Like hundreds of others, I’m broken up today after hearing about the passing of Ricky Garduno. We’ll soon know for sure how this talented man exited this world (his last web comic is pretty telling), but I’d rather focus on his life, and what he gave us.

I was lucky enough to work with Ricky on Coconut Fred’s Fruit Salad Island. He served as the storyboard supervisor, and he was extremely dedicated and focused. I remember his easy smile, and a surprising, thoughtful opinion, from a relatively quiet guy. He drew fast, and pitched some of the weirdest gags I’d ever seen. He obviously had a deep well of imagination to draw from, and a passion for pushing a pencil.

I hadn’t been in touch with Ricky for the last few years, but in 2009 I connected with him while he was working on the Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy project for Seth McFarlane. He’d recently just been promoted to the director slot, and he’d shed his pencil in favor of a digital tablet. It seemed like the world was his oyster, but it seems like things turned in the other direction for Ricky.

I’ve chosen to remember the guy who was thriving and enjoying life, and I’m thankful for the time I spent working alongside him, and writing about him here on CHF. Adios, Ricky.

After producing dozens of strips and 20 animated shorts, Gabe Swarr is releasing a Life In The Analog Age collection. The 100 page book includes a forward by Jorge Gutierrez, and many pages of new material for the super fan. The book lists for $11.99, and here’s what amounts to an ‘unboxing’ video:

We know that not every ColdHardFlash reader is an expert Flash animator, able to design, rig and animate their own custom characters, let alone animate straight-ahead with the tool. But now Flash animators everywhere have the power to create fast and easy character animations with CrazyTalk Animator, an all-in-one software package that increases your productivity by allowing artists of all skill-levels to create characters from photographs, or image files, and animate them with mouse movements or an intuitive puppeteering panel.Create animations in minutes and export them in SWF format for use in Flash designs, Flash Banners, App Designs and Flash games. Check out this demo video below and click this link to show your support for CHF and CrazyTalk Animator.

If you’re headed over to CTNX today, I hereby invite you to a 2pm panel discussion that will alter your entire view of the world. But before I invite you to that panel, I’d like to tell you about a panel I’m moderating called The Upside of Uploads: YouTube Animation Success. We’ll be in the Panel Room from 2:00 to 3:15 and I’ll be joined by some of the giants of online animation – Ed Skudder and Zack Keller from Dick Figures, the mighty Arin ‘Egoraptor’ Hanson and the muscle behind Explosm’s Cyanide & Happiness series, Dave McElfatrick and Rob DenBleyker. Seating is limited to the first 6 million people who utter the secret phrase “I’m Dressed as Lord Tourettes” so don’t dilly dally one bit, folks. But in all seriousness, the gang joining me on stage are all mavens of their craft, and I urge you join us, because 5 panelists will enter and only 4 will leave. Be there!

If you’ve been scanning the news today, you may have seen the big YouTube channels announcement. I’m thrilled to announce that Mondo Media is one of the partners joining the party. As you may know, I head up development at Mondo, and we’re now looking for dozens of new series to fund or co-produce. Whether you’re a writer, producer, animator or designer, you’re encouraged to submit pitches for short-form, animated comedy series, primarily aimed at college-aged guys. To get more details, head over to the Mondo Pitch Us a Show mini-site.

And, now for a little background on how we got here. Read the rest of this entry »