Dick Tracy, Rubes, Blondie, James Bond, Gil Thorp, Tarzan, plus Tom Toro, Laura Eggleston retires, and more.
Dick Tracy begins a new story with Eric Costello continuing as “guest writer.” (Some commenters have suggested that Uncle Duke from Doonesbury is showing up here.) I know Mike Curtis has had some health problems over the years – I’m hoping it is nothing serious preventing him from writing the strip.
Leigh (Rubes) Ruben writes a thank you note and makes an appearance at San Luis Obispo Library.
To all the wonderful folks who helped restore my cartoon Rubes® to The Tribune’s comic page last year, a belated but very grateful thank you! I really do do appreciate each and every one of you who took the time to write in on my behalf.
As a special thank you I would like to invite you all to a public event, “Think Like a Cartoonist,” being hosted by the downtown SLO Library on Aug. 10 at 2 p.m. It’s free, family friendly and worth every penny.
Like Father, Like Son.
Over at Blondie the Dagwood Sandwich has been passed on to the new generation (the Alexander Sandwich?).
McLusky, John McLusky
“You only live twice, or so it seems” – at least, that is, if you are the work of the late illustrator John McLusky, creator of the popular James Bond newspaper cartoon strips. His dynamic, almost-forgotten drawings brought a reliable touch of glamorous machismo into the lives of readers of the Daily Express between 1958 and 1966, and are now to stir again.
The Los Angeles archives devoted to the glittering history of the Oscars will display McLusky’s influential images alongside other mementoes of the film franchise, which was based on the spy novels of Ian Fleming a former British intelligence officer.
“I’m very proud they will be seen again, as part of film history,” said Sean McLusky, son of the artist.
The Guardian presents Vanessa Thorpe’s Observer story of John McLusky James Bond originals in Hollywood.
“The academy has just accepted one of only eight full sets of drawings that McLusky made for Fleming between 1958 and 1966,” said Fraser Scott, of the online A Gallery , which helped make the gift. “I’m very pleased they will now be on show where they should be.”
Gil Thorp or Mac Divot?
Golf comic strips go back at least 100 years to Layon McDuffer and probably further. But today’s Gil Thorp instantly brought to mind Mac Divot. More than likely because Allan Holtz featured that strip a few days ago.
Retirement Illustrated
I was Bunky the Clown for 25 years and a caricaturist at parties for more than 40 years.
The wig, costumes, magic tricks and puppets went into a box when I turned 67. But I was shocked to realize that retirement was no laughing matter. It has been, well, let’s face it, “work” to learn how not to work.
My also-retired husband and I live in Ottawa.
Laura Eggleston draws her life of retirement for the CBC.
Global Warming Funnies
Think climate change isn’t funny? Try telling that to cartoonist Tom Toro. The frequent New Yorker contributor, who also writes and draws a comic strip called “Home Free,” [link added] often points his pen at the pain and hypocrisy behind the climate crisis and other environmental issues, with blistering results.
John R. Platt at Good Men Project offers a very short interview with cartoonist Tom Toro.
Yeah, journalism as the co-equal fourth branch of government. But it’s almost like cartooning should be the fifth branch.
Cartooning is definitely a good part of it. I think people are just really hungry for satire.
Drawing Tarzan
Just a note that, according to ERBzine’s index, the daily Tarzan rerun comic strip at GoComics changed artists.
From the unsigned #3276 Paul Reinman (above) to the unsigned #3277 Nick Cardy (below).
Nick Cardy will eventually sign the strip, Paul Reinman never did during his one year run.
(For the record: that’s Silver Nitrate in panel 3, one of the villains Mike Curtis introduced a few years ago. We last saw him, in prison, around May of last year.)