Nick Galifianakis book tour starts today in Seattle

Nick Galifianakis' first book tour schedule is online now.

He's in Seattle today, Portland tomorrow and California the next day.

In Washington, he'll be at Politics and Prose on Friday, February 11th - and his book is a perfect Valentine's gift.

New Flugennock cartoon online

On the State of the Union speech -

http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=747

Today's Nate Beeler cartoon tribute to Jules Feiffer

Nate Beeler's Editorial Cartoons Digest

- Interpretive Snow Dance

Click through to see Nate Beeler's tribute to Jules Feiffer (who had a birthday this week).

Weldon on the death of the Comics Code Authority

Censors and Sensibility: RIP, Comics Code Authority Seal Of Approval, 1954 - 2011
by Glen Weldon
National Public Radio's Monkey See blog January 27, 2011
http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/01/27/133253953/censors-and-sensibility-rip-comics-code-authority-seal-1954-2011

Liza Donnelly's women's comedy in 6 1/2 minutes

Liza Donnelly's talk in December to TEDWomen here in DC is online now.

So, if you see a truck downtown with a giant cartoon head playing on the side of it...

...the explanation is here:

Cartoon of former Google CEO Schmidt's 'creepy' lines hits D.C. streets
-- David Sarno
Los Angeles Times Technology blog January 26, 2011
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/01/animation-of-google-ex-ceo-schmidts-creepy-lines-hits-dc-streets.html

Sal Buscema turns 75 today

Comics Reporter caught that Marvel Comics artist Sal Buscema turned 75 today. I grew up on a lot of Buscema comics. Sal, not John (although I bought John's Conan).

Illustrators Club exhibit information

Joe Azar sent in this tip -

9th ANNUAL IC MEMBERS SHOW – runs through February 12, 2011

WHERE AiW Gallery, 1820 N. Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, VA 22209
METRO Rosslyn (across street from rear entrance)
PARKING at meters: Free after 6:00pm.
GALLERY HOURS M-Th 9am-8pm, F 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-2pm
CONTACT Marie Dauenheimer, Show Coordinator:
dauenheimer@erols.com or 703-648-9038


Check out the Photo Gallery:
http://www.illustratorsclub.org/events/photogallery3.php

Politics and Prose book group cancelled tonight

due to the snow.

Truitt on latest comic book stunt plotting

The Fantastic Four lose one of their own
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 25 2011

Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Marvel even allowed retailers to sell it a day early (ie today).

Team Cul de Sac gets a cheerleader

Richard Thompson's drawn this illustration for Team Cul de Sac, and you can click through the link to donate cold hard... credit! But we know you're good for it.

If you're an artist, and you're on the fence about participating... the real money will probably be raised by the art auction, so please! draw Richard's characters for him.

Tom Toles picks cartoon contest winner

State of the Union Cartoon Caption Contest winner,  by Tom Toles says he got 2,000 entries. Wow!

Robot 6 notes Donna Lewis' new strip

There's nothing here we haven't linked to before, but Comic Book Resources is a big site that I read often, so I'm glad to note that they mentioned Donna's strip.

2 Beeler cartoons in today's Examiner

In addition to the regular cartoon on page 2, Nate Beeler's got a second one tucked into the paper on page 24, illustrating 'who owns the Democratic Party' as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Toles played music over the weekend

Another 'for the record' blogpost -

Reporters rock the National Press Club
By: Nikki Schwab and Katy Adams
Washington Examiner January 24 2011

- someday you'll thank me.

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund profile

Anyone who's serious about comics should be a member of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Meet the CBLDF, the people who make sure you aren't arrested for reading comic books
By Cyriaque Lamar
January 24 2011
http://io9.com/5742147/meet-the-cbdlf-the-people-who-make-sure-you-arent-arrested-for-reading-comic-books

Long 2003 Carla Speed McNeil interview posted

Carla Speed McNeil
Jenni Scott
FA the Comic Zine January 2011
http://comiczine-fa.com/interviews/carla-speed-mcneil/

Ok, this one's 5 years old and just dragged out, but it's really long, but with God as my witness, I'll get Carla on the phone soon for a City Paper interview!

Hat-tip to Tom Spurgeon's Comic Reporter for catching this.

Front Royal's Ben Hatke

Randy T notes about Front Royal's Ben Hatke, "Not quite a local, but close enough: http://www.househatke.com/"

He's got a book coming out from First Second - http://firstsecondbooks.typepad.com/mainblog/2011/01/first-second-is-turning-5-this-year.html

- and note that Richard Thompson's got a story in a nursery rhyme anthology from them too.

Sequential artist RM Rhodes begins writing on French comics

Here's his first column, and I like his anecdote and his conclusion -

Heavy Metal Magazine: A Brief Introduction

Posted on 01.23.11 by R.M. Rhodes
http://www.needcoffee.com/2011/01/23/heavy-metal-magazine/

I interviewed him for the City Paper in 2010 and we're planning on having a follow-up as to the nature of sequential art and how cartooning is just one variety of it.

Disney's Kingdom Hearts game reviewed in Examiner

For the record, Disney's Kingdom Hearts Re:coded videogame is reviewed today's Washington Examiner.