The Packrat (tm)

This little underground comic started out being made just for my own personal amusement, and also for readers of MatrixSynth and a few other vintage synth geeks who shall luckily remain anonymous here. If you're a musician-slash-"gear whore" than man, this is your toon, particularly if you're into old keyboards. I guess that's not very many people.

UPDATE 6/9/05: That quickly turned out to be only the beginning for The Packrat! Starting with the June edition, The Packrat is now appearing exclusively in Keyboard Magazine, both in print and online! Thanks to everyone who made Packrat an underground success!!

UPDATE 1/19/06: After a six month run, due to budget constraints, the Packrat has ended its run at Keyboard Mag. It's all on good terms and the strip may resurface one day; who knows.

UPDATE 7/12/10: New monthly Packrat toons are getting made for Keyboard Magazine, starting with their August 2010 edition!

Cool Packrat shwag available!

UPDATE 1/13/2012:
Here's THE LATEST PACKRAT ART!

Packrat Comic Archives
Click any thumbnail to see the comic!

2/23/05
Dusting off the Con Brio ADS200. In early May '05 Jose made this cool FAN ART! 3/6/05
Black synths or white synths? 3/20/05
A rat, an ARP 2600, and a timeless question... 3/24/05
What could be better than a Yahama GX-1? June 2005
The epic tribulations of a rodent gear whore begin at Keyboard Magazine!
July 2005
'80s flashback in this pseudo-semi- autobiographical anecdote.

August 2005
Never bite off more than you can chew, even if you're bucktoothed. September 2005
Sometimes too much is just plain too much. October 2005
Tribute to the late great Bob Moog. November 2005
What exactly do V.S.T.'s mean to an analog freak? December 2005
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, how shiny are your buttons! January 2006
This toon features copious knobs.

February 2006
Final Packrat toon for Keyboard Magazine explores the dark magic of the keyboard's LOGO. May 2007
Special new Packrat toon especially for the folks at AHNE 2007! July 2007
Here's another new one, with shouts-out to CustomSynth and Metasonix! May 2010
A "Get Well" card made especially Jeff Toman of CustomSynth. August 2010
New Packrat toons starting up for Keyboard Magazine again! Here's a special half-page toon to celebrate! Sept 2010
This comic celebrates the awesomeness of the Nord Lead Anniversary!

October 2010
Behold the MAD-Ray, part Memorymoog, part "Spies Like Us." November 2010
Why YouTube isn't always the most reliable resource. December 2010
Can Packrat learn from his nightmares? Does earwax float? Wait, I don't know the answer to that, either. January 2011
Packrat's new invention ushers in an invention of my own: a continuing plotline! February 2011
At the 1939 World's Fair, Packrat meets the inventor of the "Voder." March 2011
Packrat appears in 1955, where he gets some scientific advice from a certain learned sage.

April 2011
Packrat meets Dr. Hugh LeCaine, inventor of the first voltage-controlled synthesizer. May 2011
Dr. Lecaine helps Packrat complete part of his time-traveling journey home. June 2011
Packrat meets Bog Moog in 1964! July 2011
Still stuck in 1964, the Packrat heads to San Francisco to find Don Buchla. August 2011
Buchla is forever changed by his first encounter with a keytar... September 2011
Packrat figures he's permanently beach-bound in 1967, until he hears the dulcet tone of a theremin!

October 2011
What happens when the keytar's time circuits are amplified by a spherical array of 61 speakers? November 2011
Packrat hits a time-traveling analog speed bump in the 1980s. December 2011
Our hero gets a massive analog boost at a notable 1985 synth concert. Where will he end up next? January 2012
Welcome to the year 2112! February 2012
Packrat finally arrives home to realize his whole journey was one big joke on him. March 2012


2/23/05 Dusting off the Con Brio ADS200. In early May '05 Jose made this cool FAN ART!	3/6/05 Black synths or white synths?	3/20/05 A rat, an ARP 2600, and a timeless question...	3/24/05 What could be better than a Yahama GX-1?	June 2005 The epic tribulations of a rodent gear whore begin at Keyboard Magazine!	July 2005 '80s flashback in this pseudo-semi- autobiographical anecdote.


August 2005 Never bite off more than you can chew, even if you're bucktoothed.	September 2005 Sometimes too much is just plain too much.	October 2005 Tribute to the late great Bob Moog.	November 2005 What exactly do V.S.T.'s mean to an analog freak?	December 2005 O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, how shiny are your buttons!	January 2006 This toon features copious knobs.


February 2006 Final Packrat toon for Keyboard Magazine explores the dark magic of the keyboard's LOGO.	May 2007 Special new Packrat toon especially for the folks at AHNE 2007!	July 2007 Here's another new one, with shouts-out to CustomSynth and Metasonix!	May 2010 A "Get Well" card made especially Jeff Toman of CustomSynth.	August 2010 New Packrat toons starting up for Keyboard Magazine again! Here's a special half-page toon to celebrate!	Sept 2010 This comic celebrates the awesomeness of the Nord Lead Anniversary!


October 2010 Behold the MAD-Ray, part Memorymoog, part "Spies Like Us."	November 2010 Why YouTube isn't always the most reliable resource.	December 2010 Can Packrat learn from his nightmares? Does earwax float? Wait, I don't know the answer to that, either.	January 2011 Packrat's new invention ushers in an invention of my own: a continuing plotline!	February 2011 At the 1939 World's Fair, Packrat meets the inventor of the "Voder."	March 2011 Packrat appears in 1955, where he gets some scientific advice from a certain learned sage.


April 2011 Packrat meets Dr. Hugh LeCaine, inventor of the first voltage-controlled synthesizer.	May 2011 Dr. Lecaine helps Packrat complete part of his time-traveling journey home.	June 2011 Packrat meets Bog Moog in 1964!	July 2011 Still stuck in 1964, the Packrat heads to San Francisco to find Don Buchla.	August 2011 Buchla is forever changed by his first encounter with a keytar...	September 2011 Packrat figures he's permanently beach-bound in 1967, until he hears the dulcet tone of a theremin!


October 2011 What happens when the keytar's time circuits are amplified by a spherical array of 61 speakers?	November 2011 Packrat hits a time-traveling analog speed bump in the 1980s.	December 2011 Our hero gets a massive analog boost at a notable 1985 synth concert. Where will he end up next?	January 2012 Welcome to the year 2112!	February 2012 Packrat finally arrives home to realize his whole journey was one big joke on him.	March 2012