Harvey goes to Sundance
(Comics and the Movies) Everyone and their mother has noted this already, but -- a cinematic version of Harvey Pekar's groundbreaking comic book, American Splendor, has been filmed and will be headed for the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. And look! Somebody finally got around to asking Pekar about it. Take it away, Cleveland Plain Dealer:

" "Yeah, I'm excited. It could lead to something,' said Pekar, who lives in Cleveland Heights.

" 'I'm glad I could do my bit [for Cleveland] now that Jim Thome is gone. I'll step into the breach,' he said jokingly."

Pekar is reportedly pleased with both the film and the actor who portrays him in it, Paul Giamatti. The Sundance Film Festival will be held in Park City, Utah, from January 16th through the 26th.
Posted @ 2:30 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Leunig lays down the line
(Cartooning) Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig takes to the pages of the Sydney Morning Herald to describe the life of a cartoonist:

"Suddenly you get an idea for a new cartoon so you draw it but it doesn't really work on paper. The deadline looms. You throw down a glass of wine and draw a man with a dog's tail and he's chasing it in the moonlight. You have captured the meaning of life! For this you receive an honorary doctorate and are tortured to within an inch of your life.

"Success follows success -- praise pours in and before long you are getting bashed up wherever you go. Somebody tells you that you can't draw. Fiction writers cross the street when you approach. A greeting card arrives from someone who says they are praying for you. You sit there staring at the piece of blank paper."

It, err, gets a bit more surreal from there. Cartoonists: how often do you face the firing squad?
Posted @ 2:30 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Why we fight
(Censorship) Chuck Rozanski, owner of Denver, Colorado-based Mile High Comics, recently made the high bid in a CBLDF auction for an in-store appearance by cartoonist and Wildstorm publisher Jim Lee. He'll undoubtedly enjoy the extra traffic that the famed superhero cartoonist brings to his store, but he had another reason for shelling out cash to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, as he explained here:

"Why do I care so fervently in the future of the CBLDF? Let me start by pointing out that I was born in Germany, in 1955, to a mother who spent the her first five years in school being taught by Nazi Party-selected teachers. My mother repeatedly warned me as a child, even after we immigrated to America, to never speak out, or let my opinions be known, because I never knew when the government might be listening. She had seen first-hand the horrors of oppression, as the Nazi administration in her elementary school actively encouraged the children to report any discussions that their parents might be having at home that were critical of the government, or the war effort. As a result of these interrogations, some very young children in my mother's classes inadvertently had their parents arrested by the Gestapo. Those traumatic experiences placed a permanent fear of speaking out in my mother's mind."

Okay, it's not exactly fresh news -- but it's a great opportunity to remind you of the importance of the Comic Book industry's frontline soldiers in the war against censorship.
Posted @ 2:30 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Abel's Lulu of a discussion
(Comic Books) Elayne Riggs, current president of Friends of Lulu's New York chapter, checked in over at Comicon's message board to drop this little bit of news:

"Friends of Lulu-New York's 'Women and Comics' series, discussions with prominent women in comics history and women currently working in the industry, wraps up for the year by featuring award-winning and influential creator of Artbabe and La Perdida, Jessica Abel. The event will be held at Jim Hanley's Universe, 4 West 33rd Street on the mezzanine level, starting at 7 PM; admission is free and open to all. Hanley's will also have Abel's works available for purchase, displayed at the front of the store in a dedicated section. The series, designed to showcase the wide variety of women working in all aspects of comic books and comic strips, has been held the second Tuesday of each month throughout 2002. This month's discussion, to take place on December 10, will be followed by FoL-NY's annual holiday gathering."

That's next Tuesday, for you readers in the New York area. Elayne, don't you think there are other message boards that might take more of an interest in events like this?
Posted @ 2:30 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

More freebies from the magazine
(The Comics Journal) Finally, a quick plug: in The Comics Journal #248's news section, Austin English sat down with Dylan Williams, Jesse Reklaw, Ben Catmull, Lark Pien, Gabrielle Bell, Ted May, T. Edward Bak and Kevin Huizenga to talk about their new anthology Orchid. Unfortunately, the conversation had to be cut considerably due to lack of space -- but you can now read it in its entirety here.
Posted @ 2:30 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

North America's oldest speech balloon found?
(Cartooning) An archeological dig in San Andrés, Mexico has yielded what may well be the oldest known example of writing in Mesoamerican history -- a clay seal dated to 650 BC which, when dipped in ink, produces an image of a bird speaking what may be the name of an Olmec king (see image at right). The seal was discovered by Dr. Mary Pohl, Professor of Anthropology at Florida State University, who spoke with Nature Science Update about the discovery:

"The Olmec named themselves after their birthday. Ajaw also means lord in Mayan. 3 Ajaw was probably a king, says Mary Pohl of Florida State University, Tallahassee. The bird may have represented him: 'Rulers are often shown in bird costume,' says Pohl, one of the team that found the artefacts.

"The seal would have been dipped in ink and rolled over cloth or skin to leave a repeating pattern. Bearing the king's name was a mark of status and allegiance. 'A person would have had to be very important to display this writing,' says Pohl."

Note the two lines leading from the bird's mouth to the runes. A press release from Florida State University explains the significance of the image on the seal:

"...The seal and plaque show that the key aspects of Mesoamerican script were present in Olmec writing: the combination of pictographic and glyphic elements to represent speech, the use of a 260-day calendar and the connection between writing, the calendar and kingship."

A Microsoft Word document containing a paper on the subject by Dr. Pohl can be found at this link.
Posted @ 3:15 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Mr. Bell goes Down Under
(Editorial Cartoons) Political cartoonist Steve Bell is in Canberra, Australia, where he'll be the keynote speaker this weekend at a conference on political cartooning timed to coincide with the opening of a National Museum of Australia exhibit, "Cartoons 2002." The Sydney Morning Herald has a news feature on the conference, which opens with a short appreciation of Mr. Bell:

"Known for his subtle savagery, Bell is a four-time winner of the British political cartoonist of the year award. His IF... strip has appeared in the left-leaning Guardian since 1981 and he credits himself with being 'one of the first to identify Margaret Thatcher's mad stare and generally psychopathic character'.

"But it was his portrayal of Thatcher's successor which became his most damaging depiction. He drew Major as 'a kind of super-inadequate Supernerd wearing his Marks & Spencers aertex Y-fronts outside his grey suit'. It became the definitive image of the hapless prime minister."

The conference runs Saturday and Sunday; registration and program information can be found in this Adobe PDF document. "Cartoons 2002" runs through March 17, 2003. An archive of Steve Bell's political cartoons can be found at this link.
Posted @ 3:15 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

WizardWorld.gone
(Comics and the Internet) Update on an earlier story: Janet Hetherington, Managing Editor for the WizardWorld.com website, is reporting that termination notices have been issued to all 800America employees, including those associated with the website in question. Further information can be found at The Pulse.
Posted @ 3:15 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Understanding Krigstein
(Comic Books) Greg Sadowski spent five years in the creation of B. Krigstein Volume 1, an in-depth biography and career retrospective of the life of master cartoonist Bernie Krigstein from his early days through his groundbreaking work for the EC Comics line. Newsarama writer Daniel Robert Epstein caught up with Sadowski for an discussion about immense effort required to complete the book:

"NRAMA: While you initially said to Natalie Krigstein that there was a book to be made out of Krigstein's life, was that borne out once you started researching his work?

"GS: Actually the more I got into it the more I realized what a book I had. I saw all the conflicts in his life and saw what an interesting story it was with him fighting with all his editors. He had adversaries and that really brought out the character in this guy. He devoted himself to this artform where artists are looked upon as dirt. He tried to go along with it as much as he could but then he just had to leave the business.

"NRAMA: Did you think anyone else would enjoy such a specific kind of book?

"GS: I sure would hope so. I had never written anything before so I wasn't sure if I was able to pull it off. It just fell into my lap and I could either pull it off or not. That's why it took me five years to finish; I had to learn how to write. I can't do every book I write like this; I'll be an old man."

Sadowski also notes that he's currently putting together a collection of "36 or 37" of Krigstein's short stories, after which he'll set to work on the concluding volume of the biography series.
Posted @ 3:15 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Cartoonist beaten by police in Cameroon
(Editorial Cartoons) The Cartoonists Rights Network has issued a bulletin alleging that Cameroonian political cartoonist Paul Nyemb Ntoogue, better known to his Le Messager readers as "Popoli," has been assaulted by members of his nation's police force. The International Freedom of Expression Exchange has the details:

"On the night of November 30, Popoli and another staff cartoonist with Le Messager were stopped at an impromptu police check point set up about 50 meters from the paper's offices. The police first told him that all he was doing in the country was insulting people. Popoli has gained a reputation of being particularly interested in focusing his pointed cartoons on the Head of State's wife. The police also said that as he hasn't been arrested yet, he must think he can get away with poking fun at the President. Popoli replied that the Head of State was a citizen just like he was. The Police Officer started beating Popoli about the head and shoulders, telling the other police officers that Popoli had said that, '(President) Paul Biya is nothing in this country.'

"At that moment all the police officers started beating Popoli. As they beat him for about 10 minutes they continually told him to continue with his offending cartoons."

Suggestions for concerned readers who wish to assist Mr. Ntoogue can be found at the bottom of the above-linked page. (Thanks to Joe Spann for posting word of this incident to our message board.)
Posted @ 3:10 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Bethesda not rid of the Expo just yet
(Comics Events) The Small Press Expo has been held in Bethesda, Maryland since 1994, but continuing growth (and an offer of assistance from the Baltimore Comic-Con) had convinced its organizers to move the event to Baltimore instead. That's plan's on hold, now -- Expo 2003 will once again be held in Bethesda. Heidi MacDonald at The Pulse explains why:

" 'We were offered a deal we couldn't refuse from the Holiday Inn to stay one additional year,' SPX Executive Director Greg McElhatton says. 'This gives us additional time to prepare for our move to a larger space for 2004, and gives us the chance to raise a lot of money for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund because of the Holiday Inn's generous offer. Marc Nathan is one of the most forward-thinking convention organizers out there, and the idea of creating with him a North American version of the massive French Angouleme comics festival is exciting. 2004 will be a great year for both shows.' "

Next year's Expo will be three days rather than two, expanding to Sunday for the first time. Hope the Holiday Inn isn't too crowded...
Posted @ 3:10 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Punch coffin lid refuses to close
(Gag Cartooning) Close but no cigar -- after shutting its doors and warehousing its fabled Round Table for the second time in 1996, the legendary english humor magazine Punch has been given a new lease on life. Well, sort of; Mohamed Al Fayed, owner of Britain's Harrods retail chain, has revived the venerable publication as a webzine, albeit one with reduced editorial content. The Guardian explains:

"As well as an archive of articles and cartoons from the magazine's history, it will also feature new book, film and restaurant reviews.

"Its small but loyal band of aficionados will be able to carry on discussing the title and exchanging vintage issues in the Collectors' Club section of the site.

"It will seek to make money by selling high quality copies of the magazine's cartoons and licensing them for use in magazines and corporate brochures."

For more information on the history of the print version of Punch, see R.C. Harvey's "Comicopia" column in The Comics Journal #249, on sale in a few weeks.
Posted @ 3:10 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Right between the eyeball cartoonists
(Cartooning) Poor Disney just gets no respect these days. Not only is one of its most popular licensed characters wrapped up in litigation right now; not only it its latest animated film bombing at the box office, causing its stock prices to drop; now two seperate cartoonists, Florida's Keith Campbell and California's Stanley Miller (better known as Grateful Dead artist Stanley Mouse), have each filed unrelated lawsuits against both Disney and animation studio Pixar, alleging that one of the characters from their film Monsters, Inc. was plagiarized from the artists' designs. We turn to The Orlando Business Journal for details:

"Pixar did not respond to requests for comment. However, in the defendants' response to the California suit, Pixar denies the allegations.

"Speaking on behalf of the three Disney defendants in both the Orlando and California cases, John Spelich, vice president of corporate communications for Walt Disney Co., says, 'We consider these cases to be totally without merit because the characters in Monsters, Inc. were developed independently by the Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures creative teams and do not infringe anyone's copyrights.' "

Maybe Taiwan had the right idea after all; between Disney's troubles and AOL Time Warner's continuing problems, there may be an opening in the animation market soon...
Posted @ 3:10 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Birdland
(Comic Books) The two largest comic book companies, Marvel and DC, have been toying with handing their characters over to art comics creators for some time now; Heidi MacDonald has word of the latest indy star to try his hand at it:

"The latest name to take his shot at superheroes is Gilbert Hernandez, the creative genius behind, LUBA , NEW LOVE and half of LOVE AND ROCKETS. Gilbert starts a six issue run as writer of BIRDS OF PREY next month, with Casey Jones on art. As a creator well known for his skill writing female characters, have Gilbert take on DC's superheroine team was a natural."

I would of course love to tell you more about it, but Comicon.com (which hosts The Pulse) is as of this writing down for upgrades, so the above link doesn't exactly work as such. Caveat emptor, and all that.
Posted @ 2:40 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

"The Vivian Girls are the frozen ones..."
(Comics Events) Not exactly a comics-related item, but close enough -- Tokyo's Watari-Um Museum of Contemporary Art is the latest stop on a gallery tour of works by outsider artist Henry Darger, sponsored by The Museum of American Folk Art. Darger, a janitor for a Chicago hospital, spent his spare time alone in his room creating a 23,000 page illustrated epic entitled "The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What Is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion," which remained undiscovered until his landlord found the manuscripts after his death in 1973. The Japan Times describes the images found therein:

"As they were formatted to fold out of a book, Darger's works are exclusively horizontal, made up of a series of sheets of paper, glued or taped together side by side. At first glance, there is a children's storybook look to them, but the scenes of torture and mutilation they depict are more the stuff of nightmares than fairy tales. Plus, both the Vivian Girls and the child-slaves very frequently get naked. And, one more thing about the Vivian Girls -- they are hermaphrodites. Just why the little girls have penises is a matter of some debate among those who research Darger. It has been suggested that he did not comprehend the difference between males and females."

The Tokyo exhibition runs through April 6th.
Posted @ 2:40 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Excuses to get out of the house
(Comics Events) It being a relatively slow news day today, I thought I'd take the opportunity to let you know about a few attractions taking place in the coming week or so:

• December 5th / Phoenix, Arizona: The Arizona Library Association Conference, will play host to cartoonist Jules Feiffer, who'll be appearing in the Tucson Room of the Phoenix Civic Plaza at 9:40 AM. Fair warning, Feiffer fans -- the admission fee is rather pricey.

• December 6th / Seattle, Washington: The gallery known as Soil will be kicking off its new exhibit, "Off the Page: 3 Dimensional Narratives" with an opening reception from 7-10 PM. Co-curated by Randy Wood and Fantagraphics' own Carrie Whitney, the exhibit three-dimensional works by a variety of comics artists, including Jim Woodring, Ellen Forney, Davey Oil, Tatiana Gill, David Lasky, Greg Stump and many others. Call 206-264-8061 for more information.

• December 8th / Brooklyn, New York: NorthSix plays host to the latest "Comix Decode" reading and discussion, this time out featuring Phoebe Gloeckner, Kim Deitch and Nick Bertozzi. The fun starts at 8 PM.

• December 10th / Seattle, Washington: Belltown's Confounded Books & Hypno Video hosts the Seattle stop in David Rees' American book tour. As noted previously, Rees is touring in support of his new Get Your War On collection. The fun starts at 7 PM.

For even more information about upcoming events, EGON remains your one-stop shopping headquarters.
Posted @ 2:40 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

See? Craftsmanship does count
(Commentary) Finally, a little bird tells me that Amy and James Kochalka are expecting their first child. Congratulations all around.
Posted @ 2:40 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Taiwan's cartoon subsidies
(Cartooning) Let's start the day with a story guaranteed to make a goodly percentage of our readers green with envy: while presenting a series of awards to children who'd won a nationwide cartooning contest, Director-General of Taiwan's Information Office Arthur Iap spoke of a government project aimed at developing his nations cartoon and comics industries for export. The Taipei Times has the story:

" 'In a bid to develop the cartoon industry, the government has included the development of the industry in the six-year national development project and set aside NT$140 million next year to fund new projects of digital animation pictures and NT$6 million to fund ne(w) comic strip projects,' Iap said"

Free money: it's what government's all about, isn't it? Iap noted that the real money in cartoon entertainment lay not in cartoon production, but rather in the intellectual property rights of the works themselves...
Posted @ 2:40 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Graphic novels growing in market share
(Comics Retailing) The numbers are in, and despite a weak fourth quarter the direct distribution network has nonetheless ended 2002 on a decidedly optimistic note. For the details, let's go to ICv2:

"As we predicted last month (see 'Comic Dollars Down Again in November'), the fourth quarter over-all was down (6%) vs. 2001, with a strong graphic novel showing (up 13%) unable to outweigh an 8% drop in periodical comic orders. It's worth noting that despite the decline in Q4 of 2002, Q4 2002 orders remained about 3% above Q4 2000.

"But a weak fourth quarter was unable to drag the total numbers for the year negative. For the first time in nearly a decade, the full year was up a robust 8% over 2001, with a 7% increase in comic orders and a 23% increase in graphic novel orders. That compares to a 3% drop in 2001 vs. 2000, with other drops in market size probably stretching back to 1994 or 1995."

Full charts and figures available at the above link. While 8% growth over the previous year is good news, 23% growth in graphic novel sales over the previous year is interesting news, and speaks of a continuing evolution in the marketplace. Note that these figures only reflect sales in the Direct Sales Market -- that's the comic shops, for those of you just tuning in -- and doesn't include the explosion in sales in mainstream bookstores nationwide. As the cited report notes, the proliferation of new graphic novels and book collections can be attributed to the number of publishers gearing up to produce the kinds of products that sell in this market.
Posted @ 2:40 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Webcomics in the palm of your hand
(Comics on the Internet) The most common complaint skeptics throw at internet comic strips is that you can't take a computer to the bathroom to read on the toilet. Anyone familiar with information technology has long known that this was a temporary setback, of course, and now it's increasingly less of one. With companies like Palm, Dell and Microsoft working furiously to outdo each other in Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) technology, it's time to take a look at the ways that other forms of print media are already finding themselves facing digital competition. Publishers Weekly reports on how medical libraries are turning digital, then goes on to survey the rest of the field:

"Equally unexpected is the success of the PDA platform in trade publishing. Pointing to statistics showing strong sales from Palm, Chris North, v-p, general manager, electronic publishing at HarperCollins, declared, 'PDAs are totally where the market is.' With the new high-contrast, side-lit screens, 'you can have a comfortable, immersive reading experience,' North noted. 'The only problem, like on the flight home from Frankfurt, is that you may run out of battery.'

"Simon & Schuster, Random House, AOL Time Warner and Hyperion are among the publishers making a growing number of front- and backlist titles available as e-books in four formats: Palm, Gemstar, Adobe and Microsoft Reader (which works on the Pocket PC as well). North notes that literary fiction, romance, SF and business titles are all enjoying handheld success. 'There's an interesting debate,' North added, 'as to whether the consumer will ultimately prefer a dedicated device, which is likely to have a larger screen, or a general-purpose device like a Palm, which you carry with you.' "

Right now the only things keeping comics out of the equation are screen size and resolution -- but there are people hard at work on that one, too. Do I really have to tell you it's only a matter of time?
Posted @ 2:40 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Trudeau speaks
(Comic Strips) One of comic strips' most reclusive celebrities, Doonesbury creator Gary Trudeau, breaks his silence for a two-part interview on Ted Koppel's late-night series Up Close. The New York Times has a story on the subject, but it centers more on Koppel than his media-shy guest. For the story on Trudeau, therefore, we turn to The Miami Herald:

" 'I don't do it for the fun of it,' Trudeau said. 'I don't do it to p--- them off. It's never personal. At the risk of sounding like Tony Soprano, it's my job. It's what they pay me to do...'

" 'I'm not paid to be fair... Once you say you may not exaggerate, you may not use hyperbole, you may not stretch the truth -- you take away all these tools, you don't have satire. At the end of the day, you'd just be another boring reporter.' "

The Trudeau interview runs tonight and tomorrow night on most ABC affiliates; check your local listings for times.
Posted @ 2:40 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Abu Abraham dies at 78
(Editorial Cartoons) One of India's most respected editorial cartoonists, Abu Abraham, died yesterday afternoon of a perforated deodenum. Within hours, he had been eulogized by Prime Minister Vajpayee, as well as by professional colleagues. Here's E.P. Unny, speaking in New Indian Express:

"Abu leaves behind a repertoire of caricatures and life studies that approximates to pure art -- from Che Guevera and Castro to Vietnam and the Kerala coast. His was the mastery of the one who could suggest form, flow, light and shade with a measured undulating brush stroke. When he needed to draw that extra line to visualise elaborately, Abu did it in his display cartoons.

"And he did it with a certain finality. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed in your mind and mine will never put aside those ordinances he was signing away and emerge from his presidential bathtub. And Richard Nixon shall forever remain a plaque on the White House wall: 'Richard M. Nixon lied here - 1964-1972'. Abu gave a readership that was getting increasingly distracted striking visual mnemonics."

Abraham began his career in 1946 as a journalist for the Bombay Chronicle, selling cartoons on the side. Becoming increasing renowned for his drawings and caricatures, he moved to England in 1953 and began producing cartoons for such publications as Punch, The Guardian and The Observer (click link for sample). Abraham eventually returned to India, where his keen sense of social justice kept him engaged in the nation's tumultuous politics for the rest of his life.

Abu Abraham is survived by a wife and two children.
Posted @ 2:20 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Jolly Old Thomas Nast
(Comics Events) Morristown, New Jersey is celebrating its most famous son, Thomas Nast, with a gallery exhibition at Macculloch Hall Museum. If you don't know who Nast is, shame on you: he was the preeminent editorial cartoonist of the 19th century, creating such indelible American icons as Uncle Sam, the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey, the Tammany tiger and Santa Claus. Indeed, his portrait of Santa Claus immortalized the artist in more ways than one -- New Jersey's The Record tells the story:

"It does not require much scrutiny to recognize what museum director David Breslauer gladly tells anyone who cares to listen.

" 'This Santa is a self-portrait,' says Breslauer, who cheerfully produces photographs of the master caricaturist.

"Sure enough, the photos disclose all the signs of an inside joke -- the signature white beard, the bushy mustache, the curly hair, and even the pot belly. The disclosure that the acerbic Nast is the prototype for the jolly, sentimental elf provokes laughter, but little surprise, when relayed to the illustrator's professional descendants."

The exhibition runs through January 12, 2003.
Posted @ 2:20 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

A Tart for the holidays
(The Comics Press) It's the beginning of the month, and that means it's time for another issue of the webzine Sequential Tart. Highlights include writer Laurie Anderson's interview with legendary superhero cartoonist Carmine Infantino, Kim De Vries' adventures as a guest lecturer at MIT, a report on last October's IPEX by Trisha L. Sebastian, a lament by comics writer Antony Johnston over the proliferation of nostalgia comics, and much more. The article that intrigued me the most, though, was Adrienne Rappaport's interview with James Sime, owner of San Francisco comics shop Isotope. His advice for comic book retailers is priceless, and the vision he's reported to have realized for his store makes me want to visit the place myself -- how many comic shops do you know that come complete with a bar? My favorite anecdote:

"ST: What's the funniest thing to happen in the store?

"JS: That would have to be the creation of the Isotope's world-famous Comic Rockstars Toilet Seat Museum. Founded by Brian Wood, who in a fit of Budweiser-induced creativity, vandalized the toilet in our bathroom. We were so awed by his artistic genius that the next day it was hack-sawed off the throne and mounted on the store's wall. Other creators were so jealous of this artistic innovation that they created their own toilet seat masterpieces. The exhibit includes works from Darick Robertson, Judd Winick, Rob G., Warren Ellis, and many others."

Sounds like my kind of shop.
Posted @ 2:20 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

The Joy of Seth
(Comic Books) Now this is the kind of "local boy makes good" story I like to see. The Toronto Star highlights a long-overdue feature on Palooka-Ville artist and Ontario native Seth:

"He's a self-acknowledged workaholic, often passing 12 hours a day hunkered over a drafting table in his small basement studio. But much of Seth's time is spent creating editorial illustrations for major newspapers and magazines.

"The commercial work earns a decent paycheque, while Palooka-Ville is his personal obsession. He labours over every detail, hand-lettering every word and aiming to create 'a perfect object.'

" 'An ideal schedule is three issues a year,' says Seth. 'But this year was bad. I was very busy. I was on tour promoting my sketchbook collection. And I got married. It was a whirlwind romance. That always eats up your schedule.' "

The article also notes that his latest graphic novel, Clyde Fans, should be completed and collected sometime in 2004.

My sincerest apologies for the dreadful headline pun.
Posted @ 2:00 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

Sunday Scraps
(Potpourri) Second verse, same as the first. The following is a collection of stories, interviews and tidbits picked up over the last week that I found interesting, but for whatever reason never made their way from my notes to this weblog:

• The Elmwood Park Elm Leaves has seen the future of newspaper strips, and apparently it owes a massive debt to Berke Breathed.

• Mind you, if the future of newspaper strips was written by kamikaze Redneck Manifesto author Jim Goad and illustrated by Glam Warp artist (and former Hate inker) Jim Blanchard, more people would undoubtedly write in and complain. The two creators are collaborating on the ongoing strip "Trucker Fags in Denial", which appears monthly in the Goad-edited, Pacific Northwest sex-ad newspaper Exotic. Editorial content, including the hilariously offensive comic strip, is converted to PDF format and posted to Goad's website -- the just-released December helping can be found here. I'd insert some kind of content warning here, but you're smarter than that, now aren't you?

• I suppose it goes without saying that most readers would be far more comfortable if the future of newspaper comics looked more like Charles Schulz' strip Peanuts. The comic strip has spawned a popular annual display of specially-comissioned statues based on the cartoonist's creations in St. Paul, Minnesota -- the statues, which each year feature a different Peanuts character, are displayed around the downtown area for a time, then auctioned off to raise money for various charities. Collecting statuettes based on comic-book characters has been popular in the shops for some time, of course, but collecting these babies requires a bit more dedication and money.

• When The Cape Cod Times discovered that the villain in Mary Worth was being represented as a local, they wondered about the effect on their town's reputation. So who did they call for an opinion? None other than Cape Cod resident Ned Sonntag, the one-time Marvel artist turned large women's erotic cartoonist, of course. (Thanks to Egon for the tip!)

• Onward to some comic-book links. Funnybook news site The Pulse spotlighted several indy-type comics last week, including Farel Dalrymple's Pop Gun War and Paige Braddock's webtoon-gone-print, Jane's World. Also of note is Chris Pitzer's short take on last September's SPX 2002.

• St. Francis Xavier gets his own comic book. Why should Jack Chick own the market?

• Finally, there's Marvel's new Rawhide Kid mini-series: you can just hear the approaching trainwreck from miles away, can't you?

See you Monday.
Posted @ 2:00 AM by Dirk Deppey | permalink

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