Mike's New Minicomics for Sale

Above: one of the stories from the Sketchbook.

As you know, there are now 3 books of my cartoons you can now order. See the upper right corner for a photo of them. Happen to click, and you will see it's easy to order.

There are 2 minicomics full of gag cartoons, as well as the Sketchbook, which has pen & wash pictures & cartoon stories.

Canadian orders for all 3 are $11.50. European orders are $12.50. Just use my email address to Paypal the money: fatcats3@gmail.com

Video: Thomas Nast Jug

A video of a photo of a jug commemorating Thomas Nast's destruction of Boss Tweed and the Tammany Hall gang.



This is the full text, from the New-York Historical Society:

The swirling mass of snakes and heads on this jug represent an important cast of characters in New York City's political history ... the Boss Tweed gang. The coiled snake on top is the handle for the jugs stopper. The Anna Pottery Company of Illinois made this as a thank you gift for Thomas Nast, a famous political cartoonist of the 1860s and 70s. Nast had used his cartoons to attack the massive misappropriation of public funds by Boss Tweed and his henchmen, who controlled the political machine known as Tammany Hall. Tweed is the bearded head without glasses, and most of the other heads are his associates. Also notice the behinds of all the Tammany Hall members trying to climb into the pot of money and power. A lot of people knew about Tweeds corruption, but it was Nast's cartoons in Harper's Weekly that finally aroused the public, the newspapers, and government officials to arrest Tweed and send him to prison. The pottery makers also added their hero Nast to the jug. He's the highest head on the jug, the one not attached to a snake's body. Today political cartoonists still see Thomas Nast's cartoons as the gold standard for their profession. And this sculpture stands as a testament to the power of artistic expression.

Maira Kalman: At Ease

Maira Kalman has a Memorial Day blog entry at the NY Times. I love her work more and more. More than mere reporting, it's a personal exploration of modern military, and part meditation on the kind of dedicated life soldiers and their families live.

Hat tip to Juana Medina!

The Comics Still Sell

It's funny --- not funny ha-ha, but funny weird -- that papers will cut comic strips, but those same papers will use these canceled print comics to promote their own Web traffic.

Case in point: today's Oregonian front page, featuring Curtis and Zits, reminds readers that there are five dozen comics waiting for them if they put down their print newspaper and get on the Internet.



The Oregonian reduced its Sunday comics section in 2008 and initiated a poll earlier this year to chop ten more comic strips from its print edition.

According to the TCJ Web chat board, the response to the proposed comic strip cuts was overwhelmingly negative, so the editors kept them.

Terry Beatty's THE PHONY PAGES #2

Here is the second and final issue of the comic book mini-series THE PHONY PAGES. The first issue is here.



Terry Beatty originally created these "Phony Pages" parodies of comic books, for Alan Light's Buyer's Guide for Comics Fandom.

In June 1986, Publisher Deni Loubert of Renegade Press, put some of these together in THE PHONY PAGES comic book.

Video: Craig Ferguson Shatner Sketch

It's common knowledge that William Shatner was not in the new STAR TREK movie. Here's a May 21, 2009 sketch from THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON with Craig Ferguson himself doing an intentionally dreadful Shatner impression. My pal, writer and performer for LATE LATE John Reynolds, is the security guard in the bit.

$1.99 Cartoon Book Sale

I have some cartoon books for sale on eBay.



Clearing a lot of books out this week and next.

Writing a Continuity Comic Strip

Above: it starts out like this ...


Margaret Shulock talks about What Writing A Continuity Strip Looks Like in The Six Chix blog.

She's the writer for King Features' Apartment 3-G newspaper comic strip. The one and only Frank Bolle draws the strip.



Above: ... and ends up looking like this. Copyright 2008 North America Syndicate.

You're All Invited to Brian Fies' Saturday Night Book Launch Party

Graphic novelist and my dear pal Brian Fies' new book WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW? is scheduled to be released by Abrams next week. Brian is having a cyber-book launch party this Saturday and we can all attend.

"Nothing you can imagine doing this Saturday night could possibly be more interesting and fun than attending an online virtual launch party to celebrate the upcoming release of Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow! Nothing! Why, there'll be talking, and reading, and drawing, and . . . more talking. Exciting prizes. Plus a Special Guest who actually hasn't cancelled yet!"

We get to poke around his studio with him and learn about the process of making WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW? It's all here at The Fies Files.

Today's Inspiration: National Cartoonists Society Luminaries

Sorry I am late on this.

If you enjoy illustration, then you probably already know about my pal Leif Peng's Today's Inspiration blog. All last week, in the days counting down to the Reubens weekend, he showcased five National Cartoonists Society Luminaries. Please take a look at some of the wonderful art and bios of these wonderful cartoonists and illustrators:

John Romita, Sr.

Paul Fung, Jr.

George Evans

Jack Kent

Frank Springer

Cartoon Perennials

Royston Robertson writes about cartoons that just keep going. His leopard cartoon was, once again, chosen to publicize last month's Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival.

The funny thing about being funny for a living is that you don't get to choose what people remember you for. If you are a cartoonist and people love your cartoons, they will pick their favorites and that's that. You have no say about what "cartoon perennials" you'll be known for.

New Mike Lynch Cartoons Books

Hey! Did you get a chance to buy my new books of cartoons??


Above are three minicomics that are available for purchase.

There are two minicomics, full of magazine cartoons, and the Sketchbook, a pen & wash travel diary with lots of true life stories.

Canadian orders for all 3 are $11.50. European orders are $12.50. Just use my email address to Paypal the money: fatcats3@gmail.com


ANIMAL CARTOONS by Mike Lynch

ANIMAL CARTOONS by Mike Lynch $2.95 each plus $1 postage & handling in the United States. 28 pages, 4"x5", full color covers, B&W interior

BUSINESS CARTOONS by Mike Lynch

BUSINESS CARTOONS by Mike Lynch $2.95 each plus $1 postage & handling in the United States. 28 pages, 4"x4", full color covers, B&W interior

SKETCHBOOK by Mike Lynch

SKETCHBOOK by Mike Lynch $2.95 each plus $1 postage & handling in the United States. True-life comics and sketches. 24 pages, 8.5"x5.5", B&W interior

ALL THREE MINICOMICS by Mike Lynch

ALL THREE MINICOMICS by Mike Lynch $7.50 for all three books plus $2.50 postage & handling in the United States

VIEW CART

Wordless Cartoons by Mike Lynch

Here's a small selection of wordless cartoons that I've drawn.

Since I am what's called a "single panel gag cartoonist," the final product -- the gag cartoon -- has to do its work on a reader within 2 or 3 seconds. If you don't "get it" in less than 5 seconds, I haven't succeeded.




Above: this was drawn when there was a movement to allow cell phones on planes. The only solid black things here are the cell phones themselves, all in a left to right row. This one was held by a couple markets because it was funny, but no buys. My guess is that the cartoon worked within that 2 or 3 second timeframe. But, joking about weapons in planes is a no no.



Above: a silent 3 panels. Click to supersize to see that's a tic tac toe game in the last drawing.



Wordless cartoons are the most difficult. They have to focus on universally understood behavior. Above: unless you know about that plane with the shark teeth on it from WWII, then the reference is lost.

Above: I remember drawing this very fast to get it out in time.



Above: a snowblower cartoon. When I bought my first snowblower last year, I started drawing snowblower cartoons. Click to supersize this wordless cartoon.


Above: sweet little old lady sweater v. hip guy tattoo.


Oh hai! NYC trashed all of its "DON'T WALK" signs for the white hand/red hand universal signs a couple of years ago, so this came to mind.



I like drawing dogs with those simpy smiles on their faces. My mother always said, about our dear, sweet, beloved family dog Max, He may be dumb, but he's sneaky!
Above: a subverted juxtaposition cartoon. This is more of a smile than a chuckle.


Above: an old joke. If I was to put a word here, I would have the bird crying, "Mama!"

This is an edited version of a previous September 18, 2008 blog entry.

National Cartoonists Society Award Winners

Below are the winners of the NCS Awards as announced last night at the 63rd annual National Cartoonists Society Reubens dinner. The black tie event was presided over by Mike Luckovich.

List of Award Nominees here.

And the winners are:

2008 REUBEN AWARD
Dave Coverly

2008 NCS Division Award Winners:

TELEVISION ANIMATION
Sandra Equihua and Jorge Gutierrez - Creators - "El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera"

FEATURE ANIMATION
Nicolas Marlet - Character Designer - "Kung Fu Panda"

NEWSPAPER ILLUSTRATION
Mark Marturello

GAG CARTOONS
Mort Gerberg

GREETING CARDS
Jem Sullivan

NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIPS
Mark Tatulli - "Lio"

NEWSPAPER PANEL CARTOONS
Mark Parisi "Off the Mark"

MAGAZINE FEATURE/MAGAZINE ILLUSTRATION
Sam Viviano

BOOK ILLUSTRATION
Mike Lester COOL DADDY RAT

EDITORIAL CARTOONS
Michael Ramirez

ADVERTISING ILLUSTRATION
Craig McKay

COMIC BOOKS
Cyril Pedrosa THREE SHADOWS

There were 5 awards of recognition:

Silver T-Square
Jeff Bacon

Silver T-Square
James Kemsley

Gold Key Award
Bil Keane

Gold Key Award
Mell Lazarus

Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship Award Winner
Chris Houghton

Congratulations to all!

The 2008 NCS Reuben Awards

Above: Saturday's NON SEQUITUR by my Maine neighbor Wiley Miller. Copyright 2009 Wiley Ink, Inc.

MAD caricaturist and spanking new National Cartoonists Society Board member Tom Richmond is live-blogging tonight's Reuben Awards in Hollywood, CA just about now ....

Complete list of this year's nominees for the Reuben Award and the NCS Division Awards here.

British STAR TREK Comic Covers Circa Late 1960s

From good ol' Bully's Comics Oughta be Fun blog, here's a collection of painted covers from seldom seen (at least here in the US) painted art from the biweekly mags JOE 90 and TV 21. The interior comics were the Gold Key comics.

Hat tip to Comics Reporter!

Related: Shaenon Garrity rates the TREK movie villains!

And don't forget this related linky: A Guide to Gold Key STAR TREK Comics.

LA Times: Comic strip artists feeling the squeeze

Above: La Cucaracha's Lalo Alcarez gives us "Overheard Last Night at the Cartoonists Convention." © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate.

Yvonne Villarreal writes in today's LA Times about this weekend's National Cartoonists Society annual get together of professional cartoonists in California. The weekend's highlight is the Reuben Awards dinner, a black tie event held on Saturday night. This ongoing, celebratory gathering of professional cartoonists, most of whom are syndicated newspaper comic strip creators, has its dark cloud hanging over the affair.

To quote Lalo Alcaraz, "We're going to hell in a handbasket."

The entire article is here.

Gag Cartoons: Rejection and Validation

Thanks as ever for all of the orders for my new cartoon books. You can get all three of them for $10 postpaid in the US. I have been getting a stream of orders ever since I posted my BUY MY BOOKS entry.


Above: "12 Things I Was Told in 2008 That I Don't Wanna Hear in 2009," which is in the Mike Lynch Sketchbook now avaialble to order.

Quitting my day job -- which was years ago now -- required a leap of faith. I didn't know a soul in the pro cartoonists "industry" when I started out.

My routine -- then and now -- I'd draw up 20-30 cartoons a week in my apartment, throw half of them away and then mail out the good stuff to the art director listed in the masthead of the magazine or newspaper I had targeted. Every week I would do the same. It was not always that "creative," it was not "fun," but it was something that I thought I had a knack for.

And it was hard work. It took many months before I got my first sale; first one was to The National Review, then Wall Street Journal, then more ....

A couple of years later, I was making regular, weekly visits to The New Yorker offices.

"Did you ever think you'd get to your hundredth cartoon?" asked Bob Mankoff, leaning back in his chair. I was in his office, on one of those "look days," when invited cartoonists are allowed past the Conde Nast security phalanx, and get to sit down with The New Yorker's Cartoon Editor. Bob was holding one of my cartoons, staring at a small, penciled 4-digit number in the corner. I think I had drawn under a thousand cartoons at that point. Anyway, that penciled number was probably in the 500-700 range.

"Well, I knew I had ideas for maybe a dozen cartoons the first week I started drawing single panel gag cartoons, but that second week ... well, that was harder. And it's not gotten easier."

My visit with him ended like so many other visits to the New Yorker; with him holding some of my cartoons and saying, "Come back next week."

And so I do. But so far, no sales at The New Yorker.

But my work sells to other markets, and so that's good.

I've always thought that my stuff sells because it's funny. I think that because there is no other reason to buy, right? That's what the editors want. Why would an editor buy without an eye to content?

Then again, I just got 15 cartoons rejected today -- 15 real good, rejected, homeless, non-money-making cartoons. Heck, one of them should have sold. At least one!!!

"How do you know for sure," asked a student cartoonist,"that they're even looking at your submissions?"

Well, you don't know. You just have to depend on the kindness of strangers, and have faith that your good work -- like the fizz of a Guinness -- will float to the top. It's that same faith that all will work out okay in the end.

(Photo top: Our Sam the cat poses next to a couple of submissions packages to be mailed this day.)


Above: one of the three Mike Lynch Cartoon books available to order.

This is an edited version of a blog entry from February 2, 2007.

Buy Mike Lynch Cartoons Books

Hey! Did you get a chance to buy my new books at the Maine Comics Arts Fest? No???

No worries. Now you can get them mailed to your home!


Above are three minicomics that are available for purchase. I have two full of magazine cartoons and the Sketchbook, a travel diary.


ANIMAL CARTOONS by Mike Lynch

ANIMAL CARTOONS by Mike Lynch $2.95 each plus $1 postage & handling in the United States. 28 pages, 4"x5", full color covers, B&W interior

BUSINESS CARTOONS by Mike Lynch

BUSINESS CARTOONS by Mike Lynch $2.95 each plus $1 postage & handling in the United States. 28 pages, 4"x4", full color covers, B&W interior

SKETCHBOOK by Mike Lynch

SKETCHBOOK by Mike Lynch $2.95 each plus $1 postage & handling in the United States. True-life comics and sketches. 24 pages, 8.5"x5.5", B&W interior

ALL THREE MINICOMICS by Mike Lynch

ALL THREE MINICOMICS by Mike Lynch $7.50 for all three books plus $2.50 postage & handling in the United States

VIEW CART

Stephanie Piro Made a Giant Shoe

Above: Stephanie Piro and her until-recent big secret project. Her note to us, "ignore messy house due to great excuse of giant shoe in living room!"

Rochester, NH was a shoe factory town. Rochester was famous for being a shoe factory town. Now, the factory is closed. Art Esprit, a local arts group, will commemorate the town's history by creating

"... 10 enormous pieces of footwear - a dancing pump, a sneaker, a boot - and lower them onto prominent downtown spots as a reminder of Rochester’s shoe manufacturing past, and as a tourist attraction to rival Lake Winnipesaukee and the White Mountains. They will be made from concrete, and heavy enough not to be dragged away and dumped into the Cocheco by a ne’er-do-well faction of the citizenry."

- John Nolan, Poets who matter: No. 19 – Mr. Ramgunshoch

Stephanie Piro is one of the artists (and the only cartoonist) involved. She has the whole story here.


Thanks to Rod McKie for the heads up! Thanks, Rod!

Report: Maine Comic Arts Festival May 17, 2009

Above: my friends Meghan and Brian Moore, with their son (attired in a lovely, striped CMYK sweater) enjoyed the Festival. It was great seeing you guys!

Just like all politics is local, all cartoon events are localized around, obviously, me. I can't give you an overview of the Maine Comics Arts Festival except to say that I thought it was busy and friendly and well-attended. This was the same feeling I got from last year's Small Press Expo. A good thing in these economic free-fall sorta times, huh?!


Above: Look! Heidi MacDonald, from Publisher's Weekly's THE BEAT, dropped in to catch all of the comics goodness at MECAF.

From opening until closing, I had a steady stream of people dropping by the table I shared with John Klossner. It was great to hang out with him and Juana Medina, who drove all the way up from RISD.



I talked to a lot of other people who were selling their comics at the tables, and some felt they did well and others did not. I heard that one cartoonist sold out.

The crowd, as well as the participating artists and writers, skewed from their 20s to their 30s. There were a lot of families attending. What I saw: attendees -- families, couples, fellow creators -- would come over to a table and pause to at least look. And I don't mean they just slowed down. I mean they actually stopped and to see what was on the table. Most everyone said they were walking around all of the tables more than once to take in everything.


Above: "Kubby" and my friend Jeff Lok shared a table.

Aside from having a table and selling some of my own mini comics (more on those later), I moderated one of a series of afternoon panels.

The comic strip cartoonist panel went well. "Surviving as a Print Cartoonist" was the title and the panel was comprised of syndicated cartoonists Norm Feuti, Corey Pandolph and Lincoln Peirce, with me, Mike Lynch, moderating. Despite opening on a black cloud Joe Btfsplk note of gloom about the decline of newspapers, they all agreed on writing cartoons that make you, the cartoonist, laugh, is the only way to go. Countering the decline of the traditional print syndication model, all of these syndicated cartoonists have a Web presence.

I still believe that people love cartoons. We must have had 40-50 people in the audience, but more kept trickling in and the size about doubled by the end. Questions from the audience were welcomed.

"How do you deal with rejection?" was one of them. Unfortunaltely, it's par for the course. I mean, Chester Gould was rejected on about 100 other comic strip ideas before DICK TRACY was sold to a syndicate.

Guessing what editors like is a no-win, added Lincoln.

Here's Mike Peterson at his Nellie Blog, offering his take on the event.

"They weren't trying to discourage people from giving it a try, and Mike, who works with editors regularly as a freelancer, did a nice job of directing the conversation into helpful areas and adding his own advice, but there just isn't that much positive vibe to share, and it was a somewhat grim presentation.

"What saved it was this: Towards the end, they got away from nuts-and-bolts and began talking more about how, discouraging as the prospects are, it's still something they want to do. Hard as he scrambles to make a living, Corey said, 'I still can't believe I get paid to do this,' and both Norm and Lincoln delivered variations on that same theme."

The rest is at his blog. Thanks, Mike.


Above: "I Stayed Up All Night Drawing Comics, And So Can YOU!" 24 Hour Comics: A Reading and Super-Fast Demo with Marek Bennett.

It was great to visit with Marek, Joe Staton, Bill Woodman, Wiley Miller and so many other of my friends and colleagues who spent part of the partly-cloudy Portland, ME Sunday afternoon at the Festival.


Above: the syndicated cartoonists and their table: Corey Pandolph, Lincoln Peirce and Norm Feuti.

Maine Comics Arts Festival: Who Will Be There

OK, I'll be there, along with nearly six dozen other talented cartoonists and writers.

Below is a complete alphabetical, linked list to date of the MECAF comic artists and writers.











American Stronghold - Jeff Lok, Dane Martin
& barekpublishing












Atomic Pulp - Christopher Mills













Gabrielle Bell













Marek Bennett








Ben Bishop














The Boston Comics Roundtable











Jon Chad














Robyn Chapman













Becky Cloonan




Corbett Features - Barry Corbett and Brian Codagnone













Michael Connor













Sam Costello





Dandelion Studios - Rick Silva & Gynn Stella Silva













Alexander Danner













Nate Doyle







Franklin Einspruch











Austin English













Faux-Pas Industries (Sam Gaskin and Dane Martin)












Norm Feuti












Chuck Forsman









Colleen Frakes












Free Lunch Comics - Matt Ryan, Steve Kanaras
& Steve Kuster







Zack Giallongo











Chris Giarrusso












Sarah Glidden













Mark Gonyea













Alex Irvine













David Jacobson












John Klossner













Lucy Knisley













Cathy Leamy





Mike Lynch













Dan Mazur












Juana Medina












Dave Naybor












On the Fly Publications - Dan Fleming and Chris Beckett













Jennifer Omand












Corey “Fake Rockstar” Pandolph















Lincoln Peirce








Jeff Pert













Morgan Pielli












Jay Piscopo







Joe Quinones






Mark Ricketts












Joel Rivers













Aya Rothwell












Sarah Searle












Anne Sibley O'Brien












Christina Siravo












Kean Soo













Joe Staton












Matt Talbot












Trees and Hills Comics Group













The Underburbs - Joe Haley and T.J. Dort








Jen Vaughn













Maris Wicks












Julia Wertz

More MECAF Guests UPDATED

UPDATED to add 3 more guests.

This Sunday, May 17, is the Maine Comics Arts Festival. It's held in downtown Portland, Maine from 10am intil 5pm. Admission is $5; kids under 12 are free. There is a day-long list of panels and workshops here.

Here are a few more cartoonist-attendees and guests that will be attending, which brings the total to seventy one:










Jon Chad













Robyn Chapman













Norm Feuti












Alex Irvine













Morgan Pielli















Anne Sibley O'Brien





Joe Quinones













Corey “Fake Rockstar” Pandolph















Lincoln Peirce















Maris Wicks

Frank Chimero: Jailbirds for Good Magazine

I really enjoyed Frank Chimero's video on the rise of prisons in the US. This shows what a talented visual artist can do.

Above screen shot from video is copyright 2009 by Frank Chimero.

Hat tip to Juana Medina!

Mike Lynch Cartoon in May 12, 2009 Wall Street Journal

Above is a cartoon I wrote and drew that appears in today's edition of the Wall Street Journal.

This kind of cartoon is, if you don't mind me sounding all hubris-y, the kind of cartoon I like. The parody is pretty close to the truth. As a small business myself, I share the sentiment. I wonder if this is something that was said by more than a few people out there in business meetings over the past six months?

Hat tip to my friend Gregory Kogan for letting me know that my cartoon was in the WSJ today. Thanks, Gregory!

The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, Bone, and the Changing Face of Comics

Did you know there's a documentary about Jeff Smith and BONE? It's called The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, Bone, and the Changing Face of Comics. The movie premieres Friday, May 22, 2009 at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio. Here's the trailer:



More here.

Chad Carpenter: The Price of Fame

1987 S. Gross Interview

Here's a good interview with Sam Gross from SPLAT #1, February 1987, published by Mad Dog Graphics and copyright 1987 Strnad Publishing.


SPLAT, a short lived comic from the B&W explosion of the late 1980s, was a collection of comics by such names as Jim Van Hise & Ron Wilber, Peter Bagge, Glenn Dakin, J.R. Williams, Phil Elliot, Hunt Emerson and others.

Mother's Day Cartoons

Happy Mother's Day. Here are some mother-oriented cartoons. Above: an Oprah cartoon. I have been able to sell Oprah-critical cartoons more and more in the past five years. Before that, you couldn't criticize her.


There is a lot of scholarship and knowledge in reading those labels. There should just be a "this will make you fat" aisle.




Spelling out you mom's name in toast (of courser, her name is "mom") is something I would have done as a kid.

Being a parent today is especially challenging.




Above: some tough-love city bird parents.

Above: the most reprinted Mom cartoon I ever drew.

Jean Van Hamme Can't Find Worthy Successor To Provide Words for Graphic Novels

Legendary Belgian comics writer Jean Van Hamme is retiring. Who will write the great future comics in Belgium? WSJ has the story.

A wonderful peek into the country's comic culture:

"Belgium is so comic-crazy that the books are published in hardcover, printed in rich colors on glossy paper and sell for about $15 apiece. Publishers churned out more than 4,000 new titles last year. Museums and art-school curricula are devoted to comics. Around Brussels, murals of comic-book characters adorn 37 buildings. A towering picture of Tintin, Belgium's most famous cartoon, greets train travelers arriving from Paris and London. Brussels officials Thursday unveiled what they said is the world's largest comic, a 69-by-105-feet reproduction of one page from a Tintin adventure, amid celebrations marking 2009 as the city's 'year of the comic strip.'"

CARTOONIST AND GAGWRITERS' PRO MAGAZINE November 1962

Here is the complete November 1962 CARTOONIST AND GAGWRITERS' PRO MAGAZINE, Vol. III, No. 2. This "prozine" sold for 90 cents and was edited by the late, great Arnold Wagner. Aimed at the working freelance gag cartoonist, the monthly mag had articles on magazine markets, cartoon schools, problem markets (see "New York Briefs" by Tom Blair), technical tips, what magazines are looking for what kind of gag cartoons, new cartoon books, and a page (pulled from Writer's Market magazine?) of markets. There are 2 markets that the previous owner neatly exacto-knifed out.

This magazine is available for a starting bid of $1.99 with free US shipping over at my eBay store.

It's Like They're Not Even Trying

Not a cartoon; it's real life. Above is a sign at a local used car dealership that I saw today.

Malcolm Evans Paints a Giant Cartoon for Greenpeace

New Zealand cartoonist Malcolm Evans paints, with a New Orleans jazz music background, a large editorial cartoon for Greenpeace.

THE WEEKEND BOOK OF JOKES No. 22

My pal and fellow gag cartoonist Rod McKie scans in many gag cartoons from THE WEEKEND BOOK OF JOKES.

"This is a bunch of pages from Weekend No.22 which features a range of great cartoonists, a surprising amount of whom are still with us and still producing great cartoons."

There are lots of great cartoons and some commentary from Rod on the book. This is very helpful to people like me whose knowledge of British cartooning is limited to Ffolkes, Emmett, J.W. Taylor and the Punch Magazine crowd. Go look!

Ward Sutton's THE SHATNER MENAGERIE

Ward Sutton keeps it real in his THE SHATNER MENAGERIE for the Village Voice.

A big tip of the hat to Tom Tomorrow!

Jim Benton Video

Here's a short video interview of Jim (Happy Bunny, Franny K. Stein, Dear Dumb Diary, etc.) Benton from Simon & Schuster.

History of the Jughead Hat

I'm Learning to Share has everything you would want to know about that weird hat that Jughead wears.

H/t to Comics Reporter!

And a belated happy birthday to the number one Archie artist (and my friend), Stan Goldberg!

Cartoonists Kills the Conversation

Sometimes I tell people that I draw cartoons for a living and other times I try to keep my mouth shut; the latter being the wiser course. Do you know what I'm talking about? Sometimes telling people what I do for a living kills the conversation. Sam Gross, tired of explaining the strange business of cartooning, will tell people he's in dry cleaning. Smart man, that Sam Gross!

Case in point, the other day, at the deli counter ... a total disconnect:

Graham Annable's "The Children of the Night and Their Dad" Prints at TECAF

I really like these prints of a family of vampire kids and their caring Dad that Graham Annable is selling at this weekend's Toronto Comic Arts Fest. If I was going, I'd but them for sure!

Hat tip to Ward Jenkins!

Cartoonists Day

I forgot that today is Cartoonists Day. This is the magical day when everyone who is not a cartoonist bows and scrapes before those who are. Editors fear us, women cannot resist our charms, all cartoons we draw today are drawn well and are funny and sell. In the evening, I get together with Percy Crosby for a saddle of beer, and then we drive over to Walt & Selby Kelly's house to raid his liquor cabinet. Plus, I wake up tomorrow morning without a hangover. Ah. Magical!

I forgot all about Cartoonists Day, but Richard Thompson did not.

B. TOBEY OF THE NEW YORKER

Barney Tobey, a contract cartoonist for The New Yorker, had over 1,200 cartoons published in the magazine. When he was in his 20s, he sent in 3 cover ideas to The New Yorker magazine. To his pleasant surprise, they sold. That was a turning point. Mr. Tobey walked out of his BBD&O advertising agency job to become a full-time cartoonist freelancer.

Mr. Tobey (1906-1989) shares his sketchbook with us in B. TOBEY OF THE NEW YORKER, an oversized hardcover published by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. and copyright 1983 by Barney Tobey.

Below are his words, his sketchbook pages and then, the final cartoon finish, for two of Mr. Tobey's cartoons, taken from the appendix of the book.

THE MAKING OF A CARTOON - I







THE MAKING OF A CARTOON - II





Cartooning may look like it just easelessly drips out of the cartoonist's hand like a leaky creative faucet, but here is a peek at the time, the writing, the rewriting, the missteps, the hard labor — that all go into making the end result look effortless.

April 30, 2009 Berndt Toast Gang Lunch

Mike Lynch and Joe Giella



Art Cumings, Mike Lynch and Stan Goldberg.


Greg Fox, Chari Pere and Mike Lynch



Stan Goldberg and Sy Barry


Adrian Sinnott and Stan Goldberg

Bunny Hoest and Chari Pere

National Cartoonists Society: April 29, 2009 Metro NYC Dinner

Jim Salicrup and Mike Lynch


Rina Piccolo and Flash Rosenberg


"Ruben Bolling," Mike Lynch and Marc Bilgrey

Jermaine, Matthew Moss, Derek Mainhart and Doug Bratton.


Ed Steckley and Trade Loeffler.

Hello to Sam Viviano and Bobby Timony who ran off into the night before the camera started clicking.

Art student's car vanishing act

Sara Watson took three weeks to transform the car.

A University of Central Lancashire (Uclan) design student made a battered old Skoda "disappear" by painting it to merge with the surrounding car park.

BBC News has the story.

To be a good artist, or a good cartoonist, you need to come up with good ideas. I'd say Sara is one to watch.