Berndt Toast Gang Meeting April 26, 2007

Above: Detail from a 1980s cartoon map drawn by Bill Hoest showing his creations. The map shows the way to the Hoest home -- or, as it's called, the Hoest Castle, on the Long Island Shore. Bill drew it as a handout to cartoonists who wanted to attend the annual Bunny Bash. Even though the map's over 20 years old, it still works great!

OK, where was I?

So, I drove to Long Island from Brooklyn yesterday. It felt good to get out. I've been working hard this week. I got off on Woodbury Avenue, and I hardly recognized the streets. The trees are in bloom.

Art Cumings, Sy Barry, Sandy Kossin, Mike Lynch

It's the last Thursday of the month and that means it's time for the National Cartoonists Society Long Island Chapter (the "Berndt Toast Gang") to have its monthly lunch. Over thirty cartoonists, their friends and loved ones gathered for shop talk.

Above: a Sandy Kossin illustration.

Sandy Kossin was kind enough to share some of his original illustrations from books and magazines. Sandy has the easy balance between fine art and cartoon in these illustrations.

Detail from the illustration. I love that satisfied expression on the dog!


Don Orehek, Jeff Fisher, Art Cumings

Don has a great cartoon in this month's Playboy mag. It's a wordless, color 2 panel cartoons. It's not, so far as I can tell, online.

Dan Danglo, Marty Macaluso, Tony D'Adamo

I've never told Tony this, but 20 years ago, when I first moved to NYC, I'd hang out at the Associated Press building in Rockefeller Center waiting for my then-girlfriend to get off work. I'd hang out and read Newsday until 1am, when her shift was over. Tony was one of its stable of artists and I always admired his vervy ink line.

Ernie Colon, Greg Fox

Ernie's "one of the most versatile artists ever to work in the comics field. A master of all genres .... " so writes Jon B. Cooke in the forward to an interview with Ernie in Comic Book Artist #19, June 2002.

Greg draws Kyle's Bed & Breakfast. He has a freshly minted blog too. And he always wears a DC Comics t-shirt.

Sandy Kossin, Joe Vissichelli (partially obscured)

I think he's taking it away from Joe until Joe washes his hands.

Bunny Hoest, Helen Murdock-Prep, Jeanine Manheim

Bunny was on her way out when I asked if she would pose, hence the coat and cool shades.