CAR TALK - The Cartoon?!?!?!?!?!

You know those guys -- Tom and Ray Magliozzi, or Click and Clack -- the CAR TALK guys that have been heard on PBS radio for years? They're either funny or unfunny, depending upon your tolerance for lotsa laughing and old jokes and, well, talk of car problems. In our family, it's right down the middle: half love the show, and the other half have ugly things to say.

Regardless, over at Stephen Silver's blog, he lets us in on the new PBS TV show CAR TALK- THE ANIMATED SERIES (working title) for which he has drawn the above character designs. Stepehn is a swell guy and a great cartoonist. I happen to have an autographed copy of his Sketchbook. It's great to see the energy and joy in his sketches -- and what a fun design!

The new TV show, scheduled to air Summer 2008, says this article from Reuters, will "take off where the radio series ends,' showing what the hosts do off-air ...."

Hmm. I don't know about that, but I do like Stephen's great design work.

Sempe Le Petit Nicolas Exhibit

From Matt Jones' blog: some words and pictures regarding an exhibit of Sempe drawings.

It's in Cannes and it's thru September 2, 2007.

A couple of great photos here. I never knew Sempe drew small ....

I wish I could see it!

Assignment Earth TV Theme 1

In 1968, when it looked like STAR TREK would be canceled, Gene Roddenberry and writer Art Wallace wrote an episode of TREK titled ASSIGNMENT: EARTH. This episode was a pilot show for another series, with Kirk, Spock and the Enterprise shoehorned into the background; basically, just as so much window dressing.

ASSIGNMENT: EARTH was about a secret agent from the future sent to here to "protect Earth before it could mature into a peaceful society." More here.

The bad news was that this pilot, which starred Gary Lansing and Teri Garr, did not sell. The good news is that the Patterson brothers, the guys over at the Web site Supervisor 194 (the code name of the lead character), have put together not one, but two, title sequences for this show that never became a series. Here is the first one, and there's a link to the second one at the team's site. The cool music is all new and by the brothers.

Steve Brodner on Bill Richardson

Some terrific video featuring Steve Brodner that's worth watching.

Political illustrator Steve Brodner talks about how he approaches a caricature of Bill Richardson in this short produced and directed by by Gail Levin for Inscape Productions. He talks about the way Richardson looks and moves. Some great insight here into incorporating observed human nature into a drawing, and -- better yet -- we get to see Steve actually drawing and painting. There is also some limited animation. Since there is all ready so much fluidity and verve in Steve's line, it doesn't look limited at all.

Al Kilgore: Comic Strips & the Cinema Key

Here is the solution to Al Kilgore's assembly of comic book character movie stars that I posted on Friday. Click for the super-size!

I want to say thanks to Steve Brodner. We got together for lunch about ten days ago at the Overlook. We sat near a large illustration of Bullwinkle, signed by Al Kilgore, and this got Steve talking about him.

The late Mr. Kilgore drew the Bullwinkle comic book for a couple of years in the 1960s, and there was a Bullwinkle comic strip from 1962-1965. He was also one of the founding members of the official worldwide Laurel & Hardy fan club, "The Sons of the Desert," for which he designed the logo. Writer/Blogger extraordinaire Mark Evanier featured a photo of Kilgore, Chuck McCann and John McCabe on the occasion of Dr. McCabe's passing almost 2 years ago.


Above: an advertisement for Costello's from the 1970s. The bar/restaurant was a hangout for the King Features and Daily News staff back in the day. It's now under new management and has been renamed the Overlook Lounge. The above cartoon mural is from that time, and, unfortunately, the bit on the right has been lost. You can see this mural, as well as the new one that we drew up in 2005 at The Overlook Lounge, very close to Grand Central. Jeff, Pat & mark, the guys who run the joint, are great cartoon fans and are going to preserve the cartoon murals forever.

As we ate our Overlook burger (me) and the chicken wrap (Steve), we talked about Kilgore and how unappreciated he is now. He was, in my opinion, one of those guys like Hirschfeld, that was able to catch the essence of the person. I was fortunate to have this bit of art drawn by Al Kilgore, a forgotten master.

PS My thanks to Steve for the wonderful caricature of me that he dashed off on the title page FREEDOM FRIES right there in front of me in pub (and the didn't even get any food stains on it)!!!



Thanks so much, Steve!

Al Kilgore

Gorgeous huge drawing by under appreciated master caricaturist Al Kilgore. Click to super-size!

Will put up the key to who's who later ....

Happy Birthday, Don Orehek!

The cartoonist's cartoonist, the dapper racantour and my pal, Don Orehek, celebrates another candle on the cake.

Don is a 4-time National Cartoonists Society Gag Cartoon Division Award Winner. He's been published in Playboy, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Look, Cracked, and a bunch more.

Many happy returns, Don!

DILBERT'S Scott Adams' Syndication Advice

So, Scott Adams is trolling the Internet and he sees a cool comic called Basic Instructions. by another Scott, Scott Meyer.

Scott Adams writes on his DILBERT blog:

"It dawned on me that my blog readers might want to follow that conversation, like a reality show, and see if my sage advice can help a talented unknown hit the big time.

"Over the next month or more, with Scott’s permission, I’ll give you updates showing my advice and his responses. Your comments will guide us. When his work gets to the point where I think he should submit it for syndication, I’ll show him how that’s done and let you follow along."

More at the DILBERT blog.

I like the format and I thought that if similarly formatted THIS MODERN WORLD and TOM THE DANCING BUG panels can get syndicated (albeit only in the freebie papers and on the Web), then why not BASIC INSTRUCTIONS?


ABOVE: The disfigured Captain Christopher Pike from "The Menagerie" episode of STAR TREK.

PS Hey, nice thing about Scott Meyers is that he's also responsible for the Ask Captain Pike Web site. Go there and ask Captain Pike a question! It's fun!

Ahh. Cartoons and TREK! Pure blogging satisfaction. Scott, you made my day!

Tornado HIts Brooklyn

... And the subways grind to a halt. Wednesday was a crazy day.

New Old Hal Foster Art

From the years before his run on TARZAN and PRICE VALIANT: A couple of early Hal Foster pieces at the Golden Age Comic Book Stories blog.

Interview with Cartoonist Mark Anderson's Mom

Above: One of the thousands upon thousands of cartoons at Mark's Andertoons Web site.

Mark Anderson's mother is visiting him this week and I inquired if I could ask some questions about Mark. She graciously accepted to be interviewed. I added the below illustrations.

Mark Anderson: The Early Years

Was Mark a good kid growing up?

Mark was a great kid and still is. He is so young at heart, I suspect he will always be a kid.

Mark Anderson: Funny Weird or Funny Ha Ha?

Is Mark the funniest family member?

Without a doubt! He is so jovial and good spirited. Mark always makes me laugh. We've had a good time and sometimes all I have to do is look at him and I know where he is going with something and it is such fun.

Mark Anderson: Juvenile Delinquent Cartoonist?

Did Mark draw in inappropriate places when he was young?

Not really, he was always drawing and telling me jokes from his big joke book or making up songs on the piano.

Mark Anderson: The Bitter Years of Struggle

Mark used to be a professional musician. Are you surprised that he now cartoons for a living?

Mark was one of the most natural musicians I've ever taught. He took to it like a duck to water. And what an ear! When a student would leave he would go to the piano and play whatever it was they were doing and he would do it so well. I'm not surprised at all about the cartooning. I knew it would be one or the other or both. He did quite well on the school paper as their cartoonist for four years. Once he was is in college he was doing t-shirts, posters, etc., etc., and doing the double major in music thing. Mark is capable of doing anything he sets his mind to. He played some real tough charts and played with some very top notch musicians. You never know what's next.

Mark Anderson: Obtuse

Have you ever seen a cartoon that Mark did in a magazine and not "gotten it?" Did you ever call him for an explanation?

Yep, sometimes I don't get it even after he explains it, but I'm sure it's funny to a brain surgeon or astronaut.

Mark Anderson: The Day After Tomorrow

Where do you see Mark in 10-15 years?

10 - 15 years from now, I think he could be programming for Pixar, playing in a salsa band or doing photography for the Chicago Tribune. But I think he will publish a book of his favorite cartoons and it will sell like hot cakes. You never know, he could do a late night talk show or teach cartooning at the local community college. Or he might even become a BBQ chef. Ha ha , won't it be fun to watch!!!!!! Maybe he will bring me to New York to meet you. I would like that.


Thanks for the kind words! And a big thanks to Mark's Mom for taking the time to fill us in on the origins of America's favorite Andercartoonist!

Even More “How Not to Get an Okay” Cartoons

From Eli Stein's Cartoon blog: industry insider cartoons by Stan Fine about the magazine gag cartooning industry circa the 1950s.

Catch up on all of this over at Eli's Corner.

Thanks, Eli!

12 Memorable Newspaper Comic Strip Deaths

Link at The Onion's A.V. Club.

Hat tip to Newsarama!

Just Like STAR WARS -- But with Hippos!

OK, I'll put up with Lego STAR WARS, but HIPPO STAR WARS?!?!

More at Becca's always fun No Smoking in the Skull Cave blog.

Mike Lynch Cartoon in August 4 THE WEEK Magazine

"Never delegate authority; delegate liability."

Hey, I have a cartoon in THE WEEK magazine. But it's not the same THE WEEK here on the stands in the States. It's the UK version. For some reason I though that THE WEEK here was the same THE WEEK overseas, and maybe if more Spice Girls move here, they might be one day soon.

OK, I want to talk about something unrelated that happened to me at the post office and, well, you really should somehow write something that's thematically whole here.

OK, let me see what I can do ....

The above cartoon, I suppose, a philosophical cartoon. I do not believe that those in power ever have enough (see the latest OK on the revised FISA laws that Bush wanted and that the House passed).

People do like to delegate. Cartoonists usually cannot, both in their work and, in my case, at the post office.

Speaking of post offices ....

I was mailing some DVD movies at the post office. They are media, so I wanted them shipped by Media Mail. I was told I could not ship DVDs by Media Mail due to the new postal regulations.

"But, they're MOVIES. Movies ARE media!"

If there is advertising on them, so said the postal employee, then you cannot send them by Media Mail.

DVDs, you see, have those coming attractions trailers on them and they are considered advertising.

I laughed. NO ADVERTISING?! When I buy a box from the Postal Store, there's advertising for the post office on that. Heck, the PO sells Star Wars stamps. That's advertising for Lucasfilm! You guys LOVE advertising! Advertising is the most American thing there is! This is ridiculous! Besides, this isn't MY advertising on these danged DVDs, it's Paramount Pictures' advertising!

The content standards for USPS Media Mail contend that there be "no advertising matter" in the package. "Advertising includes paid advertising and the publishers' own advertising in display, classified, or editorial style."

In the end, I had 2 postal employees staring down at me. They really were staring down. They're on some sort of platform back there at that branch.

So, I looked up at them, dug in my pocket, and paid for First Class mailing. I had no choice. I could not go to The Person In Charge and get a hearing. The PO is big business. They are faceless. The postal regs had been changed, and that's that.

That's the way it is with big corporations. But not with us.

You can't hide if you draw cartoons. There's your signature on the cartoon right there. No shrugging of the shoulders. No evasion possible. No, as the bald guy in the waistcoat would say, delegation of liability.

Oh, and don't try lying about the contents of the ol' Media Mail. Those nice foils who sell the Star Wars stamps can open up your mail for no reason. "Regardless of physical closure, the mailing of articles at Media Mail rates constitutes consent by the mailer to postal inspection of the contents."

End of rant (in which, amazingly, I was able to relate the cartoon and the PO). More tomorrow.

Ten "BATMAN in Love" Comics

Above: Robin must become a solo superhero as we see Batman in love with an actress named Magda, "The Toast of Two Continents," from Batman #87. Lesson to kids: Batman can fight crime or be in love -- but not both! The Dark Knight does not multitask.

More at the Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun! blog.

I ALMOST DREW NANCY by Ivan Brunetti.

From an out of print 1999 issue of Roctober magazine: I ALMOST DREW NANCY by Ivan Brunetti. There was a time when the call went out from the syndicate that NANCY was looking for a cartoonist to continue the feature.

This humongous article details the indy comics creator trying his best to emulate NANCY creator Ernie Bushmiller's (a cartoonist he loved and admired) stylized technique both in form and content.

In the pages below, Brunetti writes about how he heard about the opening for the strip, and how hard he labored to create samples that would truly be in the spirit of Bushmiller.






I was looking for the above item on the Web and could not find it online. Fortunately, I had a copy, bought in some kinda Rock 'n' Roll head shop in St. Mark's Place. That store has now probably been replaced by a Baby Gap.

Ivan Brunetti's latest collection of work is MISERY LOVES COMPANY, from Fantagraphics. This collects his initial 3 issue run of SCHIZO comics. His indy comics work is personal, and can be violent, and very offensive.


Above: a self portrait by Ivan Brunetti.

I like Brunetti's "Gags Rejected by Several Respectable Magazines."

But ... no blog talking about NANCY can forget to tip the hat to the GUYS WHO REALLY DRAW NANCY -- the Gilchrists!

Here's the duo who picked up the reins of NANCY in 1995, creating near 4,350 daily and Sunday strips (and counting) --

Brad and Guy Gilchrist will have been producing NANCY for United Media for a dozen years this September 3rd. Guy is the man behind the Guy Gilchrist's Cartoonist's Academy in Simsbury, CT. Take a look at the above GCCA home page for some video of Guy drawing, as well as more information on classes and unique cartoony events.

'Zits' Character Looks Like Late King Editor Jay Kennedy

Editor & Publisher has the story.

Links to the strips here and here.

Bottled Water is Tap Water Redux

An editorial titled In Praise of Tap Water ran in the August 1st NY Times.

" ... if you choose to get your recommended eight glasses a day from bottled water, you could spend up to $1,400 annually. The same amount of tap water would cost about 49 cents."

A day later, a full page ad appeared (click here for a PDF of the ad) from BottledWater.org, the site for the International Bottled Water Association trade group, touting the good things about having water in a bottle so you can take it with you.

I agree. A reusable bottle, filled with tap water, would be the easiest, cheapest and most environmentally friendly way to go. The only person who might disagree would be an IBWA member who wants to make me pay a dollar or more for my pennies-a-glass ordinary, boring tap water. How else could those poor business people afford the full page ad in the Times and the San Francisco Chronicle this past week?

Above: "Oh, there's Fred, inconspicuously consuming again."

TV Show "IN COLOR!" Bumpers

From the 1960s, a collection of great little TV show IDs letting you know that the program was now "in color."

Just try not to think about POLICE SQUAD!