Unbeknownst to him, the frantic graphics job would lead to his future calling. “I had a lot of downtime waiting for the graphics lists from the news department. So the guy who worked next to me said, ‘You’re always doing these stupid little drawings. Why don’t you try sending some to magazines?’ I did that […]
John Rose has kicked off the 100th anniversary story of Barney Google and Snuffy Smith. The celebratory story starts today and, according to John, it will run “a little over two weeks.” That puts it at least until the June 17, 2019 centennial. above: the first two Barney Google strips (June 17 and June 18, […]
Stephan Pastis offered up the originals of two Pearls Before Swine signed Sunday strips to help benefit STEM Preparatory Schools.Founded in 2015 through the merger of several highly successful schools, STEM Preparatory Schools operates public charter schools in the West Adams and Jefferson Park neighborhoods of South Los Angeles. We are committed to disrupting the […]
Tank McNamara comments on something that has alternately puzzled and depressed me: The resurgence in recent years of boxing.The fight he refers to was a particularly strong example of why.Howard Cosell, who was at the time the best-known boxing announcer, stepped away from the sport late in 1982, after announcing a particularly brutal match between […]
Early in his career Harvey Kurtzman displayed his comic sensibilities with a regular page that appeared in various Marvel (Timely) comic books for editor Stan Lee. Kurtzman was basically let loose to create his Hey Look! page for three years, from 1946 to 1949. It was an early indication of Harvey’s comic genius. During those three […]
I like Clay Jones‘ cartoon, because, yes, as discussed yesterday, the main task of the White House staff these days is to keep the Toddler-in-Chief from throwing tantrums.I stopped watching the news yesterday because they had gone to 24-hour coverage of the Virginia Beach shootings, which would be a good thing if (A) it brought […]
Some recent letters to editors about comic strips and editorial cartoons. Sometimes it takes the simplicity and purity of a newspaper comic strip to bring tears to your eyes… Brian Basset, creator of Red and Rover, hit the sentiment of Memorial Day out of the ball park.Sue in Idaho thanks Brian and to the soldiers that […]
Graeme MacKay comments on an interesting and instructive story most Americans probably hadn’t heard about.Seems a Canadian company sold about 2,500 tons of what was supposed to be recyclable plastic to a company in the Philippines. However, when the shipping containers arrived, they proved to be full of household waste in addition to the plastic, […]
It’s the 90th anniversary of the creation of Popeye, and the Yiddishkeit of the sailor, created by American Jewish cartoonist Elzie Segar, is more apparent than ever. There’s even a Popeye The Sailor Man Mezuzah sold online to protect Jewish homes from evil.Yet explicit Jewish content was scant in the Illinois-born Segar’s original Thimble Theatre […]
Dilbert creator Scott Adams wants to attend your next business meeting. I need some Dilbert comic ideas. Invite me to attend your business meeting right now, live, on the free Interface by Whenhub app. (Really) I set my price to zero. Scott Adams needs some ideas for future Dilbert comic strips.Scott’s Twitter feed for the request, with […]
Let me begin by apologizing to Mr. Jacobs for being a day late. above: birthday greeting from MAD Magazine From 1957 to 2007 (and occasionally since) Frank Jacobs was a major contributor to MAD Magazine; and he didn’t just ease in, he jumped in with five articles in his first issue. Frank was an all-round humorist, but […]
Since I have no particular place to start today, I’ll post this Retail and tell a related story to point out why timing is everything in comedy.I was out running errands and getting hungry and happened to be passing the only place in town with decent pizza, so decided that, instead of a burger, I’d […]
Don Asmussen has returned and is issuing new installments of Bad Reporter.The merry month of May saw Don become very active on Facebook and Twitter.Then mid-May saw the San Francisco Chronicle and GoComics go with new episodes.Don hasn’t mentioned anything about the progress of his recovery, but we are very happy to see him active […]
As the 100th anniversary of the Barney Google and Snuffy Smith comic strip nears cartoonist John Rose is interviewed about the strip. John, only the third signed cartoonist in the strip’s 100 year history, talks about how the strip started and changed, Uncle Fred Lasswell, his time and efforts on the strip (while he continues to […]
It’s the 90th anniversary of Popeye‘s debut (and the 100th of Thimble Theatre).But age isn’t slowing down the Sailor Man. His comic strip continues with reprinted Bud Sagendorf dailies and new Hy Eisman Sunday pages, and this year it was joined by a companion Sunday strip—Popeye’s Cartoon Club by various celebrity cartoonists.But the funny pages […]