A propos of the month of October, we have a bevy of costumed revelers. You could send them trick-or-treating, I suppose, but they have their own story.

Biotech Office Party

Download a PDF file containing this month's figures.

At a secure biotech labratory somewhere in Southern California, Professor Ziegenjammer's research team has been awarded a large grant to study one-celled organisms of potentially extraterrsetrial origin. As per the custom in Zeigenjammer's lab, the new grant is being celebrated with a costume party.

Professor Ziegenjammer (Costumed Scientist)

The Professor is of uncertain national origin, but his accent suggests that he is a refugee from a Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon. He is sure that this project will allow him to prove that there are extraterrestrials living among us, but he thinks that about every project.

Jerry Tuwich (The Horse's front end)

Jerry is a postdoc in Ziegenjammer's lab. He is rather shy, and Bob is his only friend in the city. Jerry's fond of tongue twisters, anagrams, and trying in vain to drink Bob under the table.

Bob Pronk (The Horse's rear end)

Bob is a lab technician. He has no real talent for science, but he puts in his time. He has taken it into his head that he needs to introduce Jerry to some women.

The Bear (A Bear)

Experiments on the bear have not been approved by the Animal Subjects Review Board, so his presence in the lab next door is undocumented. He has an excellent sense of smell and was lured to the party by the bean dip. Of course, this same miniature could represent the Professor in full costume.

Pantomime Horse (A Spy)

These are two agents of some sinister organization, crashing the party in deep disguise. They were hoping to steal prototype biological weapons, but they would settle for evidence that the United States is on the brink of communicating with space aliens. Of course, this same miniature could represent the Jerry and Bob in full costume.

Bonus Theme: Nikos and Larry

The Professor and Bear figures are based on drawings that I submitted to S John Ross' Sparks Scrapbook 2001. There they had a different backstory.

Nikos (The Bear)

Raised in a trailer park and trained in the most prestigious dojo in Colorado, he was fighting ninjas by age 12. His first role was as an extra in a soda commercial, but he's starred in a dozen hit movies since then. When he's not making movies, he likes to play golf and steal food from campers.

Larry (The Guy in the Bear Suit)

He dropped out of high school and moved to Hollywood with plans to be a big star. That was ten years ago and his big break hasn't come yet, but he's landed a job as a stunt double for Nikos the Bear.