Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum

The Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center | National Air and Space Museum has reopened via tickets, so I stopped by yesterday. It's mostly very large aircraft, but there are a few interesting small things including a ballooning exhibit that includes some early editorial cartooning prints.

There is a very nice exhibit case of  space-toys including a lot from Buck Rogers (soon converted from a novel to a comic strip) and Flash Gordon (originally a comic strip).  Here's my set of photos.

Oct 2: Jim Ottaviani at Air & Space

Jim Ottaviani, who writes comics about scientists, will be at the National Air & Space Museum at noon on Sunday, October 2, discussing his new biography, Feynman.

And to editorialize, Jim's a real sweet guy.

Sept 29: Nick Abadzis on Laika at Air and Space

Scott Rosenberg's got an interview with British cartoonist Nick Abadzis on his new book about the Soviet space dog. See "Animal Attraction: 'Laika' tells the story of a four-legged pawn of Cold War politics," Express (September 27, 2007): E7.

Abadzis will be speaking at the Air and Space Museum on Saturday at 12:45 and 2:30 pm, and signing his book too, I'm sure. I'll probably hit that after the National Book Festival's crowds drive me mad.