Mastodawn

For comparison, here's a multi-panel Xmas themed cartoon from 2017. "Real" Santa has by then been replaced by super-villain "Doctor Santa," punisher of the naughty.
#webcomics #santa #christmas #actionfigures #minionsatwork

J. Steven York RESISTS Dec 17

I'm digging into the near 20 year history of my "Minions at Work" photo comics, and found this single panel Christmas cartoon from 2006. I REALLY didn't know what I was doing back then, but I still think this is funny.
Running the dialog as a bottom caption was a BIG mistake, but I did it for several years anyway. I eventually moved to a multi-panel format as well. I got better!
#minionsatwork #christmas #actionfigures #webcomic #photocomic #santa

J. Steven York RESISTS May 16, 2025

I'm building a second "Minionmobile" prop for my "Minions at Work" photocomics which I'm doing for #PulphouseFictionMagazine these days. Almost finished. I just need to extend the roof supports to accommodate the larger figure (the golf cart I started with is about 1/10th scale, the figures 1/6th). Lots more info in the photo's alt text. Check it out.
#hobbies #minatures #actionfigures #minionsatwork #photocomics #toys #webcomic #hollowVolcano

J. Steven York Mar 27, 2025

I turned in the latest installment of my "Minions at Work" photo comics to Pulphouse Fiction Magazine today, allowing me some time to work on building some Minions props, a process that's a lot more relaxing that doing comic layout and dialog writing.
One ongoing element of my comics is that most of them incorporate one or more "Minion Cats," even if they aren't integral to the plots or jokes of that comic. The premise is that, due to a lab accident, Minion cat (there was originally only one) has become in space, time, and now, the multiverse, and they pop in and out of existence at will, sometimes "many" of them at once.
The cats are "played" by hand painted and sometimes customized plastic cat figures decorated in a "Minion uniform" pattern. The originals originated as a bag of toy cats I ordered from Amazon. Later, I ordered a whole BOX of the same cats from a seller who supplies prizes and favors to carnivals and fairs. With extras, I started cutting them up, swapping parts, and adding limited articulation to some like turning heads and movable tails. A few others are actually 3D printed.
But before I found that carnival supplier, I ordered a lot of other cats on-line hoping for alternate poses to use. Instead, I discovered that most listing for these things are vague or inaccurate in describing the size, and ended up with several assortments of cats that were too small. And thus, came the idea for "minion kittens." I started painting a few, and finished exactly one, before putting it aside as being very difficult. My hands aren't that steady, some some of the "Minion" pattern is pretty fidgety.
But recently I discovered "brush tip" markers for art and calligraphy and wondered if they could be used for painting details on action figures. Tonight I tried it out, and so far, pretty good. I made some slips, but it made it MUCH easier to paint the details on the smaller cats. I don't know of the paint will fade or rub off. Only time and further experiments will tell. But I'm happy with things so far.
In related news, I today and realized that our new shorthair cat, Notty, is a very good physical match for Minion cat. I pulled out a tape measure and sure enough, she's an almost exact scale match for her 1/6th scale counterparts. I can use photo reference of her to design future custom cats, and to figure out better carrying positions and poses for my 12" action figure characters. I asked my wife if that made Notty tax deductible, but she just laughed...

#minionsatwork #pulphousefictionmagazine #Minioncats #notmycat #nottycat #catstodon #catsofmastodon #cats #minatures #comics #photocomicsl

J. Steven York Mar 6, 2025

I sometimes go to absurd and pointless effort making or modifying props for my "Minions at Work" action Figure photo comics. I enjoy it, and especially now (how about this failed timeline, huh?), I find it to be an anxiety reliever and mood booster.
I found this weird but interesting fashion doll sink (Maybe from the "Monster High" line? Just a guess...) in a thrift store. Originally the stand was black and the sink itself a dark pink. I gave the stand a weathered antique gold finish with acrylic paints, and tried to give the sink more of a natural sea-shell look. The drain was painted with metallic chrome and black brush markers (my first time using the, VERY nice!) and I also used the chrome marker to detail the faucet and valve handles.
Now it will go with the collection of set items for the evil steampunk submarine Naughtyless, belonging to supervillain Captain Rehab. Unlikely it will ever appear as more than a background piece, but maybe I'll think of something more prominent to do with it.

#MinionsAtWork #PulphouseFictionMagazine #actionfigures #fashiondolls #comics #photocomics #making #makers #minatures #dioramas #comics

J. Steven York RESISTS Feb 12, 2025

I'm late shooting another "Minions at Work" photo cartoon for Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, so I had to build this mad scientist lab this afternoon, and will be shooting tonight. These are some test and behind-the-scenes pictures.
#comics #photoComics #minionsAtWork #PulphouseFictionMagazine #actionFigures #MadScience #madScientist

J. Steven York RESISTS Feb 10, 2025

It was cold tonight, so I let Not My Cat inside my office for an hour or so while I was working on my computer so she could warm up. She quickly climbed on to the "stage" where I shoot most of my "Minions at Work," photo cartoons. Fortunately I had just knocked down and packed away my bar set, so there wasn't much for her to knock over. I'm increasingly concerned that if she has a home, she isn't being well taken care of. Time to take action.
#CatsOfMastodon #catstodon #minionsatwork #straycats

J. Steven York RESISTS Dec 25, 2024

I love tiny tools to use as props for my "Minions at Work" photo comics. Imagine how thrilled I was to discover there are some REAL wrenches in useful sizes! The one on the leaf is a genuine vintage Sears Craftsman, made in USA! I've seen them called "ignition wrenches." Quarter and Minion Cat for scale. (The working slide caliper is a metal charm. Nice, but only detailed on the front side.)
#MinionsAtWork #diorama #actionFigures #tools #photoComics

J. Steven York Dec 16, 2024

Boy, I do some weird stuff for my art...
For close to 20 years now, I've been doing a photo comic using 12" action figures called "Minions at Work." Unlike a traditional cartoonist, when I want a new character, I don't get to just draw them, I have to BUILD them, or at least, kitbash them from existing components. This is easy if you just want a bunch of white guys. But women are MUCH harder, and women of color, or women with realistic figures and curves, are MUCH harder still than that.
For my purposes, I need (or at least want) realistic proportions, good poseability , durability (I've maintained some of these figures for the full 20 years), and hands that can actually HOLD stuff. Also low cost, because despite getting paid for my comics the last couple years, this is still, at best, a break-even operation.
Most Barbies are right out, though they have a limited "made to move" line that's pretty good for some things (hands are still bad). They also have a limited line with various figure types, though I don't know of any with both full figures and double jointed articulation. And BAD HANDS.
There are other various doll lines (some with oversized heads, but that's the easiest thing to swap out) that have some combination of the features I want. Articulation, durability, proportions, cost, skin-tones, but none are perfect. And while some have BETTER hands, almost none of them can easily be posed holding an object.
There are dolls and action figures that can be ordered from Asia that are highly (maybe over realistic, some would say) realistic, super articulated, with good hands available, if not included, (and if you're willing to order from sketchy Asian seller and wait a month or two for them to arrive, if they ever do) not that expensive. But most of them are HIGHLY sexualized, tiny waists, huge boobs, etc., etc. (Realistic nipples and genitals are NOT on my list of requirements.) Either that, or they're that creepy, anime, child-like waif thing (and the fact that many of these are ALSO anatomically correct totally creeps me out).
So I'm to the point of wanting a new female character or two. I'd like one a little older looking than the others, and with a realistic figure, maybe shorter as well (most all these dolls are on the tall side). And or one of color, also with a more realistically rounded figure, though not necessarily on the plump side (though could be). Two characters representing some combination of those characteristics, anyway. Got enough thin, youngish, white ladies for the moment.
And my frustration with this has brought me to the point of maybe Frankensteining together parts of various dolls and action figures to get what I want. So today, I found myself taking a Dremel with a cutting wheel to some doll type (thrift store finds, and I'm still tracking down the makers) with vary unrealistic torso proportions, but very well articulated, and plump, legs, and reasonably articulated arms. The hands are very realistic, but still can't hold things. But they're hard plastic, and I think I can heat-bend them to perhaps get a gripping hand.
So here I am, trying to split the torso open without damaging the arms and legs, in hopes of putting them in a more suitable torso, perhaps from the Barbie realistic body line. This is tricky, especially with no clues as to how the bodies are held together, and no idea what's inside. And here I am, splitting torsos open and prying them apart with CAREFUL brute force. There's a lot more engineering going on in here than I expected. This may be more challenging than I though. I might also be able to 3D print a new torso to order, but that requires a steep upgrade in my sculpting, and especially technical 3D design skills.
The adventure continues. But ladies (of color and not), I'm trying hard to give you some realistic representation in the forces of evil!

#dolls #FasionDolls #ActionFigures #actionFigurePhotography #MinionsAtWork #comics #PhotoComics #dioramas #makers #making #frankenstein #representation

J. Steven York RESISTS Dec 5, 2024

Detail from the newest "Minions at Work" photo cartoon that I just sent to Pulphouse Fiction Magazine. I've been doing this thing for 18 years now! Wow! The aesthetic of the comic walks a balance between janky toy crap, unnecessarily detail, and Easter eggs (That's regular super-villain character "Doctor Head-in-a-Jar lurking on the shelf behind the bar). Some details and thoughts in the thread...
(1/?)
#comics #photoComics #actionFigures #MinionsAtWork #Pulphouse #PulphouseFictionMagazine