Cartoon characters are imaginary, even in porn. Really, they are.

Every year, there's a new case of someone being arrested in America for having images of cartoon characters having sex. Here's the latest.

Beyond a trademark violation, I still don't see how this can actually be illegal.

Former teacher pleads guilty to downloading 'Simpsons' porn
By KBOI Web Staff
Oct 13, 2010

BOISE, Idaho - A former middle school teacher in Meridian has pleaded guilty to
possession of visual representations of child sex abuse.

The U.S. Attorney's office said [he] had downloaded more than 70 animated cartoon pornographic images on his computer. Many of them depicted child characters from The Simpsons.

These are imaginary characters. They're not real. They're never going to be real or be hurt or ever feel anything.

How can this be a crime, with in this case, "a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000"? And the federal government is spending tax dollars prosecuting this? There's no other crime in Idaho to worry more about?

For the record, this type of comic art doesn't interest me at all. I also don't care about furries (but if you do, more power to you). I do care about free speech and justice though, and this is wrong.

I'm a member of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and I urge all my readers to join as well.

Japanese anime music band played in DC last night

Well, I missed the Boom Boom Satellites at the 9:30 Club. How about you?

Boom goes the dynamite
By May Wildman
University of Maryland Diamondback October 12, 2010

So Richard and Mike go to Columbus...

...for the 2010 Ohio State University's Festival of Cartoon ...

...and darned if DC doesn't follow them there. Here's the warnings we just got about Sunday's travel being interrupted by events...

 

The first event is the Columbus Marathon, which is taking place from 7:30 am until 3:00 pm.  The route includes the portion of High Street between the Hyatt and OSU's campus.    Here is a link to the map showing the route: http://www.columbusmarathon.com/race-information/course-map.

 

The second event is a recently-scheduled Moving America Forward rally on the OSU Oval featuring President Barack Obama.  Doors open at 5:15 pm, but people may begin arriving even earlier.   It is possible that the President's visit will cause some flight and traffic delays. 

...I thought we were leaving these problems in DC!

Post ombudsman follows up on censoring Non Sequitur

Readers insist on equal treatment for 'offensive' cartoons
By Andy Alexander
Washington Post's Omblog October 12, 2010

Monkey See blog on Simpsons

Since I've arbitrarily decided that Linda Holmes lives around here -

'The Simpsons' Tries To Get Its Edge Back With A (Kind Of) Daring Opening
by Linda Holmes
National Public Radio's Monkey See blog October 12, 2010

CBS Overtime rerunning 1999 Charles Schulz interview

We don't normally pay much attention to things beyond our Washington, DC scope, but in honor of the Peanuts 60th anniversary and Mrs. Schulz's recent donation to the National Gallery, here's a link to 60 Minutes Overtime site -

Charlie Brown Turns 60: A look back at "Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz

Comic Riffs on Joe Simon

Joe Simon was one of the important early creators of superheroes, including Captain America -

'Superheroes': Turning 97 today, JOE SIMON reflects on his legacy with JACK KIRBY (*As do STAN LEE and NEIL GAIMAN)
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog October 11, 2010

Hoxwinder Hall from Post contest launches as webcomic

'NEXT GREAT CARTOONIST': Finalist launches 'Hoxwinder Hall' webcomic
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog October 10, 2010

Politics and Prose's Carla F. Cohen 1936-2010

This is one of my all-time favorite bookstores, and they've had a lot of cartoonists come through in recent years. Ms. Cohen was one of the two owners. Politics and Prose's release follows.

Carla F. Cohen 1936-2010

Carla F. Cohen 1936-2010 With deep sorrow, I am writing to inform our friends and neighbors that my beloved store co-owner Carla Cohen died this morning. For all of us here at Politics & Prose, it is difficult to believe that someone larger than life is gone, and I will deeply miss my friend and partner. In lieu of flowers, her family has requested that contributions may be made to Jews United for Justice, the Washington Literacy Council or Community Hospice.  A funeral will be held at Tifereth Israel, 7701 16th Street, N.W.  at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 13th.   The store will be closed from 12- 4 p.m. on that day. We will have a memorial service in the store at a date to follow in November. Apart from this closing, all other events will proceed as scheduled.)  Please read the obituary from the Washington Post here. We welcome and encourage your condolences, tributes, and memories here.

Politics & Prose Bookstore and Coffeehouse www.politics-prose.com 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, DC 20008 (202) 364-1919 or (800) 722-0790 Fax: (202) 966-7532

Oct 30: Frank Cho Appearing at Big Planet College Park

Frank Cho will be appearing at Big Planet Comics in College Park on October 30th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.  Frank will have some updates about some new Liberty Meadows projects he is working on.  So stop by and check it out. Also new comics will be on time this week,  no delay for Columbus Day.  And this week looks like a really good week for superhero comics. Finally, Big Planet College Park has a new sale table, we just set up, with T-shirts and hard cover books at 50% off. Peter Casazza Big Planet Comics College Park 7315 Baltimore Ave College Park, MD 20740 301.699.0498

Comics scholarship issue of the French web journal Transatlantica online now

Transatlantica 1 | 2010
American Shakespeare / Comic Books

There's an article I wrote a couple of years ago on the state of comics bibliography, but there's other good stuff in this French journal's look at American culture.

Brainstorm Comics moves within Frederick, MD

Frederick comic store moves, doubles space
Associated Press
10/10/10

Truitt on Dapper Men and X-Force

'Dapper Men' descend upon New York Comic-Con
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY October 8 2010

'Uncanny X-Force' swings into action against mutant terrorism
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY October 6 2010

Right wing blogosphere notices Ted Rall interview

A few weeks ago I interviewed Ted Rall about his new manifesto prior to his local appearance.

The interview's being negatively noticed by the right now, although honestly, I think Rall's so far to the left that he's curving around to meet the right on this issue. I like Ted personally, but we're agreeing to disagree on this book.

Radical Cartoonist Ted Rall, Off the Deep End: New Book Calls for Violent Overthrow of the Government
By Tim Graham
Newsbusters.org's Tim Graham blog 10/09/2010

This next one misses the point that Rall's just calling for revolution of any sort, although he would prefer a Marxist one.

Is America Ready for a Marxist Dictator?
by Donald May
LubbockOnline.com's Mr. Conservative blog 2010-10-10

And I am ashamed to admit that Graham found a local interview that I missed -

Man Of Action: Ted Rall, 'The Anti-American Manifesto,' Buboys (sic) and Poets
Written by Express contributor Roxana Hadadi
Express September 27, 2010

Post ombudsman on censoring Non Sequitur

The ombudsman has issues with the Post not running the Non Sequitur comic strip last weekend.

Where was the 'Where's Muhammad?' cartoon?
By Andrew Alexander
Ombudsman
Washington Post October 10, 2010; A17

Why are some of the Post's Sunday comics colored pink?

It's a Breast Cancer awareness campaign thought up by Dan Piraro and done by King Features Syndicate. All of the strips can be seen at Cartoonists Care: The Sunday Funnies Pink Project. There's a link to donate to cancer charities from the main page.

Jef Mallett's kind words for Cul de Sac

"Today, my absolute favorite strip is called 'Cul de Sac.' I think it's only about three years old. It's by a guy named Richard Thompson and he's an absolute genius. He's in the Washington, D.C. area, but he's actually got roots in Michigan. He's absolutely brilliant and his strip is a thing of beauty."

The rest of the long interview is at -

Frazz is moving in: Comic strip with Michigan roots finds a new home in the Enquirer
Andy Fitzpatrick • The Enquirer • October 10, 2010

Matt Dembicki interviewed by Mark Ruffin

Here's another Capicons con interview by Mark Ruffin, DC Comic Books Examiner - DC Conspiracy's Matt Dembicki discusses graphic novel of Native American stories leads to the video Matt Dembicki re: Trickster, October 7th, 2010.

Library of Congress Swann Foundation Fellowships Available

Library of Congress
101 Independence Avenue SE
Washington DC   20540

October 8, 2010

Public contact: Martha Kennedy (202) 707-9115, mkenn@loc.gov

Swann Foundation Accepting Fellowship Applications
Foundation Supports Research in the Humorous Arts of Caricature and Cartoon

The Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon, administered by the Library of Congress, is accepting applications for its graduate fellowship for the 2011-2012 academic year.  Applications are due by close of business on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011, and notification will occur in the spring. 

The Swann Foundation seeks to award one fellowship annually (with a stipend of up to $15,000) to assist in continuing scholarly research and writing projects in the field of caricature and cartoon.  Depending on the number and quality of proposals, the advisory board may elect to make multiple, smaller awards.

A fellow is required to be in residence in Washington, D.C., for a minimum of two weeks, use the Library's extensive collections and deliver a public lecture at the Library on his or her work.  Each fellow must also provide a copy of his or her dissertation, thesis or postgraduate publication upon completion, for the Swann Foundation Fund files.

Guidelines and application forms are available through the Swann Foundation's website www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swannhome.html or by calling Martha Kennedy in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library at (202) 707-9115.

To be eligible, an applicant must be a resident of the United States and a candidate for a master's or doctoral degree at a university based in the United States, Canada or Mexico.  The applicant must be working toward completion of a dissertation or thesis for that degree or be engaged in postgraduate research within three years of receiving an M.A. or a Ph.D.  Individuals who are not U.S. residents but who otherwise meet these academic qualifications may also apply and be considered for a fellowship, contingent upon their visa eligibility. 

The applicant's research must be in the field of caricature and cartoon.  There are no restrictions on the place or time period covered.  To encourage research in a variety of academic disciplines, any university department may oversee a project proposed for the fellowship, provided the subject pertains to caricature or cartoon art.

Requirements for the fellowship applications include a statement of qualifications, a one-page abstract of the proposed project, a project description that specifies research needs and a budget, two letters of reference and official transcripts.

The Swann Foundation Fellowship in Caricature and Cartoon is one of a small number of scholarly fellowships that provide direct support for continuing graduate research in the field.  It has supported groundbreaking research on caricature and cartoon that focuses on a variety of subjects and topics such as the Cold War; representations of race, class conflict and disease; and the early origins of caricature and political satire, and the cultural and social forces that have influenced the development of prominent cartoonists' work.  For a list of research projects, visit www.loc.gov/rr/rint/swann/swann-fellowslist.html.

The Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon is overseen by an advisory board composed of scholars, collectors, cartoonists and Library of Congress staff members.  The foundation's activities support the study, interpretation, preservation and appreciation of original works of humorous and satiric art by graphic artists from around the world.  New York advertising executive Erwin Swann (1906-1973) established the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon in 1967.

# # #

PR10-229
10/8/10
ISSN: 0731-3527

 

NPR's Monkey See blog's podcast on Superman

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Superman, Tim Gunn, And Other Everyday Heroes
by Linda Holmes
National Public Radio's Monkey See blog's Pop Culture Happy Hour (October 8 2010)

With Glen Weldon of course. And I'm now guessing that Linda Holmes must be in the area too?