Filed under: Comic History

The Boston Globe has a slideshow of editorial cartoons of Senator Ted Kennedy going back to 1962. Over all 33 cartoons from the last four decades.

Tom Spurgeon has begun what I’d consider a massive project – naming the top 100 comics for the years 2000-2009. The categories he’s outlined so far include: Anthologies, Archival Editions, Original Long-Forms and Definitive Collections, Comic Books, Manga, Newspaper, On-Line, and Works On The Subject Of Comics. He’s already penned an impressive list of comics […]

A new book about Bill Watterson is due out in October by Nevin Martell who set to write a biography of Watterson and his influence on cartooning (see my review of the book). He spent 18 months interviewing over a hundred of Watterson’s colleagues, peers, friends and family members. He has agreed to take questions […]

On one hand, you gotta admire the tenacity of Nevin Martell who set out to write a biography of Bill Watterson. He could of made his life easier by picking someone more forthcoming or cooperative such as Big Foot or the Loch Ness Monster. “Looking for Calvin and Hobbes” subtitled “The unconventional story of Bill […]

The comic strip Annie turned 85 yesterday. Little Orphan Annie first appeared in 1924, a creation of Herold Gray. The comic “Little Orphan Annie” debuted on Aug. 5, 1924. Original creator Harold Gray intended to call his character “Little Orphan Otto,” but switched the character’s gender at the suggestion of his editor, the Chicago Tribune’s […]

I mentioned this back in February, but it’s worth repeating. IDW Publishing will release the complete Bloom County collection – every strip daily and Sunday in chronological order. The book is entitled “The Bloom County Library” and is a five volume set due out in October. The feature by Berkeley Breathed ran from from 1980 […]

Comic Books» Publisher’s Weekly reports that Sergio Aragones will be working on the Bart Simpson comic book. From the press release: “Matt Groening has announced that Sergio Aragones will become a regular featured artist and writer in Bart Simpson comics beginning with issue #50. Sergio Aragones will provide the entire contents of Bart Simpson #50 […]

Comic History» Over at the AV Club blog, Seth responded to a list of well known comic book, strip, magazine and children’s book artists with his opinions of and personal associations.Comic strips» Aaron Johnson’s What the Duck (or WT Duck) hit 3 years old yesterday.» Tom Gammill, pays tribute to Walter Cronkite with his latest […]

While I try to keep up with this stuff, a few audio interviews have passed me by unnoticed. Bob Andelman, AKA “Mr. Media” has interviewed Gary Groth and Kim Thompson, Editors of The Comics Journal, Fantagraphics, Paul Fitzgerald, Will Eisner and PS Magazine author, Brendan Burford, Editor of Syncopated comics and King Features Syndicate, Jonathan […]

Bob Andelman’s 2005 biography on Will Eisner (“Will Eisner: A Spirit Life”) is now available for download through Audible.com narrated by Bob as well. Bob spent nearly three years interviewing Eisner, his contemporaries, family and friends to create this definitive book on the legendary career.With the release of the book through Audible, it will also […]

Mike Cope, cartoonist, illustrator and author of “Last of the Funnies” is making a generous pledge to support the Schulz Challenge that is raising money for the Ohio State’s Cartoon Library & Museum. Mike is donating $2 for every copy his timely science fiction, which explores the future of the funnies in a virtually paperless […]

The Washington Post has a comic editorial by Art Spiegelman exploring editorial cartoonists reaction to a 1939 refugee boat full of 900 European Jews fleeing Nazi German who were turned back when they reached the United States. Interesting review of editorial cartooning history and a not so subtle jab at the modern profession.

The Naperville Sun reports that a statue commemorating the Dick Tracy character will be constructed in Naperville, home of current Dick Tracy cartoonist Dick Locher. The article goes on to summarize Dick’s career and long association with the famous detective character. The Dick Tracy Museum in Woodstock, IL closed last summer due to insufficient funds.

The guys that created Captain America and the artist that went on to create Iron Man, X-Men, Hulk and the Fantastic Four with Stan Lee, will have a collection of their work published by Titan Books. Jack Kirby (artist) and Joe (Simon) were two of the pioneering comic book creators in the early 1940s.

June 9, 1934 Donald Duck made his debut with the line, “Who, me? Oh no. I’ve got a belly ache.” According to CBSNews.com, he has since had his own comic strip in 1938, 150 other cartoons and seven feature films. He won an Oscar in 1943 for his role in “Der Fuehrer’s Face.”