Matt Wuerker Maps the Political Universe

Richard Thompson, fledgling ComicsDC scout reports, "Matt Wuerker, resident cartoon genius at Politico.com, created this vast interactive image of the political heavens."

Richard also regularly makes up new constellations in his Richard's Poor Almanack panel in the Post.

Reuben cartoonists in Post chat at 1 pm

Dave Astor at E&P Online reported that the Daily Cartoonist blog reported that the Post will have another comics chat - the first in a while.

Friday, May 18, 1 p.m. ET
Meet the Comics Pages

Bill Amend, Dave Coverly and Dan Piraro
Cartoonists -- "Fox Trot," "Speed Bump" and "Bizarro"
Friday, May 18, 2007; 1:00 PM

Join Washington Post Comics page editor Suzanne Tobin on Friday, May 18 at 1 p.m. ET for a discussion with this year's Reuben nominees -- "Fox Trot's" Bill Amend, "Speed Bump's" Dave Coverly and "Bizarro's" Dan Piraro to discuss their National Cartoonist Society nominations and the art of cartooning.

You can submit questions in advance.

Animation and Cartooning summer classes UPDATED

Leila Cabib is teaching 4 classes at Glen Echo Park on MacArthur Blvd in MD - 1 for animation ($200; July 23-27; Aug 13-17) and 1 for cartooning ($175; July 9-13; July 30-Aug 3). The classes are in the mornings, 9:30-11:30, and the minimum age is 11 - no maximum age is listed. One can theoretically register online or try calling 301-634-2226. Ms. Cabib's number for class information is 301-299-2659, and her website is http://www.leilacabib.com.

By the way, Ms. Carib reports, "By the way, I don't set a maximum age for students. Most of my students are between the ages of 11 and 14, but on many occasions I've had adult students as well. A few years ago, I even had a 91-year old student! So there are no limits, and I think the adult students tend to be inspired by the way the kids plunge into their work without the self-consciousness that seems to creep up on us as we grow older."

June 25: Alison Bechdel in Washington; we're not invited

Because it's an... American Library Association Event, for the GLBTRT Stonewall Book Awards Brunch, 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. Buy the book anyway when she's on her paperback tour - it was one of the best I read last year. This year I'm pushing Bertozzi's The Salon.

Comic art articles in Express and Examiner

The Express had 3 articles in the paper - one on Jonathan Lethem writing Omega the Unknown, one on a new Pokemon game and the third on Shrek the Third. These were all wire stories. More interestingly, DC's new line for girls and the resulting first book by Cecil Castellucci is discussed, online only, at "Total Minx: 'The Plain Janes'" by Scott Rosenberg.

Meanwhile in the Examiner, Comedy Central's new animated sitcom Li'l Bush is profiled "Yeas & Nays: Comedy Central’s ‘Lil’ Bush’ coming soon" by Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin.

May 15: IMAGES OF IRISH-AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS Lecture repost

At this exact moment in time, I'm planning on attending this.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
101 Independence Avenue SE
Washington DC 20540
Phone: (202) 707-2905
Fax: (202) 707-9199
Email: pao@loc.gov
April 26, 2007

Public contact: Martha Kennedy (202) 707-9115

IMAGES OF IRISH-AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS
FEATURED IN LECTURE BY SWANN FELLOW ON MAY 15

Swann Foundation Fellow Sharrona Pearl will discuss depictions of Irish-American immigrants in mid-19th century prints and analyze the ambiguous nature of the graphic imagery, on May 15 at the Library of Congress.

Pearl will present the lecture, titled “Black and White: Drawing the Irish-American Immigrant in Shades of Grey,” at noon on Tuesday, May 15, in West Dining Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, DC.

Pearl’s illustrated presentation is based on research conducted at the Library of Congress during her fellowship awarded by the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon. The Library administers the foundation. Sponsored by the Library’s Prints and Photographs Division and the Swann Foundation, the lecture is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.

At mid-19th century, Irish-Americans held rights of citizenship and voting and quickly became the most important political force on the East Coast. Many prints show politicians and others seeking support from the Irish, even as the imagery also suggests that they were racially and religiously different. Pearl will argue that close examination of selected prints from the 1830s through the 1860s demonstrates that Irishness was depicted more noticeably through linguistic and external symbols, such as clothing and weaponry, than through distinct racial and facial markers. Pearl will observe that the poor Irish were often depicted as more easily identifiable than their wealthier counterparts.

Pearl completed a Ph.D. in the history of science at Harvard University in 2005. She is currently working on a book tentatively titled “Facing the Victorians: Physiognomy in Nineteenth-Century Britain,” under contract with Harvard University Press. Pearl has published articles on a number of related topics, including her new research on science and theater. She is a lecturer with the Committee on Degrees in History and Literature at Harvard University, which is a three-year, post-doctoral fellowship.

Pearl’s presentation is part of the Swann Foundation’s continuing activities to support the study, interpretation, preservation and appreciation of original works of humorous and satiric art by graphic artists from around the world. The Swann Foundation awards one fellowship annually (with a stipend of $15,000) to assist scholarly research and writing projects in the field of caricature and cartoon. For more information, visit www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swannhome or by e-mailing swann@loc.gov.

# # #

PR07-90
4/26/07
ISSN: 0731-3527

Irish cartoonist in DC

Irish cartoonist David Campbell should be in DC now for a Celtic Mythology project in a school program I've never heard of. See "Artist is a knockout with comic strip Ulster: US mission will help children develop special skills," By Victoria O'Hara, Belfast Telegraph (Monday, May 14, 2007).

Political caricaturist Krystyna Edmondson

Political caricaturist Krystyna Edmondson is profiled by her daughter in "Word for Word, Images of My Mother" by Anna Edmondson, Washington Post, Monday, May 14, 2007; C08.

Also in Style, Mike Peters' Mother Goose and Grimm is a tribute to Johnny Hart and B.C.

First in Space article on Express website

"Chimp in Orbit: 'First in Space'" by Scott Rosenberg (May 14, 2007) is online only. The story of Ham, the first chimp in space in 1961, looks good to me. As an aside, Ham's skeleton resides in the National Museum of Health and Medicine, but isn't currently on display.

Random Berryman

I was experimenting with a hand scanner today, so here's a couple of Clifford Berryman cartoons from Cook, Frederick A and Robert E Peary. 1909. Discovery of the North Pole. Philadelphia, Pa: American Book and Bible House.

If there's any interest I can scan more. Berryman was the dean of Washington editorial cartoonists for decades.

Completely off-topic

but an ego-boo for me. I'm quoted in my professional life in "What's Inside Box No. 1997.0015 OHA 293.23? Long-forgotten photographs document life in St. Elizabeths" by Angela Valdez; Curated by Darrow Montgomery, Washington City Paper, May 10, 2007.

Yardley on Thurber

Today's Post has "James Thurber's Humorous Heart" by JONATHAN YARDLEY, Washington Post Saturday, May 12, 2007; C01. For us the key sentence is "One does indeed turn to Thurber for the drawings, but the great glory is his prose." Thus is cartooning dispatched although Yardley writes a good appreciation of Thurber's prose.

Right by Yardley, humorist (the word cartoonist may be verboten in Yardley's neighborhood) Richard Thompson has a good sendup of the Jamestown celebration madness.

In the letters to the editor section, a reader took a swipe at Ohio's Bok:

Bending Reid's Word
Washington Post (May 12, 2007)
The May 5 Drawing Board cartoon by Bok of the Akron Beacon Journal was a disgusting example of just how low the right-wing press will go in painting Democrats as troop haters. The cartoon shows Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) passing a U.S. soldier in an airport and yelling: "LOSER." I assume this cartoon was drawn because Reid recently said the war in Iraq was "lost." However, Reid never said the troops themselves were losers.

-- Eric Crossley

Tomorrow is an interview with a bunch of the women who do voices of Princesses in Shrek the Third. A preview ran in yesterday's Express and it should be a funny article.

May 12: Matt Diffee at American Art

Matt Diffee, New Yorker cartoonist and author of The Rejection Collection is speaking at the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Saul Steinberg exhibit at 3 pm on Saturday, May 12th and signing his book afterwards. I saw him at Politics and Prose last year, and he's a fun speaker. The Museum's at Gallery Place at 8th and F Sts, NW.

Betty and Veronica go realistic

Archie's experimenting with a new, more realistic style for Betty and Veronica. Big Planet Comics in Bethesda is betting this will be popular and stocked a lot of copies of the new digest in case you'd care to meet that bet.

Clay Bennet wins RFK award to be presented in DC

"Clay Wins RFK" in AAEC Editorial Cartoon News May 8, 2007 reports

Clay Bennett of the Christian Science Monitor was named the 2007 winner of the RFK Journalism Award for Editorial Cartooning... Winners will be honored in a ceremony Wednesday, May 23rd from 6-8pm at the Jack Morton Auditorium at the George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Anybody want to confess to being a judge this year like Gene Weingarten did a few years ago?

Cartoonists exposed at Smithsonian American Art Museum

Haven't you always wondered what cartoonists really look like? Well, I'm here to help. I got a few candid shots in the Steinberg exhibit in the Smithsonian American Art Museum*

Left to right - that's Richard Thompson, Nick Galifianakis and Kevin Rechin.


And here I am.


*sorry about the typo last night crediting the National Portrait Gallery

May 10: Association of American Editorial Cartoonists online auction

The AAEC is auctioning off works including local cartoonists Tom Toles and Ann Telnaes to raise money for their Cartoons for the Classroom site and programs. Every two weeks, you can download an editorial cartoon and lesson plan - very neat.

Don't bid on everything so I can get something. I'd suggest leaving the Telnaes for me. I once stopped her husband from backing into a candle and lighting his suit on fire.

Free Comic Book Day at Big Monkey Comics, Washington DC

On FCBD, a neighbor and I loaded up his minivan with kids - my 9-year-old daughter, a friend of hers, and his 7 and 4-year old daughters. We cruised into the city on 14th St, and drove right past Big Monkey Comics' new home. They had formerly been in Georgetown, but moved in March to 1722-B 14th St, NW (202-333-8650). The store has a couple of signs, and a monkey on the 2nd floor window. After going up a narrow stairway, we got into the store which was fairly crowded with a twenty-something average customer. The free comics were set up in the back room where the new comics racks are - the kids (and adults) each got to pick 3 comics and they also were giving away sets of bagged back issues. The kids all went out into the small hallway and started reading their comics while I took a quick look around. I'd say the store has less stock than it did on Wisconsin Avenue, but it has a little more space, some of which was being used for a table for a Heroclix game. The staff was friendly, and all wore FCBD shirts that made them easily identifiable.

The kids continued reading in the van and we cruised over to Georgetown to visit Big Planet's Dumbarton Street store. Store owner Peter's known me for years, and let the kids pick up some more comics while not holding me to the store's limit of 10 freebies. However I dropped a hundred on sale books and toys, so I think he came out ahead. The store continues to have a good range of collections and indy material - perhaps the best selection of the three stores. There was a good crowd here too and Peter was happy with the turnout.

The girls continued reading in the car. My daughter's friend was most taken with Fantagraphics' Peanuts - she reads the comics in the newspaper when she can. My daughter gets comics regularly so was a bit more jaded, and I'm not sure what the neighbors daughters were reading, although the 4-year-old passed out on the ride anyway. Both stores carried the DC Conspiracy's mini-comic as well and I picked up one for Michigan State University's Comic Art Collection which I'd encourage all 17 of my readers to donate to.

Some things stay mysteries

I couldn't add this to my collection, but it was parked on Walter Reed Army Medical Center today. Must be owned by a real Powerpuff Girls fan, I guess. Oddly enough, those are German license plates.

Kevin Rechin, local freelance cartoonist

I had the good fortune to meet some cartoonists this weekend at the Saul Steinberg exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. ComicsDC regular Richard Thompson, the Washington Post's advice cartoonist Nick Galifianakis and his artist dad Peter, and Kevin Rechin. I wasn't familiar with Kevin's work, but a google search tossed up this site and later Kevin sent me his agent's site. Kevin's totally a freelance cartoonist, and I'm glad to make his acquaintance and discover his enjoyable good-natured cartoons. Hopefully we can suckeXXXX encourage Kevin to post a bit on his work and where to find it.

That's a happy bio-fuel farmer! Kevin makes it all look so appealing.

I'm continually amazed at the rich comic art resources in the DC area.