Rated AARGH!

[Alex Riviello]

Yes boys and girls, Creature Corner has its very own webcomic- courtesy artist and funnyman extraordinaire Mike Howland.

Check out the first installment right here-

Rated AARGH! #1 - Zung!

Look forward to a new comic every week! Hope you all dig it as much as I do.

[Patrick Ripoll]

Great. Can't wait for more.

[BobClark]

Wow. I enjoyed that a lot more than I should have. We've all seen the tragic sad clown. But a tragic sad zombie?
Keep 'em coming.

[Diva]

Ha! Ha! You're face is gross. So simple, yet so funny.

[Mike Howland]

Thanks for the kind words everybody, I'm glad the first one was such a hit! Honestly, this is fun as hell, and this initial positive reception is fantastic! Though, my brother's girlfriend's puzzled and delightfully earnest question "Why are the vampire's so mean?" is what really makes it all worthwhile. I promise I'll try to keep the lasagna and Monday jokes to a minimum....

[BobClark]

Since this is a horror site, might I suggest a poltergeist named Not Me or repeated visits by dead grandparents.

[Mike Howland]

Hahaha! That's a great idea! Not Me and Dead Grandparents are ripe with possibility! If I do use either, and I honestly think I will, I'll be sure to credit you. 'cause that's just genius!

[Mike Howland]

And low and behold! A second Rated AARGH comes along as inevitably as a sequel to The Convenant will come along straight to DVD by this time next year. Though hopefully nothing I put up here will ever be as bad as that...

Rated AARGH #2 - Cutlery Envy

[Subotai]

Fun stuff. Looking forward to more.

[trevorfactor]

well well WELL, happy do da day! it would seem my longing for all things mike howland has been revitalized. Mike used to have a site I would look forward to reading every week. I'm not sure if he wants me to say the name of that site but it was tits! I cried when he took it down ... well really more wept than cried, but it hurt ... bad .... anyway truly some of the funniest comics I've read. am I embarrasing you yet mike? no seriously, as you can probably tell, the man has skills.

I couldn't be happier for Mike now that he's found a home for his work here on chud.com, especially since mike introduced me to this site a hundred years ago and since then obviously it has been a constant distraction from my jobs (like most of you I imagine) but mike always liked this site very much and I'm glad to see he's finally "in"

keep em coming by bilingual friend, I can't wait for more.
Trev

[Mike Howland]

Rated AARGH #3! W00t! Yet another comic for your digestion. Or Indigestion, depending on your feelings toward tranverse colons and spleens and such.

Rated AARGH! #3 - Spleens

Whoops! Screwed up the link! Luckily Alex fixed it and it's all better now. Sorry about that. Dang, these new-fangled com-pu-ters sure are tricky...

[Sammy Jankis]

That link doesn't seem to work. Is it just me?

[Alex Riviello]

He missed the H in the HTTP- I got it, though. Go enjoy the spleeny goodness!

[Mike Howland]

And I give to you -

Rated AARGH#4 - Pig

This one pretty much speaks for itself. Which is good, because anything I say about it will no doubt be purile.

In completely unrelated news, we are working on an easier way to see these things with buttons and archives and all the rest of that good stuff. So all y'all tired of scrolling down the ever increasing page of posts (at least one a week!) can breath a sigh of relief. Well, you'll be able to in the near future anyway.

[long7000]

While I've never really questioned why the monster inevitably chases the most attractive females, I have to admit that it's much more aesthetically pleasing that he/she/it does. I'm sure it's done to draw the viewer in... scientific studies have proven that people are more attentive to people they find attractive (or pleasing to the eye).

Or it could be that the writers and directors know what I like and are pandering to me...

[Brian Wehman]

Just came across this thread. Great stuff! Keep it up!

[Mike Howland]

Thanks Bri, glad you like it!


And they sure are pandering. Mind you, the writers and directors have had quite a while to discover what to pander to us with. It's the same thing caveman writers and directors pandered to their Cave-bretheren with back in the Cave-days. We're easily pander-able to like that.

[long7000]

Oh yeah - I forgot to mention it earlier! I love the comic and I think it rocks! I hope you keep these coming.

Thanks!

[Mike Howland]

And yet more Rated AARGH! madness! Another zombie/anatomy joke because that vein (get it? get it?) is just so gosh darn rich. Don't worry I'll be sure not to draw from that well too often. Though I will mix the hell out of my metaphors. So without further ado -


Rated AARGH! #5 - Saturday Night

[Mike Howland]

Oooh, that's gotta be embarrassing. Though I guess technically, the next panel would just have Frank's hideously stiched-on amrs corded and straining as -with a sickening tearing/popping sound- he tears poor Wolfie's head from his shoulders. But this is a family strip.

Rated AARGH! #6 - Frankenstein vs Wolfman

[trevorfactor]

Excellent strip this week mr howland! Any chance I could look forward to something in the near future that is many more than 3 frames? I'm not saying you have to produce a graphic novel before next week - I'm just saying it would be nice is all.

You're doing a bang up job bro, and don't sweat the fact that so few are commenting on this thread and your strips, some people just have no taste or are idiots ... or both!

Anyway you can always count on me being here to see your lastest and greatest. I see you were the cover of creature corner this week - which is an awesome upgrade, but I want the guys of chud to say something about you on the main page weekly, draw more attention you know, since I know all chud.com fans will appreciate your work.

Like I said good sir I look forward to next weeks. VIVA LA HOWLAND!
T

[trevorfactor]

I rarely understand what the hell the point is behind the Ron series of comic strips and I can't tell if its because its mostly inside jokes or what the deal is really. Maybe its just me or maybe I'm not understand some piece of the Ron puzzle but seriously if the guys at chud can post that on the main page why not put these comic strips out there also?

If you don't believe your fans will love it, I say put it to the fans which strip is better or more entertaining Ron or Rated arRgh? I would bet my house that Rated arRgh will be the victor. If I posted here more frequently I'd create a thread and poll of some kind but alas - I have to get back to work.

To the guys that do the Ron series, please take no offense here! Like I said it's probably just that I don't understand your strip as much as other people do.

But to the men of chud, if you are willing to put the Ron strips up front - why not put Mike's out there as well. He deserves the love!

Trevor

[Mike Howland]

I seem to swing wildly between wanting to fill as much space as possible up with text and treating any dialogue at all as an anathema. Really that sentence was just an excuse to use the word "anathema" becuase girls dig a big vocabulary. Anyways, this weeks comic belongs in the anathematic dialogue catagory. Though you do have to be literate enough to read one word. So if you are, enjoy! If not, I'll send you all my Clifford the big red dog books to get you started.

Rated AARGH! #7 - Bad Boy

[Alex Riviello]

Today on the subway the train was insanely packed, and I was surrounded by arms of small Chinese children and old Greek men. Like, they were crawling all over me. I thought I was in the Grudge for a second.

That little kid cracked me up in the trailers too- he's always up to no good. In Ju-On 2 he appears under a guy's legs while he's driving a car.

[cherznebog]

Hey guys, I am a long time reader/lurker of CHUD and Creature Corner, I finally signed up for the board last week.

I have to say, for the past month or so Rated Arrrrgh has had me checking Creature Corner first thing every wed morning. Great find!

Seriously, I am really enjoying the comic, thank you.

Please let me know if there is any plans to expand the comic, or if they are used anywhere else.

Thanks,

Craig

[Alex Riviello]

Craig,

Glad you're liking the comic. They're only being used on CC now, but I guess we'll have to see where Mike wants to take it. We're both working on fixing up an archive/navigation buttons to make it easier to check'm all out for now, but I'm sure he's got good ideas for the future. Thanks for the feedback, and great to have ya here!

[Mike Howland]

Thanks for the support Craig, glad you like it! And that little kid is indeed always up to no good, I think he was the one who wrecked my mailbox with the M-80. I'll definitely have to check out Ju-on 2 to see his car-related shenanigans. I hope in the next one he pops out of a toaster like a delicious but suprisingly deadly pop-tart.

And now for something completely different-

Rated AARGH! #8 - MacGyver vs Jigsaw

[trevorfactor]

HAHAHAHAHAHA this is seriously the best comic yet (at least of the strips you've done here on chud anyway). Now if you'll excuse me I literally have to get something to clean up the coffee I spit all over my laptop.

Keep them coming bro - I look forward to these every week and you never cease to impress
T

[Patrick Ripoll]

This one is a great one.

[Mike Howland]

Thanks guys! Glad you like it!

Heh, sorry about your laptop Trevor, though at least I was only indirectly responsible for dumping beverages all over your stuff this time...

[trevorfactor]

How could I forget the infamous kegerator flood of 2003? I'm still paying for water damages

j/k of course and if it puts your mind at ease I've left the damn thing running many many many times since then. However you'd be so proud - we most recently splurged and put our first keg of YingLing in the kegerator! And let me tell you - it is awesomely yumtastic

I wish you could post that comic somewhere in here. Though it may be a little embarrasing for you the art was really fantastic. Any chance that will happen?

If not I understand, as some of those are clearly not the same theme as these here, but it would probably help prevent your fears of being type-cast as "that monster cartoon guy" from coming true, no?

[Chris Myers]

Keep the great work up, guys. The wolfman and jigsaw ones are my favourites so far.

[Jared Melton]

This last one is definitely my favorite.

[FrankCobretti]

Mike, yours is the best electronic comic out there. I'll buy your TPB!

[Xagarath Ankor]

Much taken with the latest one.

[TheThirdMan]

I'm not one to dump unneccessary praise or kiss ass....


So I gotta say, this is my new favorite comic strip. Fantastic work, every single one actually made me laugh out loud (I just came back to the forums, so I read them all at once, causing my roommate to tell me "Shut the fuck up, I'm watching Heroes!" every 20 seconds or so, but that's what you get for watching NBC). Keep up the great work, I'll keep in mind to check this post every week or so to keep reading them.

When you have enough, I would even recommend making a book collecting the series, it's definitely good enough, and I know it would be well liked amongst the horror community.

[Mike Howland]

Wow! Thanks guys! And ladies in the unlikely event that one of you is of the female persuasion. Not including World of Warcraft characters. I would love to put all these in a book! I reckon I should have at least a years worth of strips to collect. But that's definitely someplace I would love to go with this. And of course t-shirts, because t-shirts are just so damn cool. And pogs. And maybe even Halloween masks that have the unlikely ability of transforming kid's heads into a variety of insects when a bad atari 2600 pumpkin (or was it a shamrock?) is broadcast on NBC. Or maybe just books for now.

Rated AARGH! #9 - Memories

[Mike Howland]

Number 10! geeze, these are adding up! Which is good, because I already know what I'm doing for the Christmas comic. Which won't feature Billy Bob Thorton or his ex-wife sadly. Speaking of regrets...

Rated AARGH! #10 - Regrets


What a great segue, huh?

[trevorfactor]

Well I suppose technically a french poodle is not considered the least attractive of dogs, but I see what you were going for and I got a good laugh. Though honestly this may have been better with a feminine frankenstein monster, you know a long eye lash, pouty eyed frankenstein monster wearing short shorts and a tube top ... or something .. I make it sound so easy don't I?

Normally you know I don't like to make recommendation especially to someone I consider far FAR more talented than myself. But yeah, since you mentioned it...

Fantastic work on the zombie regardless, I'm constantly amazed at how awesomely untraditional your zombies are. In fact I could totally see myself buying this weeks zombie a drink if I saw him out at the bar ... of course that would have to be previous to him ripping my head off and eating my brains .. or my spleen .. naturally!

優秀な仕事私の友人

[Mike Howland]

Well naturally my friend! No zombies to enjoy a drink with this time sadly, but plenty of sci-fi referneces, so perhaps that will do...


Rated AARGH! #11 - Mistaken Identity

[Alex Riviello]

I swear I just let out an honest to god guffaw when I read "Galloping Galaxies".

Great shit, my man.

[Mike Howland]

Haha! Thanks Alex! While technically that phrase seems more at home in Flash Gordon's mouth (ewww) I think the good captain did it justice. And speaking of justice, Igor dispenses his own special brand of bitter bitter justice in...

Rated AARGH! #12 - Igor

[Mike Howland]

Not only is this the 13th Rated AARGH! ( I really should have done a Friday the 13th comic) but it's the last one without some sort of inter-comic navigation. Starting with #14, you'll be able to flip back and forth between the comic's on the slightest whim! Because much like the back of your cereal box, Rated AARGH! is endlessly entertaining!


Rated AARGH! #13 - Tricky

[cherznebog]

This one is a total LoLacaust. You are killing me.

[Brian Wehman]

It gets kinda repetitive, telling Mike how great his comics are - but after catching up on the last four I missed; man these are good.

This really should be getting a little more CHUD front page love. It doesn't need to posted there every time, but I would love to see Nick give it a little plug. I bet a lot of people don't even know they are there.

Edit: I've decided it is only right to offer some criticism, the last one (number 13) was my least favorite. I thought the punchline was a little weak, and I was really bugged that it started with the kid saying the devil couldn't have his soul and I had no idea why.

That being said... keep 'em coming Mike.

[Alex Riviello]

I always put it up on the front page on Creature Corner (it's us! not Chud) when it goes up- but it usually gets hidden away because of the news the next day.

I'd like to have an archive, or better yet a section of the site devoted to it, but I'm working on it... it's hard when you don't have the key to things.

No worries though, I think we all know what a great thing we have here.

[Brian Wehman]

Originally Posted by Alex Riviello

I'd like to have an archive, or better yet a section of the site devoted to it, but I'm working on it... it's hard when you don't have the key to things..

That would be very helpful.

I know it's CC and not CHUD, I just think a lot of CHUD main page readers (and those who read Ron and Dark Him) would enjoy it. Just looking for Nick, to let CHUD main pagers know what's going on over at CC.

[Mike Howland]

Thanks for the kind words and the criticism! While personally, I certainly wouldn't mind page after page of "Atta boy!"s, I can see how that would make for a less than interesting read... And you do bring up a good point about the previous comic. Every week I grapple with ditching the Splash Panel and going to a four panel format. Sometimes three panels just doesn't seem enough. But sometimes it's perfect. Quite a pickle. But have no fear! I will definitely keep 'em coming whatever their format!

Speaking of criticism, I deserve some for not getting the archive up and inter-comic navigation working sooner. But no more! The archive is up, and buttons are being retro-fitted (what a great word) to the comics as we speak! They should all have their buttons by tomorrow. Though if you're dieing to see the new nav RIGHT NOW, you can just check out the first three comics for a glimpse of the brave new world ahead of us.

[Mike Howland]

And lo and behold, there was navigation and it was good! So here's the first time a new comic has appeared with navigation to the old ones. So all the new viewers can go back and see that one with the zombie with the gross face because really, does it get any better? Though, even if it doesn't, I'm gonna keep on trucking! I'm already chuckling about next weeks Xmas one actually.

Rated AARGH! #14 -That's Gotta Suck

[Mike Howland]

I wonder if people see my avatar and think I'm overweight? I mean obviously they don't think I'm a fire-ball spewing, lone-marine eating, hovering demon from the netherworlds (not regions), but perhaps the bulbous mass gives the impression I've enjoyed to many Ho-Hos. And not that kind you pick up on the street corner. Ba-dum bump! I'm here all night folks!

Moving on, here is the comic with the rather optimistically named "x_mas_06" gif file. Enjoy!

Rated AARGH! #15 - X-mas at the Voorhees