Phasin’ In On Sundry AfterNews
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Checking in on Letters to the Editor, detective comic books, a Charlie Brown Christmas album at 6X Platinum, an invite to the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame ceremony, South Park at 29, and a National Cartoonists Society Reubens jigsaw puzzle.
A cartoon from the right prompts a letter from the left.
From the Chattanooga Times Free Press Op-Ed page letters section:
Are we living in a post-truth world? …
On Monday, Aug. 10, the right side of this paper ran a cartoon by H. Payne which read “Death to America, Vote El-Sayed in ’26”. While it is true some Muslims have said “Death to America,” it is not true that El-Sayed has proposed anything to harm the U.S. El-Sayed has instead espoused populist economic reforms, universal healthcare, campaign finance reform and he personally refuses PAC monies. He wants to serve common people and preserve democracy from oligarchs.
Cartoons are effective when they identify irony based on truth. This cartoon was a lie…
A cartoon from the left bring a letter from the right.
From the New Orleans Times-Picatune:
A recent editorial cartoon by Jeff Stahler connotes the idea that President Donald Trump’s ballroom is funded by taking money from healthcare to have it built.
That is a lie.
The ballroom is to be funded by private donations and no government money is to be used.
It is very poor policy to give the public the idea that they are being robbed of a benefit.
The First Detective Comic Book
As long as we’re correcting (Spiegelman’s Pulitzer) misconceptions (Laurel and Hardy) …
From a Mark Seifert article at Bleeding Cool:
This December 1936 issue an underappreciated landmark. Detective Picture Stories #1 is the first American comic book devoted entirely to detective and crime stories, appearing before Detective Comics #1, which has a March 1937 cover date. Comics Magazine Company had already published Funny Picture Stories #1 with a November 1936 cover date, and a somewhat broader adventure theme, featuring George Brenner‘s The Clock (who is notably absent from Detective Picture Stories #1, despite the cover blurb). A detailed history of Comics Magazine Company traces how Funny Picture Stories, Detective Picture Stories, and Western Picture Stories helped establish genre-specific comic books before the better-known titles that followed.
The claim that Detective Picture Stories #1 was “the first American comic book devoted entirely to detective and crime stories” comes straight from the Heritage Auctions (HA) description:
Published by the precursor to Centaur Publications, this was the first comic book devoted to a single theme — crime, in this instance. Cover and art by William Allison.
I don’t know who decides the auction blurbs, the seller or HA, but I learned a long time ago to take those descriptions with a grain of salt.
Three years earlier the “first” comic book devoted to a single theme — crime, in this instance was published when Humor issued Detective Dan. And that is if we discount the 1917 Hawkshaw the Detective comic book. Which may (or may not) be the actual first comic book devoted to crime.
A Charlie Brown Christmas 6X Platinum
Los Angeles, CA (August 13, 2026)—Following last year’s 75th anniversary celebrations of PEANUTS® and the 60th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas, the album has now been officially certified 6X Platinum by the RIAA—commemorating six million album sales and streaming equivalents in the U.S. and making it the best-selling jazz album of all time.
To celebrate this feat, Craft Recordings will offer an array of limited-edition pressings of A Charlie Brown Christmas this fall. For over 60 years, the 1965 soundtrack has been an essential part of the PEANUTS holiday tradition, thanks to the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s enduring cues…
The 117 Piece National Cartoonists Society Jigsaw Puzzle
At the Reuben Awards registration table, attendees were invited to draw on blank puzzle pieces. The reverse sides were marked with an alphanumeric code, specifying how the puzzle should be reassembled.
Patrick Merrell further informs:
Members contributed to a jigsaw puzzle. The pieces could go anywhere, but there was a numbering system on the back so the pieces could be put back in the same positions.
So there are two shapes – the edges and the interiors.
The National Cartoonists Society must sell an actual puzzle of this with proceeds going to their Foundation!
Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame Ceremony and Awards Dinner
The Society of Illustrators cordially invites you to their 2026 Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony and Dinner.
October 15 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
$300.00 – $500.00
Since 1958, the Society of Illustrators has elected to its Hall of Fame artists recognized for their distinguished achievement in the art of illustration. Artists are chosen based on their body of work and the impact it has made on the field of illustration. Please help us in honoring this year’s recipients at the annual Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony and dinner.
By attending the Hall of Fame Ceremony and Dinner, you are supporting the Society of Illustrators in its vital mission to preserve the art and history of illustration. We sincerely thank you for your presence and your continued dedication to the artists and the organization.
29 Years Ago Today, A Controversial Cartoon Made With Construction Paper Changed Television
For some reason people and organizations are celebrating off-year (not divisible by five or ten) anniversaries. Here James Grebey for TVLine marks 29 years of South Park.
On this day, 29 years ago, Kenny died. It wouldn’t be the last time. The envelope-pushing, profanity-heavy animated series “South Park” premiered on Comedy Central on August 13, 1997. The show’s premiere was more than just the first of the parka-wearing character’s many, many comical deaths, however; it also changed the TV landscape forever.
“South Park” is still going strong nearly three decades later — and a big part of its success is thanks to streaming. Season 27 was especially popular: The second episode of the season brought in 6.2 million viewers. Only 1.56 million of those views were on Comedy Central, though, as the rest were on Paramount+. Of course, however you slice it, that’s still a pretty impressive figure for a show that began as crude construction paper 29 years ago.
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