A Million Dollars Worth of Original Artwork Stolen from Mark Evanier

Writer Mark Evanier has had many valuable pieces of comic book original art by Jack Kirby, Sergio Aragones and Dave Stevens (to name just a few) stolen from his home. A full list is at the Bleeding Cool web site.  

"Years ago, I did some comic books for Eclipse Comics featuring characters created by the talented Will Meugniot and myself. The two main ones were The DNAgents and Crossfire. I was fortunate to have along with Will, other friends who drew real well…like the late, great Dave Stevens. Dave drew several covers for us and was nice enough to present me the original art for two of those covers — Crossfire and Rainbow #4 and DNAgents #24. Everyone loved what he did — including, apparently, a construction-type worker who did some work at my house. Or at least, he loved those covers or maybe what he thought he could sell them for well enough to steal the originals and some other stuff when I wasn't looking. Yes, I know who he is. No, I don't know where he is although the Los Angeles Police Department says they're hot on his trail. If you see the originals to these — and some other pages I may list here soon — please let me know. Make the jobs of our hard-working detectives easier and make me smile." 

 

More details.
 

Some Sketchbook Drawings from Early 2026

 

I tend to not post what's in my sketchbook since I figure I just draw in it for myself and who really cares except for me. It's either an interesting face to draw or an interesting pen I want to try out. Some people draw in their sketchbooks and then they post what they do on social media. More than once I have seen other people's sketchbooks that look like beautiful curated art projects. Good for them. For me, a sketchbook is to try things out and make a mess and not worry about whether something is "good" or "bad." Heck, sometimes it's just a way to spend some time while waiting for an appointment or a train or something. Anyway, here are a few drawings from my sketchbook, some good, some bad, some from real life, some from the dark recesses of my head. 

The Garden As of Early April

 

 Here’s the garden as of April 7th. A winter wonderland! Typical New England spring weather. Ugh. 

Japanese Graphic Designer and Poster Artist Kazumasa Nagai 1929 - 2026

 

Very sad to simultaneously learn of a great graphic designer just as his death is announced. He is new to me. Here are some images from his legacy. Just amazing work and a long life well lived. 

 

 From the Poster/Blog Facebook page:

KAZUMASA NAGAI [1929–2026]

Kazumasa Nagai (Japanese: 永井 一正; April 20, 1929, Osaka, Japan – February 23, 2026) was a renowned Japanese graphic designer and poster artist, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modern graphic design in Japan.

Born in Osaka, Nagai became a central figure in shaping postwar Japanese visual culture. His work is distinguished by bold, simplified forms, vivid colors, and a strong sense of symbolism. He is especially known for his iconic poster designs, many of which feature stylized animals and abstract compositions that reflect both traditional Japanese aesthetics and modernist influences.

Throughout his career, Nagai explored themes such as nature, life, and environmental awareness. His ability to communicate complex ideas through minimal visual language made his work influential both in Japan and internationally.

Nagai was also an active member of the design community and contributed to the development of Japanese design institutions. Over the decades, he received numerous prestigious awards and honors, earning global recognition for his contributions to graphic design.

His legacy continues to inspire designers worldwide, and his work remains a key reference point in the history of contemporary graphic art.

works by Kazumasa Nagai:

https://www.ndc.co.jp/en/projects/kazumasa-nagai-life/
https://umma.umich.edu/.../kazumasa-nagai-design-life.../
https://a-g-i.org/user/kazumasanagai/

 

 

Mad About DC

This is fun, and maybe the first time that Mad Magazine has gotten an actual commercial for a special issue. 

Family Circle Magazine November 23, 1945

 

Family Circle was one of those magazines that seemed like a mainstay during the 20th century. Everyone I knew had a couple of Family Circles in or near the kitchen. I picked a couple of wartime issues up at the Two Brothers used bookstore in Freeport, Maine. These are fun to look at, and while maybe not very heavy on the cartoon side of things, they are packed with illustration and it's like looking at another world. Enjoy!

This is the November 23, 1945 issue and it's copyrighted 1945 by The Family Circle Magazine, Inc.  Child star Margaret O'Brien poses as a cheerful kid pilgrim next to a very ugly turkey. 

These two don't look like a very happy couple.

Dave Huffine draws for Wheaties:

Illustrator Inga Stephens Pratt Clark "(1906–1970) was an American artist and book illustrator, who, with her husband Fletcher Pratt, was at the center of a circle of New York literary figures during the 20th century."

You might want to have some new recipes from 1945:

Jefferson Machamer for Folger's:

Who is that creepy mascot scrubbing and wearing the tartan?

Spooky column header.

Oleomargarine is so creepy looking.

- This has been an edited version of a blog entry that originally appeared on October 5, 2020,

Hermann Huppen 1938 - 2026

 

 

Belgian comics creator Hermann passed away on March 22nd. He was 97 years old. He had had a two year battle with cancer.

 

 

 

Lambiek:

 

"Hermann Huppen, who signed with solely his first name, was one of the most popular Belgian artists. He took evening art courses at the Saint-Gilles in Brussels, and started out working as an interior designer, participating in the Expo 58, among other projects. He also worked in Montreal and New York for a short period. It was his brother-in-law Philippe Vandooren (the future editor-in-chief of Spirou) who introduced him to the field of comics. Vandooren assigned him to do a short story for the boy scout magazine Plein-Feu, of which he was the editor at the time. By 1964, Hermann joined the art studios of Michel Greg. During the same period, he illustrated some stories in the series 'Les Belles Histoires de l'Oncle Paul' for Spirou magazine.

"With Greg as his scriptwriter, Hermann broke through with the adventure series 'Bernard Prince' in Tintin in 1966. While continuing this series, he also did some independent stories, as well as the first episodes of the 'Jugurtha' series (written by Jean-Luc Vernal). In 1969, he started on a second series with Greg, the western 'Comanche'. More dramatic and hard-boiled than for instance 'Blueberry' and 'Jerry Spring', 'Comanche' ranks among the best series in the genre. After ten years, Hermann canceled his collaboration with Greg to begin series of his own.

"Hermann's first solo comic was the 'Jeremiah' series, which he initially created for the German publisher Koralle. This grim post-apocalyptic fantasy was an instant hit and remains Hermann's most famous work."

 

Comicsbeat:

"European comics was rocked this past week following the news that Belgian comics auteur Hermann had died March 22, age 87, following a two year battle with cancer. The news went beyond specialised comics outlets, being widely reported in national newspapers across France, Belgium, and beyond. The Brussels Book Fair held a special tribute on March 29, and a ceremony for fans and mourners will take place April 1.

"His former publishers Dupuis and Lombard delivered the news, with Le Lombard saying,

"'It is with pain and sadness that Le Lombard regrets to announce the death of Hermann. A pillar of European comics…Le Lombard extend their heartfelt condolences to Hermann’s family, friends, and loved ones, especially his wife and his son Yves H., who was also his scriptwriter and closest collaborator. More broadly, the world of comics and all lovers of the 9th art have just lost a truly great author.'"