Ann Telnaes editorial animations in London's Guardian

Stringer (just kidding!) and Politico editorial cartoonist (really) Matt Wuerker just emailed to say, "Ann Telnaes is just today starting to run animations off the front page of the Guardian UK. check it out-- a great new venue for political cartoons on the front page of one of the marquee international newspaper's website--- http://www.guardian.co.uk/ "

Great news, Matt. I love her work. Here's the direct link. But... "specializing in animated cartoons?" I thought she put Disney behind her when she won that Pulitzer.

Comic Strip play in Baltimore

The Baltimore Sun mentions a play of interest:

A Comic Strip
Baltimore Theatre Project
45 W. Preston St.
Baltimore, MD


This delightfully funny drama tells the story of a famous comic-strip artist who, in the midst of an identity crisis, receives help from his favorite childhood comic strip characters. But despite the show's seemingly juvenile subject matter, it is definitely not for kids.

The show replaces "The 761st: Men of War" as the last show in Theatre Project's 2006-07 season.

More information about Touchstone Theater can be found at www.touchstone.org.


Jun. 7: 8 p.m.
Jun. 8: 8 p.m.
Jun. 9: 8 p.m.
Jun. 10: 7 p.m.
Jun. 14: 8 p.m.
Jun. 15: 8 p.m.
Jun. 16: 8 p.m.
Jun. 17: 7 p.m.

Price: $16
Seniors and students: $11

Box office: 410-752-8558

Victor Vashi cartoons

Last weekend, I picked up some original cartoons by Victor Vashi at a flea market. These were originally done for the Plumbers Journal. The bookseller who had them wrote a note saying Vashi was the author of Red Primer for Children and Diplomats, Viewpoint Books, 1967 and illustrated the Handbook of Humor by Famous Politicians by Stephen Skubik.

Here's scans of all the cartoons, only a few of which still have their captions.

former DC resident David Lewis profiled

See "A DAVE LEWIS & JASON COPLAND ON EMPTY CHAMBER" by Koben Kelly, Newsarama (June 5, 2007). Dave lived around here until heading off to Boston's environs a few years back.

new International Journal of Comic Art is out

The new International J. of Comic Art is out with articles on the history of Chinese comics, and reviews of exhibits mentioned here. It's 750 pages! For $15! If you don't subscribe, hang your head in shame. Here's the info:

An individual subscription for one year (two issues) is US$30; institutions, $40.
Back Issues are available at same rates.

Payment must be made by check or international money order in U.S. dollars payable to John A. Lent/IJOCA.

Susbscriptions should be sent to

John A. Lent,
669 Ferne Blvd.,
Drexel Hill, PA 19026
USA.

Volume 1 is no longer available (but plans to reprint it are underway).

World War II posters

These four posters were from Linkbelt plant in Indianapolis during the war and are owned by a friend of mine who made them available for scanning. Her grandfather saved them. I really like those monkeys.

"A Good Egg is Always on the Job: Accidents Help the Enemy ...Grandpop" by Lawson Wood.


"Production Will Knock Out the Axis: Get Plenty of Sleep ...Grandpop" by Lawson Wood.


Rumors - The Axis' Secret Weapon: Only a Dope Spills the Dope ...Grandpop" by Lawson Wood.



"Mah Engagements Been Announced, Maw" Carelessness is Costly by P. Warr.

Tonight at 8 PM: Creature Comforts

Aardman Animation's Creature Comforts, which has already been running in the UK, makes its US debut in 7 minutes. Aardman's one of the best animation studios around - leave the computer and go watch the show.

Cartoonists in Portrait Gallery's Presidents exhibit

Cartoons are making more inroads into our culture, including the Smithsonian. The National Portrait Gallery's exhibit on the presidents includes the following art by cartoonists.

Oliphant's sculptures of Presidents.


Two views of Pat Oliphant's sculpture of George H.W. Bush.

Edward Sorel's caricature of Jimmy Carter.

MAD cartoonist Jack Davis' caricature of Brezhnev and Nixon.

MAD cartoonist Mort Drucker's caricature of Mao and Nixon.

Fun times with Bob Mankoff

Bob Mankoff gave a very interesting talk today at the Smithsonian American Art Museum as part of their Steinberg exhibit. The talk was held in the lovely new auditorium apparently buried under the former courtyard. Mr. Mankoff talked about Steinberg's early cartoons for the New Yorker (which can be seen on the Complete New Yorker Cartoons cd), Steinberg's influence on his early work, and the nature of gag cartoons and humor. Mankoff said that the Caption Contest gets about 10,000 entries per week and showed a slide of how he and his assistants break up the entries to make sense of them. He had a lot of interesting points to make, and the working cartoonists I was sitting with, AAEC head Rob Rogers, Matt Wuerker, Nick Galifianakis and Richard Thompson all seemed engaged. I certainly was, but I'm not a professional cartoonist.

Crawford cartoon to illustrate the nature of humor.

Some of the 10,000 entries to the New Yorker Cartoon Contest sorted into categories.

Sample page of Cartoon Bank database.

Afterwards Mr. Mankoff signed books including the New Yorker Book of Art Cartoons. In the accompanying pictures (below), Warren Bernard gets confirmation that four books is the complete set of Mankoff books, and gets them all signed at one fell swoop. Mankoff said that he didn't even have copies of them all anymore.




The rain started in earnest so Rob Rogers invited Mr. Mankoff to the museum's cafe with us and we had a fun hour hearing stories of the New Yorker, and talking shop. Matt stood us all to drinks, and Rob picked up the chips - thanks guys! One point Mankoff did make was that by animating cartoons, the Cartoon Bank could pick up new sponsors like Lexus - here's an example that Richard found.

Rob Rogers, Matt Wuerker, Bob Mankoff, Richard Thompson and Nick Galifianakis talking in the museum lobby after the booksigning.

Rob Rogers forcibly suggests that Bob Mankoff might not want to go out in that rain.

The last two photos are everyone in the cafe. Richard's in the blue denim shirt, Nick's in blue shirt with long hair, Matt's in the brown jacket, Rob's in the dark blue jacket and Bob Mankoff's in the suit. This was a thoroughly enjoyable Sunday. Matt wrote down the best epigraphs from the talk, and hopefully one of the others will flesh out this entry a bit.

June 2: Comics librarian Randy Scott's birthday

Saturday is ace comics librarian Randy Scott's 60th birthday. Randy has built the Michigan State University Comic Art Collection into a world-class institution, while putting up one of the most helpful websites for in-depth scholarly comics research. Let's raise a glass to Randy! (and send him some comics. Obscure ones, not in English. I do it all the time.)

Shrek videogame review in Post

John Gaudiosi reviews the game in "You'll Get Ogre It All Too Quickly", Washington Post Friday, June , 2007; WE60.

June 2, 9: Improvs on Steinberg at American Art

On the next 2 Saturdays at 3 pm, Now This! will be presenting Sketchy Sketches improvs based on Steinberg's cartoons at American Art. It's free. And Bob Mankoff is appearing at 3 pm this Sunday.

LUNA BROTHERS ON THE END OF GIRLS

The Luna Brothers live somewhere between DC and Baltimore. An interview with them, "LUNA BROTHERS ON THE END OF GIRLS" by Vaneta Rogers, Newsrama (April 6, 2007) ran recently and might be of interest. I think they usually attend the Baltimore Comic-Con if wishes to meet them.

Comics: 'Avril Lavigne's Make 5 Wishes'

Scott Rosenberg has an online interview with artist Camilla d'Errico in "Comics: 'Avril Lavigne's Make 5 Wishes'". It came out on the 30th, but I would have missed it without Tom Spurgeon's Comic Reporter. I read the Express every day too...

June 3: Bob Mankoff at American Art

New Yorker cartoonist and comics editor Bob Mankoff will be at the Saul Steinberg exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The free program is at 3 pm on Sunday

Post dropping B.C. and Wizard of Id after cartoonists' deaths

A NOTE TO READERS
Washington Post Monday, May 28, 2007; Page C10

Beginning June 4, we will be adding two of our Sunday only comic strips to our daily lineup. "Sherman's Lagoon" and "Lio" will now run every day. The same day, we will drop "B.C." and "The Wizard of Id" from our daily pages. "Wizard of Id" will still run on Sundays. Johnny Hart, who created "B.C.," and Brant Parker, who co-created "The Wizard of Id" with Hart, died in April. Both "B.C." and "The Wizard of Id," now being done by family members, will still be available on our Web site, http://www.washingtonpost.com. As always, we welcome your comments. See our "Comics Feedback" contact information above "Garfield" on Page C11.

Bits from the papers

Remember, the City Paper that's on the racks until Thursday has Brian Ralph illustrations exactly like these in it.

I was traveling and haven't read the weekend's papers yet, but Friday's Post had a videogame review - "Now Spider-Man Needs Rescuing" by John Gaudiosi, Washington Post Friday, May 25, 2007; Page WE36.

The Onion had a Shrek videogame review, "Shrek The Third" by Chris Dahlen, Onion May 24st, 2007.

And of most interest to me, a review of the reissue of Jules Feiffer's novel from 1963, "Harry, The Rat With Women" by Jules Feiffer (Fantagraphics), Reviewed by Tasha Robinson, Onion May 24th, 2007.

Today's Post has a wire story on the Teletubbies, "Pursed Lips in Poland over Image of Purple Teletubby", Reuters, Washington Post May 29, 2007.

Tom Toles profiled by Dave Astor

"Tom Toles Reviews Five Years At 'Wash Post'" by Dave Astor, E and P Online May 25, 2007. Nothing surprising, unsurprisingly, as Mr. Toles has pretty straightforward views in his cartoons, but a good general interview.

Stuff in today's DC papers

Quick hits - I'll try to get links later...

The City Paper is covered and illustrated by Baltimore cartoonist Brian Ralph. Step away from the computer and go get one now.

The Express has 3 bits on comics:

Ennio Marchetto dresses in paper clothes as 'living cartoon' caricatures. There's a pic of him as Marilyn Monroe. Comics? I don't know.

Glenn Dixon reviews the Steinberg exhibit at American Art.

The Library of Congress has an exhibit of Radoslav's Times which appears to be a Serbian comic book. I'll follow up on that.

Also, the Express notes that the Arena Stage's excellent posters are on display at the Museum of American Illustration in NYC.

In the Examiner, Allison Hatfield has a page on all the goofy Spider-Man 3 merchandising available including the Mr. Potato Head which is sitting on my kitchen table right now.

I haven't read the Post yet - hopefully updates and links to follow.

Berkeley Breathed pictures - special edition!!!!

Cartoonist Berkeley Breathed reads from and signs his children's book, Mars Needs Moms in Alameda, CA on May 11, 2007. Photos courtesy of ComicsDC stringer Miron Murcury.






And look at this excellent scrapbook:

At Miron's request, the original cd of photos is being donated to Michigan State University's Comic Art Collection. The link is over there on the right.

Here's a few recent articles on and interviews with Breathed, as they wait to go into my Comics Research Bibliography (link also over there on the right):

Now that he's a parent, a cartoonist ponders the ultimate sacrifice
Regan McMahon, San Francisco Chronicle Deputy Book Editor
Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Interview: Berkeley Breathed
by Ken Plume
Quick Stop Entertainment May 22, 2007

Just asking: A conversation with cartoonist/author Berkeley Breathed
– Eric Schelkopf
Northwest Herald (May 18, 2007)

Rehm, Diane. 2007.
Berkeley Breathed: "Mars Needs Moms".
National Public Radio's Diane Rehm Show (May 8).

Cartoonist knows kid lit
BY SARA PEARCE
Cincinnati Enquirer (May 6, 2007)

Exclusive: Berkeley Breathed Speaks!
Berkeley Breathed, celebrated creator of the "Bloom County" comic strip, writes a book for the grammar school set.
WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Jamie Reno
Newsweek May 3, 2007

Random Rules: Berkeley Breathed
by Tasha Robinson
Onion April 26th, 2007