Monday, May 05, 2025

Cartoonists Rights award goes to ZEHRA ÖMEROĞLU of Turkey

I attended the panel beforehand, and then saw this award presented. The cartoon she's being prosecuted for is NSFW, and was done during and about the COVID epidemic. The video is definitely worth watching.

SPECIAL MAILING

Tonight is was announced that this year's Robert Russell Courage in Cartooning Awardee is ZEHRA ÖMEROĞLU (Türkiye), subject of a criminal prosecution for "obscenity" over a cartoon that appeared in LeMan humor magazine in 2020.

CARTOONISTS RIGHTS' Executive Director, Terry Anderson said: "I'm delighted our Board of Directors chose to honor Zehra this year, especially as we witness the change that is unfolding in Türkiye. In our view, her prosecution is based wholly on her gender; the same cartoon, in the same space and at the same time with a male byline simply would not have attracted the same (over)reaction from state censors. Like many outspoken women in Türkiye, Zehra has been deliberately persecuted but this attempt to silence her has wholly backfired. As a direct result of her prosecution, Zehra's cartoons are now seen in international media on a regular basis and her story will soon be told in a new graphic novel project that she's hard at working on right now. We commend her bravery and resilience, and above all her undaunted sense of humor."

Zehra Ömeroğlu said: "My heartfelt thanks to CARTOONISTS RIGHTS and all its partners. Thank you for encouraging me to keep drawing despite all the difficulties. I'm so happy to receive this award. It's really important to me."

READ THE FULL RELEASE & WATCH A FILM ABOUT ZEHRA

Two partner organizations on either side of the Atlantic combine forces with a unified program of international awards, recognizing the world's bravest cartoonists facing threats to their freedom of expression: the Robert Russell Courage in Cartooning Award (in odd years, awarded by CARTOONISTS RIGHTS, Washington, DC); and the Kofi Annan Courage in Cartooning Award (in even years, awarded by FREEDOM CARTOONISTS, Geneva).

Cartooning Would-be Kings event photos (UPDATED)

Journalists and editorial cartoonists around the world are facing unprecedented attacks.

Please join us May 5, in Washington, DC, to celebrate World Press Freedom Day with a panel of legendary cartoonists out on the front lines of free speech — and for the announcement of the 2025 Robert Russell Courage in Cartooning Award by Cartoonists Rights.

Katherine Jacobsen of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) will deliver a keynote address on the state of press freedom in the U.S. and share findings from CPJ's April 2025 U.S. Report.

Syracuse University’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism & Citizenship

PARTICIPANTS:

Barry Blitt, The New Yorker
Kevin "KAL" Kallaugher, The Economist
Joel Pett, Tribune Content Agency
Signe Wilkinson, Philadelphia Inquirer

KEYNOTE:

Katherine Jacobsen, U.S., Canada, and Caribbean Program Coordinator, Committee to Protect Journalists

MODERATOR:

Roslyn Mazer, SU alumna and free expression champion

Sponsored by Cartoonists Rights, Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom Cartoonists, The Herb Block Foundation

Pett, Bliss, Signe, KAL

Roslyn Mazer

Herblock foundation heads Marcy and Sarah, Joel Pett, and local NCS chapter head Carolyn Belefski.

Bro Russell and KAL

Barry Blitt (left)

Nik Kowsar (right)

Barry Blitt drawing of Jeff Bezos

Joel Pett drawing of Mitch McConnell

Matt Wuerker drawing of Elon Musk

Nik Kowsar drawing


KAL drawing of Trump

Joe Sutliff and Matt Wuerker

Katherine Jacobsen, Committee to Protect Journalists

Introducing the 2025 Robert Russell Courage in Cartooning Award

Zehra Ömeroğlu's pre-recorded speech accepting the award

Nik and KAL

Clay Jones snuck in

Ann Telnaes wins Pulitzer after leaving WaPo over censorship

The Post wins Pulitzers for Trump rally shooting stories, editorial cartoons

The newpaper was recognized in the breaking news category for coverage of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July and for the illustrated work of Ann Telnaes. The New York Times won four prizes.

By Scott Nover

Washington Post May 5 2025

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2025/05/05/washington-post-pulitzer-trump-shooting-telnaes/

" Ann Telnaes, until recently a political cartoonist for The Post's Opinions page, was awarded the prize for illustrated reporting and commentary. It was her second win in the category, which was labeled "editorial cartooning" when she was first honored in 2001 while working for Tribune Media Services."

Comics Research Bibliography citations update, 5/3-4/2025

Who is allowed to tell the story of ginseng? [aka (Agri)cultural appropriation vs. appreciation; Ginseng Roots, by Craig Thompson].
Andrew Limbong
NPR Books newsletter May 3, 2025
https://view.nl.npr.org/?qs=814f44d0c0e7832da26fca4399971e02e5d09dd0115a5a97da5b7bec54c814569f4e3594e653891e2c861bf20dd0948bb76e1620e7195884423a505ece6c1758f09394d8f62b9a2fc4e6a8274726f66abc75d68a5ae7e440

Comic Book Industry Remembers Jackson "Butch" Guice, Who Died Aged 63
The comics industry remembers Jackson "Butch" Guice, co-creator of Resurrection Man, Apocalypse, Southern Knights and Ruse, who died aged 63
Rich Johnston
02 May 2025
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/comic-book-industry-remembers-jackson-butch-guice-who-died-aged-63/

Chip Zdarsky
Butch [aka Jackson "Butch" Guice has passed away].
It's Chip Zdarsky's Newsletter, Okay? May 2, 2025 https://zdarsky.substack.com/p/butch

In Memoriam: Comic Artist Jackson "Butch" Guice
John Freeman on May 2, 2025
https://downthetubes.net/in-memoriam-comic-artist-jackson-butch-guice/

Nick Barrucci
["I found out earlier tonight that Jackson Butch Guice passed away"]
May 2 2025
https://www.facebook.com/1279359421/posts/pfbid08LvqDvZcTDkdC3SA9cx483nQ8tySUzjGEjS5X1y1GG8ri1p7LSY9BauaAtF6Xnmnl/

["Artist Butch Guice has passed away, and he has been part of my life and career journey in comics for 26 years."]
Joe Illidge
Joe Illidge's Post May 1 2025
https://www.facebook.com/645919728/posts/pfbid02BVJs3A55Q3beeGVdoKDk3Y9Mcx3CWE9y6SLuyc51zfqkKKW7CyQpMnL6i1gZswxEl/

["Of all the artists I ever worked with, few were as accomplished and smooth across all genres, characters and story concepts as Butch Guice"]
Dan Jurgens
Dan Jurgens's Post May 1 2025 https://www.facebook.com/100002272870413/posts/pfbid02TeXPpf191cbtqPXG8SeJnC1EYnFbEbQXj1h44xVQixP19soQjW3ABx3v2rQgbmtl/

Ram V
["Breaking my social media logout to express my heartbreak at learning about Butch Guice's passing."]
@therightram May 2 2025
https://x.com/therightram/status/1918328507463336038?s=61

Kelley Jones
["Butch is gone."]
Kelley Jones's Post May 1 2025
https://www.facebook.com/1524530079/posts/pfbid0fzK9Cizto2qJYyHYqAWKrzPGi1tnZVZSikkoZe2JVBcatYtxoNUdEGZ3TdkiSxXfl/

Chris Ryall from Chris's Substack May 2, 2025
Tales of Syzpense #78 : A visual tribute to Butch Guice
https://chrisryall.substack.com/p/tales-of-syzpense-78

Gregory Wright
["I met Butch as many editors do, by calling them up and asking them to do some work."]
May 3 2025
https://www.facebook.com/gwrightstuff/posts/pfbid02a7FWyWcyRVq4vQSoE3xb98ZPmHpZ2sjvW85pWQRSE3Bzz5NKuLvTfyBMcHftp3oHl

All 44 Free Comic Book Day Titles For 2025 And The 7 That Were Junked
02 May 2025
by Rich Johnston
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/all-45-free-comic-book-day-titles-for-2025-and-the-9-that-were-junked/

36 Comic Book Stores With Special Events for Free Comic Book Day 2025
36 comic stores with Free Comic Book Day 2025 special events, including signings by Deniz Camp, Terry Austin, Kevin Eastman & Declan Shalvey
1 May 2025
by Rich Johnston
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/36-comic-book-stores-with-special-events-for-free-comic-book-day-2025/

28 More Comic Shops With Signing Events for Free Comic Book Day 2025
28 more comic shops with Signing Events for Free Comic Book Day 2025, including Mark Spears, Ryan Stegman, Jim Zub, Billy Tucci and more
02 May 2025
by Rich Johnston
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/28-more-comic-shops-with-signing-events-for-free-comic-book-day-2025/

Just Back From Free Comic Book Day 2025 In Central London
03 May 2025 by Rich Johnston https://bleedingcool.com/comics/just-back-from-free-comic-book-day-2025-in-central-london/

How Dennis Barger's Podcast Affected The Diamond Comics Bankruptcy
Did Dennis Barger and Jesse James' podcast with Bruce Ogilvie's guest affect the Diamond Comics bankruptcy situation directly?
Rich Johnston
03 May 2025
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/dennis-barger-podcast-diamond-bankruptcy/

Keefe, Jim. 2025.
John Cullen Murphy Interview.
Patreon (May 3): https://www.patreon.com/posts/john-cullen-127002262

Saxon, Wolfgang. 2004.
John Cullen Murphy, 85, Artist Who Illustrated 'Prince Valiant'.
New York Times (July 8): C12.
online at https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/08/arts/john-cullen-murphy-85-artist-who-illustrated-prince-valiant.html

Fanbase Press Interviews Chris Condon on the Release of the Comic Book Series, 'Far Down Below,' through Mad Cave Studios
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief
May 2, 2025
https://fanbasepress.com/press/interviews/comics/item/56703-fanbase-press-interviews-chris-condon-on-the-release-of-the-comic-book-series-far-down-below-through-mad-cave-studios/

Fanbase Press Interviews Creative Team Owlin on Launching a Kickstarter Campaign for 'That Sexy Bear!' with Iron Circus Comics
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief
May 1, 2025
https://fanbasepress.com/press/interviews/comics/item/56696-fanbase-press-interviews-creative-team-owlin-on-launching-a-kickstarter-campaign-for-that-sexy-bear-with-iron-circus-comics/

Meet Barbra Dillon
CanvasRebel April 30 2025
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-barbra-dillon-2/

AIPT Comics Podcast Episode 326: Demons, Dads & Deadlines: Inside Living Hell with Caitlin Yarsky
David Brooke and Alex Schlesinger
April 27, 2025
https://aiptcomics.com/2025/04/27/aipt-comics-podcast-episode-326-caitlyn-yarsky/

IDW's Jake Williams breaks down Godzilla's Kai-Sei Era
Chris Coplan
May 2, 2025
https://aiptcomics.com/2025/05/02/godzilla-kai-sei-jake-williams-qa/

Christos Gage on bringing 'DC: Dark Legion' to life: "You need to give them a compelling story" [videogame]
David Brooke
May 1, 2025
https://aiptcomics.com/2025/05/01/dc-dark-legion-christos-gage-qa/

Splank! Academic Special created for Northern Ireland's "On the Margins" Conference
John Freeman on May 2, 2025
https://downthetubes.net/splank-academic-special-created-for-northern-irelands-on-the-margins-conference/

British Comic Strip Alex 1987-2025
D. D. Degg
May 2, 2025
https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2025/05/02/brit-comic-strip-alex-1987-2025/

Lakes International Comic Art Festival launches UK Development Agency for Comics
John Freeman on May 1, 2025
https://downthetubes.net/lakes-international-comic-art-festival-launches-uk-development-agency-for-comics/

Ambitious new comic publishers join mission to create the "next great British comics boom"
John Freeman on May 1, 2025 https://downthetubes.net/ambitious-new-comic-publishers-join-mission-to-create-the-next-great-british-comics-boom/

Cartoonists furious after "Licence to Offend" cancelled for… potential offence
John Freeman on May 1, 2025
https://downthetubes.net/cartoonists-furious-after-licence-to-offend-cancelled-for-potential-offence/

Puffin Books launches Graphic Novel Competition
John Freeman on May 2, 2025
https://downthetubes.net/puffin-books-launches-graphic-novel-competition/

Stan Lee's daughter settles elder abuse lawsuit with former convention manager
J.C. Lee had been accusing road manager Max Anderson of stealing $21 million in convention fees, as well as memorabilia, from her father.
By William Hughes | May 2, 2025
https://www.avclub.com/stan-lee-elder-abuse-case-settled-road-manager

5 new comics to read in May, including DC's "Summer Of Superman"
Plus: Alison Bechdel, a competition of killers, and a horror western.
By Oliver Sava | May 2, 2025
https://www.avclub.com/new-comic-books-may-2025-superman-alison-bechdel

How a Texas animator launched an anarchic, animated revolution
Tex Avery made Warner Bros. cartoons the wild, rowdy spectacles they were—partly because he was a wild, rowdy spectacle.
By Craig Lindsey
Houston Chronicle April 30, 2025
https://www.chron.com/culture/tv/article/tex-avery-bugs-bunny-history-texas-20250791.php

QUICK QUIZ: TOM KING
IDEAS DON'T BLEED May 04, 2025
https://ashcanpress.substack.com/p/merely-a-malfunction

Bonding Time or Solo Flight?: Picture Books, Comics, and the Independent Reader
Charles Hatfield, Joe Sutliff Sanders
Children's Literature Association Quarterly, Volume 42, Number 4,Winter 2017, pp. 459-486.
online at https://doi.org/10.1353/chq.2017.0044

A perfect Sunday with... Stefano Nesi [Italy, works for US]
Cavan Scott
Cavletter May 4, 2025
https://www.cavletter.com/a-perfect-sunday-with-stefano-nesi/

We saw 'Thunderbolts*' (*and it's pretty good)
Glen Weldon, Daisy Rosario, Ronald Young Jr., and Jordan Morris
Pop Culture Happy Hour May 2, 2025
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/1248664711/we-saw-thunderbolts-and-its-pretty-good
https://chrt.fm/track/138C95/prfx.byspotify.com/e/play.podtrac.com/npr-510282/traffic.megaphone.fm/NPR7078324616.mp3
https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1248664711

Announcing the 2025 Minicomic Awards winners!
Javier Perez on 05/02/2025 https://www.comicsbeat.com/announcing-the-2025-minicomic-awards-winners/

Inside Litigation Lawyer Steven Stodghill's Batman Collection, the Largest in the Southwest
The Winston & Strawn partner says Batman perfectly symbolizes a litigation lawyer.
By Ben Swanger | From D CEO March 2023 March 8, 2023
Photography By Tamytha Cameron
https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-ceo/2023/march/inside-litigation-lawyer-steven-stodghills-batman-collection-the-largest-in-the-southwest/

As Superman Eyes the Screen, DC Comics Needs to Come Clean About Its Origins
Caitlin Chappell
Jan 31, 2025
https://screenrant.com/superman-movie-dc-comics-origin-story-op-ed/

New DC Comics Lawsuit Could Mean Big Trouble For James Gunn's Superman
Ryan Scott
Jan. 31, 2025
https://www.slashfilm.com/725922/every-dc-movie-made-prior-to-the-dceu-ranked-from-worst-to-best/

Taiwanese manga artist Ruan Guang-min depicts inner feelings of landmark characters in Pendulum Gallery exhibition
Charlie Smith
February 1, 2025 https://pancouver.ca/taiwanese-manga-artist-ruan-guang-min-depicts-inner-feelings-of-landmark-characters-in-pendulum-gallery-exhibition/

Why Lebanese illustrator Zeina Abirached is bringing Khalil Gibran's work alive for a new generation
Graphic novelist speaks to The National on the sidelines of the Kerala Literature Festival [France]
Neeta Lal
February 01, 2025
https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/books/2025/02/02/zeina-abirached-khalil-gibran/

The Fighting, Sword-Wielding Elric
P. Craig Russell
Behind the Drawing Board May 4 2025
https://www.waynealanharold.com/watch/v/the-fighting-swordwielding-elric

Interview: Gabriel Bá on the return of THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY
Jared Bird on 05/02/2025 https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-gabriel-ba-on-the-return-of-the-umbrella-academy/

VAULT & BREAKNECK COMICS announce partnership
Deanna Destito on 05/02/2025 https://www.comicsbeat.com/vault-breakneck-comics-announce-partnership/

New Study Proposes Updates to California's Animation Tax Credits
Animation Magazine
May 1, 2025
https://www.animationmagazine.net/2025/05/new-study-proposes-updates-to-californias-animation-tax-credits/

Reclaiming California's Role in Global Animation: THE CASE FOR MODERNIZING CALIFORNIA'S FILM AND TV TAX CREDIT
CVL Economics April 2025
https://animationguild.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/250428-Reclaiming-Californias-Role-in-Global-Animation.pdf

Sycamore Studio Taps Marvel Vet Jeremy Latcham as EP on 'Zita the Spacegirl'
Mercedes Milligan
May 1, 2025
https://www.animationmagazine.net/2025/05/sycamore-studio-taps-marvel-vet-jeremy-latcham-as-ep-on-zita-the-spacegirl/

Jenny Blake Tells Her Story in the DC Comics Pride 2025 Anthology
01 May 2025
by Rich Johnston
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/jenny-blake-tells-her-story-in-dc-comics-pride-2025-anthology/

Polygon Sold To Valnet And Hit With Mass Layoffs [Update]
Ethan Gach
May 1 2025
https://kotaku.com/polygon-sold-vox-media-valnet-layoffs-digital-gaming-1851778655

Alliance Entertainment Didn't Want to Buy Diamond Comic Distributors, and That's Fine!
David Harper
April 28, 2025
https://sktchd.com/longform/alliance-diamond-kerfuffle/

Kang the Conqueror Would've Fought the Avengers This Weekend
Nobody could've predicted how much Marvel's plans for Kang and the MCU would get derailed in a matter of months.
By Justin Carter
io9 May 3, 2025 https://gizmodo.com/kang-the-conqueror-wouldve-fought-the-avengers-this-weekend-2000596356

Deadpool May Next Team With Multiple X-Men on the Big Screen
Ryan Reynolds is reportedly exploring another Marvel team up for the Merc with the Mouth.
By Germain Lussier
io9 May 2, 2025 https://gizmodo.com/deadpool-may-next-team-with-multiple-x-men-on-the-big-screen-2000597763

Thunderbolts* Ending Explained: Where This Leaves the MCU Ahead of Doomsday
By Rosie Knight | May 2, 2025
https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/thunderbolts-ending-explained-leaves-mcu-doomsday/

Thunderbolts*: The Sentry Is Much Darker in the Comics
Thunderbolts introduces the Sentry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But is that a good thing for the other heroes out there?
By Joe George | May 2, 2025 https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/thunderbolts-the-sentry-is-much-darker-in-the-comics/

Thunderbolts' Jake Schreier Breaks Down Its Big Post-Credits Scene
Big things are coming for the Thunderbolts now that they've entered the MCU, and it all starts with Avengers; Doomsday.
By Justin Carter
io9 May 4, 2025 https://gizmodo.com/thunderbolts-jake-schreier-breaks-down-its-big-post-credits-scene-2000597900

Pearly gatekeeping [Michael Ramirez letter]
Nancy Grimmer,
Washington Post May 3 2025: A15.
online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/05/02/pope-francis-cartoon-kilmar-abuse-ai-lover/

'Francis was my kind of pope.' Cartoonists memorialize Pope Francis.
by Michael Cavna
April 30, 2025
https://www.ncronline.org/news/francis-was-my-kind-pope-cartoonists-memorialize-pope-francis

Sunday, May 04, 2025

Ben Hatke's ‘Zita the Spacegirl’ animation news

Sycamore Studio Taps Marvel Vet Jeremy Latcham as EP on 'Zita the Spacegirl'

Mercedes Milligan

May 1, 2025

Cavna on Pope Francis obituary cartoons

'Francis was my kind of pope.' Cartoonists memorialize Pope Francis.

by Michael Cavna

April 30, 2025

https://www.ncronline.org/news/francis-was-my-kind-pope-cartoonists-memorialize-pope-francis

That darn Michael Ramirez

Pearly gatekeeping

Nancy Grimmer, Bethesda

Washington Post May 3 2025: A15.

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/05/02/pope-francis-cartoon-kilmar-abuse-ai-lover/

Pope Francis called us to act on one simple truth: our shared humanity. He called us to God's expectation that we recognize the humble divinity within each of us and treat one another with respect. Have feeding and caring for the poor become unworthy goals? Are those now solely "liberal" endeavors?

I respectfully ask Michael Ramirez, author of the April 22 editorial cartoon, "Pope Francis at peace," to reread and reconsider some of the pope's writings and addresses. Francis spoke of the globalization of indifference toward one another. He urged us to greater kindness, to greater mindfulness of the well-being of humanity as a whole. He spoke of our obligation to God to do this.

That is not politics; it is our shared humanity.

QUICK QUIZ: TOM KING from Matthew Rosenberg's newsletter

from Matthew Rosenberg's newsletter

QUICK QUIZ: TOM KING

IDEAS DON'T BLEED May 04, 2025

https://ashcanpress.substack.com/p/merely-a-malfunction

Between traveling the country for a month, some family things to deal with, and workloads, we once again find ourselves without a new episode. But fear not! That's why we have a vault full of tapes of us probing the minds of some of the worlds greatest comic book creators. And what a mind we have this week.

We are joined by none other than Tom King, writer of this such as Batman, Mister Miracle, Strange Adventures, Love Everlasting, and more! A little while back we put Tom through the wringer by asking him our patented 24 questions designed to crack open his head like an egg and expose the gooey inner-core of his soul. If you'd like to hear more from Tom, and who wouldn't, you can listen to our interview with him here and here.

Pop Culture Happy Hour on 'Thunderbolts*'

We saw 'Thunderbolts' (and it's pretty good)

By Glen Weldon, Daisy Rosario, Ronald Young Jr., and Jordan Morris

Pop Culture Happy Hour May 2, 2025

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/1248664711/we-saw-thunderbolts-and-its-pretty-good

https://chrt.fm/track/138C95/prfx.byspotify.com/e/play.podtrac.com/npr-510282/traffic.megaphone.fm/NPR7078324616.mp3

https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1248664711

Thunderbolts* is the latest Marvel movie and this one's a bit more fun than they've been lately. It stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour and emotionally broken super-people who've done some very bad things. Will they manage to put their guilt aside and come together to form a rag-tag team of losers who somehow manage to save the day?

Donald Dunce by Daniel Boris

Art Rhode's 83rd birthday

2023

Reposted and updated from his 70th birthday in 2012.

My Dad turns 83 today. When I originally wrote this, coincidentally, the Avengers movie opened the same day. Both events remain rather personally surprising. I still think of Dad as somewhere around 60 (and I'm that age now) and never expected to see 36 Marvel films, nor that they would make "MCU the first film franchise to cross $30 billion." And even though it's May 4th, I don't think he's ever seen a Star Wars movie.

Back in the 1970s, I started reading comics as a kid - my parents bought DC's Superman, Mad magazine and Archie regularly. The Avengers were my favorite though, because, thanks to a cousin, I had some of the early issues and got hooked on Marvel. Mom never went over to the Marvel side, but Dad and I would both read them. When I got old enough, I'd bike up to 7-11 and buy whatever I could find on the spinner rack.

By the time I was in high school, Dad and I were delivering the Sunday NY Times for extra pocket change. On Fridays (new comic book day back then), we'd go to the Bergen Mall in Paramus and I'd buy comics at Collectors Comic Shop while he and Mom went to the bank to deposit his paycheck. After I finished the comics late on Friday night, usually in my bed after 11, I'd pass them along to Dad to read before stacking them up in the corner. I kept this up into college, until the stacks coming home would be 3 or 4 feet high and too much for anyone to get through. At one point, I was trying to have a complete collection of Avengers, but gave up for various reasons (especially Heroes Reborn), so Dad's got a good familiarity with that particular comic book.

There were also tons of books around the house because we're all great readers. Dad and I still swap books whenever see each other.

Without his support, there would be no ComicsDC, editing for IJOCA, editing books on Pekar and Thompson, meeting Watterson, judging Herblock and RFK political cartoon awards, scores of friendships, and a thousand other comics-related parts of my life.

We're not that big on family celebrations, so I just mailed him a card and gave him a call. However I've got my own bully pulpit here, so I'll say

Happy Birthday, Dad, and thanks for everything.

Saturday, May 03, 2025

FCBD at Fantom Comics

Thanks to Sarahti and Jacob of Fantom Comics,* the Library of Congress will once again have a complete set of FCBD comics for 2025.

Sarahti Gassmalla as Zatanna

Chelsea "Astronym" Blackwell

Chelsea "Astronym" Blackwell and Erin Lisette

May 24th manga book is apparently extremely disturbing but Ryan Holmberg and Brian Baynes will be talking about Beautiful Monster by Maruo Suehiro

*They order 2 of everything for me and I pay for them since the comics cost the store money, and aren't "free" to them.

NPR book newsletter on Ginseng Roots, by Craig Thompson

Later in the week will be the actual story. This is from the cutting room floor.

Who is allowed to tell the story of ginseng? [aka (Agri)cultural appropriation vs. appreciation; Ginseng Roots, by Craig Thompson].
Andrew Limbong

NPR Books newsletter May 3, 2025

https://view.nl.npr.org/?qs=814f44d0c0e7832da26fca4399971e02e5d09dd0115a5a97da5b7bec54c814569f4e3594e653891e2c861bf20dd0948bb76e1620e7195884423a505ece6c1758f09394d8f62b9a2fc4e6a8274726f66abc75d68a5ae7e440