Saturday, June 07, 2008

Weingarten's latest chats -

His readers are absolutely wrong on Keith Knight and Weingarten is right.

May 20th chat

Gene Weingarten: Good afternoon.

Jef Mallett, creator of Frazz, e-mailed me yesterday after he returned from The National Cartoonists Conference in New Orleans. During the conference, he said, a whole bunch of cartoonists went off to help build a house in the city, as part of a Habitat for Humanity project. I asked him to draw a cartoon of what a house would look like if it was built by cartoonists. Here is Jeff's drawing, along with his commentary.

What I learned from this experience:

1. Cartoonists cannot hold hammers. You've never seen so many people choke up so high on a hammer.

2. What's black and white and red all over? A Scottish-Norwegian cartoonist messing with tar paper shingles all day in the sun. Heehaw. Trust me on this one.

3. When cartoonists hammer their thumbs, what they say isn't really spelled "##%!!*."

4. Whatever you think you know about the devastation down there, you don't have a clue. And it's almost three years.

What I learned from drawing the two cartoon characters in this picture:

1. Rosie the Riveter seems to be giving us all the "up yours" gesture. I never quite noticed that.

2. I am apparently one shopping trip to Williams-Sonoma away from being as gay as a Mardi Gras float. This, too, was a big surprise.

May 27th chat

CPOW: That Knight's Life is not a funny comic. You just like it because it supports what you (and all of us) have been saying. The Pearls on the other hand IS funny.

Gene Weingarten: I am allowed personal bias.

_______________________

Fairfax, Va.: Agreed on liking Knight Life. The first replacement, about the stay-at-home dad, clearly got old quickly. The second one, while promising, seems like it was trying too hard to be The Far Side. The third one, while it may fall into that category of nerdy young black man with Candorville and Watch Your Head, seems by far to be the best. Any idea what the general reaction to the three has been?

Gene Weingarten: The Post people are pretty smart. I've liked the last two, actually. I am hoping we keep both and get rid of some antedeluvian ones.
---------------------------------------
Baltimore, Md.: You have GOT to be kidding about Knight Life, right? Anyone who names a comic strip after himself immediately has one strike against him. And, Sunday's cartoon included jokes so old and lame even my 5 year old thought they were stupid. THIS is what the Post thought could replace Doonesbury, even temporarily? My God, ...the horror.

Gene Weingarten: Yeah, Sunday's was bad. I agree.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Yes, the Knight Life comic is funny, but can you answer me this question. If the Post is going to add a new comic strip, why oh why, isn't the daily Cul de Sac, by the Post's own Richard Thompson, not up for consideration?

Gene Weingarten: It should be the first choice.

_____________________

Re: The Knight Life: The art on this strip is terrible. Doesn't that bug you?

Gene Weingarten: No. I like the art.

OT: Harry Katz in San Diego

The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that Harry Katz, formerly of the Library of Congress' Print collection is speaking on next Wednesday. Harry's still associated with the Herbert (Herblock) Block Foundation so he's seen in Washington fairly regularly.

June 7, 2008

Harry Katz, editor of “Cartoon America, Comic Art in the Library of Congress,” will be the featured speaker at the next meeting of the Southern California Cartoonist Society, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the San Diego Blood Bank, 440 Upas St. Members, guests $5. Students free. Bring your portfolio. Potluck, raffle. Information: sccs-online.org.

Kevin Rechin's cartoons up at Navy Yard Metro

Kevin just wrote in, "Just wanted to give you a heads up that the baseball cartoons I did are finally up at the Navy Yard Metro at Nationals stadium. They did a good job and dedicated almost all the ad spaces to the characters."

This is seriously off my beaten path, so anyone who goes down there - take some pictures and I'll post them. As many as I get sent. Put your kids in front of them. Put your girlfriend there. Put your husband. Let's see how many Rechin pics we can get.

Friday, June 06, 2008

Post, Times and Times on Kung Fu Panda

Oddly enough, the NY Times liked it the most.

Grand Master Pudge: Jack Black's Doughy Dreamer Turns Jedi Knight in 'Kung Fu Panda'
By John Anderson
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, June 6, 2008; Page C01

'Panda' not a knockout: Jack Black's kick outshines the film's creativity
Jenny Mayo
Washington Times Friday, June 6, 2008

This movie has been designated a Critic's Pick by the film reviewers of The Times.
Fuzzy Outsider, Kicking His Way Toward His Dream
By MANOHLA DARGIS
New York Times June 6, 2008

Post reviews trifecta of political cartoonists exhibits

The Berryman, Herblock and Oliphant shows got noticed in today's Weekend section. See "Political Lines, Sharply Drawn," By Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, June 6, 2008; Page WE23 who for some reason seems to feel that Oliphant is too hard on politicians. "Is that possible?" I must ask.

Actually, it's a shame this story wasn't longer as Sullivan could have been onto something, but had only 2 paragraphs per exhibit to make his point. Personally, I don't agree with him that political cartoonists are getting harder on their subjects. There's a lot of softballs out there, and the fact that Oliphant is throwing them may very well be the reason that he doesn't have a base newspaper. And Berryman's contemporaries could be as biting as any cartoonists - Berryman just chose not to be.

Here's the basic information lifted from the Post:

A Trio of Cartoon Exhibitions
Friday, June 6, 2008; Page WE23

Running for Office: Candidates, Campaigns and the Cartoons of Clifford Berryman Through Aug. 17 at the National Archives, Constitution Avenue between Seventh and Ninth streets NW (Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial). 866-272-6272. http://www.archives.gov. Open daily 10 to 7. Free.

Herblock's Presidents: "Puncturing Pomposity" Through Nov. 30 at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F streets NW (Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown). 202-633-1000 (TDD: 202-633-5285). http://www.npg.si.edu. Open daily 11:30 to 7. Free.

Leadership: Oliphant Cartoons and Sculpture From the Bush Years Through July 15 at the Stanford in Washington Art Gallery, 2655 Connecticut Ave. NW (Metro: Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan). 202-332-6235. Open Monday-Friday 9 to 7; Saturday-Sunday noon to 6. Free.

Harvey Pekar: Conversations just got a little more real

I just got a stack of these University Press of Mississippi Fall 2008 catalogues in the mail, which was a surprise, as they hadn't told me anything about them. And they came with two pages of instructions on how to promote one's book (namely Harvey Pekar: Conversations. Obviously I need practice). Like on the web and stuff. So read the description in the scan below and then call the toll-free number or log into Amazon and order copies for yourself and all your friends, please. Thank you very much.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

2 articles on comics in Onion

Here's the longer online versions -

"Where do they get those wonderful toys?: 18 obscenely wealthy comic-book and cartoon characters," By Jason Heller, Noel Murray, Keith Phipps, Tasha Robinson, Onion June 2nd, 2008 (shorter version in print, June 5).

and "Robert Smigel," Interviewed by Nathan Rabin, Onion June 3rd, 2008 (shorter version in print June 5)

Our man Thompson at Heroes Con in North Carolina

On Sunday, June 21st, the one, the only, the Cul de Sac cartoonist, the Richard's Poor Alamanck cartoonst, Our Man Thompson will speak. With Tom Spurgeon.

SPOTLIGHT ON RICHARD THOMPSON | Room 219
The first great newspaper comic strip of the 21st Century has arrived, and like Mutts and Calvin & Hobbes before it, Richard Thompson's Cul De Sac has spent its first several months in syndication operating just underneath the pop-cult radar, adding papers steadily, readying to break out into the Next Big Thing. Join Tom Spurgeon for a wide-ranging discussion about art, caricature, and the Otterloop Family with one of the best cartoonists in North America, bar none. It's the panel you'll get to brag about attending in the years ahead, after Thompson conquers the comics world.


He'll also apparently have a table inside to try to sell things to you, like a Petey tattoo. I'll be lurking, as I'm his driver. I'm hoping for the leather cap, but that's probably too much to expect...

The lights are back on...

...literally. ComicsDC had no power since mid-afternoon yesterday. It just came back on, so here's a quick post.

Yesterday's NY Times had a suprisingly ... respectful article on Conan - "At Play in a World of Savagery, but Not This One" By SETH SCHIESEL, New York Times June 4, 2008.

In today's Post, an obituary of fine artist Beryl Cook, which says she was influenced by cartoonists, ran as "Painter Beryl Cook, 81; British Portrayer of Plump," By Robert Barr, Associated Press, Thursday, June 5, 2008; B06.

In today's Express, they ran this article on Boondocks animation from the LA Times: "'Boondocks' creator Aaron McGruder to BET: %@*$% ^ & ! Animated episodes that never aired, which take swipes at black cable network executives, will be included on next Tuesday's DVD release," By Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, June 4, 2008.

There must be something in the New Orleans water, because 3 strips today referenced comic books - Bizarro had a Batman gag, Pooch Cafe referenced the Fanastic Four's Thing and Galactus AND Prohias' Spy vs. Spy and Mother Goose and Grimm featured the Hulk (look for 6/5, although 6/4 had Charlie Brown in it).

And off topic, but Fred Hembeck, one of my favorite humor cartoonists has a massive new collection out. I own all the original comic books, I think, but I bought this book immediately. For a review, see "'The Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus': Our critic digs deep into the 900-page doorstopper, chronicling three decades of work from pioneering independent artist Fred Hembeck," By Sean Howe, EW.com.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

ComicsDC leads to 20 minutes of fame

I was interviewed today on video by a middle schooler in Silver Spring. Ellie M. asked me to appear in her class for, quoting Ellie, "the Humanities and Communications Magnet Program at Eastern Middle School in Silver Spring... to appear on "Personal Profiles". "Personal Profiles" is a thirty-minute television show produced live-on-tape by seventh graders in the Humanities and Communications Magnet Program at Eastern Middle School. Each student has the opportunity to host an episode and invite a guest of their choice to interview."

For some reason, Ellie picked me so I drove over to the school early in the afternoon. The kids had three cameras set up to get different filming angles and Ellie had two pages of questions as that she asked as we sat at a little table. Since she found me through this blog, she asked about the writing that I've mentioned on the right side - Hogan's Alley, The Comics Journal, IJOCA, the Comics Research Bibliography and the coming Pekar book.

It was totally cool! And I got a copy of the videotape at the end. These kids were impressive.

Excellent job, Ellie! I predict big things for her.

Lynda Barry on NPR

I was lucky enough to meet Ms. Barry last year and found her to be absolutely fascinating. Here's a 30 minute interview with her by Neal Conan, "'What It Is' Plumbs the Depths of Creativity," National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation, June 2, 2008. I've bought the book, but haven't had a chance to read it yet.

Telnaes returns to animation roots

Dave Astor's reporting that DC editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes will no longer be doing static political cartoons. I hope it works out for her, although I'll miss her traditional work. Telnaes trained in animation with Disney, but her new cartoons are done in Flash animation and featured on the Washington Post website.
Ann "Telnaes Ending Print Syndication to Create More Animations for WashingtonPost.com," By Dave Astor, E and P Online June 2, 2008.

Cartoons in today's Wash Post

In the Health section, "A Better Way to Communicate," by Kathleen Hom, Washington Post Tuesday, June 3, 2008; HE04, is on messages that can be shown by sick patients rather than talking. Each message in the 18-card "Get Better!" pack by Bonnie Gordon-Lucas has a has a cartoon with it.

In obituaries is a poster artist who apparently dabbled in cartooning and his life can be seen in "Alton Kelley, 68; Graphic Artist With a Flair for the Psychedelic," By Patricia Sullivan, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2008; B06.

Jim Toomey, who does "Sherman's Lagoon," is featured on the Kid's Post page in "Speaking Up for Sharks: Cartoonist Urges Kids to Win Protections for a Feared but At-Risk Fish," by Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post Tuesday, June 3, 2008; C12.

June 4: Horton Hears a Who at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse for a buck


Arlington Cinema and Draft House is showing Horton for $1 this Thursday at 6:15 pm.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Medical editorial cartoons scanned in Richmond

"Protect Yourself Against Malaria"
Virginia Health Bulletin vol. 14, #6 Extra, May 1922

Virginia Commonwealth University's Tompkins-McCaw Library Special Collections' photostream has a mixture of photographs, artifacts and scans from books. I liked the editorial cartoons, but the photographs of medical school dissections probably get more viewers. Since this is a comics blog, here's some of the cartoons which all seem to come from the Virginia Health Bulletin.

"Virginia Health Almanac, 1914"
Virginia Health Bulletin vol. 5, #10, October 1913, p. 174

"Typhoid Fever: A Disease That Can Be Prevented"
Virginia Health Bulletin vol. 1, #3, September 1908, p. 120

"Typhoid: Beware the Black Hand"
Virginia Health Bulletin vol. 15, #9, September 1923

"Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, and Disinfection"
Virginia Health Bulletin vol. 1, #6, December 1908, p. 216

"Summer Health Edition"
Virginia Health Bulletin vol. 12, #7, July 1920, p. 80

"Typhoid Fever And Its Prevention In Town and Country"
Virginia Health Bulletin vol. 3, #6, June 1911

"Consumption or Tuberculosis"
Virginia Health Bulletin vol. 1, #4, October 1908, p. 144

Bob Staake leaps from Washington Post to New Yorker



Actually, the two probably have nothing to do with each other, but Bob Staake, the regular cartoonist for the Washington Post's Style Invitational contest did the cover of the June 2 2008 New Yorker. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's done covers for them regularly including a nice Statue of Liberty with a fluorescent light bulb instead of a torch earlier this year.

Washington Times redesign shrinks Mallard Fillmore

The Washington Times shrunk Mallard Fillmore to about half the size it had been so it's about the same size as other strips, although it's holding it's place of pride on page 2 of the paper. The other comics are unchanged and they're still running a large number of syndicated editorial cartoons.

In other Times news, as I was leaving an Arlington movie theater last night, a man identified himself as homeless and asked for money. As I gave him some change, he asked if I read Bizarro and said that it was really good in the Times on Sunday. Here's the strip; I'm not sure why it appealed to him.

Finally, the Times published its last Saturday edition and is switching to an e-version for subscribers. I imagine they'll move the Sunday color comics section that they formerly published on Saturday back to Sunday but that people will miss out on the actual Saturday strips.

This Sun, Jun 8 - CapiCons.com Comic Con – Gas Cards for Door Prizes!

From Robert M. and Matt D. (who noted the gas card... gas card!!!!??) I don't need the gas card (nor the comics actually, but I'll probably go.

This Sun, Jun 8 - CapiCons.com Comic Con – Gas Cards for Door Prizes!

*******************************************************************
- This show features two special door prize drawings at 12 pm and 1 pm. We will be giving away two $50 GAS cards. Yes, that’s right, we are giving away FREE GAS to two lucky people.

- If you receive a postcard in the mail before the show, PLEASE BRING POSTCARD TO THE SHOW...this will automatically enter you in the Door Prize Drawing.

*******************************************************************

Our next Tysons Corner Monthly Comic & Pop Culture Show will be on Sun, June 8, 2008 at the Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department. The show is open to the public from 10 am - 3 pm.

Buy, sell and trade: gold, silver age and new comics; Magic and other gaming cards; non sport cards; videos and DVDs; anime; Horror; Sci-Fi; figures, toys; Star Wars and Star Trek memorabilia; original artwork, posters, T-shirts and various other comic related items.

Vendors confirmed for this show include:

> All-American Comics
> Brett's Comic Pile
> Cards Comics & Collectibles
> Doug Cheshire
> Michael Creager
> Everyday Comics
> FANDATA
> Steve Frederick
> John Garner
> Jamie Hicks
> Patrick Kim
> Jim Montgomery
> Outpost Station
> Silver Fox Comics
> TNT Comics
> Wandering Rebel Prod
> Welcome Back Comics.
> Zeno's Books
> …and more!


The Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department (directions – please see below) has a 70-space parking lot. Plus, there is a school behind the fire department with hundreds of parking spaces that are rarely used on the weekends.

To get to the Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department (located about 20 minutes west of Washington, D.C.). Take I-495 (DC/Capital Beltway) to Exit 47A (Rt 7 West). Go 1/2 mile, Take a Left on Gallows Rd and proceed 1 mile to 2148 Gallows Rd.

Or visit our website for detailed directions and Mapquest directions:
http://www.capicons.com/directions_dlvfd.htm

Venue Address:
Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department
2148 Gallows Road
Dunn Loring, VA 22027

We no longer require the Door Prize winner to be present to claim their prize. The door prize winner will be drawn after the show and the prize will be sent to the winner and announced in the next show’s email.

Also, if you receive a postcard reminder for the event, PLEASE BRING THE POSTCARD TO THE SHOW. This will allow you to enter the door prize drawing without taking the time to fill out a new form.

If you do not receive a postcard before the show and would like this reminder, please visit our website and sign up for our mailing list: http://www.capicons.com/contact_customer.htm

Or print out the following form, complete it and bring it to the next show:
http://www.capicons.com/door_prize_entry_form.htm

If you have any other questions, please visit our website:
http://www.CapiCons.com

New York Times Book Review on Comics

In "Comics," By JOHN HODGMAN, New York Times Book Review June 1, 2008, Hodgeman looks at Kirby and Evanier's new biography of him, Shanower's Age of Bronze and Y the Last Man.

In today's Times, Garfield Minus Garfield is again featured, this time in "Is the Main Character Missing? Maybe Not," By CATE DOTY, New York Times June 2, 2008.

Also in Business, M. Night Shyamalan said "He wanted to market “Unbreakable” as a comic-book movie — the tale of an unlikely superhero — but Disney executives insisted on portraying it as a spooky thriller, like “The Sixth Sense.”" For more of the story, see "Shyamalan’s Hollywood Horror Story, With Twist," By ALLISON HOPE WEINER.

Finally, tomorrow's paper features the return of the animated clay character Mr. Bill. See "Mr. Bill Returns (in One Piece) to Pitch a Debit Card," By WENDY A. LEE, New York Times June 3, 2008.

Nominate yourself for the Lent Scholarship (students only)

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

THE JOHN A. LENT SCHOLARSHIP IN COMICS STUDIES,
INTERNATIONAL COMICS ARTS FORUM (http://www.internationalcomicartsforum.org)

The International Comic Arts Forum (ICAF) is proud to announce once again the annual John A. Lent Scholarship competition. The Lent Scholarship, named for pioneering teacher and researcher Dr. John A. Lent, is offered to encourage student research into comic art. ICAF awards the Lent Scholarship to a current student who has authored, or is in the process of authoring, a substantial research-based writing project about comics. (Preference is given to master’s theses and doctoral dissertations, but all students of comics are encouraged to apply.)

The Scholarship is subject to the condition that the recipient present a half-hour talk, based on their research, during ICAF. The award will consist of hotel accommodations for the duration of ICAF (that is, three nights’ hotel) at ICAF’s expense, or the equivalent in reimbursement for travel. A commemorative letter and plaque will also be awarded.

Applicants must be students, or must show acceptance into an academic program, at the time of application. For example, applicants for ICAF 2008 must show proof of student status for the academic year 2007-2008, or proof that they have been accepted into an academic program for the academic year 2008-2009.

The Scholarship competition will be adjudicated by a three-person committee chosen from among the members of ICAF’s Executive Committee. Applications should consist of:

* A self-contained excerpt from the project in question, not to exceed twenty (20) double-spaced pages of typescript.

* A brief cover letter, introducing the applicant and explaining the nature of the project.

* The applicant’s professional resume.

* A letter of reference, on school letterhead, from a teacher or academic advisor (preferably thesis director), establishing the applicant’s student status and speaking to her/his qualifications as a researcher and presenter.

PLEASE NOTE that applications for the Lent Scholarship are handled entirely separately from ICAF’s general Call for Papers.

Applicants for the 2008 Lent Scholarship should send their application materials by JUNE 13, 2008 to Dr. Cécile Danehy, ICAF Academic Coordinator at:

Dr. Cecile Daney
Department of French Studies
Wheaton College
26 East Main Street
Norton, Massachusetts 02766-2322

Email inquiries should be sent to Dr. Danehy at cdanehy@wheatoncollege.edu.

Applicants should expect to receive confirmation of the competition results by Friday, June 27, 2008.