You Had Me At "Maggie Gyllenhaal is the theremin player"

From last week's New York Times Movies section:

Video: Gahan Wilson and The Chicago Art Institute

From the GAHAN WILSON: BORN DEAD, STILL WEIRD channel:

Colson Whitehead: Obama Should Read RAW Comics' "Amy and Jordan" by Mark Beyer

(Illustration by Jillian Tamaki for the New York Times.)

The New York Times Book Review has a short "By the Book" interview with writer (and our former Brooklyn neighbor) Colson Whitehead. He thinks the president should read a graphic novel by Mark Beyer titled AGONY (Pantheon, 1987).

If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be?

Whenever I’m down, I pick up Mark Beyer’s “Agony,” the 1987 pocket-size graphic novel from the old RAW comics line. It follows the human couple Amy and Jordan as they are beheaded by floating wraiths, devoured by fish, hemorrhage uncontrollably, get terrorized by more floating wraiths. But they keep going. They survive. I think “Agony” captures what being president must be like. You have to think on your feet, put out a lot of fires. Keep going, even when accosted by giant bears or tiny Putins.

True Story: Overheard in McDonald's

True story: I overheard these two old fellows at a McDonald's in Des Moines, Iowa.

Related: 

The Bus Critic

Sketchbook: Mike Lynch Cartoons the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE)

Whirlwind Trip to White Plains

The Garden As of May 15, 2014

Well, it sure feels good to type in the word "garden" after a long winter. Actually, there's not much to see. Three rows of lettuce. The rest of the boxes have winter rye, which will be turned over in a few days. When the winter rye dies, it refreshes the soil. And, as you can see, we need more soil. The small box on the left is empty, waiting for some new compost.

Slowly, things are blooming ….

Video: Modern Cartoonist: The Art of Daniel Clowes

David Filipi, director of film/video at the Wexner Center, and Jenny Robb, curator and associate professor at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, are joined by comic artist Daniel Clowes to discuss the spring exhibitions at the Wexner Center for the Arts.

Modern Cartoonist: The Art of Daniel Clowes, Eye of the Cartoonist: Daniel Clowes's Selections from Comics History, and Comic Future are on view from May 17--August 3, 2014.

Video: Kyle Baker Talks About Gahan Wilson

Video: Clay Bennett: "I really want to offend them for the right reasons."

Here's a short promo for a longer interview with Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Clay Bennett from WRCB TV:

Ronald Searle's A CHRISTMAS CAROL

This is new to me.

The good news: there was going to be a Ronald Searle-drawn animated adaptation of Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

The bad news: the project did not happen.

The good news: LIFE Magazine presented Searle's concept art -- and these became the drawings for a Searle edition of A CHRISTMAS CAROL book edition.

Via Matt Jones' "Ronald Searle in America" Facebook page:

"Did you know Ronald Searle almost made an animated film of Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'? Unfortunately it didn't pan out and his pitch drawings were published in LIFE magazine then expanded for an edition of the novel."

Go see!

Video Preview: Karen Gillan's New ABC TV Comedy

Hey, you got your DOCTOR WHO in my STAR TREK!!!

Here's a short preview of the new ABC TV comedy "Selfie," starring the former DOCTOR WHO companion Karen Gillan. In the scene, we also get to see the fellow (John Cho) who played Sulu in those STAR TREK reboot movies. What next? Katee Sackhoff as the Xerox repair person? 

EDIT: And here's the concept of the show, which I think is stronger and funnier than the scene above:



Photo nicked from Karen Gillan's site.

And here's a photo of Katee Sackhoff and a Dalek, just cuz. Context here.

Short Film" "Courtroom Sketch Artist"

This short documentary by Ramtin Nikzad captures the rise and fall of Gary Myrick, a courtroom sketch artist in Texas. He was a busy pro before cameras were allowed in the courtroom. He now supplements his income by working as a security guard.

It is part of the New York Times' Op-Doc short film series. 

Video: Australian Editorial Cartoonist Mark Knight

Mark Knight shares how he works as a political cartoonist for Australia's Herald Sun. And isn't it terrific that his cartoon is in full color on the cover of the newspaper?!

Nintendo: Before the Video Games

Nintendo "grabbers."

Say wha -- ????

I have no idea what the context is here, but this family looks like they are having a good time.

Picture nicked from Melissa Pittman's Facebook page. Thanks, Melissa!

1961 Give-A-Show "The Haunted Mine"

The Give-A-Show projector was a small, plastic projector with which one could insert Give-A-Show filmstrips that tell a story. The Saved from the Paper Drive blog shows us "The Haunted Mine" story.

New York Times: "The Paradox of Art As Work" by A.O. Scott

"If money is not the ultimate measure of creative labors, then it's tough to imagine what else is."

A.O. Scott has a New York Times Arts and Leisure section front page article, "The Paradox of Art As Work," about the relationship between art and commerce. The opinion piece asks about what the measure of artistic success is these days. Or are you NOT supposed to be in the art field (art, dance, theatre, video, etc.) for the money?

I was surprised to NOT see this in any of my Twitter or Facebook feeds, since there's a lot of interesting ideas about measuring success and how some people make a living at making art.

Related:

Getting Paid for your Creative Work

Video: Walt Handelsman Draws Live on TV

Matt Bors on CNN: "The End of the Political Cartoon?"

Andre the Giant Graphic Novel by Box Brown

The NY Times, in its Sports section, had a feature article on Sunday on the new graphic novel about the wrestler Andre the Giant. Box Brown wrote and drew the book, titled ANDRE THE GIANT LIFE AND LEGEND, and it was published by First Second.

Not a review, but more of an overview of Andre the Giant's life. Born Andre Rene Roussimoff, he suffered from acromegaly, "a disorder that causes an excessive secretion of growth hormones" which was painful. Brown talks about the challenges about working on this illustrated biography of the wrestler and (maybe more famous now for) actor from THE PRINCESS BRIDE.

"He combed through a variety of sources to shape his tale: sports articles, wrestling biographies, talk-show clips and television shows. Brown received help from his fellow wrestling fans, including one known as the Claw Master, who compiled a comprehensive win-loss record for the Giant. 

"'It’s not like baseball, where you can look up stats at any given time,' Brown said. The victories and defeats were not as important as the dates and locations of the matches, which helped shape the tale’s chronology."

Friday, May 16: See You at Lexicon!

(Art by Anna Rodman.)

Dateline: Boston!

Well … Lexington, MA, anyways! 

It's Lexicon -- wherein kids chat with cartoonists about cartooning (natch!).

Friday, May 16, 2014 from 6pm-9pm -- I'll be at the Lexington High School with a bunch of fine cartoonists talking cartooning to students. Come on over and say hi.

And immense thanks to Cara Bean for putting this event together!

"Save the date for this kid friendly comics event. Professional artists and aspiring young artists come together at Lexington High School to discuss creativity, fandom, image making, and storytelling."

EDIT: Cara Bean says: "The poster was created by Illustration Club President, Anna Rodman. She is amazing and one of the many talented young artists that are participating."

Here's the map of where we will all be in the room (art is by Cara Bean):

EXHIBITOR TABLE LIST:
1.) Chloe A. and Holly C.
2.) Origami Club (Chris P.)
3.) Pottery Club (Elena and Hargun)
4.) Dani and Sai B-H.
5.) Olivia P. and Anna R.
6.) GUEST ARTIST: Jesse Lonergan
7.) Miriam Etingof and Sneha K.
8.) GUEST ARTIST: Mark Masztal
9.) Keith B.
10.) GUEST ARTIST: Dan Mazur
11.) Serena L. and Zoé M.
12.) GUEST ARTIST: Neil Brideau
13.) David K. and Nina R.
14.) GUEST ARTIST: Kenan Rubenstein
15.) Nila and Jaime
16.) Jessica F., Jane K., Maya R.
17.) GUEST ARTIST: Ben Hur (LHS)
18.) Bobby B.
19.) GUEST ARTIST: Ansis Purins
20.) GUEST ARTIST: Matt Smith
21.) Bonnie Y. and Jay L.
22.) GUEST ARTIST: Holly Foltz
23 ) Ethan L.
24.)Ethan L’s Comics Library
25.) GUEST ARTIST: Mike Lynch
26.) Helena S. and Eva K.

Ludwig Bemelmans' Art for HOLIDAY Magazine

Back in the summer rerun doldrums in the 1990s, NBC used to have an incessant promo where they would show clips of their shows and told you that if you missed them the first time around it's "new to you!" Well, isn't that annoying? NBC did it for a while, maybe a couple of years. My feeling of annoyance became hate. I guess that's why I don't have cable TV any more.

Also: be careful of what you hate. Because it will come and bite you one day.

And so here I am, telling you that if you missed this 2006 Ludwig Bemelmans piece in the Fun All Around Illustration Blog, then, hey -- (excited voice) it's new to you!

Bemelmans is best known as the man behind the MADELINE children's books, but he was also a prolific illustrator and writer. These are some scans of his work exploring post-war Europe from book THE BEST OF TIMES AN ACCOUNT OF EUROPE REVISITED (1948). The pieces were originally produced for HOLIDAY Magazine.

So, this was all new to me and not at all annoying. And now I want this book. After all, I need something to look at since there's no cable TV here.