Join the Seda' Club

My animated Shabot Passover special "Seda' Club" is now easier to share and embed on your blog than ever. It's available on YouTube, as well as MySpace and Facebook.

Share Shushan Shabot

Now you can share the Shushan Shabot Purim cartoon with your friends on YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook!

Shabot Sunday Strip

My friends at PresenTense Magazine have done it again, and released Issue 4 to the public. I am pleased to have a special "Sunday Strip" style Shabot comic — complete with color and longer format — featured as the "Shabot Spot" on page 32.

Click on the image to see the full comic strip, which is about Jews on Facebook. While you're at it, become a Facebook Fan of Shabot, too!

BOTRO

Move over, Shabot? Max Miller of Columbia, Maryland, sent me this picture of BOTRO, a Jewish robot that his father drew for him in the mid 1960s. Way ahead of his time!

The Adventures of Todd and God

Ladies and gentlemensches, I am pleased to present The Adventures of Todd and God, a new educational cartoon I developed for MyJewishLearning.com. This first episode is a Hanukkah special on how to light the menorah, and if all goes well, hopefully we can develop Todd and God into a series. So please share with your friends and let MyJewishLearning.com know what you think!

All art, animation, voices, sound design, and theme song by William Levin of JewishRobot.com. Special thanks to Daniel Septimus of MyJewishLearning.com for entrusting me with this project, and buddy Berger Boy for helping me brainstorm!

Visit Todd and God at their special home at ToddAndGod.com

8 Nights of Hanukkah

I am pleased to present "8 Nights of Hanukkah"! a new musical cartoon that I produced for my friend Sara Schwimmer of PopJudaica.com, formerly known as ChosenCouture.com. Conceived by Sara, illustration and animation and music and voices by me, and featuring a Fran Drescher, Natalie Portman, and a dead-on Madonna impression by friend Andrea Praet!

Holy American Jewry, Batman!

Fellow cartoonist Eli Valley has posted his new comic parody online, Holy American Jewry, Batman! posing the question, "What if the Caped Crusader worked in the American Jewish community?"

Not surprisingly, EV's message reminds me of a cartoon I did for JSU, Where in the World?

Frum on Eileen

Friend, novelist, and stealth cartoonist Eli Valley has written an excellent piece on the intersection of romance comics and interfaith relationships, complete with scanned pages of the nine-part series from 1973 to 1974 in Charlton Comics’ Just Married.

"Listen, you rednecked Irishman, Rabbi Schwartz will marry my David to your daughter!"

"In a pig's eye, Goldman! They'll be married right ... In a church!"

Read all about "Jewish David" and "Irish Eileen" in Valley's Jewcy.com article, "When Jewish David Met Irish Eileen
Jewcy's resident humorist examines intermarriage, 1970s-style".

Macboy Miscellanea

Two weeks ago I had the honor of producing a short cartoon animation for the New York Times under my other animation brand, MACBOY. The podcast, produced for technology columnist David Pogue, was produced on a deadline of just one day. Here is the result, "Video Recorder Deathmatch":

You can read about the process involved with creating the video on Pogue's Posts.

In other news, my personal favorite Macboy cartoon, Dad vs. AOL, was featured on Canadian television show G4techTV (aired last summer, but I just found the episode online recently). My cartoon was introduced by perky host Amber MacArthur, which made me jealous of my own cartoon. Here's the clip from G4techTV.

Teh History of Israel

Please join me in wishing Israel a happy birthday! "Teh History of Israel", is a new cartoon I produced for birthright israel in celebration of Yom Ha'atzmaut, or Israel Independence Day.

(Oddly, YouTube happened to chose the most boring frame of the entire cartoon as the preview screen.) The style of pictorial animation I used for this cartoon was inspired by Brad Neely's excellent Professor Brothers series.

Feel free to share with your friends, and have a wonderful celebration!

This cartoon is a product of JewishRobot!

The Jewish Robot Has Landed

I am pleased to announce that JewishRobot.com, my new animation service brand, has officially launched! Visit the site to see my animation portfolio, and witness the Autosemitic Animation Assembly Line in action, with a bunch of cool new robots on my Roboteam, like our accountant, Payos Prompley (left).

Brit MilAAAAAAAH!

Today I came across Bitsela.com, a site for Jewish clip art. Seems like your typical Judaica online shop. What got my attention is the illustration used for the Brit Milah on the home page. I guess it's supposed to be a safety pin, which you can see more clearly on that image's purchase page in the "Jewish Birth - Baby" category. But on the homepage, with the angle and red tip and wiggle lines, is it just me or does that graphic resemble an excited, freshly circumcised willy?

Gives new meaning to Jewish Clip Art!

Egg's Exodus

In the spirit of Passover, Karen the Exotic Egyptian German Australian Artist and self proclaimed Egg Princess sent me her cool cartoon illustration of Moses in what appears to be a moment of frustration, expressing his true feelings about the whole Exodus ordeal. You can find more of Karen's unique cartoons—and even be her friend—on MySpace.

Chag Sameach Pesach!
-- The Jewish Robot

Share da Love with Seda' Club

I'm trying a little something different this year for Passover. With the increasing popularity of video sharing sites like YouTube and MySpace, I've decided to share my own Seda' Club cartoon as an embedded video. Now you can display the cartoon on your own web page and blogs!


Get the code to share Seda' Club on MySpace. The original high-quality Flash version is still available for you to enjoy here on this site.

Also, if you love Shabot rapping with 50 Cent, and you've can spare 50 Cents x2, you can download the mp3 for your iPod!

Bible History #1

Last year I discovered the unique comic art of Brad Neely. I just realized that George Washington, the highly contagious cartoon music video everyone was watching and singing at Jewlicious at the Beach, was created by the same genius.

Digging deeper into Neely's fantastic portfolio of animated works, I found his hilarious take on the story of Lot, as described in Professor Brothers - Bible History #1:

I Heart Israel

Inspired by my recent trip to Israel, I am please to announce a new cartoon I produced for Taglit-birthright israel, appropriately named I Heart Israel. When you love Israel so much, what is the next step? Aliyah? Sure, you can move in with each other, but what if you want to show an even greater commitment? This cartoon takes a relationship with Israel to an even higher level.

You can also watch and share the YouTube video version on the birthright israel site.

The Ackerman Files

JR and Ackerman
When I was in Israel last month, I had the pleasure of meeting young political cartoon artist (and Shabot fan), Sam Ackerman at a Zionism salon hosted by PresenTense Magazine. This whole cartoon business is still new to me, and being the one who usually asks the questions, I was deeply flattered when Sam sought my expert advice in the world of online comic strip publishing. After reviewing his work, it is clear that Ackerman has a natural talent for cartoons, and I think his illustration skillz are even doper than mine. So I doubt he'll have any trouble finding homes for his work in syndication.


Sam's work is currently featured in the Brandeis University newspaper, but he is looking to expand his reach. If you would like to work with Sam, you can contact him via e-mail at ackers AT brandeis.edu

You can see more of Sam's work on his blog, The Ackerman Files.

Coming Soon ...

I have a new home for my cartoon animation services. Visit JewishRobot.com for a sneak preview.

Jewcy Robot

I am pleased to learn that I have been named Featured Artist of the Week on the new and improved hip Jewish online publication, Jewcy.com. I am honored to join the ranks of other Jewcy Artists, including Jon Burgerman and Dan Witz.

See more Jewcy Featured Artists here.

White Ninja and the Talented Star

New cartoon from White Ninja, one of my favorite online comic strip series.

In the (Server) Closet

Speaking of cartoons from the Artist Formerly Known as Macboy, here's an old Flash cartoon greeting card for the holidays, Xmas, made especially for hardcore Macintosh nerds. The cartoon depicts a server closet with thirty, count 'em, thirty stacked Apple Xserve rackmount computers, and what might happen when the office shuts down for the holiday break. And for the server stickler, I programmed the light show to correspond exactly with the actual LED layout of the original Xserve computers. All illustration, animation, and music arrangement by me.

Happy Holidays from Macboy, a.k.a. The Jewish Robot!

GAG me with a toon

Dad, getting ready to go to minyan, in Dad vs. AOL
A few years ago, before all this Jewish Robot business, when I was known simply as Macboy, I figured a good way to promote my Macintosh consulting business would be to post cartoons about Macintosh computers on my web site, macboy.com®.

Now, several years later, with all the attention on ShaBot, and my MacToons all but forgotten, I am pleased to announce that two of my old cartoons have resurfaced and will be featured in The Graphic Artists Guild's New York Chapter "Wanna See Our Shorts?" 2006 Animation Festival.

Dad vs. AOL, my personal favorite, is a cartoon animation featuring a an actual, desperate phone message from my dad, asking for tech support. And NYMUG, which stands for New York Macintosh Users Group, is a true story and interview with my friend, Heath Gill, who was mugged for his Macintosh computer. Both of these cartoons were produced when I was just learning to animate, and they each took several weeks to produce. Nowadays I could knock them out in less than a week, so these old works are truly a labor of love.

If you are in NYC and would like to check out the show, here's the info:

The Graphic Artists Guild's 2006 New York Animation Festival

December 21, 2006, from 7-9 PM --reception with the filmmakers to follow.
Pratt Manhattan Campus
144 West 14th St., Room 213

$15 members
$20 non-members
$10 seniors (65+)
$5 Student member*
$10 Student non-member*
*Students must show current school ID
Free to Pratt students, faculty and staff. You must bring your Pratt ID.

If you can't make the show, don't worry, you can still see my old Macboy MacToons online.

MySpace ParTAY!

Why be a part of a Jewish community when you have thousands of friends on MySpace? This is the premise of MySpace ParTAY, a new cartoon I produced for BCI at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute.

Check out the cartoon, let me know what you think. And if you like it, let BCI know, maybe they'll hire me to make some more!

Flash Mirrored at The BBI, video on MySpace and YouTube

Sam's ShaBot Mitzvah

It isn't every day that a robot gets invited to a bar mitzvah. So when Sam's mom told me that ShaBot 6000 is her son's favorite funny (second only to Ali G), I was happy to produce this animated short, which played on the big screen at Sam's bar mitzvah party on December 9, 2006. The cartoon was presented as part of a video compilation of all Sam's friends who could not attend. See Shabot, Moti, a special guest appearance by 50 Cent, and even that delivery boy from A Very ShaBot Christmas, in Sam's ShaBot-Mitzvah!

If you are interested in having ShaBot and gang featured in a personalized animated greeting for your special occasion, bar mitzvah, wedding, birthday, anniversary, engagement announcement, birth announcement, or anything, really, please contact me.

Go Sam! It's your bar mitzvah!

Boy on a Schtick

As a fan of Steven L. Cloud's comic series, Boy on a Stick and Slither, I found this recent strip particularly relevant. Not only have I abandoned the doldrums of a normal daytime job to produce cartoons about a robot, but, as BOASAS suggest, I have actually become a real-live robot!

Image posted with permission

Well, Gali!

I am pleased to present "The Best Chanukah Gift Ever", the latest Flash cartoon produced by Jewish Robot for Gali Girls!

Gali Girls, created by Aliza Stein, are dolls for young Jewish girls. Unlike their underdressed counterparts, like Barbie and Bratz, Gali Girls keep the laws of tznius, dressing modestly and representing positive Jewish values and tradition.

This cute cartoon commercial, being released in time for the Chanukah rush, is appropriate for all ages, and features the voice talent of Jessica Wachsman, music by Shlock Rock, and character design and illustration by Sara Weissman. Concept by Aliza Stein of Gali Girls, and everything else—backgrounds, voices, sound design, and animation—by the Jewish Robot.

Mirrored at GaliGirls.com

Marine Ecology of the Middle East

It's finally here: PresenTense Magazine Issue One has been released to the public and is available now! This premier issue is full of colorful photographs, essays, and reviews, and if you flip to the end, you'll find my full backpage cartoon illustration, "Marine Ecology of the Middle East".

You can see the complete cartoon online here, but don't miss out on the rest of the issue! Visit PresenTense to find out where you can pick up a copy for yourself, or subscribe and support this new publication.

a zsidó robot

Zsidó is the Hungarian word for Jewish, and today the zsidó robot is happy to learn that my fellow ROI120 travel companions Bruno and Brigitta of Budapest will be translating my weekly ShaBot 6000 comic strips into Hungarian for their blog, Judapest.org.

This week's strip is too punny to be translated into Hungarian and still make sense, but future episodes will be fully translated.

Incidentally, you can also read ShaBot 6000 in Portugese and German.

Black Sabbath

Aaron Freeman, author, speaker and comedian—and self-proclaimed Funniest Black Jew on National Public Radio—produces a Jewish cartoon series called 52 Partias with partner Sharon Rosenzweig for your weekly portion pleasure. Each week, Freeman posts a new cartoon lesson on his blog, with whimsical characters and morals to be learned. The artwork has evolved since the beginning of Freeman's project, when his cartoons took form as live-action photos stylized in a comic book format. His more recent editions are designed with delightful illustrations and brilliant colors, makes me want to read them all!

Thanks for the tip, Esther K!

Jackie Mason Sues for Jesus

Jewlicious reports that Jackie Mason is suing Jews for Jesus in a $2 million lawsuit for using his name and likeness on a pamphlet aimed at converting Jews to Christianity.

According to the article, the lawsuit calls for the immediate destruction of the pamphlet that has been widely distributed in the streets of New York City. I wonder if this also includes the PDF version of the pamphlet, titled Jackie Mason ... a Jew for Jesus?, which is still available as a download on the Jews for Jesus website.

I suspect that this digital record of the offending material may soon be removed from their server, so I've converted the 3-page pamphlet (first page above) into the images here. Click on each to see a larger view.



I suppose I may be guilty of the same crime, having used the likeness of 50 Cent in my Seda' Club cartoon, in which he muses, "Yo, bros, it's all good ... I'm Jewish, yo!" Of course, I believe my work is just a parody, and I've never been contacted by 50 Cent's attorneys, so if he's seen it, I'm assuming 50 is cool with the cartoon. But if 50 ever decided to sue me, I wonder if he'd have a case?

Caricature Witness

I'm not one for politics, the topic usually makes my eyes glaze over ... unless it is being presented on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. But a good smear campaign can be somewhat entertaining, especially when one party is accusing the other of anti-Semitism. Such is the case with Webb vs. Miller, two candidates for US Senate in the Virginia 2006 elections.

The matter came to my attention today when I received an e-mail from a supporter of the Webb campaign, who forwarded me a PDF flyer in which Miller was depicted as hooked-nosed, pockets full of money, and "the anti-Christ of outsourcing". The problem? This seemingly innocuous cartoon was perceived as an anti-Semitic slam against Miller. Quelle suprise.

The supporter who contacted me sought my expert opinion because of my involvement in cartoons and Judaism. He explained that, first of all, the Webb campaigners who designed the flyer didn't even realize Miller was a Jew. Also, even though the caricature of Miller has a crooked nose, that is what Miller actually looks like in real life.

So is it anti-Semitic to portray a real-life wealthy, stereotypically hook-nosed Jewish politician by distributing cartoon flyers containing a fairly accurate caricature of the candidate, complete with crooked nosed and money-stuffed pockets?

I say "no", the cartoon seems fine to me.

But then again, as I explained to the Webb supporter, I have a high threshold for offensiveness, so I may not be the best person to ask. In fact, I've been known to offend with my cartoons, without even trying. (Who is more racist, the cartoonist who draws a slanty-eyed, buck-toothed, straw hat-wearing Chinese food delivery boy, or the person who complains based on the assumption that the character is Chinese?)

But I did point out that it probably was not in the campaign's best interest to describe the candidate as "the anti-Christ of outsourcing". Mentioning Christ in a political campaign, especially in the context of a "Christ Killer", is never a sound tactic.

Anti-Semitism has nothing to do with it.