Maine Public Radio: "Cartooning: Maine-Based Cartoonists Discuss Their Profession"

A couple of photos from yesterday’s NPR Maine Calling interview show. No pics of me, but here is the producer/host Cindy Han, and, below, John Klossner and Bill Woodman.  David Jacobson called in from his glass studio.

Listen here.

Maine Calling Radio Show Today 1-2pmEST

This Thursday from 1-2pmEST I will be on the NPR radio show Maine Calling, talking cartoons and LOBSTER THERAPY, the new cartoon book!

Also on the show, the rest of the gang who contributed to the book: the one and only Bill Woodman, John Klossner and David Jacobson.

You can listen here:

http://www.mainepublic.org/post/cartooning-maine-based-cartoonists-discuss-their-profession

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Summer Gag Cartoons 1949 - 1954

Dick Buchanan has very kindly delved into his trove of vintage gag cartoons to come up with a rare color selection on the theme of summer. Thank you very much for these unseen single panel gems, Dick!

---


SUMMER CARTOONS



In GLORIOUS COLOR



1949 - 1954



Summer is here! It’s time for going to the beach, amusement parks, boating, swimming, gardening and baseball.  And it’s hot.  Since it’s never too hot to laugh we have reached into the Cartoon Clip File and hauled out some summer cartoons for the amusement of one and all. These cartoons are in full color—clipped mostly from the pages of Collier’s. Here are examples of some nifty summer themed drawings by some of the leading mid-century cartoonists . . .





1.  VIRGIL PARTCH.  Collier’s July 1, 1950

2.  DON TOBIN. Collier’s July 9, 1949.

3.  DICK CAVALLI.  Collier’s August 20, 1954.

4.  GLENN BERNHARDT. Collier’s July 1, 1950.

5.  TED KEY. The Saturday Evening Post July 30, 1949.

6.  KATE OSANN. Collier’s July 9, 1949.

7.  BARNEY TOBEY. Collier’s August 12, 1950.

8.  GUSTAV LUNDBERG. Collier’s July 2, 1949.

9.  KIRK STILES. Collier’s July 18, 1953.

10.  FRITZ WILKINSON.  Collier’s September 10, 1949.

11.  KATE OSANN. Collier’s July 2, 1949.

12.  BARNEY TOBEY. Collier’s August 19, 1950

13.  MARY GIBSON. Collier’s July 21, 1951.

14.  TED KEY. The Saturday Evening Post July 19, 1950.

15. HANK KETCHAM. Collier’s July 1, 1950.  

Thursday June 28, 2018: Maine Calling NPR Live Radio Show

On Thursday June 28, I was on the NPR radio show Maine Calling, talking cartoons and LOBSTER THERAPY, the new cartoon book (signed copies available here)!

Also on the show, the rest of the Maine cartoonist gang who contributed to the book: the one and only Bill Woodman, John Klossner and David Jacobson.

You can listen at this link right here!

Animation: Batman Dance Party

From MonsterTruckNinja: Here's an animated dance party video of the Batman, Robin and their friends and supervillain enemies. They are all dancing to the Neal Hefti-composed 1960s TV theme song. It's silly and, of course, it's catchy! Want to dance with them in virtual reality? Link below.


Batman Dance Party from Monster Truck Ninja on Vimeo.

None of Batman's greatest heroes and villains can resist dancing to the Batman theme song.

We brought together 40-some, animated characters from our Instagram page to make this fun dance party montage. Check out all the individual animations here: instagram.com/monstertruckninja

If you'd like to join the Batman Dance Party in virtual reality, then click here: vimeo.com/269027132

Micron Pigma Bursts

Second time in three days one of these usually trustworthy and durable Micron Pigma pens bursts on me like this. Grr.

Southern Vermont College: New Yorker Cartoon Show June 30th Opening Reception

Bennington, VT: The Laumeister Art Center at Southern Vermont College presents the "New Yorker Cartoon Show" from June 25 to September 9, 2018.

100 cartoons, 20 cartoonists, 1 memorable exhibition and sale , on view June 25 - September 9 2018. 
Featuring cartoons by:
Harry Bliss, George Booth, Roz Chast, Tom Chitty, Frank Cotham, Matt Diffee, Liza Donnelly, Liana Finck, Emily Flake, Sam Gross, William Haefeli, Edward Koren, Bob Mankoff, Michael Maslin, Danny Shanahan, Barbara Smaller, Mick Stevens, Tom Toro, PC Vey, and Jack Ziegler.

June 30th is the opening reception, with a talk by Bob Mankoff, a showing of the "Very Semi Serious" documentary, followed by a panel discussion (with Tom Toro, Danny Shanahan and Edward Koren; Jessica Ziegler, daughter of the late New Yorker Cartoonist Jack Ziegler, moderates), dinner and jazz. Tickets available here.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
1:00 - Bob Mankoff Talk

Mankoff believes that “being funny is being awake,” and has successfully kept us all wide-awake for 40 years. A student of humor and creativity, Mankoff has devoted his life to discovering just what makes us laugh, and seeks every outlet to do so, from developing The New Yorker’s web presence to integrating it with algorithms and A.I.

2:00 - Very Semi Serious screening followed by a panelists discussion

An offbeat documentary about humor, art and the genius of the single panel.  The film goes behind-the-scenes at The New Yorker and introduces some of the cartooning legends and hopefuls who create the iconic cartoons that have inspired and baffled all of us for decades. The film won a 2016 Emmy (R) Award for Outstanding Arts & Culture Programming and was nominated for Outstanding Documentary Editing.

Following the screening of “Very Semi-Serious” cartoonist panelists Tom Toro, Danny Shanahan and Edward Koren discuss life as cartoonists. The panel is moderated by Jessica Ziegler daughter of the late New Yorker Cartoonist Jack Ziegler.

5:00 - Dinner at SVC's Everett Mansion

Enjoy an elegant dinner at Southern Vermont College’s 400-acre estate.  Set on the side of Mount Anthony in Bennington, Vermont, the College boasts one of the most breathtaking views in New England. At the pinnacle of the estate is the Everett Mansion, a 27-room English/Norman-style home built in 1911. As the main administration building of the College, the Mansion offers a variety of storybook settings, indoors and out.

Dinner Menu includes: 

• Cucumber & Tomato Salad
• Seafood Risotto
• Beef Tenderloin with a Savory Shallot and Mushroom Sauce
• Roasted Salmon with a citrus glaze
• Local Vegetable Lasagna
• Herb Mashed Potatoes 
• Seasonal Roasted Vegetables
• Cheesecake & Chocolate Dipped Strawberies 

7:30 - Steve Ross Cabaret Concert

The “Crown Prince of Cabaret” Steve Ross is ready to perform a compelling concert of songs from the Great American Songbook. Steve has performed around the country and around the world in every kind of venue – from Rio de Janeiro to Sydney, from Carnegie Hall to Lincoln Center and from cabarets to theaters. An articulate man with a keen knowledge of the Great American Songbook’s music and history, Steve has hosted radio series and outdoor concerts. He conducts workshops and Master Classes and appears on the programs of Vocal Ease, a volunteer organization wherein performers contribute their time and talents in senior centers around New York City.

Coming March 2019: Treasures Retold: The Lost Art of Alex Toth book

IDW's Library of American Comics has announced:

Treasures Retold: The Lost Art of Alex Toth book featuring rare and never before seen art from Alex Toth is coming on March 12th, 2019. Written and assembled by Dean Mullaney and published by his Library of American Comics Imprint of IDW Publishing & Penguin Random House Education.
From the publisher's website:

A companion to the three-time Eisner-winning Alex Toth: Genius series this blockbuster collection is full of rarely seen stories and artwork by the legendary artist. Alex Toth's significance to comics and animation art cannot be overstated. During his career, he was the comic industry's foremost proponent of modern design and composition.

Starting in 1950, his work influenced almost every one of his contemporaries, and has continued to work its magic on the generations that followed. In animation his 1960s model sheets for Hanna-Barbera are still passed around as swipe sources from animator to young animator in the 21st Century. Included are complete stories from the 1950s and beyond, recently discovered color animation storyboards and presentation drawings, sketches and doodles, industrial comics, and individual pages from obscure comics and magazines. It's a treasure trove that makes a fitting companion to the Eisner Award-winning Alex Toth: Genius trilogy."

Treasures Retold: The Lost Art of Alex Toth Alex Toth & Dean Mullaney IDW Publishing & Library of American Comics 1st 978-1-68405-412-1

Video: Liza Donnelly Speaks at InspireFest

Liza Donnelly, award-winning cartoonist with The New Yorker and CBS News, presents her keynote during the session titled ‘New Media Landscape: Content Fit for the 21st Century’ at Inspirefest 2018.

Video: Steve Benson

Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Steve Benson reflects on four decades of cartoons and controversy. He has been the editorial cartoonist for the Arizona Republic newspaper since 1980. This interview is part of the "Freethought Matters" video series, from the Freedom from Religion Foundation. Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker host.

Video: Library of Congress "Drawn to Purpose" Exhibition: Illustrators Whitney Sherman, Barbara Brandon-Croft and Jillian Tamaki Discuss Their Craft

Illustrators Whitney Sherman, Barbara Brandon-Croft and Jillian Tamaki, all highlighted in the Library's current exhibition and book "Drawn to Purpose," discuss their craft.

Video: Giles - Cartoonist Extraordinaire

Here's a short video of a bunch of Giles originals as well as a nice view of his preserved studio. We can see a gallery show here, and there's a Dr. Nicholas Hiley commenting on the career of "Britain's Favourite Cartoonist of the 20th Century." But, so far as I can tell, no mention of where or when the show took place. Regardless, well worth a peek at the beginning, to see the boxes and boxes of originals, and close ups.

NYC Society of Illustrators: Funny Ladies at The New Yorker: Cartoonists Then and Now

Above cartoon by Nurit Karlin.



NYC: Liza Donnelly curates Funny Ladies at The New Yorker: Cartoonists Then and Now, a new gallery show of female New Yorker magazine cartoonists at the Society of Illustrators, July 24, 2018 to October 13, 2018. There will be a panel discussion and reception on July 26th.

In art, when the standards for what is considered  "good"  are broadened to include more approaches, it leads to more diversity of thought and more creativity. That’s what happened under Lee Lorenz and Harold Ross’ editorship. In addition, the increase of women cartoonists under their editorships happened during times of positive cultural change in attitudes towards women. This is happening now. As the result of an effort led by senior editor David Remnick and newly hired cartoon editor, Emma Allen, The New Yorker now has a greater percentage of women cartoonists than ever.

This exhibition is a commemoration of some of the women who drew cartoons for The New Yorker past and present. It's a celebration of their creativity and fortitude as they pushed past cultural stereotypes to create humor and offer the world laughter from all points of view.

-Liza Donnelly, Curator, "Funny Ladies at The New Yorker: Cartoonists Then and Now"

NYC Transit Museum Gallery Show: Underground Heroes: New York Transit in Comics

Underground Heroes: New York Transit In Comics opens today at the New York Transit Museum and runs until January 06, 2019:

"New York’s rich visual vernacular is a colorful setting for illustrated stories, so it comes as no surprise that our iconic transportation system plays a starring role in comics and graphic novels. Drawing on satirical cartoons, comic strips and comic books from the 19th through the 21st centuries, Underground Heroes: New York Transit in Comics is a raucous ride through New York’s transit system from a range of visual storytellers. The exhibit includes such luminaries as Winsor McCay, Will Eisner, Bill Griffith, Roz Chast, Ronald Wimberly and Julia Wertz whose work demonstrates the influence that mass transit has on the stories that are irrevocably woven into the cultural fabric of New York City."

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Totally Wordless Gag Cartoons 1948 - 1965

From the tall, teetering towering clip file tower of vintage gag cartoons of Dick Buchanan's, here is a trove of wordless gag cartoons. Dick has showcased a selection of vintage wordless single panel cartoons before, but these are 100% without words. Thanks -- and I'm handing today's blog entry to you, Dick:

---


I meant what I said,

I said what I meant,

These cartoons are wordless

One hundred percent.



Totally Wordless

GAG Cartoons



1948 - 1965



Back by popular demand, some more wordless cartoons from the seemingly bottomless Cartoon Clip File. This time absolutely no words anywhere.  Look and see.



1. ROBERT BROGDEN.  Collier’s April 26, 1952.

2.  GARDNER REA.  1000 Jokes Magazine  February, 1962.

4.  SAM COBEAN.  True Magazine June 1950.

 5.  JOHN DEMPSEY.  1000 Jokes Magazine  June-August, 1958.

 6. JOHN GALLAGHER. The Saturday Evening Post April 17, 1954.

7. LARRY HARRIS. Collier’s October 28, 1950.



8. ROY JACK. Boys’ Life January, 1951.

9. CLYDE LAMB. The Saturday Evening Post February 11, 1950.



10. VIRGIL PARTCH. Collier’s April 21, 1951.




11. LEE PURCELL. The Saturday Evening Post February 11, 1950.

12. AL ROSS. Look Magazine March 19, 1957.

13. MORT TEMES. True Magazine August 1955.

14. ROY WILLIAMS. American Legion Magazine May, 1948.

15. GAHAN WILSON. 1000 Jokes Magazine December, 1964 -- February 1965

Rob Rogers Is Now at GoComics

Here's Rob on his first day as a freelancer. Be sure to bookmark his new GoComics site:

Here is my first cartoon as a freelance syndicated cartoonist without a staff job. This story about the immigrant children makes me ashamed to be an American. https://www.gocomics.com/robrogers/2018/06/19 #TrumpConcentrationCamps #Trump #TrumpCamps #ImmigrantChildren #Immigration

2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards: "Black Panther" Star Chadwick Boseman Wins Best Hero and Honors James Shaw Jr.

Chadwick Boseman talks about the importance of "Black Panther" and presents his Golden Popcorn to James Shaw Jr., the Waffle House real-life hero, while accepting the "Best Hero" award at the 2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards.

The Garden As of Mid-June 2018

Here are the three raised garden beds. On the left, the one with the big, black weed cloth, there are tomatoes at the far end, some cucumbers and a lone lupin in front. The middle bed will be nothing but zinnias, which are germinating below the warm loam. The far right one ... well, it's lying fallow for now. We'll see.

But the perennials are in flower, so here are some good pics of those. Many happy bees and hummingbirds visit.

Editorial Cartoonist Rob Rogers Fired; Please Fire the Post Gazette Back

A day after President Trump tweeted that the news media is "our country's biggest enemy," Pittsburgh Post Gazette editorial director Keith Burris fired editorial cartoonist Rob Rogers.

Anne Telnaes via Twitter:

An American editorial cartoonist was first muzzled, and now fired for his cartoons criticizing President Trump.

Steve Brodner from his Facebook page:

Rob Rogers was fired today. Time to stay loud. This is the march of the fascists, taking one more beach. Give them Hell.

Email letters@post-gazette.com, Editor Burris: kburris@theblade.com, call the paper, ask to speak to the editorial page editor, 412 263 1100.

The Toonseum, despite its building being shuttered, is still “at large.” Here’s their very, very calm response. It’s a mistake. It should have been very angry. Rob was a board member and former president of the cartoon museum.

Cartooning and journalism share a history of intermittent publishing restrictions meant to limit their reach and power; they also share a spirit of resilience and perseverance that sustains the American tenets of free speech and the right to speak truth to power and keep the public well-informed.

The ToonSeum supports its former president Rob Rogers and his artwork, which has always managed to engage audiences with humor throughout difficult conversations, respected the humanity of subjects during tumultuous circumstances, and called for those in power to wield it with dignity and fairness.

Rob’s work contributes to our intellectual and cultural landscape and should continue to be published. It’s our most sincere wish that his work finds a new and deserving home in Pittsburgh that fully respects his talent and opinions.

~ The Board and Staff of The ToonSeum

 I wrote this is response:

This is all too kind and calm. The Toonseum is in a leadership position here. Why not advocate? Why not shout that this is wrong? Why not remind people that they have a voice and they can use it? Dammit, Rob was a guiding light, a past president and board member. Stand up. Fight. What do you have to lose? Email letters@post-gazette.com, Editor Keith Burris: kburris@theblade.com, and/or call the paper, ask to speak to the editorial page editor, 412 263-1100.

EDIT: The ToonSeum responded to me on their Facebook page:

The ToonSeum is an advocate and resource for all cartoonists and comics creators in the Pittsburgh region and beyond. As an organization, we exist to run counter to this narrative that's unfolded. Rob's job at the Post-Gazette (much like Charlie Dietch's was at The Pittsburgh City Paper) - was ultimately to speak plainly and truthfully (and cleverly!) about the issues of the day, and not to win popularity contests. His influence serves to guide us even now, which shows how effective he remains.

The ToonSeum is likewise committed to remaining calm and kind in its advocacy of all things...as well as resolute. Advocacy also takes many forms. We're not here to win popularity contests; we're here to make the world better.

There's a time and place to shout, but your voice lasts longer when you engage in conversations.

More coverage:

Huffington Post
American Association of Editorial Cartoonists
CNN

Post-Gazette Editorial Cartoonist Rob Rogers: ‘I Was Fired’

Via CBS News: Rob Rogers, Editorial Cartoonist for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was fired today.

Very sad news and it makes me angry. The paper, for which Rob drew cartoons for 25 years, has new editorial leadership and did not publish nineteen of his cartoons since March. The cartoons were critical of President Trump.

Related:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cartoonist says he's been fired after Trump cartoons were killed

Why the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Won't Run Its Editorial Cartoonist's Cartoons

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Clyde Lamb Roughs 1946 - 65

Yesterday, Dick showed us all some great Clyde Lamb cartoons. Today, we go behind the scenes and look at some Clyde Lamb roughs.

Take it away, Dick!

---

CLYDE LAMB

ROUGHS



1946 - 1965


Clyde Lamb was a self-taught artist and cartoonist who gained national attention in 1940’s when his gag cartoons began appearing in major magazines while he was serving two consecutive 25-year terms in the Indiana State Penitentiary. The resulting publicity led to his parole and a successful career as a gag cartoonist and artist.

Here is a batch of roughs by Clyde Lamb that have never been seen, except by the handful of cartoon editors who passed on these gags more than 70 years ago. The Cartoon Clip File asks the question “Would you pick any of these for your magazine?”

A tip of the Clip File hat to self-styled wit, Jerome Wrinkle, who furnished these roughs from his humor collection.