Indie Squid Kid

Octopus bar, originally uploaded by Kraken Mosaics [Eve Lynch]. © Eve Lynch – Kraken Mosaics

Eve Lynch is an artist from Fort Myers, Florida who specializes in mosaic and polymer clay sculpture. Subjects of her fabulous creations include: zombies, skulls, aliens, clockwork hearts, and, of course, cephalopods, cephalopods, and more cephalopods!

The Octopus bar (aka, “The Kraken”) is definitely my favorite piece. Made in 2006, this 11′ x 3′ mosaic installation is comprised of ceramic tile, vitreous glass, glass gems, millefiori and glazed earthenware. I don’t know how much a commission on this scale would cost, but how awesome would it be to have something like this your kitchen?

See more of Eve’s work (you can even buy some!) at KrakenMosaics.com.

I never thought I say it, but Gama-Go, please stop making so many awesome squid things!!! Seriously, I can’t keep up!

“Squid Wreck” costs $12 and comes packed in a custom box. Other pint glass designs include “Yeti Forest” and “Whoooooooo”.

If only I had a job, I would totally purchase this glass and fill it with delicious beer…but you should still buy it now from Gama-Go.

Batman #357 (March, 1983) ©DC Comics

You don’t often see the Dark Knight getting his ass handed to him by a cephalopod, let alone a giant squid named “Gertrude,” but that’s exactly what this cover by Ed Hannigan and Dick Giordano is showing us.

Batman #357 (written by Gerry Conway) features the return of Clement Carp, a Gotham City crime boss known as The Squid. Carp first appeared in Detective Comics #497 (December, 1980), and this time he is set up on the Gotham waterfront with a huge tank for Gertrude, his captive giant squid. Anyone who crosses Carp gets fed to Getrude, and Batman eventually finds himself in her deadly embrace. The Caped Crusader escapes, of course, and The Squid gets shot and killed by Killer Croc, a former member if his gang. I’m not sure what fate befalls Gertrude, but I would like to think that Batman helped her escape from captivity and return to the sea.

All this took place before Crisis on Infinite Earths, the 1985 mega-event that reset continuity for the entire DC Universe. The Squid has had only one brief Post-Crisis appearance, and he (and Gertrude) may still be kicking (or swimming) around the DCU to this very day.

Step 2: Cut Strips

Step 4: Add Suction Cups

Step 6: Insert Human

Voila!

Design by zephyrbunny (click either link below for complete instructions).

Sighted by Nick, via Buzzfeed, via Instructables

Leo’s Seafood
902 N Alston Ave.
Durham, NC

xkcd.com

Minute Cephalopod, originally uploaded by PacificKlaus.

The photographer spotted this juvenile Bobtail Squid on a night dive off the Philippine island of Mactan. Bobtails—the order Sepiolida—are closely related to cuttlefish (order Sepiida), but they have a rounder mantle and don’t possess a cuttlebone. I don’t know what species this is, but it is the epitome of squishy cuteness!

Check out his complete Mactan dive photo set for more spectacular shots of sea life, including a photogenic little octopus.

A few more cephalopod sightings from my local Super Target…

“Little Squirt” bathrobe and towel set from Carter’s® Just One Year® (a Target exclusive brand).

“Love the Ocean” romper by OshKosh B’Gosh® Genuine Baby

“Double Dutch Apple” detangling spray by Suave Kids®

(These last two were sighted by Ryn.)

Slam-Bang Comics #4 (June, 1940)

Slam-Bang Comics was a short-lived anthology series published by Fawcett Comics in 1940. It ran for only seven issues, and, as the title suggests, it featured two-fisted action stories with characters like: Diamond Jack (and his magic gem), War Bird, Tom Swift and the Time Retarder (the first time traveler in comics), Lee Granger, Jungle King (often with Eric, the Talking Lion), and Hurricane Hansen, Sea Adventurer.

I haven’t been able to find a whole lot of information about Hurricane Hansen online, other than that he was an American who joined the British Navy, eventually attaining the rank of Captain and given the command of a sea raider. There were Hansen stories in all seven issues of Slam-Bang, but he only got the cover of a single issue, #4. Here we see Hansen saving a diver (or is it a beekeeper?) from the clutches of an octopus that seems more like an alien from Invasion of the Saucer-Men than any actual earthly cephalopod.

photo by Jill Lauson

This table with a stylized squid design was made by Jetty Lauson two years ago…when she was eleven! I wish I had been able to do something this creative and cool when I was eleven. (Well, I did make a series of crudely drawn slug cartoons, but they sure aren’t anything anyone would describe as artistic.) Jetty could totally be selling these on Etsy!

Thanks to Jetty and her mom Jill for sending me this photo and letting me share it with all of my ISK readers.