Ricky Garduno has passed away at age 35, Dumm Comics and the world has lost one of the greatest cartoonists.
He was a genius and a friend.
I knew Ricky for almost 15 years. In 1996 I moved from Pennsylvania to California to start a career in the animation industry. I started attending a school called Bridges, it was a small short-lived animation school in Santa Monica. The first day I was there, I met a weird guy, a mexican heavy metal dude with long hair, a bandage on his nose, and a chip on his shoulder. He was rebellious, cool, abrasive, but sweet. He also loved all the same cartoons as I did–we immediately hit it off.
We bonded not only over cartoons, but because we were both dumped around the same time. He was down and out and I was on the upturn. We helped each other out of it, and grew into brothers. We chased girls, fought, swam, travelled, created, dressed up, drank, and stayed up late and drew the stupidest stuff until we laughed until we cried. Our friendship was like every friendship: it had its ups and downs, highs and lows, fights and hugs, name calling and ignoring, but still a friendship.
Through our careers, we rose up together. We boarded next to each other, pitched 4 shows together, and work on 2 pilots together, I mean we boarded the Catscratch pilot together!
Ricky was there the day I met John K., the day I got a job, the day sold a show, the day I got married, the day we launched Dumm, but he hasn’t been around lately.
In recent times were grew apart. We really couldn’t see eye to eye and our lives drifted apart. We had opposing ideas and butted heads a lot, but I have, and always will, respect him. He was and will always be an inspiration to me. He taught me how to let down my guard, be a better person, open up and stand up in front of the world naked, and be a true artist–which he always was.
Ever since I knew him, all of his work was rough around the edges, blunt, poised, rebellious, backwards, heartfelt, and soulful. He was a boundless font of ideas. They would come pouring out of him like he was made of them. His jokes were always a level above everything else he saw around him. He was formed by his opinions, passions, and fears. He was those characters and they were him. He was searching for meaning in himself, his life, and the world, and took us along every step on that journey.
He was an exhibitionist, a iconoclast, a pervert, and a friend and above anyone else I will ever know, a genius.
I remember it was a cold winter night in Santa Monica in 1996. We were walking around the streets very late, bummed out and came to a graveyard. We looked around and we jumped the fence. Cautiously, we walked around to make sure there was no night watchman. We weren’t there to be cool or be scared, we went there to get away. We felt like invaders of a sacred place, but also deeply respectful.
We sat on a cold crypt in the middle of the graveyard and talked for almost 3 hours. We talked until it started to get brighter. We spewed all of our ideas, our ghost stories, our dreams, our loves, and our futures. We wanted the world, and we planned on taking it. In all of that, that’s when I realized that I would never be Ricky. I could never be anything close to what he was. I told him. I told him that I never met anyone like him. He was a level above. It was the way he was wired. He was the perfect combination of insight and passion to drive him to produce some of the strangest ideas, the ones you watch them unfold right in front of you, but you just can’t figure out how or where they came from. Sometimes to piss you off, sometimes to surprise you, but always to amaze and move you. They are things that you want to show everyone around you, because they are just so uncommon. There just aren’t many people like that.
I told him that night that he was a genius.
That’s why this is a true tragedy. He left this world way before he had the chance to really shine. He had so much more to do, to give, so much to show us, so much to teach us, so much more to love, not just comics, but life.
He is a huge part of my creative life that feels like it was ripped out of me, and from this day foward I will always want it back.
Goodbye Ricky.
Gabe
Please, if you have any favorite stories or links to your favorite Ricky strip, please don’t hesitate to do so below:
Never knew or met Ricky, but after years of working in the corporate/advertising/graphic design world, I decided I wanted to move from NYC to Los Angeles to get involved in animation. The process leading up to that was tons of time spent online, reading, learning, drawing and absorbing everything I could about how people are making cartoons out there. Dumm Comics and 1930 Nightmare Theatre especially was this little corner on the web, where I found some BLINDINGLY talented people who were making hilarious comics, apparently for their own amusement. Ricky’s strip was so special – I always wondered what this guy was doing outside of 1930NT, because this shit was dark and hilarious and also beautiful to look at. It breaks my heart to hear RIcky won’t be around anymore, and that he took Kimbo and Co. with him. Will miss this guys work real hard.
Thank you so much for this Gabe. You hit the nail on the head.
I feel privileged to have spent the time I did with Ricky, having met him earlier this year. From the moment I met him I felt that there was something other-wordly about him- and I agree with you whole-heartedly that he was a genius. Ricky inspired me both artistically and emotionally, and was always filled with fiery passion when we talked about the meaning and purpose we found in being artists. He was one of the few genuine beings I’ve met in Los Angeles. The last hug I got from him was one of the most meaningful and important in my life. I am going to miss him so much, and I sincerely I hope he knows how many people cared about him and thought the world of him.
I only talked to Ricky once or twice, and have done only one guest comic for him. His work really did inspire my own imagination and I can’t thank him enough for that. As far as I could tell he was an awesome dude and it’s really sad to hear this. Reading his comic every week and seeing his work always made myself and others plenty happy. I thank you Ricky for the effort you put into your work for us, and I’m glad that you at least left myself and others alike with great inspiration. You’ll be missed, man.
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/341/0/3/1930_nightmare_theatre_by_fungasm-d4igqbt.png
At some point when I was doing my very first webcomic, I experienced some kind of burnout. I was constantly getting bored with what I was doing and wanted to change, but didn’t know how to transition or what looked good. I was worrying and fretting about all this and I kept sending stuff out to people praying for a response. When I asked Ricky for advice, I got the best advice I ever received in my field: “Making comics isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon.” His message was something about consistency and quality over style, and it’s made all the difference for me both as a person and an artist.
I’m ashamed that I never got to really know Ricky outside our occasional conversations on Facebook and mutual movie interests. But what little I knew of him made him one of the greatest people I’ve ever had the pleasure to talk to.
What happened? I thought he had a personal issue and decided to take a break and not do comics for awhile. He died?
Would it be alright if you posted a link to his obituary when it comes up?
i never knew Ricky on a personal level – never met him in real life or anything, but i did talk to him for a bit online quite a few times since his comics hit my corner of the net. he was a funny guy. genuinely made me laugh a lot. other times he was so headstrong about his opinions that it almost pissed me off – until i saw that in a lot of ways, this guy that’s making me angry was me! and at that point forward, heavy respect followed. i considered him a friend. i never had to worry that me speaking my mind was ever going to offend the guy, because as much as I’d bite off, he’d bite off the same amount. he got to know people that i personally knew, and talked to them a bit too. here was a guy that was almost inaccessible until you realized he totally was really easy to get along with, -you- just had to know how. he was a great guy. i would love getting into arguments with him about the dumbest movies since we always had opposing opinions about just about everything. he really put my ideas about how things work in place occasionally, and i appreciated it all the same.
i know my story about him isn’t as grand as most of yours, but just knowing i had a headstrong guy to shoot ideas at was good enough for me. i even wanted to meet up with him and work along side him someday. he was an inspiration and hearing this news today was a powerful shock to the gut. you can be sure of one thing: you’re not going to get another ricky garduno on this planet. that guy was made for better worlds.
This is going to take a while to fully wrap my head around. I unfortunately didn’t get to know Ricky very well, but I treasured the time I got to spend with him. I remember meeting him for the first time, how sweet and friendly he was. We had this long discussion about life and religion and cartoons…when we left his house that night, all I could think was, “I have GOT to spend more time with this guy!”
Ricky, I’ll miss you. You were good and fun and smart and talented, and even when you were being a punk, you were sweet. You always wanted what was best for your friends.
Safe home, Ricky. I hope you are at peace.
Ricky was an influence on me whether I liked it or not. I had an admiration of him like I had for my big brothers as a kid, and I had never felt that way about many people. He was someone I only knew through Facebook, yes, but I knew from the get-go that he was an artist, not a jackass who just doodles and wishes to get recognized like me, he was a true artist with an outlook on life and a philosophy and life experience, and could critique and knew what he wanted to say when he said it. He was, for a lack of any other appropriate word, cool.
I hadn’t said anything to him since he left Dumm comics, and I actually had planned to write him an email saying what the above paragraph pretty much summarized. But being only a Facebook acquaintance, and one that could be pretty annoying, I never sent the letter because I felt that would just be inappropriate or “annoying little brother” of me. I’m sorry I never told you how cool I thought you were RIcky, but since there’s no better time, I’ll just leave you with this:
You were the coolest motherfucker I ever met. Even if it was just on Facebook.
Also I give condolences to Sibylle Medina. I am aware that Ricky and Sibylle broke up, but I imagine that it is still hard on her.
Thank you for thinking of Sibylle.
I only really got to know him for a short period of time. I tried talking with him and offered myself as someone he could get his feelings out to. I really wanted to help him. The poor guy was so upset over so many things. I wish he had opened up to me more, wish he had talked to me or anyone about what was eating him up inside. I know the cause of death is unconfirmed, but I’m praying that it was an accidental death and not a suicide. It’d hurt even more thinking he’d do that to himself…
I wish I could have done more to help him in anyway. I didn’t know him well, but I knew him enough to know he was an awesome guy.
RIP, Ricky. You’ll be greatly missed…
I appreciated how open he was with the fans–always offering ways to contact him over anything, willing to listen.
It is not a Dumm but I love this Girly guest strip he did. http://girlyyy.com/go/Girly_guest_Ricky_v2 There are a lot of good Kimbo comics, not sure what is my preferred one but I did like when he would occasionally use colour. He did it so well! I also liked how Kimbo cheerfully missed the point of pretty much everything.
I am not sure if what I’m about to say is acceptable. But I have noticed the commenter ALMA’s comments frequently in the past. I can’t imagine how she is feeling but I am thinking of her.
Ricky and I became fairly good friends. I don’t want to diminish it because it was only though the internet, as he was better than most people I’ve met in person over the years. I’m usually afraid to approach higher-up cartoonists; pat of it is because I’m so shy, and part of it is because I think, why would they want to talk to some up and coming kid? But Ricky was the one who came to me, and I thought it was the coolest thing. I was honored. Over the past few years, we had many a great conversation. He gave me advice on how to better my cartooning, and he also gave me advice about life that I couldn’t get from anyone else. We had similar problems depression-wise, and some of what I was (and still am) going through was stuff he had dealt with before, and he was always there for me to talk to and return with advice. Sometimes he was harsh about it. And yet, I didn’t take any offense to it. You just kind of knew he meant well. And sometimes a kick in the ass is what you need to get going rather than just having people walk on eggshells around you. That side of him showed through his work very well. A lot of his comics here showed the world and life for what it really was. It made you think. I wish I could have returned the favor of all the support he had given me in the past few years. He kind of shut himself out, but I did have short little back-and-forths with him in recent weeks. I just wish I could have been there for him more. This is all just a very bizarre situation to me. I can’t stop thinking about it, yet I don’t feel like it’s sunk in yet. Like it’s not really happening. I’ve been fortunate enough to not really have anyone close to me, family or friends, pass away all these years, and this is the first real time I’m experiencing the tragedy. It’s just such a shame. He had a lot to offer the world, and I know he would have continued to make an impact on people just like he did with me. I just hope he spent most of his life happy and doing what he loved most.
It’s not going to be the same without you, Ricky. Rest in peace.
Thanks for posting that, Gabe. You said it best: he had so much more to do. I have the same experience a lot of people had: although I’ve only had a few exchanges over email, facebook, and tumblr with him, he was so positive and supportive that it effected me deeply. I was so happy to see him posting comics again on his tumblr, and it’s heartbreaking to know that he won’t be around anymore. I really wish i had been able to talk with him more. I really looked up to him.
Bye Ricky, I’ll miss you a lot.
This is one of my favorites out of many: http://dummcomics.com/2010/12/22/kimbos-katch/
I only knew Ricky via an online presence, but I followed his webcomic since day 1. The guy was brimming with talent and ideas. I always looked forward to his comics and loved his edginess and social commentary.
I’m sad I’ll never get a chance to have a drink with Ricky and thank him for the laughs and inspiration.
Condolences.
I loved comics during my childhood, and at one point I wanted to make a living drawing comic strips when I grew up. But I got to a point where my admiration for it kind of drifted away. Then I discovered Dumm, and specifically, Ricky’s strip. There’s something about Nightmare Theatre that stood out to me; the drawings, the grey tones, the contrast between the lighthearted rubbery classic cartoon style against the dark and foreboding real world attitude that it had… and I usually get turned off by gore and scary kinds of stuff. But for whatever reason, I kept coming back to it. To me, it was like a Salvador Dali painting: it’s scary to the point that you want to take a few steps back, but there’s something intriguing or fascinating about it, so you want to look closer and take it all in. I was hooked on it. Ricky gave me something to look forward to every week. And the strip not only made me laugh, but it rekindled my love of comic strips and sort of opened up that door to me again.
Over the next few years, I watched the strip develop. It became less about paranormal, supernatural scenarios and more down to earth. It was no longer about outside forces coming in and wrecking havoc for Kimbo, but rather about some sort of inner force, a more emotionally rooted, philosophical force breaking out. There was one strip in particular, where Kimbo gets a call from a lonely old woman on Christmas Eve. There was no joke, no punchline, no humor in any way. But it had such a strong impact, much stronger and more heartfelt than any of the other strips before it. It was dark, but in a different way. To me, that was the turning point. The usual, crass and mean-spirited humor was still there, but now and again there were strips that had no punchline, but was just sincere. It became philosophical, reflective, emotional… still kinda gross and perverted, but still just as enjoyable as it was before. I realized this couldn’t have come out of nothing. Ricky didn’t just pull these things out of thin air. Ricky truly felt these things, and experienced them first-hand. It was a new side of the strip to me, almost autobiographical, much like Charles Schulz and Peanuts were. A lot of his observations on the world around him, whether it be something funny, stupid, horrible or sad, it was just as much thought-provoking to me as it was entertaining.
A few months ago, Ricky asked me if I would like to do a guest strip for him. I never really did a comic before then, and I was kind of scared to do it. I was excited, anxious, but mostly I felt honored. I felt like I was contributing to something really great, and I put a lot of effort into that strip. It was good fun to plan out and execute, and it’s one of the few things I’ve done recently that I’m actually really proud of. I had a wonderful time with it, and I was glad to see Ricky’s appreciation of it when I sent it off to him. He told me that he would love for me to come back to do more guest strips in the future, and I was excited and happy to hear his kind words. He said if I ever came over to the West Coast, that I should drop him a line and we could grab lunch. It gave me something to look forward to.
About a month later, I was shocked to hear he was gonna end the strip. Although disappointed to hear that news, I understood why he wanted to do it. There was a lot going on behind the scenes I had little inclination of, and I didn’t want to tread too far into finding out what it was, so I let it be. I sent him an email, wishing him well and that I hope everything works out for him. He didn’t respond back. But I was fine with that.
Over the last two months, I on-and-off wondered how Ricky was holding up. I had a slight inkling that something was going on, seeing his infrequent Facebook and Tumblr posts, but I didn’t think it was that bad. Ricky has been through some low points before, so I just thought it was just another rough pass coming through, like we all experience now and again, and that it would eventually pass. I was shocked and saddened to hear earlier today that it didn’t.
Ricky was talented, creative, filled with great wit and just as much heart. Thoughtful and observant. Not afraid to cross the line, or how far he could/should/would have. I wish I knew him better, but I’m glad I knew him as much as I did anyway.
Take care, Ricky.
-Michael J. Ruocco
This hit me like a ton of bricks today. I’m still reeling. I wasn’t quite as close to him as you were – largely because I was keeping myself apart from EVERYONE back then – but holy fuck it feels like a part of me died.
What the fuck, Ricky. What the fuck. I knew you were depressed but I thought you were getting help. You made a lot of jokes about suicide in your strip but I thought you were just venting by doing that. I didn’t think you… Goddamnit.
Memorial comic coming soon.
I’m sorry this sucks. I can’t hold anything steady right now. :(
http://shironu-akaineko.deviantart.com/art/No-more-Kimbo-272886327
A few years ago I was just starting to really take my art seriously as a career. I was nervous and had been slowly trying out different ways of running my website. I was nervous about my art, my writing, and just…everything, I’d found Ricky through Dumm and had sent him a friend request on facebook. We’d chat mostly through comments and that was mostly how I knew him. But during this phase when I was just starting and just trying to figure out what I was doing, Ricky would pop over and leave helpful comments or give me genuinely constructive criticism. He didn’t know me well, I was just some guy on the internet. But Ricky went out of his way to try and help me. It was something he didn’t have to do and it genuinely surprised me that he would take the time.
But Ricky did. I’m going to miss reading his comics, I’m going to miss his comments on facebook. We never had the chance to meet in person, and I sincerely wish I’d had the opportunity to change that.
Beautiful write-up. Sad, sad news… I followed his comic since ’08 and its quality never diminished as a creative stormfront with the funniest pitch black humor. I never met the man, but wanted to very much and I consider him a great influence. I’ll miss him. Jesus, it’s just hard to come to terms with… I just don’t know what to write here. I’ll always miss his presence on Facebook, Tumblr and this amazing site.
As for favorite Ricky strips, the Kimbo Gets Help storyline came to mind, which starts here: http://dummcomics.com/2009/12/04/kimbo-gets-help/
Also, on a somewhat more upbeat note: http://dummcomics.com/2010/06/02/hate-mail/
I…just can’t believe it. His comic strip was pure genius and now he’s dead? I mean, I wouldn’t believe he killed himeself, I think he had so much to live for. I mean yes, he got divorced (that broke my heart) and had some low points nearing the comic’s end, but I don’t think that would drive him to kill himself. He was a genius and a talent and one of the greats of Dumm Comics. And like to give an ending for 1930′s Nightmare Theatre; In the end, Kimbo married Vepulsa and had some half human-half dog-thing children and if anyone were to make fun of them, Kimbo would beat the crap outta them! Well… RIP Ricky from you’re greatest fan and admirer.
I also like to point out that Cartoon Brew has an article regarding his passing.
Oh Ricky, jesus…I just…shit. shit.
you were kind of a hero to me, man. you’ll never read this, but I really admired you. your comic was wonderful, and you were hilarious. I never got to meet you, and now I never will, but if you could read this, know that someone in PA is weeping right now. RIP, Genius.
While I known Ricky for 1930′s Nightmare Theater, I remember having conversations online with him not too long ago. Back March of ’10, I was going through a bit of an art depression. I felt like my work was getting me nowhere. I wrote a blog post about it and he responded right away and told me that my passion is what will guide me to my career. When he was going through his divorce, I was probably one of the few to talk him down and set his mind at ease. But the moment I remember the most was when I was hosting a party at Bob’s Big Boy during the CTN animation expo and I was worried that nobody was going to show up. Ricky did the right and honorable thing by plugging it on his facebook page. We all had a blast after that. It really is a shame that I didn’t get the chance to hang out with him more. Maybe things would have been different.
He was my favorite out of all the artists at Dumm. He was my friend. He was my life guide. I will miss him dearly.
The world will not be the same without him.
R.I.P. Ricky <:,(
I only started to chat with Ricky away from the comments section here very recently. The last time I talked to him in mid November I knew something was obviously wrong. I offered to send him some cookies but he turned me down. In fact that was the last conversation I had with him.
Oh, Ricky…..I was working on a small clay Kimbo to show you….but now finishing a dead Kimbo just doesn’t seem appropriate anymore….
I never knew Ricky personally, but I am shocked and saddened to hear about his passing. He was a talented artist who will be dearly missed. What a shame that he’s gone so soon.
May he rest in peace.
Oh no! Like so many others here, I never met him personally, but I enjoyed his work and I was hoping that his hiatus from Dumm Comics was just a temporary thing while he got his life back together. He was a talented cartoonist and Dumm won’t be the same without him.
My condolences to his friends, family, and loved ones.
I always respected Ricky’s opinions and admired his bravery to express them online, despite if everyone else disagreed with him. I wish I could have met so I would have more words to say about him.
To all those that knew him well, I am so sorry for your loss. You were all lucky to have him as a friend
ricky was a great guy. i only talked to him a few times on facebook, but he always struck me as really brutally honest, and i admire that. i wish i knew him better, and i sincerely mean that.
I did not know Ricky beyond being one of the many that enjoyed his comic and art immensely. It was a shock when I saw someone saying “RIP Ricky”and I had to see if it was really true. Took me completely off guard and my heart literally sank… When you follow someone’s artwork, I like to think you get to know them a little bit, and it seems like Ricky really put a lot of himself into Kimbo. 1930 Nightmare Theatre was hilarious, thoughtful, macabre, creative, and a lot more. I had never seen anything quite like it … That the creator had to leave the world so young is nothing short of being macabre and incredibly sad in itself. It seems almost surreal considering the tone his comic took sometimes.
It’s so unfortunate that this has happened… the world lost a great cartoonist.
My condolences to Ricky’s family and friends.
http://dummcomics.com/comics/2009-11-27-Kimbo-Smokes.jpg This, right here, was what made him who he was as an artist. a love of old cartoons, and a penchant for seeing them in ways others wouldn’t have noticed.
its so hard to comment about this. I never met the man in person, nor can i say i know him well, i wish i had known him and right now i am crying. rip ricky
I started following Dumm Comics a few years ago, back before Earthward Ho! even started a wrap up of the series. I was always a pretty big fan of 1930′s Theater, in a lot of the more deep and thoughtful comics I agreed 100% with the message Ricky was trying to pass along.
I had brief correspondence with him for about a month, which we discussed a good many things and shared insight, some of the things we agreed on, a lot of other things we disagreed on, both being completely ignorant and dedicated to our opinion the discussions became so heated it came to the point I’d rather simply not talk to him at all.
Always appreciated the comics he put out even if it didn’t always appear that way.
As someone who only knows Ricky through his work, I can say that it is honestly heartbreaking to hear this news. 1930 Nightmare Theater exists as a consistently amazing body of work, and I have no doubt that it will continue to find and entertain audiences for as long as people enjoy GREAT comics.
For those that knew him, I am very sorry for your loss.
I just can’t believe you’re gone Ricky. I regret not meeting you or talking to you more often.
Your comics were a huge source of inspiration to me.
You made me a much more blunter, but honest person.
I will miss you.
I wish I could have helped you, pal. I’ve been there. jesus.
Thanks for sharing Gabe. I loved everything he did on Mucha Lucha and have most of it around me in sketches, storyboards, and the occaisonal smartass observational cartoon. I’m still in shock. I know what i want to say, but sitting at a computer typing it doesn’t seem adequate. Rest in peace Ricky, condolensces to the family and friends like Gabe. Ricky, you have left a great big hole in all our hearts.
This was really sad news and this was the last thing I expected to come about after he had ended his webcomic. I remember watching Mucha Lucha and I saw his name for the first time ever. I’ve been aware of his work since then, and I’ll never forget him. He was kind, funny, intelligent, and knew his craft. I remember when he gave me constructive criticism on some drawings back when Dummcomics used to have a forum.
Ricky was a great human being. You don’t have to meet him in person to know that. He will truly be missed and he has my blessings.
I know Ricky was dealing with a lot of problems and I am sure he was depressed, I am not stranger to depression, the beginning of this year I lost a job I held for nearly 3 years, lost a girlfriend of 2 years and went into a deep depression, I was lucky enough to have a good friend who live just down the block from me otherwise I don’t know what would have happened to me, he never gave me enough time alone to think about suicide, maybe that was the point the entire time.
As far as I understand, the details about what actually happened are still vague, I hope it was an accident, I hope he didn’t end his own life, but if he did, let everyone learn from this, if you know someone who has hit a rough patch, life is treating them hard, keep an eye on them, no matter what they tell you.
What do I have to say about Ricky… I always loved his work so much. He was really talented and had a great mind too. I never managed to meet him personally,but I did wish to do so sometime.
The closest I ever became to him is he managed to follow me on tumblr and liked many things I liked too. I know it’s not much but… well… that was something.
This is absolutely sad to me. Personally the most depressing death I have managed to confront so far. Absolutely shocked.
I’ll miss you so bad, Ricky. You were a great dude!
:(
The fact that there are tons of people, like me, who only know Ricky over the Internet but still have there own unique memories of him says a lot about who he was as a person and an artist. Rest in peace, Ricky.
This is truly a sad day…I really wanted to meet him in person. At least I got to chat with him awhile back. I’m going to miss him, I remember when he followed me when I did this post on tumblr:
http://lordtoon.tumblr.com/post/990957591/im-a-fan-of-kimbo-and-his-ilk-having-this-comic
I’ll be raising a glass in his honor…//
This is truly a sad day…I really wanted to meet him in person. At least I got to chat with him awhile back. I remember when he followed me when I did this post on tumblr:
http://lordtoon.tumblr.com/post/990957591/im-a-fan-of-kimbo-and-his-ilk-having-this-comic
I’ll be raising a glass in his honor…//
Ricky and I got to talk on Facebook a few times, and he was such a great guy, genuinely interested in his fans as real people. Once he offered to meet up if my boyfriend and I ever came down to LA, and I was really hoping to do so after I graduated this month. I’m so sorry I never got to take Ricky up on his offer. He was an amazing cartoonist and person, and he’ll be so, so missed.
Пусть земля будет пухом, Рикки. I’ve loved your work very much
This just makes me sick. I’ll miss you, Ricky.
My condolences.
http://egypt.urnash.com/albums/Illustration/ricky.gif Memorial comic. Dumm standard width if y’all feel like running some guest tributes.
This is seriously so freaking amazing. I saw it on Facebook, and have been wanting to comment on it but can’t find the right words. Beautiful.
Thanks.
I really wish I hadn’t had reason to draw it.
No no no no no no no no no no no no no no. NO. NO. FUCKING NO. NO. GOD DAMN IT. NO. NO NO NO NO NO. GOD DAMN NO.
Condolences. 35 is very, very young, poor guy.
Ricky was the first cartoonist I ever contacted back when he made a 1930sNT group on facebook. It really stuck out when he said he didn’t consider any of us his fans, but his friends. Obviously he wasn’t just saying that.
I only swapped comments with him once in a while but it was enough to really admire him. He didn’t say stuff just because it was in vogue or just to go against the grain. He typed exactly what he thought, and it made what he posted really matter. It honestly made my day any time he liked what I said. The fact he’d worked on shows with millions of viewers and thought something I said was funny was already mindblowing, but beyond that he made it feel like you were really onto something.
It’s kind of weird reading/sharing eulogies for someone so close to the macabre. He made light of a lot of dark things and I bet this was one of them. I hope if there’s anything on the other side- any god, devil, cosmic horror or whatever else, that it has a good sense of humor.
This is just… horrible news. I think collectively everyone could tell something wasn’t write but I didn’t know it would go this far. We lost a true, true talent. Fuck, this makes me feel ill…
What terrible news.
I only knew him a little over a year through the internet but I liked what i knew of him and was fortunate to talk with him a bit over e-mails and even got to do a guest strip for him. It’s a bloody goddman shame. The funniest people always seem to be the most sensitive people. It’s really terrible. He will be missed by many! RIP Cheers! BULA!
Rarely have I felt this sad over the death of someone I never met. “Dat baby gave me a dirty look” and “Wat’s all dis about ghosks?” have become part of my family’s lexicon. I didn’t know Ricky… but I will miss his works greatly.
Ricky Garduno is that rare embodiment of raw, honest and inspiring power.
That type of power extends far and beyond the human life form.
Without a doubt, his legacy will only continue to grow, influence and
produce some serious jealous artistic frustration in years to come.
Thank you, Ricky.
Ricky asked me to be his “agent” last summer, before I deleted my old Facebook account. This is what he sent me:
“are you going to move to LA when you’re done? I have a significant readership and no idea what to do with it. also i haven’t been able to line anything up with publishers, mostly because i don’t know what to do. I’d give you a good percentage considering I’m making no money off my personal art now and anything at this point would be gravy. ”
“I don;t have any plans per se. i’ve done the pitching shows thing and that door is always open to me. in fact I’ve helped people get their own shows before and I’ve had a few pilots of my own. ”
“as for the publishing thing, it would be nice but again it’s not my ultimate goal. what I really want is to team up with someone who has a head for business that can help me figure out how to make something from my assets. we hit one million unique readers last summer and I have no idea where we are now. But I do know several thousand people visit our site on a daily basis. it may be average by internet standards but those are asses in seats. just want to figure out what to do with it. ”
“your career track sounds excellent. i can tell you have a real love for the medium and to be honest you are approaching it from the best angle. executives have the best chances to be creative and to affect the industry n a positive way.”
That really inspired me, especially his kinds words in the last paragraph about me.
Before I deleted my Facebook, I saved this conversation and spent all of August researching and putting together a business plan to help Ricky, as per these instructions. I read this thing every day. When I wasn’t doing school work, I was working on this project for Ricky.
Most of all, I was inspired his encouragement about me, regarding the animation industry. I was doing it for free, just to get experience, and was reading a bunch of books and articles and journals on the subject, and then trying to come up with revenue streams. I even set up a few meetings with publishers, self published authors and artists, and a bunch of business people who gave me advice on how to turn web hits into revenue. I was sort of trying to write a business plan for Ricky and a business plan for Dumm Comics, although I don’t think Ricky told the other Dumm comics artists I was doing this.
We kept in touch through Tumblr, and then I stopped hearing from him. He ended his strip mysteriously and deleted his Tumblr. I got back on Facebook last month and added him and he told me to forget about the project. He said he wasn’t in any condition to think about projects. At that point his health was far more important.
I’m gonna miss that dude.
I really wish I had finished the plan back in September as I had promised him. He told me he didn’t mind waiting, but I do now.
He was a very talented comics artist. His webcomics were some of the best I´ve seen.
I´m really sad with that. Hope he finds peace wherever he is now. Rest in peace Ricky.
This hurts, it hurts so deep
he made so great work in animation El Tigre, The Buzz on Maggie, Family Guy, The Drinky Crow Show and Coconut Fred’s Fruit Salad Island.
and his comic 1930 Nightmare Theatre
I gona miss Ricky Garduno and his work
my condolence to family Garduno
I never met Ricky in person, but we spoke a little over Facebook. I know that’s not much, but I have been following his work since I first discovered Dumm in May of 2008 and… man, I just can’t believe he’s gone. Kimbo’s darkly funny hi-jinx were such a huge reason behind my continued following of Dumm comics. He said and drew what he wanted and I admired him for that. Talented, talented, talented. Ah, this is just so sad. I don’t know what else to write, but it’s obvious that he’ll be missed by a great many people, and deservedly so. Goodbye, Ricky.
Garduno was excellent talent animator, RIP ricky
Also, who is going to handle “Kimbo’s Publick Society”? How will one get access to the bonus strips that were available for purchase?
I think that’s maybe something we should let go of.
Dude, the man JUST died! Things like that will be dealt with in due time. But for now, just give condolences to those who were lucky enough to have know him. ;-;
“The One Calling you Out ” – I am very much well aware that he just died and that this is a grieving period. I just raised the issue to make sure nobody will forget about it. We don’t need the answers now.. I just raised the issue in case nobody overlooks that point. A simple “We have not decided yet” or “it’s not time to” would have sufficed.
Stop. Just stop talking.
Show some respect. The man died and the first thing you think of is a product you want to have.
Hang your head.
I didn’t know him and I’m shocked. He was a great man, I wish he hadn’t been in such great pain.
This is so sad. I didn’t know him personally, I just followed his comic which I loved. RIP Ricky.
I never had the honor of meeting Ricky Medina, but his comics always brought a smile to my face and his website has always been a great source of weekly entertainment. He was one of the people I looked forward to meeting once I moved to LA, but now that can never happen.
Rest well Ricky, your troubles on this earth are behind you and I’ll remember you always.
This is very sad news. To those that knew him and loved him, I am sorry for your loss.
He was my favorite Dumm artist. And one of the best cartoonists that i have had the opportunity to meet.
rip, ricky. Rest in Peace or Rest in Pieces, as you prefer…
Ricky was the shit. Nightmare Theater was one of the only reasons I kept reading web comics on the internet. I would talk to him here and there, but I’m really glad I got to know him for the past year or 2. He inspired to me to keep up on Mini-Battle Men (for a short while I guess). My stomach sunk this morning when I heard about this. I still can’t believe it. I wanted to work with him on something other than a guest strip. He’s definitely one of those people that dug a little deeper in the world. It’s a hard struggle to stay on top, though. Peace, Ricky.
Hm.. thats a grimm suprise.
I guess death – as natural it is – comes always suprising.
No one is ever prepared for that. I dont know if Ricky prepared for it.
This is a very personal and serious matter.
I hope I can say something that is kind of apropiate.
I never knew him. At all.
But Ricky was the reason why I got hooked at DUMM Comics.
I loved his lovecraftian Strips, the combination of humor and horror.
Now I appreciate the work of all DUMM Comic artists but his art
catched me at first. That is everything I can tell about him.
I know nothing more.
Condolences to his friends and family.
Farewell Ricky
Ricky was a genius.
His intellect and perfectionism harmonized stunningly with his humor
and quick witt.
What many don’t know about Ricky however, is he had a heart two sizes too big for the small frame of his body.
He bled love, it seeped from the very core of his being. Ricky used his cartooning to minimalize the odacities of this world, so that we smaller minded people could understand, and cope with them.
I am shocked, and deeply wounded that his loneliness manifested to this point.
I will always Remember you, Ricky,
You reminded me of who I was truly inside, and it changed my life.
I will always remember you jumping off of my rooftop, and landing on your feet.
You were otherworldly, anyhow.
Peace is yours.
Farewell.
I worked with Ricky on two productions a few years back. I remember him as a sweet guy with a great sense if humor and amazing talent. I am shocked and so very sad to hear the news today.
Like many people before me, I was one of the readers who stumbled over the Dumm Comics, and the first thing I saw here was one of his comics. I started to read them, and of course, I loved his works: It was so different from other webcomics I have read. While it have black comedy, it did touch everyone because of its raw intensity and blunt punchline. I never comment on his comics or talk with him, though, I wish I did for he was really loved by everyone from what I saw. It broke my heart to see the new, so… Ricky, you’ll be missed by many people, that’s for sure.
Hi everybody, my name is Marcelo Energici,I’m a animator student and a daily reader of Dumm Comic. I have never comment before because I think that it was pointless, but know I could’nt resist.
I really feel sorry about this, you are right Gabe, Ricky was a genius. The first time that I see hs work I feel disgusted by his humor and style, but then I realize that he was something more. he was capable to make me laugh, scare and many things only with one strip, and that was incredible. It’s painfull know that someone so talented die so young. I read many of the comments of this post, and I see that he was a great guy, too bad that I couldn’t have the chance to know him in person.
Ricky, thanks for all these time of laugh and sickness, but you must know, you leave your mark in this world, and I hope that will keep you in our memories and nightmares in some cases. As far as I know, you were a talented artist and a awesome guy, rest in piece.
ricky was my favorite artist here, his comics were always the funniest, the wittiest, the deepest ones i read, he didnt pretend that the world only had good guys, and twisted the old disney style into a wonderfully different perspective, he took the necronomicon, but with completely original new monsters and ideas, just when i began getting into gorillaz’s music ricky posted theyr song november has come”, i trully dont know how i can finish this comment in a way that will express my sorrow, i will always remember you ricky, rest in piece
*peace
You were too big for this planet.
Fuck you Ricky, we’re going to miss you, badly.
Man. I never knew Ricky. The most I’ve seen of him was his work on Nightmare Theater, being one of my favorite comics not only on Dumm, but ever. I could tell simply through that work that he was a unique individual with a lot to offer. It was through that comic that brought me to the rest of these great comics. It was this site that refreshed my faith in the animation industry and allowed me to hope that it wouldn’t be swallowed by mediocrity and trends. It’s always tragic when someone like him passes on, especially at such an early age.
Now that I think about it, he was going through a rough time when he left this site. His final post mentioned that we may one day meet again some sunny day. I hope he still get the sunny day he promised. No one deserves to go in such a state of mind.
i think he referneced this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcunREYzNY , damn i miss him
You will be missed Ricky.
ricky was a cool guy. i remember posting something one time on one comic he did, and through my email he added me on facebook and started talking to me. what artist goes out of their way like that to make such a personal connection with their fans? i always looked forward to what he had to say, even if i didn’t agree with it, because his perspective was always insightful even if it was strange. you’ll be missed ricky, thanks for the opportunity.
I’ve followed dummocomics since my 2nd year of highschool, seeing such a tight-knit group in the scary world of comics is part of the reason I’m now here in the USA studying my passion for Art. I feel your loss. Farewell Ricky!!
I didn’t know him and all I can say is that I thought he made some pretty funny comics.
It’s absolutely terrible that he’s gone and it’s been hanging over my head ever since I found out. RIP Ricky :(
Man, I can’t believe it.
Probably one of my favorite comic author, it’s a damn shame at that. And I completely agree with what you’ve said Gabe, Ricky shown to be a true genius, with talent to show for it. Goddamnit, I can’t come up with any words to express how I feel about this. I feel for all his friends and family as well.
R.I.P. Ricky :C
Well… shit. I only discovered Dumm Comics about a year ago, and no offense to the other great creators there, but NT was what kept me coming back, and I freaking loved that goddamned Kimbo! That little bastard talked to me. Let me know it was okay to say whatever I wanted in my own cartoon. I just liked that kind of shit. Which puts a smile on my face because even though I never met Ricky, I think he’d be pleased just knowing that.
We should all feel happy. For Ricky… he’s in a better place, and for us… we got to enjoy him while he was here. Adios, Ricky.
I’m so inspired by him. if I ever get the comic I’m working on published, it’s dedicated to Ricky.
I’ve been crying on and off over his death for the last hour or so. Just….. What the flying fuck, Ricky? Why didn’t you get help? Why did you have to stay alone in your last hours? Didn’t you know we loved you? Didn’t you believe it when we said you inspired us? You inspired me, and now all I have is some comments of mine you responded to. That’s it. I’ll never meet you or shake your hand or tell you that you’re my favorite artist on dumm…… You’re gone. And I’m crying again. Fuck you Ricky. Rest in peace. I hope it’s peaceful where you are now…
my favourite moment (online of course) was talking to him about our mutual hate of Todd McFarlane. we both picked on him for exactly the same shit, and I just felt like we were on the same wavelength.
Being a complete bystander to Rick’s life, I can’t tell you how his work influenced me so strongly even though it was another thing I came across on the internet. I was instantly hooked on his comics, I wish now I’d taken the time to look more into his work and maybe even send him a message when we quit the comic awhile back, or something, I’m gonna miss the inspiration that man gave me. I hope I can keep it with me through all the stuff he’s worked on. I’ll now never get to meet you….
R.I.P
I am shocked & sadden to hear about this…I’ve been a reader here for a few years now and have enjoyed his work posted here (along with other folks). Unfortunately I didn’t get the pleasure of speaking with him.
He was a lot of things to many folks and will be missed tremendously.
I first got directed to this site from the Fanboys web comic, back during this site’s first month or so. Initially, I stayed around because of Earthward Ho! but something about 1930s Nightmare Theatre intrigued me. I loved waking up the days when that comic would run to see what monsters had been spawned. I got a little sadder as the number of days it was updated dwindled to one, but I always enjoyed seeing what was new. When Ricky left for a hiatus, I was lucky to have Life in the Analogue Age to keep me returning, but I never forgot Kimbo and Friends. Wherever Ricky is – Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, or Lovecraftian Torture Dimension – I’m sure that he’s just chilling with his creations and smiling down upon what he hath wrought. He’ll be missed.
Been a Dumm reader since it started, way back then I was studying Animation in San Francisco. After some soul searching I’m back on the east coast and applying to Medical Schools, and art is much less a part of my life than it ever was before. Dumm Comics is one of the few cartoon things I still pay attention to, and 1930′sNT was always my favorite. I shared them with my friends, and today sadly passed on the news that there won’t be any more. Reading here how much he loved his fans, I wish I’d contacted him to let him know how great his creative output was and how I wished I was half that good back when I was doing it, or how it was so great I still read it and love it to this day. Depression can be a terrible thing, and pushing away the people around you is just the nature of the beast. He didn’t seem like the type to make a stupid mistake, but whatever happened a few days ago, that man was brimming with heart and soul no matter what darker parts of him there may have been, and I hope that he found what he truly wanted.
Also, just take a glance at the number of strips for each comic in the upper right to see how much he loved what he did. Or just actually read a few.
Ricky, I’ll miss your crazy ass.
This are… well i was not expecting to read this when i entered dummcomics today after a long time of not visiting, around the time 1930′s Nightmare Theatre left it’s place up there in the comic row
I was disappointed back then so i stopped coming in, i hoped that it would return some day, now i know that will not happen, i live in México, found the page by accident, and loved most of the comics back then, but my favorite was from the start 1039′s NT, i just loved that comic like I’m sure many many others did and still do like myself, of course i never met Ricky Garduno, i never even spoke with him or chat with him, nothing at all, so I’m not gonna pretend there is some sort of connection, but i loved his art, i loved what he did here, i cannot miss someone i never met, but I’m gonna miss his creations, i feel bad right now, i haven’t ever felt what is to lose someone, fortunately, but i can assure this is the closest I’ve ever been, I’m just a fan, nothing more, nothing less, but hell do i feel bad to hear about this… R.I.P. Ricky, i know you made a lot of people smile, laugh and probably even happy more than a few times, and all without even entering their lives directly, but with your amazing, amazing work.
The world missed a great artist, and from what i can read here from the people who met him, a great person too.
This are… well i was not expecting to read this when i entered dummcomics today after a long time of not visiting, around the time 1930′s Nightmare Theatre left it’s place up there in the comic row
I was disappointed back then so i stopped coming in, i hoped that it would return some day, now i know that will not happen, i live in México, found the page by accident, and loved most of the comics back then, but my favorite was from the start 1039′s NT, i just loved that comic like I’m sure many many others did and still do like myself, of course i never met Ricky Garduno, i never even spoke with him or chat with him, nothing at all, so I’m not gonna pretend there is some sort of connection, but i loved his art, i loved what he did here, i cannot miss someone i never met, but I’m gonna miss his creations, i feel bad right now, i haven’t ever felt what is to lose someone, fortunately, but i can assure this is the closest I’ve ever been, I’m just a fan, nothing more, nothing less, but hell do i feel bad to hear about this… R.I.P. Ricky, i know you made a lot of people smile, laugh and probably even happy more than a few times, and all without even entering their lives directly, but with your amazing, amazing work.
The world missed a great artis, and from what i can read here, a great person too.
Ama, I apologize for all this. If memory serves, you were his mom right? I remember reading your comments before, always in Spanish, praising Ricky. I’m sure he knew you loved him.
@Tai Muay
The guy whose first question when popping in here is WHERE’S MAH STUFF has the stones to call *me* offensive? You’re a disgusting vulture. You should be ashamed of yourself.
I came here to read stories about people’s experiences with Ricky and to mourn his passing. When I saw your pretty shocking attempt to find out where your goodies were, and then your even more despicable attempt to backpedal, I called you out on it. You could have e-mailed the Dumm staff in private, but you chose to do it in a thread with people mourning the death of someone they respected.
That makes *me* offensive? Fuck you, you leech.
He killed himself? What a fucking loser. Don’t mourn for a man who took the easy way out. It’s what he wanted after all. If anything, those who love him, you should be angry at him. He threw his life away without any regards to your feelings. Suicide is the most selfish thing you can do. There will always, ALWAYS, be someone who misses you when you go, and if he couldn’t appreciate that, then FUCK HIM.
Don’t think of this as a tragedy, think of it as a man who got what he wanted. If he wanted to opt out, fucking forget about him. He wouldn’t want yo dwelling on his death anyway.
Fuck you guys. He asked a legitimate question. And this isn’t a tragedy. It would be a tragedy if it were an accident, or if he was killed. He committed suicide, plain and simple. He got what HE wanted, why shouldn’t this guy get what HE wants?
FUcking grow up.
Oh here we go again, just can’t have a news post in Dumm Comics about Ricky without everyone yelling at each other like angry poo flinging monkeys. Great job, guys!
I’m really not sure what to say here. I’m really not. I’m going to spill my guts and I feel like I might offend someone. I’m incredibly sorry if I do. I think Ricky would do the same thing in my place. I’m going to get this train wreck rolling now. This is really hard for me. I have a lot of dislike for Ricky to be honest. A good handful of his comics offended me and that probably was the intent to some degree. I can think that as a cartoonist myself, that he was doing them for fun too. But anyway. Despite how often he offended me with his work, he made me laugh with his comics and his blatant honesty more than he ever offended me. I’m a very reclusive individual. And he always seemed the complete opposite and I really respected him. For everything. For every time he made me mad or happy or sad. He did it with such an amazing sense of honesty. I really respected him for all of that. I still do. Maybe I’ve offended someone at this point. But I want that all said, because I can’t emphasize enough that one of the biggest regrets in my life is never telling this man how much I respected him and his opinions. One of his comics hit so close to home to me, that after I read it for the first time I just wanted to cry. It was like I got a knee to the chest. I felt like I found a brother through this amazing internet contraption. And I never told him how much it meant to me to know I wasn’t the only one out there going through what I was going through.
This is still so surreal. I’m really sorry for anyone that read this far. Maybe Ricky deserves better than what I have to say. But I think I owe him this much stupid honesty to contrast how much of a genius he really was.
Thank you Ricky for everything you’ve done. I’ll miss you.
And to think I was only bummed out by the abrupt end of his comic.
I never met Ricky, only conversed with him online, but he seemed like a really cool guy. I’m sorry we lost him so young.
Jews are smelly
Whatever, nasty.
Mexicans are smelly
All of his comics were filled to the brim with pessimism, he’s hated all of his fans and took no criticism good or bad, hurt my friends (before and after death) and committed the most cowardly act of death upon himself. For a man I’ve never met I can’t place much value in him, but I do feel sorry for the friends he does have.
Typically, there are 7 Stages of Grief.
However, on the web there are apparently only 2: Mourning and Irrelevant Attention Whoring.
I’d like to cleanse our palette with a final thought on the life and art of Ricky Garduno.
His life, much like his art, was a charming combination of light + dark.
—
The time we spent together,
Chasing rainbows & tornadoes,
We never stopped to notice,
There’s a sunset in the shadows.
Burning in a corner,
where nobody sees the sun,
We’ll find our little sunset,
Making light for everyone.
–
Thank you, Ricky.
I only met him once and he was so goddamn nice. Online, I’d interacted with him on Kimbo’s Publick Society a couple of times, but nothing too in-depth. For a while there, I found myself disagreeing with half the stuff he said. Still… I never thought it was much of a stretch to call him a friend. I always sort of thought we’d get to hang out again. So, I’m not sure what happens now that he’s gone. I just know I’m gonna miss our friend Ricky.
Wish someone could moderate some of these posts away.
Ricky’s comics were amazing and could only have been made by an intelligent, sensitive man. It took me several days to be able to post this. I find it really hard to express how this makes me feel. I loved Ricky’s style, which I see as a disturbing mix of cheap laughs with incredibly dark subjects. He was one of the people I’ve always wanted to include in a project some day.
I am very sad to hear about his death and I wish everyone who was close to him the very best to cope with this loss. And please, ignore the assholes here. They’re not representative.
Rock on, Ricky! You’ll always be an inspiration to me.
Do you have nothing better to do with your time? I think its pretty clear by now noone wants you to post, why do you continue to? Get a life.
Ricky…. I dont have words to be honest, I’m really sad, I was looking forward to seeing him become a leading web cartoonist as soon as he got his things together, and now this will never happen….
well,r.i.p. ricky
I just recently started coming to this site but I loved his strips. While I never knew the man, he sounded like a wonderful person, My heart goes out to his loved ones, friends and fans. R.I.P Ricky.
I’d like to think I read a great number of webcomics. The number is literally in the hundreds. Some are good, some are okay. When you find a really good webcomic, you can’t help but wonder what the man or woman who draws them is like. You can see them face to face at conventions, but the best ones in my opinion are the ones you never get a chance to meet. They become like gods, beings in some alternate reality who bring you joy while asking nothing in return from you. It takes a true artist and a real man to do what the people at Dumm and all over the web do.
Today, I learned a god died. Ricky’s work was like nothing I’d ever seen before, or ever will again. It was dark, it was kinky, it was pulpy, it was rough, it was twisted and it was beautiful. The world on whole is a less of a beautiful place with out Ricky Garduno. He is still, and always will be immortal to me. I send my condolences to those who lost a friend and a family member. I can’t say I was fortunate enough to meet Ricky the man, but I will always love Ricky the artist.
I took some time to reflect upon what I had said. Belatedly I realized that some people may have perceived me to be trying to get a “freebie” out of this. This was not my intention – I was trying to ask about the future of the aspect of the comic strip, but I did not expect, or want anything for free. I apologize for the confusion.
Also, I apologize for encouraging drama. I hoped to dissuade people from. This incident does not need drama attached to it.
This made me more sad than most deaths I’ve heard of in quite a while. Although I didn’t know him at all, It was an honor to have a chance to observe his brilliance.
It’s strange, as a person who is often cynical and jaded about the world, that just reading the first line here felt like a blow to the chest. It’s rare to find an artist so insightful and unapologetic in showing us the world through his eyes, and who has made me laugh until I cried more than most ever will.
A few favorites, not too spammy I hope.
http://dummcomics.com/2008/12/25/the-worst-thing-i-ever-did/
http://dummcomics.com/2009/02/05/kimbos-plea/
http://dummcomics.com/2009/08/20/the-last-beat-of-my-heart/
http://dummcomics.com/2010/04/02/cliffs-notes/
http://dummcomics.com/2010/05/10/somethings-missing/
http://dummcomics.com/2011/04/18/1930-digest9-v2-copy/
http://dummcomics.com/2011/08/15/1930-passion-v1/
http://dummcomics.com/2010/05/07/what-good-is-a-cake-you-cant-eat/
http://www.rickygardunoslife.com/
Thanks for the great times Ricky. May you rest in peace
Oh, god, that’s unbelievable and terrible. Ricky’s art was the reason I started coming to Dumm Comics, and when he left, I barely hung on, for Skadi, mostly. I’m really sorry to hear this news. He clearly had a totally unique and sometimes terrifying style and viewpoint, and we’re poorer for having lost him. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
Right now i regret that I never had the chance to have an e-mail conversation with him. I just know it would have lasted weeks and that I would have learned a lot.
I’d tell you to rest in peace, Ricky. But there’s something in the back of my head telling me you’re gonna have a wild ride on the other side. So go for it, bro.
Just heard about the very sad news. Just felt like I needed to post something, but I’m speechless. I guess just a thank you Ricky. Thank you for the inspiration in cartooning.
the internet sucks without Ricky Garduno. There, I said it.
RIP Ricky.I just want to post something here that ive learnt from personal experience that could help out people, the answer for getting rid of depression is Chinese Medicine, this is a very ancient and advanced form of healing that works,there is no help for for depression in western medicine, all they do is put you antidepressants which makes things alot worse.
This is so bad… I’m crying here. He was so amazing, great artist, my favourite. Let him rest in peace.
I can’t believe this.
I’ve never posted a comment here before but I’ve loved 1930 Nightmare Theatre since it started and it was the reason that I kept coming back. We’ve lost one of the best webcomic authors, this is just too painful.
I know I’m late for the party, but i’d like to share my history. It’s kind of a funny one.
I first added Ricky as a friend on facebook because I utterly LOOOOVED 1930 Nightmare Theatre. A few days later I was notified that he liked several of my pictures and I was really flattered ’cause the guy was one of my personal heroes, and also happened to think I was hot! But my asshole then-boyfriend got all jealous so our facebook friendship kinda came to a halt. We managed to make him hilariously uncomfortable a couple of times (and he enjoyed it).That’s the story of my short-lived facebook friendship with Ricky. I’ll always regret it didn’t go any further…
That’s why now I must stalk the rest of the Dumm crew so they all can be my friends. FOREVER.
I…
Oh god. I’ve been avoiding checking Dumm comics for a while since Ricky left, because it didn’t feel the same. I come back for this.
I never commented much. If I did, it was probably a stupid comment that annoyed the other readers or something. I haven’t been reading dumm comics since the beginning or anything like that. I didn’t know Ricky at all, except through his work and those little artist comments that I always read. But I’ll be damned if I said his life didn’t influence me just a little. My Mondays were always uplifted by his work.
It’s hard to even try to think “He’s gone for good.”… Talent, and from what I’ve read, personality… All that comes along once in a blue moon…
Rest in peace, Ricky.
wow…for days i’m off this site and this happens??? I feel so terrible about this and knowing about it so late ;A;
R.I.P. Ricky, you were the best :3
GD it. I just found out. I never even met the man, but I remember when Dumm went online, and I got hooked. We’ll miss you, Ricky.
: ( its too sad he is gonne! RIP ricky,
I wish you knew how many peolple loved you.
Gibbon: The best way to do that is not to reply to the discussion.
If you don’t want me to talk about that, don’t reply to the thread.
I already heard the sentiment that now is not the time to talk about that, and I get that, but I do not want another person to tell me to “stop talking” (or use harsher words)
Seriously, stop talking. You’re a vulture.
Gibbon, you keep giving my post attention, and making more of an issue out of it than if you hadn’t replied. You want me to talk more, and you want me to be “a vulture.”
Let me set you straight on a matter – it is not “vulturing” to ask about the future of the associated functions of the strip. That is a legitimate consideration in light of what happened. One can kindly, politely, nicely say “this is not the time for this” or “let’s let everyone grieve first” – so that way the person asking will go “okay, then I will ask later after everything settles down.” It may be not be the right time to ask, but it is a legitimate, reasonable, justifiable question. It is not inappropriate to ask that question.
But by making a caustic “stop talking” *you are making things worse.* It is bad behavior, and it is worse behavior to give in to the command “stop talking.”
This will be the last time I will address you. I will now ignore your posts.
Apologise. You did a rude monstrous thing in front of mourners, which is upsetting to the people who loved and cared for Ricky. Of course you’re getting called on it, back off. Back off, say you are sorry and that will be the end of it.
You are not the tone police. No one is obliged to be polite to you when you are behaving poorly.
Let’s look at the text again, Ama.
“Also, who is going to handle “Kimbo’s Publick Society”? How will one get access to the bonus strips that were available for purchase?”
This question… is rude and monstrous?
I have to apologize for asking this question?
” No one is obliged to be polite to you when you are behaving poorly.” – I am behaving just fine, Ama.
And even for people behaving poorly, you still don’t cross a certain line.
On one end, I did not intend to insult people grieving for Garduno. I do not wish to cheapen the grieving process. But I feel like I made a good reply after “The One Calling you Out” – I could concede that now would not be the time to answer the question – I thought the issue was settled, and I was going to forget about it.
Then came Gibbon’s reply. You say “No one is obliged to be polite to you when you are behaving poorly.” but that’s wrong. Let’s say somebody did make a mistake. If you do not use enough civility that person may not react in the way expected. Gibbon’s words were offensive. It would be a disservice to let his post stand without telling him that his reply was not okay. The reason why I replied was because, even if this thread is about a tragic recent death, I found Gibbon’s reply to be completely unacceptable.
Because guy A is “behaving poorly,” does it give you a license to do the same?
Why should I apologize for this?
“Also, who is going to handle “Kimbo’s Publick Society”? How will one get access to the bonus strips that were available for purchase?”
This is what you are asking me to apologize for. This is a perfectly reasonable question.
It’s not a reasonable question. It’s like walking into a funeral and asking, “So, when do I get my share of his money?” It shouldn’t be a question at all. You don’t ask it. A person died. Nobody should ever ask about physical goods associated with that person upon their death. The only conclusion that can be wrought from that is that you care more about the goods than the person. Things will get sorted out when they get sorted out, and asking about it at any point is crass and rude. Stop thinking about yourself.
——
RIP Ricky, I’m sure you understand how comment boxes go. If you were here, you might even find all this ado funny.
JUST SHUT UP YOU FAGGOT
You’re a rude, sad person who doesn’t care that he’s asking for merch while everyone else is mourning. You are owed no respect, no politeness. You do not ask for money at a funeral, you mourn the dead. This is entirely inappropriate that you care more about people valuing your feelings and desire for material over you respecting a man that has passed away, while you are at a memorial.
It is not about you or your desire for respect that you do not, in any way, deserve.
I hope you feel ashamed of yourself, I also hope you never get those strips you’re grubbing for, you nasty hack.
When someone else commented on moderating the posts here I had a thought similar to your last note there–if anyone would have wanted things unfiltered it would be Ricky.