Cartoonists

Brooklyn is, despite the gentrification covering a huge swath of the entire borough, still home to a few people who don't shop at Kitsuné; and most of these urban poor seem to be cartoonists, which Brooklyn also has a huge population. The local website Brokelyn catches up with a few of them for survival tips. Brendan Leach, Leslie Stein and Lisa Hanawalt, (whose book on farts for children is excerpted above) give their recipes for ketchup soup and other practical hints:

“I have spent 17 years in the dark, wondering what the readers of my stuff really wanted,” wrote Barks to Willits. “It would be an enlightening experience to talk to one. In the event you phone, my wife will answer the call, my hearing aids which are okay for ordinary conversation are shuttery for telephonic jazz.”

Daniel Clowes is in the news! So much going on.

Hedges and Joe Sacco appeared this weekend on the Bill Moyers show. The book features text by Hedges and comics by Sacco as the two explore some of the most drastically compromised places in the United States, including Pine Ridge, ND, Camden, NJ and Liberty Park during the Occupy Movement. The show can be watched online, or even in the link below and there's a live chat this Wednesday, July 25, at 2 pm EDT.

The Guardian has a series of comics up called A cartoonists worldview and it's a fantastic series of thoughtful comics by an all-star line-up. It's also a reminder that social commentary has always been one of the most powerful and direct uses of the comics medium. We're lucky to have so many insightful practitioners using that medium today.

Bryan Talbot, author of one of the most diverse bodies of work in the contemporary comics canon (Luther Arkwright, Tale of One Bad Rat, Alice in Sunderland) is getting an honorary Doctorate of Letters for his body of work by Northumbria University at their annual degree ceremony in Newcastle. It's being presented in a ceremony tomorrow. He's already an honorary Doctor of Arts, having received it four years ago from Sunderland University. Bryan tells us this makes him the first British comic creator to be awarded a doctorate twice.

"Given the artistic quality of Canadian cartooning, it's cultural importance, its centrality to an understanding of Canadian society and history, and its appeal to readers of all ages, a strong argument can and should be made that the Canada Council should support the work of Cartoonists and that of publishers interested in publishing their work. "

Dave McKean, the British artist/polymath who has worked as a cartoonist, comics cover artist, illustrator, graphic designer and filmmaker, opened his panel by saying, “I’m not going to assume that people know who I am, which was greeted by a cheer from the crowd, trying to let Dave know how many people in the packed room DID know who Dave is (at least 25%, if you’re keeping track).

This is what makes it all possible.

Andrei Molitiu, he of Abstract Comics fame, is moderating afascinating sounding panel, along with Mark Badger. that looks at Jack Kirby and the abstract art.

The final round of Xeric Grant winners have been announced, and as usual it's a great line-up. Nothing like going out with a bang. $74,510 was awarded to these cartoonists to publish and market their work.

Although this "quest for Seve Ditko" story calls him the JD Salinger of comics, he's actually pretty easy to find—like many other pilgrims, the Post reporter just rang the door on his studio.