Uncle Jam 101

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

1101 California Street Redlands, CA 92374 909.335.7275

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Uncle Jam Quarterly, Issue 101,Vol. 38, Summer 2012 Copyright © 2012 by Eastwind Studios - All Rights Reserved. All images copyright 2012 by respective artists, writers and photographers to cover the entire issue.

Burr Jerger 1917 - 1982

Stu Weiner 1915 - 1985

Uncle Jam Quarterly is published whenever we get enough people in one room to do it, usually once every quarter by Eastwind Studios.

Any similarity to any other publication, living or dead, is purely the fault of the other publication. Single issues are available by mail for $10 postage paid in the USA. Subscriptions are $20 for 4 issues in the USA. Order through our website wingedtiger.com or send a check to Eastwind Studios, P. O. Box 750, San Bernardino, California 92402, USA. For ad inquiries please contact LindaAdams35@yahoo.com or call (909) 867-5605. philyeh@mac.com Please support our advertisers who made this publication possible.

Phil Yeh~Publisher Linda Adams Yeh~Co-Publisher & Editor Linda Amick Puetz, Art Director Tom Luth & Lieve Jerger~Assistant Art Directors Frank Mangione-Vice-President Woodrow Tom Thompson~Senior Editor Peggy Corum,Veronica Lopez, Debra Bemben, Leah Fallon, Sandy Cvar, Barbara Corum~Copy Editors Edmond Gauthier~Archivist Lim Cheng Tju~Asian Bureau Chief Sarah Carvaines, MPH, RD~ Health Editor PJ Grimes~Music & Health Editor Jerome Poynton~Letters Editor CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS & WRITERS Todd S. Jenkins, Stella Donna,Gregg Rickman, Lim Cheng Tju, Ken L. Jones, Terri Elders, Matt Lorentz, John Weeks, Rory Murray, Roberta Gregory, Miel, Jerome Poynton, David Sands, Greg Escalante, Nick Cataldo, He Shuxin, Herlinde Spahr, Phil Ortiz, Mike Wolf, Jon J. Murakami, Linda White, MB Roberts, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Lim Cheng Tju, Lieve Jerger, Tom Luth, David Sands, Linda Adams, Melina Heide, Bruce Guthrie, David Folkman, Greg Preston, Allen Freeman

available online at wingedtiger.com

COVER ART THE ARTIST

by Joel Sansone Glass Enamel on Copper 36” H x 30” W Interview on page 5

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Quarterly, Volume 38, #101, Summer 2012 “I believe in children’s books and I think that it’s the only way for many fine artists to go into the industry of illustration. For the children it’s more open. An artist can be very crazy and they think (and they are right) that the children don’t care about the laws of the market and things like that. In children’s illustration you can have more freedom to express your imagination. There is a universe where you can express yourself more freely. You can also do this in science fiction. For the representation of reality, very precise very clear and very nice, something in the official art is over. Nobody does that. For the children it’s still ok, because the children they like to see beautiful reproduction or representation of reality, trees, sky, and the animals. They like that you know, but they like also crazy stuff, the same thing so in the children’s books you can see the two extremes in art.” Jean Giraud aka Moebius A year ago, we published our last conversation with our old friend Jean. It was a conversation that was recorded in his hotel room in Burbank. Jean had been invited to speak to the CTN Animation Expo in November of 2010. There were a great many artists in the audience, including our friend Arnie Wong, who had worked on the original TRON with him and the painter William Stout. Jean was there with his wife Isabelle.

Our friendship with this exceptional artist goes back to the mid-1980s. We were fortunate to run some of Jean’s work on the cover of Uncle Jam over the years, and also to Phil & Jean in Paris in the early 90s. interview him a few times; but it was his personal friendship Jean drew a wonderful introduction for that I really valued the most, even though I didn’t see him my wordless graphic novel “The Winged often after he moved back to Paris from Los Angeles. I was Tiger” living in Long Beach when we first met. I was in my 20’s and was still unsure of my place as an artist (retold in Uncle Jam #98). Jean’s friendship gave this young artist a great boost of confidence. He genuinely seemed to like my work and gave me some incredible gifts over the years. His death this past March, really hit me hard.

As I type this at the end of May 2012, I have just learned of the passing of another friend of mine, Leo Dillon, an exceptional visual artist along with his wife Diane. The Dillons were an artistic team. They won the prestigious Caldecott Medal for children’s books two years in a row in the 1970s. Leo was the first African-American to win this award. I recall that Diane told me that when their agent called to tell them they had won the Caldecott the first time, she asked what the award was! We all had a good laugh at that story.

Mark Bode & his tribute to Jean on The Dillons had come from an award-winning a wall in the San Francisco Bay area background in the world of Science Fiction; illustrating book covers by Harlan Ellison and Ray Bradbury, to name just two. I first met them at one of Harlan Ellison’s signings in the San Fernando Valley more than 25 years ago. In recent years, Linda and I saw them in Brooklyn and I regret that I had a stroke before last year’s BookExpoAmerica and was unable to say hello to them. So Jean’s quote from our very last interview in which he talked about children’s book illustration and science fiction illustration seemed to be very appropriate here. The Dillons were champions in both fields and like Jean; they could count on legions of fans of all ages.

I have used this publication through the years to champion the arts, especially the visual arts. I have also used it to champion the graphic novel, which I had a hand in creating for these modern times in 1977. I Editorial cotinued on page 24

Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

STELLARSCAPE NEBULAE Vitreous enamel on copper

by Joel Sansone 8 ft diameter

18” Enamel on Copper Bowl

by Pamela Sansone

TALAVERA Copper Wall Sculpture

by Joel Sansone - 4’x 4’

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BLUE FOREST - glass enamel on copper 30” x 30”- by Joel Sansone

One of the most ancient and enduring of art techniques—dating back as far as 1300 BC, vitreous enamel is specially designed powdered glass that will fuse to pure copper, sterling silver, 14K or 18K gold in a kiln at 1,500º F (or 816º Celsius). The enamel can be either an opaque, transparent or opalescent powder. The powdered glass (enamel) is applied to the metal surface by dusting, using screen-bottomed sifter cups. The metal is placed on marble or granite to cool down after it comes out of the kiln. After cooling, this process is repeated many times to achieve the desired results.

Interview by Lieve Jerger

BOUNDARIES - glass enamel on copper - 36” x 30”

by Joel Sansone

Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

UNCLE JAM: In all fairness, we should alert the reader that you and I have known each other for quite a long time. I have admired your work and witnessed the amazing discipline with which you manage your daily life and your art. I also have been the beneficiary of hearing your musings about astrophysical science and I have enjoyed sharing your enthusiasm for art and philosophy since 1982. We have collaborated on many projects combining enamel and copper lace. I have several treasures of your enamel art, and you have taught me a lot.

TURN TO PAGE 22 FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW.

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Mexico’s Lucas Marangon

England’s Al Davison

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Jean Giraud 1938-2012

I have lost a lot of really good friends in 2012. As artists we feel it naturally, to express our emotions in our work. When I learned of Jean’s passing on Sunday, March 11, I began a new watercolor in honor of my friend. Since suffering a stroke last year, my hand is very slow; but as I worked on this painting for the next few weeks, I had time to reflect on the man and all the memories we shared over the years. My heart goes out to his children and his wife Isabelle and his ex-wife Claudine and for all the people fortunate enough to know this humble, charming, and passionate man. He gave me personally so much and I cannot say thank you enough for all this incredible inspiration. It has fueled a lifetime of creativity.

Almost immediately in France, Patrick Chaduc posted on Facebook about a new project in honor of Jean. Here in Patrick’s own words is some news about his project: “On Saturday, March 10th 2012, Jean Giraud, aka Moebius, “transmutated” (his exact last word), at the age of 73. His passing shocked the whole comic book world, literally, as, during his 50+ year career, he inspired many artistic vocations. Thus numerous artists, from Japan and the Philippines through Europe to the USA and Brazil, paid a graphic tribute to him. An incredible array of images popped up on the Internet, emulating his style(s) and universe, and acknowledging his influence. Such passion had to serve a purpose. This is why we endeavored to gather those tributes to publish them in a book whose proceeds will go to leukemia research, with the agreement and participation of his widow Isabelle. Response from the comic book community has been overwhelming, to such an extent that we are now thinking about a series of books of outstanding illustrations from established professionals and amateurs who have one thing in common: love Giraud continued on page 10

Mexico’s José Quintero

Croatia’s Goran Parlov

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Memories of Moebius

by Richard Starkings

Photos by Greg Preston

The first time I saw Moebius’s work was on the back cover of Doc Garriock’s book Masters of Comic Book Art. It was a reproduction of his cover art for Metal Hurlant #4. It showed an ape in a spacesuit and, as all fans of Science Fiction know, this hits two of the major image requirements for any selfrespecting SF comic book fan. Masters of Comic Book Art was a portal to another world... the first to place popular American favorites like Harvey Kurtzman and Will Smith alongside great British artists such as Barry Smith and Frank Bellamy, and European artists like Druillet and Moebius.

I remember seeing Heavy Metal in British newsagents when I was a college kid... I’d always look through them, but never had the money to invest.

Moebius’s work was always the standout -- both seductive and intimidating at the same time. Sensual and somehow innocent, or rather, without malice.

You could always tell his art sprang from his heart, not his head.

His influence can be seen in both European and American pop culture and I think it’s significant that only artists like Ridley Scott and Luc Besson were able to reach into and interpret his work for American audiences. I remember the moment during Alien, when I was blown away by the spacesuits that looked like no spacesuits I’d seen before. I didn’t even know then that Moebius had designed them.

In America we owe a debt of gratitude to Epic editor Archie Goodwin for guiding Moebius’ work into successful English translations. In the later 80’s, when I worked at the offices of Marvel UK, I took office copies of the Epic trades of Incal back to my apartment and read them over the course of one weekend. They had much the same impact on me that reading Lord of the Rings had on me as a teenager... the sensation that there was more going on in the stories than I was able to grasp.

When I moved to America I left my comic collection in England; so when I found a hardcover collection of those 3 Incal trades at Hi De Ho Comics in Santa Monica, I snapped it up despite the hefty $45.95 cover price. I had no stable work at the time and no prospects for getting a work permit; but when I discovered that the publisher of the book, Graphitti Designs, was based in Anaheim, I called them up and was not only taken on within a couple of weeks, but also sponsored by Graphitti for a work permit. So, without my love for Moebius’s work I might never have found my niche in California... a niche which gave birth to Comicraft, which gave birth to

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Hip Flask and to Elephantmen; which attracted to me talents like Ladrönn, Moritat, and Axel Medellin--all fans of Moebius’s work seeking to follow in his massive footprints.

Moebius’s essay on lettering in the first Silver Surfer hardcover collection informed my own thoughts on seeking to create letters that complement each artist’s style... and his comments in an interview in Graphitti that ran on the flaps of the dust jackets of the hardcover volumes helped me understand my own work as an artist. In his Silver Surfer essay, Moebius wrote that he was dismayed by his American counterparts’ “toleration” of “outsiders” determining the looks of their pages, even in part: “To me, the lettering is a form of graphology. It reflects your own style and personality. A page of comics without text has its own personality; but when you add the balloons, it suddenly takes up a whole new, different look. For example, I was quite disappointed about the look of my pages in The Silver Surfer at first. Without the balloons, I thought they looked too dull, too drab.

Then, I lettered them and they changed completely. It became something complete, dynamic. The lettering brought it together.”

Any artist specializing in comic book lettering can, and should, take Moebius’s words to heart, especially in the digital age that my own company, Comicraft, played no small part in ushering in. Artists are no longer limited to one lettering artist’s style, and a considerate lettering artist should choose, or preferably create, a style to suit the particular comic book artists’ work, just as Moebius described.

It’s so important that influential artists speak on all matters relating to their work; so that those who drink the water from the well that those artists have dug can better understand the nature of their own craft.

In Graphitti’s Moebius volume 5, he says: “An artist is by nature someone very sensitive, who expresses with talent the pains that he has suffered. He uses art to replace the communication that he didn’t, or doesn’t, have with others. Most artists were sensitive children, often introverted, and suddenly they discover that there is a big demand for that very same expression of their sensitivity. They discover that in our harsh world there’s an oasis for dream makers, and you even get paid for it.”

That really stuck with me. So simple, so affecting. Richard Starkings, Founder of Comicraft, creator of Elephantmen

Photo by Greg Preston Giraud continued from page 7 of Jean’s work. So, by the end of the year, a bilingual (French/English) book titled Inspirations (Giraud/Moebius), comprising about 200 tributes, will be available for purchase in shops in French-speaking European countries, the UK, and North America, and by direct Internet order for worldwide delivery.

We hope all fans of Jean will support this project and make it a success, thus allowing researchers to make a significant advance in the struggle against the disease that took him from us.”

In this issue we have featured a few of the hundreds of artists around the planet and their vision on Jean. My own watercolor will appear in Patrick’s book this fall and as a series of giclee prints. It is on the inside back cover of this issue. –Phil Yeh

America’s Eric Shanower Giraud continued on page 38

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

JOE KUBERT

By Todd S. Jenkins

In an era when the word “legend” is tossed Hol, a winged policeman from the planet about like confetti on New Year’s Eve, only Thanagar, who had pursued a criminal to a small handful of creative souls have truly Earth but decided to stay and help fight earned the title. Joe Kubert is surely among crime. It was Kubert’s Hawkman who them. Now in his 85th year, the iconic artist joined the Justice League of America and moved into the front line of popular and writer has reinvented himself a dozen DC superheroes during the Silver Age of times over, and shows little sign of slowing Comics, through the 1970s. down.

As an artist Kubert has a knack for the key If Kubert’s entire legacy consisted of the element of the job: translating the dynamics powerful yet sympathetic war heroes of Sgt. of a good story into compelling visuals that Rock, he would have surpassed many of his really grip the reader. As a result, his work peers in the pantheon of comic book deities. has stood the test of time better than many If all Kubert had done in his career was to contemporary creations, particularly those reinvent the unique archaeologist-cumgeared to the subject of war. “Sgt. Rock hero Hawkman as an alien crime fighter, was certainly powerful and meaningful in or to imagine the tales of the prehistoric its time, and I think it remains so today adventurer Tor, the results would have because, while the machinery and politics clinched his berth as a Silver Age icon. But of war may have changed, the essence Kubert has accomplished enough in his behind military conflict has not.” Begun seven-decade career to fill a small library in 1959 but set during World War II, the on his own. tales of Easy Company and their hardened “I have been very lucky,” Kubert humbly leader found resonance with readers who muses from his office at the Kubert School, had just endured the Korean conflict and the New Jersey campus where he has watched as America became more deeply helped develop new generations of comic immersed in Vietnam. Kubert’s powerful, book creators since 1976. unflinching art conveyed all the tension “When you’re fortunate enough to latch and horror of Kanigher’s stories, bringing onto something that really clicks in the war to life on the page and changing the hearts and minds of readers, and to sustain way that Americans viewed the current that relationship over an extended period hostilities. While Sgt. Rock continued well and develop it to remain relevant, it’s a after Joe Kubert left the franchise, the art wonderful feeling.” From the early Blue he created remained the benchmark for war Beetle to the groundbreaking 3-D Mighty comics.

Mouse comics to his recent sociopolitical As the child of Polish Jewish immigrants graphic novels, Kubert has rarely had who fled Europe as pre-Nazi tensions difficulty finding those connections.

Joe Kubert ~ photo by Greg Preston began to spread, Kubert has always felt a Few professionals can boast of landing deep connection to the cost of war. “The their earliest job in junior high, as the gifted Kubert did when he inked his first strip in 1938 or ‘39. A friend had been so stories and images of war have always played a part in my life, and I have impressed by Kubert’s artistic skill that he recommended his schoolmate to felt the need to share what perspectives I could on human conflict and its his uncle Louis Silberkleit, one of the heads of MLJ Studios. From that time costs. War is a terrible, ugly thing, and in my lifetime we have been at war onward, Kubert spent as much of his down-time from school as he could more often than not. So it’s a subject whose well never really runs dry.”

War has indeed been a constant thread in Kubert’s work, whether tearing stumping around New York and New Jersey, seeking opportunities to draw apart fictional worlds in the DC universe or right here at home. In 1992 it for the region’s many comic publishers.

Kubert is quick to lay much of the credit for his success in the laps of those hit close to Kubert again as the Bosnian conflict erupted. His friend Ervin he has been fortunate to work with: inker Carmine Infantino; writer/artist Rustemagić, a businessman in Sarajevo, found himself trapped at home as Norman Maurer, a friend since Manhattan’s High School of Music and Art; bombs exploded all around. He began using his fax machine to send messages and Robert Kanigher, who co-created some of Kubert’s most enduring stories to Kubert, who distributed them to other friends outside the conflicted city. and characters. “An artist rarely works alone, and being able to surround Fax from Sarajevo, published in 1996, is Kubert’s graphic-novel distillation of Rustemagić’s experiences and communiqués, including copies of some of oneself with other creative minds of the highest caliber is a great reward.”

Unlike many artists who specialize in either penciling or inking panels, the actual faxes from Sarajevo.

In 2011 a trio of Kubert creations hit the market, all focused on matters Kubert showed a gift for both aspects of comic art early on. His work on Blue Beetle and The Spirit opened more doors for the young prodigy. During he has visited time and again, but with a truly fresh perspective. Dong Xoai: the 1940s he plied his trade for many different publishers: Fox, Quality, Vietnam 1965 brings to life the memories of Sgt. Bill Stokes, who contacted Holyoke, All-American, Fiction House, Harvey, Avon, and finally DC, Kubert after finding a piece the artist had done back in 1967. The two collaborated on a visual diary of the Viet Cong’s first major battle against where he created his most enduring works.

While Hawkman had been around since 1940, Kubert’s reinvention of South Vietnamese forces. Unlike Kubert’s usual impeccably detailed work, the character from 1961 onward gave the franchise new life and attitude. the illustrations in Dong Xoai are pencil roughs, designed to look as though The earlier incarnation was Carter Hall, an archaeologist descended they had been drawn in the field by a battle-weary soldier. The visual impact from ancient pharaohs, who discovered a “ninth metal” that enabled him is stunning. Kubert says, “I felt that the subject matter and the way we were to fly. Two decades later Kubert and Gardner Fox, the original creator of addressing it called for a different artistic approach than usual. I think it Hawkman, completely transformed the backstory: Hawkman was now Katar succeeds in conveying the urgency and tension of the moment.”

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Yossel is the projection of what Kubert imagines might have happened, had his family not been permitted to leave Poland before the Nazis took control. “My mother was pregnant with me in 1926 when she and my father first attempted to immigrate to the United States. They were denied because of her condition, but the authorities relented a few months later and we were on our way. I have often wondered what might have happened if we had ended up in the Warsaw ghetto instead of New York City when the Nazi incursion came about.” Treated with respect by the invading guards due to his keen artistic gifts, young Yossel becomes an insurgent when an escapee from a concentration camp makes his way back to the ghetto and relates the horror of what awaits them all. Yossel is illustrated in a sketch style similar to Dong Xoai, again appropriate to the setting and spirit of the text.

Jew Gangster, Kubert’s third graphic novel of the past year, looks at another facet of the Diaspora: the assimilation of Jewish immigrants into American organized crime. The book has been held out of some stores and libraries because of its title alone; but the story is as gripping as any of the artist’s best wartime work. Jew Gangster blends the soul of film noir with that of Will Eisner’s The Spirit, which Kubert was fortunate to work on as a young man.

Unlike the deliberately primitive art of the prior two graphic novels, the visuals in Jew Gangster are colorful, impeccably detailed and vibrant.

In recent years Kubert has been honored with a good number of retrospective collections, bringing his classic works to a new audience in repackaged, annotated volumes. Tor, Tarzan, Hawkman, Sgt. Rock and Enemy Ace have all seen recent anthologies that were acclaimed in the marketplace. Curated by comics historian Bill Schelly, Fantagraphics’ upcoming Joe Kubert Archives series revisits some of the artist’s best pre-Comics Code work in Weird Horrors and Daring Adventures. A substantial set due this year, tentatively titled Kubert on War, will collect some of his most enduring works of the past five decades. Schelly and Fantagraphics have also honored Kubert with a pair of well-crafted books, The Art of Joe Kubert and Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert.

As an elder statesman of the comics industry, Kubert has an appreciation for the history of his field and how it is being embraced by historians and archivists. He is a fan and supporter of ventures like Pittsburgh’s Toonseum, the Israeli Museum of Caricature and Comics (which featured Kubert’s works in the summer of 2011), and the proposed comics museum in San Diego.

“I believe it’s important for comics and graphic novels to be preserved and honored for their contributions to Part of Joe’s display at the Israeli Cartoon Museum culture. This is a unique art form that hasn’t gotten a lot of respect. It’s too often written off as kitschy and lacking in merit, when really it’s a fine medium of expression in a way that connects to many generations and communities. I have been very lucky and honored to be as successful as I am.”

www.kubertschool.edu

“This book is a must read for anyone interested in starting a business!

I would recommend this for all young people!” –Phil Yeh

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

If You Have All The Time in The World: H. G. Wells, Queen Victoria and Steampunk

By Terri Elders

“What’s steampunk? Start with Queen Victoria (1837-1901) add a dash of setting of your choice, pepper in some funky gadgets like datamancers, transmogrifiers, and whuzzies, throw in a pinch of soot, and top it off with a handful of coal. Don’t forget your goggles – you’ve got steampunk.” – Stephanie Burkhart, “Romance Under the Moonlight,” http://sgcardin. blogspot.com/ When Uncle Jam publisher Phil Yeh asked me if I’d write about H. G. Wells, purported father of science fiction and godfather of the current Steampunk movement, I readily agreed. After all, Steampunk harks back to the Victorian era; and who has been more immersed in Victoriana these past couple of years than me?

“How timely,” I thought, recalling that I hadn’t read a Wells novel in over half a century. In June 2012 I’m visiting the Isle of Wight to see Queen Victoria’s summer home, Osborne House. In 2010 I’d studied Victoria and her world at the University of Cambridge International Summer School.

What synchronicity now to be reading and writing about Wells, who was born during her time.

I decided to renew my acquaintance with Wells by ordering the 1960s Rod Taylor film of The Time Machine from Netflix, and by rereading the engrossing eponymous science fiction novella itself, deemed by Wells’ contemporaries as a superb romance.

“You are very magnificent,” no less a critic than Henry James wrote to Wells when the book first appeared. “I am beastly critical—but you are in a still higher degree wonderful. I rewrite you much, as I read—which is the highest praise my damned impertinence can pay to an author.”

Then I realized that Wells published that novel just six years before Victoria’s death. In fact, most of Wells’ books were published after her 1901 demise. He could be considered Edwardian, rather than Victorian. But never mind. If Steampunk devotees say their movement is rooted in Victoriana, and that Wells, along with Jules Verne, inspired them, who am I to quibble with time? Wells’ heroes never did.

Time, after all, is simply a fourth dimension, Wells shows us in his 32,000 word story, The Time Machine, merely another kind of space. The story reflects Wells’ socialist political views, plus the end-of-the-century angst about the industrial revolutions and concerns about social degeneration.

In the 1960 movie directed by George Pal, The Time Traveler acquires a name…George. In this version we discover that it’s Wells himself who rides his invention to the future and back. Anybody who ever sees this film never forgets the stunning Yvette Mimieux at 17 as Weena, the Eloi beauty from the year 802,701.

Steampunk, which originally rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990, harkens back to the prototype genre called “scientific romances” of Wells and Jules Verne, based on speculative technology and human responses to that technology. But Wells and Verne handled their material very differently. Jules Vernes’ protagonists made use of their wonderful inventions for their own purposes, and seemed to have little interest in the future of mankind. Wells, however, maintained an interest in the present and future welfare of man; and in his time was considered by many to be a

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

worthy successor to Charles Dickens. A trained biologist, Wells espoused socialism, pacifism, feminism and frequently identified himself primarily as a journalist.

Whether the Steampunk movement will interest itself in addressing sociological themes at this time is uncertain. Right now it seems focused on art, costume and alternative technology based on materials available in the nineteenth century.

In 1979 K. W. Jeter published Morlock Night, based on The Time Machine, which is now considered the first steampunk novel. Jeter coined the term “steampunk,” in a letter to the editors of the science fiction literary magazine Locus. He argued that the upcoming genre, based on Victorian fantasy, be called by the technology upon which the stories were based.

However, widespread knowledge of the genre didn’t come until the 1990 publication of a novel written by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling: The Difference Engine. Based upon the premise that English mathematician Charles Babbage’s analytical machine actually worked when invented, the novel examined how such technology would have impacted the world during the nineteenth century. Remember that Babbage’s invention was a mechanical general purpose computer! Imagine how Victorians would have reacted if the computer age had begun a hundred years earlier. The Difference Engine was nominated for the British Science Fiction Award in 1990 and in 1991 won the Nebula Award for Best Novel.

Queen Victoria loved Dickens…and I’m pretty convinced she would have loved Wells, The Difference Engine and the whole Steampunk phenomenon.

She adored traveling by railway, and helped popularize the notion that it was a safe means of transport for women. I can picture her sitting down to a computer, tapping away!

Steampunk moved into the mainstream culture through the 1999 publication of the illustrated series The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, written by graphic novelist Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O’Neill. The series was based upon fictional technologies and set in Victorian England. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen won the 2000 Bram Stoker Award for the Best Illustrated Narrative. A film debuted in 2003, and further influenced the Steampunk subculture of genre-based fashion and art. Internet Movie Data Base reminds the unwary: “LXG takes place in an alternate universe where technology is more advanced in 1899 than it was in real life. Aside from the use of an automobile and other advanced devices, we also see Captain Nemo’s crew using sonar and Nemo refers to solar power many years before they were invented.”

It’s pretty clear what today’s Steampunk fans think of Wells. What Wells would think of them, I’m not certain. Goggles? Maybe not…but lolling about with pulchritudinous women in corsets and high heels? Maybe. Here is novelist David Lodge on H. G. Wells, and you better take a deep breath.

You need a scorecard to keep the damsels straight: “Wells was also a prophet of the sexual revolution of our own era. He believed in free love and practiced it tirelessly. He was married twice to women he loved, but neither of whom satisfied him sexually, and had several long-term relationships, as well as innumerable briefer affairs, mostly condoned by his second wife, Jane. Of particular interest, because of the scandal they aroused, were his relationships with three young women half his age: Rosamund Bland, the secretly adopted daughter of Edith and Hubert Bland, who was actually fathered by Bland on Edith’s companion and housekeeper, Alice Hoatson; Amber Reeves, a brilliant Cambridge undergraduate, also the daughter of prominent Fabians; and Rebecca West, whom he invited to his Essex country house in 1912 to discuss her witty demolition of his novel Marriage in the feminist journal The Freewoman, a meeting that led in due course to the birth of Anthony West on the first day of the first world war, and a stormy relationship that lasted for some 10 years.

H.G. Wells continued on page 23

Even Now…The Best of Times

By Terri Elders

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities English novelist (1812 - 1870) In the enchanting Oscarnominated film, Hugo, young Isabelle gushes, “I’m half in love with David Copperfield.”

How delightful that director Martin Scorsese pays tribute to the genius of Charles Dickens in the author’s Bicentennial Year.

A confession: I’ve been totally in love with Dickens’ works since adolescence.

Charles Dickens was born in Landport, Portsmouth, England, on February 7, 1812.

Yep, two hundred years ago, so the Dickens Bicentenary corresponds with my own seventy-fifth birthday. Late last year I decided I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate my personal diamond jubilee than to devote most of 2012 to a celebration of that foremost gem of English authors.

My romance with Charles Dickens began in my late teens when I started turning the pages of David Copperfield. Over the decades I’ve savored nearly everything he wrote. Back in the early ‘80s I attended The Dickens Universe at the University of California, Santa Cruz, when the novel of focus was Martin Chuzzlewit, known as the American novel.

In 2003 I dragged my late husband to Ford’s Theater to see A Christmas Carol, since it was the last Christmas season we’d be living near Washington DC. Two summers ago I enrolled in a course at the University of Cambridge International Summer School, “Criminals and Gentlemen in Dickens’ Oliver Twist and Great Expectations.”

You could call me a Dickens groupie, and it wouldn’t be an anachronism.

Dickens indeed was the rock star of his time.

Past

I began my Dickens Bicentennial celebration a week early, on Christmas Eve, even though the official onset wasn’t until New Year’s Day. That evening I settled down to watch The Mystery of Edwin Drood, filmed a couple of years before I was born, and starring the remarkable Claude Rains. Earlier that month I’d taped several other films from the Turner Classic Movies wondrous “Dickens in December” series. I’ve been watching them all winter and spring. If you didn’t get to tape them, most are available through Netflix.

• The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935) with Claude Rains • Oliver Twist (1948) with Alec Guinness • Nicholas Nickleby (1947) with Cedric Hardwicke

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• A Christmas Carol (1938) with Reginald Owen • A Tale of Two Cities (1958 • Little Dorrit (1984) with Alec Guinness As 2012 progresses, I’m rereading Bleak House, and following the daily discussion of its chapters on a Yahoo Group, Inimitable Boz. I also am reading some of the lesserknown Dickens’ works, mostly short stories, downloaded for free to my Kindle: • The Seven Poor Travellers • Somebody’s Luggage • Going into Society • Mugby Junction • The Haunted House • Doctor Marigold

Present

In June I’ll be celebrating in London with Road Scholar’s “The Best of Times.” Kevin Flude, a Dickensian expert, will be leading this tour. Highlights include: • A pub crawl to Dickens’ favorite haunts: The George Inn and Prospect of Whitby.

• An outing to marshy Kent to see both Gad’s Hill Place, Dickens’ occasional holiday retreat, and the manor that was the model for Bleak House.

• A visit to Little Dorrit’s church, St. George the Martyr.

• A coach trip to the historic waterfront city of Portsmouth, to the site of Dickens’ birth, where now is located the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum.

• A staging of Oliver! at the Intimate Theatre, Palmers Green, by a well known amateur dramatics group.

I’ve also secured a ticket to see the interactive musical comedy, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, at the Art Theatre. This was the last novel Dickens undertook, and he didn’t finish it. Rumor has it that he offered to tell Queen Victoria how it all turned out, but she refused, wanting to follow it in the serial form in which it was published. This production stops two-thirds of the way through, and the audience gets to vote on how it thinks the book would have ended. The actors then finish up, according to the outcome of the vote.

Future

I’d mentioned earlier that there are two full-body statues of Dickens.

Besides the one in Philadelphia, there’s another standing in Sydney’s Centennial Park, New South Wales. Though Dickens never visited Australia, two of his sons emigrated there. Since I have several friends in Australia, continued on page 23

Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Emmanuel Itier on his new film

Femme:

Women Healing the World EMMANUEL ITIER directed Tell me no Lies (2000), Scarecrow (2002) and The Invocation (featuring Deepak Chopra, Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama). He also produced Wildflower (1999) and Scarecrow Slayer (2003).

Itier acted as a co-producer and financing consultant for Johnny Mnemonic, Another 9½ Weeks, Shattered Image (1998), The Dentist (1996), and Progeny (1999). He has also been a successful music and film journalist for rock magazines, French TV networks and the Internet for over twenty years. Finally Itier has been a buyer for various French Film distribution companies for the last fifteen years. He sits on the board of directors of the Santa Barbara Film Festival and writes poetry. He is also very involved with charities and the political world through his involvement with the Free Masons.

French bulldog. I love every woman on this planet, so I’m not going to destroy myself and my gender; but it’s to show we really have to educate our boys differently. I’ve got a 7 year old boy. When he cries, I don’t tell him “Hey, you sissy, shut up. Toughen up, you’re a man”. I say “Hey what’s wrong? Dad cries sometimes. Dad just failed. Dad just declared bankruptcy. So what? The world is still going.”

UJ: The movie making business is very male dominated. Do you think that can change too?

EI: Yeah, as we know it. It’s an insane, mean environment. And again, right there, it’s a reflection.

There is no reason for the world to be in this situation other than every key position of power today, whether it’s the banking system, the distribution system, the military; is only and always led by guys who really Uncle Jam: Tell us about the new movie, Femme. think it’s me, me, me. That mentality is there and we Emmanuel Itier: When I did The Invocation, which have to change it. Obviously it took us 10,000 years to was an exploration of the notion of God and peace get to that chaos. I think it can change exponentially Emmanuel Itier and Sharon Stone around the world, I made that trip around the world for the better because of the Internet, traveling, with a conscious effort to not only approach men from every horizon, but documentaries, and magazines like yours; but it’s not going to change also women. When I did that, I realized all these women were really giving overnight. I would love in my lifetime to see a much more united world and me interesting answers and interesting viable solutions while the guys were a much more peaceful world and a world where men really help each other. just mumbling and repeating the same old stuff…old stuff that doesn’t work. We always talk about the abuse in society of women by men, but we never So I thought maybe one of the causes of the absence of peace lies there in talk about the abuse and rape of men by men. Again, doing a documentary the absence of women and the feminine in the world. So I started to enquire like this one, coming from a guy like me who is a complete punk; I think it’s about that notion and I started to think about our education and how we are much different and much stronger than if it was a woman doing it. It really raised as men. From a little boy you are told you cannot feel, you cannot expresses a partnership that needs to be embodied and the discovery that cry, you cannot let go, you cannot fail. You have to dominate, you have to men need to be in touch with their femininity; and that doesn’t mean you control; you’re the superman, you’re the man of the family. Control, control, have to be gay. It has nothing to do with transgender or sexuality. It has to do dominate, conquer, conquer, kill, kill, kill. And in 2/3 of the world a gun is with feelings, so men have to feel again. given at age 4 by a gentle dad to his kid to pretend to kill. Sometimes in some UJ: Are you going to be adopting the Ed Burns model? Ed Burns has countries they really eventually kill each other for all types of disgusting released a film on the Internet. reasons. I thought “Wow, what is there in the minds of men today?” Women EI: It’s funny you mentioned that…I just interviewed him. It wasn’t for obviously didn’t create the atomic bomb, didn’t create the gun; so there is that movie, but for another movie he had a part in. We did talk about that. really something weird about that. I thought, “OK, let’s do a movie that’s Because of the extreme openness now of the Internet and the easier way going to represent that—the feminine”. The movie is called Femme: Women to collect money from the consumer, yes, for some products you are much Healing the World. It’s really a study on how we got raped and abused for the better off trying to do direct sales. For The Invocation I went with the typical last 10,000 years with this ultra-macho dominated system which is totally model of distribution. I gave my movie to a distributor. They said theatrical embodied in religion, politics, economics, everything. It’s basically saying release was too risky, so it went straight to video and cable. I made zero and that the guys are in charge. It’s what I call the castration of the women in that’s why I’m in bankruptcy. That’s insane; to have a movie with Deepak and by the masculine. How we men not only pushed away the women, but Chopra, the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Oliver Stone, Mark Wahlberg and also we kill the women inside of our head—the feminine inside of our head. have zero revenues. But why? Because they show you that A+B+C—all the Like The Invocation, it was shot all over the world. Right now my editor things they deduct, there’s nothing left for you. So I’m going to give Femme and co –producer, Amanda Estremera (who also edited and produced The for free to leading female-driven websites around the world and tell them Invocation with me) is in India shooting footage. I’ve got another team in “You put it only for downloads on your site exclusively for a period of time.

Nigeria shooting for me and I’m going to China to shoot next. We already You make the download very cheap…under $5 and we are 50-50. So there shot all over Latin America. We went to the slums in Brazil and I interviewed is no question of cost of deductions. No, no, you get the movie for free. the president of the prostitutes and the abused girls. We shot all over the It’s going to be a movie that’s gonna have a value roughly of half a million U.S. We have people like Marianne Williamson, Gloria Steinem, Barbara dollars. I’m giving you half a million dollars, but we are 50-50 from the first Marx Hubbard, Jean Houston, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Annie Lennox, and dollar gross.” I think that’s fair for everybody and I think more and more Sharon Stone, of course, who is producing with me again. We’ve also you’re going to see that, because there are so many frustrated filmmakers, got unconventional women: I went all across the horizon. I interviewed a beyond the frustration we physically cannot survive. It is ridiculous. We all huge porn star named Joanna Angel, because I noticed that even that male know the story, but it’s sad that we all know the story. When really there is no dominated institution was shaken lately by women—since Jenna Jameson reason. The only reason is that the famous 1%—the pharaohs of the world— and all that. More and more women are seizing the porn world, which is are still controlling the poor slaves that we are. I’m saying the revolution is very ironic; so I was curious to interview a woman and get her point of view on, we are coming back. on sexuality and relationships and all that. She was brilliant and really it’s UJ: This can cut out the studios from the process. going to be a documentary aimed at empowering more and more women EI: It’s not about getting rid of the studios; it’s about making them understand to rise, but to unite. It’s not male bashing, because I’m your typical macho you cannot apply slavery. Slavery was abolished a few centuries ago, so

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remember that. Stop squeezing us. It’s dumb. Why is one movie out of 50 or 60 making money? It’s because they are bad. Why are they bad? It’s because they are always being made by the same little group of this 1% of people working together. You want fresh blood and new energy. You need to let it flow. Life is about flowing. Life is about cycling; about what goes around comes around. So you’re a mental basket case if you think you’re gonna control anything for too long before it collapses. It’s collapsing because they wanted to seize everything and they managed to do it, now that everything is one big corporation, more or less. They are collapsing because there are no more consumers to buy their bullshit and no more consumers to buy their product. Because of the Internet, piracy is at its all time high, so you have to be very careful about piracy. Our youngsters at first use the excuse that “I don’t have money, so I’m gonna steal”. It’s not that they don’t have money, it is that, yes, the prices of the products are too expensive.

The price of a ticket shouldn’t be 10 or 15 bucks. The price of a ticket in a theater should be 5 bucks. The price of a DVD should be 5 bucks. The price of download anywhere from 1 to 5 bucks, and then you will have people consuming. But when you make a ridiculous price, people first use the excuse of “I don’t have money”.

Then it becomes a habit and then it becomes part of their way of normality.

So even if you tell them, “Wait, it’s cheap now.”, still they are used to stealing and getting it for free. They are not educated anymore. It’s going to be a tough battle, but it starts with our kids. I’m going to be a dad again and I’m going to make sure they are not raised the way I was raised; which was a little bit too much the macho way, the control. The “me, myself, and I”. It’s really about me, myself, and we.

The reason is very simple; because “we” always includes the “I”; but when you say “me, myself, and I”, most of the time you forget the “we”—not realizing that you are connected to the “we”. Again, what goes around comes around, so it’s not because you’re forgetting about these people and you don’t need them.

On the contrary, we are all the customers of each other.

UJ: In Egypt, Syria, and Libya right now we see this reality. The people finally said, “Enough is enough, we’re gonna take it back.” It goes back to Roman times and French times.

EI: Even here—the American Revolution, trying to emancipate themselves from the English. And it’s sad that it looks like we are going to fuel another revolution when we don’t need to. We don’t need to go through violence; but violence will happen if you don’t really start sharing and being smart. It’s not like Obama said “Let’s steal money from the rich and overtax.” And it’s not what the Republicans are saying because then it’s an open gate for abuse and even more corruption. It’s about balance. It’s about common sense and really it’s about unity. It’s not about them vs. us and I’m so tired of all these Democrats vomiting at Republicans and vice versa. This is enough guys— you are in the same mess. You are all broke, so shut up and work together.

This is not your country; this is not your planet. This is our planet. You are here to work for us, so shut up and don’t put down anybody. You don’t have the right. Every one of the 7 billion people is a brilliant genius.

UJ: What do you think about the new woman who is in charge of the IMF (International Monetary Fund)?

EI: Not like this French guy who obviously used and abused not only the system, but every woman who was working for him. So actually I attempted a joke 2 days ago. 3 days ago I was in NY for 24 hours to interview Denzel Washington. When they were sending me my itinerary, I realized that they were sending me to the famous hotel where Dominique Strauss-Kahn was

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arrested. I arrived at the hotel around 1:00 am. I was with a couple friends and said “Listen, I’m gonna make a joke.” So I arrived at the front desk with an even bigger French accent than I actually have and said “Hi, I heard very good things about your hotel. I heard it’s a good place to have a good time.

My friend DSK told me so.” and the guy looked at me and said “Are you trying to crack up a joke?” “Yes.” “It’s not working.”

But no, I think to have a woman in charge of money….well actually it’s not even what I say, it’s a reality. In all the 3rd world countries they have tested it with men and women. With men—99% failure, with women—99% success, so I really think that women are better at managing money. Me, I would give it all away. I give it to my wife, to my kids, and all my friends. So I’m the worse guy to talk about money. I really think guys don’t really care about money.

They have the illusion that they care and they are forced to care by training. But a guy is really very simple. A guy is all about providing for his family; getting laid from time to time; going to bed, and repeating that cycle and he’s happy. It doesn’t take much to satisfy a man, so stop putting the pressure that he has to drive a certain car and has to have a bank account and that certain suit, because it’s not him. We are barely civilized pigs.

That’s all we are. Let’s not fool ourselves. (laughter) UJ: Who is in Femme so far?

EI: We have three Nobel peace prize winners. We have all the big thinkers in the world, from France, to the U.S., to India. It’s a huge message of “I love you” from women to men. That’s what it is and I think that’s good, because a lot of the men are going to be afraid of the movie when it comes out. They are going to be intrigued because it’s made by this French pig. So it’s like, “That’s kind of weird, that guy who did horror movies and a movie about God is now going to do a movie to bash us men and celebrate women….what is that?” They’re going to look at the list of the women and they’re going to skip the Nobel Peace Prize winners, but they’re going to see Joanna Angel, porn star; Tracy Lord, ex porn star; the representative of the prostitutes in Brazil; so they’re gonna say, “Wow, we should check it out”.

That’s what I want. I want to trick them to check it out, because they’re gonna be surprised that these women are not bashing them. Not one single woman told me “We have to get rid of men and be the new Amazons, and put you in cages”; even though I think we deserve it sometimes. On the contrary, it’s all about “I love you guys. Stop your stupidity, surrender your head, and give your love, just put down the weapons. Get rid of the weapon of your mind.” Again, it’s not about demilitarization. As the saying goes, “It’s not the gun that’s the problem; it’s the man that’s using the gun.” And it’s true; everything can be a weapon; so it’s really what’s in your mind. If your mind has been trained to kill, all you know is to kill. Look at these poor kids that we have such a hard time to rehabilitate from Liberia and from other African countries, because they were killing human beings at age 4. Their mind doesn’t know anything else, doesn’t comprehend anything else. Society, a CEO today doesn’t know how to love. He just doesn’t know that. All he knows is “I see you. You’re my target, I’m gonna take over your company, I’m gonna make another million dollars and I’m gonna be happy”. Scary.

UJ: It’s a paradigm shift from the old way to the new. Marilyn Ferguson told me in 1980, when she did the Aquarian Conspiracy, this is going to come to pass. What’s happening now in 2012 is what she was talking about. She said that 10,000 years of masculine domination will be over and we will switch to 10,000 years of feminine. It’s a good vision.

Femme continued on page 21

A Whirlwind Tour of Israel

by Linda Adams Yeh

Sorin, Shany, Orly, and Lee Blum After seeing the amazing Christmas decorations in the Muslim country of Malaysia in December 2010, we didn’t know what to expect from our visit to Israel during the holidays in 2011. We “hit the ground running” and didn’t stop the whole week. Phil was invited by our friend, Lee Blum, to be the guest of honor at the 2nd annual Haifa FestiComics on December 26 and 27, 2011. Lee arranged for several events to make good use of our short time in Israel. The first surprise was while we were driving from the airport in Tel Aviv to Haifa (about an hour away). Lee told Phil that Israel’s largest Hebrew language newspaper wanted him to draw a full-page, color comic about our trip to Israel for the next day’s paper. We had been flying for several hours, but jetlag hadn’t set in; so Phil said if we went straight to the hotel, he could draw it before dinner. Once we checked in and he started drawing, the newspaper called Lee and asked if it could be expanded to 1½ pages! We ended up going to dinner very late that night; then Lee had to stay up most of the night to color it and translate the word bubbles into Hebrew.

I had commented that the countryside between Tel Aviv and Haifa looked a lot like California, so they based part of the joke in the comic on The Baha’i Temple from our hotel room that.

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The next day was Christmas Eve. Lee’s dad, Sorin Blum, offered to show us around old Jerusalem, so the entire Blum family took us on a memorable outing. We went to the Jewish Quarter and the Wailing Wall, to the Bazaar in the Muslim quarter to do some shopping, and then to the Christian Quarter and to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Besides being an accomplished artist, Sorin is a tour guide, so we saw and learned a lot.

On Christmas Day, we went to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa and did a portable mural with the kids in the Oncology Ward. They didn’t speak English, but art is universal and we all had a great time. Christmas and Hanukkah were at the same time this year, but we mostly saw Hanukkah decorations around town. We did see a giant Christmas tree on the way to Rambam Medical Center, made out of empty coke bottles.

The Haifa FestiComics started on December 26, and Phil was scheduled to speak on the first day.

We were expecting an audience of adults, but Phil quickly changed his speech to his school graphic novel presentation when he saw that the audience was mostly children.

Everyone was on holiday because it was Hanukkah, so there were many children and families at the comic con. The attendees of all ages were excited about the mural we did, and sometimes there were so many people helping, that it was hard to find a spot to paint at the mural.

The comic festival was over, but we were not done yet. Lee and his brother, Shany, showed us around Tel Aviv on Wednesday. People always ask us if we were afraid of bombings and terrorists, but it was just like any other bustling city. There is a lot of redevelopment going on and interesting architecture, mixed in with nice old buildings. We learned that many things were invented in Israel, like flash drives and solar water heaters. All of the buildings had solar water heaters on their roofs. We met a reporter at a sidewalk café in Tel Aviv so he could interview Phil for the Jerusalem Post, an English language newspaper that is read around the world. Lee had arranged for us to tour the Israeli Cartoon Museum in Holon, so we left for Holon right after the interview.

Holon is 5 miles from Tel Aviv. The mayor named it a “children’s city” and is making it very attractive to families.

Holon has a children’s museum, a youth theater, interactive science museum, puppet center, as well as the Holon Design Museum “Homage to Cosmati” by Sorin Blum and the Israeli using 18,750 pieces of wood

Cartoon Museum. The mayor plans to start a free bus going between these museums for families to use. As we walked up to the museum, we were amazed. The first thing we saw was several lifesize cutouts of cartoon characters on the lawn surrounding the building.

The building itself is big and modern. Once we got inside, we were pleasantly surprised to see an open, airy museum with several sections.

The museum has a permanent collection and rotating exhibits. It promotes cartoon art to new and wider audiences, carries out historical studies and preservation activities, and conducts hands-on seminars for all ages. There is a large gift store that includes Lee Blum’s books. The books were almost all written in, or translated to, Hebrew including Peanuts. There is a wall of Israeli comic strips and a comic’s timeline on another wall. Lee and Phil were asked to sign a wall that is filled with signatures by cartoonists from around the world. We saw that some of our friends had been there before us, including Chari Pere from Los Angeles. The traveling exhibit on display in December was on Joe Kubert and his sons.

(See interview page 11) This wonderful museum really inspired Phil to push for a similar museum in San Diego.

Lee Blum and Phil Yeh at the Israeli Cartoon Museum Thursday was our last day in Israel, but was just as busy as the other days. We got up early and drove into Tel Aviv with Sorin and Orly Blum, Lee and Shany’s parents. Our first stop was at a “day care” center for mentally challenged adults. The adults go there each day and do small jobs like sorting parts and taking out hard drives on computers to earn a paycheck. The US Embassy had arranged for us to do a mural with these adults, although the people running the center weren’t sure how it would turn out. It couldn’t have been a better experience for everyone involved! The people were excited for us to be there and gathered around 2 giant pieces of foam core as Phil started drawing. They were painting as fast as Phil was drawing and most of them stayed for a very long time before getting tired. They all were asking us about ourselves and our families and telling us about theirs. The people who didn’t speak English had the others translate for them. The representative from the Embassy decided to hang the finished mural at the U.S. Embassy for a while before re- hanging it at the center.

After the mural, Israel and Orly took us for a short tour of Tel Aviv. They raised their family there, so showed us a lot. We even met the mayor when we were looking at the memorial where Rabin was shot. As it was getting dark, the Blums took us to the ancient town of Jaffa. Jaffa is believed to be one of the oldest cities in the world. Archaeological evidence shows that Jaffa was inhabited 7,500 years BCE. Tel Aviv was founded when some of the residents of Jaffa decided to “move out of town” in 1905. Cars can drive into the outskirts of Jaffa, but since it is so old, the “streets” in the oldest part are narrow little passageways. I felt like I had really gone back in time while we were there.

Our last stop was an outdoor market area at the docks in Tel Aviv to meet Lee and Shany and go to the airport for our overnight flight home. We were sorry to leave Israel and the wonderful, friendly people there, but hope to return soon to paint some more.

Tel Aviv Market

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Linda & Phil Yeh in front of the Baha’i Temple, Haifa, Israel

The Comic Festival in Haifa

by Phil Yeh

On our fourth day in Israel, we painted a mural with our “Building a World of Readers, Artists & Dreamers” slogan in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. The event was in the Panorama Center next door to the Dan Panorama Hotel, high above the city of Haifa. You could not get a more wonderful location, since our room offered us an amazing view of the Mediterranean Sea and the beautiful grounds of the Baha’i House of Worship. I often visit the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette when I am visiting greater Chicago, but never did I imagine that I would see their House of Worship in Israel! I first was introduced to the Baha’i Faith when I moved from Los Angeles to Seal Beach and attended Los Alamitos High School. One of my first friends at the new school was a kid named Nez Maani, from Iran. He asked me if I would like to attend a meeting at his home and that’s how I came to learn about the Baha’i Faith. It is a real world religion that respects the better teachings of all the great religions in the world and I must say that I always

Uri Fink, Phil, Lee Blum enjoyed my experience with the Baha’i’s. They do not really have churches, mosques, or temples in a traditional sense, but rather meet at people’s homes. They have real respect for all religions but do not believe in priests or other religious leaders, which I’m sure makes it tough for many people used to more traditional religions. As a young man, I studied many different paths before finally deciding that I am a Taoist in a very non-religious sense. I have friends who practice all faiths, and even a few who are atheists; but I have always believed that all people should have the freedom to decide for themselves what their relationship to God will be. That is a major source of conflict on this planet as many faiths do not agree that we should have this freedom. I always try and look for common ground in my dealings with all people.

One of the reasons that I love to travel and that I have so many friends on this planet, is I try and use art to find that common ground. I believe that most people on this planet want to live in peace and that they really want to have a better life for their children. We spent December of 2010 in Singapore and Malaysia meeting many diverse people, including a mural event in a Muslim school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Now in December 2011, I was painting a mural with people of all ages in Israel. Since we began this

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Cartoonists Across America & the World Tour in 1985, we have had the chance to see first hand how powerful cartoons and comics are in today’s world. We have painted more than 1800 colorful murals in 49 states and now, with Israel, 15 other countries. Universally, I can report that our art form has crossed all cultural lines. Even though many superheroes were, in fact, created by Americans of the Jewish faith, these heroes have been accepted in most countries. It should also be noted that we are starting to see many homegrown graphic novels, not about superheroes, in most countries we have visited.

I was brought to Israel by a young cartoonist of my sons’ age, named Lee Blum. His work is aimed at kids. Most of the cartoons in Israel have been aimed at kids, but this is changing and we met a few artists who were doing more adult work. Blum founded the FestiComics in Haifa last year and like the early conventions in San Diego, it is growing slowly.

Most people have a hard time believing that San Diego Comic-Con had only 300 fans that first time in 1970. I was there as a young teenager and it is even more amazing that San Diego Comic-Con was formed by a group of teens, including Richard Alf, and one man in his 30s, named Shel Dorf. Blum had asked me to be the first guest of honor last year, but unfortunately I had a prior engagement to paint a city bus in Santa Fe, New Mexico. What I love about small conventions is you actually can meet the fans and have real conversations! We also had a chance to meet other artists, including Uri Fink, the cartoonist most responsible for keeping Israeli Comics going through the years. The best thing for me was working on the mural with all the kids! I especially loved one family of three kids, a brother and his twin sisters, who did their best to teach me some Hebrew. We spent a whole day on the second day of the festival with these highly animated and friendly girls.

On our last day, I did another mural co-sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, in Tel Aviv. This was at a center for mentally handicapped adults. They were among the best artists I have ever worked with anywhere in the world. I mentioned to our hosts that I would like to return and paint with both adults and children throughout the Mideast. I, of course, hope to add Israel to my list of return trips since one week is not enough time for any country.

Kids helping on mural

Jimmy Gownley Rules!

Uncle Jam: You’ve had pretty amazing success by most standards, coming from an independent comic book series to being published by a major house. Can you briefly give our readers some of the story of Amelia Rules history?

Jimmy Gownley: Briefly? Ha! Well, let’s see... I used to do this comic book series called Shades of Gray Comics and Stories. I had actually started it when I was in high school, just selling it out of my locker. I worked on it for a few years, and was able to get it distributed into comic book stores. Later it was picked up by Caliber Comics for four issues. Around the 16th issue, I realized I wanted to be doing something else; so I took the page I was working on, flipped it over, and started sketching this little girl. I showed it to the woman sitting next to me, who was my long suffering girlfriend at the time... now she’s my long-suffering wife... and I said ‘What do you think we should call her?’ At the same exact second we said ‘Amelia.’ So, I took this as a sign that I should work with this new character, who became Amelia Louise McBride.

I started self-publishing Amelia Rules! in June 2001 as 32 page comics that were sold in comics shops only. Eventually, around 2006, we started publishing trade paperbacks. In 2007 we were one of the first graphic novels to be sold in Barnes and Nobles and Borders (then new) kids’ graphic novel section. We self-published 4 collections, and got nominated for several Eisner and Harvey awards. It was fun, but too much work, so I signed with an agent, Judy Hansen, and we held an auction for the publishing rights for Amelia. That was when Simon and Schuster became the publishers, and they have been ever since.

UJ: Have you had much success in foreign languages for Amelia Rules?

JG: Amelia has, so far, been translated into Spanish, Italian and German. It is always a kick to see the foreign editions; especially German, since I took high school German and can ALMOST make out what they are saying!

UJ: Do you have plans to animate your books? It seems that TV and films are the best way to become known in the 21st century, as literacy declines in the United States.

JG: Actually, the best way to become well known in the 21st century is to do something humiliating and post it on YouTube, but what’s the point?

For me, all I ever wanted to be was a cartoonist. It was my single goal and obsession since I was five years old. To be able to say that this is what I do for a living is just a huge source of pride for me. The only reason I’d be interested in becoming more well known, is for more people to read the books. I remember thinking when I was a kid; “Wow! Wouldn’t it be great to sign autographs?” Now, having signed my name thousands of times, I can’t imagine what I was thinking! I mean who cares?

Having said that, I’m actually a fan of TV, and think there has been some amazing work done in the past 20 years or so. So, I could definitely imagine a TV version of Amelia. But if it would happen, it would be because of the creative opportunities it would represent, UJ: What role does your wife play in your success?

JG: Aside from being hugely supportive, Karen handled all of the marketing and promotion for Amelia Rules! for the entire time we were self-publishing.

She did an absolutely brilliant job, and it was her instincts and work early on that guaranteed Amelia would have a second issue.

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UJ: I have long believed that kid friendly comics are the best way to get kids into reading.

This is the main reason we started our Cartoonists Across America & the World tour in 1985. Now in 2012, we are seeing Americans basically not reading ANYTHING at all. What has been your own experience?

JG: Well, I don’t think it’s true that people aren’t reading ANYTHING, but yeah, it is troubling. Look, we are living in a culture where teachers are vilified, where higher education is mocked by people running for president, where “reality TV” keeps people numb, where even basic facts of life and history are greeted with hostility... as if they are just someone’s opinion. The ONLY hope we have is to try to talk to kids directly, to try to give them the best we can in terms of literature and art, and hope that they make better decisions than the last few generations have.

I think comics are great for that, because they can speak about complex and difficult issues and ideas in a way that pretty much everyone can understand.

UJ: What do you think we can do to improve things for writers and artists for kids?

JG: Improve parents. Also, writers and artists need to improve things FOR themselves, and just improve THEMSELVES. I would hope that every time a cartoonist sits down to create a new work, they would think about WHAT they are putting into the world. The world doesn’t need MORE comics for kids; it needs BETTER comics for kids. And even though we are at a point in history where the quality of kid’s comics has never been higher, there is still lots of room to grow.

UJ: What do you think is the direction for comics and especially kid friendly stuff?

JG: I think the web and eBooks are the future of everything; and whether that is good or bad doesn’t even matter, it’s just reality. People who are working in this field need to do their best to get the word out about their work; do school presentations, do library talks, exhibit at ALA and BEA and not just comic book conventions.

UJ: What are your plans for the future?

JG: I’m just wrapping up Amelia Rules! The eighth and final volume, Her Permanent Record, goes on sale August 28th. I am co-creating a new web comic called Gracieland with my friend Ellen Toole Austin, which can be found at greetingsfromgracieland.com; and I’m thrilled to be able to finally announce that my first book project following the completion of Amelia Rules! will be The Cartoonist…the true life story of how I began my comic book career by publishing my own homemade comics and selling them out of my high school locker. I like to tell everybody that there are a lot of “How to” books about making comics, but this is the first “Why to.” www.ameliarules.com

Femme continued from page 16 bring them back and why sometimes they won’t be back, because the entire EI: That’s what we are trying to do. And it’s really the 2nd movie of a trilogy body is frozen. that I am finishing. It started with trying to figure out if we collapsing as a UJ: What places have made the most impact in your travels? society and if we are failing. I found out with the first movie that no, we’re EI: Everywhere. It’s interesting that I think everywhere I went from Brazil, not, but we have a lot of work. We need to find solutions, so each movie to Italy, to India, to South Africa, to Japan, to everywhere, I equally as much brings solutions. The first one was telling us to become peace in action. The cried and laughed. Cried because I never realized the amount of misery and 2nd one’s going to tell us to be in partnership with the feminine, and the 3rd despair there is in the world, especially with our children of the world. It’s movie is going to be about reconciling people with 2 big terms, really the really odd when you’re walking the street in Cairo or India and you have engines of every society…economics and politics. I’m going to do a movie kids the age of your son who have nothing and are begging you to give called “We come in Peace”, a revolution of economics and politics. I’m them anything. You cry, you weep and weep. At the same time I had the best going to go back to the definition of these words. Politics is for the people love, because I met so many people in all these places who are fighting that. and make people realize nobody’s working for you. They’re all working for They are fighting the poverty, the misery, the hate, the disconnection. That’s their bank account…they’re all gangsters. Economics is the management of another thing I want to say, that sadly all these people, a lot of them are in the household. Nobody is an economist. Nobody is doing economy. They my movies, the unsung heroes, they do exist. They do fight, but the media is are all gangsters; they’re all ripping each other. From the definition and lazy today. They are always going to focus on Deepak, the Dalai Lama. They from observing that all these people are just “gangstering” each other, we’re are great men, but do you know how many millions of people like them there going to really try to give new solutions to recreate a human society based are in their countries doing the same thing? Even more today, because now on a re-evolution of the system. That will be the partnership of feminine they have kind of fallen asleep and they are part of a big entourage type of and masculine and applying that to politics and economics. And then after organization, so they don’t really do anything. They talk, that’s all they do; that, I go back to porn and horror, because I’m tired of thinking. I’m a pig. which is fine…they inspire. But there are so many young men and young I’m tired of being a thinking pig I just want to be a pig. (laughter). Yes, it’s women; a lot of women, just fighting on a daily basis trying to help to save a tiring to think, but one has to do it from time to time; because if not, that’s girl from prostitution or a boy from prostitution. It’s incredible. That’s why I say we have to consider the big picture of what happens. Not enough people have been the 7 billion geniuses that we are and realize thinking. that there is not one single soul we can allow UJ: Do you need investors for this movie? to die today. They are all important. They all EI: The way I finance all of these movies is have great ideas. We are all complementary. (and that’s why I’m bankrupt), I put all my We all trigger each other’s genius as soon as money in, which I did again in Femme. There we open our mouth; because the brain is all is nothing left and I raise $100,000 by people connected. Quantum physics shows us that. who give me anywhere from $1000 to $30,000 We are really a big god-like brain that all our over 6 months. We spent so far $200,000 and I cells are connected to. still need $60,000-$80,000 to finish; to pay for UJ: Tibetan Buddhists believe that we’re all the last trips, the 3 months of editing left. together, we’ll all one.

UJ: Have you talked to Michael Moore?

EI: Today quantum physics shows us that EI: Yes, I met him over and over. I sent him we are all a huge assemblage of molecules my stuff. Michael is really “me, myself, Amanda Estremera with Indian connecting to each other, so let’s stop the and I”. He is really about him, always the philosopher/activist Vandana Shiva disconnection. It doesn’t exist. You’re not center of everything. He really doesn’t seek collaboration, which is sad; because when you have that much money better than I. I am not better than you. We are all complementary. We all you should shop around and support other film makers. Also I think his help life to be, and that is God. That’s us creating life every single second approach, for me, is a little too negative; because his movies are bashing, with a spark of being brilliant at something. Whether it’s you drawing, or me bashing, bashing, and at the end you are really depressed. You really want talking or making a movie, or her taking a picture; every second we create. to kill Bush when you see Fahrenheit 9/11. Bowling for Columbine makes UJ: Now the idea is, when the film comes out, then everyone can just pay you really want to kill every Republican and then when you watch the movie their money to these websites? on economy, you just want to kill yourself. Same thing about the health EI: Exactly, then some of it comes back to me so I can continue to make system. “Oh shit, I’m so screwed, please give me a gun” (laughter) At least beautiful movies. in my movies I’m giving you hope that you’re a good human being. I’m UJ: When will this movie be released? giving hope; yes, you are a decent soul. Get up, move your ass and good EI: It’s moving along, so it looks like it will be done around summer 2012. stuff will happen. You know the old saying “Help yourself and God will My last problem is to get the narrator. When the movie is finished, with help you”. Stop complaining. I know, I complain all the time, I’m whining, that cut I have to go see one of the big guys. Sharon Stone narrated the first but at some point I shut up and get over it and keep going. It’s hard to one. I’m putting the bar even higher, which is normal. To sell, you need the just find the inner strength. I understand why so many people give up and names. That’s going to be the big challenge: who am I going to get? I want turn to drugs, to alcohol or even to killing, which is a drug in itself. They to settle with somebody who is respected--a male who has a decent persona, snap, people snap. It’s really easy to snap in this society, so it’s not that you aura, and following. During the fall I’m going to actively submit the movie have to excuse people; but you have to understand why we have more serial to film festivals and in parallel negotiate with female-driven websites around killers, why we have more rapists, why we have more suicide. It’s actually the world. If everything goes according to plan, one hopes that the movie a straight effect of this ultra-macho environment. Usually it’s men. You will be in many film festivals at the same time and the websites by the end rarely have serial killers that are feminine. You rarely have rapists who are of the year; just before the world blows. So at least when you get to the other feminine. And why? Because there is too much pressure put on the guys to side, you are a whole complete human being. “I saw Emmanuel’s movie. I succeed. And if they don’t succeed they are the scumbag, they are the loser. love you!” (laughter) “We don’t want to see you; we don’t want to love you.” So what happens? UJ: You know the Mayans never said it was the end of the world; it was the They snap and they become a threat for everybody. Psychology is common end of a cycle. The Mayans were not negative. They thought a new cycle sense. You don’t need to study for years in school. You need to study to be a would start. It’s very interesting, because it’s either the end of the world, or surgeon, but not to understand the mind. You just need to look around, walk the beginning of a new world. the street, and talk to people. Do that for a month anywhere in the world and EI: Einstein said “Nothing is created, nothing is dying, everything is you’re an expert in humanity, in psychology. It’s very easy to understand transformed.” so I’m this idiot right now; but this idiot is made of plenty why somebody would snap and very easy to understand how hard it is to Femme continued on page 23

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Sansone continued from page 5 UJ: Let’s start with the beginning: what was your first encounter with enameling and do you have any favorite enamelists?

Joel Sansone: It all started in college, when one of my art teachers at Bowling Green University in Ohio first showed me the technique of enameling. His name was Julius Kosan. I quickly signed up for two semesters instead of one. I immediately realized the great potential of the enamel medium, and wanted to expand on all its possibilities. I was inspired to design work on a larger scale especially. I never looked at the art of enamel on copper as a “decorative art” but instead I wanted to use it as a medium for fine art expression.

As for other people working with enamel, one guy comes to mind. I met Fred Ball in Sacramento when I had entered an enamel show with a piece entitled “Face the Lion” and I won first prize. Fred Ball was known for his experimental use of enamels. Fire-scale, flux, liquid flux, high-firings and work with string dipped in flux. [Flux is an enamel term used to describe the clear enamel used mainly as a base. After putting on flux, you can add transparent enamel and it will retain its transparent quality.] Fred also made what is probably the largest outdoor enamel structure in the world. “The Way Home,” is made of nearly 1500 enameled tiles, bonded to the side of a Sacramento parking garage. Thompson Enamel used that image on their product catalog. Fred Ball’s enamel work inspired me a lot.

UJ: How would you describe your own unique contribution to the field of enameling?

JS: The uniqueness of my work is that I am creating images in a wide range of subject matter and on a large scale, especially my astronomical scenes in Stellarscapes or nebulas. Most enamel work done around the world is small-scale such as small bowls, plates and jewelry. When I began to work with enamel, it was very hard if not impossible to find large blank copper sheets and objects. Everything was tiny. You had to use many small pieces and put them together if you wanted to create a large wall piece. But eventually I got larger and larger kilns and by assembling many large squares of copper I could compose larger artwork like what I have now, averaging 4 square feet.

In the first decade, I was experimenting with the different variables in enameling. That was very attractive to me, to explore an infinite amount of variables and admire the results. You get different effects with the same enamel by using longer kilntime, by varying the heat in the kiln. You apply the enamel in layers, and you have to fire and cool down the copper before applying each consecutive layer of powdered glass. You can vary the results by using combinations and layers of transparent, opaque and opalescent powder. Firing time and actual placement inside the kiln can also change the outcome. Higher temperature and longer firing time can have effects on earlier applications and firings of the enamel. The variables are endless.

UJ: I remember you telling me in detail when you discovered that fire-scale [When copper is exposed to high heat in the kiln, a black scale appears from the oxidation. This has to be removed in a mild acid solution.] turns bloodred when you don’t remove it, but instead re-fire it with a dusting of clear enamel. Have your interests in the medium of enamel on copper evolved over the years, and how?

JS: Perhaps interest in subject matter and even medium have changed and evolved. My subject matter has ranged from non-objective abstract to objective abstract: nebulas, African masks hand-hammered out of copper, utilitarian objects such as tabletops, dinnerware, American Indian dream catchers, copper feathers, enamel jewelry, wall sconces and many other objects. Any object usually made of metal could be made of copper and therefore could be enameled. But I didn’t want to go too far into the utilitarian direction. I really wanted to make more astronomical vistas that I call Stellarscapes. It began with an experimental test piece for a new enamel

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powder, that accidentally turned out great and it looked like a stellar nebula.

I then tried to repeat the same process deliberately, and I experimented with both transparent and opaques to get a better effect. My own special water spray misting technique evolved because it gave me a better preview of the firing result. I mist some water above the enamel covered copper, and let the mist fall onto the copper sheets after the black opaque powder of dark space is on the sheet, all in order to know how much color enamel I have to sift on in order to get the desired effect of brilliantly colored nebulas. The misted water made the black darker as well as the color enamel.

UJ: Your eight-foot round Stellarscape in the gallery at Los Olivos is absolutely breathtaking for everyone who sees it for the first time. It belongs in a space station or a museum. Did you always create art, even when you were doing other things for a livelihood?

JS: I have always worked on art, from the first grade on. I made a cover for a small recipe book, made out of color squares, when I was only six. My mother kept this recipe book for many years! In the 8th grade, one of the most influential people in my life who always supported my drawing talent—Ms. Snyder—passed out test papers to all my classmates. I quickly answered all the questions on the sheet, so I could turn over the test paper and draw all over the back side of the page which was blank. I got the test back with a big “F” on the exam side, but she had added an “A” on the drawing side! Art has been a constant during my entire life.

UJ: What made you so enthusiastic about the subject of the universe to make you create your spectacular Stellarscapes?

JS: I have always been fascinated with outer space.

At age 7 or 8, I would sit on the porch in rural Ohio and stare at the Milky Way, listening to my father explaining facts about the universe. I loved gathering facts about space, for example that light travels at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, which equals going around the world eight times in one second.

Father told me that I couldn’t even spin my finger around that fast! That has stayed with me all my life. In an applied science class, I heard the teacher talk about the atoms that make up matter, and the electrons that revolve around a proton just like the moon revolves around the earth. I raised my hand and asked if we humans could then be just a glass in somebody’s big giant hand?

UJ: How did your wife come to work with you?

JS: She was always able to do the enamel work, but about 17 years ago she started doing it full time. I thought I was teaching her a lot of things, but she had already learned how to do things by osmosis. I was pleased and puzzled at the same time. She has her own line of bowls and platters in the gallery, and I focus on the wall pieces.

And yes, she does have a high degree of tolerance!

UJ: How did you learn the business side of the art in the beginning?

JS: My wife Pam has a solid background in accounting, as an account manager in a large corporation before she started working in the studio 17 years ago. So it was not much of a transition to start our small business. She handles all the administrative parts of Sansone Studio Gallery, and we sell our work online as well as in our Studio Gallery.

UJ: Pam, what were the challenges you experienced when working in the same art studio as your husband? Do you ever have conflicts?

Pamela Sansone: We haven’t had any conflicts. Joel and I have been together for such a long time that we mostly have everything worked out.

In the enamel studio, I have my own work table and he has his. I have my materials set up on different shelves than where he keeps his supplies. When it comes to firing, we do have different styles. For example, I produce work in series where Joel works on one piece at a time. I make the bowls and the small pieces. A lot of times Joel works on copper wall sculptures at his private studio while I spend a day at the studio gallery making bowls. We don’t ever get into arguments, but sometimes we have minor disagreements, and ultimately we always agree about what is best for the business.

Sansone continued on page 38

Dickens continued from page 14 I’m thinking of a future trip to see this one, as well. Perhaps in 2013 I’ll be still celebrating Dickens, and this time Down Under!

If you, too, want to pay homage to The Inimitable Boz during his big year, here’s some websites you might investigate: http://www.perryweb.com/Dickens/ Home of the largest collection of Dickens quotations on the web http://dickensblog.typepad.com/dickensblog/ Site of all things Dickens, quotes, reflections, references http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/ Searchable collection of Dickens’ works http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/index.html Historical and biographical information, scholarly commentary and criticism http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Inimitable-Boz/?v=1&t=directory&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=dir&slk=3

An email list presently reading and commenting on Bleak House

http://www.dickensfellowship.org/branches/philadelphia Included in membership is a subscription to the fascinating newsletter, The Buzfuz Bulletin

Femme continued from page 21 of energy molecules, so when I die, no big deal. Emmanuel won’t exist as Emmanuel. I don’t believe that there is my life as “I” on the energy molecule level, but I believe I’ll be part of this cosmic mind. For that, I’m not afraid of dying. It doesn’t matter in any case. I live, I’m happy; I die, I’m happy too.

It’s a win-win situation. I think more people should realize that. Because for a lot of people there is so much fear put in their mind…again the macho way and also the religious way. The religious way misunderstood—meaning it is not said either in the Koran, the Torah, or the Bible that there is a definition of God that is a male driven, ego-centric madman that controls your life. God is all and all is God. When Abraham asked God “What shall I tell them you are?” God answered “I am what I am”, so really it’s a notion of existence.

Don’t be afraid. Don’t live your life with fear. Whether you’re alive or dead, it’s just energy floating. God is God. It’s not a dude waiting for you on the other side. It’s waiting, but not in that physical sense. The consciousness of our self disappears; but it’s one consciousness, so it’s even more liberating.

A lot of people know the famous sentence from Gandhi, which is “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Another great saying of Gandhi, which actually was used by Deepak Chopra in a book called Peace is the Way, (which I highly recommend) is the following, “There is no way to peace, peace is the way” and it’s really crucial. For me, it’s even more than “Be the change you want to see in the world”; because when you say “There is no way to peace, peace is the way”, you surrender everything. You surrender yourself, you surrender everything, and really we are in these crucial times when we are seeing all the opportunities to build a better world. More than ever we have to surrender to that opportunity that this is the time right now to make it happen, to make the change; to be the change, to really become peace in action.

H.G. Wells continued from page 13 Reeves also became pregnant by Wells, by her own desire, with dramatic consequences. There were interesting liaisons with the novelists Dorothy Richardson (who portrayed Wells in her novel sequence Pilgrimage); Violet Hunt; and Elizabeth von Arnim. Then there was Moura, Baroness Budberg, a Russian aristocrat who survived the Russian revolution as the secretary and probably mistress of Maxim Gorky and with whom Wells slept when staying in Gorky’s flat in Petrograd in 1920. They met again after Jane’s death in 1927. Moura was the great love of his later life and his acknowledged mistress, but refused to marry or cohabit with him. Wells has the reputation of being a predatory seducer; but in all the relationships I investigated, with the possible exception of the always inscrutable Moura, he was initially the pursued rather than the pursuer.”

So, there you have it. Wells foresaw the future…and it was 1967, the Summer of Love. Queen Victoria would frown, indeed, and hop aboard the first train out of there!

Those new to Steampunk might be interested in learning more through films, books and the Internet.

Must See: The Time Machine, 1960 Time After Time, 1979 Wild, Wild West, 1991 The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells, 2001 Hallmark TV Mini-series A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 2003 For more steamy films see: http://www.squidoo.com/steampunk-movies Must Read: The Steampunk Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships, Corsets and Goggles, Mad Scientists, and Strange Literature, Jeff VanderMeer and S. J. Chambers Morlock Night, K. W. Jeter Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, Pia Ballentine and Tee Morris Epilogue: Time Machine Chronicles, Jaime Batista Time Ships, Stephen Baxter Must Surf: http://jerryabuan.zenfolio.com/p143952334 –Fabulous photographs from Gaslight Gathering, San Diego, 2011. http://www.ministryofpeculiaroccurrences.com/what-is-steampunk/–A quick explanation. http://daily-steampunk.com/steampunk-blog/a-brief-introduction-tosteampunk/ –Emphasis on gadgetry. http://www.steampunkemporium.com/steam.php –Authentic period clothing for a better tomorrow. http://www.clockworkcouture.com/ –Neo-Victorian and Dieselpunk fashion.

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Editorial continued from page 3 of years ago and sadly, Richard Alf, the young man who co-founded the believed then that comic books would be taken much more seriously if they Comic-Con died this past January.

As I looked at the Los Angeles Times dated Sunday March 11, 2012, I could were printed on better paper and had a nice binding. Most importantly, I saw these graphic novels as not being just about superheroes. My friend Richard not help but notice that there was a two-page cover story in their California Kyle was instrumental in forming my own thoughts about this new field. He section about a giant rock with this headline; “At Journey’s End, Hundreds published one of the very first graphic novels just a few months before mine. greet massive granite boulder when it finally reaches LACMA”(Los Angeles When Even Cazco Gets the Blues came out in the spring of 1977, I wanted to County Museum of Art). The Times reported “The Los Angeles County break into the bookstore market and not just be seen in comic bookstores; so Museum of Art’s now-famous 340-ton granite boulder arrived safely at its new home before dawn Sunday.” and even showed the we took a booth at the American Booksellers Association arrival with two big color pictures of the rock! As I opened convention that year and proceeded to learn why it’s not the paper to page A38, I saw another headline stating, really a great idea to be one of the first in any field. A few “Celebrity rock’s journey across the Southland comes to years later, we would have the same kind of experience an end.” It goes on to explain that this rock is part of artist trying to break into American libraries at their convention.

Michael Heizer’s sculpture called “Levitation Mass.”

When Will Eisner did “the first” graphic novel a year later Directly across this article on page A39, is the half in 1978, the struggle got a bit easier. Will brought many page obituary of one of the world’s most influential and more artists into this new field; but it was after I spoke to important visual artists, Jean Giraud. He rated a half page Art Spiegelman’s class about graphic novels at the School in the Los Angeles Times while this rock got almost two of Visual Arts in New York in the early 80s and suggested full pages! The Times said, “In his native France, where that he turn his comic book narrative into a full length for decades comics have attracted an older readership, graphic novel, that the form gained a lot more respect.

Giraud is considered his country’s most important figure Maus even won the Pulitzer Prize! in cartooning.”

One of my inspirations for having this comic art form Leo Dillon signing the guitar To me, this is a reason to continue the struggle to remind taken more seriously was seeing the work being done in France. Metal Hurlant was a magazine that I first saw when I interviewed my fellow Americans that we all need to encourage real arts education in Harvey Kurtzman, the creator of MAD magazine in 1976 in Berkeley, our schools. We need to foster real creativity in all the arts; so that we are California. He was with a French publisher and they showed me a lot of really not constantly reduced to being conned by celebrity rocks as opposed to exceptional magazine work being done in Europe. I didn’t know at the time, real visual artists who offer the world true inspiration. Jean Giraud, like most of the genuine innovators in the visual arts, inspired but Metal Hurlant was the creation of four French people film directors like George Lucas and James Cameron. named Phillippe Druillet, Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Bernard The characters and concepts that are made from mere Farkas, and Jean Giraud. It would later be published in drawings by these creative, talented geniuses often inspire the U.S. as Heavy Metal, now owned by my friend Kevin video games, toys, books, films, television shows, theme Eastman, co-creator of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. park rides, and infinite products from Mickey Mouse What really impressed me at that time was seeing nonwatches to Sponge Bob cereal bowls. Their creations superhero comic work on slick paper, in color and also can employ thousands of people and produce billions of black and white. It was like looking at real art and this dollars in revenue. gave me all kinds of ideas as to where I could see my art In 2012 most Americans simply have never heard of form heading in the next few years. Jean Giraud was using these artists and writers who write and draw the comic the pen name Moebius in Metal Hurlant and drawing a strips, comic books, graphic novels, and children’s books. very strange silent story called Arzak. I could see this sort We know the name Disney, but usually have very little of thing taking hold in the United States. Little did I know Leo and Diane Dillon idea of any individual artist or writer who actually creates how difficult it would be to have mainstream Americans take the comic art form seriously. But in 2012, thanks to the popularity of the real work. We simply are not taught about these people in school. The the San Diego Comic-Con founded by my friends Shel Dorf and Richard first thing that is cut from our schools is Art and Music. I hope that in the Alf, at least we have made the characters created by artists like Jack Kirby coming years, we will see a Cartoon Art Museum named after Shel Dorf and (most of the Marvel universe) and Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (Superman) Richard Alf; and inside this world class museum to be built in San Diego, into major Hollywood films known around the world. When Shel started we will see a real tribute to the artists and writers who gave us so much the Comic-Con in 1970 with a group of teens from age 12 to 17, no one enjoyment with their imagination. This museum would not be for the actors thought that it would turn into the success that it is in 2012. Imagine a group who play Superman or Ironman, but rather exhibits devoted to the creators of teenagers and an “old” guy in his 30’s hosting 300 fans in the basement like Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Jack Kirby. Artists from around the world of the U.S. Grant Hotel in 1970 then growing into the largest fan gathering would also be in this museum like Tintin’s creator Herge, Astro Boy’s creator for popular culture in the United States, with more than 140,000 attendees! Osuma Tezuka, and of course, Jean Giraud, who co-created Blueberry under I was one of those 300 fans at this first Comic-Con. I was only in my teens the name Gir and created Arzak as Moebius. And unlike LACMA, we would when I first met Ray Bradbury and Jack Kirby. Shel passed away a couple not celebrate giant boulders.

Ray Bradbury in San Bernardino, October 2007 In 1985, I interviewed Wally Amos for this publication. He became “Famous” for making great chocolate chip cookies and promoting them from his original shop on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. We used to publish Uncle Jam from the office in the back of our Cobblestone Gallery in Long Beach, California. When I heard that Wally was opening a cookie store in Belmont Shore near us, naturally I wanted a chance to talk with him; not because of cookies, but because Wally was the spokesperson for Literacy Volunteers of America. On the day of the grand opening, my old partner Dennis Neidbala and I drove a few blocks to this trendy part of Long Beach and met Wally.

We exchanged cards and he promised to call me when he got back to his Southern California office after a few weeks at his home in Hawaii.

24 Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

True to his word, Wally did call me and forever changed the course of my life. First of all, in 1985, the statistics on adult literacy in this country said that an estimated 27 million American adults could not read or write.

As a publisher, an artist and an author, I really was shocked by this terrible statistic. I gave the problem some real thought and we formed Cartoonists Across America to try and bring awareness to both the problem and to the solution. The easy part was that literacy groups already existed all over the country (and we later learned, throughout the world). We used our talents as cartoonists to draw attention to the issue and to the free hands-on, oneon-one tutoring that the literacy groups provided. We did this in a series Bradbury continued on page 33

Young Artist Rising: Elisabetta Percivati

Uncle Jam: You started drawing at a very young age. Can you please tell us about your background?

Elisabetta Percivati: I am the youngest of six children and I grew up in a family with high regards for the arts. In my father’s family, everybody has artistic talents; some play music and some are very good painters and my mother has influenced me with her high interest in general culture.

We were driven to learn an artistic craft since an early age, mostly drawing or playing an instrument. Since music has never been my call, it came natural to me to lean towards drawing. I was a very shy child, I started expressing myself through drawing; preferring drawing techniques to the other communication techniques, as for example the verbal one. I drew more than I talked.

My visual background is the enormous park which was part of my grandmother’s house where we spent our summers. It was there that I learned all the colors, shapes and compositions: starting from the roses, the fields, the insects and the strawberries. In high school, during a school trip to the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, I read a sentence written by Gaudì. “What exists in nature is functional, and what is functional is beautiful ... You see that tree? He is my master”.

If Gaudì had always found his teacher in nature, my choice to do the same couldn’t be so wrong. Other painters, the influence of my family, books, the artistic techniques ... all of this comes after nature, it is to her that I turn when in need or in doubt. She is the artist I have always loved and who I have chosen as my role model.

UJ: What makes you determined to draw comics?

EP: Like every child I had my own imaginary world and I found that the best way to express it was by drawing comics. I like comics because they let you go to your own imaginary world without isolating yourself; but pushing to share it with the real world, inviting others to join it, by reading your stories.

Comics push you to be different but in a good way.

They are my natural way of expressing the most personal side of me and what I really think. In fact, my stories are always references to my real life: my friends, the places I go to, a phrase that I heard from someone I know.

I learned to observe things which make an impression in my everyday life and put them in my stories. If they have made an impression on me then I think they can do the same to readers. Often the names of antagonists in my stories have the names of someone who has hurt me, while the other characters have names of people who are dear to me or that I admire.

Every story I write is an unconscious diary of my deepest feelings that I cannot express otherwise.

UJ: Who are some of your artistic influences?

EP: My artistic influences come from many parts and not only from comics.

My favourite comic is “Corto Maltese” by the Italian author Hugo Pratt. I love authors who are able to write and draw their own stories, managing to maintain a high level of quality. Among Italian authors I love Hugo Pratt and Andrea Pazienza. For non-Italians I love: Moebius, Hergé, Will Eisner, Spiegelman, Taniguchi, Takehiko Inoue, and Makoto Kobayashi. Among the painters in general I like Mucha, Perugino, Raphael, Van Gogh, AlmaTadema, and Hopper. I also take inspiration from other things: Giuseppe Ungaretti’s poems, the film Harvey, old Walt Disney cartoons, and the new American cartoon series.

In general I love artists who can find the poetic and comic side of things in everyday life. I find that life gives us enough anxiety already; so it is one of art’s missions to make people smile and remind them of the beauty of life, especially in the little everyday things.

UJ: What is your educational background?

EP: In Italy, we are lucky to live in an open air museum, so we are used to seeing medieval frescoes, Roman statues and baroque palaces. We don’t need to go to a museum to admire works by great artists such as Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Perugino, and Giotto.

My education comes from this background, which in Italy fortunately is easily accessible, often free and permanent. We Italians have a sense of beauty because we live in the beauty. This is my main influence. After graduating, I won a scholarship for a three-year Illustration course in the

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private European Institute of Design. After that, I spent two years in the Asti Comics School, which was fundamental for my professional approach to this craft. I finished this year and you can see the final project of this course in this interview. Now I’m trying to get closer to the world of comics, not as a student; but as a future professional, something I hope to become one day.

UJ: Can you please give our readers an idea of what you enjoy reading?

EP: Given that I would like to become an author who is able to write and draw his own stories, I tend to choose authors from which I can learn: Hugo Pratt and Andrea Pazienza, for example. But I try not to always read the same books and I try changing styles, because I think not doing so would be a mistake. I find it very useful to read comic magazines, of which in Italy we have a long tradition, as “Linus”, “Corto Maltese”, “Frigidaire” and most recently “Scuola di Fumetto”. These magazines help you in coming up with new ideas and also to know many new authors, especially underground ones, who otherwise would be difficult to spot. I also often go to flea markets, where you can find comic books that are out of print or hard to find.

UJ: Have you travelled much outside Italy? If so, do you believe that traveling is important for an artist?

EP: Yes, I have been to France, Spain, Ireland, England, Kenya and Iceland. I think traveling is essential for artists. When you tell a story it is easier and more credible if you write about a situation that you know and that you have personally experienced. You know what your character could feel in that particular situation, if you have experienced a similar one. So I think that it is necessary for an author to have experienced all possible situations, negative or positive, and to have access to his memory, and to the connected wide range of emotions. So when he writes a story he can make it credible and create an emotional connection with the reader. Leaving one’s emotional “comfort zone” forces them to increase their knowledge and travelling is the fastest way of doing so. While travelling you can try new and unusual things.

The artist tells about life and he needs to know as much as possible about it and its aspects; he should do so intensively.

UJ: A lot of illustrated books and comics have been the subject of huge Hollywood films. This seems to be a goal for many in the USA. Do you have dreams of this nature?

EP: Well, the day my comic book will become a movie, I’ll be very happy, but given my age and my inexperience, I think (if ever it will happen) that it will take years before this dream will become reality. If this would ever happen, I’d like it to be connected to my home town, Turin. This city has a long-lasting love affair with the cinema (we have the National Museum of Cinema) and it really looks like a huge open-air set. Not surprisingly, the majority of the stories I write are set in Turin. I learned from Hergé and Pratt that putting totally unreal characters in a real location gives more credibility to the story. I would not see my stories turned into cartoons. I would love to have them turned into movies.

UJ: What can we expect from you in the future?

EP: I want to play more and more with the concept of surreal and unreal characters in comics and then link them to precise and real places. I wish that comics could come into everyday life. In order to achieve this, I’m creating a project called “Reset”, of which you can see some examples in this article.

My intention is to break the dividing line between real life and comics, making them mix, and maybe making them the same thing. Drawing comics is the only way of bringing my own world into other people’s life, and I love to do this by making them smile.

There is a very funny and ironic world inside my head, and I thought, if it

makes me feel good, why not share it with others to make them smile and feel better too? I want to share pills of happiness, in my small way, in order to improve other people’s lives.

UJ: Where can our readers go to see your work?

EP: They can see my portfolio on line at http://percivati.carbonmade.com/ and read my bio in the “About” section. To follow the “Reset” project (which is my main one) you can visit http://www.resetcomics.com/ where you find many extras: stories, specials, sketches, exhibitions and where you can see the originals and the developments of the project. There is also my account on Facebook “Elisabetta Percivati” in case you want to contact me directly.

Uncle Jam Needs Help!

We are looking for motivated, self-starting ad sales people.

You can live anywhere in the world.

All you need is a computer and a phone.

Call 909.725.7337 or email lindaadams35@yahoo.com

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Memories within Dreams: an Interview with Gary Montalbano

By Phil Yeh

Uncle Jam: You were born in Chicago, which is where I happened to be born needed and wanted. Otherwise I would not get paid. Also, I was surrounded as well. I have always believed that there is something very grounded about by working professionals of varying disciplines in art and design, along with the general attitudes in the Midwest, and really anywhere else, compared writers and business people. All had valid things for me to observe and learn to Los Angeles; which is where I grew up after moving to L.A. from New from. They do not teach you the business side of art in art school.

To answer your question about Jersey at age 6. Do you find this to be using a computer to generate art, true? there are more than a few student Gary Montalbano: Yes I do and professional artists taking short Phil. The community I grew up in cuts and the computer makes it easy was very focused on people and their to do so. One of the things I’ve well being and not on things, money, noticed with some of these people and fame. I was particularly lucky to is a lack of drawing fundamentals grow up where I did and have a good and original ideas. The computer family. My dad is a good example to makes it much easier for anyone to follow. He started off as an engineer put together a rendered image. and is now 84 and still teaches fullIt takes time and work to be good time. He and my mom are very at art or anything. Yes, talent helps inspirational to me. They made a getting one’s career started; but point to avoid letting their personal talent to me is also persistent work, problems affect me and my siblings. passion, and faith. Having a clear This has become more evident to me goal and feeling a sense of purpose as time passes.

Traveler doesn’t hurt either.

Los Angeles is strangely unique Let me say that I do think the in that it is the epicenter of the entertainment industry of the world. Because of this, LA is sort of like a computer is a great tool for doing all types of art and design work. There giant metaphorical “bus stop” on the highway of life for a lot of people from are a number of talented artists whose work I find quite exceptional and they all over the world who want to have careers as movie actors, writers and happen to use the computer extensively in their work. However, over the film makers. These people are looking for some sort of notoriety through past decade and a half, a sort of “artistic” visual shorthand has developed. the entertainment industry. In the last 10-15 years, I find that a lot more At first glance, some of that computer generated art looks okay, but then you artists are coming to LA since the popularity of animation has become more realize you’ve seen it before and it all looks kind of the same.

This sort of thing has happened before. I remember when the air-brush was prominent.

I’ve met a lot of great people from Southern California. The reality is a big deal back in the 1970’s and 80’s. A lot of the art of that era was starting that Hollywood is similar to Las Vegas in that many aspiring entertainment to look redundant. What seems to be the pattern throughout history is that a people want to hit the fame and fortune jackpot. Over the years I have met few individuals break with tradition and do something new with the tools at many people who have come to LA with unrealistic goals and they do not put hand. Then thousands follow their lead. The computer is the new glorified in the work and time necessary to develop their craft. In my personal view, air-brush, except I don’t think it is going away anytime soon. As with any if someone wants to be an artist then they should do the art because of their tool, it is the skills you have and what you do creatively with the computer love for that art. When I see someone who has a fairly well thought out plan that makes the art and concepts unique. of action and are passionate about what they are doing, the odds are that they UJ: What do you tell the students of today; especially if they want to work in the movies, video games and TV? will find what they’re looking for.

UJ: You started your career very young in college in Illinois and then GM: Enjoy the fun of drawing and painting and remember the passion that were accepted at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Many of got you interested in doing art in the first place. To build one’s skills and the artists from my generation and those older than me didn’t always to accomplish big goals takes time. I find it best to focus on one task, one value what we learned in college and many never went at all in “the old drawing, at a time and to make sure it is done right. At first it may take some days”. Artists really valued their own ability to draw from life more than effort; but the more you do that one thing correctly, the quicker and easier any other skill. There was much more appreciation for the act of picking it becomes. Then you can apply that learned discipline to other aspects of up a pencil and making something come to life. Life drawing was a skill your life.

I would suggest to any aspiring artist to regularly study the fundamentals that previous generations really placed an emphasis on and now, with the invention of personal computers, everything seems to have changed. of drawing and painting. Make sure to do the types of work you really love What are your thoughts about today’s art education and today’s artists? to do, because isn’t that the point? That means pick up a pencil and draw GM: I’ll start with my brief art school experience. I had worked a number traditionally the subject matter that interests you the most. You can always of part-time jobs in Chicago to save up for at least one term at Art Center scan it into the computer later. Also, study drawing from life, such as the and then took a risk and traveled across the country to go to that school. I human figure and animals. Learn at least the basics of perspective drawing was hoping to get a scholarship during my brief time there but that did not and use of color. Some might say you really don’t need to draw in perspective, happen. I went to Art Center for one term, (4 months) and then the money ran since there are computer programs that can do it for you. I disagree. If you out. However, relocating to LA put me in a place where there was a greater let yourself be overly dependent on a tool, then there is a lack in your skills, chance for good things to happen. In turn, I was fortunate enough to reach and with that, a lack in your ability to create. Properly using a tool, such as my initial goal of being a designer by landing my first job at Marvel, working the computer, to help you get a job done quicker and with more refinement, is fine. However, don’t become so dependent on a computer that you can’t on a feature animation project.

For me, working professionally was a much better “paid education” than create artwork without it.

To find one’s creative place in the world is a daily exercise in self-honesty, any school, since I had to make the designs I created be what the client

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planning, and determination. I tell students I meet that no work-for-hire job lasts forever and to remember that. My suggestion to any aspiring artist is to ask himself, what do you truly want in your art and in your life? What is it that you love to do and think of a plan on how to get there. The answer can be as simple as a state of mind.

People that want to work as a designer or illustrator in the entertainment industry have to take risks and put their work out there. Build your skills and network by meeting people in the field you want to get into. When you get some work, be reliable. If you agree to do a job, do it to the best of your ability in the time given.

Finding that balance between doing the job right and feeling a sense of artistic fulfillment is ideal in a work-for-hire situation. If you’re an artist working as a designer, illustrator, or animator; then being told to paint, draw, or design a certain thing a certain way is a given. It is part of the job.

UJ: Would you say patience is a virtue for art and creativity in general?

GM: Without a doubt. Sometimes it is hard to find where you belong artistically and in general. It can be distressing when you know you are capable of doing so much more and to not be considered or recognized in one’s chosen field. Being patient and letting the pieces of one’s career come together in its due time takes a bit of faith. But if you do the necessary work, be good to the people around you and follow a well thought out plan, it usually works out fine.

UJ: You have worked on many television shows in your career including; Men in Black, Green Lantern, Wolverine and the X-Men, Batman etc. These were all based on comic books. How important were comics in your life?

GM: Ironically, I didn’t buy my first comic until I was working at my first job at Marvel in 1986. It was Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.

It was a great introduction to the world of comics. The super hero studio projects are a lot of fun to work on and tend to have a great deal of sciencefiction and fantasy elements that I find Ocean Gardens enjoyable. However, any project with good people can be enjoyable.

When I was growing up there were no comic shops that I was aware of in my neighborhood, until I was in high school. My artistic interests gravitated towards the art and illustration books that focused on Romanticism, Victorian fantasy, Surrealism and science-fiction/fantasy. Of course the science-fiction movies and TV series were a big influence.

One of my first memories was trying to stay awake at a drive-in showing of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 A Space Odyssey. I was 3 years old. The old Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and Star Trek reruns were like water to me in a creative desert back in the 70’s when I was a kid. I love those shows for their great writing and concepts that at times were downright poignant and profound.

Of course it was great the first time I saw the original Star Wars back in 1977. That movie changed and inspired a whole generation of young artists back then, including me.

UJ: So it sounds like science-fiction and fantastic art were very influential in your youth?

GM: It certainly was and still is. The thing that I love about the old scifi is the optimism and the hope for a better future. That mentality is sort of laughed at as naive nowadays since a lot of modern sci-fi is grimmer, more dystopian or apocalyptic, basically reflecting the world’s present fears.

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The science-fiction stories that are also cautionary tales in the extreme sense appealed to me, too; because they showed such a different reality but tried to make the audience think and appreciate the good that we have.

When I was young, sci-fi art and stories made me feel that the world of tomorrow would not only be a better place; but humanity would have learned to not tolerate the very few corrupt, yet powerful, greedy people that are making a mess of everything.

When you look at any invention or advance in our world, it all started with a thought, an idea. A lot of creative writers and artists of the past have sparked the collective human imagination to push the boundaries of innovation further than previous generations.

I remember seeing Neil Armstrong, the first man to step foot on the moon, and realizing that he was on another world! I couldn’t help but be inspired and optimistic about the future. Great things were ahead for all of us. I was truly looking forward to solar cars, moon bases, interplanetary travel, and hopefully within my lifetime, interstellar travel. Obviously, things turned out a little differently.

The reality is that we have to be vigilant for our futures and make wise decisions about who we give our power to. This has always been true throughout history. Science-fiction/fantasy movies, writing and art gives me hope because they open the mind to new possibilities, new ways of thinking and problem solving. Personally, I believe at its core, there is a spiritual aspect to creative thinking. When you remove self-made limitations in the creative mind, anything is possible.

I’m getting off the subject of art. I guess my enthusiasm of sci-fi/fantasy art and movies gave my imagination a lot of positive fuel when I was a teenager.

This influence was crucial for my growth as an artist.

UJ: What artists and movies influenced your growth?

GM: George Lucas’s Star Wars (1977), with its “used future” designs and look by Ralph McQuarrie, gave a powerful view of what could be if you let the imagination free. The same goes for Ridley Scott’s Alien and Blade Runner, where brilliant artist/designers like Syd Mead, Jean Giraud (Moebius), Ron Cobb, and H.R. Giger demonstrated their own unique visions. Roger Dean with his other worldly album cover art and books was a great inspiration in showing me that anything is possible in art and design.

I also found the George Pal movie, The Time Machine (1960), Forbidden Planet (1956), Planet of the Apes (1968), Fantastic Planet (1973) and The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) very appealing. Hayao Miyazki’s animated movies are always wonderful.

As for a short list of additional artists’ and architects’ work (in no particular order) that also inspired me in my youth are: Alphonse Mucha, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Gustav Klimt, Maxfield Parrish, Franklin Booth, Bob Kuhn, Maynard Dixon, John Schoenherr, Frank Lloyd Wright, Lebbeus Woods, Robert McCall, Eyvind Earle, Patrick Woodroffe, Frank Frazetta, Michael Whelan, De Es Schwertberger, John Harris, Jim Burns, John Berkey, Thomas Blackshear, and Richard Powers.

UJ: You have worked with many of the major live action and animation studios over two decades. What has been some of the highlights and do you prefer to work at the studio itself, or can you do your work at home?

GM: I always enjoy working with others on studio projects, even if it is different than the typical work I’ve done in the past. Being asked to try a new style or subject matter on a project is always an opportunity for me to expand my skills and to meet new people. Working with old friends is always great because of the camaraderie and trust that the job will be done right. In general, it is always interesting for me to see how others do their creative process and problem solving.

At times, depending on the project, I am working out of my studio and sending in my design and illustration work via e-mail. That’s fine too. It gives me a chance to spend more time with my kids and wife and not deal with a commute.

UJ: Can you please tell our readers what are the differences between a background artist, a character designer, conceptual designer, and a visual development artist?

GM: The background artist focuses on visualizing the exterior and interior environments for an animation project. The character designer focuses on the main and incidental characters also in an animation project. The visual Montalbano continued on page 36

With Great Talent Comes Great Communication!

Captain Rochester Continues to Enlist the Greatest Cartoonists in his Ongoing Adventures.

“CRAAAACKLE! BZZZZZTTTT! FIZZZZLE!, ZAP-PLOOEY!!!”

“Zoinks!... My laptop’s bursting into flames! How can something like this possibly happen!?”

Through the talents of the greatest cartoonists in the world, Captain Rochester is able to deliver a serious message in a unique and entertaining way.

When Captain Rochester was first created

by Rochester Electronics back in 2005, he was viewed as a creative way to convey an important industry topic—the counterfeiting of semiconductors; cartoon characters and comic stories illustrating the dangers of “shady” dealings within the electronics industry.

I’m sure we’re all aware of how frustrating it is when a much-needed piece of hardware, whether it’s a cell phone, printer, or automobile, does not work correctly when you need it most! These malfunctioning electronics are too often associated

grown; however, there is still much we can do. Awareness of the problem is key. Captain Rochester is one way to spread that awareness.

Quality is one of the most overused words in advertising.

It’s unfortunate that there

Hilary Barta puts Captain Rochester smack in the middle of his brand of horror! isn’t a law that states “If you don’t actually offer ‘quality,’ you can’t call it ‘quality!’”

Rochester Electronics believes quality comes from actions, not words. They manufacture semiconductors; and in case you didn’t know, semiconductors are in just about everything that surrounds our lives these days!

The high regard for quality also goes into the production of material that is meant to sell Rochester’s product. One of Rochester’s attributes is its dependability and commitment to an industry that delivers goods to people and companies that are Another great cover by Ken Steacy building highly critical systems like airplanes, graces the soon to be released issue #4! medical equipment, automobiles, trains and many others. Rochester hires cartooning pros Bob Burden teams up Flaming Carrot to put the “wow” factor into the delivery of the message through the Captain with substandard electronic with Captain Rochester!

Rochester comic books and components, the parts inside that trading cards. make up the inner workings. It is Captain Rochester’s job to warn of these The drawings on this page potential counterfeit-laden situations and educate as to how to avoid them. are just a sampling of the Today, Captain Rochester symbolizes more than just the fight against new artwork (still in black counterfeiting. The “Justand white form) that will in-time,” “Save-the-day” be appearing in the third set definition of a reputable, of the Captain Rochester authorized source of products Collector Trading Cards. represents quality and Among the artists that will confidence.

Because the be featured in the new set are number of counterfeit and Bill Plympton, Gahan Wilson, substandard devices in the Stan Goldberg, Sergio marketplace continues to rise Aragones, Bob Bolling, significantly, now more than Irwin Hasen, Bob Burden, ever, companies need to be William Stout, Phil Yeh, vigilant of where their parts Bill Anderson, Hilary Barta, are coming from! Arrests and Jack Purcell, Bill Morrison, convictions have increased Carolyn Kelly, Mark Evanier, dramatically in the past year as Phil Ortiz, and many more. the threat in the industry and Greg Evans shows that even comic Gahan Wilson bites into the Never before has a comic in government agencies has characters have comic book heros! counterfeit issue with this drawing!

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advantage of the weakness in a supply chain.

Captain Rochester’s website and Facebook page are evolving into an informational playground both for the electronics industry and the participating artists! Over the next few months, each of the artists involved with the Captain Rochester projects will have their own page where they’ll be promoted just as much as the message they are drawing about.

Phil Ortiz has the Captain Rochester For more information about universe buzzing with excitement! this tremendous project and book hero been used to represent and A William Stout dinosaur drawing is the artists that have been involved, check out Uncle symbolize solutions for so many real about as authentic as you can get!

Jam #98, pages 32-33. As life problems. Most superhero stories represent good versus evil with other subplots and themes represented Scott Shaw! (award-winning Sergio Aragones… need we say more?! throughout specific episodes; however they do not typically represent real cartoonist/writer in the fields of comic books, animation, life consequences.

These real life consequences have been spawned by the need to find advertising, and toy design) electronic parts that are (supposedly) no longer available. Because these told us in that previous article, parts seem to be unavailable through the approved channels, deals start to “It’s amazing that a corporate happen in the back alleys of the electronics world. The adage “You get what entity would ever conceive you pay for” has never been more valid. These faulty electronic components such an awesome campaign can create performance failures, crisis situations, and costly scenarios for that involves so many all of us. Shortages or their talented people and actually perception has spawned does such good work for more criminals trying to take the semiconductor industry.

These guys are great fun to work with, and they have a great message too!”

Rochester Electronics is Stan Goldberg gives a bit of the wacky the world’s most Riverdale flavor to Captain Rochester! comprehensive solution for mature and end-of-life semiconductors. The worldwide corporate headquarters is located at 16 Malcolm Hoyt Drive, Newburyport, MA 01950 USA; sales offices are also located throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Phone 978-4629332. For information on Captain Rochester, email Benny@ CaptainRochester.com or go to www.CaptainRochester.com and www.Facebook.com/CaptainRochester. Rochester Electronics can be found at www.rocelec.com Mike Huddleston’s interpretation of CapPhil Yeh gives an electrifying jolt tain Rochester could be a movie poster! to the Captain Rochester mythos!

Hmmm. Now that’s an idea!

615 West J Street,San Diego, CA 619.702.6500

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Why I’m Mad About Sergio

by Phil Yeh

The MAD men in Las Vegas 2012: Standing from left to right: Nick Meglin, Tom Richmond, Don "Duck" Edwing", Sam Viviano Seated from Left to right: Jack Davis, Sergio Aragones, Al Jaffee (photo by Gregg Preston) Sergio Aragonés is one of my oldest friends. I state that early on, because each issue of Uncle Jam we seem to always have a photo of this guy! It can be a picture of his one-man museum show in Ojai or with one of the legendary artists of the comic book industry. I wanted to sit down and conduct a really in-depth new interview with this talented man (we covered him in the 80s in Uncle Jam); but things came up and we just could not pull this off in time! We are both very busy, as anyone who knows us can attest, but Sergio probably travels a bit more than I do these days. So the interview will be in Uncle Jam 102 in the fall; but for those of you attending San Diego Comic-Con or one of the many science fiction or comic conventions now throughout the world, I would suggest that you grab a copy of one of the Sergio Aragonés Funnies from Bongo Comics (the people that gave the world The Simpsons).

Sergio with Phil Yeh’s Winged Tiger at Each issue is filled with San Diego Comic Con in the 90s the kind of humor that made this man world famous! And I know, because I have been all over the planet and everywhere I have gone, they always ask me if I know Sergio! These books also contain stories taken from his life and they are as close to reading an autobiography as we are likely to get. Sergio became famous for his non-verbal gags in MAD magazine and then with his comic book series GROO the Wanderer (with Mark Evanier), colored by Tom Luth. Anyone who has the pleasure of seeing him draw in person or on film knows it is his unique sense of storytelling and charm that really makes him one of the most popular artists who has ever lived.

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Stephan Martiniere A Passion for Creativity

Uncle Jam: You were born in Paris in 1962. How did you come to know Jean Giraud aka Moebius?

Stephan Martiniere: As far as my memory serves, I met Moebius in Los Angeles while he was working on the Star Watcher project and I was working for the animation company DIC. I was introduced by one of our mutual friends who thought we should meet. I had been a big fan of his work for many years and they gave me the opportunity to talk to him. I remember him complimenting me on a little drawing I’d done in black ink, and this was the beginning of our friendship.

UJ: Jean’s style as Moebius influenced a whole generation of artists around the world. We are doing a special tribute to him in this issue. I know that you worked on Tron Legacy, the sequel to that first film that Jean worked on. I wonder if you could tell our readers if he influenced your own work?

SM: I knew of Jean’s work when he was doing Blueberry in France, but it is his work on Arzac in “Metal Hurlant” (Heavy Metal) that really blew me away. He completely reinforced my desire to do science fiction and fantasy art, especially in comics. He introduced me to a style that was so powerful and attractive that he not only influenced me, but an entire generation of artists.

UJ: After you came to California, you directed many episodes of Where’s Waldo and Dennis the Menace for DIC Entertainment; and you had great success with the show Madeline, which was nominated for an Emmy and went on to win the Children’s Hall of Fame, Humanitas, A.C.T., and Parents’ Choice awards. How did this experience help you in preparing for feature films?

SM: Both film and animation are ultimately about storytelling. Animation gave me the opportunity to appreciate working with a team and dealing with the various challenges associated with story telling.

It taught me how to create art for the sake of narrative and learn a new visual vocabulary. I learned how to create characters or environments with a clear understanding that they are created to further the purpose of the story.

UJ: You also spent three years working on the Where’s Waldo syndicated comic strip. Did you enjoy the old fashioned world of drawing comic strips compared to film and video games?

SM: Yes, I absolutely enjoyed it! I’ve always been very comfortable drawing cartoons as much as I enjoy drawing realism. When I was assigned to draw the Waldo comic strip, I got to use all those years of drawing cartoons for fun. Waldo allowed me to create wacky scenes packed with strange and goofy characters, with absolutely no restrictions. Every week, I had to come up with a new topic. I found out that I was never short of ideas and this made the experience extremely exciting.

UJ: A lot of young people are getting into animation these days for film, TV, and video games. What advice would you offer these younger artists?

SM: The advice I would offer to young artists wanting to get into animation would be to be passionate about it. Secondly, I would say study the Masters. If a young artist is interested in going into 3D, I would say study 2D first and get the foundations. Studying acting might also be a great way to understand how to bring a character to life and give it emotion and presence.

UJ: After leaving L.A., you lived for awhile in Spokane, Washington working for Cyan, Inc. on Uru: Ages Beyond Myst from 2001-2004; and then in Chicago working for Midway Games on Stranglehold from 2004-2007. Since 2008, you have lived in Dallas working at id Software on Rage. Is this correct? Do you feel an artist today can work anywhere in the world or are there advantages to being near Los Angeles?

SM: Yes, I’ve been involved as a concept artist and art director in the game industry for the last 12 years. My last project was art directing Rage. Whether or not being in Los Angeles is advantageous to an artist really depends on what industry you want to build your career in.

For games, there is no real reason to be in LA because the companies are everywhere. There is also no real reason to be there if you plan on being a freelance artist. If you want to build a career solely in film, then yes, you’re definitely better off in LA. All the studios are there.

I have worked on many films, but never had to be in LA on almost all of them. The reason is that my career was also in animation, game, theme park and publishing. My involvement in films was not constant.

UJ: Over the last decade, you have done more Martiniere continued on page 42

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Stuart Ng Books is Worth Checking Out in Person!

by Phil Yeh

My wife and I live in the mountains high above San Bernardino and quite a ways from Torrance, California; but if there was ever a reason to go to a bookstore in this age of the Internet, Stuart Ng’s fantastic bookstore was it. I had heard how wonderful this store was from Tom Luth, who has worked with me for over 40 years, but I could not believe how truly great this place was until Linda and I stepped into his store!

Located in a very unassuming business park in Torrance, I promise that if you are an artist or just a fan of really exceptional art books, many that cannot be found anywhere in Southern California, you will love this place!

It’s an independent bookstore in the very best sense of the word; carrying rare and outof-print books on illustration, animation and comic art. This is the store where you expect to see many of the professional artists hanging out in! Stuart Ng Books began in 1997 when Stuart Ng started selling the books he was Visiting artists draw on passionate about. Since then the Stuart’s wall board. store has grown to become the premiere art book store in the Los Angeles area, and arguably one of the best specialty stores in the world.

The store is divided into three sections: artists self-published sketchbooks and art books (by the likes of Ronnie del Carmen, Adam Hughes, Mike

Mignola, and Chris Sanders); bande dessinee (graphic novels) and art books imported from France including many by the late Jean Giraud aka Moebius; and rare out-of-print books that feature some of the best illustrators and artists the world has known. This is the store that I would suggest every young person get to know, to really learn from the masters, so your artwork becomes as unique as it can be. If you cannot make it to Southern California, they have a website and have shipped books to 6 continents and all 50 states; but if you can make a trip (close to LAX), there is nothing like spending a few hours in a great bookstore. www.stuartngbooks.com

Bradbury continued from page 24 of books that we wrote, illustrated, and published; as well as with our fun colorful cartoon mural events held in public places like shopping malls, schools, community centers, and libraries…all over the country.

Before 1986, when this tour really got on the road, my travel had basically been limited to Northern California, with an occasional trip to New York.

Sitting in my kitchen in Long Beach with a map of the United States and Canada on the wall, I started planning a massive trip. A few friends agreed to get into a rental van and join me, with other cartoonists joining in various cities. The core of that first tour was Leigh Rubin, now syndicated with his popular Rubes gag cartoon; Wally Davis (Crime Crushers), who was a cartoonist cop, sadly killed years later in a domestic violence incident in Washington State; R.C. Williams, now with E! TV; and myself. We covered 32 states and 2 Canadian provinces that first trip. In New Mexico on the way home, I came up with the brilliant idea of painting murals promoting reading as a way to leave something behind to promote the message. We had been given this slogan by a nice old couple in New Orleans, called “Read. Avoid Extinction”. Back in my studio in California I drew these silly dinosaurs reading books to complete the slogan.

After weeks on the road, Leigh and Wally were only part time; but R.C. Williams was more than happy to commit to painting 100 murals, or 2 per state! Other artists joined in from all over the country and so we started painting colorful murals, usually on big sheets of foam core. We even went to Hawaii and did several events with cartoonists there and Wally Amos!

This is how a young student named Jon J. Murakami, still in college, joined our group over 20 years ago!

By the time I published Theo the Dinosaur, my illustrated book for all ages in 1991, we had added “& The World” to our banner because Hungary

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had invited me to paint a mural in Budapest with artists from more than 40 nations. The Hungarian Postal Ministry decided to issue a postage stamp with my dinosaurs as well! The United Nations decided to push for global literacy and we were soon painting murals, producing books, and giving talks everywhere with sponsors like Nissan, Levi’s, Panasonic, The American Library Association and more. We didn’t stop at 100 murals and we didn’t just paint them on foam core. Over the last 27 years, we have painted more than 1800 colorful murals in 49 states and 15 countries all over this planet.

We have done many of them on walls, city buses, billboards, trucks, and on bookmobiles, and we will continue until 2015, a full 30 years of my life.

Sadly, our literacy crisis is only getting worse in the United States. In 2010, when I spoke at a national conference, they told me that we now have 60 million American adults who are basically illiterate and it’s estimated that another 100 million Americans do not read a single book in a year. The good news is that many other countries still value books and reading. They are also learning English, so for this cartoonist life remains hopeful. I still have to be an optimist.

I had started Uncle Jam in 1973, at the age of 19, during my second year of college. I had an amazing group of creative people around me, and we put it out monthly until 1990. Needless to say, Uncle Jam could not continue with me out of the state and country more and more, so we stopped publication for several years.

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” Ray Bradbury One of our first breaks came when Ray Bradbury wrote in 1975, offering to send us his poetry! I am writing this on June 6, 2012. I learned of Ray’s Bradbury continued on page 46

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The Steampunk Stylings of Hawaii’s Friston Ho’okano

by Phil Yeh

Uncle Jam: How in the world did a florist from Hawaii get involved with the Steampunk genre?

Friston Ho’okano: It’s not as strange as you may think. It seems that I’ve come across quite a few Floral Designers who find their way to becoming Costume Jewelry Designers. It’s because we already have an “eye” for creating “wearable art”. Utilizing jewelry in our floral pieces is common place in the work we do. But I’ve always admired the look of the 19th century. Our own Hawaiian Monarchy was in its grandest during the 19th century. The Hawaiian Monarchy had a close connection to the British Monarchy. My interest in “Steampunk” went as far back as the 70’s when the original TV series “Wild, Wild West” was running. I was just a kid, and I loved all the gadgets and gizmos along with the fashion in that show! The term “Steampunk” was not invented yet (probably not until the early 90’s). Like most people. We like Steampunk. We just didn’t know it had a name.

UJ: How long have you been in business?

FH: My Etsy shop has been active since March 2011. But, I’ve been tinkering with jewelry projects since the 1980’s designing pins and earrings for my New Wave friends (and for my own ensemble while going out to the clubs). Not to mention another 20 years in the floral industry utilizing jewelry in floral projects for weddings and proms. I also did a lot of floral art work which utilized vintage brass and clock parts!

UJ: You have said that you see a connection between Victorian England and Hawaii’s own royal past. Can you please tell us more?

FH: Queen Victoria had a close relationship with our Queen Emma. Later, our King Kalakaua designed the ‘Iolani Palace after British Palace architecture. ‘Iolani Palace located in Honolulu is the only Palace in the US (it got electricity before the White House!). All the Hawaiian Royals were educated in England and parts of Europe. Artisans from all over Europe were commissioned to design for the Hawaiian Monarchs.The Hawaiian Monarchs wanted to be respected like any other European Monarch. All of this happened during the 19th Century.

UJ: Explain your process for creating these unique designs and how each one is an original.

FH: Like my background in floral design, each piece has a “story”. I get inspired. I decide how it will be used on the body. There is a focal piece and everything around should complement it. When you see the piece everything should make sense: subject, theme, harmony, movement, texture, balance, color. I create each piece as if it is a floral arrangement of brass and crystal.

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UJ: Your frames are so beautiful; tell us more about creating art for the insides of the frames as well.

FH: Actually, I first designed collages that went into frames. Then I realized, “why not create collages on the frame itself?” This way, people can place their own vintage photos - or any photo they want - and instantly “Steam it up”! I do intend on designing larger pieces in shadow boxes once I find the time! I have so many ideas in my head for fabulous art pieces.

UJ: This seems like a natural for a book. Have you thought about creating one for your fans?

FH: I have been approached already for being a featured designer in a book for release in the US and Japan. I’ll start from there and see what happens.

Right now, I’m still doing what I do best - DESIGN! UJ: Please tell us more about your work with specific holiday themes?

FH: Christmas is my favorite time of year and busiest time. Of course, I have to design ornaments that are Steampunk themed! Last Christmas was a huge and surprising success, designing ornaments for individuals and organizations–ornaments that include Glittered and Metallic Gears, Clock faces, Owls, Keys, Top Hat/Derbies, and anything vintage looking! I’ve got people on a wait list for Christmas 2012. Valentine’s has been fun, designing pieces that are heart shaped, romantic and Victorian - with a Steampunk flair. Father’s Day I’ve had my flasks sell out fast, in addition to my Tie tacks and Cuff links. All of these pieces have vintage brass pieces, clock parts (gears of all shapes), crystal and figural pieces applied.

UJ: I have fallen in love with this genre for my own paintings. There is something very appealing about Victorian era science fiction and design for our century. What are your ideas for the future?

FH: I’m wanting to develop more of my Hawaiian Monarchy pieces, as interest in them has started to develop. My unique Ray Gun brooches have been a hit as well, and I’m needing to make time to get more made. My Flasks have always been a hit, and I’m looking also to keep that available and developing new designs. One of my ideas is to develop a leather wristband design that utilizes a real working time piece. Most of my previous designs have vintage, stamped brass clock faces or spinners. I’d like to actually incorporate a real working wrist watch with all the elements of Steampunk Artistry around it! But, I think I will first utilize my God-given talents in floral design by designing Bouquets and accessories in Steampunk style for the ever-growing interest in Steampunk Weddings! I’m in the process of designing

bouquets and boutonnieres made of vintage brooches, large clock gears, and crystals. Stay tuned on my Etsy shop and Facebook page for developments on a Steampunk Wedding Line!!!

UJ: You are so busy now. Any thoughts about mass producing any of your designs or are you just about making one-of-a-kind art?

FH: The past year I’ve been trying to see what piece seems to be very popular and the most requested. I’ve narrowed it down to a few pieces that may be able to be mass produced. But, like most artists, my brain keeps ticking. We’ll have to see how the masses feel about my current line.

UJ: to see more about Friston and his work: Etsy shop: www.DesignsByFriston.etsy. com Facebook Fan page: Steampunk Jewelry & Weaponry Design by Friston (“Like” my page!)

Montalbano continued from page 28 development artist usually encompasses all the animation design disciplines such as backgrounds, characters, vehicles, props and painting. The goal is to create illustrations that visualize narrative scenes for an animation project to its fullest before giant amounts of money are spent. It is a way of seeing and mapping out a possible design direction a developing project could go in. The conceptual designer is very similar to a visual development artist but that title is usually more for live action projects. However, since the predominance of computer animation is now in both live action and animated projects, the term is now interchangeable.

UJ: What do you prefer to do on a TV production or movie? Or do your prefer to just paint?

GM: Visual development and conceptual design are very enjoyable for me because, at times, the sky is the limit in the design thinking process. It is about trying new ideas. It can sometimes be a collaborative effort where multiple designers are bouncing ideas off each other along with a producer and director. This is the paid education part for me, where instead of reinventing the wheel, I can get a glimpse of someone else’s design solutions and thinking; and they, in turn, benefit from my conceptual thinking and problem solving.

When I am working for my own publishing endeavor, I apply that same mindset of trying new ideas in my personal artwork and writing. I find that extremely satisfying and enjoyable, because that is the time when I pull out all that I’ve learned in art and writing and see what I can create with no external barriers.

UJ: It sounds like you have writing as another creative pursuit?

GM: Writing is something I do just as much as I draw and paint. That whole thing started in my teenage years in the form of journals, but evolved into story writing. For quite some time, I’ve been quietly working on my story projects for my next published book.

UJ: That segues into my next question. Your book, Memories within Dreams: The Art and Concepts of Gary Montalbano, covers the highlights of your whole career to 2010. You have a significant number of pieces of artwork in it. There is also an introduction to your upcoming writing projects. What can we look forward to seeing in your new book and what is the title and publication date?

GM: Well I am taking my creative interest of writing and combining it with my art. The book is a full-on novel with a manuscript word count of over 50,000 words. The book’s title is Into the Unknown, and is the first of at least three fully illustrated novels in a series with each having about 100

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illustrations. It is by far the most ambitious personal project I have ever done. The desired publishing date is 2013.

UJ: Do you have any plans to direct your own visions in a TV show, a film or video game?

GM: One of my goals is to finish the series of books as I mentioned; and then have those become feature animation projects, television series and possibly a video game. With publishing my own art and writing, I am able to complete my ideas exactly the way I want with no compromise.

UJ: How important is your wife Meeyun and your kids in your life?

GM: My wife Meeyun is my partner in life. She is pretty much my best friend and the mother of my two wonderful kids. She is a lovely person inside and out and I am thankful to have her as my wife. Meeyun is a high school math teacher and is a great balance for me and my artistic side. We hit it off, in many ways, the moment we met and have been together ever since.

UJ: California now has one of the worst records for literacy in the United States and sadly, almost no funds for the arts in our schools. I would love to hear your thoughts and your wife’s on this subject.

GM: We find the whole California educational system an unfortunate situation. I would hope that the politicians, our “public servants,” would choose to put taxpayer money towards the education of our youth.

I have been living in California for over 25 years and Meeyun for over 15 years, so we have seen more and more taxpayers’ money being spent than ever. Yet, less and less is going to the quality of living for the general public, including the education of our children. Where is all that money going?

Having the arts in public education ensures that the innovative thinking of our children will continue to develop. New ideas and breakthroughs occur as these young people become adults. It is not a coincidence that the last half of the 20th century was also a time where the biggest breakthroughs in technology of humanity have occurred. This was also a time where a middle class existed for the first time in human history and had the freedom to fully express themselves. The middle class was the majority. A free education was available for most everyone and the arts were an important part of that.

Let me take this thought of why art is important a step further. In the book, Art and Physics: Parallel Visions in Space, Time and Light, by Leonard Shlain, the author has pointed out a compelling pattern of artistic breakthroughs proceeding scientific breakthroughs throughout human history. Is this a coincidence? Personally, I think not. When artistic vision Montalbano continued on page 44

Steve The Dog & The Winged Tiger with art by Geoff Bevington and Phil Yeh colored by Lieve Jerger

This tells the true story of how a couch potato dog named Steve actually gets out of the house for the very first time to explore all the things he missed in his hometown Chicago, IL, USA. This book can be an aid in fighting childhood obesity and couchpotato syndrome, bringing back a balance between real life and electronic entertainment.

This signed & numbered limited edition is $30 plus shipping and handling Eastwind Studios, POB 750, San Bernardino, CA 92402 Order online - under the Books & Products button at

wingedtiger.com

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Sansone continued from page 22 UJ: Can you explain where your passion for color comes from?

JS: Enamel on copper has an inherent beauty. The colored glass itself, randomly thrown onto the copper and fired, would have inherent beauty of its own. When I started, enamel glass powder was available in 300-plus shades of color to work with in enamel powders from the Thompson Enamel Company. I was always hooked on color and I love combining colors. I love cobalt blue with the contrast of turquoise blue. There is also heliotrope, a lavender-purple that goes great with a yellow. Like blue and orange... It is about finding a good balance, adding contrasting and complementing colors to achieve the best composition. I try to bring balance to each piece of art. Sometimes you are not always conscious of what you do when you are creating a work of art. You get lost in the work, time stands still and you have to create your own balance when you are in that state.

UJ: Lately your copper wall sculptures are getting more numerous and I wondered if you are phasing out the enameling in favor of other media?

JS: To create a partition between my studio and the gallery space in Los Olivos, I applied patina to a big sheet of thin gauge copper. Eleven years later, I got the idea of doing something like this wrapped over a wooden board backing. I sold the first piece right away. It is the result of hammering, bending, crinkling, folding, embossing, scrolling, and creating my own tools and using all these techniques and combinations of them, plus annealing, heating the copper. The coloration comes from applying heat, chemical patinas and transparent solvent dyes. All these combinations also create an interesting tactile surface that is very mesmerizing and pleasing to the eye. I keep several at my home.

UJ: Maybe your philosophical nature appreciates these textured surfaces as food for thought and sensory soothing... I know that you have been working

Giraud continued from page 10

Moebius Tribute by America's Gabo (http://brofu.com) Gabo has done a tribute drawing every day since the loss of Moebius

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with yet other media and techniques most recently. Do you want to tell us more about your paintings?

JS: This new work is well received in the gallery and sometimes better understood than my enamel work. A few months ago I started painting on canvas, mixing media, playing with iridescent colors and textures... It is taking me to a whole new place of exploration.

UJ: What new and exciting project are you working on these days?

JS: A large enamel depicting the collision of two spiraling galaxies: our own Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy, which is our closest neighbor.

Andromeda is 2.2 million light years away and we are slowly colliding with it. Andromeda measures 300,000 light years in diameter, and Milky Way measures 100,000 light years across! Billions of stars are involved. I am enameling this onto 15” copper squares and 15x18” rectangles with angle cuts, all combined into a geometric shape of 45x51”. Voyager left our solar system two years ago. Attached to its outer hull is a 12” golden record which describes life on earth in sights and sounds: oceans, birds, animal life and human life. Voyager will be in the foreground facing this cosmic collision from 100,000 light years. I predict this will be my last enamel Stellarscape, the grand finale of all.

UJ: I would not be surprised if your art somehow survives the collision of those galaxies!

Joel & Pam Sansone and Lieve Jerger have shared an enduring friendship since 1982, when they worked in adjoining studios in Angels Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro, CA. Joel and Pam Sansone’s Studio Gallery is located among the rolling hills and live oak trees in the quaint “Mayberry” town of Los Olivos, just off Highway 101 on the Central Coast of California. See more art at www.sansonestudio.com

2012 Philip K. Dick Award

This year’s winner of the Philip K. Dick award was The Samuil Petrovitch Trilogy

by Simon Morden. Special citation was given to The Company Man by Robert Jackson Bennett. The awards were held on Friday, April 6, 2012 at Norwescon 35 in SeaTac, Washington. Norwescon is an annual convention held by the Northwest Science Fiction Society.

The Philip K. Dick Award is presented annually with the support of the Philip K. Dick Trust, for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. The award is sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and the Philip k. Dick Trust. The award ceremony is sponsored by the Northwest Science Fiction Society. www.philipkdickaward.org • www.psfs.org • www.norwescon.org

Photographer Allen Freeman Looks at Steampunk Uncle Jam: Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Allen Freeman: I'm Allen Freeman a commercial artist, designer, publisher, photographer, and videographer. I've worked for over 30 years doing art and design for brochures, web sites, posters, magazine covers; all sorts of advertising; art for collector posters; comic books, etc…Lately photographing models and building up my photography portfolio.

UJ: Your bio states that you are based in the Inland Empire. Since I have been out here myself these last few years, I have been amazed at all the talent here. What has been your experience?

AF: As soon as I arrived in Rancho Cucamonga, I started my own Meet Up group…. (www.meetup.com) called Inland Empire Models & Photographers Group http://tinyurl. com/IEMPG and through that I've met lots of very creative photographers and models! I was also recently part of a RAWartists event in Riverside and saw lots more creative people there. Yes, this is the right place for me!

UJ: Are you aware of the work of Tim Powers, who lives in San Bernardino and is one of the "inventors" of Steampunk?

AF: No, but I do love Steampunk! I would like to chat with Tim someday…film him if he'll let me. I got an eye full of what Steampunk was all about at the first Gaslamp Steampunk Con in San Diego last year. I went both days; taking photos of everyone and everything.

My group (IEMPG) has hosted a couple of Steampunk shoots, so I've had some great opportunities to get some models to go the full 9 yards with their costumes! At the next con in San Diego, I'm going to dress up like a Steampunk photographer! My wife Bonnie will be a Steampunk nurse!

UJ: I loved your recent shoots with trains and the Steampunk theme. How did this come about?

AF: My co-host and co-organizer, Catherine Madinger, decided to make our first group shoot with IEMPG (August 3rd, 2011) a Steampunk shoot and that was my first chance to pose models for some shots with that theme. We have since had another Steampunk shoot, and I've also had models: Jessie Cook and Dean LeCrone over to my studio for some Steampunk shots as well.

UJ: Tell us about your collaborations with Dean LeCrone.

Meagan Williams, Catherine Madinger, Kate Madinger AF: I met Dean back in 2003 at the San Diego Comic Con. I was helping run a booth for a comic I had worked on (cover inks and colors, interior inks, and Title Logo, etc…) and Dean had his own booth at the show. I had been putting out an anthology called Slam Bang since 1985, and Dean contributed to it. We hit it off and have been friends ever since. Dean and I made a movie about Comic-Con in 2006 called: Dean LeCrone vs. The Mutants of Comic Con. Dean interviews the strangest fans at the con.

It is 41 minutes long and has been shown at comic conventions and movie premiere in Fallbrook, CA, etc. You can see the full movie by going to our company site: www.slambangmedia.com and hitting Film Production at the top. It is also listed on www.IMDB. com for crying out loud! (And you can also watch it there!) I shot pretty much a whole days’ worth of images of Dean in Steampunk gear a few months back, with him holding some guns and looking dangerous. I then spent over 5 hours adding more and more stuff to the image……he had on the hat, shirt and coat…..glasses and some of Jessie Cook Catherine Madinger

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Melissa Meador

the other stuff. I added about 70% of the other items on his hat, roughed up his shirt, added splatter (he's a demon hunter!).

I added the metal background from some rusty machines I'd shot on some other Steampunk shoot before.

UJ: How does your business run? 50% commercial and 50% artistic stuff? What kind of balance do you have to strike to earn a living?

AF: I've been trying to slowly convert more and more of my paid work to photography, which was always a passion of mine since I was 9 years old or so; but in the last few years I've put all my time into improving my work in this area. Right now I'd say that I'm still working on commercial art projects about 1/2 the time and photography the other half. When it comes to my free time, I'm putting all of it into my photography. I've got a full studio in my apartment right now and have used it a lot in the last few months.

UJ: A lot of young artists read Uncle Jam and I am always trying to encourage artists in all fields. Can you tell us what you are doing these days to get more clients and exposure for your art?

AF: Well, the meet up group that I created helps me meet lots of people in my town and in Riverside. This spreads the word on me and my work. I also showed my work at the RAWartists show and got more leads to more work that way. I use the Internet as much as possible to promote myself. Posting lots of my work on Facebook, 500px, Thumbtack, JPGmag, Flickr and more. I recently sold a few of my images that were posted on Flickr to a tobacco company (Shots of my hometown of Owensboro, KY). So you just never know what will come through for you. Once I mentioned on Twitter that I'd just taken a lot of shots of Paducah, KY. The tourist group there saw my tweet and ended up buying a batch of the images.

UJ: Some of your work has a really nice glossy feel to it. Do you enhance your work with the computer?

AF: I work in Photoshop mostly, and I have a few 3rd party filters I use to enhance my work from time to time. I have lots of experience in Photoshop and computers in general. I worked with Microsoft and Sierra On-Line as a 3D artist (3D Studio Max and Maya) and also worked on their web sites. So working with them I more or less mastered Photoshop.

(OK, didn't master it‌but I can do what I want

with it‌most of the time.)

UJ: Do you do weddings and custom work and if so, how can our readers reach you?

AF: I can shoot anything. I have recently shot for fitness bootcamps, CD covers, etc., but am targeting more creative shoots. Most of my experience the last 2 years has been shooting people. Models in creative poses and costumes. I'm going to be specializing as a glamour and boudoir photographer. I've also shot some events, fashion shows, etc., as I'm good at covering all angles in those situations. To see my commercial art work, design, and more: www.slambangmedia.com and for my photography: www. afreemanphotography.com My email is: afreemanphotography.com On Facebook a search for Afreemanphotography will reach me. I've not been as active in comic book publishing as I used to be, but here is that site: www.fanaticpress.com where you can see and purchase comics I've edited and worked on such as SLAM BANG (The Explosive Comic Anthology, which I've put out off-and-on since 1985. I'm also at www.allenfreeman.net (older commercial art site) and allenfreeman.us (comic book samples.) I'm always ready to design, illustrate, photograph, or video for any type of personal or commercial enterprise. I've worked for: Hitchcock Flemming and Associates (Such clients as: Goodyear, Firestone, Monsanto, Bell & Howell, Mac Tools), Microsoft (Xbox games such as: Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge.) Sierra On-Line (Front Page Sports Football, Hellfire), Boss Game Studio (Stunt Racer 64), Last Kiss Comics, Caliber Comics (Frankenstein, The Realm.), Now Comics (Ralph Snart Adventures, Speed Racer, Fright Night), Sky Comics (Morgana X, The Seeker), Fantagrafix Books (The Ultimate Gnatrat), my company Tiger Grafix (Valvoline, KET, PBS, University of Kentucky, more), Brady Games (Mortal Kombat cards, covers for Game Guides).

I have a few books out via BLURB: Photo books: Book 1 (Best of): http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1389651 Book 2 (Shots of Owensboro, KY): http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1505400 Battle of Sacramento: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/733996 Misadventures of Spudman (I did the coloring/lettering and designed the book: http:// www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1053560 A photo book with samples of all my model shoots is in the works.

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Melissa Meador

left: Jessie Cook right: Melissa Meador Jessie Cook

Meagan Williams

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Dean LeCrone

Inferno Martiniere continued from page 32 than 100 book covers, from The National Geographic to Tor Books and Random House. What do you like to do the best; illustration for books or concept designs for film and video games?

SM: That’s a tough question. The short answer is that there’s something that I like in every one of these fields. I love the creativity and freedom in book covers. I love the fact that it gave me the opportunity to develop my own style and explore artistically in many directions. In films or games, I like the challenge of solving problems and coming up with innovative ideas and design.

I also greatly enjoy that I get to switch back and forth between publishing and film or games, because it keeps me creatively stimulated and inspired.

UJ: You have also done concept designs for theme parks. I think some of our readers would love to explore this area as a possible career. Can you offer any advice?

SM: The creative process for doing concept for theme parks ultimately isn’t very different from animation, film, or games. A project will still have its problems to be solved, its requirements, guideline and limitations. To me, it is the outcome that makes theme parks so exciting; you have the ability to see your drawings realized into an actual attraction that people can interact with. If this idea appeals to a young artist then I would say “go for it”.

UJ: What are your plans for the future?

SM: I completed art-directing Rage for id last October and decided to go back to being a full-time freelance artist again. My goals for the future are to continue to work in all the fields I’ve worked in, in the last 25 years, to keep challenged and inspired. I’m also very interested in getting deeper into 3D, with software such as 3D studio max or Zbrush; and explore the idea of creating sculptures. Recently, I’ve tried my hand at abstract painting, which while I’m not sure where it will go; it has given me a new creative buzz, if you will. I will continue to produce more art books and finally, I’m exploring different opportunities to begin teaching. martiniere.com

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Joel Sansone’s Stellarscape Nebulae enamel masterpiece (detail above) was made with products from

THOMPSON ENAMEL 650 Colfax Avenue Bellevue, Kentucky 41073 USA 1-859-291-3800

www.thompsonenamel.com

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Tam + Shade Montalbano continued from page 36 is repressed in a society, a “dark age” predominates due to no freedom of thought and expression.

Art is, by its nature, a form of communication. Actually, it is the first form of written language which started off as cave paintings and pictograms thousands of years ago. Art is also a personal form of self communication.

By having art in the public schools you encourage the youth to positively express themselves and learn about who they are as individuals. My point is, if you want to stifle innovative thinking for the next generation and plunge America into a severe decline, get rid of quality education and eliminate the arts from public schools.

UJ: As someone who has a dad from China and a mother (her grandparents came from the U.K.) from the Midwest, I have long dreamed about telling stories with non-stereotypical characters. Sadly, I don’t see evidence that things have changed much since I was a film student at California State University Long Beach in the 1970s. What are your thoughts for the future of storytelling in film and TV regarding more universal characters?

GM: It starts with the artists and writers putting non-stereotypical characters in their work. Southern California may still be the center of the entertainment industry for the world, but the Internet is challenging that. Billions of people now have access to the Internet and can post their work on it. I can’t help but think that more diverse stories and characters from all over the world will be and are being created. If the quality of those stories is good, it will be just a matter of time before they are widely accepted here in the United States and everywhere.

Ask yourself where is it that you put your money when you buy anything?

When you buy a movie ticket, music, book, art, or anything, it is like a vote.

In other words, give your monetary vote to products and projects you believe in, whatever that may be.

The future of storytelling can be a very good one, but it is up to each of us to make conscious choices to create stories and art that have the elements that we hold important. Create the change that you would hope for; even if you are only able to make a small change.

UJ: Would you encourage your kids to go into art as a career if they had an interest?

GM: Yes, but I would also encourage them to learn about business and other subjects. That way they have a wellSurrax City rounded education. What I would want for my kids is to enjoy the process of learning in general and apply that knowledge to whatever they may have an interest in. Ultimately, my hope would be that they find a career that they are passionate about, whatever that may be, and that they respect themselves and others. garymontalbano.com

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

The New Storybook Inn Lake Arrowhead, California 909.744.8411

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Imagine watching the sun disappear into the ocean as a hundred-mile “carpet” of twinkling city lights rises from the wide expanse, below...

Our historic 1930s Inn has been recently restored to its original grandeur, reminiscent of days gone by... Our nine rooms, some with kitchenettes, are available nightly from $89.00 for a peaceful getaway. And, the entire Inn is perfect for weekend events (weddings, receptions, family reunions, group retreats...) at very competitive rates...

Please visit: TheStorybookInn.com or �ind us at yelp. com, tripadvisors.com, or your favorite online site.

We’re in historic Skyforest, CA just a “stone’s throw” from the lake...

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Bradbury continued from page 33

Ray Bradbury with San Bernardino Public Library Staff, October 2007 death this morning just before he would have turned 92. I first met Ray at the first San Diego Comic-Con in 1970. I was just a young teenager who wanted to write and draw my own books. Both Ray and Jack Kirby (who created so much of Marvel’s Universe) gave me the inspiration to just go ahead and do it!

A few months later, I formed my own publishing company while still in high school.

When we decided to officially re-launch this publication in 2010, we knew that we needed a great interview. Ray Bradbury has been kind to us for decades, and invited my wife Linda and me to his home for an interview. It ran in No. 97, Volume 36, in the summer of 2010. A few years earlier, Linda had organized a wonderful evening with Ray at the Central Library in San Bernardino. When over 700 people called to reserve their free ticket, they needed to move the venue to The Sturges Center for The Arts just a few blocks away. The night of October 2, 2007 was really magical and, although I have heard Ray speak many times over the years, his appearance in San Bernardino that evening was truly quite an event. Mayor Pat Morris claimed him as his “father” in his introduction and you could have heard a pin drop as an audience of all ages listened to Ray’s every word. Afterwards, he stayed late to sign every single book for his fans!

Tomorrow, June 7, I am still working on a massive new permanent mural on a building that stands on the original site of the very first McDonald’s restaurant. It is located on “E” Street in San Bernardino, which is the old Route 66. The building is owned by another fast food entrepreneur named Albert Okura, who owns Juan Pollo, a local Mexican chicken chain. Three groups of high school kids have helped me, including Asa Charter School and San Bernardino High School. Many local, and some not so local, artists have pitched in. My old high school classmate, Sandy Fischer Cvar, has painted some amazing portraits on the mural. We actually had the basics complete on May 1, when Jon J. Murakami came out from Hawaii to paint his Dragons of Hawaii for a dedication from Mayor Morris and the San Bernardino SUN columnist John Weeks.

San Bernardino cartoonist Rory Murray has been with me almost every day I paint and Greta Grigorian has come out many days from Eagle Rock! My friend Dan Romero is making metal palm leaves for one of the trees and Albert has added some great sculptures in front of this mural.

I had planned to add The Sturges Center on this mural and to mention that evening with Ray as a surprise for his 92nd birthday. Sadly, Ray will have to see it from above. –Phil Yeh Ribbon cutting with the Mayor on May 1, 2012

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

Dreamsellers on the Seine

Vendre du rêve sur Seine - Phil Yeh

Unframed 12” x 16” giclée print. Limited Edition of 200.

Signed & numbered by the artist, $200 each. Shipped flat.

“This original painting was started the day after Jean Giraud aka Moebius left this planet as a tribute to my friend.”

Yeh’s original watercolors are on display at The “D” Gallery in beautiful Lake Arrowhead Village, 2800 Highway 189, Suite T200, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 • (909) 336-0067.

Prints are available at the gallery or online at wingedtiger.com

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Photo Left: Daniel Gerken owner/artist and Phil Yeh, artist Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012

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Uncle Jam Quarterly, Volume 38, #101 Summer 2012