ComicsDC: Search results for mcintire

Stuart McIntire, owner of the Facebook group, "Maryland Funnybook Fandom" has passed away. Stu was a font of knowledge about area cartoonists, and his passing will be a big loss to the community. His wife Amy has posted a note on his personal FB page that he died in hospice of stomach cancer.

I didn't know Stu well enough to write anything more personal, or even professional, but I hope to get someone who did write a formal obituary for ComicsDC. Stu wrote a few articles and comments for us here at ComicsDC.

With permission of his family, here's the note from his Facebook page:

We are heartbroken to share the news that Stuart McIntire died of stomach cancer on January 6, though we are grateful that he was comfortable at home and surrounded by most of his favorite people. He was only 65 years old.

Stu and his beloved wife Amy were inseparable since their first date over 45 years ago. He was the biggest fan of his three children and their partners: Katie & Vann Crucillo, Sarah & Joe Garifo, and Kevin McIntire. He got immense joy from being Papa to his five grandchildren: Molly, Steven, Asher, Logan, and Phoebe.

Stu loved sharing his love of Halloween, his comics collection, Universal classic monsters, the AFI Top 100, 20th-century American politics and ephemera, and making (and of course, eating) damn good barbecue. He was a gentle man: sentimental, nostalgic, playful, intelligent, creative, curious, kind, and brave.

Stu wants all of his family and friends to know that he loves you very much and you all touched his life in meaningful ways. He really enjoyed keeping up with all of you over the years.

The details of his memorial service are forthcoming. In the meantime, please give your dad a big hug and consider making a donation in Stuart’s honor to No Stomach for Cancer (nostomachforcancer.org) or the National MS Society (nationalmssociety.org).

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

A Long and Winding Road, or, Ike Liked Cartoons

A Long and Winding Road

by Stu McIntire
(updated 4/14/2017, see point #8)

A dedicated collector is a scavenger (of sorts) and a patient soul, which is where this story begins.

In the early 1980s my wife and I took a trip to Antique Row on Howard Avenue in Kensington, Maryland. We weren’t scouting for anything in particular, just out for a fun afternoon.

We wandered in and out of the shops not finding anything until we walked into one which had a pedestal table just inside the front door, on which rested a basket. The basket held several dozen black and white photographs. Most were unremarkable but one included President Dwight D. Eisenhower and seven other men I did not recognize. Eisenhower was looking at a book and it was open to a page with a cartoon on it. Intrigued, I sifted through the basket, found one similar picture and settled on the two photos, which I purchased. Price? One dollar each.

The pictures remained untouched for a couple of years until I decided to learn more about them. I sent one to Maggie Thompson at The Comics Buyers Guide, offering to share it with the CBG readers. I also asked if she could tell me anything about it. A short while later it was published with the following comments:

(Published in The Comics Buyers' Guide #587; February 15, 1985):

"This historic photograph of four National Cartoonists Society presidents meeting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower more than 30 years ago was sent to CBG by Stuart McIntire. Stuart asked us to identify the participants; we did, getting confirmation from Mort Walker, Milton Caniff, and Ron Goulart. Eisenhower was presented with a collection of original cartoons, caricatures, and drawings of himself by members of the NCS (many of these were collected into a book called President Eisenhower's Cartoon Book), and made an honorary member of the NCS. (Stuart mentions that, using extreme magnification on the original photo, he was able to make out the name "Carl Grubert" on the page to which the book is open; Grubert drew a humorous family strip called The Berrys.) From left to right are: Milton Caniff (Terry and the Pirates; Steve Canyon), an unidentified man (Caniff said he thinks he was a Treasury Department official); Goulart says it could be Charles Biro), Alex Raymond (Flash Gordon; Rip Kirby), another unidentified man (another Treasury Department official, Caniff guessed), Eisenhower ("probably Eisenhower," said Goulart, living up to his reputation as a wit), Walt Kelly (Pogo), Rube Goldberg (Boob McNutt), and Treasury Secretary George Humphrey. Walt Kelly was then President of the NCS; Caniff, Raymond, and Goldberg were past Presidents. Caniff added that Humphrey arranged the meeting "as a sort of reward for drawings the cartoonists had made in support of the E-Bond sales after the war."

[The Editors of CBG publicly express their deep personal gratitude to Mort, Milt, and Ron - three of the busiest people we know - for taking time to help us on identification.]

Now I had a mission. Find and purchase a copy of President Eisenhower's Cartoon Book. For years this was a mental note in the back of my mind but I did frequently scan the shelves at used book stores, always without luck. Fast forward to September of 2012 and a trip to the Baltimore Comic Con.

Towards the end of a day on the dealer floor I stumbled across a booth with a multitude of items that caught my eye. This dealer had a lot of merchandise that was comic-related and much of it was old. I went through boxes of very attractive swag. I knew not what I wanted but I’d know it when I saw it. When I came to the box that held a copy of the President Eisenhower's Cartoon Book it was like the scene in Christmas Vacation when Clark Griswold found the perfect Christmas tree.

with dustjacket

without dustjacket

My main goal at the Con was collecting autographs in a couple of my Sandman hardcover collections (check) and perhaps to see a few friends (check). I never imagined I’d score a long-sought piece for my collection but I struck a deal for this and one other piece (Badtime Stories by Bernie Wrightson).

Flash forward again. Curiosity has the better of me. What else can I learn about the background story of this book? How about:

1. An Internet search turned up other photos taken at the same time as the pictures I bought on Antique Row:

2. In 1954, President Eisenhower was made an honorary member of the National Cartoonists Society. He and Treasury Secretary George M. Humphrey were awarded the Silver T-Square, given by the NCS to persons who have demonstrated outstanding dedication or service to the Society or the profession. The occasion was celebrated at a formal breakfast in Washington, attended by the President and several NCS members.

Stamped on the back of the above photo:

Photo shows: Milton Caniff, creator of famous comic strip, STEVE CANYON at microphone with President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Walt Kelly, creator of POGO seated at table during a United States Savings Bond Program breakfast in Washington honoring the National Cartoonists Society for patriotic service on the Savings Bond Program.

Also stamped on the back:

3. Note the name Toni Mendez. Toni Mendez, a huge influencing force behind the creation of the National Cartoonists Society, was Caniff’s agent (as well as several other prominent cartoonists). She was also once a member of the famed high-kicking Rockettes dance troupe!

4. 4. Here is a picture of the volume of original cartoons presented to Eisenhower as well as a few samples of the work contained therein (by Alex Raymond, Milton Caniff, Rube Goldberg, and Walt Kelly):

5. Eisenhower himself was a known ‘doodler’ and here is but one example:

6. Fans well-versed in comic book history may recall that it was earlier in the very same year these cartoonists broke bread with the President that Milton Caniff and Walt Kelly testified before the infamous United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency.

7. One of the ninety-five artists represented in President Eisenhower's Cartoon Book was Bill Crawford, once an artist who worked at the Washington Daily News and Washington Post.

8. I bought this one on eBay in April 2017. Next to Ike is Rube Goldberg. Next to Rube, behind Ike is Walt Kelly. On the left hand page to which the album is opened is a drawing by Jay (Modest Maidens) Alan. The drawing on the right is by Jerry Robinson. The caption under Robinson's drawing says "Thank you Mr. President --- for the wonderful laughter! Especially if the joke is BY us --- but even if it's ON us! J.R. N.C.S."

The caption reads: (WX4) WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 -- CARTOONS OF, AND FOR, IKE -- President Eisenhower is pleased by this gift from White House callers today, a bound volume of cartoons of himself drawn by members of the National Cartoonists Society. Standing at right are Rube Goldberg, honorary chairman of the Society, and Secretary of the Treasury George Humphrey, right. The drawings on the opened pages are not identified. (AP Wire photo) (EE31038 stf-hlg) 1954

So there you have it. This story was thirty years or so in the making, but slow and steady wins the race!

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Bruce Guthrie's photos of Ellen Vartanoff

Bruce put a link to his photos in the comments of Stu McIntire's post, but perhaps it'll be more visible this way.

http://www.bguthriephotos.com/graphlib.nsf/(MergeI)?OpenAgent&opt=IFIND&merge=Vartanoff

Monday, March 18, 2019

A Remembrance of Ellen Vartanoff

Walt Whitman High School

Bethesda, MD

1969

by Stu McIntire

I don't remember exactly when or where I met Ellen Vartanoff, but there's a good chance it was October 4th or 5th, 1975 at a small comic convention (my first) at the Howard John's Motor Lodge in Wheaton, Maryland. Gene Carpenter made the introductions as I recall. That makes Ellen my third oldest acquaintance in the local comic community.

Of course, I got to see my new friend on a regular basis at convention after convention. It was sometime around 1978 when I, with one of her former art students, discussed an idea to publish a portfolio of comic art by Ellen's then-current art students, but that never came to fruition. It would be nearly four years until I again ran into Ellen at local comic shows, but that came to an end when I stopped attending comic conventions altogether by 1984. I did see her at a tiny show in Gaithersburg, Maryland (date unknown, possibly early 1990s). I missed her at an exhibit at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland that featured comic art in her and her sister's personal collection - as well as a small show in Rockville where Jerry Robinson appeared - and several of the SPXs. Finally, by 2012 or 2013 I started going to the Baltimore Comic Con every year and ran into Ellen a couple of times.

The last time I saw Ellen Vartanoff was Friday September 22, 2017 at approximately 5:00pm, at the (18th Annual) Baltimore Comic Con. We were standing at booth #813.

Ellen & Irene Vartanoff at SPX 2007, photographer unknown

OK. How can I remember such minute detail with clarity? It's easy. I have only attended the Baltimore show on a Friday (less crazy than Saturday or Sunday). I typically wind up my day at the show standing in front of Gene Carpenter's tables, which seems to be a gathering place at that time for old friends, some of whom I've known since my earliest days of collecting in the mid-1970s. When I pull my copy of the convention souvenir program, it shows booth # 813 as being All-American Comics (Gene Carpenter). Last year I was not at Gene's tables late on Friday. I don't know if Ellen was around, but I did miss Johnny Knight.

Ellen Vartanoff at Comic Art Convention Luncheon, July 5, 1969

at the Statler Hilton Hotel in New York City

Ellen was, as usual, all grins and was genuinely excited to see me. I was proud to introduce her to my son-in-law. Our conversation was the typical cocktail of sharing the day's adventures on the convention floor, catching up on current life events and other goings-on, and remembrances of past shared moments. I remember telling her about a project I have in the works that focuses on Mark Feldman, someone Ellen knew. Mark ran the Maryland Funnybook Festival between 1973 and 1978. My research revealed that Mark had made up pinback buttons that were given as freebies to those attending his first show. I remarked about the unexpected discovery of such detail and wondered rhetorically about the chances that such a throwaway item might still exist nearly 45 years later. Ellen said she wouldn't be surprised if she had one and encouraged me to follow up with her about it on the off-chance she might uncover the button. I also told Ellen that I had made it a daily routine to post on Facebook the recognition of birthdates of comic and animation creators past and present as well as comic strip creators, gag panelists, illustrators and so on. I am not at all alone in recognizing these events and certainly not the first or last. I do prefer to commemorate birthdates as opposed to anniversaries of deaths and told her so. Ellen looked at me smiling ear-to-ear. "That is really NEAT!" she exclaimed. Despite how trivial compared to The Important Things In Life, Ellen made me feel in that place at that moment that my obsession was the coolest thing ever.

Star Trek fan art

In the time since, I did attempt to call Ellen on one or more occasions, without success. I did learn that she had taught art classes at the Black Rock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland and was frequently on the schedule for Wednesday afternoon sessions. Since that's about a ten-minute drive, I made a mental note to pay a before or after class visit one day so we could catch up. Rather than dropping by unannounced, I decided to call her, so she'd know to expect me. It was about a week to ten days ago when I finally got around to it. A gentleman answered the phone and said he'd put her on. In a few moments Ellen came on the line. It was obviously difficult for her to communicate but I shortly learned she was "...in Stage 4...". Not wanting to exacerbate her discomfort, I said I'd reach out to her shortly. We hung up and I dropped what I was doing to write Ellen a letter which I put in the mailbox that day.

Two days ago, I got a call from Ellen's sister Irene. She shared the very difficult news that Ellen was in hospice care. Irene said she was trying to track down a mutual friend so she could let him know. She'd gotten my number from another longtime friend. Though Irene and I had never met, she recognized my name from the letter I'd written to Ellen. I'm not skilled at the type of conversation I had with Irene. I stumbled through my attempt to express my regrets for what she was going through and my appreciation for Ellen's friendship but promised I'd pass her message along as quickly as possible. Yesterday morning I learned that Ellen lost her valiant battle.

The thing is, I have this false idea that I'm still young and have all the time in the world to refresh old friendships, even when faced with evidence to the contrary.

Ellen Vartanoff was a fan, a collector, creator, artist, teacher, mentor and so much more to countless friends and admirers. Condolences to Irene, Scott, and all of Ellen's family. I will always carry with me the last time I saw Ellen.

Farewell, Ellen. You are missed already but always with us.

Stu McIntire
March 18, 2019

[editor's note: A 1997 Washington Post review of one of Ellen's exhibits, but not the one Stu refers to above.]

Sunday, January 07, 2024

Comics Research Bibliography citations update, 1/6-7/2024

Saturday, January 06, 2024

Stuart McIntire of Maryland Funnybook Fandom has passed away