Hopes and dreams dashed in New Orleans

Our Man Thompson lost the National Cartoonist Society award to Jim Meddick and Monty. A cabal of DC-area lawyers are already planning on taking this to the Supreme Court for a ruling on a recount of hanging chads, I hear.

In the meantime, we congratulate Meddick - his strip runs in the Washington Times. Al Jaffee took home the deserved Reuben award, and Wiley's strip today makes sense. All the winners were posted by Alan Gardner on his Daily Cartoonist site.

And here's the Non Sequiter fold-in linked to above, folded and rotated 180 degrees, for those who couldn't quite picture it:

Zadzooks on new Iron Man comics

See "Iron Man must stop Mandarin," By Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times May 24, 2008.

HERO INITIATIVE SPONSORS JOSH MEDORS AUCTIONS

Nobody asked me to run this one, but it also sounds like a worthy cause.

HERO INITIATIVE SPONSORS JOSH MEDORS AUCTIONS

Frazetta books and amazing Tom Beland sketchbook included!

LOS ANGELES (May 23, 2008)-Artist Josh Medors is fighting a rare form of cancer in his back, and The Hero Initiative, the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need, is aiding in that fight.

Hero is currently running three eBay auctions with net proceeds benefiting Josh, the artist of Frank Frazetta's Swamp Demon. Included are:

. A copy of EC Comics' legendary Weird Science-Fantasy #29, AUTOGRAPHED by Frank Frazetta and graded 5.5 in CGC's Signature Series.

. A copy of Ghost Rider (Magazine Enterprises, 1951) #4 AUTOGRAPHED by Frank Frazetta and graded 5.0 in CGC's Signature Series.

. An incredible sketchbook from Tom Beland, writer/artist of True Story, Swear to God. This book contains over 60 pages of Tom's roughs from True Story, and represents months of work from him. It's a rare look inside the heart, mind, and process of an artist!

These auctions can be found at:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZheroinitiative

And further auctions benefiting Josh can be found by searching "Josh Medors benefit auction."

In addition to these auctions, The Hero Initiative will be taking additional measures to help Josh in his convalescence.

"Having an organization like the Hero initiative is a blessing," said Josh Medors. "Even when things are going great, trying to make it as a freelance comic illustrator can be tough. The support the comics community has shown has been amazing. Now having the Hero initiative involved has made it possible for me to focus on what is important, getting better. They are a wonderful, caring organization, and their help has given me a hope and made it possible for me to focus on something I love very much-creating comics."

"Anyone who's read my stuff knows how cancer has affected myself and my family," said Tom Beland. "Fighting the disease is one nightmare, figuring out how to pay the bills is another nightmare in itself. I've never met Josh. But when I heard his story, I immediately thought of my parents and how tough it was on them financially. This is what we do in this business. We group together to help one another. Owning this sketchbook is like owning one of my personal diaries. If you're a fan of comics, or a fan of my work, then do me a favor. Get off your ass and bid like a crazy person. Step up and make me proud of you."

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment. For more information, call 310-909-7809 or visit www.HeroInitiative.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND/OR ARTWORK PLEASE CONTACT:

Janine Bielski

Hero Initiative

310-909-7809

More Gene Colan fundraising info

Rufus Dayglo writes in again:

Cliff Meth's started auctioning stuff to help Gene Colan, our friend and fellow Artist!

Check out his blog for amazing signed stuff and original art!

Link...

http://thecliffordmethod.blogspot.com/

Also on Ebay, more items will be added soon! Bid and help Gene! User name on EBAY is genecolanbenefitauction

Link...

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZgenecolanbenefitauction

I'm donating Tank Girl and Metal Gear Solid Art and signed books, if any artists or writers are reading this please contact Cliff Meth through his blog and donate.

Also, if you can make a cash donation contact Cliff Meth through his blog..

Time for us to give back, and help one of the greats of the Comic Book Industry!

Thanks everyone, every little bit helps!

Rufus Dayglo (Team Tank Girl)

Thompson chat on Post

Richard 'Cul de Sac' Thompson and Scott 'Argyle Sweater' Hilburn successfully navigated the Washington Post chat software today at 1 pm with Suzanne Tobin, even though Hilburn said he didn't make it to the NCS con in New Orleans. To read what they said, see "Meet the Comics Pages: Scott Hilburn and Richard Thompson, Cartoonists, "Argyle Sweater" and "Cul de Sac", Friday, May 23, 2008.

Herblock exhibit sort of covered by Wash Times

Actually, although the exhibit is about three miles from their main building, they ran an AP article yesterday. See "Herblock lampoons the presidents again" By Brett Zongker - ASSOCIATED PRESS, Washington Times May 22, 2008.

OT: Ed Stein and Denver Square

Ed Stein pulled the plug on his strip Denver Square this week. The strip was a hyper-local one, set in Denver and by a Denver area cartoonist. Mark Wolf interviewed Stein this week. The reason I link to this is that Stein's first collection of the strip was an early book review I did for IJOCA -- so early that I can't even find it on my computer. But if you see a Denver Square collection, pick it up - you'll enjoy it.

May 23: Our Man Thompson on Post chat

So, Richard leaves town on a 26-hour (hahahahahaha!) train ride... just to be interviewed by the Washington Post! Man, he apparently just lives Richard's Poor Almanack. The damn thing must write itself...

Scott Hilburn who does Argyle Sweater will also be fighting for keyboard space.

Friday, May 23 at 1 p.m. ET
Meet the Comics Pages
Scott Hilburn and Richard Thompson
Cartoonists, "Argyle Sweater" and "Cul de Sac"
Friday, May 23, 2008; 1:00 PM

Join Washington Post Comics page editor Suzanne Tobin on Friday, May 23 at 1 p.m. ET at the National Cartoonists Society convention in New Orleans for a discussion with Scott Hilburn, creator of "The Argyle Sweater," and Richard Thompson, creator of creator of "Cul de Sac."

I guess the Ms. Tobin wanted to justify that travel budget, and rather than take a $10 cab ride to Arlington got this through the Post's accountants. I think I need to meet her - take notes, that sort of thing...

Our Man Thompson in New Orleans for NCS award showdown

Richard's up for a best strip award - see his blog for details - and says he will also be chatting on the Post's website on Friday.

Toles goes MAD

Tom Toles' editorial cartoon today is based on the fold-in by famed MAD cartoonist Al Jaffee. Here's a good article on Jaffee from the NY Times, and some online fold-ins.

Jaffee is nominated for the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben award this weekend (and Richard Thompson's up for best strip) and I believe he will win it. I don't know if Toles was making a prediction, or just was reminded of Jaffee's work, but according to Dave Astor, Wiley's made a bet who'll win by doing an early Sunday strip - check the Post on Sunday and see if either of us was right.

And for those reading it online, with less fold-in experience than us long-time Mad readers, here's what it looks like folded:

June 11-12: Bleach anime showing

At area theaters...

May 21: Death Note anime showing

Tonight at 7:30!

Weingarten corrupted three comic strips for Post Hunt

Gene Weingarten's May 20th chat had some comments about a 'comics' clue to the Post Hunt.

Arlington: G-Dub. How in THE hell can anyone claim that the "Comics" clue was hard? The comedians made it obvious what the topic was, Liz and Ginger walking around with the comics pages made it obvious where to look (not to mention that everyone was reading the Comics section) and the numbers weren't terribly hard to find. What was hard about it?

(Every other clue was @#$! impossible, btw.)

washingtonpost.com: And yet there were people who -- when offered a Comics section -- declined, saying "I have one at home."

Gene Weingarten: Heh heh.

As Tom said yesterday, the monitors at the fortune cookie site watched several times as small children were tugging at parents' clothing saying, "It tastes like coconut!" and the parents said, "Ssh. We're trying to solve the puzzle."

and later...

Consiracy Theories: It's bad enough that clueless Post readers may be misled by the clues planted in the magazine and comics, but what about the rest of the country? Is there an army of folks coming up with diabolical explanations for the numbers appearing in the three comics? Or do they get an explanation somewhere somehow (without stumbling on the Post)?

Gene Weingarten: Yeah, I owe a great thank you to Stephan Pastis, Jef Mallett, and Berkeley Breathed. They were great sports about it. I'm sure they're getting dozens of letters from elsewhere in the country asking, yknow, what that "nine" was about.

and...

Opus Hunt: Gene,

A friend was telling me about Hunt (she went, I couldn't) and when I looked at the Opus strip, the first thing I thought of when she pointed it out was Al Hirschfeld. Did Breathed do that on purpose? And were the other numbers in the strip used as decoys?

Gene Weingarten: Yep, it was an homage to Hirschfeld, I believe. "Nine" was done exactly the way Hirschfeld did "Nina."

The other numbers were coincidence! He wasn't trying to be deceptive.

...with some debate over that...

Washington, D.C.: Did you notice that both Breathed and Mallet hid other numerals in their strips? The s in the title "OPUS" was a 5. In Frazz, the word "school" had both a 5 instead of an s, and an 8 instead of the two o's. The second occurrence of that word didn't have the 5, but it did have the 8. So we weren't sure which hidden numbers to use, until we finally noticed the "nine" on the doctor's coat, and decided to use the spelled-out numbers "six," "eight," and "nine," and ignore the hidden numerals 5, 8, 8 and 5.

Gene Weingarten: I disagree about the S being a 5.

But we noticed the "oo" looking like an eight. We noticed this at the very last minute. It turns out that is simply how Patty Mallett (who inks Jef's art) makes a double o! If the hidden number had been anything but eight, we'd a been scrood!

This is all nonsensical, until you go to the Post website. This video explains that Weingarten's friends Stephan (Pearls Before Swine), Berkeley (Opus) Breathed and Jeff (Frazz) Mallett snuck in clues for the Post Hunt.

Who donated Spider-Man to the Library of Congress?

It's a new parlor game! One blogger guesses Stan Lee although he was going by memory rather than rereading my original post. I don't think he's right as the art probably sat around for years after it was first published, and as one of his commenters also noted, Sara Duke says it was given to the donor as a gift that he's now passing on. Blake Bell for example has demonstrated that the artwork was reshot again years later for reprints in Marvel Tales, for instance. Also it wouldn't have to be one of the original bullpen members as it wouldn't have been considered that important until the Marvel offices had grown a lot.

Wow, Sara Duke is the new version of Woodward and Bernstein. Who is DEEP POCKETS?

Cul de Sac marches into Maryville

Our Man Thompson's picked up a paper with a space vacated by Preteena's cessation - "Cul De Sac comic debuts today," Maryville TN Daily Times May 19 2008. Today Maryville... tomorrow Knoxville!

Gene Colan charity benefit book

I was sent the following email today from Rufus Dayglo. Gene Colan's one of the greats of Marvel Comics. I just sent in my $23.00 via Paypal -

Gene Colan, the legendary Marvel Comics artist is ill in hospital with a failing liver, and his family need financial help.

My good friend, the writer Cliff Meth has done a book with Gene Colan, and Cliff sent me the following info.

PLEASE buy this book. The money will immediately help with Gene's medical bills.

From Cliff...

"Gene and I are doing for Aardwolf Publishing.

It is called METH, COLAN & OTHER THEOLOGIANS and will include everything that was in our PERVERTS, PEDOPHILES & OTHER THEORLOGIANS (a Barnes & Noble "Horror Pick of the Week" from 1997 that saw multiple printings) as well as new stories by Gene and I, along with introductions by several of the comic industry's noted luminaries.

People can order the signed/numbered limited edition now by sending $20 + $3 shipping to sales@aardwolfpublishing.com [via Paypal] -- proceeds directly and immediately benefit Gene."

Again... buy this book. help Gene.

Thank you!

Rufus Dayglo (IDW Artist)

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 05-21-08

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 05-21-08
By John Judy

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #560 by Dan Slott and Marcos Martin. Starring Peter Parker: Paparazzi! Fun stuff!

AVENGERS INITIATIVE #13 by Christos Gage and Steve Uy. Following in the large footsteps of Dan Slott/ the new creative team hands in a worthy first effort. Recommended.

BLACK PANTHER #36 by Reginald Hudlin and Francis Portela. The Panther’s back in his kingdom of Wakanda to clean house!

BRAVE AND BOLD #13 by Mark Waid and Jerry Ordway. Batman and the Golden-Age Flash fight a samurai. This could be a really short comic…

CAPTAIN AMERICA #38 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. In which we learn the identity of “Steve Rogers.”

CASEY BLUE: BEYOND TOMORROW #1 of 6 by B. Clay Moore and Carlo Barberi. Typical teenager discovers she’s humanity’s salvation after killing a stranger with her bare hands. How many times has this happened to you?

DEAD SHE SAID #1 by Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson. The noir-horror tale of a dead detective who has to figure out who killed him. It’s Wrightson so you’d need it even if it didn’t sound this cool. Recommended.

FANTASTIC FOUR #557 by Mark Millar and Brian Hitch. Big robot fights and romance!

GHOST RIDER #23 by Jason Aaron and Roland Boschi. The author of SCALPED, WOLVERINE (the one that doesn’t suck), and THE OTHER SIDE is writing this book so you know you got to have it! Find out who gets the burning chain this issue! Recommended!

GRENDEL: BEHOLD THE DEVIL #7 of 8 written and drawn by Matt Wagner. The penultimate issue in this untold tale of crimelord/novelist Hunter Rose. A great week for Wagner fans since we’re also getting the DEVIL CHILD HC and DEVIL QUEST HC. Nice!

HELLBLAZER #244 by Andy Diggle and Giuseppe Camuncoli. Constantine’s in the Vatican. Hijinks ensue. Recommended!

INCREDIBLE HULK OMNIBUS VOL.1 HC by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and a Who’s Who of Sixties Marvel Bullpen Greatness. Collecting every Hulk story up through Hulk #102, plus extras! Highly recommended!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #21 by Dwayne McDuffie and Carlos Pacheco. Introducing Libra and the Human Flame from FINAL CRISIS. They will be on the test.

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #15 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross, and Dale Eaglesham. The guy behind all the hero-killings is revealed.

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: MIGHTY THOR VOL.7 HC by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Collecting THOR #153-162, featuring Loki, Galactus, Ego the Living Planet and lots more from the Silver Age of Comics!

MIGHTY AVENGERS #14 by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. Nick Fury’s ramping up to stomp some Skrull patootie! Avengers appear also!

SCALPED #17 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. Bad Horse versus Diesel, Round Two as “Dead Mothers” wraps up. Highly recommended, too rough for kids.

WAR IS HELL: FIRST FLIGHT OF THE PHANTOM EAGLE #3 by Garth Ennis and Howard Chaykin. The P.E. continues to discover that World War I is not all it’s cracked up to be. Recommended.

WOLVERINE: ORIGINS #25 by Daniel Way and Steve Dillon. The final chapter of the big Deadpool fight. Plus a bonus reprint of the first appearance of Deadpool, just to remind us how completely comics can suck.

X-FACTOR #31 by Peter David and Pablo Raimondi. Mutant-Town is burning. On the plus-side a comedy club is destroyed.

www.johnjudy.net

Otis Sweat cartoon artwork in Post mag

Today's Post Hunt contest was started in the Post Magazine which had a ton of artwork by Otis Sweat and it's online too. Sweat's done cartoons for the early Florida-based hunts.

Elder obituary in NY Times

Will Elder, Cartoonist of Satiric Gifts and Overpopulated Scenes, Dies at 86
By WILLIAM GRIMES
New York Times May 18, 2008

Mr. Elder, whose frantic, gag-filled illustrations helped to define the comic identity of Mad magazine, was also a creator of the Playboy cartoon serial “Little Annie Fanny.”

Usually the Times beats the Post on national obits, especially ones from their area...

Zadzooks on Indiana Jones UPDATED

"Bonanza of Indy toys and adventure games," By Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times May 17, 2008. Back in the day, I bought the Marvel Comics series, which had art by one of my favorite teams, John Byrne with one of comics greatest inkers every, Terry Austin.

Sunday's Post had an article about Indiana Jones, the character, which was interesting even if not comics-focussed: "Indiana Jones and the Meaningless Void: If You Really Want a Quest for The Holy Grail, Try Looking for Significance in an Indy Adventure," By Hank Stuever, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, May 18, 2008; M01.

Image from Grand Comics Database.