RACONTEUR #3 Preview

The third issue of RACONTEUR is out and, boy howdy, it's another good one!

RACONTEUR is the comic by "cartoonists who usually don't do this kind of thing." The third issue of RACONTEUR has autobiographical stories put together by people who usually draw those single panel gag cartoons in The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, Down East Magazine, Reader's Digest, etc.



David Jacobson writes about his life in NYC. My favorite part: David really cheeses off Leonard Nimoy.



John Klossner shares a horrible true tale about a professional caricature gig that goes really wrong. Warning: there's some verbal abuse of a cartoonist.



Mike Lynch writes about being a kid in the frozen wastes of "snirt" in Moorhead, MN ... and the ghost in his basement!



Jeff Pert talks frankly and humorously about his not-so-funny bout with cancer.

I'm sending out fresh copies next week --

Ship To ...

USA Address $5.99 USD Rest of World $9.99 USD

See You in Cambridge, MA

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EDIT: Can't be in Cambridge? You can order RACONTEUR #3 (that's the third one on the right) below:

Ship To ...

USA Address $5.99 USD    Rest of World $9.99 USD

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I'll be at the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) in Cambridge, MA all day Saturday, September 29, 2012.

MICE is "an event dedicated to independent and alternative comics, webcomics and ‘zines."

I'll be there with my friend and fellow RACONTEUR cartoonist John Klossner.  We will have all of the issues of RACONTEUR (including the sold out issues one and two -- and the brand new #3 with my cover drawing -- Oo la la) and other items for sale. Drop in if you're in the area. Admission is free (so you'll have more money to spend on comics).

Famous Robots

Via Nostalgia Comics: here's a great visual: Famous Robots of the movies, TV and comics.

Can you name them? I only got 21 out pf the thirty of 'em.

I would like to credit the creator, but can't find any information.

Comics and the 1950s Suburbs

Stony Brook, NY: On October 21, I'm giving a presentation about comics and cartoons in the 1950s at the Long Island Museum.

The event is at 2pm and is free with regular museum admission.

What with the comic book hearings and the golden age of gag cartoons, the 1950s has a lot of cartoon history. Please drop in and say hello if you are in the area.

Academy for Mystic Arts: Become a Witch!

Problems with your beau? Cast a danged spell on the boy! That'll mind him!

A 1973 Academy for Mystic Arts advertisement from the August issue of Amazing Science Fiction.

Via Weird Universe.

TEENSVILLE U.S.A. Edited by Lawrence Lariar Part 3

Another sampling of gag cartoons from the book TEENSVILLE U.S.A. It was edited and is copyright 1959 by Lawrence Lariar, and published by Dodd, Mead.

Part one
Part two

TEENSVILLE U.S.A. Edited by Lawrence Lariar Part 2

Here are some gag cartoons, fresh from 1959, culled from the book TEENSVILLE U.S.A. Published by Dodd, Mead, the book was edited and copyright that year by Lawrence Lariar.

Part one is here.

Want more? Part one is here.

Your Cartoon Business

When you draw gag cartoons, you usually work several months in advance.

For instance, today it's just beginning to feel like fall and an editor has asked for cartoons about the snowy winter holidays.

Above: I have an old habit of jotting down my list of cartoon submissions with their number and then a brief description. I don't HAVE to jot this down on paper, but I do. My writing is messy because I am the only one who will read this.

When I draw a cartoon, I scan it and save it as a sequential number. I keep a description of the cartoon in a database. The database also has information on when a cartoon was sent to a client and what happened. If it was sold, then I note that. If I hear nothing back after 30 days, I assume it's been turned down and it gets sent to another client.

Now, in addition to this, I am doing other work: soliciting illustration work, pitching other projects, etc.

One of the important things about cartooning is to keep moving: keep your work out there! For instance, if you are my friend on Twitter or Facebook, you got to see a page I drew from RACONTEUR #3. No one else saw this and I haven't posted it here on the blog. The more eyes look at what I do, the more will be interested in buying my comic or hiring me to draw a cartoon or illustration.

This is by way of a long introduction to Mark Anderson's blog today, which has an indispensable entry about the cartoonist and self-promotion. Mark explains it all, and better than I can.

Keep drawing!

Portland Press Herald Profile: Mort Todd

Above: one of Mort Todd's controversial local TV commercials for NOSH Kitchen Bar.

The Portland Press Herald interviews cartoonist Mort Todd, who, after living in NYC for many years, has returned to his native Maine. What is Mort doing there? Everything. He's doing murals, his own local comics publication, local TV commercials -- the man is a one man media producing machine.

"A lot of people when they first meet me ask, 'What do you do?' and my response is kind of, 'Geesh, depends on the time of day'," Todd said.

He's not afraid of controversy.

While most local TV commercials are either easy to ignore or very direct ("The Furniture Superstore! The Furniture Superstore!"), the Nosh commercial stirred up plenty of online controversy. Vegans and vegetarians claimed it was offensive. Others said it was simply obnoxious.

Mort is also producing a comics-centric mag titled VEX, which has already stirred up anger.

In August, he wrote an editorial criticizing people who oppose the Eastland Park Hotel's proposal to build a ballroom on what is now a public space, Congress Square Plaza. The editorial, in turn, prompted someone to vandalize Vex with stickers and inserts -- which prompted Todd to devote an entire issue to the controversy.

 "Comics Man Reveals His Edge" by Ray Routhier is here.

Or maybe is should be "revels his edge!"

Video: Susie Cagle

The Cartoonists Rights Network International interviews Susie Cagle upon the eve of the one year anniversary of her being arrested for being part of as she reported on the Occupy Wall Street Movement.



Related: Molly Crabapple was arrested a week ago. Her story is here.

Goodbye CUL DE SAC

Today is the last day of Richard Thompson's CUL DE SAC comic strip. He is leaving the strip to focus on his health.


The Washington Post's Michael Cavna has more, including many heartfelt comments from other syndicated cartoonists. CUL DE SAC began in the Post in 2004.

I will miss the strip. I will reread the collections, and will buy the slipcased edition of the reprints should one be forthcoming.

I've known Richard for something like 6 or 7 years. He is, as anyone who either knows him well or just spent a minute with him, just one of the most gracious fellows you would ever want to meet. I am glad that he will be focusing on getting better. We need as many as those kind of people around as possible. My family sends the Thompsons all their hopes.

UPDATE: Richard talks about this strip at his blog.