, Down with the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats. The collection is pure, distilled charm.

The Laugh-Out-Loud Cats are the lineal descendants of strips like Peanuts, which mixed extremely contemporary references (in this case, references to Internet slang) with a timeless, childlike humor, and great character design. Pip and Kitteh are eternal hobos on the backroads of the Internet age, shamelessly mixing puns and sight gags in a way that is purely sweet.

As a bonus, this volume is interspersed with the hobo illustrations Ape Lad did for Hodgman's Areas of My Expertise. If you love cute animals, hobos, and Internet humor, you will love The Laugh-Out-Loud Cats.

See also: Gweek 121: The Return of Ape Lad Read the rest

Make this weekend extra special by listening to Boing Boing podcasts while you go about your business: breaking rocks, dining at a fancy restaurant with your spouse, attending a SubGenius devival, or performing Mechanical Turk tasks! And, take a look at Boing Boing's new iTunes page, where you can subscribe to and download all of our shows!

NOT PLAYING 001:

Lex and Dan watch Beverly Hills Cop together for the first time. They marvel at Banana Man, vests, and how (ass? fanny? butt?)-focused the stars of the film seem. And they do the Neutron Dance, of course.

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE 027:

A conversation with Peter Bagge, the Harvey Award–winning author of the '90s alt-comic Hate.

APPS FOR KIDS 051:

We reviewed Cookie Clicker, a pointless and dangerously addictive web game.

GWEEK 121:

Adam Koford (aka Ape Lad) joined us to talk about his new book of cartoons, Down with the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats, which he self-published so he could have more control over its design.

THE NEW DISRUPTORS 050:

Alli Dryer and Jenni Leder, user interface/user experience (UI/UX) designers, changed their lives -- and those of their husbands —- to bring their lives closer to what they want within the structure of employment.

YOU ARE NOT SO SMART 012:

"Mate poachers abound," explains this week's guest, psychologist David Buss, who says that his research supports his hypothesis that human jealousy is an adaptation forged by evolutionary forces to deal with the problems of infidelity.

TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW 018:

Fantagraphics Books has published some of the greatest cartoonists in history including George Herriman, Charles Schulz, Carl Barks, the Hernandez Brothers, Robert Crumb, Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, Peter Bagge, and many more. Read the rest

Any year that Adam Koford (aka Ape Lad) publishes a new book is a good year. The Disney artist joined Dean Putney and I to talk about his newest book of cartoons, Down with the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats, which he self-published so he could have more control over its design. And Dean tells a similar story about his forthcoming book of World War One photos taken by his great-grandfather, called Walter Koessler 1914-1918.

We also talked about the amazing Briggs & Riley Domestic Carry-On Expandable Roller, and the equally amazing Kickstarter project for the Heirloom Chemistry Set. And much more!

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On iTunes | Download episode | Listen on Stitcher Read the rest

Apelad sez, "I posted the 2100th Laugh-Out-Loud Cats comic last night. My kids had me print it out so they could cut out each panel to try and recreate the tunnel route. It's not easy!"

Laugh-Out-Loud Cats #2100 Read the rest

Ape Lad writes, "Woot is selling a poster of one of my recent Laugh-Out-Loud Cats comics for a limited time. It shows an inaccurate depiction of the constellations."

Connect the Dots Poster

(Thanks, Ape Lad) Read the rest

Your friends at RatherGood want you to remember: The Internet is Made of Cats. They make an excellent case for this position, as well. (via Charlie Stross)

Ape Lad sez, "I'm auctioning the 1300th installment of the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats for Haitian earthquake relief via ebay. Here's a bigger version of it.

Previously:

Mark and I have rounded up some of our favorite items from our 2009 Boing Boing reviews for the second-annual Boing Boing gift guide. We'll do one a day for the next six days, covering media (music/games/DVDs), gadgets and stuff, kids' books, novels, nonfiction, and comics/graphic novels/art books. Today, it's comics and art books!

The Wolverton Bible (Basil Wolverton): Wolverton wasn't just a funnybooks illustrator: he was also a member of a millenarian evangelical church called the Worldwide Church of God, a sect that believed in obeying Old Testament lifestyle laws and the literal truth of Revelations. So it was natural that Wolverton ended up with a regular, paid gig illustrating a series of Bible stories for kids and adults published in the Church's magazines like Plain Truth and in booklets with titles like Prophecy and The Book of Revelations, overseen by Church leader Herbert Armstrong, who had converted Wolverton to his faith. Full review | Purchase

Norman Saunders was a prominent illustrator for Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Modern Mechanics, pulp detective, western, war, and science fiction magazines, men's adventure magazines, and bubblegum cards and stickers, including Wacky Packages and Mars Attacks. Anyone interested in 20th century magazine illustration pretty much has to have this book in his or her library. I devoured the 368 technicolor pages filled with examples of his work from the 1920s to the 1980s. Full review | Purchase Read the rest

Jon Haddock's latest hand-cranked automaton reenacts the infamous "Don't Tase Me Bro" with adorable mechanical figurines.

Andrew Meyer (Don't Tase Me Bro)

(via Make)

Ape Lad sez, "I'll be signing copies of my new book, The Laugh-Out-Loud Cats Sell Out, this Saturday afternoon at Meltdown Comics in L.A."

I've said it before: "This was one of the most delightful things I read last year, a hilarious, gentle, sweet and deeply satisfying cartoon collection that sent me reeling back in time to endless soft-humming sunny afternoons with a stack of paperback comic collections -- except that it seemed to have dropped out of a parallel universe in which Internet memes had seeped backwards into the teens."

Laugh-Out-Loud Cats #1083

(Thanks, Ape Lad)

Adam "Ape Lad" Koford sez, "Alex at Neatorama asked me to write about the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats, so I listed a few of my influences. There are many, many more, but I didn't want to get too esoteric."

Adam's Laugh-Out-Loud Cats book was one of the most delightful things I read last year, a hilarious, gentle, sweet and deeply satisfying cartoon collection that sent me reeling back in time to endless soft-humming sunny afternoons with a stack of paperback comic collections -- except that it seemed to have dropped out of a parallel universe in which Internet memes had seeped backwards into the teens.

Here's a very short version of the history of the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats comic strip (which you may or may not believe): in 1912, my great-grandfather Aloysius Koford created a short-lived comic strip featuring two hobo cats, Kitteh (the big one) and Pip (the small one). In spite of it's quick disappearance from the few newspapers that ran it, the world and words of the two filthy felines he drew somehow made their way into the cultural subconscious of America, and ultimately the internet. Though long dormant, Aloysius' influence finally resurfaced sometime within the past few years, in a much-transmogrified form, as LOLCats. If you are unfamiliar with standard-issue internet LOLCats, I am both shocked and somehow very happy for you.

As I mentioned, some have chosen not to believe this origin of the webcomic I've been saddled with for the past 21 months. That is their right. John Hodgman, in his introduction to my new collection of comics (the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats Sell Out, available now from Abrams ComicArts), makes a valiant attempt to disprove my tale.

I just got a copy of The Laugh-Out-Loud Cats Sell Out, by A. Koford.

Does A. stand for Adam (our cartoonist pal also known as Ape Lad) or Aloysius (Adam's bon vivant great-grandfather)? We'll never know. It doesn't really matter. The important thing about these 150 one-panel gags, featuring a pair of wise-foolish felines, is how terrific they are, both in their warm, scorn-free humor, and in their evidence of masterful craftsmanship. The composition, spotting, and line-work would make Hank Ketcham nod in approval.

Mister Koford and his greatest fan, one John Hodgman, signed my copy of the book, and on the title page Mr. Koford also drew a cute sketch of Jackhammer Jill doing what she loves to do best. The back of the book contains another sketch of Jill, along with a thanks to all happy mutant everywhere.

I'm suffering from a head cold today, and I'm looking forward to getting into bed and reading this with my kids. Thanks Adam. You and your great-gradfather are wonderful!

The Laugh-Out-Loud Cats Sell Out

Previously:

Yes, We Can. And Yes We Did. What an amazing and historic night. Never have I witnessed so many people, all over the country, expressing such hope, optimism, and pride all at the same moment. If this mood tonight in America is a sign of what's to come, the future might -- in spite of everything -- be better than the last eight years.

What an incredible night to be an American. As I type this in a hotel in San Francisco, I can still hear people screaming and honking car horns out in the streets. I just left a diner with friends, and periodically the joint erupted in spontaneous cheering. Never in my life have I seen anything like this.

Above, flag photo by Siege. Tweeted Warren Ellis: "And that's it. Nice work, America. You got your country back."

Lessig to the FCC. Schneier to Homeland Security. Let the fantasy football cabinet appointment riffing begin.

Here's an open thread. Please discuss.

In related news, Ape Lad says the "H in sunrays" will no longer appear in the Laugh Out Loud Cats.

Read the rest

Not the first line you want to read in the top story in every major newspaper on the first day of the week. There it is, though. Today was one of the most bleak days ever in Wall Street's history, and Monday looks like it's gonna suck. The headlines will surely be easy to find; I'm publishing this post mostly just to create an open thread for the BB community to discuss whatever unfolds, and where it all leads. Snip from today's lead item in the WSJ:

The American financial system was shaken to its core on Sunday. Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. faced the prospect of liquidation, and Merrill Lynch & Co. agreed to be sold to Bank of America Corp. The U.S. government, which bailed out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac a week ago and orchestrated the sale of Bear Stearns Cos. to J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in March, played much tougher with Lehman. It refused to provide a financial backstop to potential buyers. Without such support, Barclays PLC and Bank of America, the two most interested buyers, walked away. Late Sunday night, Lehman said it intends to file for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

Hang on to your bindles, friends.

Here's more on insurer AIG's related meltdown, and here's the article from which the preceding graf was snipped: Crisis on Wall Street as Lehman Totters, Merrill Is Sold, AIG Seeks to Raise Cash (Wall Street Journal). Read the rest

Today on Boing Boing tv: Bigfoot, Chupacabra, a chainsmoking bear -- they all show up in this interview with Adam "Ape Lad" Koford's grandpappy Aloysius Koford.

"Pappy" illustrates cryptozoological wonders from his hobo past with a sometimes-malfunctioning robotic hand. Don't miss the second segment in today's episode, in which "Pappy" and Adam head out into the wilderness to spot cryptid tracks in the dirt. What do Sasquatch footprints taste like? You don't wanna know.

Link to BBtv post with video and discussion. And hey, if you dig this, feel free to Digg this.

Related Boing Boing tv episodes:

Today on BBtv: Aloysius P. Koford, the great-grandpappy of cartoonist Adam "Ape Lad" Koford, recounts his history as a Mountain Man -- kind of like being a hobo, as he explains, only more "grub," less clothing. Link to BBtv post with video and discussion.

Previously on Boing Boing tv: