Christopher Irving sent me a deck of strange and colorful cards. He is an historian of pop culture, especially comics, and co-author of the book “Leaping Tall Buildings: The Origins of American Comics.” In Spring 2016 Christopher Irving launched a Kickstarter to create Four Color Trading Cards “celebrating public domain comic book characters from the 1930s throughContinue reading “Strange Cards”
Category Archives: cartooning
Dane Lachiusa on illustration
He may not be a household name, but you have seen his work. Dane Lachiusa drew the cartoons that appeared on your Snapple caps, sketched goofy images for Nickelodeon’s earliest website, and drew cartoons that covered the walls of your local Starbucks. He also drew the quirky images you may have noticed on your large soda cup at Blimpies. DaneContinue reading “Dane Lachiusa on illustration”
$15,000 Advance for a Kid’s Comic by New Artist. Hey, you!
Graphix, the young adult and children’s comics imprint of Scholastic announced a contest at Comic-con. Some contests are scams; they charge high entry fees, or insist you give up rights to your characters at time of entry. This one looks wonderful. It is only for unpublished creators. The prize is publication and a $15,000 advance.Continue reading “$15,000 Advance for a Kid’s Comic by New Artist. Hey, you!”
NEW KUTZTOWN U ZINE LIBRARY
Zines by Kutztown students will form the beginning of a new Zine Collection at Kutztown University’s Rohrbach Library. Other academic institutions have famous Zine Libraries including Barnard College and Hampshire College. Kutztown is starting small. A zine, rhymes with seen, is a small book or pamphlet. Merriam Webster defines a zine as “often homemade orContinue reading “NEW KUTZTOWN U ZINE LIBRARY”
Science Comics & Global Warming for Kids
Kids who read this comic will be smarter than most guys running for president.
The Third Man behind the Terrible Two
The Terrible Two was a 2015 NY Times bestseller. The Terrible Two Get Worse, just released this month, has already gained that honor. The series is a runaway hit with middle grade readers. According to Variety, the Terrible Two have a movie deal! Boffo! I met co-authors Mac Barnett and Jory John at the ALA librarians convention in SanContinue reading “The Third Man behind the Terrible Two”
Hannah Stephey has BIG News She Can’t Share!
” It’s super easy to just sleep and watch cat videos in your spare time.”
Illustration Goes Live!
Neil Numberman and my worms in the dressing room at Dixon Place Theater. Saturday morning I took the Bieber bus to New York City carrying my bucket of worms. The Dixon Place Theater on the Lower East Side was locked when I arrived. A man walked up and asked, “Are you a performer?” I had toContinue reading “Illustration Goes Live!”
Not that Nathan Hale, Meet the Cartoonist.
Nathan Hale is a fitting name for a graphic novelist specializing in historical biographies. I ran into him at the American Library Association convention in San Francisco. I asked if he was named for the hero of the American Revolution. He wrote One Dead Spy, about that hero. “No, I am named for my grandfather,”Continue reading “Not that Nathan Hale, Meet the Cartoonist.”
Roller Derby Artists by Bobby Dazzler (Robin Tatlow-Lord)
Kevin McCloskey recently asked me whether the handful of illustrators he had met who also play roller derby might be indicative of a larger trend – a connection between this growing sport and the world of illustration and comics – or if he was imagining that trend. I don’t think it’s imaginary at all: illustratorsContinue reading “Roller Derby Artists by Bobby Dazzler (Robin Tatlow-Lord)”
Illustration Concentration 