Alternate titles included “Cocoa Catastrophe” and “Choc-nado of Marshmallow Mayhem.” Herb looks on as Joey surely commits a hot chocolate crime here… although it begs the question: are there really any rules when it comes to hot chocolate? I think this is a beverage where anything goes. Carry on, Joey.
Tag Archives: Joey
Santa Snacks
Herb decides that Santa is above the typical Christmas Eve milk and cookies — chocolate nugget bomb cookies to be precise — so he pulls together a bougie spread for ol’ Kris Kringle and his red-nosed companion. Santa is confused by the espresso and Rudolph seems to appreciate the charcuterie board, complete with name cards. I’d love to know where you find Butterkäse cheese on Christmas Eve in Cold Springs, Manitoba but I digress…
The Christmas Spirit
The Planet Joey characters rock out on stage — Peanuts style — to a holiday jingle being played by Joey and Herb. The gang is so full of holiday cheer in fact, that it seems to be seeping into Gaston’s dark soul…
Snow-brainer
TGIF. Thank god it’s fluffy. Joey has the right idea: don’t hold back. It’s time to take on the weekend with reckless abandon.
Bubble Fox Guest Comic 2022
I was honoured to be asked again to create a Bubble Fox guest strip for San Diego-based cartoonist Jon Esparza, who runs guest comics by selected artists every September while he takes a well-deserved break. This one is more of a Planet Joey comic with a guest appearance by Bubble Fox to be honest, but the important thing to remember is: always make sure you’re in the right state of mind before reading comics, kids!
Back in the Saddle
After the Le Corbusier chair incident, Herb is indeed back in his old faithful armchair, a little worse for wear after literally being put out to the curb with the trash in favour of the LC2. Everything seems to be back to normal, just with a few extra insects and rodents…
The Law of Furniture Replacement
It’s another instalment of Feline Physics, where Herb has taken his eyes off of his precious piece of furniture at the most inopportune time. As the law states, Penelope ignored the beat up old ottoman in the family room in favour of experiencing the feeling of fine Italian leather under her claws.
Obsessive Love Disorder
Herb warns Joey to tread carefully around his new Le Corbusier chair, while Joey quickly researches a disorder stemming from feelings of extreme jealousy and possessive behaviour (and not necessarily related to fine Italian leather). Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt, Herb.
Hardly Reassuring
We discover the fate of Joey’s Great Auntie Mil’s chair – out at the curb on garbage day. That’s harsh, Herb.
Great Art is Never Understood
Herb fills Joey in on who Le Corbusier (Le Cor-boos-ee-yay) is and how it relates to the piece of furniture he’s sitting in. Joey has other concerns, dampening his enthusiasm for this icon of modern architecture and design.
What’s a Le Corbusier?
Herb is bringing a little style to Cold Springs, one… piece of furniture… at a time. Here, he’s showing off his new Le Corbusier chair, which raises a series of interesting questions. The first of which is: what’s a Le Corbusier?
An Exhilarating Trip
It’s Joey’s first Easter in Cold Springs and while it’s good to know he’s still on the Easter Bunny’s list, a special delivery takes the spirit out of the day.
Soaking Wet
Joey is back home – warm and dry after his disastrous first day as the new Cold Spring Clipper Newspaper Delivery Associate – breaking down the eventful morning with Herb. Elsewhere in town, two customers aren’t thrilled about receiving only a (very wet) portion of the paper.
Suboptimal
We catch up with Joey out delivering newspapers in the early morning, but the sunrise has disappeared in favour of… a torrential downpour. It’s never good news when it’s raining sideways, Joey.
Fire in the Hole
Decorating for Christmas can be dangerous, as Joey and Herb discover. The hard way. Well, at least Herb does. Joey escapes into the house and makes a mental note for next year, while the unsuspecting Herb is going to… need some assistance.
Tree Topper
It’s time to trim up the tree and Joey is having a hard time – like any kid – reaching those top few elusive branches… The family couch turns out to be… not the greatest substitute for a step stool or a ladder. Somehow, it all works out in the end!
#Believe
Just a Job
There’s nothing like the peace and tranquility of the early morning summer sunrise – and a violent, torrential downpour – to help you take stock of things, Joey.
Top Heavy
After getting crushed by the bundles of newspaper, we’ve skipped ahead to a point where Joey seems to have it figured out, although I had to turn the format of the comic strip 90° to capture the “gravity” of the situation…
First Day on the Job
It’s Joey’s first day on the job as the official Newspaper Delivery Associate for the Cold Springs Clipper. He takes a moment to appreciate the serenity and beauty of the early morning sunrise, but the moment is ruined by the Clipper delivery truck and some bad timing.
Contractually Obligated
Joey’s new paper route is becoming closer to reality as he introduces Herb to his custom… newspaper delivery bike. The giant basket isn’t Herb Approved™ and the early morning hours mean Joey’s on his own. Not even a double shot of espresso could get Herb up before 7:00 AM.
Coupon Clippers
Joey and Herb discuss the local newspaper, coming to the realization that the daily print version isn’t going away anytime soon in Cold Springs. Internet speeds in remote Manitoba have dictated the need for locals to consume their community news in print and we all know that hardware store flyers are much more enjoyable printed on newsprint at an 85 lines/inch screen with shoddy registration. The same goes for the comics page, naturally.
The New Paperboy
Look who the new Cold Springs Clipper paperboy is! Wait – do they still call them ‘paperboys?’ Perhaps it should be ‘paper person’ or ‘paper carrier’ or… ‘paper delivery associate.’ At any rate, Joey is now gainfully employed in his new town in the integral position of ensuring the locals get their news – and flyers – in a timely fashion. Printed newspapers are still (barely) a thing these days, but Herb – ever pretentious – isn’t likening the local fish wrap to the periodicals he reads.
Congrats, Lollipop!
This special comic is dedicated to Jennifer Cuthbert’s The Adventures of Lollipop, celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this month! Lollipop and her gang have visited almost every corner of the globe, so I took a moment to imagine Lollipop’s gang visiting Cold Springs… with Joey and Herb standing by to deliver the hard truth. Congratulations on twenty years of adventures, Lollipop – here’s to twenty more!
The Law of Cat Thermodynamics
In the latest edition of Feline Physics, we look at the mysterious phenomenon of why cats get so warm. A quick check of the interwebs provides the following explanation: “A cat’s natural body temperature is 102° F, which is significantly warmer than our body temperature of 98.6° F. Also, cats have a lower sensitivity to heat than humans. The heat sensors they do have are concentrated in their faces, making this area especially receptive to heat.” This sounds pretty science-y, so for now, let’s hope Joey can warm up from being in close proximity to Penelope’s warm, fire-like glow.
Dad, Slow Down!
Does anyone else have dreams like this? I have a recurring dream where I’m in a car, rocketing toward a hairpin turn at ludicrous speed, where I awaken with an intense sensation of careening through the guardrail. Fortunately for me, it’s just the sensation of the car going airborne. In Joey’s case, he physically ends up across the room, saved by Herb’s chair.
An Important Takeaway
Given time to reflect on ‘the punch’, Joey has a change of opinion upon a closer review of the upcoming schedule. Also, another hockey nemesis makes a cameo: the Ball Eating Bush has its eyes on Joey’s wayward tennis ball…
He Had It Coming
New character alert! Joey reveals to Herb that he crossed paths with… the Prime Minister of Canada. In the Planet Joey universe, that person is the eccentric Théodore Thibodeau. This raises a ton of questions of course, but readers should get used to the PM popping up randomly and unexpectedly.
Made in Australia
The weather warms up in Cold Springs, sending Joey and Herb down to the local tennis court. Joey has his struggles with the practice wall and learns a valuable lesson: never toss your racquet in frustration and if you do, always check the manufacturer’s info.
An Unconventional Route
After his punch sets off some post-game chaos, Joey tries to escape unnoticed back to the locker room. His unexpected journey takes him from the Zamboni, to the snack bar to the bowels of the Cold Springs Arena, putting his ninja skills to the test. Alternate title: A Good Skate Sharpening.
Safe Harbour
Joey and Herb continue discussing ‘the punch’, where we learn that glasses guy completely melted down and where exactly Joey slithered off to while chaos ensued…
Slither
Joey reveals to Herb what happened immediately after ‘the punch’ at their regular kitchen table post mortem. It seems as if our protagonist was able to slink away unscathed while chaos ensued…
The Gentlemanly Tradition
The age-old hockey tradition of shaking hands at the end of a hard fought game isn’t about the winning team showboating in front of their opponent. It’s about showing respect for the losing side. Or, in Joey’s case, it’s a chance to take an uncontested cheap shot.
The Mighty Ducts
This one is one of the earliest comics I wrote. It’s been sitting patiently on one of the first pages of my sketchbook for almost two decades prior to being published today on the internets. This concept of listening to the exciting sportsball match through vents and/or ductwork in a home is something that is directly drawn from my childhood. The time I remember clearly was the 1984 Canada Cup hockey semifinal between Canada and the Soviet Union. I had a pretty strict bedtime of 9pm at the time and wasn’t able to watch the conclusion of that crucial game against those evil commies. I discovered I could *just barely* hear the game through the vent in my bedroom floor however, and I lied there for hours until Canada won the game in overtime.
The Final Horn
And there it is, the Golden Turkeys lose to the Bacon Ridge Rhinos. As the teams line up to shake hands, the game isn’t quite over for Joey, who seems to have his focus elsewhere…
Guy with the Glasses
As the game wears on, Joey can’t escape the wrath of a certain bespectacled goon, who is absolutely relentless. What we have here is an assault in three parts: a cross check, hip check and a good old fashioned flying elbow for good measure. Now Joey has a few bumps and bruises (and maybe a missing tooth) to go along with that shattered stick.
Hack!
The game continues and Joey has a scoring chance! Unfortunately, the kid with the glasses has other ideas.
Bespectacled Dump Truck
It’s game on for Joey and the Golden Turkeys! It doesn’t take too long for Joey to lose his focus — and he suffers the consequences for it.
Home Opener
Fresh off of finding out he made the team and the receipt of his fresh new uniform (including bright yellow helmet), Joey suits up officially for the Cold Springs Golden Turkeys in front of family and friends in a jam-packed arena! What could possibly go wrong?
Buzzer-Beater
Joey’s jump shot at the buzzer rims out. Again and again. The game is lost and he has a mess to clean up.
The Law of Cat Magnetism
Feline Physics returns where we learn The Law of Cat Magnetism also applies to green sweaters as well as black and blue – and on game day for Joey, no less!
Black Cats and Broken Mirrors
There are consequences to being late on uniform day. For Joey, one of them was receiving a bright yellow Jofa helmet (circa 1981) instead of a new green lid like the rest of his teammates. The second consequence was the all-important jersey number. It turns out #13 was at the bottom of the pile. It’s true that players like Mats Sundin, Teemu Selanne and Pavel Datsyuk – all Hall of Famers – donned this number, but Herb is fearing the worst…
Yellow Hat
Joey shows up at the Cold Springs Arena on a high to pick up his official Golden Turkeys uniform after making the team… And because Joey’s stories are based on my stories, of course he gets an old yellow helmet (yes, I had a yellow helmet) and of course it’s because he shows up late. As usual, Herb has a way of putting it all in perspective at the kitchen table.
Who Came First?
In one of the very first Planet Joey comic strips ever written (way back in 2003), Joey ponders one of the great mysteries of the Paleozoic era.
Grapefruit League Dreaming
Somewhere — specifically Florida and Arizona — it’s warm enough to play baseball and Joey wants to be there. For those of us residing in the northern United States and Canada, the phrase “pitchers and catchers reporting” is synonymous with the agonizing two months before the weather is remotely warm enough to get out and play a little baseball. The good news however, is that spring is indeed on the way. Nice play at shortstop, Joey — unfortunately you’ll have to keep playing with your snowman infield for a few more weeks. And yeah, I could go for a ballpark hot dog too…
There’s Always a Catch
There you have it: Joey’s hard work and perseverance has paid off – he made the Cold Springs hockey team! And Herb’s right – there is always a catch. As it turns out, there were just enough players to fill out the roster without having to make cuts, so Joey’s on the team. Now it’s time to ponder the line combinations – will Joey and “Gigantor” play together?
Strict Orders
The coaching staff has made their decision. Will Joey make the Cold Springs hockey team? Cliffhanger alert! Yup, we’re going to drag this one out for one more strip…
Face-off Drill
Next up at hockey tryouts are the face-off drills for kids hoping to play centre, ice hockey’s glamour position. Go figure, Joey is matched up against a familiar foe and we are left to assume it didn’t go well.
Breakaway Drill
Hockey tryouts continue with Joey having the opportunity to show his scoring prowess and a theme is developing: all of these comics are ending with loud, cartoony mishaps…
The Orange Menace
Joey’s struggles continue at hockey tryouts – this time with inanimate objects. Not only are the kids bigger and tougher in Cold Springs, but it looks like the pylons are too…
Puck Battle Drill
The Cold Springs hockey tryouts are under way and the first drill pits Joey against “Gigantor” in a battle for the puck along the boards. Not only did Joey not emerge victorious, but he had to go hunting for some missing equipment. His attitude remains positive, however! Also, wearing full Leafs gear to hockey tryouts in Manitoba is definitely making yourself a target.