Squid Works Catalog

Stoner's Aquarium, by Ron Ruelle

Here you will find over 100 pages of “Stoner’s Aquarium” that ran in the University of Tennessee “Daily Beacon” from 1986 through 1989.

Each cartoon has been digitally remastered and comes with DVD-style commentary from the author to provide proper historical revision and/or snarky comment. Oh, and a portion of the profits will go to the University of Tennessee scholarship fund. Enjoy!

There’s something about a college comic strip, being crudely drawn, mildly offensive and oblivious to marketing concerns, that often does not enter the post graduate world with the cartoonist. This early work is often more dangerous than anything a cartoonist is likely to create afterwards. And that’s what makes this collection worth revisiting.

(Stoner's Aquarium front cover shown to left)

Title: Stoner's Aquarium

Written, illustrated, inked and lettered by Ron Ruelle

Intended Audience: General

Format: 104 page b&w comic, color square-bound cover

Retail Price: $14.95 US

ISBN 0-9755041-5-0

Squid Works Order # 1100

View sample pages: 17, 38, 51, 93

Order your limited edition author-signed copy:

Ron Ruelle has been drawing cartoons since kindergarten, when his grandmother gave him a treasure trove of comic books to read. Since she worked at a comic book publisher, comics were seen as a legitimate form of literature in the Ruelle household. (In fact, they were about the only form of literature in the house...)

Inspired by this good fortune, Ron set out to be the next Charles Schulz (failing that, he then tried to be the next Al Jaffee, then the next Berkeley Breathed, then the next Matt Groening, then the next Daniel Clowes. Right now he's happy to have projects that actually have deadlines, publishers, and invoices at the end.)

Ron drew a daily syndicated comic strip called "At the Zu" from 1995-98. Sadly, the strip never quite reached the popularity of "Peanuts" and he had to move on. (For more perspective on the pros and cons of syndication, read this article. And for more insight on how to be a cartoonist, see my list of free advice... )

Ron currently lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife Belinda and daughter Lillian and their mutts Sarah and Gomez. When he is not tempting fate by snowboarding, mountain biking or scaling icy cliffs near his home, he makes his living primarily as a freelance cartoonist, illustrator, graphic designer and writer. Current gigs include editorial cartoonist for The Boulder County Business Report, cartoonist for Kids Pages magazine, art director for Chevelle World magazine, and various other freelance jobs. He is willing to listen to offers from folks who are willing to exchange cash for his hard work and cartoonistic expertise.

Plans for this site include printing some of his college comic strips which ran in the University of Tennessee Daily Beacon from 1986-89 (crudely drawn and sort of vulgar, but still pretty funny, as a college strip should be). Additional items on the agenda for this site are other freelance work, as well as some unpublished pages from his forthcoming graphic novel.

Please note that all images are (C) Copyrighted by creators. Use of images without permission is strictly prohibited except for review purposes, where partial reproduction is allowed. If you DO review any of the books seen here, please let us know, because it could mean FREE merchandise for you from Squid Works!!! Find out more by clicking on "reviews."