THIS INKING LIFE Preview

This is a sneak preview of the THIS INKING LIFE gallery show. It is pretty much all hung by now, with over 100 original cartoons, comic strips and illustrations. There's a reception on Sunday afternoon at 4pm at the gallery, the Great Neck Arts Center, and most of the cartoonists will be there. Here are a few selected photos of this large exhibit of original cartoon art.

Above: this is what you see as you walk in: Ray Alma, Stan Goldberg, Mort Drucker, Joe Giella, Hy Eisman and (you can only see the edge) Brian Fies.

Click on any of these for a larger version.


Above: a closer shot of Brian Fies' work. Brian is the author of the award winning graphic novel "Mom's Cancer." Here he lays out the graphic novel whole process: the rough (bottom left, complete with copious scribbly notes to himself), the finished art, and the published result. This is one of those you can stand in front of for a while. This is the only place in the world where you can see Brian's work and I got such a kick out of him sharing his work with us.

Here's one of my favorites titled "You Wish" by Kim Warp. Under each of the three household devices is written: "Washer," "Dryer," "Folder." This cartoon originally appeared in the New Yorker.

And next to Kim's are ...


... a couple of mine, above, from Reader's Digest and Barron's. I framed the original and the published version. Brian Fies copied me. I had the idea first. Really I did!


A rare piece of Joe Edwards' original work. Joe created and drew every Lil Jinx story in Archie. And he was, as he says, there at the beginning -- when Bob Montana created Archie, Jughead and the Riverdale gang.

A stunning page by Frank Springer, above. He's worked in everything from syndicated strips, comics, to National Lampoon. Frank also has an original painting on display.

Above, Bill Kresse's verve and color add to the show. A lot of people grew up with Bill's "Super Duper" strip which ran in the NY Daily News.

Irwin Hasen's Dondi. Some breezy brush work in Dondi, which ran from 1955 to 1986. The National Cartoonists Society Division Award was awarded to Dondi twice for "Best Story Strip," in 1961 and 1962.

One of several stunning Mort Drucker originals on display. There are a couple of color ones too. This is a gatefold homage to Star Trek, showing a mountain of caricatures. Another page where you stand and look and look.

Above, some of Stephanie Piro's work. I love her inky style. The giant foot going "THWAK!" makes me smile!

Joe Giella contributes a Mary Worth Sunday. He also has a Batman and Robin portrait just as you enter. Joe's work is featured on the new series of US Postal Service DC Super Hero stamps.

Dan Danglo lets us peek in on his style with these pencils. Dan says jokingly that he attended the "University of Terrytoons," where he storyboarded many cartoons, including Felix the Cat.

Above, Benita Epstein's distinctive color magazine cartoon work. I remember laughing out loud at the one on the left when I first saw it.

Another rarity: an original Millie the Model cover by Stan Goldberg.

Above, gag cartoonist Mark Anderson shows us his process; from original to published final version. Stop copying my idea, Mark Anderson! Mark is flying down from his Chicago studio to be part of the September 16th panel. More about the panels here.


Some big Nancy Sundays, brought all the way over from Simsbury, Connecticut, far beyond the Long Island Sound, courtesy of Brad & Guy Gilchrist. Guy helms the Guy Gilchrist's Cartoonist's Academy where you "Learn Cartooning from the Professionals."

And I'm not even mentioning Lee Ames, Isabella Bannerman, Sy Barry, Howard Beckerman, Ray Billingsley, John Caldwell, Dave Carpenter, Art Cumings, Tony D'Adamo, Nick Downes, Bunny Hoest, Sandy Kossin, Robert Leighton, Arnie Levin, Sho Murase, Tony Murphy, Sam Norkin, Don Orehek, Rina Piccolo, John Reiner, Al Scaduto, Adrian Sinnott, Emilio Squeglio, Carla Ventresca, Rick Stromoski, Mort Walker, Dan Piraro --well -- you get the idea! This will be a fun show. It runs until October 1, 2006.

And don't forget that next month there will be a couple of meet-the-cartoonist panels. I hope that these will be good opportunities to meet some real pros and be able to ask them questions. See previous blog post for who will be there and the times.