Industry news for the professional cartoonist
As posted on the AAEC web site, Tim Menees, who was let go from his 30 years at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette job as editorial cartoonist, was awarded first place in the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania’s Golden Quill Journalism awards.
The PMC is a great non-profit organization that goes into third world countries and fights overpopulation problems along with sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS and the oppression of women, by educating the local populations and encouraging them to stop their risky behavior through soap operas on the local media. PMC’s innovative approach has been very successful as the third world audiences remember and respond well to the educational dramas they hear on their local radio.The PMC also works to raise the consciousness of population relation issues in the first world, and one of their initiatives was a cartoon contest.
Chris Lamb’s book “Drawn to Extremes: The Use and Abuse of Editorial Cartoons” will be released in paperback form next month according to Editor and Publisher.You can learn more about the book at Amazon.com.
Chris Browne, cartoonist for “Hagar the Horrible” and creator of “Raising Duncan”, has called Sarasota Florida his home for the last 25 years but is moving because of the over development in the city.Sarasota used to be quaint, Browne said…. He could cruise over the bridge to Longboat Key, and the only thing he’d see was “The Purple Cow” — otherwise known as the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.”Now,” he said, “it’s dwarfed by this skyline that looks like Atlanta or Tampa.”It breaks his heart.Chris and his wife will be moving to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Another notable change in the comics page line up this week – this time in the Houston Chronicle…. Mark Tatulli’s feature was officially launched yesterday to over 100 newspapers – the Chronicles now being one of them.
The Winston-Salem Journal has dropped three features: Mark Anderson’s “Spot the Frog,” “Peanuts,” and “Beakman & Jax” – a Sunday only educational strip.On the plus side: Michael Fry and T. Lewis’ “Over the Hedge” and Mark Tatulli’s “Lio” have taken up home on their comic page.
Michael Fry, “Over the Hedge” co-creator, along with film writer and producer Jim Cox have created an internet start-up called RingTales which focus on making animation shorts for mobile devises. The animations will be based on current comic strips.
A while back I mentioned that Doonesbury character Alex Doonesbury was selecting a college and that Rochester Institute of Technology and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute were colleges that were being considered. Cornell was also considered and the university actually courted Garry Trudeau in efforts to sway the decision – going as far as mailing admissions material and brochures about the dining halls.
Last week, I told you that Dean Young was opening a sandwich shop franchise…. Interestingly, did you notice Saturday’s strip talked about Dagwood opening up such a store?The sandwich shop now has a web site too.
T. Lewis and Michael Fry with the cast of “Over the Hedge.” ‘ DreamWork SKG Animation. Used by permission. All…
The Rocky Mountain News has made three changes on their comics page…. Lewis, “Lio” by Mark Tatulli and “Pajama Diaries” by Terri Libenson.To make room, “Alley Oop,” “Elderberries” and “Grand Avenue” were dropped.
Winsor McCay is best known for his “Little Nemo in Slumberland,” but he did have a comic strip before that called “Tales of the Jungle Imps.” The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library has acquired original McCay hand-colored drawings from that first strip and are now undergoing conservation treatment before going on display to the public starting June 15 through August 31st.
According to a press release by Universal Press, LIO’s client list will include Los Angeles Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Sun-Times, Denver?s Rocky Mountain News, The St…. Because it is a wordless strip, he also is debuting in Bel De Morgen, a Brussel’s paper.”Mark Tatulli knows how to deliver a punch line as well as anyone in this business, and in this strip he even delivers without words,” adds John Vivona, vice president of sales for Universal Press Syndicate.
Mike Belkin has decided to end “Unfit” on the 30th of this month according to Mary Anne Grimes, Executive Director…
Signe Wilkinson, editorial cartoonist for the Philadelphia Daily News, was one of the most vocal American cartoonist earlier this year during the Danish/Mohammad cartoon riots. The debate is still raging and Signe is still the go to person for comments and reaction.Over at Islam Online there is a Point/Counter-Point wherein Signe takes on Felicity Arbuthnot a British journalist and activist on the topic of whether there should be limits on freedom of expression when it comes to the sacred in religions.