Posted on: June 8, 2006

Several stories are pouring in about this year’s annual Association of American Editorial Cartoonist who are holding their convention in Denver this year.From a Rocky Mountain News comes an editorial contrasting the difference between the way the America deal with cartoons that offend a religious group versus how Europe is shrinking free speech.Dave Astor, from Editor and Publisher, has filed a related story in E&P about the heated debate regarding the roll of cartooning in free speech when it comes to topics of religions.Dave has also filed a story about former U.S. Senator Gary Hart a speaker at the convention who spoke mostly of the Iraq war and how the media isn’t telling more of the impact of the war on the individuals who served in it.

Dave Astor has a story (page 58) about the growing number of blogs that cover the cartooning industry.  Highlighted in the story are Tom Spurgeon’s Comics Reporter, The Daily Cartoonist, The Comics Curmudgeon’s Joshua Fruhlinger, and Daryl Cagle’s blog.

E&P has a little blurp about Jef Mallett’s “Frazz” book collection that will be out this August.  The book is titled “99% Perspiration.”

Universal Press has announced that “Pooch Café” will be featured on a series of post cards sent out to pet owners by local groomers and veterinarians prompting owners to regularly take their beloved pets to professional pet care service providers.Pooch Café, created by Paul Gilligan, is one of the latest Universal Press features to join in on the reminder card services.  Already “Adam@Home” and “Heart of the City” promote regular dentist visits while “For Better or For Worse” and “Garfield” cards promote pet care and appointments, according to the Universal press release.

According to the “For Better or For Worse” web site, Lynn Johnston will be attending the Book Expo Canada in Toronto this Sunday (June 11) at 1pm and again on Monday the 12th at noon.  See the Book Expo Canada web site for more information.

In the Category of Best Artist Frank Cho has been nominated (for his work on the Shanna, “The She-Devil” comic book – not “Liberty Meadows”).  In the Best cartoonist category we have John Kovalic with “Dork Tower”; in best Syndicated Strip of Panel we have Aaron McGruder for “The Boondocks” Keith Knight for “The K Chronicles,” Patrick McDonnell for “Mutts,” and lastly Stan Lee and Larry Leiber for “The Amazing Spider-Man.”The awards will be given out on September 9 during the Baltimore Comic-Con.

“Girls and Sports,” created by Andrew Feinstein and Justin Borus, are now available as greeting cards.  The cards are printed though Card Cafe and G&S fans can pick from birthday cards, holiday cards, special occasion cards and sports condolence cards.

Steve was in San Diego when Katrina hit and continue to lives there sending in his cartoons via Kinkos.The video segment of the interview is now available on Google Video.  The whole segment is 25 minutes long – Steve gets the last 10 minutes (skip ahead to 16:50 to avoid the discussion of the problems of urbanites moving to the rural areas and then complaining about the odor of the farms and ranches).