The Cartoon!st - Mar-Apr 2017

… and more words of advice to graduates

Ifgoingyou’re into a career in the arts,marry rich

Briefings from the Jovial Office . . . by Bill Morrison

Enough thanks to go around

As the Reuben Awards weekend quickly approaches, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who participated in the 2016 awards process!

This year we had 11 specialty juries and 15 regional NCS chapters who poured through hundreds of submissions and deliberated to arrive at the final three nominees in each of the 15 divisions. The entire membership also voted online to decide the winners and runners up in four of those divisions; Editorial Cartoon, Gag Cartoon, Newspaper Panel and Newspaper Strip. And of course, all members were given the opportunity to vote by mail to decide the winner of The Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year. So to all who took the time to participate in this process in any way, we are much obliged!

I’d also like to express my gratitude to everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to organize the awards process. First, to your NCS Board of Directors: Jason Chatfield, Hilary Price, John Hambrock, John Kovaleski, Sean Parkes, Darrin Bell, and especially to our National Rep

Ed Steckley. Ed not only takes on the same duties as the rest of the Board, receiving submissions, sorting through them, and getting them distributed to the proper juries and chapters in time for voting, but he also oversees the entire awards process from start to finish. I won’t bore you with the details, but trust me, it’s a mountain of pro bono work.

I’d also like to thank past presidents Tom Richmond, Jeff Keane, Rick Stromoski, and Steve McGarry for their invaluable wisdom, knowledge, and guidance throughout the process. Tom and Rick also took on the organization of some of the specialty juries, and it was comforting to have their steady hands on the tiller.

Finally, thanks to Latisha Moore for her organizational brilliance and assistance throughout the operation!

The result of all this expenditure of time and energy is a brilliant slate of nominees in 15 divisions and the Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year.

Here’s the official list of nominees which you may also find on the NCS website, www.reuben.org:

ADVERTISING/PRODUCT ILLUSTRATION

■ Anton Emdin

■ Luke McGarry

■ Dave Whamond

BOOK ILLUSTRATION

■ Mike Lester (Amazon Rapids Series)

■ Mark Tatulli (Daydreaming)

■ Dave Whamond (Braids)

This issue’s cover is by the most accommodating Stephanie Piro, who pitched in at the last minute to contribute a piece of art for the cover. Which is not even the art shown here — she did this second, completely different piece of art that IS featured — with our many, many thanks for bailing us out.

NCS BOARD

Honorary Chairman

Mort Walker President

Bill Morrison 805-579-9827

First Vice President

Jason Chatfield

Second Vice President

“The Cartoon!st” is the official publication of the National Cartoonists Society, P.O. Box 592927 Orlando, FL 32859-2927. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the NCS. Entire contents ©2017 National Cartoonists Society, except where other copyrights are designated.

The Cartoon!st needs your news, opinions, drawings and photos. Address all materials to: Frank Pauer, 53 Beverly Place, Dayton, OH 45419. Phone: 937-296-0502 home, 937-229-3934 days.

Email: fpauer1@udayton.edu

Deadline for the next issue: June 11

Hilary Price 413-586-0223

Third Vice President

Darrin Bell 510-205-8592

Secretary

John Kovaleski 717-334-5926

Treasurer

John Hambrock 262-658-2676

Membership Chairman

Sean Parkes 480-626-2702

National Representative

Ed Steckley 413-478-4314

NCS COMMITTEES

The Cartoon!st

Frank Pauer 937-229-3934 fpauer1@udayton.edu

Ethics

Steve McGarry mac@stevemcgarry.com

Education Rob Smith Jr. (rob@robsmithjr.com)

Greeting Card Contracts

Carla Ventresca 615-480-7931

NCS FOUNDATION

President Steve McGarry 714-593-0514 mac@stevemcgarry.com

For questions about accounting, membership, database and dues renewals, contact: National Cartoonists Society P.O. Box 592927 Orlando, FL 32859-2927 407-994-6703 info@reuben.org

The National Cartoonists Society Web Site: www.reuben.org.

Please address correspondence to: Frank Pauer, 53 Beverly Place, Dayton, OH 45419, or fpauer1@udayton.edu

CHAD FRYE

COMIC BOOK

■ Max Sarin & Liz Fleming (Giant Days)

■ Gabriel Rodriguez (Locke & Key)

■ Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo)

EDITORIAL CARTOON

■ Ruben Bolling

■ Mike Luckovich

■ Jen Sorensen

FEATURE ANIMATION

■ Eric Goldberg, Character Animation: (Moana)

■ Cory Loftis, Character Design: (Zootopia)

■ Erick Oh, Character Animation: (Finding Dory)

GAG CARTOON

■ Pat Byrnes

■ Joe Dator

■ Will McPhail

GRAPHIC NOVEL

■ Jules Feiffer (Cousin Joseph)

■ Rick Geary (Black Dahlia)

■ Bryan Talbot (The Red Virgin & the Vision of Utopia)

GREETING CARD

■ Dave Blazek

■ Maria Scrivan

■ Debbie Tomassi

MAGAZINE FEATURE/ ILLUSTRATION

■ Jon Adams

■ Teresa Burns Parkhurst

■ Peter Kuper

NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP

■ Brian Crane (Pickles)

■ Steve Kelley & Jeff Parker (Dustin)

■ Terri Libenson (The Pajama Diaries)

NEWSPAPER ILLUSTRATION

■ Anton Emdin

■ Glen LeLievre

■ David Rowe

NEWSPAPER PANEL

■ Dave Blazek (Loose Parts)

■ Nick Galifianakis (Nick and Zuzu)

■ Mark Parisi (Off the Mark)

ON-LINE COMICS –LONG FORM

■ Meredith Gran (Octopus Pie )

■ Kathleen Jacques (Band by Band)

■ OMG Check Please (Ngozi Ukazu)

ON-LINE COMICS – SHORT FORM

■ Sarah Andersen (Sarah’s Scribbles)

■ Ruben Bolling (Donald & John)

■ Dave Kellett (Sheldon)

TV ANIMATION

■ Eric Goldberg (The Simpsons)

■ Steve Lambe & Alan Stewart (Atomic Puppet)

■ Chris Savino (The Loud House)

THE REUBEN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CARTOONIST OF THE YEAR

■ LYNDA BARRY

■ STEPHAN PASTIS

■ HILARY PRICE

■ MARK TATULLI

■ ANN TELNAES

Give yourself a treat and go to the website to view the samples for each nominee. Each and every one is outstanding and deserving of the award for which they’re nominated.

I’m so proud to be associated with an organization that recognizes and awards the best work and talent that our cartooning industries have to offer, and I’m doubly proud of the members who worked tirelessly to make it all happen so successfully!

Congratulations and best of luck to all the nominees, and I hope to see you all in Portland!

Over and Out, Bill Morrison prez@reuben.org

By Hilary Price

At the start of the year, many of you filled out a 10-question survey to help the NCS get a better read on what we do well and where we need to improve. We’ll touch on it at the Reuben Weekend’s business meeting, but we also plan to address some of your questions and concerns in future issues of The Cartoon!st

I think the survey will give the incoming board a lot to chew on, and that was its primary purpose. For starters, here are five things that we got from it:

1. Communication: The Cartoon!st is popular among all types of memberships (regular members, 65+/retired, associates, widows, and over 80). While good for finding out what went on, it’s less helpful for what is happening in the future. People rely most on Chapter emails and Facebook (versus Twitter and the NCS website), and many would like to get events and news via email from NCS headquarters.

2. The Reuben Weekend: Members want fewer seminars at the Reubens in order to network and see friends, and also want the seminars to be more professional development

focused. Reuben events where members interact with the public are popular. Cost prevented many members from attending the event.

3. Diversity: Members would like more focus on younger cartoonists and those outside of the more traditional syndicated field, such as webcomics and animation.

4. Outreach: For themselves, and also to improve our prestige as an organization, members wanted the NCS to create more ways to interact with the public, either as actual events or posting some of the Reuben seminars on YouTube.

5. Perks: Members wanted discounts on art supplies or technology, and were looking for incentives not just for themselves but to attract new members. Booth space at the Comic Cons were appreciated. Heath care was often cited as a wish.

This isn’t all inclusive— just a taster of the data. Our last question to members was, “Do you know someone who should be a member, and will you reach out to them?” So here is a call to action: Will you make that second or third email to reach out to someone?

That survey you filled out – five first impressions

We all make mistakes—I know I’ve made my share in this crazy business of comics! I put this together based on some questions and concerns that aspiring comic artists have asked me over the years. I’ve narrowed the list down to five mistakes that I think are the most important — share them with your aspiring cartoonist.

5 Killer Mistakes Beginner Cartoonists Make

■ By Rina Piccolo

Have something to “fall back on.”

You’ve heard this line before from family and friends, and it comes from a good place. Your loved ones care about you, and they want you to live a happy life, and that’s a good thing. The unfortunate thing is that this may be the worst piece of advice to follow if you’re geniunely passionate about drawing comics professionally. I must admit there are some pro cartoonists that keep a “day job.” But if you’re someone who would like to have comics be your day job, then this bit of advice may actually hurt your chances of “making it.” Set aside for a moment the time and energy wasted on the pursuance of an alternate career, and let’s turn this bit of advice upside down, and really look at what it means. If you agree to have something to “fall back on” then you are willing to concede that falling is an option. Let’s face it, a plan B career is the safety net that, in times of frustration (and a creative career involves plenty of angst, as you know) you just may let yourself fall, instead of working a little harder to get over what may be a mere hurdle in your path. The truth is, safety nets are sensible to individuals who may be unwilling to do whatever it takes for their art. But if you’re someone who wants to make comics more than you want, or need, anything else in life, then consider how much harder you would push yourself if you knew there was no safety net beneath you. When you’re in survival mode, you

do whatever it takes to keep going, and that extra bit of drive is oftentimes the difference between falling, and soaring.

Seek the opinion of friends, family, and social media in place of professional feedback.

The one thing you can do right now to increase your chances of improving yourself as a cartoonist, is to stop listening to your mother, your BFF, or your Facebook friends, when they tell you what you want to hear: that your comics rock. I don’t have to elaborate on this; it’s pretty obvious. You know that feedback from friends — or anyone who cares about your feelings — will always be glowing, no matter what. The notso-obvious reason you should take the opinions from loved ones lightly is because they may not know enough about the artform to give you the type of constructive criticism that your work can benefit from. So,

your BFF thinks your work is pure genius, and that’s great if you wish to draw comics as a hobby. But if you want to make it your life’s work, then I would encourage you to seek feedback from professionals in the business. By this I don’t mean criticism from comment threads. You already know how unreliable, and often vitriolic, comments from strangers

can be. (I should note, however, that if you’ve got a gazilion strangers following your work, and eating up everything you post, then that’s a pretty good litmus test of how the public sees your work. You’re already there. On the flipside, if you’ve got a gazilion readers, then you most likely know more about this stuff than I do!)

Write and draw what you think people will like.

And that includes writing and drawing what you think editors will like—editors are people! One hard truth about creating anything is this: you can’t please everybody. Trust me I’ve tried, and what I created was garbage. I hated it; it wasn’t me. Another hard truth is that there is very little chance

that you can know what people — or editors — will like, and that’s because nobody really knows what people like until people like it. I know that sounds messed up, but it’s true. (Editors don’t like to admit this, but there is no “formula” for what’s good and popular, and oftentimes they really don’t know what they want until they see it.) One thing that you can do right now to set your work apart from the work of amateurs is to begin writing and drawing to please yourself. Ah, fun. Fullfillment. Self expression! Isn’t that what cartooning is all about? The other side to this wonderful truth is that the more you write and draw to entertain yourself, the closer you’ll get to discovering your own unique voice — which is good because it’s unlikely you’ll attract a following without one.

Place too much importance on money.

This is a biggy. Obviously, aspiring cartoonists want to drive a Mercedes-Benz, eat platters of diamonds for dinner, and wear two hundred dollar designer headbands while sailing their floating ocean jet,

or whatever. If this describes you, then you should get a job in law, or finance. But if you’d rather die than not make art, then you’ll be perfectly okay with living modestly. The key here is to embrace frugality. Be a tightwad and get good at it! Be like a squirrel and save those nuts for the inevitable winter, because whether you’re willing to admit it or not, making money selling comics is damn hard. Few professional cartoonists are wealthy, or even financially stable. If earning lots of cash is important to you, then I don’t have to tell you, do I? It’s easier to just get a “real” job.

Place too much importance on “ideas.”

I’m talking about story ideas here. Much emphasis is placed on “good story ideas,” and not enough on voice, or style. I hear too many aspiring cartoonists say that they’re worried someone will steal their idea. (What? You have only one? Better get working!) Having your idea stolen may be a real concern if you’re an entrepreneur, an inventor set on a patent, or a Hollywood exec. But for graphic novelists, and visual artists in general, ideas are not supremely important. Incidentally, as a working professional you’ll need to generate hundreds of them on a regular basis. The best ideas are simple ideas, and they’ve all been done before. You may even say ideas are inherently valueless. What’s valuable is how those ideas are executed, and with what voice they are delivered. There are seven basic story lines in existence, and it’s very unlikely that your idea falls outside of the seven. Very unlikely. The only thing new under the sun is your unique and particular voice, and the personal style with which you re-hash — and refresh — the old tried and true story lines. If you do it properly, an old idea will appear spectacularly original. Now there’s an idea. Go ahead, steal it.

Adapted — with our many thanks —from Rina Piccolo’s “Fun Comic Strips App!” at her website, www.rinapiccolo.com

This is what you should do.

Make art. good

… and other words of advice from artists to graduates

Excerpts from actual commencement addresses (attributed) to a few new offerings from NCS members

Practice, practice, practice. It’s hard to get worse at something if you practice. But talent is not enough. Talent is not creativity, just as a seed is not a crop. You have to till the soil, plant the seed, work it, water it, harvest it. Creativity is hard work.

Doug Marlette Durham Academy Commencement, 2005

Life is like the Star Wars movies. Some of it is great, some of it sucks, but you have no choice but to sit through all of it. Very similar to the commencement speech you are listening to right now.

Learn to type with both thumbs.

Jim Borgman

If you’re going into a career in the arts... marry rich. And if he’s taken, get a teaching degree.

Stephanie Piro

Hank Azaria in the voice of The Simpson’s Comic Book Guy, Tufts University Commencement, 2016

Meet your heroes. Introduce yourself. Surprisingly, few of them are assholes. Most are actually wonderful, and insist that you call them Sparky.

Jeff Smith

The Center for Cartoon Studies Commencement, 2009

A camera in a phone? In a wrist watch? In a shoe? Well, that’s OK for recording specific details. Better yet, observe reality and sketch the world around you. You’ll develop an intimate connection with what you see. To create action in a figure, don’t start with the head. First establish the direction and angle of the torso—then attach head and limbs. You’ll be surprised how simple it is to set your characters in motion and bring flexibility to your drawings.

Howard Beckerman

We came here to learn. We came here because we are curious, special people. We came here because we care about what our environment can look and behave like. We came here to make everything better.

Lalo Alcaraz

UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design Commencement, 2015

Life is a fleeting, transitory stage which is too short to waste on work that isn’t one’s best. We all know where we’re going, so just enjoy the ride.

Bill Holbrook

I graduated from art school in 1977, and I think that is now far enough away that I really don’t have any words of advice.

Roz Chast

Lesley

Mark Parisi

University Keynote Address, 2010

I wish that you all find love, and kindness rules your heart. I wish that lunch came with this invitation to speak.

Rick Stromoski Suffield

(Conn.) High School Graduation Address, 2006

My Alma mater describes me as a distinguished alumnus. That just means I’m currently employed. As you stand on the threshold of your promising young future, remember; the intensive Liberal Arts education you’ve received, steeped in the trivium an quadrivium of the Humanities, offers the student the unique opportunity to go forth into the world and drive for Uber. And to this day, thanks to my student loans, I’m STILL working my way through college. So, my best advice to the graduating class of 2017 is...uh, excuse me,  do you mind looking up from your phones?

John Reiner

Jazz musician Thelonious Monk gave the following guidance to his band: "Don't play everything… let some things go by. What you don’t play can be more important than what you do."

As a cartoonist, I try to follow Monk’s example by removing unnecessary elements from my art and writing, although I usually end up overdoing things. His advice applies to every creative endeavor. Don't be afraid to leave out some ingredients.

Wayno

It wouldn’t be a commencement address without some more advice, so here it comes. These are Englehart’s rules.

1. You want to stay married for life? Get married at 80.

John Lasseter

Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation

Defy your own group. Rebel against yourself. Knock down your walls and get out of your own way.

Cathy Guisewite Class of ’72, University of Michigan Commencement,

1974

2. Do not live where there is a bridge between you and your job. Sooner or later, it will have to be painted and they’ll shut it down to one lane, and it will be a traffic nightmare for years.

3. Remember, you can make money and make a difference.

4. Read, Vote. Raise Hell!

Bob Englehart

Central Connecticut State University Commencement, 2006

If there was a class on shortcuts for a successful career nobody told me about it.

Jared Lee

Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all the other ways that life can go wrong. And when things get tough, this is what you should do. Make good art.

Neil Gaiman The University of the

Marcus Hamilton

Arts Keynote Address, 2012

Choose something that you love to do and you will never work a day in your life.

Studios, Savannah College of Art and Design, 2015

Two things I learned from my parents and the Boy Scouts have helped me through every situation: Always “Be Prepared” and “Never Give Up” as you pursue your dream job!

Post photos of your drunken sexcapades all over social media. Employers want someone fun.

Daryll Collins

If you’re creative, follow your dream and give it your all. If you’re into science and technology, choose an area with a potential that excites you and stay with it. If your intelligence level isn’t high and your morality is lower yet, your success in politics is guaranteed.

Nick Meglin

My suggestion is, for those of you who don’t know what you want to be, try to write down the things you love. They may be stupid things — I love watching movies, I love drinking beer, I love whatever. But write these things down. Then try to, for six or seven months, try to get a job in those things you love. It doesn’t have to be beer and movies, but try to make it. All of the people who are getting honorary degrees, the thing we all have together is we love what we do. We love what we do.

Mike Peters Washington University Commencement, 2012

“Kids today! Why, when I was his age I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up!”

Whatever you majored in and however much you love it, keep an open mind. Some of the best and most exciting careers might not have been invented yet.

Don Orehek

The mail keeps me going, makes me blush, keeps me honest, makes me smarter, puffs me up, brings me down to size and scares the bejesus out of me. Come to think of it, my first piece of advice to you should be this: Choose a career where you get lots of fan mail and a certain amount of hate mail.

Jef Mallett University of Michigan–Flint Commencement, 2005

Bill Watterson Class of 1980, Kenyon College Commencement, 1990

Listen to yourself. You might hear things you don’t like. But find out who you are, and who you are not. Realize that you are not necessarily who society or parents or teachers or siblings or Oprah or Rachael Maddox or Rush Limbaugh or Martha Stewart or Joe Biden want you to be. Listen to find out who you are and not who they want you to be.

Liza Donnelly University of Connecticut Graduate School Commencement, 2014

I believe that art can promote the best in mankind. It can raise us to our higher consciousness. It inspires and transcends. It comes from a deeper place, from stillness, from love. It helps bring that mindset into this world. As artists and human beings, we need to manifest this in our work and in our lives. Art is magic, and one of its most magical powers is to heal. I think that’s why we are here.

Patrick McDonnell

My principal exhortation to you today is to go forth and raise hell. Surprise yourselves. Surprise your parents. Surprise the world.

Garry Trudeau Trinity College Com-

mencement, 2003

I used to think talent was what got your foot in the door and made you successful, but that’s only part of it. You’ve got the talent part; now you’ve got to show the world your attitude and drive.

Marshall Ramsey Mississippi School of the Arts Commencement, 2016

You have just spent the last 16 or so years learning  how to take tests. Tomorrow you will begin your education in life.

No matter if you are a cartoonist, writer, performer, butcher, baker or candlestick maker — observe everything. Observe life. Observe people. Always ask questions, of anything and everything and everybody. But also, listen. Don’t just hear, you must listen. And then, and only then, do you sincerely learn. Through your entire education, all you really learned was how to take tests. Now, set your sights on learning about life, the life that engulfs the world you inhabit, your family. Learn about things you don’t understand, but learn more about things you think you DO understand

Tim Oliphant

I hope you all go out there and tell complicated nuanced stories in a beautiful way about this world. But the trick is to do that and not lose your passion. One is by waiting til the last minute to do things so you end up on stage without an ending to your talk.

Just say no to Karaoke with cartoonists and, of course, drugs.

Rich Diesslin

Allison Bechdel

The Center for Cartoon Studies Commencement, 2008

The

Center For Cartoon Studies Commencement, 2007

It’s not about accumulating the most stuff; it’s about leaving your mark and deciding what that mark is going to be. It’s about growing and learning because that never stops. You’re in trouble when it does stop. So leaving your mark, making a difference, making life matter, however you say it — it’s never too early to think about what you want to leave behind.

Mark Fiore Colorado College Commencement, 2015

So, what’s it like in the real world? Well, the food is better, but beyond that, I don’t recommend it.

Connecticut

Maria Scrivan maria@mariascrivan.com

On March 9, the NCS Connecticut Chapter presented Brian Walker with the “Legend Award” for his outstanding work in professional cartooning and in the cartooning community. It was presented with a heartfelt and hilarious dedication from Chance Browne, who co-founded the award with Brian in 1994. We had more than 50 people at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center in Stamford, Conn. that included NCS members from the Connecticut, New York and Long Island chapters. A special thank you to King Features for their generous contribution to the event, and to Ed Steckley for creating a fantastic caricature of Brian.

Brian has a diverse background in professional cartooning and cartoon scholarship. He is a founder and former director of the Museum of Cartoon Art, where he worked from 1974 to 1992. Since 1984, he has been part of the creative team that produces the comic strips, Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois. He has written, edited or contributed to 40 books on cartoon art, including the definitive history, The Comics – The Complete Collection, as well as numerous exhibition catalogues and magazine articles. He taught a course in cartoon history at the School of Visual Arts from 1995 to 1996. He has served as curator for 70 cartoon exhibitions including three major retrospectives. He was editor-in-chief of Collectors’ Showcase magazine from 1997 to 2000 and Chairman of the Connecticut Chapter from 1993 to 2015.

In 1993, at the Reuben Awards Weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona, NCS President Bruce Beattie encouraged Brian to start a regional chapter. The first meeting of the Connecticut

Chapter was held at the Silvermine Guild Arts Center on Nov. 23, 1993. More than 80 people attended a cocktail party and buffet in a gallery filled with Christmas artwork and craft items.

The following year, Brian and Chance were trying to figure out how to get the popular cartoonist and toastmaster Stan Drake to attend a meeting. At that time, Stan was illustrating Blondie and had an unconventional schedule. He would stay up all night drawing and then hit his favorite watering hole, Glynn’s in Westport, for lunch. By

ing profession for a lifetime and were rarely recognized for their achievements. Between 1995 and 2016, there were 20 more “Legend Award” recipients: Bob Gustafson, Curt Swan, Bill Yates, Gill Fox, John Cullen Murphy, Jud Hurd, Roy Doty, Dick Hodgins, Mel Casson, Jerry Dumas, Mort Walker, William F. Brown, Tony DiPreta, Orlando Busino, Leonard Starr, Frank Bolle, George Wildman, Frank McLaughlin, Bob Englehart and Ray Billingsley. What started out as a clever ploy to get Stan to show up for a dinner turned into a meaningful and long-lasting tradition.

Great Lakes

Polly Keener pollytoon@aol.com

early evening, when the Chapter meetings were held, Stan was sound asleep. Chance suggested that Stan be honored with an award, which would force him to come and accept it. They ended up calling it the “Legend Award,” and the plan worked.

On Oct. 12, 1994, 80 guests attended a gathering at the Redding Road House, where the private dining room was decorated with 22 portraits of cartoonists painted by Stan in the 1970s. He regaled the audience with some of his “golden oldie” jokes and was presented with the “Legend Award” plaque, as well as a large board of drawings from the artists in attendance. The next day, Stan was so pleased he decided to donate the majority of his portraits to the International Museum of Cartoon Art in Boca Raton, Florida.

The event was such a success that Brian and Chance decided to continue to give out the “Legend Award” on an annual basis. Many of the Connecticut Chapter members were veterans who had worked in the cartoon-

Members of the Great Lakes Chapter gathered on March 4 in Akron, Ohio at the Keener home to help judge four Reuben Silver Award categories. There were lots of cartoons to view, but color coordinating entry folders and ballots made it relatively organized. GLC’ers Chip Bok, Craig Boldman, Ed Black, Polly Keener, Earl Musick, Don Peoples, John Steventon and Mark Szorady were judges, and family members Anitha Steventon, John and Anitha’s two daughters, Ed Black’s son Danny, Bob Keener, and newlyweds Whitney Keener Dronzek and John Dronzek joined us for lunch and fun door prizes. Happily, the northeast Ohio weather cooperated, too, and didn’t clobber us with a snowstorm.

We were sorry to miss several folks, including Jerry and Gerri Dowling, who recently lost their daughter, Shannon after her ten-year

illness. Jerry is also battling a severe leg infection, cellulitis. We hope he is recovering by the time you read this.

When the next Reuben Journal comes

NCS members living in an area served by a regional chapter should contact the chairman, or contact national representative Ed Steckley at 413-478-4314. Chairmen, please send news, photos, artwork and information about your chapter to The Cartoon!st, in care of Frank Pauer, 53 Beverly Place, Dayton, OH 45419, or fpauer1@udayton.edu. Deadline for the next issue is June 11.

Top, Brian Walker receives the “Legend Award” from cohort Chance Browne. Above, Brian with Brendan Burford, Pauline Goldberg, John Reiner and Bunny Hoest Carpenter. Left, the inimitable Mort Walker.

Chapter judging in Akron were Mark Szorady, Chip Bok, Don Peoples, Polly Keener, John Steventon, Ed Black and Craig Boldman.

out for Reuben Weekend, please enjoy the Great Lakes Chapter page ad, a group effort by Duane Abel, Ed Black, Jenny Campbell, Dave Coverly, Polly Keener, Jeff Knurek, Terri Libenson, Don Peoples, Jason Platt, Chip Sansom, and John Steventon.

Jim Benton writes that he has a book coming out in May from Andrews McMeel called Quite a Mountain , a fable told with large cartoon illustrations. Jim will be showing at the International Licensing Show in Las Vegas as well as speaking and signing at the ALA show in Chicago in June.

New GLC member Nate Fakes has a recent book of cat cartoons called Laser Pointers, Hairballs, and Other Cat Stuff . The book is available on Amazon. Additionally, Nate had a recent book-and-bottle signing in Centerville, Ohio. He creates wine labels for the brand “Cellar Another.”

Ron Hill, who does many editorial cartoons, and is in constant demand for caricatures, has created a design and illustraton partnership with two other creators, James O’Hare and Jaime Lombardo. They have a cool studio in the Cleveland University Circle area. One of Ron’s regular assignments is cartoon commentary for Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management, published bi-monthly in their online magazine “Beyond.” Ron says he draws his art on an iPad Pro and is “the first truly all digital art [he has] ever done, but since it’s a digital publication, it’s better to work that way from the beginning.” Good advice from an artist who always knows what he’s talking about.

A chapter friend, Cheryl Ranyak, creator of “Ralph The Turtle” cartoons, writes that for the past five years, she has drawn the cartoon featured on a T-shirt she designs yearly for the Cleveland Clinic’s “Team Mellen,” that participates in the annual MS Walleye Fishing Tournament. This year, the event is held on June 7.

On Aug. 19, members of the Great Lakes Chapter will participate in the panel “Superman, Super Heroes and Cartoon Illustration” at the historic main Cleveland Public Library. The library has acquired a big new collection of Superman memorabilia that will be displayed on three floors of the building. Very likely, we’ll have a GLC reception or lunch in conjunction with the panel, which is open to the public. If you are coming to northeast Ohio in August, please join us.

Southeastern John Sheppard sheart@aol.com

Former syndicated comic strip artist and Mort Walker team alumni Johnny Sajem held an estate sale at his home in the

Washington, D.C.

Carolyn Belefski

cartooncarolyn@hotmail.com

In late March, NCS DC chapter members and friends gathered at Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse for a NCS comedy evening to see San Francisco Bay Area-based Mike Capozzola perform his “Evil Cyborg Sea Monsters” live multimedia nerd comedy event. In the photo at right, are Mike Capozzola, Lauren Jaslow, Chris Ingram, Joe Carabeo, Carolyn Belefski and Mike Rhode.

On April 11, chapter members and the Illustrators Club of DC took a joint field trip to view the Kelly Collection of American Illustration, a private collection dedicated to the Golden Age of American Illustration from 1890-1935. We dined on pizza for lunch and then Warren Bernard, a comics-focused writer

collection

we

northern Atlanta suburbs a few weeks ago. He is downsizing and purchasing a smaller home in north Georgia with his daughter. There were literally hundreds of original strips (daily and Sunday) from Seaweed, The Evermores and Winston . I was lucky to get four strips — a few hours after I left someone came in and bought every piece of original art availa ble!

The Memphis group (MidSouth Cartoonists Association — MSCA) is making a conscious effort to use the local convention scene t o bring people to us. There was a panel on the MSCA presence and history at MidSouthCon36 recently, bringing some folks up to speed on our nearly 30 year history. Greg Cravens was on the panel and described the connections between the MSCA, the SouthEast Chapter, and the NCS. They have also arranged to do a cartooning and

caricature class at the next Memphis Comic and Fantasy Convention in November.

The SECNCS table at Heroes Convention in Charlotte, June 16-18, welcomes NCS members to come by the table for a break. If they would like to have a turn at the table to sign autographs or do more, contact James “Doodle” Lyle at Doodle@JamesLyle.net.

Southern California/ Los Angeles

Matt Diffee

mattdiffee@gmail.com

Report by Chad Frye

The ol’ Hey Ho Hey gang in Los Angeles has been having a delightful spring. All the late winter rains have caused a “super bloom” phenomena to happen to our valleys of wildflowers.

Also brightly blooming have been our recent meeting guest speakers, such as animation executive producer Tom Warburton who came to give us a sneak peek at his revival of Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies that will invade your television sets next winter. Also, the great and powerful Jeff Keane shared with us some of the strange and delightful reader feedback he receives for his work on The Family Circus

and historian, led the two-hour tour of the

where

enjoyed seeing original art created by John Held Jr., Howard Pyle, Maxfield Parrish, Mead Schaeffer, Dean Cornwell, J. C. Leyendecker, and many more! Above, left to right, are Charles Lawrance, Mark Korsak, John Yanson, Mike Jenkins, Carolyn Belefski, Carla Speed McNeil, Barbara Dale and Al Goodwyn.

Johnny Sajem with John Sheppard

We are particularly proud of one of our local colleagues, Marla Frazee, whose children’s book The Boss Baby was turned into a hit feature film of the same name by Dreamworks Animation — and dominated the box office for its first two weeks! Dreamworks graciously hosted the NCS LA for a screening of The Boss Baby in March on their beautiful campus, and our Marla participated in a Q&A with some of Dream -

Tom and Marie Stemmle, Hy’s friend Cary Matzkin, and Chapter Chair Dan Nakrosis. Dan ordered a uniquely crafted birthday cake for this very special event: white butter cream frosting with the design of an Ames Guide on top. Why?

Well, among the dozen celebrants toasting Hy at this happy event were four of his former students from The Kubert School of Cartoon and Design: Nakrosis, Fields, Branch and Wecht. Hy’s major teaching subject at the school was — and still is — lettering! So, it was both funny and very apropos! Hy has taught at the Kubert School since its inception in 1976.

works’ creative executives.

Lots of exciting things keep happening in our group with more on the way! If you can’t make it to one of our events, hopefully we’ll see all of you at the Reubens! We’ll be the ones wearing plaid. Hey Ho Hey!

New Jersey

Some of the presents Hy received included original cartoon art, cartoon books, and a booklet of emails from cartoonists who couldn’t be at the party, but who wanted to send special wishes and regards. In addition, many chose to send Hy birthday greetings directly to his home. The surprise highlight of the party was Hy’s gifting a very special memento. All attendees received an original and personally inscribed Sunday page of the classic strip he drew for many

Above, a dinner crowd gathers to celebrate the birthday boy, Hy Eisman (front left). Bottom, chapter judges in Piscataway included (clockwise from upper left) Chapter Chair Dan Nakrosis, Ken Branch, Don Wimmer, Tom Stemmle and Laurie Triefeldt.

years (written by King Features icon Bob Dunn), Little Iodine

A very generous and thoughtful present, indeed!

It was a very memorable and so welldeserved night of fun and festivity for such a modest gentleman who seems ageless, exudes class, and is one of the great masters of the genre of cartoon art! Happy Birthday, Hy — we wish you many, many more!

Dan

Nakrosis Report

by Tom Stemmle

Two major events in March for our chapter were our NCS Judging for Silver Reuben nominees and a 90th birthday party celebration for the great Hy Eisman.

On March 5, we held the NJ Chapter judging at the Piscataway home of Tom and Marie Stemmle. Following the hard work of choosing top potential winners in the four categories of panel, strip, editorial and magazine gag cartoons, we tackled the hard job of chowing down on a delicious multi-entree buffet. NCS NJ Members at the judging were Laurie Triefeldt, Chapter Chair Dan Nakrosis, Ken Branch, Don Wimmer and Tom Stemmle.

On March 30, we held a 90th birthday celebration for Popeye and The Katzenjammer Kids cartoonist, Hy Eisman, at The Glen Rock Inn, located in beautifully quaint Glen Rock, the town in which Hy resides. Helping with the evening celebration were chapter members and friends V.G. Myers, Gary Fields, Ken Branch, Marc McKenzie, Doug Goudsward, Jay Wecht, Dom Wimmer,

Florida

Mark

Simon

marksimonbooks@yahoo.com

Spring has been unseasonably cool in Florida ... and speaking of cool things (you like how I did that?), chapter members met up at an editorial cartoonist presentation at the Orlando Public Library. Glenn “Marty” Stein, editorial and strip cartoonist and former NCS member gave a presentation on how a self-described Gringo ended up being the pre-eminent editorial cartoonist for Hispanic newspapers in the United States. Even though none of us could read Spanish, Marty’s work translated the meaning for us.

Attending Marty’s presentation was Chapter Chair Mark Simon and Chapter members Mike Osbun and Nathan Archer.

After the presentation our Chapter invited Marty and his family out to lunch. Even though our first choice was a closed

pizza parlor, we eventually found a pizza place willing to serve us. We were joined by Osbun’s wife and Marty’s daughter and brother.

Left, Glenn “Marty” Stein. The presentation attendees included Chapter Chair Mark Simon, Mike Osbun and Nathan Archer.

Dreamworks’ Angela Lepito (left) with Boss Baby book author/illustrator Marla Frazee.

Long Island

Adrian Sinnott 631-547-0778

Our February Berndt Toast went out to James Stevenson, the wonderful children’s book illustrator/author and longtime New Yorker cartoonist. James’ work has influenced many in the Gang. With more than 100 children’s books to his credit, it’s really difficult to choose just one favorite.

When you invite cartoonists to an event, you can usually expect them to be late. After dealing with make-or-break deadlines, everything else in a cartoonist’s life rarely follows normal time keeping. Our lunches prove this as even the chapter chair has trouble arriving on time. Andy Eng came out prepared to mark time with the Gang. He had superhero themed watches for everyone to help the Gang start a precedent and appear at future lunches on time. I’ll need one for each arm.

February also saw us gather at the “Castle,” Bunny Hoest’s lovely home on the north shore of Long Island to do our bit and review submissions for the Reuben division awards. Arnie Levin, Joe Giella, Sandy Kossin, Bunny, Ray Alma and I sat down to a great spread put on by Bunny to build our stamina to make it through all the wonderful work. A really tough job to narrow down submissions when you’re dealing with the calibre of the work these awards attract.

At our March lunch we raised a toast to the prolific New Yorker cartoonist, Jack Ziegler (with more than 1,600 cartoons) and a second toast to comic book illustrator and

Pittsburgh Wayno

studio@wayno.com

Top, The Berndt Toast Gang get some timely reminders from Andy Eng at their February meeting. Above, chapter judges at Bunny Hoest’s home included Adrian Sinnott, Bunny, Ray Alma, Arnie Levin, Joe Giella and Sandy Kossin.

co-creator of Swamp Thing, Bernie Wrightson. Then we had the sad task of raising one to the BTG’s own Jan Marino. Jan was a young adult author and wife of cartoonist Len Marino. Jan was fondly remembered in the Gang. She and Len were fixtures at every lunch until their move to Denver. Jan’s books, including EightyEight Steps to September: A Novel, have met with both critical and popular acclaim.

Jan and Len had accompanied me to the Rathdrum International Cartoon Festival in Ireland in 1997. On that trip we were all invited to go to Áras an Uachtaráin (the Irish equivalent of the White House) and meet the President of Ireland, Mary Robinson. While being given a tour by her military attaché, the officer explained that Ireland has a parliamentary government but the president still has some powers. One of those is to choose seven individuals from the country to sit on a board with her and review decisions of the Supreme Court. If they disagree with a decision it gets sent back for additional review. When he mentioned the members of the board, including a well-known Irish woman racing driver, Len said, ”She used to drive on my all-women racing team!”

Arnie Levin’s friend and avid Frankenstein collector Ronald MacCloskey joined us for lunch. Ron came out to speak to the Gang about his traveling exhibit of Frankenstein art. We also discussed a possible future exhibit on Long Island featuring some of the Gang’s “Frankenstein’s Monster” creations.

And Ray Alma has been busy helping out with our favorite charity, the Ink Well Foundation. Ray along with Lisa LaBracio, Elana Amity, Joyce Pedretti, Sergei Aniskov, Pedro Delgado, Elizabeth Winter, Peter de Sève, and event director Franz Palomares drew for the kids at Gilda’s Club NYC — and then he joined up with

The Pittsburgh Chapter flew the NCS flag at PIX, The Pittsburgh Indy Comix Expo in April. PIX is a free event, featuring several workshops and lectures, along with a full day of exhibiting, with more than 60 creators offering books, zines, posters, stickers, art objects and more. Howard Bender, Vince Dorse, Dave Klug, Teresa Roberts Logan, and Wayno spread the word about NCS, the special membership rate for cartoonists under age 28, and especially the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship.

Our favorite “customer” was a rather agitated fellow who ran around to everyone’s table, asking for “free stuff.” After scooping up our giveaways, he scooted over to the next table to collect more booty, but not before telling us, “I love to support local artists!”

PIX is presented by the ToonSeum, Pittsburgh’s museum of comic and cartoon art. Executive Director John F. Kelly worked with PIX guest artist

and speaker Carol Tyler (A Soldier’s Heart, You’ll Never Know), who created a special poster for PIX in honor of underground cartoonist and historian Jay Lynch, who died in early March. A limited-edition four-color silkscreen print, signed by Carol, was sold at PIX, with proceeds to benefit the NCS Foundation in support of cartoonists and their families in times of need. Those who couldn’t attend PIX can order the poster through the ToonSeum’s Etsy shop: https://www.etsy. com/listing/506735712/underground-cartoonist-legend-jay-lynch.

Above right, ToonSeum Director John F. Kelly, with PIX speakers Carol Tyler and Ed Piskor. Right, NCS members at the PIX table were Vince Dorse, Howard Bender, Teresa Roberts Logan, Wayno and Dave Klug.

Upstate New York

Scott Jensen jensencreative@ stny.rr.com

Caption: Several bright and sturdy Upstate NY

Chapter members traveled to Auburn on March 4 for another boisterous meeting. Shown are, from left, Jason Yungbluth, Scott Jensen, Frank Mariani and Randy Elliott.

Also, participating in the Chapter Silver Reubens jury were Graham Nolan, Ron Ferdinand and Bill Abbott.

Ed Steckley, Stefano Imbert, Maria Scrivan, Todd Broder, Elana Amity, Scott Brundage, and event director Jane Archer to help the kids at Bellevue Hospital make movable self-portraits. Thanks, Ray!

Northwest

Dan McConnell appleandy@msn.com

The Greater Northwest Chapter of the NCS had an impromptu meeting at WEN-CON, Wenatchee’s first Comics and Pop Culture Convention. Located in central Washington, WEN-CON was held on Saturday, April 8, and featured guest stars, vendors, artists, games, panel discussions, prizes, cosplay and more.

NCS members T. Lewis, Mark Monlux and Dan McConnell attended the event. They had a brief get-together before and after the Con and discussed current projects, and possible future collaborative projects. T. Lewis continues with his syndicated strip Over the Hedge, and recently attended a Furry Con (he’ll have to tell you more about that). Mark Monlux is hard at work on a deck of B-Movie monster cards, a Kickstarter project which aligns with his continuing online work as the Comic Critic, in

which he synopses the story-line of obscure- and not-so-obscure movies in nine panels. Dan McConnell is working on an anthology project with writer Nick Nomad (mysterious pen name) and a usual gang of idiots, including Jack Pittman, Todd Clark and Rich Powell. The nusual idiots Greg Cravens and Dan McConnell are working on the Casebook of Dr. Dorkle, which brings together a diverse band of odd superheroes and their nemeses in a rollicking parody of superhero comics. Aaron McConnell was

represented at WEN-CON by his Comic Book Story of Beer book, which has been doing a brisk business of sales at all the Cons, including one recently in Portland and Seattle’s Emerald City Comic Con.

There was a motion to adjourn our meeting made by Mark Monlux; Dan McConnell seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously by all in attendance.

Philadelphia

Dave Blazek looseparts@verizon.net

Philly NCS decided not to wait for Reuben Weekend and held an impromptu nomination celebration in Center City Philadelphia. With five nominations from the chapter — including Mark Tatulli for Cartoonist of the Year — there was much to celebrate.

Chicago

T. Brian Kelly ragstandman@msn.com

Richard Pietrzyk tries to interest a couple of colorful Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo cosplay attendees with the prospect of joining the NCS Chicago chapter.

Attendees included Nick Galifianakis, Mark Tatulli, Dave Blazek, Terry Laban, Debby Schafer and Tom Stiglich. The early part of the evening was highlighted by an appearance from Signe Wilkinson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist from The Philadelphia Inquirer. The latter part included much talk about book illustration, Greek history, graphic novels, newspaper reproduction, seders, cartooning lore, Stiglich’s weird jump shot, baseball, Bombay gin and beer.

Seventeen cartoonists went to the Worcester Art Museum to see the Ed Emberley retrospective, “KAHBAHBLOOOM: The Art and Storytelling of Ed Emberley.”

The exhibit was the first comprehensive retrospective for the artist, among the most prolific and respected illustrators of children’s literature of the last 60 years. Author of books such as the Caldecott Honored One Wide River To Cross (1965) and the Caldecott Medal-winning Drummer Hoff (1967), Emberley also developed one of the bestselling series of teaching books for young artists, beginning with Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book of Animals (1970).

Ed joined us with his wife Barbara and daughter Rebecca. Ed's learn to draw books were seminal for so many of us — it was the first drawing book I ever bought. —Hilary Price

A Reuben nomination lunch included (clockwise from left) Debby Schafer, Nick Galifianakis, Terry Laban, Dave Blazek and Mark Tatulli.

Ed Emberley (above, left) with Northeast Chapter members. Right, Mo Willems, Hilary Price and Maria Scrivan.

Jack Ziegler, 1942-2017

New Yorker cartoonist Jack Ziegler, who published more than 1,600 cartoons in the magazine during his career, died March 29 in Kansas City. He was 74.

Lee Lorenz, the magazine’s former art and cartoon editor, said in an interview with The New York Times that Ziegler, like Roz Chast, was someone he wanted to bring to the magazine.

“They were special talents. Each was bringing something new to the magazine. Jack had been influenced by comic strips, a lot of multipanel things, that wasn’t just a punch line but the telling of a funny story.”

Lorenz began buying cartoons from Ziegler in late 1973, but they did not start appearing until the following year because of Carmine Peppe, the magazine’s layout editor.

“Carmine thought that if they printed my stuff, it would be the end of the magazine,” Mr. Ziegler told The Comics Journal, “that it would just destroy the future of The New Yorker as we know it.”

John Denmore Ziegler Jr. was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Forest Hills, Queens.

While earning a degree in communications from Fordham University, he was a page at CBS in Manhattan and was in the theater when the Beatles first performed on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1964.

After graduation, he worked in a series of communiction-related jobs before beginning to sell cartoons to the National Lampoon, The Saturday Evening Post, Writer’s Digest and others.

His first sale to The New Yorker was not a drawing but

James R. (Bob) Young, who produced Tim Tyler’s Luck for some 50 years, died March 21 in Sequim, Washington. He was 96.

He grew up the son of cartoonist Lyman

W. Young —who created Tim Tyler’s Luck in 1928 — and was the nephew of Blondie’s Chic Young.

He received an economics degree

an idea that Charles Addams drew: Edgar Allan Poe contemplating which animal — a pig, a moose or a turtle — should say “Nevermore.”

Ziegler was asked in an interview last year whether he was aware that his work was different from that of the previous decades when he began contributing to The New Yorker. Ziegler responded that he had little inkling of that.

“I knew that I felt that I wasn’t quite seeing the type of cartoons I wanted to see in the magazine,” he told fellow New Yorker cartoonist Michael Maslin. “They were good cartoons, but too many of them weren’t making me laugh the way they had when I was a kid.

“I wanted to do drawings that were funny to me, and not necessarily to anyone else. I was out to please myself, so I never asked: Is this a New Yorker cartoon? Who knows? Is this a Jack Ziegler cartoon? Yep.”

In a recent New Yorker post, Ziegler was referred to as the “Godfather of Contemporary New Yorker Cartoonists.”

Ziegler also published eight collections of drawings, including a book of food cartoons, one of drinking cartoons and one of dog cartoons. The Essential Jack Ziegler was published in 2000.

Bob Young, 1921-2017

from Georgetown University, and then served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Shortly after World War II, Young started taking on light work on his dad’s comic strip, eventually being its sole author. Young graciously continued to sign his dad’s name to the strip even decades after Lyman

stopped working.

Under his authorship, Tim Tyler’s Luck became an adventure strip where the two characters, Tim and Spud, traveled around the world witnessing problems and endeavoring to solve them.

A short list of the subjects in Young’s work included wildlife exploration and rescue, threats to endangered species, the potential of renewable sources of energy, and salt water farming.

In total, the strip ran for 68 years.

“Damn it, man, do I look like I have any yellow ochre?”

Tom Eaton, 1940-2016

Tom Eaton, whose illustrations for more than three decades enlivened iconic Boys’ Life characters like Pedro the Mailburro and Dink and Duff, died Dec. 11, 2016, in Kansas City, Mo. He was 76.

Eaton wrote and illustrated The Wacky Adventures of Pedro, Dink and Duff, Webelos Woody, and several other comics and puzzles for the magazine.

Thomas N. Eaton was born March 2, 1940, in Wichita, Kan. In college, he studied engineering at the University of Kansas but his lifelong interest in drawing and cartooning precipitated a life-changing decision.

“I realized one day that I would probably make a mediocre engineer,” he told Scouting magazine in 2016. “Whereas I would probably make a better cartoonist if I followed my passion.”

He began a career at Hallmark Cards before being drafted into the Army. After his service, Eaton returned to Hallmark, later worked at Scholastic Books, and then returned to Kansas City to pursue a freelance career. Which is how Eaton began his long association with Boys’ Life magazine.

Aside from the art, Eaton also took pains with the language in Pedro, which often featured alliteration and elaborate word plays such as “queasy quadruped” and “entrepreneurial edible innovation.”

Best known for his work on Pedro, Eaton believed his success was finding the right blend of entertainment and life lessons for his young readers.

Joe Harris, 1928-2017

Joe Harris, an advertising artist who helped to create the Trix rabbit and Underdog, died March 26 in Stamford, Conn. He was 89.

While working in the 1950s at an ad agency, Harris created Tricks, the iconic, floppy-eared rabbit mascot for Trix cereal, and also came up with the slogan “Silly rabbit! Trix are for kids.”

Harris later joined some fellow employees to create Total TeleVision, devoted to creating Saturday morning cartoons to help sell General Mills products. Harris drew the storyboards and designed the characters, which included King Leonardo, Tennessee Tuxedo, Klondike Cat and, most memorably, Underdog.

Their most enduring success came in 1964 with The Underdog Show, an NBC series about the humble Shoeshine Boy, whose heroic alter ego Underdog appears whenever love interest Sweet Polly Purebred was being victimized by such villains as Simon Bar Sinister or Riff Raff. Underdog nearly always spoke in rhyming couplets as in “There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here!” in a voice famously supplied by Wally Cox.

Harris also was credited with cowriting the series familiar theme song. After Total TeleVision stopped producing cartoons, Harris returned to advertising, and later wrote and illustrated children’s books.

On exhibit

■ The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is celebrating 40 years with a pair of benchmark exhibits. “Founding Collections: 1977-1987” celebrates the story of the library’s founding and its first decade of collecting, beginning with works from its original collections, the archives of Milton Caniff (right) and illustrator Jon Whitcomb. It continues with important figures in the history of cartoon art such as pioneering licensing agent Toni Mendez, and preeminent cartoonists Will Eisner, Edwina Dumm and Walt Kelly, whose early donations helped to establish Ohio State University as the premier institutional collector of comics and cartoon art.

“Tales From the Vault: 40 Years/40 Stories” explores 40 stories about fascinating collectors, groundbreaking comics, controversial cartoons, influential characters, innovative cartoonists and more from 40 years of the Museum. Both exhibits through March 17. See cartoons.osu.edu for more.

■ At the Charles M. Schulz Museum, “It Was a Dark and Stormy Night” takes a look at the heavily parodied phrase that found new life in Peanuts, where the opener was used in the portrayal of Snoopy as the “World Famous Author,” pictured atop his doghouse with a typewriter. The exhibit features original art and ephemera; through Sept. 10. Also: “A Friendship Like Ours.” Marcie and Peppermint Patty, Linus and Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Woodstock — rediscover these enduring duos in this exhibit of 69 original comic strips, sketches and ephemera. Through Nov. 6, 2017

■ Through Sept. 3 at San Francisco’s Contemporary Jewish Museum is “Roz Chast: Cartoon Memoirs.” Her award-winning 2014 graphic memoir Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? forms the basis of the exhibit, with all of the 150-some drawings from the book on view. With dozens of other New Yorker cartoons and covers and related personal material.

■ The work of Edward Koren, best known as the creator of the iconic, fuzzy-haired, long-nosed creatures that grace the pages of The New Yorker, is on display in “Seriously Funny,” at the Brattleboro (Vt.) Museum & Art Center. The exhibit, which features a selection of Koren’s original drawings and prints, is on view through June 18.

Last year’s Reuben Journal has received an Award of Excellence from the Printing and Imaging Association, a Dallas-based organization that assists nearly 500 print, visual communication and marketing firms. The achievement was presented in April at the Graphic Excellence Awards Competition in Irving, Texas. … Now available, Hogan’s Alley No. 21 features a long, previously unpublished interview from 1937 with the legendary George Herriman, creator of the venerated Krazy Kat. Herriman, who famously disliked talking about himself, talks about many of his famous colleagues as well as how he sees his place in the comic strip business. Also, a look inside the archives of MAD Magazine’s Jack Davis with a look at work from his illustrious career — much never before published; chronicling the numerous references to the work of William Shakespeare in Peanuts; and a roundtable interview with four female cartoonists about working in a male-dominated business and the changes they’ve seen. Plus: The Best (and Worst) Superhero Origins; a profile of William Overgard; an examination of Fontaine Fox’s Toonerville Trolley’s brief foray into animation; Popeye; Wally Wood; Drew Friedman and much, much more. … Ruben Bolling (pen name of Ken Fisher), creator of the weekly strip Tom the Dancing Bug, was awarded the Herblock Prize at the Library of Congress in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 29. Distributed to newspapers across North America, the feature also appears on BoingBoing.net; DailyKos.com; and Gocomics.com. Congressman John Lewis was the ceremony’s guest speaker, who is also known within the comics community for his involvement with the “March” graphic novel trilogies. … As if almost anticipating a graduation feature in this issue of The Cartoon!st, Bill Holbrook sends along a note that he’s releasing the 21st collection of Kevin & Kell — billed as “The World’s Longest Running Daily Webcomic” — this June. Paper Trained gathers strips from 2015; see kevinandkell. com for more. … “For editorial cartoons that delivered sharp perspectives through flawless artistry, biting prose and crisp wit,” the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning went to the Miami Herald’s Jim Morin, whose

The Hanne Hansen Award is presented annually at the Art-Bubble Festival in Horsens, Denmark. The award is named after a character created by one of Denmark’s best-known artists, Arne Ungermann. Last year, Mort Walker was inducted into the Hanne Hansen Hall of Fame for his popularity and influence in Denmark. Brian Walker attended the ceremony in Horsens on Sept. 10 to accept the award on his father’s behalf, and presented it to him on his return. Lars Jakobsen, a Danish cartoonist, historian and organizer of the Festival deserves special recognition for his efforts in honoring Mort. …

drawings have anchored the Herald’s editorial pages since 1978. Morin became a two-time Pulitzer winner, having previously earned the coveted prize in 1996. “In your late career, you don’t expect this kind of thing,” Morin said before being celebrated in the newsroom with a champagne toast. “I just work hard at what I do, and I’m never satisfied with it. I always want to make it better.”…

Following the move of its parent company DC Entertainment in 2015, MAD Magazine will relocate its editorial offices from its 1700 Broadway, New York City location to Burbank, Calif. Staff members have reportedly been offered relocation packages, and the move is expected to be completed by the end of the year. … Newer member Nate Fakes has just published a book of cat cartoons, Laser Pointers, Hairballs, and Other Cat Stuff. The full-color collection contains 70 cartoons, some illustrations and other little surprises throughout. In conjunction with the book’s release, Nate had a book — and bottle (as he’s created wine labels for the Cellar Another brand) — signing. Nate also creates a daily panel, Break of Day, at gocomics.com. See natefakescartoons.com for more. … An official Betty Boop Diner is now open for business in Japan in Shimbashi, Tokyo. Licensed by King Features, diners enjoy an authentic American ’50s atmosphere and food with a Japanese flair. The restaurant sports signage and décor throughout that captures Betty’s classic image, including several Betty Boop-decorated food items. Read Japanese? The official Betty Boop Diner website is at www.bettyboopdiner.jp.

A-MAZE-ING Animals: 50 Mazes for Kids, is a new book from cartoonist and maze-maker Joe Wos. The 64-page softcover, published by Barron’s Educational Series, is filled with 50 fun, colorful cartoons-within-a-maze. The mazes feature fully solvable characters, cartoon elements, and themed, integrated animal illustrations that figure prominently along every start-to-finish path — with dozens of dead ends, illusions, twists and turns that increase with the difficulty level.