Some Wednesday Cartooning Whatnots

We’ll start with a nice 3½ minute segment from News12’s Made in Connecticut featuring Ray Billingsley.

This week in Made in Connecticut, News 12 features Ray Billingsley, the cartoonist and creator of “Curtis,” a nationally syndicated comic strip. The character is a very likeable, but mischievous 11-year-old boy who’s loved by millions.

While “Curtis” has plenty of fun, Billingsley also tackles difficult topics including bullying, crime, drug abuse and smoking.  

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Newspaper readers connect with cartoonist. The letters about comic strips and the cartoon caption contests.

Whoa! We received 929 entries in this week’s Cartoon Caption Contest! There were a ton of funny punchlines about everything from politics to sports and everything in between. Our winner had a great take with a VERY clown-like caption. Well played!

© Times-Picayune/The Advocate/Walt Handelsman

The Times-Picayune has a big reaction to Walt Handelsman‘s cartoon caption contest.

The Wisconsin State Journal readers also support Phil Hands‘ cartoon caption contest.

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Author and cartoonist Stephan Pastis, the creator of the Pearls Before Swine comic strip, will appear at Houston’s Blue Willow Bookshop on Oct. 23.

While he’ll surely discuss his comic strip during the visit, he’s on tour promoting his new novel, Looking Up, which, naturally, features not just his words but also his illustrations.

As Stephan roams America Houston Public Media and The Memphis Commercial Appeal interview him.

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Have you ever felt like you’re juggling a million things at once or experiencing one of those I-can’t-be-the-only-one moments?

Yeah It’s Chill” by Christine Rai, which just arrived on GoComics, lightheartedly takes readers through the trials and tribulations of modern life. The twice-weekly webcomic strip is full of universal thoughts and experiences that will make you think: “Hm, I’m glad it’s not just me.”

© Copyright Yeah It’s Chill, © Andrews McMeel Universal

The GoComics team interviews cartoonist Christine Rai about their new comic strip.

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Random House Graphic and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are partnering to produce the first-ever line of Dr. Seuss comics. The first three graphic novels from the line will feature familiar Dr. Seuss characters the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, and Sam-I-Am in brand-new adventures for a brand-new generation.

© Dr. Seuss Enterprises

The first Dr. Seuss graphic novel, Cat Out of Water will feature the Cat in the Hat and be written and drawn by cartoonist Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans). Cat Out of Water will hit shelves on April 30, 2024. The official synopsis of the book reads:

Popverse provides more information about the new Seuss books.

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Jason Chatfield says if you’re in NYC this weekend check our the NCS at the NYCC.

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More about the new Bill Watterson book.

Cracked revues the Amazon reviews:

But it probably comes as no surprise that Calvin and Hobbes fans who pre-ordered the book are perplexed by the sparse prose and monochromatic paintings. On Amazon, reviews are mixed, most likely a result of false assumptions. 

Edward Sunder’s three-star Amazon review concurs: “I think most disappointment with this is caused by unrealistic expectations. Calvin and Hobbes is perfect and it’s hard not to expect the first significant work in years from Bill Watterson would be amazing as well. If he’d been working on nothing other than this since the early 90’s, then it would be a profound disappointment indeed. Instead, this was not that type of work at all – it was a collaboration over a much shorter period of time. Judged on its own merits, it’s good. Its message is deeper than it appears at first glance.”

Many Amazon buyers who loved the book assume that disappointed readers simply don’t get The Mysteries. “Yes, it’s a very short tale, and quite simple, on the surface – it says right in the description that it’s a fable for grownups, for gosh sake,” says a 5-star review from Seeker. “If you came here looking for character development and a complex plot, of course you’ll be disappointed. What the heck were you expecting?”

Barnes and Noble listed The Mysteries as one of the Best Books of 2023 on the same day it was released.

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