A Collection of Comic-Related Reports

Yesterday we highlighted Patrick McDonnell’s promoting his new book in Mutts, so it’s only fair we do the same with Stephen Pastis now. Tomorrow’s Pearls Before Swine will have a gag about Stephan’s “world” tour, which begins next month. Not on the tour calendar is Pastis starting out closer to home, but The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat gives details and more about his tour, his new book, and his comic strip.

“I wanted to do a book with a little girl as the protagonist. I like the idea of a little girl who sees her favorite toy store torn down and tries to do something about it. And I had this idea of a little boy who disappears into the art world to escape a world he doesn’t like,” Pastis said.

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A couple weeks ago R. J. Matson was called out for ageism/ableism. The recent Barry Blitt New Yorker cover about our geriatric leadership didn’t escape its share of criticism either. The Huffington Post reports:

The New Yorker is facing accusations of ableism and ageism over the magazine’s latest cover illustration.

Cartoonist Barry Blitt’s “The Race For Office” depicts President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) racing against each other — with walkers.

Critics on X said they were “disappointed” by the cover, with one saying it had “missed the mark massively.”

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OMG, Tauhid spelled it out!

Tauhid Bondia was called to task for blasphemy in a recent Crabgrass.

From a New Castle News reader in Pennsylvania:

Back in February of this year, you removed the comic strip “Dilbert” from your newspaper citing “racism” as a reason.

I do not know what was racist at the time.

Dilbert is not one of my favorite comics, but I didn’t mind it either. Crabgrass was its replacement.

The Crabgrass strip that ran Thursday, Sept. 21 used the Lord’s name in vain. I do not see how using profanity in your newspaper is acceptable in this case.

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_{Dick Tracy © Tribune Content Agency; hat tip to Grand Comic Database for covers.}

Taimur Dar at The Beat reports Dick Tracy will return in a comic book series:

Years after the last Dick Tracy comic series published through IDW, Mad Cave Studios has announced a new Dick Tracy comic series with the involvement of Dick Tracy comics rights-holders Segura and Moreci and Chantelle Aimée Osman.

With oversight from DICK TRACY owners, Tribune Content Agency, here’s what the publisher had to say about the series…

At the helm of Mad Cave’s DICK TRACY series debut is bestselling and award-winning author Alex Segura (SECRET IDENTITY, ARANA/SPIDER-MAN 2099: DARK TOMORROW), acclaimed author Michael Moreci (BARBARIC, STRANGER THINGS), and renowned artist Geraldo Borges (NIGHTWING, NO/ONE, THUNDERBOLTS), with creative consultation from Chantelle Aimée Osman (THE REJECTS).

Look for Dick Tracy #1 to arrive in March 2024.

At Multiversity Brian Salvatore asks “Do You Care About Dick Tracy?”

…Every couple of years someone makes a Flash Gordon comic and folks like, who grew up with both the Queen-soundtracked film and the Defenders of the Earth cartoon, get excited, but it seems like the audience for Flash Gordon comics is getting rather small.

Dick Tracy was a comic strip that my dad read in the 40s and 50s, but somewhat petered out, popularity wise, sometime in the pre-Nixon era…

Update: The results of the Multiversity poll.

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Brian Box Brown is seeking Kickstarter funds to publish a Legalization Nation book.

I began Legalization Nation in late 2020 after spending a year in the Pennsylvania Medical Cannabis Program. The problems with the market were myriad and obvious but there is very little coverage of this in mainstream or cannabis media…

This book collects the first 3 years of reporting on the cannabis landscape. Legalization Nation runs weekly and is influential on the attitudes in the cannabis space…

Legalization Nation runs weekly on the @boxbrown instragram, ComicsKingdom.com and the Tuscon Weekly.

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Overlooked on our Fall Fellowship forecast was the International Society of Caricature Artists Convention.

Welcome to the annual conference and competition of the International Society of Caricature Artists! Registration is open to anyone and includes admission to all seminars, the competition ballroom and any meals provided. Professional ISCA Members who register before October 7th will receive a con t-shirt, goody bag, the option to compete and all voting privileges. Not a member? Join us today!

Special for ISCAcon32:

We are thrilled to announce a special exhibition of 30 original Al Hirschfeld works to be on display at ISCAcon32! As tremendous fans of Hirschfeld’s work, it is an honor to have the opportunity share these with ISCAcon32 attendees. 

These works will be on display at the Icebreaker event on Sunday, November 12th and again at the public Caricature Showcase on Thursday, November 16th.

_{all images © respective copyright holders}