The Oatmeal Book Giveaway! Also: Cartooning Ain't Easy

The Oatmeal is a favourite non-porn website of mine. Cartoonist Matthew Inman likes to take everyday things (and some completely bizarro things that only exist in his head) and turn them into clever comic panels that brim with absurdity, social commentary and unexpected humour. He tackles everything from the tragic life of the male angler fish to handwriting abilities to explaining what it means when you use the word "literally" - like in this example:

If you cruise the website, you'll quickly discover why The Oatmeal is so popular and why the lucky bastard got a book deal out of it. The Oatmeal: 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (And Other Useful Guides) was released recently and has already appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. I've heard that's a good thing.

Delirious with jealousy, I've decided to give socially-relevant cartooning a go as to secure my own book deal. Here are my attempts at creating cool visuals to capture my hip observations:

Hmm. Ok. Honest ... but not really what I originally had in mind ...

Getting better ... sort of ...

Ah, yes. Edgy, edgy stuff, Jen. Seinfeld will be calling you shortly.

Hot, sexy, contemporary. And it's funny because its it's true.

Well, it's on the pulse of what's happening with the kids today. Let the book offers roll in!

Clearly, cartooning ain't easy, so let's give credit where it's due, yes? And while we're doing that, let's give you something, too! The nice people at Simon & Schuster Canada are giving away one copy of The Oatmeal's new book to a lucky Jen But Never Jenn reader (and if you know anything about my readership, it means your odds are really good to win this).

The book contains many of the cartoons that are available online, but it also includes 27 new! comics! plus a poster! Whose home couldn't use a poster? Our copy (compliments of the publisher) has been on our coffee table for the last few days and has been well thumbed-through and enjoyed by guests wanting to escape the banality of our company.Our friends have all left our home thinking we entertained them thoroughly, when really all the credit goes to this book and their own literacy skills. Thank you, The Oatmeal.

To enter in this random draw, please leave a comment in this post by TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011, 6 PM EST. Write anything you like, even expletives. Especially expletives. You'll need to include some way that I can contact you, should you win, such as your e-mail address, linking your name to your website, or telling me how we're related (hi, dad!).

This contest is only open to Canadians, eh (sorry, not my rules!), so Americans, please do the American thing and indulge your capitalist nature by buying a copy of The Oatmeal: 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (And Other Useful Guides). You won't regret it! Of course, you don't have to take my word for it. There are a bunch of reviews on Amazon that back me up on this one.