The Death of Drinky Crow

February 23, 2012 10:45 AM

After almost 20 years of print publication, six bound collections and two animated series, Tony Millionaire announced today that MAAKIES -- the surreal pen-and-ink adventures of Drinky Crow & Uncle Gabby -- has been cancelled.

The announcement was made on Millionaire's Facebook feed, with a further note that the alternative weeklies which carried Maakies have all folded or dropped the strip.

The artist is selling original Maakies artwork via the above web site.

posted by overeducated_alligator (58 comments total)

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posted by box at 10:48 AM on February 23, 2012

Wow, that's really the end of an era. Maakies was a brilliant strip. And the Drinky Crow Show had its moments, too.

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posted by griphus at 10:48 AM on February 23, 2012

Nooooooooooooo!
posted by evidenceofabsence at 10:50 AM on February 23, 2012

Dook Dook Dook. Damn.
posted by gompa at 10:50 AM on February 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Whoa. This is terrible news. Tony Millionaire's line work has no peer in contemporary comic strips and when paired with his sense of the absurd the results are nothing short of transcendant. RIP Maakies.
posted by ooga_booga at 10:51 AM on February 23, 2012 [7 favorites]

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posted by El Sabor Asiatico at 10:51 AM on February 23, 2012

MAAKIES is (don't make me say "was" yet) so beautifully drawn - I get lost in those strips.

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posted by queensissy at 10:51 AM on February 23, 2012

Panel 1: Why, look over there - an internet commenter! Whatever could he be doing?

Panel 2: SALLOW-FACED YOUTH DRINKING A BOTTLE OF VODKA WITH ALACRITY

Panel 3: Youth dies

Fin


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posted by lalochezia at 10:56 AM on February 23, 2012 [8 favorites]

*puts gun to head* BLAM
posted by fungible at 10:57 AM on February 23, 2012 [11 favorites]

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I like eating meat, because it is like eating myself.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 10:59 AM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

*dook dook dook*
posted by moonmilk at 11:01 AM on February 23, 2012

whaaaaaaaat
posted by penduluum at 11:04 AM on February 23, 2012

I never really "got" Maakies. Maybe that's because I only first saw it within the last few years and it was beyond its prime. Can anyone point me to some good strips?
posted by grouse at 11:04 AM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

*puts gun to head* BLAM

Oh, hell, can someone link to the strip I am thinking of that has this in it? It's got Uncle Gabby possibly saying "oh well" at the end and cheerily blowing his brains out.
posted by griphus at 11:04 AM on February 23, 2012

I'm pretty sure The Stranger here in Seattle was still printing the strip... could it have been the last alt-weekly to carry it?
posted by keep_evolving at 11:07 AM on February 23, 2012

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posted by drezdn at 11:10 AM on February 23, 2012

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posted by erniepan at 11:15 AM on February 23, 2012

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posted by Splunge at 11:15 AM on February 23, 2012

Ooh, that sucks. Drinky Crow Show was so promising at the outset, but it went Ren & Stimpy faster than Ren & Stimpy. Always loved MAAKIES, though.

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posted by mykescipark at 11:17 AM on February 23, 2012

Drinky crow finally earned his $4
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posted by nTeleKy at 11:40 AM on February 23, 2012 [3 favorites]

I never really "got" Maakies. Maybe that's because I only first saw it within the last few years and it was beyond its prime. Can anyone point me to some good strips?

This one was always a favourite of mine
posted by dng at 11:41 AM on February 23, 2012 [4 favorites]

Maakies is classic stuff. Couldn't have made it through the early 90s without it.
posted by Liquidwolf at 11:42 AM on February 23, 2012

The Portland Mercury was still carrying the strip last I saw, but it's owned by The Stranger so I don't think that counts.
posted by tmt at 11:48 AM on February 23, 2012

I feel vaguely responsible. When was the last time I read an alt weekly?

I'm assuming Millionaire will keep doing periodic books and stuff though, right?
posted by gusandrews at 11:50 AM on February 23, 2012

I'm assuming Millionaire will keep doing periodic books and stuff though, right?

I'm hoping George Lucas will let him take over all further Star Wars writing duties.
posted by dng at 11:54 AM on February 23, 2012 [3 favorites]

Is this where I admit I kinda have a thing for the captain's daughter? *ahem*
posted by symbioid at 12:15 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

For what it's worth, Tony Millionaire was on the Jordan, Jesse Go! podcast last week.
posted by mhum at 12:24 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

(X) (X)
posted by 4ster at 12:26 PM on February 23, 2012 [10 favorites]

So there's a maakies strip that I think is the litmus test for whether you'll like or get maakies. If you like this one, you'll like maakies, if you're like "... whatever," you won't. Unfortunately, I can't find a reasonably-sized version of it on the interwebs.

Here's the best I can do

So (for those who don't want to squint), the plot of the strip is that Drinky Crow has been hired by a squirrel to fill a stump with acorns, and is paid two dollars a day for this. At the end of each day, he goes to a store that sells whiskey for one dollar and a gun for four dollars. The first two days, he asks about the price of both and buys and drinks the bottle of whiskey. The third day, he's saved up enough for the gun, and so he buys it and blows his own brains out.

If that's your sense of humor, Maakies is for you. If it's not, it's not.
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 12:27 PM on February 23, 2012 [12 favorites]

I have Tony Millionaire stories complete with illustrations and obscene pictures.
To disclose or not disclose, that is the question.
posted by provoliminal at 12:41 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Tony is a class act and a great guy, and I hope we will continue to see more art from him for a long time.

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posted by Aquaman at 12:43 PM on February 23, 2012

I love Maakies to death. It's really the only alt cartoon I care about.

An editor at an alt weekly that shall remain nameless told me that the reason the strip was missing from the paper so often was that Tony M. missed the deadlines.

The book "The Art of Tony Millionaire" is well worth looking through. Nice to see some of his stuff printed at larger than a half-inch high.
posted by Fnarf at 1:14 PM on February 23, 2012

Unfortunately, I can't find a reasonably-sized version of it on the interwebs.

That strip was also made into an animated short, which was shown on Saturday Night Live at one point in the 90s.
posted by burnmp3s at 1:21 PM on February 23, 2012 [4 favorites]

Aw, poop.

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posted by Jubal Kessler at 1:21 PM on February 23, 2012

I always loved the fact that he reimagined the main characters of this fairly vulgar, adult comic with a completely different vibe for an ostensibly different audience.
posted by SharkParty at 1:26 PM on February 23, 2012

I'm almost certain this is a stunt, presumably to sell more prints etc, based on his comments in that FB thread. "all the way to the bank"? Lies. Filthy lies.
posted by zinful at 1:48 PM on February 23, 2012

The best Maakies strips were the ones that related the wild party and wilder hangover that went into them.
posted by Catblack at 1:54 PM on February 23, 2012

I never got why his illustrations weren't everywhere a la R.Crumb. I freakin love his drawings.
posted by From Bklyn at 1:57 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Reminds me of one of the most universally loathed Achewood strips ever.
posted by basicchannel at 2:00 PM on February 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Also:

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posted by basicchannel at 2:02 PM on February 23, 2012

HRLP!

dook dook dook

BLAM

Sorry to recycle tropes that are already cliches within this very thread, but if Tony Millionaire could do it, why the hell not me? Even though I haven't actually seen a strip in years, this news hits me hard; Maakies was what I most looked forward to each week back when I was living in NYC and the New York Press was still worth reading. God, what a genius that man is (though it doesn't surprise me at all that "the reason the strip was missing from the paper so often was that Tony M. missed the deadlines").

Anybody else remember the strip you had to cut up and assemble yourself that turned out to be a libelous, scurrilous, and (needless to say) hilarious account of Michael Jackson's alleged proclivities? I've still got a yellowing taped-together copy somewhere.

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posted by languagehat at 2:07 PM on February 23, 2012 [3 favorites]

That's the second achewood strip I've ever liked! I should edit my earlier statement to include that I'm REALLY REALLY hoping this is really is just a "buy stuff" stunt. I suppose we'll see next Wednesday.
posted by zinful at 2:07 PM on February 23, 2012

Depressing - not just the end of this strip but that all the alt.periodicals have dropped it and/or closed.

Almost as depressing as seeing what the Village Voice has become - a few dozen pages of bad writing. The New York Press was never so good - Maakies was always the best thing in it.

Sad times.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 2:21 PM on February 23, 2012

,

(because sharks can smell the period)
posted by rahnefan at 2:29 PM on February 23, 2012 [3 favorites]

Never got it. Totally alien humour. Nice drawing, though.
posted by Decani at 2:49 PM on February 23, 2012

Looking forwards to see what he does next.
posted by egypturnash at 2:59 PM on February 23, 2012

Update: it's not cancelled.
posted by milk white peacock at 3:11 PM on February 23, 2012 [5 favorites]

Get your Drinky The Crow vinyl figure while you can... I've had one nesting in the rafters above my bar as my (sometimes only) companion for years.

R.I.P. Maakies
posted by Ron Thanagar at 3:37 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Tony just announced on FB it is not canceled. Can someone who knows him clarify whether this was a drunken joke or something?
posted by rahnefan at 3:41 PM on February 23, 2012

I think his masterful punking out of jerkwad Ted Rall was brilliant.
posted by ShawnStruck at 4:21 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Wait, what happened between him and Rall?

BTW, Millionaire was awesome on JJGO.
posted by drezdn at 5:04 PM on February 23, 2012

Reminds me of one of the most universally loathed Achewood strips ever.

"Bend over, baby!! We are going to make it stink!!!"

That is so horrible and appalling. I don't think I've ever been this happy.
posted by Fnarf at 5:11 PM on February 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Well, whether it's cancelled or not, it's fucking genius.

My favorite line from a Maakies strip, "Crazy man! What you talk about?!" Always makes me laugh.
posted by Pecinpah at 5:36 PM on February 23, 2012

Tony Millionaire: Epic Troll.
posted by overeducated_alligator at 7:51 PM on February 23, 2012

I used to find Maakies grotesque and off-putting, but then I saw this strip, which is grotesque and off-putting, and it made me laugh and laugh. I think it's still my favorite.
posted by Ideal Impulse at 7:54 PM on February 23, 2012

Reminds me of one of the most universally loathed Achewood strips ever.

Really? I think that's the only guest Achewood I've ever liked. I love that when Ray sees/hallucinates Gabby as a hot monkey chick in a bikini, she's still wearing the beer goggles.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:04 AM on February 24, 2012

I have the vinyl figure, too. With removable eyes a la Mr Potato Head for the Drinkie post-booze, (X) (X). If i had money I would love to purchase a panel. They are beautifully drawn.
posted by readery at 9:33 AM on February 24, 2012

ಥ_ಥ

ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

(X_X)
posted by Minus215Cee at 2:00 AM on February 26, 2012