Some news from Richard Thompson pre-San Diego

Richard's got a bit of disturbing news on his blog today.

We, in the royal editorial sense, wish him the best of course. In the personal sense, we intend to see that he gets some exercise.

Richard Thompson at Central Library pics

Here's a few shots of Richard Thompson's booksigning at Central Library last week. After some powerpoint hassles, he spoke for about 30 minutes, showing some of his caricature work and how his Cul de Sac family evolved. After that he had a line of about 30 people for book signings. The people from Arlington County took a lot of pictures so hopefully they'll show up online.

June 29: Richard Thompson rocks Arlington's Central Library

Author Event: Cartoonist Richard Thompson
Mon Jun 29, 7pm
Arlington Central Library Auditorium
Hear from the man behind the syndicated daily comic strip "Cul de Sac," and who's unique style and humor have graced the various parts of the Washington Post ("Richard's Poor Almanack"), National Geographic, The Atlantic and the New Yorker--Arlington's own Richard Thompson. No, not the musician by the same name. The cartoonist Richard Thompson.

Petey's grand history of civilization project

Today's Cul de Sac really tickled my funny bone - must be the museum professional in me. Or I may just be a geek.

Comic Riffs talks to Spiegelman too, and he too likes Cul de Sac

Completing the Trifecta, Comic Riffs has "Mr. Spiegelman Goes to Washington," Michael Cavna, May 4, 2009 and "The Interview: "Maus's" Art Spiegelman" By Michael Cavna, May 5, 2009 in which he says, I like Richard Thompson's work ["Cul de Sac"]. They're good gags, and graphically it's on a very high level. ... It really seems like the inheritor to the "Calvin and Hobbes" [mantle]. It's amazing when any strip can electrify and bring life to a form [the comic strip] that is on life support.

Cul de Sac gets animated, again

Cartoonist Michael Jantze, who created them, would like you to know that Cul de Sac animations are online again. I didn't post about it earlier, because if you're reading this, I assume you're also reading Richard's blog.

Beni may be Mexican, says Cul de Sac cartoonist

Actually Richard said, "I think he’s Mexican. I’m not real sure." in this interview with his latest paper - "‘Cul de Sac’ comic strip starts today in The Star," By JAMES A. FUSSELL, The Kansas City Star April 19 2009.

Judge Parker returns to Post, Cul de Sac joins KC Star and Twitterverse

Michael Cavna of the Post's Comic Riffs blog naturally had the story first, but I think there's a few unattributed quotes in "Here Comes the Judge: Reader Protests Bring Back Comic Strip," By Harry Jaffe, Washingtonian's Capital Comment Blog Friday, April 17, 2009. Michael also noted that the Post's ombudsman felt compelled to address the Judge Parker issue tomorrow.


Also Cul de Sac has been picked up by the Kansas City Star. Yay, Richard! Ohh, and Richard's Tweeting. Boo, Richard!

Thompson nominated for Reuben for 2nd year

Alan Gardener's reporting the nominations for the National Cartoonist Society's Rueben Awards, and Cul de Sac is up for newspaper comic strip again this year. I don't know where Lars Leetaru lives, but he's been doing work for the Washington Post lately since the NY Times dropped him from their Metropolitan Diary column and some of that must have influenced his newspaper illustration nomination. I like his work quite a bit. Bob Staake is up for magazine illustration - presumably for his New Yorker work, but he's still appearing in the Post every Saturday.

Cul de Sac gets animated UPDATED

Now it can be told. Cul de Sac is being animated for cellphones by Ring Tales and Andrews McMeel has loaded an episode onto YouTube. They've also put up one for Argyle Sweater.

Apparently it can't be told. They took them back down a day later - although Michael Jantze of Jantze Studio wrote in to say that he worked worked on it. Jantze used to do a strip/book called The Norm which I enjoyed a lot.


Updated again - Alan Gardner notes that Ring Tales, not Andrews McMeel has the distribution rights to the animation.

Arlington cartoonist Richard Thompson featured in Say Tooned! #3

Richard did the cover of the new Stay Tooned! #3 and there's a big interview with him (and another with Jim Scancarelli of Gasoline Alley) done at HeroesCon whilst I watched his table. Order a copy at http://www.staytoonedmagazine.com

Cul de Sac rattling around longer than you expected?

Alan Gardner says today's the fifth anniversary for the strip - counting its Sunday-only Post publication. Given that Richard's done more strips in the last 12 months than the preceeding 48 ones, this kind of seems like a dog's years anniversary or something.

Cul de Sac sums up the end of the holidays

Richard's Jan 10th Cul de Sac strip absolutely captures the end of the holidays feeling that I'm having as I face taking down the Christmas tree and outside ornaments today...

Cul de Sac picks up Oregon paper

See "New comics debut in News-Review," Vicki Menard, The News-Review January 5 2009, for the thrilling details as Our Man Thompson's empire continues to grow.

Cul de Sac picked up in Knoxville

See "Four new strips replace low finishers in News Sentinel cartoon lineup," By Susan Alexander, Knoxville News Sentinel Sunday, January 4, 2009.

Another satisfied Cul de Sac reader

Here's my daughter enjoying her Christmas Cul de Sac book.





And here's Richard's drawing in it.

Drawn! blogger picks Cul de Sac book

Richard's first Cul de Sac collection was number one for the Drawn! blog this year. Of the rest of the picks, I've only read Sempe's Nicholas which everyone should check out. I mean to buy Heatley's book though, based on his New York Times' strips. In part 2, I match tastes much better, Wacky Packages is a cool book and I have Bat-Manga, Ojingogo (signed at SPX), As I See It, and What It Is.

I need the St. Trinian's and the Guy Delisle books.

Drawn! is a good blog that I don't look at often enough - time to add them to the Google Reader feed.

Cul de Sac book inscriptions

Guess what I'm giving out for Christmas this year.









And here's another satisfied reader - my Dad.

Full page o' Our Man Thompson in Thanksgiving Post Magazine

The last page of the Post Magazine on Thanksgiving has a full-page Cul de Sac strip. I have a suspicion this one is recycled, because it looks like watercolors rather than the Syndicate's limited palette. Also... it's not Sunday! So this is probably just a gimme for the Post.

Since Cavna's presumably taking the day off, also in Watch Your Head, Lio and his pet Cthulu (see HP Lovecraft in Wikipedia) make a guest appearance. Whoa, just checked and he did pick Thanksgiving strips to mention - however, we've got a 10-point deduction for not recognizing one of the Elder Gods.

First Second reads Cul de Sac

Mark Siegel who's doing a generally excellent job picking books at First Second brings some high praise to Cul de Sac on his blog. Regarding First Second, check out Bourbon Island 1730 by Apollo and Trondheim - it's my favorite comic of the fall so far.