There is a great article over at the LA Times about an upcoming “Sunday at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books” symposium that will examine the future of comics in the newspaper…. Other cartoonists on the panel include Cathy Guisewite (“Cathy”), Jerry Scott (“Baby Blues” and “Zits”) and Lalo Alcaraz (“La Cucaracha”).Berkeley:”I don’t think you’ll ever see another ‘Calvin & Hobbes,’ ‘Bloom County’ or ‘Doonesbury’ again,” says Breathed, 48, who received the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning in 1987.

Mike Lynch and Editor and Publisher have announced the new web site for the “Berndt Toast Gang” also known as the Long Island, NY chapter of the National Cartoonist Society.According to E&P other members of the chapter include:”Smitty” comic creator Walter Berndt (1899-1979) — include “The Lockhorns” cartoonists Bunny Hoest and John Reiner of King Features Syndicate, “They’ll Do It Every Time” cartoonist Al Scaduto of King, Bill Gallo of the New York Daily News, “Mad” magazine artist Mort Drucker, and many others.

More details are emerging about Paul Comb’s departure from the Tampa Tribune next month….  Apparently the Comb family didn’t take to Florida and are moving back .

Luann creator Greg Evans will be at the Barnes & Noble in Escondido CA this Sunday at 12:30 presumably to sign books.

Editor and Publisher reports that Canadian cartoonist David Illsley who does “Wrinkled — Us Older Folks” has been signed with Continental Features/Continental News Service.

Before Bil Keane made it big with “Family Circus” he had another big hit called “Channel Chuckles” which was a daily cartoon focused on television gags that would run next to the tv listings which were becoming a popular new feature in the newspaper (this is 1954).  There are a online exhibit of “Channel Chuckles” on Bil’s web site.Go read Allan Holtz’s Strippers Guide blog for more information.

The Cartoon Art Museum of San Francisco has a new exhibit called “Cartoon Tunes: Capturing Music in Comics” according to Editor and Publisher.  The exhibit runs May 9 through Oct. 15 and features music such as Bob Dylan, Philip Glass, Led Zeppelin, Jenny Lind, Prince, Run-DMC, and They Might Be Giants.

Joe Heller, editorial cartoonist for the Green Bay Press-Gazette will join several other Wisconsin artists to decorate 40 large butterfly, frog and beetle statues that will be placed in several places through out the city this summer…. The Green Bay Press-Gazette editorial cartoonist will translate to powder-coated aluminum what he has long put on paper: a slew of newsmakers past and present.”It’s going to be presidents, state and local politicians and working my way into entertainers that are political and politicians that are entertainers ? anybody with a mouth and an opinion,” said Heller, who plans to attach a key to identify all the characters.

The Austin American Statesman has a really good write up regarding Patrick McDonnell’s new book “Art.” Patrick’s first book “The Gift of Nothing” featured characters from his comic strip “Mutts,” but this new book is a complete departure from his Mutts strip.”‘Art’ is about a little kid who likes to draw and makes messes and I think it’s pretty autobiographical,” he says by phone from his New Jersey studio…. I actually took a photograph of my desk before I cleaned it because it looked sort of like one of Art’s drawings ? splotches all over the place.”To help promote the book, Patrick is having a ART Coloring Contest (ends April 28).

Tony Cochran, creator of “Agnes” will be the official mascot of the Taking the Reins’s walk-a-thon in Van Nuys, CA.

The Lima News (OH) has put Dennis the Menace back on the funnies page after readers protested.  The editor, in a brief story, writes about some of the reactions people had when Dennis disappeared.

As if the Pulitzer and SPJ award was not enough – Mike Luckovich has won the Overseas Press Club award for editorial cartooning.  The prize was given to two cartoonists this year.

Last Thursday I broke the story that The Tampa Tribune was hiring a new editorial cartoonist….  Daryl Cagle picks up the story and explains that Paul Combs is leaving the paper.

The serious issues Bennett deals with, and the thoughtfulness with which he treats them, are in direct contrast to the way he begins his work: When he’s thinking about ideas for cartoons, he doodles. His desk and the floor of his office are littered with dozens of pieces of paper covered with doodles.”It sounds so mindless, and editorial cartooning is so mindful,” he says, but “I doodle all the time.”Clay has been with the Science Christian Monitor since 1998.

They didn’t post many requirements if any – which means if Mike Luckovich hasn’t satisfied with the Pulitzer, and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Sigma Delta Chi Award – he can enter too.We are celebrating Jim Borgman?s 30th anniversary this year as the Enquirer?s editorial cartoonist and want your help…. We will publish your cartoon and Jim?s in print and online.E-mail your entry by filling out the following form, or send your cartoon via ‘snail mail’ to: Borgman Challenge, Life section, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati 45202.