John Gallagher, "Max Meow: Cat Crusader"
•Nov 3, 2020
Wednesday, November 04, 2020
Editorial Cartoon by Steve Artley
Recent Cartoon (click on Image for larger view)
"Voting in the 21st Century"
©2020 Steven G Artley • artleytoons • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Tuesday, November 03, 2020
Mo Willems live-draws tonight
Mo Willems Will Offer "Democracy Doodle" Exercises on Election Night
The Kennedy Center education artist-in-residence wants to give you a break on November 3
https://www.washingtonian.com/2020/10/29/mo-willems-will-offer-democracy-doodle-exercises-on-election-night/
Nov 5 - Comedian Judy Gold interviewed with our colleague Alex in the mix
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020 AT 7 PM EST
Online Event
Details
Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 7 PM EST
Public · Hosted by Manhattan Comedy School
Join us on Zoom for a conversation and Q&A with Judy Gold, award-winning comedian and author of the new book "Yes, I Can Say That: When They Come for the Comedians, We are All in Trouble," hosted by MCS instructor Karen Bergreen!
"No one makes me laugh harder than Judy Gold. If I had to pick one comedian to write a book about free speech, it would be Judy." – Amy Schumer
Seats are limited, register now to reserve your spot! bit.ly/3m900vX
Monday, November 02, 2020
That darn Toles
Back to the drawing board, please
Jim Budish, Silver Spring
Washington Post October 31 2020
Fortunately Tom quit the next day so the letter writers don't have him to kick around anymore.
Phillip Kennedy Johnson, DC Comics writer, is a local musician
You can find out more about him on his website at https://www.phillipkennedyjohnson.com/
Rafer Roberts ends Plastic Farm his long-running minicomic
Reprinted from Rafer's Patreon page with his permission -
PLASTIC FARM NEWS???
Rafer Roberts
I started drawing Plastic Farm nearly twenty-two years ago when I was fresh out of college. I wrote nearly 800 pages (and drew about 600 of them myself) over the course of 15 years, reaching the mid-point in the narrative in 2016.
It became apparent about two or three years ago that I was not going to be able to finish Plastic Farm as planned. The story itself had a lot of autobiographical elements, mostly from a time in my life that has become harder and harder to romanticize as I get older, and continuing the story as written has done nothing for my mental health.
Not to mention, there's like a thousand more pages to draw. I am 44-years-old. I top out at about 30 pages a year, tops. I have lost thousands of dollars self-publishing this comic, and have had to declare bankruptcy because of it. The herculean amount of effort required to finish Plastic Farm as conceived, and my near-absolute lack of desire to draw any of it, has led me to this.
A ten-page finale. A big blowout that'll give some closure to long-suffering Plastic Farm readers, while acting as a strange stand-alone tale for general readers. Like every other chapter of Plastic Farm, this one will make as much sense to new readers and old readers alike…which is to say, almost none. But it will be FUN.
Thanks to everyone for your support over the years. I know that this probably isn't the news everyone was hoping for, but I promise that I will be the best weird finale that it can be. For the first time in YEARS, I am excited to draw Chester, The Thixotrope, The Reverend, and all the other weirdos again.
Pledge now! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/514327241/corridor-magazine-spring-2021/posts/3005359
Al Goodwyn joins GoComics
D.D. beat me to the story, after Al's website posted a note last week, but he was graceful enough to link to my site as well.
GoComics Adds Al Goodwyn Editorial Cartoons
Sunday, November 01, 2020
Editorial Cartoon by Steve Artley
Recent Cartoon (click on Image for larger view)
"Geriatric Park"
©2020 Steven G Artley • artleytoons • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2 interviews by Troy-Jeffrey Allen
'Power Rangers' Interview: Love in the Time of Collins...
Interview by Troy-Jeffrey Allen
Oct 27, 2020
The Lily's lastest comics
I witnessed a catastrophic natural sight — and it provided lessons for our current political moment
Humans, like moths, sometimes seek the worst possible solutions
Friday, October 30, 2020
Awesome Con cancelled for 2020
Important: Awesome Con Information Update
http://awesome-con.com/coronavirus/
As a consequence of the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, Awesome Con 2020 has been canceled.
The Awesome Con Team will be in touch directly with all attendees, exhibitors, sponsors and partners in relation to this cancellation and to answer any questions.
There will be further communication to these groups over the coming days and weeks as we aim to facilitate a smooth transition to the new dates for everyone involved.
Please be assured that we are continuing to closely monitor the latest public health and government advice with regard to COVID-19 (coronavirus) and are carefully adhering to their directions. Our absolute priority is to safeguard the health and welfare of all those involved in our events.
Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding.
Betancourt talks TMNT
A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator has a long-lost story to tell. And it gets pretty dark.
Alyssa Rosenberg talks Charlie Brown's Halloween disappearance
Fans Will Have to Look Harder to Find Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin This Year
Tanzina Vega and Alyssa Rosenberg
The Charlie Brown balloon floats in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York in New York, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012.
( AP Photo/Charles Sykes )
( AP Photo/Charles Sykes )
For the first time since it's debut in 1966, Charles Schulz's Peanuts gang Halloween special, "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," will not air on network TV, rather on Apple's streaming service, APPLE TV Plus.
The tech company bought the rights to the Peanuts in 2018 and now controls all of Charlie Brown and Snoopy's content. "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is currently only accessible for paid subscribers, but Apple has announced that the special will be available to watch for free October 30th and November 1st.
Despite this, Peanut fans are angry the classic show will not be more accessible. A petition on Change.org, calling for Apple to air the special on network TV, has already reached over 170,000 signatures. And as more streaming services gain control over beloved content, many worry the stratification of our collective culture and who has access to it will continue to widen.
Alyssa Rosenberg, an opinion columnist covering culture at The Washington Post. Alyssa, joined The Takeaway to discuss what this could mean for the future of media.
Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment. Don't have time to listen right now? Subscribe for free to our podcast via iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts to take this segment with you on the go.
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Editorial Cartoon by Steve Artley
Recent Cartoon (click on Image for larger view)
"Remember Remember 4 November"
©2020 Steven G Artley • artleytoons • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
BIG PLANET COMICS BETHESDA HAS MOVED!
Kevin Panetta's Archie and Katy Keene run collected
|
Guston exhibit gets yet another opening date
After Backlash, Philip Guston Retrospective to Open in 2022
By Julia Jacobs
A version of this article appears in print on Oct. 29, 2020, Section C, Page 5 of the New York edition with the headline: After a Backlash, a Philip Guston Retrospective Will Open in 2022.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/28/arts/design/philip-guston-retrospective-date.html
The Lily's latest comic
Comics // Perspective
9 reasons why I would have been accused of witchcraft in 15th-century Europe
Many of you reading this probably would have been, too
By Gemma Correll
| |
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
John Gallagher live in 10 minutes!
October 28, 2020 2:00 PM (EDT)
P&P Live! John Gallagher | CAT CRUSADER
Zoom Webinar
P&P Live! John Gallagher | CAT CRUSADER
Wednesday, October 28, 2020 2:00 PM (EDT)
Join us for a discussion with John Gallagher about the first book in his new series MAX MEOW: CAT CRUSADER.
Monday, October 26, 2020
Library of Congress buys Nina Allender's cartoons
Women's history shrine donates trove of artifacts to Library of Congress and National Park Service [in print as New home for women's history]
Washington Post Oct. 26, 2020 p. B1, 4
"The library also purchased the party's set of 167 political cartoons by women's rights artist Nina E. Allender. A spokesman declined to reveal the price. The cartoons arrived in July."
Hatfield on Ha
Charles Hatfield reviews Robin Ha's Almost American Girl today at his KinderComics blog.
Willie Nelson, Dracula, and Boy's Love - quick book reviews
by Mike Rhode
There's a very minor thread linking all of these books - men kissing other men, although Dracula... you can't really call his assault "kissing."
Willie Nelson: A Graphic History by T.J. Kirsch with Jesse Lonergan, Jeremy Massie, Havard S. Johansen, Coskun Kuzgun, Jason Pittman, J. T. Yost, and Adam Walmsley, NBM. 7 ½ x10, 88pp., B&W, HC, $16.99; ISBN 9781681122625; ebook: $11.99, ISBN 9781681122632
NBM offered me a review copy, but I had already bought the book from my LCS. Their press relase says of this book, "Country music icon Willie Nelson
is recognized all over the world for his music, philanthropy, and
unmistakable look. Since he was a child in Hill County, Texas, he has
been writing and performing for adoring crowds. Though his mainstream
success did not come until later in his life, he has been determined to
take his unique sound and voice to the people even before he was a
household name. There have been tragedies, missteps, IRS troubles, good
times and bad along the way, but Willie continues to shine his positive outlook and project his humble voice out into the world."
My take is this is an enjoyable biography of the singer, and there was a lot of information I didn't know, in spite of growing up in the 1970s with a family that listened to country music. I had no idea for instance that Nelson was a successful songwriter after being a failed performer, and wrote "Crazy" for Patsy Cline and "Pretty Papers" for Roy Orbison. Or that he kissed both Charlie Pride and Faron Young at times. Nelson's chaotic family life, womanizing, songwriting, performing, and love of marijuana are all covered extensively. Biographical comics haven't really taken off here yet, especially not the way autobiographical ones have, but hope springs eternal for the publishing world. My impression is that this is an NBM original, but they list plenty of translated European biographical comics in the endpapers, and presumably this will be sold in the other direction too. Kirsch conveys plenty of story, although the 8 illustrators (including him) give the book an uneven feel. Each illustrator takes a chapter based on a time period, so the same person isn't illustrating young clean cut Willie and the 1980s Outlaw version. There's apparently no model sheet such as one would find in animation, about how he should be drawn, so his features vary quite a bit. Other famous musicians, such as Bob Dylan, unfortunately would be unrecognizable if not names. The artwork is competent, but not outstanding, and if you aren't put off by the switches in style, it works fine. I'd recommend this for people interested in knowing more, but not a lot more, about Nelson and country music.
Dracula, Motherf**ker by Alex de Campi (Author), Erica Henderson (Artist), Image Comics, 6.8 x 0.5 x 10.3 inches, 72pp., $17, 978-1534317000.
Image says about this, "Vienna, 1889: Dracula’s brides nail him to the bottom of his coffin. Los Angeles, 1974: an aging starlet decides to raise the stakes. Crime scene photographer Quincy Harker is the only man who knows it happened, but will anyone believe him before he gets his own chalk outline? And are Dracula’s three brides there to help him...or use him as bait? A pulpy, pulse-pounding graphic novel of California psych-horror from acclaimed creators ALEX DE CAMPI and ERICA HENDERSON."
Calvin Reid had such a great time interviewing the two creators for Publishers Weekly that I decided to pick this up, after being doubtful about the 'motherfucker' of the title (as there's some things I don't really ever need to see, and Dracula shagging his mother would be one of those). The title, and the story, actually hearken back to the exploitation days of the 1970s when there was a new Dracula movie ever other month (relatively) and horror comics magazines popping up to avoid the comics code. The story is a minor one that could easily have been in Heavy Metal or one of Warren's magazines at the time, but Henderson's art is tremendous and makes the book worth having a spine. The decision by the two creators (and de Campi does the lettering) to never show Dracula as a man is an interesting one and works well. There's two end pieces of text by each creator talking about aspects of her role in the book that are interesting, but they've also largely recapitulated those in the interview with Reid and others that I've seen online. I'd recommend this for 1970s exploitation, horror, and comics colorist fans. It's fun, and pretty (in a way).
BL Metamorphosis Vol. 1, by Kaori Tsurutani, Seven Seas, 146 pp., $13, 978-1645052951.
Described on Amazon as "In this heartwarming and critically acclaimed manga, an elderly woman and a high school girl develop a beautiful friendship through their shared passion for Boys' Love. Ichinoi, a seventy-five-year-old woman living a peaceful life, unwittingly buys a boys’ love manga one day, and is fascinated by what she finds inside. When she returns to the bookstore to buy the next volume, the high school girl working there―Urara, a seasoned BL fan―notices a budding fangirl when she sees one. When Urara offers to help Ichinoi explore this whole new world of fiction, the two dive into the BL fandom together, and form an unlikely friendship along the way."
So "boy's love" is a genre that literally didn't exist in the US before manga imports because it's basically romance comics for women (such as Jack Kirby and Joe Simon invented in the 1950s) except with good-looking young men as the protagonists. I picked this up from the new graphic novel rack at the LCS just because it looked interesting and possibly amusing. The two characters are lonely for different reasons and it's a nice look at their May-December friendship evolving through an unlikely common interest. As you can see from the cover art, the story is slow-paced, low key and therefore relaxing in these crazy days. I enjoyed it and have already ordered volume 2 to see how their attempt to go to an actual comics signing in Japan works out.
If you've sent me a review copy recently - I'm working on them! Coming up soon: Mary! by Grant & Li and Harmony by Reynes.
Sunday, October 25, 2020
Tom-toms? Cavna on Tom (Tomorrow) and Tom (the Dancing Bug)
From two cartoonists, twisted takes on life with Trump [in print as From two cartoonists, twisted takes on a surreal presidency]
Washington Post Oct. 25, 2020 p. B7
Baltimore Comic Con LIVE through Sat night
That darn Peanuts, and Mark Trail
More Linus, less lemon curd
Charles Sweeney, Washington
Washington Post October 25 2020
Because 'Archie Trail' just doesn't have the same ring to it
Robert Dane, Alexandria
Saturday, October 24, 2020
The Beat recommends Sierra Barnes' Hans Vogel webcomic
A Year of Free Comics: We regret to inform you that HANS VOGEL IS DEAD
by Avery Kaplan
Regular readers should recall that we interviewed Sierra last month. It's good to see her strip getting attention in the comics press.
Snow White's teacher dies at 101
Marge Champion, dancer who brought Disney's Snow White to life, dies at 101 [in print as Dancer brought Snow White to life in Disney's 1937 animated movie].
Emily Langer
Washington Post Oct. 23, 2020 p. B6
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