Happy Weekend and Be Good!

 

Ed Frascino 1930 - 2026

 

New Yorker cartoonist Ed Frascino passed away this past Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 96 years old.

Via Michael Maslin:

"Ed contributed over 500 cartoons to the magazine in his 61 year run at the magazine. His last drawing in print was in January of 2025, but not too very long ago Ed told me that he’d sold a drawing for the magazine’s Daily Cartoon spot (I was supposed to let him know when it ran). A 61 year run at The New Yorker is, of course, remarkable. Only six other New Yorker cartoonists (out of the nearly 800 who contributed in these past 101 years) had reached that mark."

 

 The Daily Cartoonist:

"While a contract cartoonist with The New Yorker since 1965 Frascino also published cartoons in Playboy, Saturday Evening Post The New York Times, Look, Esquire, Punch, The Saturday Review of Literature, and others.

"Frascino also illustrated many books by himself and by others.

"The Conde Nast Store has nearly 200 Frascino cartoons for viewing"

 

Talented and prolific, Ed was also my leading competition for The New York Daily News weekly cartoon that I would pitch every week to the editors there back in 2002-2003. It was not a guaranteed spot and you had to email some roughs mid-week for consideration. If I didn't sell one that week, it was usually Ed that succeeded.

The Garden As of Mid-August

 

The garden as of mid-August. Most things are bushy and green. The zucchini is spent and the cucumbers are on their last legs. The runner beans are coming in, the tomatoes are getting harvested. Included: flowers and a pic of a huge Great Blue Heron on a power line that we saw yesterday. So exciting to get that close! #garden

 

Documentary: Steve Ditko: Beyond the Myth

Here's a full length documentary about Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko (1927 - 2018) told through interviews with those who knew him

"In 2025, President of TASQ Art, Eoin McAuley, conducted three interviews with the friends and family of renowned creator Steve Ditko, presented here in this feature-length documentary.

"A private individual, Mr. Ditko was not a presence at conventions and did not provide many interviews. This, however, subsequently led to many myths to emerge around Steve Ditko in the public discourse among fans and critics.

" Narrated by John Siuntres, 'Steve Ditko: Beyond The Myth' helps to dispel some of these myths and to amend the record, featuring insights and recollections from Mr. Ditko's nephew, Mark 'Zen' Ditko, his friend and colleague Jack C. Harris and scholar and correspondent Dr. Zack Kruse"

Joe Matt Documentary with Seth, Chester Brown and Matt Wagner

 

Cartoonist Joe Matt (1963 - 2023), best known for his autobiographical comics, is the subject of this documentary by matt (with 4 ts). Joe Matt's friends and fellow cartoonists Seth, Chester Brown and Matt Wagner talk about him on the eve of Fantagraphics publishing a new collection of his work this September 29th.

The Garden As of Early August

 

Shaggy and green, The way it should look at its peak.


The garden as of August 1st. We were away the previous week, but that didn’t mean the garden was busy. My thanks to my dear neighbor who came over and watered! 

So, a lot of tomatoes have gone from green to red. The hornworms showed up a few days ago and I think I got them all. The zucchini is getting spent and the cucumber yield is only two. No peppers yet, but lots of blooms. The runner beans are blooming and there are wee runner beanlets. Flowers are blooming, including the Rose of Sharon.

 

Summer Break for Mike

 

 

 Taking some time off. See you in August.