The Post has picked up on the February 10th collective protest by cartoonists of a darker shade of pale - "Cartoonists to Protest Lack of Color in the Comics," by Teresa Wiltz, Washington Post Staff Writer, Wednesday, February 6, 2008; C01. The protest is largely the idea of local cartoonist Corey Thomas who does 'Watch Your Head.'
I'm afraid I agree with the opinions that Gene Weingarten expressed in his chat update today, although I like Baldo and La Cucaracha well enough. Boondocks' McGruder's comments in the initial article are interesting too - unfortunately I don't think a lot of the college cartoonists are able to sustain their strip. I was a fan of Watch Your Head when the Post tried it out, but it's become a real one-note strip.
Chatalogical Humor by Gene Weingarten, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, February 5, 2008; 12:00 PM
Gene Weingarten: Here's an interesting piece in today's Style section, about a planned protest by cartoonists-of-color.
I sympathize with these guys, and many of them produce good strips that are victims of a de facto quota system. But there's a difficult truth that undercuts their argument. In devastating economic times, newspapers are (unwisely, I believe) ruthlessly squeezing the life out of their comics pages. So there is plenty of pandering going on in all directions -- a naked, desperate effort to appeal to every possible perceived constituency -- and that has nothing to do with racism. With limited space, there are quotas for everything. Believe me, the only reason newspapers run the painfully bad Prickly City is that they feel they need to offer a conservative voice on the page, to counterbalance the lefty Doonesbury, Candorville Nonsequitur, etc. The only reason newspapers run Dennis the Menace and Beetle Bailey and Classic Peanuts is to appeal to the oldsters who they believe would feel lost without these mild, mealy things. Family Circus is for very, very young readers, and preposterously stupid adults, and lovers of camp humor. This appeal-to-all-demographics impulse leaves very little room for ANYONE to break into a newspaper.
There is another factor undercutting their argument: For some, the despicable quota system has worked splendidly. The only reason The Post runs the weak Baldo is that the pandering alternative is the weaker La Cucaracha.
It's a pretty bad situation all around.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
Chabon endorses Obama
Chabon endorses Obama in "Obama vs. the Phobocracy," by Michael Chabon, Washington Post.com Monday, February 4, 2008; 12:00 AM. Chabon of course wrote The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay about an early comic book-creating duo. He lives in Maryland and is well worth reading as he works his way through reinvigorating literature via genre conventions.
Does anyone know if this appeared actually in the paper? I can't find it in mine.
Does anyone know if this appeared actually in the paper? I can't find it in mine.
John Kascht caricature videos on Wash Post site?
Did anyone know about these? I certainly didn't until the Journalista blog from Seattle pointed them out. There's seven up now - Obama, Clinton, Edwards, McCain, Guliani, Huckabee and Romney - each is slightly over 3 minutes.
More Berryman exhibit coverage
The Clifford Berryman exhibit that is opening later this week at the National Archives continues to generate press. You can see my post about the exhibit here.
And the previously mentioned article in the Washington Post:
"Caricaturing Campaigns: Exhibit of Cartoonist's Sketches Links Politics Then and Now," by Michael E. Ruane, Washington Post Sunday, February 3, 2008; C03.
and this one that snuck by me until today, "National Archives unveils political cartoons," By Johanna Neuman, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, January 31, 2008.
Jennifer Rios of the Scripps Howard Foundation Wire wrote one too "After 60 years, political cartoons in exhibit remain relevant," - you can register for free to view it, or see it here.
And the previously mentioned article in the Washington Post:
"Caricaturing Campaigns: Exhibit of Cartoonist's Sketches Links Politics Then and Now," by Michael E. Ruane, Washington Post Sunday, February 3, 2008; C03.
and this one that snuck by me until today, "National Archives unveils political cartoons," By Johanna Neuman, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, January 31, 2008.
Jennifer Rios of the Scripps Howard Foundation Wire wrote one too "After 60 years, political cartoons in exhibit remain relevant," - you can register for free to view it, or see it here.
Feb 5: Mardi Gras with Richard Thompson's imagination
Richard drew this sketch for a King Kong - Godzilla float for Clarendon's Mardi Gras parade, and it ready to roll. You can see his blog for more details (link at right), but be there on Tues eve at 8 pm to see the real thing.
Feb 28: Xxxholic and Tsubasa Chronicle Movies to be Screened at the JICC downtown
Xxxholic and Tsubasa Chronicle Movies to be Screened at the Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan.
The Japan Information and Culture Center Embassy of Japan and DC Anime Club proudly present the screening of xxxholic and Tsubasa Chronicle Movies on Thursday Febuary 28, 2008 at 6:30 pm at the Japan Information and Culture Center Embassy of Japan 1155 21st Street, NW Washington, DC 20036-3308.
About xxxholic The Movie:
In the film, Yūko receives a request from a woman to help her back into her mansion which for some reason does not allow her to enter. Yūko says since Watanuki was the one who brought the client to her, Watanuki should be the one to grant her wish, and therefore brought along. Dōmeki is also brought along to help and Yūko attends not only to grant her client's wish but also because she is invited to the mansion where many famous collectors were also invited with the same letter. Inside the mansion are strange rooms and mysterious letters telling its guests what do to in place of a host. Though the collectors think up the theory of a mysterious auction being held like in an urban legend, it becomes apparent that something more sinister and mysterious going on. One after another, each collector disappears and a number of other strange occurrences happen during the night. The real reasons behind the invitations must be discovered in order for Yūko and company to get to the bottom of this mystery.
60Minutes
About Tsbussa Chronicles The Movie: In their continuing journey to find the feathers that are the fragments of Sakura's lost memory, Syaoran, Kurogane, Fay, and Sakura move through time and space with Mokona. Here, they visit the "Country of Birdcages," a seemingly peaceful country where people and birds live together, each person having a bird companion. After a boy named Koruri confuses Syaoran and Sakura for "bodyguards" and attacks them, they learn that the king of the country possesses a mysterious power. Princess Tomoyo, Koruri, and the other oppressed citizens, having had their birds taken from them, live in hiding within the forest. In order to take back Sakura's feather, Syaoran and the others stand up against the scheming king.
35Minutes
Both Movies are based upon the Manga by Clamp.
Both Movies will be shown in Japanese with English Subtitles.
This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required.
RSVP to jiccrsvpwinter08@embjapan.org
Seating is limited and granted on a first come, first served basis.
For more information
please visit the Japanese Information and Culture Center website at
http://www.us.embjapan.go.jp/jicc/ or visit the DC Anime Club website at
http://dcanimeclub.org.
About DC Anime Club:
DCAC was established in 2003 to introduce and educate people in the Washington,DC area about East Asian culture, through viewing and discussion of Japanese animation (also known as anime) and Japanese comics (manga). DCAC is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, contributions to DC Anime Club are taxed deductible to the extent allowable under the law.
The club also works to provide a positive, alternative activity to the youth in the area by exposing them to foreign culture, encouraging artistic expression and creativity, and providing opportunities for participation in community activities and leadership.
In addition to our weekly meetings, the club holds an Annual Art Show, an Annual Costume fundraising event, and visits local schools to do presentations
on anime. The club also works with the Smithsonian Freer Gallery and DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival on their anime screenings, and has helped locally promote performances for Japanese bands such as Puffy Ami Yumi and Pine am. DC Anime Club was founded by Chris Wanamaker (President), Jules Chang (Vice President) and Craig Vaughn (Sgt in ARMS) on Saturday June 5, 2003. We have a strong membership that continues to grow -- most of which are teenagers.
About Japan Information and Culture Center:
The Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) is the cultural and public affairs section of the Embassy of Japan in Washington D.C. Our primary role is to promote better understanding of Japan and Japanese culture by providing a wide range of information,educational services and programs to the public. The JICC is located on the lower level of the glass-enclosed Galleria at Lafayette Centre III in downtown Washington, D.C. Its facilities include a research library, a 152-seat auditorium, and a 1,500-square-foot exhibition gallery where a wide variety of events sponsored by the JICC are hosted throughout the year.
--
Christopher Wanamaker
DC Anime Club President
http://www.dcanimeclub.org
202 262 2083
March 5: Berg lecture on Columbia at LoC
Joseph E. Baker (ca.1837-1914), Columbia Demands Her Children, 1864. Lithograph. The quick details, and then the longer press release.
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Where Have You Gone, Miss Columbia? American Identity and Uncle Sam’s Forgotten Partner: An Illustrated Lecture by Dr. Ellen Berg
SWANN FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP WINNER, 2007-2008
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2008, AT 12 NOON
in Dining Room A, Madison Building, 6th Floor
Co-sponsored by the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon and the Prints and Photographs Division, the Library of Congress
Request ADA Accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 TTY or “ADA@loc.gov” For further information, email swann@loc.gov or call Martha Kennedy at (202) 707-9115.
and the press release:
Miss Columbia, Favored National Icon, Featured in Swann Fellow’s Talk on March 5
Swann Foundation Fellow Ellen Berg will discuss depictions of Miss Columbia, her rise in the nineteenth century as a national icon of American ideals and subsequent fading away in the public eye, in a lecture at the Library of Congress on March 5.
Berg will present the lecture titled "Where Have You Gone, Miss Columbia? American Identity and Uncle Sam’s Forgotten Partner,” at noon on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, in Dining Room A on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, DC.
Berg’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. The lecture, sponsored by the foundation and the Library’s Prints and Photographs Division, is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.
A century ago, two symbols most often represented the United States as national icons: Miss Columbia stood for the ideals of the American people and Uncle Sam for the government. Although featured in hundreds of political cartoons between 1852 and 1952, Columbia, who was widely regarded as an embodiment of “liberty, social justice, and equality,” gradually disappeared as a symbol of our national conscience. Through an examination of representative cartoons, Berg will explore how changing portrayals of Columbia reflect parallel changes in ideas about American identity and feminine nationalism. She will draw upon the Library’s holdings which contain numerous portrayals of Miss Columbia created for a variety of publications and audiences.
Berg is an affiliate assistant professor in the department of history at the University of Maryland. She is also an associate fellow at the Rothermere American Institute, University of Oxford, where she was a postdoctoral fellow last year. She received a Ph.D. in American history from the University of California at Berkeley where she completed her dissertation entitled, “Citizens in the Republic of Childhood: Immigrants and the American Kindergarten, 1880-1920.” She is currently revising this dissertation for publication as a book, in addition to extending her research into Columbia’s role in American identity beyond the arena of political cartoons.
This 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’s advisory board is composed of scholars, collectors, cartoonists and Library of Congress staff members. The foundation customarily awards one fellowship annually (with a stipend of $15,000) to assist scholarly research and writing projects in the field of caricature and cartoon. Applications for the academic year 2008-2009 were due on Feb.15, 2008. More information about the fellowship is available through the Swann Foundation’s Web site: www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swannhome
or by emailing swann@loc.gov.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
OT: Call for Papers: Reading between the panels
This one's not about Washington, DC comics, but in the spirit of Team Comics and fostering study, I'm posting it at Dr. Collins' request.
Call for Papers: Reading between the panels
Edited by:
Can Yalcinkaya – canyalcinkaya@yahoo.com
Dr Steve Collins – scollins@scmp.mq.edu.au
Comic books have been often treated deridingly as a hybrid of art and literature, but ultimately a product of low culture. Works by artists, writers and scholars including Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman, Frank Miller, Scott McCloud, Will Brooker and Danny Fingeroth have forced a reappraisal of the space occupied by comic books. Over the last two decades comic book stories have diverged from hero-centric mythologies to more broadly explore areas such as the full gamut of the human psyche, sexuality, and politics. Beyond the stories themselves, the comic industry and economy has expanded to encompass underground, adult and alternative productions as well lucrative movie adaptations. This issue of Scan Journal invites submission on areas dealing with comic books and graphic novels that include, but are not restricted to:
- Studies of narrative
- Visual aesthetic
- Analysis of specific titles or characters
- Comics and adaptations/derivatives
- Fan fiction
- Comic book histories
- Economics of the comic book industry
- Comics and new media, Web comics, micropayment systems such as Bitpass, digital comics on DVD
- Comic books and intellectual property, for example copyright assignments, the pirate trade in scanned comics
Abstracts should be emailed to the editors by no later than 31st March 2008.
Full articles will adhere to the submission guidelines for Scan Journal and be emailed as a Word document attachment to the editors by Friday 16th May 2008.
Submission guidelines can be found at http://scan.net.au/scan/about/about.html#journal
Call for Papers: Reading between the panels
Edited by:
Can Yalcinkaya – canyalcinkaya@yahoo.com
Dr Steve Collins – scollins@scmp.mq.edu.au
Comic books have been often treated deridingly as a hybrid of art and literature, but ultimately a product of low culture. Works by artists, writers and scholars including Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman, Frank Miller, Scott McCloud, Will Brooker and Danny Fingeroth have forced a reappraisal of the space occupied by comic books. Over the last two decades comic book stories have diverged from hero-centric mythologies to more broadly explore areas such as the full gamut of the human psyche, sexuality, and politics. Beyond the stories themselves, the comic industry and economy has expanded to encompass underground, adult and alternative productions as well lucrative movie adaptations. This issue of Scan Journal invites submission on areas dealing with comic books and graphic novels that include, but are not restricted to:
- Studies of narrative
- Visual aesthetic
- Analysis of specific titles or characters
- Comics and adaptations/derivatives
- Fan fiction
- Comic book histories
- Economics of the comic book industry
- Comics and new media, Web comics, micropayment systems such as Bitpass, digital comics on DVD
- Comic books and intellectual property, for example copyright assignments, the pirate trade in scanned comics
Abstracts should be emailed to the editors by no later than 31st March 2008.
Full articles will adhere to the submission guidelines for Scan Journal and be emailed as a Word document attachment to the editors by Friday 16th May 2008.
Submission guidelines can be found at http://scan.net.au/scan/about/about.html#journal
New Yorker January 28, 2008 comic bits
Capturing the non-gag comics bits in the latest New Yorker -
1/28/08
#Swarte illo for Buying a Cure by Jerome Groopman, p. 39,
#In Calvin Tomkins’ Lifting the Veil, p. 58, artist John Currin says he was inspired to paint Old Master style pornographic paintings by the Danish Islam cartoon controversy, and returns to that point several times.
#Gerald Scarfe caricature of Benjamin Franklin for The Creed by Jill Lepore, p. 79.
1/28/08
#Swarte illo for Buying a Cure by Jerome Groopman, p. 39,
#In Calvin Tomkins’ Lifting the Veil, p. 58, artist John Currin says he was inspired to paint Old Master style pornographic paintings by the Danish Islam cartoon controversy, and returns to that point several times.
#Gerald Scarfe caricature of Benjamin Franklin for The Creed by Jill Lepore, p. 79.
Thompson continues to flee west, spotted in Hawaii
Gary Chun's interviewed Richard for "Off-kilter worlds collide: ‘Prickly City’ and ‘Cul de Sac’ debut," Honolulu Star-Bulletin (February 3). Note the original art for the story - collectors should immediately fly to Hawaii to buy a copy of the paper.And remember, a float based on Richard's sketch will be appearing in Clarendon's Mardi Gras Parade on Tuesday at 8 pm. Richard will be there and may be drawing permanent King Kong tattoos. Or he may not.
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 02-06-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 02-06-08
(Super-Wednesday!)
by John Judy
ABE SAPIEN: THE DROWNING #1 of 5 by Mike Mignola and Jason Shawn Alexander. The first solo adventure of Hellboy’s Pal: Abe Sapien! Looks beautiful.
THE BAKERS: BABIES AND KITTENS HC written and illustrated by Kyle Baker, the Greatest Cartoonist of All Time. Two cats are adopted into Kyle’s home against his wishes. Hijinks ensue. Beautifully drawn hijinks. Recommended.
BATMAN: FALSE FACES HC by Brian K. Vaughan and Many Talented Folks. Collecting the Bat-stories by the creator of Y THE LAST MAN and RUNAWAYS so you should probably knock down old people to get to this one. Or just do it for fun.
BIGGLES RECOUNTS THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN GN by Asso, Rideau, Chauvin, and Uderzo. A graphic recounting of some unpleasantness 68 years gone by the folks who brought you last year’s BIGGLES RECOUNTS THE FALKLAND ISLANDS WAR. Pip-pip!
BOYS #15 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Wee Hughie visits The Legend to learn more about his partners. And poor little Starlight learns more about hers. NOT for kids EVER, but recommended.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #15 by Joss Whedon and Georges Jeanty. A done-in-one issue about girls gone bad and things of this nature. Enjoy!
CLANDESTINE #1 of 5 written and drawn by Alan Davis. An ancient race of hidden super-humans faces exposure after one of the kids goes and starts fighting crime! Stupid kid… Alan Davis always draws purty.
DETECTIVE COMICS #841 by Paul Dini and Dustin Ngyuyen. Featuring an insane cover and a fight with the new Ventriloquist!
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #5 by Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez. Mysteries unfold, sub-cultures collide, and creepy ambiguities get creepier. Or as Warren Ellis calls it: “Wednesday.”
INCOGNEGRO HC by Mat Johnson and Warren Pleece. Part-Mystery, Part-History describes this story of a light-skinned Northern black man passing for white (“going incognegro”) to investigate his brother’s arrest in the virulently racist Mississippi of early 20th century America. This already sound like a movie. Gotta look!
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #12 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross, and Dale Eaglesham. The new heroes and the old continue to gather as the KINGDOM COME Superman meets the legacy heroes of the Golden Age. A trivia smorgasboard with Ross covers!
KRAZY & IGNATZ: 1941-1942 RAGOUT OF RASPBERRIES SC by George Herriman. Fantagraphics does it again! This is the third volume of their reprint series collecting all the KRAZY KAT Sunday strips in full color. Includes an essay by critic Jeet Heer. Recommended.
NORTHLANDERS #3 by Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice. Prince Sven the Viking gets busy with scheming, fighting, and all kinds of swordplay. This one’s becoming appointment reading. Highly recommended.
SCALPED #14 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. Just when Agent Dash Bad Horse figures life on the Rez can’t get any worse somebody kills and scalps his mom. This ain’t “Billy Jack”, kids. Highly recommended.
SCALPED VOL. 2: CASINO BOOGIE SC by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. Your second remedial textbook if you’re just discovering THE BEST DARN COMIC EVER!!! “In your face, Watchmen!”
SUPERMAN/BATMAN SERIES 5 ACTION FIGURES including The Joker/Mr. Mxyzptlk 2-Pack, Power Girl, Supergirl, and “Green Super-Batman!” Based on the designs of Ed McGuinness.
TEEN TITANS YEAR ONE #2 of 6 by Amy Wolfram and Karl Kerschl. Aqualad must face his fears as the mentor heroes go nuts. Why must they always do that?
THE TWELVE #2 of 12 by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston. Okay, let’s make it “The Eleven.” This appears to be the series about Golden-Age heroes in the modern world that’s doing it right. Great characterization, great art, the works. Unlike certain other “Projects” out there…
UNCANNY X-MEN #495 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Choi. Normally the X-Men go to the Savage Land when they (and their writers) need a vacation. Brubaker, however, makes it work. And Choi draws a mean Whateversaurus. No Space Opera. No Time Travel. No Mutant Jesus Baby. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
(Super-Wednesday!)
by John Judy
ABE SAPIEN: THE DROWNING #1 of 5 by Mike Mignola and Jason Shawn Alexander. The first solo adventure of Hellboy’s Pal: Abe Sapien! Looks beautiful.
THE BAKERS: BABIES AND KITTENS HC written and illustrated by Kyle Baker, the Greatest Cartoonist of All Time. Two cats are adopted into Kyle’s home against his wishes. Hijinks ensue. Beautifully drawn hijinks. Recommended.
BATMAN: FALSE FACES HC by Brian K. Vaughan and Many Talented Folks. Collecting the Bat-stories by the creator of Y THE LAST MAN and RUNAWAYS so you should probably knock down old people to get to this one. Or just do it for fun.
BIGGLES RECOUNTS THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN GN by Asso, Rideau, Chauvin, and Uderzo. A graphic recounting of some unpleasantness 68 years gone by the folks who brought you last year’s BIGGLES RECOUNTS THE FALKLAND ISLANDS WAR. Pip-pip!
BOYS #15 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Wee Hughie visits The Legend to learn more about his partners. And poor little Starlight learns more about hers. NOT for kids EVER, but recommended.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #15 by Joss Whedon and Georges Jeanty. A done-in-one issue about girls gone bad and things of this nature. Enjoy!
CLANDESTINE #1 of 5 written and drawn by Alan Davis. An ancient race of hidden super-humans faces exposure after one of the kids goes and starts fighting crime! Stupid kid… Alan Davis always draws purty.
DETECTIVE COMICS #841 by Paul Dini and Dustin Ngyuyen. Featuring an insane cover and a fight with the new Ventriloquist!
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #5 by Warren Ellis and Ivan Rodriguez. Mysteries unfold, sub-cultures collide, and creepy ambiguities get creepier. Or as Warren Ellis calls it: “Wednesday.”
INCOGNEGRO HC by Mat Johnson and Warren Pleece. Part-Mystery, Part-History describes this story of a light-skinned Northern black man passing for white (“going incognegro”) to investigate his brother’s arrest in the virulently racist Mississippi of early 20th century America. This already sound like a movie. Gotta look!
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #12 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross, and Dale Eaglesham. The new heroes and the old continue to gather as the KINGDOM COME Superman meets the legacy heroes of the Golden Age. A trivia smorgasboard with Ross covers!
KRAZY & IGNATZ: 1941-1942 RAGOUT OF RASPBERRIES SC by George Herriman. Fantagraphics does it again! This is the third volume of their reprint series collecting all the KRAZY KAT Sunday strips in full color. Includes an essay by critic Jeet Heer. Recommended.
NORTHLANDERS #3 by Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice. Prince Sven the Viking gets busy with scheming, fighting, and all kinds of swordplay. This one’s becoming appointment reading. Highly recommended.
SCALPED #14 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. Just when Agent Dash Bad Horse figures life on the Rez can’t get any worse somebody kills and scalps his mom. This ain’t “Billy Jack”, kids. Highly recommended.
SCALPED VOL. 2: CASINO BOOGIE SC by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. Your second remedial textbook if you’re just discovering THE BEST DARN COMIC EVER!!! “In your face, Watchmen!”
SUPERMAN/BATMAN SERIES 5 ACTION FIGURES including The Joker/Mr. Mxyzptlk 2-Pack, Power Girl, Supergirl, and “Green Super-Batman!” Based on the designs of Ed McGuinness.
TEEN TITANS YEAR ONE #2 of 6 by Amy Wolfram and Karl Kerschl. Aqualad must face his fears as the mentor heroes go nuts. Why must they always do that?
THE TWELVE #2 of 12 by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston. Okay, let’s make it “The Eleven.” This appears to be the series about Golden-Age heroes in the modern world that’s doing it right. Great characterization, great art, the works. Unlike certain other “Projects” out there…
UNCANNY X-MEN #495 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Choi. Normally the X-Men go to the Savage Land when they (and their writers) need a vacation. Brubaker, however, makes it work. And Choi draws a mean Whateversaurus. No Space Opera. No Time Travel. No Mutant Jesus Baby. Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Good Berryman article in Post
This article is good and has a bit more history on Berryman that I put in my earlier blog post. See "Caricaturing Campaigns: Exhibit of Cartoonist's Sketches Links Politics Then and Now," by Michael E. Ruane, Washington Post Sunday, February 3, 2008; C03.
Another Tom Toles letter
Overlooked Again
Washington Post (February 2, 2008): A13
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020103008_3.html
Shame on Tom Toles for excluding Ron Paul from his humorous Jan. 24 "2008 Candidate Guide" and shame on The Post for letting him get away with it.
How could you regard Fred Thompson, who had dropped out, and Mike Huckabee as serious candidates but not Ron Paul, a Republican who has raised a lot of money and has many sincere, hardworking supporters? He is the only candidate who promises a genuine change in the death spiral of American politics.
Regardless of how you regard Paul's prospects, he deserved to be treated with the same disrespect as the other candidates in a political cartoon.
-- Gene Fellner
Washington Post (February 2, 2008): A13
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020103008_3.html
Shame on Tom Toles for excluding Ron Paul from his humorous Jan. 24 "2008 Candidate Guide" and shame on The Post for letting him get away with it.
How could you regard Fred Thompson, who had dropped out, and Mike Huckabee as serious candidates but not Ron Paul, a Republican who has raised a lot of money and has many sincere, hardworking supporters? He is the only candidate who promises a genuine change in the death spiral of American politics.
Regardless of how you regard Paul's prospects, he deserved to be treated with the same disrespect as the other candidates in a political cartoon.
-- Gene Fellner
Saturday, February 02, 2008
SHOC: Ads from Liberty Magazine
A few scans of Liberty Magazine wandered my way lately, so I pulled some comics material out of them. First we have 3 comic strip ads of Ol' Judge Robbins for Prince Albert tobacco. The artist changes, but I can't tell who any of them are.
Liberty Magazine November 11, 1936
Liberty Magazine October 2, 1937
Liberty Magazine June 10, 1939. This issue has an unfortunate editorial about how there will be no war in Europe in 1939. Whoops.
This ad agency obviously thought Ripley had a good idea, so why not borrow it?
Liberty Magazine November 14, 1936
And this ad is the one that made me decide to put these up for the Secret History of Comics - Fontaine Fox's long-running Toonerville Folks / Trolley (1911-1955) advertising laxatives.
Liberty Magazine, Jun 10, 1939
Liberty Magazine November 11, 1936
Liberty Magazine October 2, 1937
Liberty Magazine June 10, 1939. This issue has an unfortunate editorial about how there will be no war in Europe in 1939. Whoops.This ad agency obviously thought Ripley had a good idea, so why not borrow it?
Liberty Magazine November 14, 1936And this ad is the one that made me decide to put these up for the Secret History of Comics - Fontaine Fox's long-running Toonerville Folks / Trolley (1911-1955) advertising laxatives.
Liberty Magazine, Jun 10, 1939
Matt Wuerker's Updates from the Toon o Sphere
Politico staff cartoonist Matt Wuerker did a couple of comics-referential cartoons lately. Here's the January 24th one that he emailed me - can you name all the original characters and the candidate being satirized?
The January 31st one isn't online yet, but is good too.
Comics of the Day blog rates the Post's comics
Richard Thompson sent over this link to the Comics of the Day blog- I'd say he's worried about appearing on it, but we all know the Post doesn't run the daily Cul de Sac! Actually as I look at the site more closely he's got a positive 3 rating - tied with Pickles. Better try harder, Richard.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Richard Thompson takes Utah
Here's an interview - "Cartoonist bringing popular 'Cul de Sac' family to Utah," By Dennis Lythgoe, Deseret Morning News, Feb. 1, 2008. I know we'll miss him here in Arlington. It seems like a sudden move, but I guess on reflection that I could see those Mormon tendencies.
Feb 5: Thompson's Mardi Gras float
Richard drew this sketch for a King Kong - Godzilla float for Clarendon's Mardi Gras parade, and it's being built. You can see his blog for more details (link at right), but be there on Tues eve at 8 pm to see the real thing.
Secret History of Comics courtesy of Warren Bernard
Here's another article by Warren Bernard on comic art in unlikely places:
SHOC Part 1,235,641
For this next installment of The Secret History Of Comics, here is a nice piece by Percy Crosby. This is from a football program for the October, 1935 game held between Navy and Notre Dame. Being close to Annapolis, Crosby did a few covers for their football games.
Now, he was not the only famous cartoonist to do college football program covers - Willard Mullin, The Dean of Sports Cartoonists did a lot, but did you know know that such luminaries of the cartoon field such as Ellison Hoover, John Held Jr., James Thurber and Milton Caniff all did football programs?
The length and breadth of the cartoonist contribution to the football program field would not have occurred if not for the efforts of Andy Moursund. His methodical and exhaustive research into the field of college football programs has turned this information up. I recommend going to his site to see the length and breath of the cartoon and illustration world that exists in the college football program arena. His site is now in browse/test mode, but soon you will be able to order poster reproductions of any of the program covers he has online.
Needless to say, some great unknown cartoonists and illustrators did work on these covers, and its a shame that no one, save Andy, has bothered to gather them up. No question, Andy has a great resource that hopefully will be a springboard for a more thorough treatment of the subject.
Now, to make things even more interesting, inside a lot of the programs were specialty cartoons and ads by cartoonists that appear nowhere else. The Crosby program has cartoons by Johann Bull and E. Simms Campbell as well as the ad you see here by James Thurber.
How many ads/cartoons are there buried in these programs? How much of comic history lies undiscovered in these programs? What does this type of work tell us about the length and breath of the work these cartoonists did and their impact on popular culture?
The SHOC series will never end.
SHOC Part 1,235,641
For this next installment of The Secret History Of Comics, here is a nice piece by Percy Crosby. This is from a football program for the October, 1935 game held between Navy and Notre Dame. Being close to Annapolis, Crosby did a few covers for their football games.
Now, he was not the only famous cartoonist to do college football program covers - Willard Mullin, The Dean of Sports Cartoonists did a lot, but did you know know that such luminaries of the cartoon field such as Ellison Hoover, John Held Jr., James Thurber and Milton Caniff all did football programs?
The length and breadth of the cartoonist contribution to the football program field would not have occurred if not for the efforts of Andy Moursund. His methodical and exhaustive research into the field of college football programs has turned this information up. I recommend going to his site to see the length and breath of the cartoon and illustration world that exists in the college football program arena. His site is now in browse/test mode, but soon you will be able to order poster reproductions of any of the program covers he has online.
Needless to say, some great unknown cartoonists and illustrators did work on these covers, and its a shame that no one, save Andy, has bothered to gather them up. No question, Andy has a great resource that hopefully will be a springboard for a more thorough treatment of the subject.
Now, to make things even more interesting, inside a lot of the programs were specialty cartoons and ads by cartoonists that appear nowhere else. The Crosby program has cartoons by Johann Bull and E. Simms Campbell as well as the ad you see here by James Thurber.
How many ads/cartoons are there buried in these programs? How much of comic history lies undiscovered in these programs? What does this type of work tell us about the length and breath of the work these cartoonists did and their impact on popular culture?
The SHOC series will never end.
Swann fellowship applications due in two weeks
Swann fellowship applications are due very soon, Friday, February 15, 2008. One of the few fellowships in the field, this $15,000 award supports scholarly research in caricature and cartoon. Applicants must be enrolled in an M.A. or Ph.D program in a university in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. Access guidelines and application at:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html
Email swann@loc.gov or call 202/707-9115 with questions.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html
Email swann@loc.gov or call 202/707-9115 with questions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)