Podcasts about cartoonists

Making friends in the comics community can be... complicated. After all, we're kind of an introverted bunch. When it comes to social interaction, Brad and Dave have made all the mistakes, so you don't have to! They'll talk about trying too hard, encountering hostility, and trying to fit into a community that's just not right for you. Speaking of realizing a community isn't a good fit, Dave just found out he was kicked off Amazon. And that's perfectly OK with him. Today's Show UPDATE: Dave has been kicked off Amazon! UPDATE: Our listeners recommend eBay for international shipping Making friends with other cartoonists What can a full-time self-published comic artist expect to earn? Summary In this engaging episode, cartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett explore the complexities of social interactions within the creative community, the challenges of online publishing, and the evolving role of AI in content moderation. They share personal stories, practical advice, and insights on navigating friendships, social media, and the digital landscape as artists and creators. They share personal stories, industry insights, and humorous banter that will inspire and inform creators at all levels. Key Topics Social interactions among artists and creators Challenges of online publishing and content moderation Strategies for building and maintaining friendships in creative communities The financial realities of full-time cartooning The importance of evolving creatively and professionally Understanding the influence of zeitgeist on comic success You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

This episode we are joined by winning writer, director, playwright, major league baseball announcer and cartoonist, Ken Levine! Ken's play Guilty Pleasures: An Unapologetic Comedy will be playing at the Westchester Playhouse in LA presented by Kentwood Players! The show starts March 13th and plays until April 4th. For tickets to the show, visit kentwoodplayers.orgWe chat with Ken about what got him into writing, working on the sequel to Mannequin, directing for tv and theater, his play Guilty Pleasures: An Unapologetic Comedy and much more!

Osy Ikhile is an actor who’s had a successful career with roles in shows like Black Mirror, Citadel, and All American. Even though his acting career has had its accomplishments, Osy still had the desire to create his own projects. Years ago he began developing an idea for a television show but eventually realized that […]

Nikahang Kowsar, known as Nik Kowsar, is an award-winning Iranian-Canadian cartoonist, journalist, and water issues analyst born in Tehran, Iran, in 1969. He studied geology at the University of Tehran before launching his cartooning career in 1991 with the satirical magazine Gol-Agha. He contributed to numerous Iranian newspapers like Hamshahri and others, often facing censorship and prosecution for his sharp political satire. In 2000, he was imprisoned for a cartoon depicting a crocodile that critics linked to a hardline cleric, sparking death threats and forcing his exile in 2003. He fled to Canada, later settling in Washington, D.C. Kowsar received the Cartoonists Rights Network International Award for Courage in Editorial Cartooning in 2001. Today, he focuses on Iran's severe water crisis through journalism, a weekly video show Abangan, websites like AbanganIran.org, BBC Persian contributions, and TV analysis, while serving on CRNI's board.Support the showThe DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis. Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrallWeb: Rall.com

Met vandaag: In Iran en Bahrein zijn watervoorzieningen aangevallen | Brussel Bij Nacht met Wopke Hoekstra | Comédienne Christel de Laat over haar voorstelling ‘Kende Da?!' | Tjeerd Royaards over de positie van cartoonisten wereldwijd | Presentatie: Chris Kijne

Famous Montreal Gazette cartoonist Terry (Aislin) Mosher is releasing a new book talking about Montreal's past, including the 1976 Olympic Games. He joined Andrew Carter.

What's the difference between a concept and a conceit — and why does confusing the two quietly sabotage so many comics? In this episode, Brad and Dave break down one of the most important (and misunderstood) distinctions in storytelling. A concept is the engine that drives your story forward. A conceit is a clever wrapper that might look great… but doesn't go anywhere. If you've ever launched a comic that felt strong at first but ran out of momentum, this conversation will hit home. We talk about: Why constraints actually fuel creativity How to test whether your idea has real staying power The danger of building a comic around a gimmick And how to strengthen your story before you spend months drawing it Today's show: A comic without recurring characters UPDATE: ComicLab accent challenge UPDATE: Amazon Advantage UPDATE: DoubleDogBook.com How to do a sarcastic word balloon Takeaways Character design plays a crucial role in storytelling. Comics can thrive without a central protagonist. Idea-driven comics have historical precedence. Naming a comic can be a challenging but essential task. Feedback is vital in the creative process. Constraints can enhance creativity and focus. Monosyllabic titles are often more memorable. A good title can significantly impact a comic's success. The creative journey involves trial and error. Sharing ideas at smaller levels can reveal what resonates. Avoiding sunk cost fallacy is crucial in decision-making. Amazon Advantage can lead to unexpected losses. Understanding the costs of shipping is essential for profitability. Sarcasm in comics requires careful visual and textual cues. Bold lettering can enhance the impact of sarcasm. Walt Kelly's techniques in lettering were innovative but sometimes excessive. Comic creators should consider the visual presentation of dialogue. A well-crafted word balloon can convey emotion effectively. The legacy of past cartoonists informs current practices. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Bixby Grant is the story of mummified former police officer turned private investigator who solves crimes on the streets of Harbor City. In Harbor City Grant is just one of a plethora of supernatural beings who walk the streets. In the world of Bixby Grant: Private Eye vampires, werewolves, and zombies are everyday inhabitants of […]

On the phone-in: Author and cartoonist, Susan MacLeod, discusses her book project where she's compiling stories of compassion in the health care system. She's looking for stories where compassion was shown or was notably lacking. And off the top of the show, we hear from Maryam Kareem of Halifax who is stuck in Qatar because of the war in the MIddle East.

What happens when a childhood dream refuses to let go? In this episode, I sit down with cartoonist and Lum and Abner historian Donnie Pitchford to explore how old-time radio, comic strips, and a love for storytelling shaped his life. Donnie shares how he grew up inspired by classic radio shows like Lum and Abner, pursued art despite setbacks, and eventually brought the beloved Pine Ridge characters back to life through a modern comic strip and audio adaptations. We talk about creativity, persistence, radio history, and why imagination still matters in a visual world. If you care about classic radio, cartooning, or staying true to your calling, I believe you will find this conversation both inspiring and practical. Highlights: 00:10 Discover how a childhood love of Lum and Abner sparked a lifelong dream of becoming a cartoonist. 08:00 Hear how college radio and classic broadcasts deepened a passion for old time radio storytelling. 14:33 Understand how years of teaching broadcast journalism built the skills that later fueled creative success. 23:17 Learn how the Lum and Abner comic strip was revived with family approval and brought to modern audiences. 30:07 Explore how two actors created an entire town through voice and imagination alone. 1:00:16 Hear the vision for keeping Lum and Abner alive for new generations through comics and audio. Top of Form Bottom of Form About the Guest: Donnie Pitchford of Texas is a graduate of Kilgore College, Art Instruction Schools, Stephen F. Austin State University and the University of Texas at Tyler. He has worked in the graphic arts industry and in education, teaching at Hawkins High School, Panola College, and Carthage High School at which he spent 25 years directing CHS-TV, where student teams earned state honors, including state championships, for 20 consecutive years. In 2010, Donnie returned to the endeavor he began at age five: being a cartoonist! The weekly “Lum and Abner" comic strip began in 2011. It is available online and in print and includes an audio production for the blind which features the talents of actors and musicians who donate their time. Donnie has created comic book stories and art for Argo Press of Austin, illustrated children's books, written scripts for the "Dick Tracy" newspaper strip, and produced the science fiction comedy strip "Tib the Rocket Frog." He has collaborated with award-winning writers and cartoonists George Wildman, Nicola Cuti, John Rose, Mike Curtis, Joe Staton, and others. In 2017, Donnie began assisting renowned sculptor Bob Harness and currently sculpts the portraits for the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame plaques. Awards include the 1978 Kilgore College "Who's Who" in Art, an Outstanding Educator Award from the East Texas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs in 1993, the CHS "Pine Burr" Dedicatee honor in 2010, and a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2018 from Spring Hill High School. In 2024, Donnie was inducted into the City of Carthage Main Street Arts Walk of Fame which included the placement of a bronze plaque in the sidewalk and the Key to the City. Donnie and his best friend/wife, Laura, are members of First Methodist Church Carthage, Texas. Donnie is a founding officer of the National Lum and Abner Society and a member of Texas Cartoonists, Ark-La-Tex Cartoonists, Christian Comic Arts Society, and the National Cartoonists Society. Ways to connect with Michaela**:** https://www.facebook.com/groups/220795254627542 https://lumandabnercomics.com/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson  01:21 Well, hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. I've been looking forward to this one for a while. We have Donny Pitchford as our guest today. You're probably going, who's Donnie Pitchford? Well, let me tell you. So years ago, I started collecting old radio shows. And one of the first shows that I got was a half hour episode of a show called Lum and Abner, which is about a couple of characters, if you will, in Pine Ridge, Arkansas. And I had only heard the half hour show sponsored by frigid air. But then in 1971 when ksi, out here in Los Angeles, the 50,000 watt Clear Channel station, started celebrating its 50 year history, they started broadcasting as part of what they did, 15 minute episodes of lemon Abner. And I became very riveted to listening to lemon Abner every night, and that went on for quite a while. And so I've kept up with the boys, as it were. Well, a several years ago, some people formed a new Lum and Abner society, and Donnie Pitchford is part of that. I met Donnie through radio enthusiast of Puget Sound, and yesterday, USA. And so we clearly being interested in old radio and all that, had to have Donnie come on and and talk with us. So Donnie, or whatever character you're representing today, welcome to unstoppable mindset. Donnie Pitchford  02:58 Huh? I'm glad to be here. Michael Hingson  03:00 He does that very well, doesn't he? It's a Donnie Pitchford  03:04 little tough sometimes. Well, I'm really glad to be here. Thank you. Michael Hingson  03:10 Well, I appreciate the audio parts of lemon Abner that you you all create every week, and just the whole society. It's great to keep that whole thing going it's kind of fun. We're glad that that it is. But let's, let's talk about you a little bit. Why don't you start by telling us about the early Donnie, growing up and all that. I'm assuming you were born, and so we won't worry about that. But beyond that, think so, yeah. Well, there you are. Tell us about tell us about you and growing up and all that, and we'll go from there. Donnie Pitchford  03:42 Well, I was born in East Texas and left for a little while. We lived in my family lived in Memphis, Tennessee for about seven years, and then moved back to Texas in 1970 but ever since I was a kid this I hear this from cartoonists everywhere. Most of them say I wanted to be a cartoonist when I was five years old. So that's in fact, I had to do a speech for the Texas cartoonist chapter of the National Cartoonist Society. And that was my start. I was going to say the same thing, and the President said, Whatever you do, don't do that old bit about wanting to be a cartoonist at age five. Everybody does that, so I left that part out, but that's really what I wanted to do as a kid. And I would see animated cartoons. I would read the Sunday comics in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, and then at some point, my dad would talk about radio, and my mother would talk about listening to radio. We would have the reruns of the Lone Ranger television show and things like Sky King and other programs along those lines, and my parents would all. Way say, Well, I used to listen to that on the radio, or I would hear Superman on the radio, or Amos and Andy or whatever was being rerun at that time, and that fascinated me. And I had these vague memories of hearing what I thought were television programs coming over the radio when I was about two years old. I remember gunshots. I remember, you know, like a woman crying and just these little oddball things. I was about two years old, and I kept thinking, Well, why are we picking up television programs on my mother's radio? Turns out it was the dying gasps of what we now call old time radio. And so at least I remembered that. But when I was about, I guess eight or nine we were, my dad took me to lunch at alums restaurant in Memphis, and I saw that name, and I thought, What in the world? So what kind of name is that? And my dad told me about London Abner, and he said it reminds me. It reminded him of the Andy Griffith Show or the Beverly Hillbillies. I said, I'd love to hear that. He said, Ah, you'll never hear it. He said, those were live they don't exist, but years later, I got to hear them. So yeah, but that's how I grew up wanting to be a cartoonist and coming up with my own characters and drawing all the time and writing stories and that sort of thing. Michael Hingson  06:24 So when did you move back from Memphis to Texas? Donnie Pitchford  06:28 July 2, 1970 I just happened to look that up the other day. How old were you then? I was 12 when we came back. All right, so got into, I was in junior high, and trying to, I was trying to find an audience for these comic strips I was drawing on notebook paper. And finally, you know, some of the kids got into them, and I just continued with that goal. And I just, I knew that soon as possible, you know, I was going to start drawing comics professionally. So I thought, but kept, you know, I kept trying. Michael Hingson  07:06 So you, you went on into college. What did you do in college? Donnie Pitchford  07:11 Well, more of the same. I started listening to some old time radio shows even as far back as as high school. And I was interested in that went to college, first at a college called Kill Gore College, here in East Texas, and then to Stephen F Austin State University. And I was majoring in, first commercial art, and then art education. And I thought, well, if I can't go right into comics, you know, maybe I can just teach for a while. I thought I'll do that for a couple of years. I thought it wouldn't be that long. But while I was at Stephen F Austin State University, the campus radio station, I was so pleased to find out ran old time radio shows. This was in 1980 there was a professor named Dr Joe Oliver, who had a nightly program called theater of the air. And I would hear this voice come over the radio. He would run, he Well, one of the first, the very first 15 minute lemon Abner show I ever heard was played by Dr Oliver. He played Jack Benny. He played the whistler suspense, just a variety of them that he got from a syndicated package. And I would hear this voice afterwards, come on and say, It's jazz time. I'm Joe Oliver. And I thought, Where have I heard that voice? It was, it's just a magnificent radio voice. Years later, I found out, well, I heard that voice in Memphis when I was about 10 years old on W, R, E, C, radio and television. He was working there. He lived in Memphis about the same time we did. Heard him on the campus station at Nacogdoches, Texas. Didn't meet him in person until the late 90s, and it was just an amazing collection of coincidences. And now, of course, we're good friends. Now he's now the announcer for our audio comic strip. So it's amazing how all that came about. Well, I Michael Hingson  09:16 I remember listening to sort of the last few years of oval radio. I think it was, I don't remember the date now, whether it's 57 or 50 I think it's 57 the Kingston Trio had come out with the song Tom Dooley, and one day I was listening to K and X radio in Los Angeles. We lived in Palmdale, and I heard something about a show called suspense that was going to play the story of Tom Dooley. And I went, sounds interesting, and I wanted to know more about it, so I listened. And that started a weekly tradition with me every Sunday, listening to yours truly Johnny dollar and suspense, and they had a little bit of the FBI and peace and war. Then it's went into half and that that went off and Have Gun Will Travel came on, and then at 630 was Gun Smoke. So I listened to radio for a couple of hours every week, not every Sunday night, and thoroughly enjoyed it. And so that's how I really started getting interested in it. Then after radio went off the air a few stations out in California and on the LA area started playing old radio shows somebody started doing because they got the syndicated versions of the shadow and Sherlock Holmes with Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson. And I still maintain to this day that John Gielgud is the best Sherlock Holmes. No matter what people say about Basil Rathbone and I still think Sir John Gielgud was the best Sherlock Holmes. He was very, very good. Yeah, he was and so listen to those. But you know, radio offers so much. And even with, with, with what the whole lemon Abner shows today. My only problem with the lemon Abner shows today is they don't last nearly long enough. But that's another story. Donnie Pitchford  11:11 Are you talking about the comic strip adaptation? Okay, you know how long, how much art I would have to 11:21 do every week. Michael Hingson  11:25 Oh, I know, but they're, they're fun, and, you know, we, we enjoy them, but so you So you met Joe, and as you said, He's the announcer. Now, which is, which is great, but what were you doing then when you met him? What kind of work were you doing at the time? Donnie Pitchford  11:45 Well, of course, there was a gap there of about, I guess, 15 years after college, before I met him. And what ended up happening my first teaching job was an art job, a teaching art and graphic arts at a small high school in Hawkins, Texas, and that was a disaster. Wasn't a wasn't a very good year for me. And so I left that, and I had worked in the printing industry, I went back to that, and that was all during the time that the National London Abner society was being formed. And so I printed their earliest newsletters, which came out every other month. And we started having conventions in MENA, Arkansas and in the real Pine Ridge and the my fellow ossifers As we we call ourselves, and you hear these guys every week on the lemon Abner comic strip. Sam Brown, who lives in Illinois, Tim Hollis, from Alabama. Tim is now quite a published author who would might be a good guest for you one day, sure. And just two great guys. We had a third officer early on named Rex riffle, who had to leave due to various illnesses about 1991 but we started having our conventions every year, starting in 1985 we had some great guests. We brought in everybody we could find who worked with lemon Abner or who knew lemon Abner. We had their their head writer, Roswell Rogers. We had actors, I'm sure you've heard of Clarence Hartzell. He was Ben withers, of course, on the Old Vic and Sade show. He was Uncle Fletcher. We had Willard Waterman, parley Bayer, some of their announcers, Wendell Niles. And my memory is going to start failing me, because there were so many, but we had Bob's, Watson, Louise curry, who were in their first two movies. We had Kay Lineker, who was in their third movie. The list goes on and on, but we had some amazing when did Chester lock pass away? He passed away? Well, Tuffy passed away first, 1978, 78 and Chet died in 1980 sad. Neither of them, yeah, we didn't get to media. Yeah, we didn't meet either one of them. I've met Mrs. Lock I've met all of chet's children, several grandchildren. We spoke to Mrs. Goff on the phone a time or two, and also, tuffy's got toughie's daughter didn't get to meet them in person, but we met as many of the family as we could. Michael Hingson  14:32 Still quite an accomplishment all the way around. And so you you taught. You didn't have success. You felt really much at first, but then what you taught for quite a while, though, Donnie Pitchford  14:45 didn't you? Yes, I went back to the printing industry for about a year, and in the summer of 85 about two weeks before school started, I had got a call that they needed someone to teach Broadcast Journalism at. Carthage High School, and we had a department called CHS TV. I ran that for 25 years. I taught classes. We produced a weekly television program, weekly radio program. We did all kinds of broadcasts for the school district and promotional video. And then in the last I think it was the last 10 years or so that I worked there, we started an old time radio show, and we were trying to come up with a title for it, and just as a temporary placeholder, we called it the golden age of radio. Finally, we said, well, let's just use that, and I think it's been used by other people since, but, but that was the title we came up with. I think in 19 I think it was in 93 or 9495 somewhere in there. We started out. We just ran Old Time Radio, and the students, I would have them research and introduce, like, maybe 45 minutes of songs, of music, you know, from the 30s, 40s, maybe early 50s, big band and Sinatra and Judy Garland and you name it. Then, when the classes would change, we would always start some type of radio program that was pre recorded that would fill that time, so the next class could come in and get in place and and everybody participated, and they went out live over our cable television channel, and we would just run a graphic of a radio and maybe have some announcements or listing of what we were playing. And we did that for several years, usually maybe two or three times a year. And then in I think it was 2004 or so, we had an offer from a low power FM station, which was another another county over, and we started doing a Sunday night, one hour program each week. And I think we ended up doing close to 300 of those before I left. And so we got old time radio in there, one way or the other. Michael Hingson  17:03 Well, I remember. I remember, for me, I went to UC Irvine in the fall of 1968 and by the spring the last quarter of my freshman year, I had started getting some old radio shows. So started playing shows, and then in the fall, I started doing a three hour show on Sunday night called the Radio Hall of Fame, and we did radio every night. And what I didn't know until, actually, fairly recently, was our mutual friend Walden Hughes actually listened to my show on Sunday, and so did the gas means actually, but, but we had a low power station as well, but it made it up, and so people listened to it. And I've always been proud of the fact that during the fact that during the time I ran the Radio Hall of Fame, I'd heard of this show called 60 minutes with a guy named Mike Wallace, but never got to see it. And then it was only much later that I actually ended up starting to watch 60 Minutes. Course, I always loved to say I would have loved to have met, met Mike Wallace and never got to do it, but I always said he had criminal tendencies. I mean, my gosh, what do you think he was the announcer on radio for the Green Hornet, a criminal show, right? Sky King, a lot of criminals. Clearly the guy. Anyway, I would have been fun to meet him, but, Donnie Pitchford  18:31 and his name was Myron. Myron Wallach at the time. Wallach, you're right. I think that's right. Michael Hingson  18:37 But it was, it was fun and and so I've actually got some Sky King shows and green Hornets with him. So it's, it's kind of cool, but Right? You know, I still really do believe that the value of radio is it makes you imagine more. I've seen some movies that I really like for that the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers with Kevin McCarthy back in 1955 I thought was such a good movie because they didn't show the plants taking over the humans. It was all left to your imagination, which was so cool, and they changed all that in the later remake of it with Leonard Nimoy, which I didn't think was nearly as good, not nearly as suspenseful. But anyway, that's just my opinion. But radio, for me was always a and continues to be a part of what I like to do. And so I've been collecting shows and and enjoying and, of course, listening to lemon Abner, So what made you decide to finally end teaching? Donnie Pitchford  19:38 Well, you know, I could only do that so long. I was getting I was getting very tired, getting kind of burned out, and I had to have a change. There's something had to change. And I was able to take a few years early and retire, and I still the whole time I had a. That it was like a haunting feeling. I, you know, I wanted to be a cartoonist. I would pray, you know, you know, Lord, is there some way can I, can I get out of this? And can I do what I really want to do? And I had some mentors that was finally able to meet people that I would write letters to as a kid, a cartoonist and comic book editor named George Wildman was one of them. He was nice enough to answer my letters when I was a kid, and I'd send him drawings, and he would encourage me, or he would send little corrections on there, you know. And another one was a gentleman named high Eisemann, who passed away recently at age 98 on his birthday, but men like this inspired me, and that it kept at me through the years. I finally met George in 1994 at a convention of the the international Popeye fan club. And I'm I'm at high the same way, and also a writer named Nicola Cuddy, who wrote some Popeye comics. I met him the same way, same event, we all became friends, and I had a good friend named Michael Ambrose of Austin, Texas, who published a magazine devoted to the Charlton Comics company. Sadly, he's deceased now, but Mike and I were talking before I retired, and finally I got out of it. And he said, now that you're out of that job, how would you like to do some art? I said, That's what I want to do. So he gave me the opportunity to do my first published work, which was a portrait of artist George Wildman. It was on the cover of a magazine called Charlton spotlight, then I did some work for Ben Omar, who is bear Manor media publisher for some books that he was doing. One was Mel Blanc biography that Noel blank wrote, did some illustrations for that. This was all happening in 2010 and after that. So I was getting it was getting rolling, doing the kind of work I really wanted to do. And there's a gentleman named Ethan nobles in Benton, Arkansas, who wanted to interview me. I'd gotten, I don't know how he I forgot how he got in touch with me. Maybe he heard me on yesterday USA could be wanted to interview me about London Abner. And so he was starting a website called first Arkansas news. And somewhere in early 2011 we were talking, and I said, you know, you want this to be an online newspaper, right? He said, Yes. I said, What about comics? He said, I hadn't thought about that. So I said, Well, you know, you're a big Lum and Abner fan. What if we could we do a Lum and Abner comic strip? He said, Well, who would Where would I get? Who would do? And I said, Me. So I drew up some proposals, I drew some model sheets, and we did about four weeks of strips, and got approval from Chester lock Jr, and he suggested there's some things he didn't like. He said, The lum looks too sinister. He looks mean. Well, he's mad. He said he's mad at Abner. This won't happen every week. He said, Okay, I don't want LOM to be I said, Well, you know, they get mad at each other. That's part of the that's the conflict and the comedy Michael Hingson  23:30 at each other. Yeah. Donnie Pitchford  23:33 So we, we ironed it all out, and we came up with a financial agreement, and had to pay royalties and one thing and another, and we started publishing online in June 2011, and about six weeks later, the MENA newspaper, the MENA star in MENA, Arkansas, which was the birthplace of Lyman, Abner, Chet Locke and Norris Goff, they picked it up, and then we had a few other newspapers pick it up. And you know, we're not, we're not worldwide, syndicated in print, but we're getting it out there. And of course, we're always online, but and the first Arkansas news went under three or four years later, and so now we have our own website, which is Lum and Abner comics.com so that's where you can find us Michael Hingson  24:24 online. So where's Pine Ridge? Donnie Pitchford  24:28 Pine Ridge is about 18 miles from Mena, Arkansas. MENA is in western Arkansas, and Pine Ridge is about 18 miles east, I believe I'm trying to picture it in my mind, but it's it's down the road, and it actually exists. It was a little community originally named for a postmaster. It was named waters, waters, Arkansas, and in 1936 the real. At cuddleston. He was a real person who owned a store there in waters, and was friends with the locks and the golfs with their parents, as well as Chet and Tuffy. But he proposed a publicity stunt and an actual change of name to name the community Pine Ridge. So that's how that happened. Michael Hingson  25:24 Now, in the original 15 minute episodes, who is the narrator? Donnie Pitchford  25:28 Well, it depends what era their first one trying to remember. Now, Gene Hamilton was an early announcer in the Ford days, which was the early 30s. We don't have anything recorded before that. Charles Lyon was one of the early announcers, possibly for for Quaker Oats. I don't have any notes on this in front of me. I'm just going on memory here. Memory at the end of a long week. Gene Hamilton was their Ford announcer. Carlton brickert announced the Horlicks malt and milk did the commercials when they 1934 to 38 or so. Lou Crosby took over when they were sponsored by General Foods, by post them, the post them commercials, and Lou stayed with them on into the Alka Seltzer era. And his daughter, the celebrity daughter, is Kathie Lee Crosby, you may remember, right, and she and her sister Linda, Lou were a couple of our guests at the National lemon Avenue society convention in 1996 I think let's see. Crosby was Gene Baker came after Crosby, and then in the 30 minute days, was Wendell Niles. Wendell Niles, yeah, in the CBS the 30 minute series and Wendell. We also had him in Mina, super nice guy when it came, when it got into the later ones, 1953 54 I don't remember that announcer's name. That's when they got into the habit of having Dick Huddleston do the opening narration, which is why we now have Sam Brown as Dick Huddleston doing that every week. Michael Hingson  27:27 So was it actually Dick Huddleston? No, it Donnie Pitchford  27:30 was North golf, tough. He always played the part of Dick Huddleston. Okay, the only, the only time that, as far as I know, the only time the real dick Huddleston was on network radio, was at that ceremony in Little Rock Arkansas, when they changed the name of the town that the real dick Huddleston spoke at that event. And we actually, we discovered a recording of that. I was just gonna ask if there's a recording of that there is. Yeah, it's on 12 inch, 78 RPM discs. Wow. And they were probably the personal discs of lock and golf, and they weren't even labeled. And I remember spinning that thing when Sam Brown and I after we found it, it was down in Houston, and we brought them a batch of discs back, and I remember spinning that thing and hearing the theme song being played, I said, this sounds like a high school band. And suddenly we both got chills because we had heard that. I don't know if it was the Little Rock High School band or something, but it's like, Can this be? Yes, it was. It was. We thought it was long lost, but it was that ceremony. Wow. So that was a great find. Michael Hingson  28:45 Well, hopefully you'll, you'll play that sometime, or love to get a copy, but, Donnie Pitchford  28:50 yeah, we've, we have we played it on yesterday, USA. Oh, okay, so it's out there. Michael Hingson  28:57 Well, that's cool. Well, yeah, I wondered if Dick Huddleston actually ever was directly involved, but, but I can, can appreciate that. As you said, Tuffy Goff was the person who played him, which was, that's still that was pretty cool. They were very talented. Go ahead, Donnie Pitchford  29:19 I was gonna say that's basically tough. He's natural speaking voice, yeah, when you hear him as Dick Huddleston, Michael Hingson  29:24 they're very talented people. They played so many characters on the show. They did and and if you really listen, you could tell, but mostly the voices sounded enough different that they really sounded like different people all the time. Donnie Pitchford  29:41 Well, the fun thing are the episodes where, and it's carefully written, but they will, they will do an episode where there may be seven or eight people in the room and they get into an argument, or they're trying to all talk at the same time, and you completely forget that it's only two guys, because they will overlap. Those voices are just so perfectly overlapped and so different, and then you stop and you listen. So wait a minute, I'm only hearing two people at a time, but the effect is tremendous, the fact that they were able to pull that off and fool the audience. Michael Hingson  30:15 I don't know whether I'd say fool, but certainly entertained. Well, yeah, but they also did have other characters come on the show. I remember, yes, Diogenes was that was a lot of fun listening to those. Oh yeah, yeah, that was Frank Graham. Frank Graham, right, right, but, but definitely a lot of fun. So you eventually left teaching. You decided you accepted jobs, starting to do cartoons. What were some of the other or what, well, what were some of the first and early characters that you cartooned, or cartoons that you created, Donnie Pitchford  30:50 just, you mean, by myself or Well, or with people, either way, I did some things that were not published, you know, just just personal characters that I came up with it would mean nothing to anybody, but a little bit later on, I did a little bit of I did a cover for a Popeye comic book. Maybe 10 years ago, I finally got a chance to work with George Wildman, who was the fellow I talked about earlier, and it was some of the last work he did, and this was with Michael Ambrose of Argo press out of Austin, Texas. And we did some early characters that had been published by Charlton Comics. They had, they had characters, they were, they were rip offs. Let's be honest. You know Harvey had Casper the Friendly Ghost. Well, Charlton had Timmy, the timid ghost. There, there was Mighty Mouse. Well, Charlton Comics had atomic mouse, so and there was an atomic rabbit. And Warner Brothers had Porky Pig. Charlton had pudgy pig, but that was some of George's earliest work in the 1950s was drawing these characters, and George was just he was a master Bigfoot cartoonist. I mean, he was outstanding. And so Mike said, let's bring those characters back. They're public domain. We can use them. So I wrote the scripts. George did the pencil art. Well, he inked the first few, but Mike had me do hand lettering, which I don't do that much. So it was that was a challenge. And my friend high Iseman taught lettering for years and years, and so I was thinking, high is going to see this? This has to be good. So I probably re lettered it three times to get it right, but we did the very last story we did was atomic rabbit and pudgy pig was a guest star, and then George's character named brother George, who was a little monk who didn't speak, who lived, lived in a monastery, and did good deeds and all that sort of thing. He was in there, and this was the last thing we did together. And George said, you know, since I've got these other projects, he said, Do you think you can, you can ink this? So that was a great honor to actually apply the inks over George's pencil work. And I also did digital color, but those were some things I worked on, and, oh, at one point we even had Lum and Abner in the Dick Tracy Sunday comic strip, and that was because of a gentleman named Mike Curtis, who was the writer who lived in Arkansas, was very familiar with Lum and Abner, and he got in touch with me and asked, this was in 2014 said, Would it be possible for me to use Lum and Abner in a Sunday cameo? So I contacted the locks. First thing they first thing Chet said was how much I said, I don't think they're going to pay us. I felt like, Cedric, we hunt, no mom, you know. And I felt like he was squire skimp at the time, yeah, but I said, it's just going to be really good publicity. So he finally went for it, and Lum and Abner had a cameo in a Sunday Dick Tracy comic strip, and about four years later, they honored me. This was Mike Curtis, the writer, and Joe Staton, the artist, who was another guy that I grew up reading from as a teenager, just a tremendous artist, asked if they could base a character on me. And I thought, what kind of murderer is he going to be? You know, it was going to be idiot face or what's his name, you know. So no, he was going to be a cartoonist, and the name was Peter pitchblende. Off, and he was, he said his job was to illustrate a comic strip about a pair of old comedians. So, I mean, who couldn't be honored by that? Yeah, so I don't remember how long that story lasted, but it was an honor. I mean, it was just great fun. And then then I had a chance to write two weeks of Dick Tracy, which was fun. I wrote the scripts for it and and then there's some other things. I was able to work with John rose, a tremendously nice guy who is the current artist on Barney Google and Snuffy Smith. We did a story, a comic book story, on Barney Google on Snuffy Smith in a magazine called Charleton spotlight, and I did the colors, digital coloring for that. So just these are just great honors to me to get to work with people like that. And Nick Cuddy, I did some inking, lettering coloring on some of his work. So just great experience, and Michael Hingson  36:02 great people, going back to atomic rabbit and pudgy pig, no one ever got in trouble with, from Warner Brothers with that, huh? Donnie Pitchford  36:09 Well, not, not on atomic rabbit, however, pudgy pig created a problem because George was doing some art, and I think somebody from Warner Brothers said he looks too much like Porky, so the editor at the time said, make one of his ears hang down, make him look a little different. But pudgy didn't last long. Pudgy was only around maybe two or three issues of the comic book, so, but yeah, that's George. Said they did have some trouble with that. Michael Hingson  36:44 Oh, people, what do you do? Yeah, well, I know you sent us a bunch of photos, and we have some of the Dick Tracy ones and others that people can go see. But what? What finally got you all to start the whole lemon Abner society. Donnie Pitchford  37:07 Oh, well, that goes back to 1983 right, and I'll go back even farther than that. I told you that my dad had mentioned lemon Abner to me as a kid. Dr Joe Oliver played a 15 minute lemon Abner show on KSA you at Stephen F Austin State University. That got me. I was already into old time radio, but it was the next summer 1981 there's a radio station, an am station in Gilmer, Texas Christian radio station that started running Lum and Abner every day. First it was 530 in the evening, and then I think they switched it to 1215 or so. And I started listening, started setting up my recorder, recording it every day. And a friend of mine named David Miller, who was also a radio show collector, lived in the Dallas area, I would send them to him, and at first he wasn't impressed, but then suddenly he got hooked. And when he got hooked, he got enthusiastic. He started making phone calls. He called Mrs. Lock chet's widow and talked to her. He spoke to a fellow who had written a number of articles, George Lily, who was an early proponent or an early promoter of lemon Abner, as far as reruns in the 1960s and it was through George Lilly that I was put in touch with Sam Brown in Dongola, Illinois, and because he had contacted Mr. Lilly as well. And before long, we were talking, heard about this guy named Tim Hollis. Sam and I met in Pine Ridge for lemon Abner day in 1982 for the first time, and hit it off like long lost friends and became very good friends. And then in 84 I believe it was Sam and Tim and Rex riffle met again, or met for the first time together, I guess in Pine Ridge. And I wasn't there that time. But somehow, in all of that confusion, it was proposed to start the national lemon Abner society, and we started publishing the Jot them down journal in the summer of 1984 Michael Hingson  39:43 and for those who don't know the Jotham down journal, because the store that lemon Abner ran was the Jotham down store anyway, right? Donnie Pitchford  39:50 Go ahead, yes. And that was Tim's title. Tim created the title The Jotham down journal, and we started publishing and started seeking information. And it started as just a simple photocopy on paper publication. It became a very slick publication. In 1990 or 91 Sam started recording cassettes, reading the journals, because we were hearing from Blind fans that said, you know, I enjoy the journal. I have to have somebody read it to me. This is before screen readers. And of course, you know this technology better than I do, but before any type of technology was available, and Sam said, Well, I'll tell you. I'll just start reading it on tape and I'll make copies. Just started very simply, and from then on, until the last issue in in 2007 Sam would record a cassette every other month, or when we went quarterly, four times a year, and he would mail those to the the blind members, who would listen to those. And sometimes they would keep them, and sometimes they would return them for Sam to recycle. But incidentally, those are all online now, Michael Hingson  41:03 yeah, I've actually looked at a few of those. Those are kind of fun. So the London Avenue society got formed, and then you started having conventions. Donnie Pitchford  41:14 Yes, yes. First convention was in 1985 and we did a lot of things with we would do recreations. We would do a lot of new scripts, where, if we had someone that we got to the point where we would have people that hadn't worked with lemon Abner. So we would have lemon Abner meet the great Gildersleeve. Actually, Willard had worked on the lumen Abner half hour show at some point. I believe les Tremain had never worked directly with them, but he was well, he was in some Horlicks malted milk commercials in the 1930s and of course, the Lone Ranger was never on the London Abner show and vice versa, until we got hold of it. So we had Fred Foy in 1999 and he agreed to be the announcer, narrator and play the part of the Lone Ranger. So we did Lum and Abner meet the Lone Ranger, which was a lot of fun. We had parley bear, so Lum and Abner met Chester of Gun Smoke. And those were just a lot of fun to do. And Tim, Tim would write some of them, I would write some of them, or we would collaborate back and forth to come up with these scripts. Did love and amner, ever meet Superman? No, we never got to that. That would have been great. Yeah, if we could have come up with somebody who had played Superman, that would have been a lot of fun. We had lemon Abner meet Kathie Lee Crosby as herself. Yeah, they met Frank brazzi One time. That must be fun. It was a lot of fun. We had some people would recreate the characters. We had the lady who had played Abner's daughter, Mary Lee Rob replay. She played that character again, 50 years later, coming back home to see, you know, to see family. Several other things, we had London Abner meet Gumby one time. Of all things, we had Dow McKinnon as a guest. And we had Kay Lineker come back and reprise one of her roles, the role she played in the London Abner movie. Bob's Watson did that as well. Some years we didn't have a script, which I regret, but we had other things going on. We had anniversaries of London Abner movies that we would play. So whatever we did, we tailored it around our guest stars, like Dick Beals, Sam Edwards, Roby Lester, gee whiz. I know I'm leaving people out. Michael Hingson  43:52 Well, that's okay, but, but certainly a lot of fun. What? Yes, what? Cartoonist really influenced you as a child? Donnie Pitchford  44:01 Oh, wow. I would say the first thing I saw that got my attention was the Flintstones on on prime time television, you know, the Hanna Barbera prime time things certainly Walt Disney, the animation that they would run, that he would show, and the behind the scenes, things that would be on the Disney show, things like almost almost anything animated as a kid, got my attention. But Walter Lance, you know, on the Woody Woodpecker show used to have, he'd have little features about how animation was done, and that that inspired me, that that just thrilled me. And I read Fred lachel's Snuffy Smith Chester Gould's Dick Tracy. Tracy, which that was a that's why the Dick Tracy connection, later was such a big deal for me. Almost anything in the Sunday comics that was big. Foot. In other words, the cartoony, exaggerated characters are called, sometimes called Bigfoot, Bigfoot cartooning, or Bigfoot characters. Those were always the things I looked for, Bugs Bunny, any of the people that worked on those some were anonymous. And years later, I started learning the names of who drew Popeye, you know, like LZ seagar, the originator, or bud sagendorf or George Wildman, and later high eysman. But people like that were my heroes. Later on, I was interested in I would read the Batman comics, or I would see Tarzan in the newspaper. I admired the work of Russ Manning. Michael Hingson  45:49 Do you know the name Tom Hatton? Yes, I do. Yeah. Yes. Tom did Popeye shows on KTLA Channel Five when I was growing up, and he was famous for, as he described it, squiggles. He would make a squiggle and he would turn it into something. And he was right on TV, which was so much fun. Donnie Pitchford  46:09 We had a guy in Memphis who did the same thing. His name was, he's known as Captain Bill, C, A, P, you know, Captain Bill. And he did very much the same thing. He'd have a child come up, I think some, in some cases, they're called drools. Is one word for them. There was a yeah, in Tim hollis's area, there was cousin Cliff Holman who did that. And would he might have a kid draw a squiggle, and then he would create something from it right there on the spot, a very similar type of thing, or a letter of the alphabet, or your initials, that sort Michael Hingson  46:43 of thing. Yeah. Tom did that for years. It was fun. Of course, I couldn't see them, but he talked enough that I knew what was going on. It's kind of fun. My brother loved them, yeah? So later on, when you got to be a teenager and beyond what cartoonist maybe influenced you more? Donnie Pitchford  47:03 Well, I would have to say George, probably because I was corresponding with him, right? Also, I would see the work of Carl Barks, who created Uncle Scrooge McDuck and the Donald Duck comics and all that. His stuff was all in reprint at that time, he was still living, but I didn't know he could be contacted. I didn't try to write to it, right? Years later, years later, I did get an autograph, which was, was very nice. But those people, a lot of people, Neil Adams, who did Batman, the guys at Charlton Comics, Steve Ditko, who was the CO creator of spider man, but he had a disagreement with Stan Lee, and went back to Charlton Comics and just turned out 1000s of pages, but his work was was inspirational. Another was Joe Staton, who was working at Charleton comics, who I got to work with on several projects later on, and I would say just all of those guys that I was reading at the time. Pat Boyette was another Charlton artist. I tend to gravitate toward the Charlton company because their artists weren't contained in a house style. They were allowed to do their own style. They didn't pay as much. But a lot of them were either older guys that said, I'm tired of this, of the DC Marvel system. I want to just, you know, have creative freedom. Charlton said, come on. And so they would work there and less stress, less money, probably one guy named Don Newton started there and became a legend in the industry at other companies. So I found all of those guys inspiring, and I felt I could learn from all of them. Michael Hingson  48:59 Well, you always wanted to be a cartoonist. Did you have any other real career goals, like, was teaching a goal that you wanted to do, or was it just cartooning it? Donnie Pitchford  49:07 Well, it was just a secondary, you know, as I said, when I started, I thought, I'll just do that for a few years. You know, I didn't know it was going to be like 27 but I we had a lot of success. We had, I had some student groups that would enter video competitions. And for 20 straight years, we placed either first, second or third in state competition with one Summit, one entry, another or another every year. And that was notable. I mean, I give the kids the credit for that. But then about five or six of those years, we had what we call state championship wins, you know, we were like the number one project in the state of Texas. So, you know, we had some great success, I think, in that so a lot of years there, I really, you know, that was a blessing to me. Was that career, you. Well, it just, it just got to be too much time for change. After a while, Michael Hingson  50:05 was art just a talent that you had, and cartoon drawing a talent you had, or, I don't remember how much you said about did you have any real special training as such? Donnie Pitchford  50:14 Well, all of my training was, I just couldn't afford to go to a specialized school. You know, at one time, the Joe Kubert School opened just about the time I graduated high school, it was in New Jersey. I just couldn't make that happen, so I went to state colleges and universities and did the best I could. I took commercial art classes, drawing classes, design classes, even ceramics, which came in very handy when I did some sculpting here in the last eight or nine years and worked as an assistant to a sculptor named Bob harness who lives here in Carthage, but I never had any actual comic strip slash comic book training, so I learned as much of that as I could from guys like George wild. And then after I started the lemon Avenue comic strip, an artist named Joe, named Jim Amish, who worked for Marvel, did a lot of work for the Archie Comics. And tremendous anchor is his. He's really a tremendous anchor, and does a lot of ink work over other artists pencils. Jim would call and say, he said, I want to give you some advice. I'm like, okay, at 3am he's still giving me advice. So I'd go around for two or three days feeling like a failure, but then I would, I would think about all the lessons, you know, that he had told me. And so I learned a lot from Jim and tremendous, tremendous guy. And I would listen to what high, sometimes high would call up and say, Why did you use that purple beg your pardon. So it was fun. I mean, those fellows would share with me, and I learned a great deal from those guys. Michael Hingson  52:11 Are you in any way passing that knowledge on to others today? Donnie Pitchford  52:16 I don't know that I am. I've had an offer or two to do some teaching. I just don't know if I'm if I'm going to get back into that or not. Yeah, I'm so at this point, focused on, quote, unquote, being a cartoonist and trying to make that, that age five dream, a reality, that I'm not sure I'm ready to do that again. And you know, I'm not, I'm not 21 anymore. Michael Hingson  52:45 I didn't know whether you were giving advice to people and just sort of informally doing it, as opposed to doing formal teaching. Donnie Pitchford  52:51 Well, informally, yes, I mean, if anybody asks, you know, I'll be glad to share whatever I can. But yeah, I'm not teaching any classes at this point. Michael Hingson  53:01 Well, you have certainly taken lemon Abner to interesting places in New Heights. One, one thing that attracted me and we talked about it before, was in 2019, lemon Abner in Oz. That was fun. Donnie Pitchford  53:17 Well, the credit for that goes to Tim Hollis. Tim wrote that as a short story years ago when he was first interested in lemon Abner. And I don't know if he ever had that published through the International oz society or not. I don't remember, but Tim later turned that into a radio script when we had a batch of guests. This was in 2001 we had, let's see Sam Edwards, Dick Beals, Roby Lester and Rhoda Williams. And each of them had done something related to Oz, either the children's records or storybook records or animation or something. They were involved somewhere in some type of Oz adaptation. So Tim turned his short story into a radio script that we performed there at the convention. So that was a lot of fun. And then he suggested, Why don't I turn that into a comic strip story? So that's what we did. But that was fun, yeah, and we used the recordings of those people because they had given us permission, you know, to use a recording however we saw fit. The only problem is we had a mistake. The fellow that was running the sound had a dead mic and didn't know it. Oh, gosh. So some of them are bit Off mic in that audio, but we did the best. I did the best I could Michael Hingson  54:40 with it's it sounded good. I certainly have no complaints. 54:45 Thank you for that. Michael Hingson  54:47 I I said no complaints at all. I think it was really fun and very creative. And it's kind of really neat to see so much creativity in terms of all the stuff that that you do. As a cartoonist, me having never seen cartoons, but I learned intellectually to appreciate the talent that goes into it. And of course, you guys do put the scripts together every week, which is a lot of fun to be able to listen to them well. Donnie Pitchford  55:17 And that's what that was, the audience I hoped that we would would tap into right there and it, it was guys like you that would would talk to me and say, What am I going to do? You know, I can't see it. So that's why the audio idea came about. And it's taken on a life of its own, really. And we've got Mark Ridgway, who has created a lot of musical cues for us that we use and Michael Hingson  55:45 who plays the organ? Donnie Pitchford  55:47 That's Mark Ridgway. It is Mark, okay, yes, yes. And it's actually digital, I'm sure. I think it's a digital keyboard, Michael Hingson  55:55 yeah, but it is. It's a, it's a really good sounding one, though. Donnie Pitchford  55:59 Yes, yes. There are a few cues that I did, which probably are the ones that don't sound so good, like if we ever need really bad music. If you remember the story we did, and I don't remember the name of it, what do we call it anyway? Lum tries to start a soap opera. Think this was about a year ago. Yeah, and Cedric is going to play, I don't remember it was an organ or a piano, and I don't remember what he played, but whatever it was, I think was Mary Had Michael Hingson  56:32 a Little Lamb, Mary's, Mary Had a Little Lamb on the piano. Sort of kind played. Donnie Pitchford  56:35 It was played very badly, well that, yes, it was on purpose. When mom plays lum tries to play the saxophone. That was me, and I hadn't played this. I used to play the sax. In fact, I played in a swing orchestra here in Carthage, Texas for about five years back in from the early 90s. And so I had this idea, and I hadn't played the horn probably since, probably in 20 years, and his. So I got it out, and I thought, you know, it's gonna sound terrible because it needs maintenance, but it doesn't matter. It's lump playing it, so I got to play really badly. Michael Hingson  57:14 It was perfect. It was perfect, Donnie Pitchford  57:16 yeah, because it had to sound bad. Michael Hingson  57:19 How do y'all create all these different plots. I remember so many, like the buzzard, you know, and, oh yeah, that was fun. And so many. How do you come up with those? Donnie Pitchford  57:28 Well, I used to get some really good ideas while mowing the yard. Don't ask me, why? Or I get ideas. I get ideas in the weirdest thing, weirdest places. Sometimes I have ideas in the shower. You know, I said, I better write this down. Sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night with an idea, but there the ideas just come to me. Yeah? The buzzard was fun. I'd had that one. Pretty creative. Yeah, the one about, the one about, let me see. Oh, there was one we did, where wasn't the buzzard? What was that other one? I called the Whisper? Yeah, there was a strange voice that was coming lum thought it was coming from his radio. And he turns his radio off, and He still hears it, and it was a villain who had somehow hypnotized everyone so that they wouldn't see him and he would use his voice only. And then there's a character I came up with, and let me see Larry Gasman played it, and I called him Larry John Walden, and he was the only guy he was blind. He was the only guy that wasn't hypnotized because he couldn't see the you know, I use the old thing about the watch in front of the eyes. I mean, he was the only guy that wasn't hypnotized, so he wasn't fooled by the whisper, and he could track him, because his hearing was so acute that he was able to find him. In fact, I think he could hear his watch ticking or something like that. So he was the hero of that piece. But, well, I just, I just think up ideas and write them down. Tim Hollis has written some of the scripts, maybe three or four for me, I've adapted some scripts that London Abner did that were never broadcast or that were never recorded. Rather, I've adapted a few, written several, and I keep saying, Well, when I completely run out of ideas, I'll just have to quit. Michael Hingson  59:32 Well, hopefully that never happens. What? What are your future plans? Donnie Pitchford  59:38 Well, right now, there's nothing major in the works other than just maintaining the strip, trying to continue it, trying to make it entertaining, and hopefully doing a little work on the website and getting it into the hands of more people. And I'd like to increase. Least newspaper coverage, if at all possible. And because this thing doesn't, you know, it's got to pay for itself somehow. So you know, I'm not getting rich by any means. But you know, I want to keep it fun. I want to keep having fun with it. Hopefully people will enjoy it. Hopefully we can reach younger readers, listeners, and hopefully lemon Abner can appeal to even younger audiences yet, so that we can keep those characters going. Michael Hingson  1:00:29 Yeah, there's so much entertainment there. I hope that happens now in the the life of Donnie Pitchford. Is there a wife and kids? Donnie Pitchford  1:00:40 Yes, there's a wife of almost 40 years. We unfortunately don't have any children. We've almost feel like we adopted several children all the years we were teaching. We we've adopted several cats along the way. And so, you know, we've had cats as pets for almost ever, since we were married. But that's she's, she's great, you know, she's, she's been my best friend and supporter all these years. And we were members of first Methodist Church here in Carthage, Texas, and doing some volunteer work there, and helping to teach Sunday school, and very involved and active in that church. Michael Hingson  1:01:19 So I have a cat, and I hear her outside, not outside the house, but outside the the office here, she wants me to go feed her, and we, we shaved her yesterday because her hair gets long and Matt's very easily. So she got shaved yesterday. So she's probably seeking a little vengeance from that too, but, but my wife and I were married 40 years. She passed away in November of 2022 so it's me and stitch the cat and Alamo the dog, and Karen is monitoring us somewhere. And as I tell everyone, I've got to continue to be a good kid, because if I'm not, I'm going to hear about it. So I got to be good. But it's a lot of fun. Well, I want to thank you for being with us today. This has been a lot of fun. I've learned a lot, but it's just been great to have another podcast talking about old radio shows. And you said again, if people want to reach out, they can go to lemon Abner comics.com if people want to talk to you about doing any kind of cartooning or anything like that. What's the best way they can do that? Donnie Pitchford  1:02:24 Well, they can go to the London Abner dot lumen, Abner comics.com website, and there's a contact a link right there at the top of the page. So yeah, they can contact me through that. Probably that's the easiest way to do it. Michael Hingson  1:02:37 Okay, well, I want to thank you again for being here, and I want to thank all y'all out there. That's how they talk in Texas, right? It's all y'all for everybody. Donnie Pitchford  1:02:46 Well, some of them do, and some of them in Arkansas do too. Well, yeah. Michael Hingson  1:02:49 And then there's some who don't, yeah, y'all means everything, and it Speaker 1  1:02:54 don't, yeah, I don't think squire skimp says it that way. Michael Hingson  1:02:58 Well, Squire, you know, whatever it takes. But I want to thank you all for being here, and please give us a five star rating wherever you're listening or watching the podcast. Donnie would appreciate it. I would appreciate it, and also give us a review. We'd love to get your reviews, so please do that. If you can think of anyone else who ought to be a guest, and I think Donnie has already suggested a few. So Donnie as well, anyone else who ought to come on the podcast, we'd love it. Appreciate you introducing us, and you know, we'll go from there. And I know at some point in the future, the Michael hingson Group Inc is going to be a sponsor, because we've started that process for lemon. Abner, yes, thank you. Thank you. So I want to, I want to thank love and Squire for that 1:03:45 years. Well, it's been my pleasure. Michael Hingson  1:03:50 Well, thank you all and again, really, seriously, Donnie, I really appreciate you being here. This has been a lot of fun. So thank you for coming. Donnie Pitchford  1:03:58 Thank you. It's been a great honor. I've appreciated it very much. Michael Hingson  1:04:06 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

David Armstrong interviewed Platinum and Golden Age great, Martin Filchock in 2000 on set at his home in Rogersville, Tennessee about his entry into comic books in the 1930s with Tidbits Magazine, his blue collar background working the railroad, meeting Bill Cook at Comics Magazine Company,  working on Mighty Man and other comics at Centaur, his life in the Civilian Conservation Corps and how it reflected in his C.C. Kid strip, working next to Bill Everett, Jack Cole, Lloyd Jacquet, leaving Centaur, and his ability to get work as a cartoonist to get away from the manual labor that most his family settled with. Interview conducted, recorded and copyrighted to David Armstrong. Remastered, edited, timestamped and postproduction by Alex Grand.Support the show

This week, we welcome the brilliant Dylan Meconis, creator of Queen of the Sea and Bite Me. Here's what we cover: How most colorists actually break in (hint: it's not by “murdering another colorist in single combat” — though that was discussed) What “flatting” is — and why it's often your first step into paid coloring work Why networking is really just “being friends with cartoonists” Portfolio strategy: Why saying “I do everything” is less effective than saying “I do this brilliantly” Analog coloring techniques — watercolor paper, oil-based pencils, and why certain materials go extinct at the worst possible moment The realities of scanning physical art (and why scanners are basically cameras on an arm) How to handle black plates, rich black, and avoiding fuzzy type in print If you've ever wondered whether coloring could be an income stream for you — or how to level up your current process — this episode is a masterclass. Products and Programs mentioned on the show Note: Some of the links are affiliate links WildCraft Studio is in Portland, Oregon.  PITT monochrome oil pencils by Faber-Castell Watercolor paints, Daniel Smith brand Watercolor paper (cold press) by Arches White watercolor paper, Dick Blick house brand Epson scanner, Perfection series Epson scanner, Workforce series Colored pencils, Caran d'Ache Summary In this engaging conversation, the hosts welcome cartoonist Dylan Meconis to explore various topics including coloring techniques, the integration of digital and traditional media, and the importance of choosing the right materials for comic creation. Dylan shares insights into her unique artistic process, the challenges of color printing, and the significance of lettering in comics. The discussion also highlights the value of collaboration and the joy of discovering new art supplies. Takeaways Dylan Meconis emphasizes the importance of using various mediums in art. The process of creating 'Queen of the Sea' involved unique coloring techniques. Dylan's artistic process includes both traditional and digital methods. Choosing the right materials can significantly impact the final artwork. Scanners play a crucial role in capturing traditional art for digital use. Lettering is an essential aspect of comic creation that requires careful consideration. Collaboration with other artists can enhance the creative process. Experimenting with different art supplies can lead to unexpected discoveries. Understanding color printing challenges is vital for comic artists. Dylan's approach to art is influenced by her background and experiences.     You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Staffelrückblick: In seiner Podcastreihe „Mit Essen spielt man nicht.“ hat Oberbürgermeister Thomas Kufen viele Gespräche mit Essenerinnen und Essenern geführt, die etwas Besonderes machen. Ob Schwimm-Ass bei Olympia, Verantwortliche für den Strom aus der Steckdose, Erfinder einer Essener Meme-Seite, Künstler mit großem Herz und bunten Ideen, Cartoonist mit schwarzem Humor, ehrenamtliche Unterstützerin für Jung und Alt oder Entdecker der ersten Currywurst im Ruhrgebiet und viele mehr. Im Staffelrückblick gibt es ein kurzes Best-of aus diesen Gesprächen zu hören. Im März startet die 3. Staffel, dann gibt es mehr spannende Unterhaltungen – demnächst in Bild und Ton.

In this episode of Why Am I, I sit down with Dee Parson, also known as Supr Dee; a syndicated newspaper cartoonist and the creator of Rosebuds.We explore his experience growing up as the only Black family in a sundown town, losing his father at a young age, and learning to read through Garfield. Art became both refuge and identity, and over time, it became purpose.Dee shares how he went from drawing comics in school to becoming one of the youngest syndicated cartoonists in the country. We get into legacy strips, the shrinking newspaper industry, internet culture, emotional boundaries, and why simple kindness might be the most radical move left.

A listener writes in after a breakup, worried they've lost their creative spark for good. Brad and Dave unpack the emotional toll of heartbreak, why creative paralysis is normal, and how time, grief, and self-reflection can ultimately deepen your storytelling. Also: Dave is quitting Amazon Advantage, and he shares why he made that startling decision.Today's ShowComics Will Break Your Heart (and so will dating)Dave Kellett's "Double Dog Dare" bookAmazon AdvantageImposter Syndrome and mental healthTakeawaysIt's normal to feel creatively blocked after a heartbreak.Finding joy in solitude can help with creativity.Time is essential for healing after a breakup.Navigating international shipping can be complex and frustrating.Mental health is crucial for creative individuals.Imposter syndrome can hinder the creative process.Seeking professional help is important for mental health issues.Weather can significantly affect mood and creativity.Sharing experiences can help others feel less alone.Listener feedback can provide valuable insights for improvement. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Two-time Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, joins DMZ America co-hosts and colleagues Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) to discuss cartoons, journalism and the news of the week:Economic challenges like inflation, affordability, jobs, and the deficit remain the dominant public concern, contributing to Trump's approval rating dipping to around 36% as Americans feel his policies have failed to deliver relief. Immigration continues as a flashpoint, with aggressive enforcement, mass deportations, and reduced illegal crossings achieving some goals but drawing criticism over humanitarian issues, overreach, and mixed support amid ongoing DHS funding battles and the partial government shutdown. As the 2026 midterms approach, Republicans defend narrow majorities amid deepening polarization, with key battles over government funding, foreign policy isolationism straining alliances, voter integrity legislation like the SAVE Act.Support the showThe DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis. Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrallWeb: Rall.com

Joseph Karg is an animation professional and an Associate Professor of Illustration at Kennesaw State University. Like many other creatives, Karg had become frustrated with the general state of the world we’re living in so he decided to take his talent and do something with it. He created I Feel Doomed (currently funding on Kickstarter), […]

Two-time Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, joins DMZ America co-hosts and colleagues Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) to discuss cartoons, journalism and the news of the week:Economic challenges like inflation, affordability, jobs, and the deficit remain the dominant public concern, contributing to Trump's approval rating dipping to around 36% as Americans feel his policies have failed to deliver relief. Immigration continues as a flashpoint, with aggressive enforcement, mass deportations, and reduced illegal crossings achieving some goals but drawing criticism over humanitarian issues, overreach, and mixed support amid ongoing DHS funding battles and the partial government shutdown. As the 2026 midterms approach, Republicans defend narrow majorities amid deepening polarization, with key battles over government funding, foreign policy isolationism straining alliances, voter integrity legislation like the SAVE Act.Support the showThe DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis. Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrallWeb: Rall.com

Conservative syndicated editorial cartoonist and comic strip creator Steve Kelley, formerly of the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, joins DMZ America co-hosts and colleagues Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) to break down the current state of the Trump Administration in its second year.A partial government shutdown looms, Trump's approval ratings on immigration--a good issue for the president usually--are tanking and the nation increasingly looks and feels a lot like the chaotic late 1960s. MAGA world appears to be coming apart at the seams, yet Democrats seem unable to seize the moment. What IS the real State of the Nation?Support the showThe DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis. Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrallWeb: Rall.com

Conservative syndicated editorial cartoonist and comic strip creator Steve Kelley, formerly of the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, joins DMZ America co-hosts and colleagues Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) to break down the current state of the Trump Administration in its second year.A partial government shutdown looms, Trump's approval ratings on immigration--a good issue for the president usually--are tanking and the nation increasingly looks and feels a lot like the chaotic late 1960s. MAGA world appears to be coming apart at the seams, yet Democrats seem unable to seize the moment. What IS the real State of the Nation?Support the showThe DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis. Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrallWeb: Rall.com

The Mel Brooks documentary, "The 99-Year-Old Man!" holds a lot of wisdom for cartoonists. Speaking of wisdom, it doesn't take much to avoid these common Kickstarter scams.Today's ShowWhat can cartoonists learn from Mel Brooks?KickstarterSummaryIn this episode of ComicLab, cartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett discuss the challenges and joys of creativity, drawing inspiration from Mel Brooks' documentary. They explore themes of fear, kindness, and the importance of perseverance in artistic careers. The conversation also touches on the realities of navigating Kickstarter campaigns, including the rise of scams targeting creators. Throughout, the hosts emphasize the power of laughter and the need for support in the creative community.TakeawaysFear is a recurring theme in creativity.The fear of not trying is greater than the fear of failure.Kindness can have a profound impact on artists.Perseverance doesn't mean sticking to what's not working.You can reinvent yourself as an artist at any stage.Kickstarter scams are on the rise; be cautious.Laughter is a powerful tool for change.Support from friends is crucial in creative journeys.It's important to recognize the struggles behind success.Creativity often requires stepping out of comfort zones.   You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

It’s time for more Damn Dirty Apes! This week Part-Time Fanboy continues to take a deep dive into the short lived Planet of the Apes TV show from 1974. Kristian once again sits down with Joe Slepski (of the Joe on Joe Podcast) and PTF regular Yvis Cannavale to chat about the next group of […]

As you all know, I think these Greatest Hits shows are SOOOO good and a bit controversial and goodness, ha, the sex. With my 13 guests, we discuss Ruth Bader Gins, inner earth channeling, alopecia (hair loss) what it means spiritually, the raw meat diet, high meats, cell phones/teens, retaining seed, tantra, Breatharianism, NPCs/clones, what is going on with the children, spiritual teachings in flux, Atlantis & sacred geometry.Order of guests for #11:EP 189 Marisa Acocella ~ Awake Woman, Cartoonist & Best-Selling Author EP 201 Pia & Cullen~PhDs/Voices of Light EP 190 Chandler Hollis~Awake Alopecia JourneyEP 192 Weston Rowe~Raw Meat EaterEP 194 Carrie Daily~High School Teacher/Truth of Teens & PhonesEP 195 Master Nick Eagle~Gigolo to GuruEP 199 Joe Bains~Biohacker Health Coach EP 197 Jenny Lee~Seer EP 198 Alisha Kapani~Mindbody MentorEP 188 Kevin Hauser & Andy Schectman Precious Metal Experts of Integrity w/Miles FranklinEP 200 Pia & Cullen~Agents to the Stars/PhDsEP 202 Tim Kelly~Hidden Truth Expert"Just Be Practice" with EP 193 Kara Goodwin~Spiritual Guide*Host Eden Koz is a soul realignment specialist utilizing psychological empathy, intuition, psychic ability, mediumship, meditation, mindset shift, Reiki, dimensional and galactic healing, to name a few. She also performs spiritual Co#id Vac+ Healing as well as remote & face-to-face sessions with individuals and groups. **Additionally, in spreading the word... If you are questioning your Gold IRA because of potential scams (see EP188) or want to invest in a precious metals company with integrity...email: info@milesfranklin.com and put "Eden" in the subject line (they know me personally, so the best of attention and heart will come your way.)Miles Franklin website: https://milesfranklin.com Contact info for Eden Koz / Just Be®, LLC:Website: EdenJustBe.com Socials: TikTok, FB, FB (Just Be), X, Insta, LinkedInJust Be~Spiritual BOOM Podcast - Video Directories: BitChute, Rumble, ...

Steve Breen, Director of School Communications at Cathedral Catholic High School, discusses his transition from being a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist at The San Diego Union Tribune to the Director of School Communications at Cathedral Catholic High School. Breen chats about his role in leading the school's branding, social media and website initiatives.  Breen also touches on the plusses and minuses of using AI in cartooning and communications. Breen also discusses his authoring of children's books.About Spotlight and Cloudcast Media  "Spotlight On The Community" is the longest running community podcast in the country, continuously hosted by Drew Schlosberg for 20 years.  "Spotlight" is part of Cloudcast Media's line-up of powerful local podcasts, telling the stories, highlighting the people, and celebrating the gravitational power of local.   For more information on Cloudcast and its shows and cities served, please visit www.cloudcastmedia.us. Cloudcast Media | the national leader in local podcasting.   About Mission Fed Credit Union  A community champion for over 60 years, Mission Fed Credit Union with over $6 billion in member assets, is the Sponsor of Spotlight On The Community, helping to curate connectivity, collaboration, and catalytic conversations.  For more information on the many services for San Diego residents, be sure to visit them at https://www.missionfed.com/

Jeremy Whitley is a writer who’s probably known more in comic book circles as a creator of stories for the younger set. With comics like Princeless, The Dog Knight, and Navigating With You, Jeremy has built a reputation for crafting stories with strong emotional cores and relatable characters for the YA crowd. With his latest […]

It's always time well spent with our oldest sports newspaper pal and lifer cartoonist Mike Ricigliano, who resumed his Ko-host role at Koco's Pub for "A Cup of Soup Or Bowl" talking about the Orioles and Ravens fortunes this year. But, more importantly, Ricig told Nestor the story about his wife's family heading to Kenya to help families and children in need in Africa via Future In Our Hands charity mission. The post Sports cartoonist Ricig joins Nestor with offseason realities for Baltimore Orioles and Ravens fans to reset first appeared on Baltimore Positive WNST.

Cartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett dig into the many ways we react to humor — from full-on belly laughs to the silent internal “that was good” response. After that the way, they tackle some big (and surprisingly relatable) topics:Are they actually going to use Patreon Quips?Dave's Bad 2025 — what went wrong, what he learned, and why it mattersWhy you never stop building an audience, even when things feel “established”And yes… being scared of Reddit comments is universal!SummaryIn this episode of Comic Lab, hosts Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar dive into the nature of humor in comics, prompted by a listener's question about whether funny comics truly elicit laughter or if they are simply enjoyable. Brad and Dave explore the subjective nature of humor, sharing their own experiences with laughter and recognition of craft in comedy. Next, they delve into the ongoing journey of building and maintaining an audience in the ever-evolving landscape of comics. They emphasize that there is no such thing as a 'built audience.' Audience engagement is a continuous process that requires constant effort and adaptation. Drawing on the metaphor of the Ship of Theseus, they discuss how creators must regularly replace and update their strategies to keep their audience engaged, acknowledging that audience members may leave for various reasons, including life changes or simply forgetting about the content.The conversation also touches on the emotional toll of negative feedback, particularly on platforms like Reddit, where creators often face harsh criticism. Brad and Dave share personal anecdotes about dealing with trolls and the importance of focusing on the positive aspects of audience engagement. They conclude by reinforcing the idea that the creative journey is ongoing, and that every creator must continually learn and adapt to thrive in the industry.Takeaways"Not every year is going to be gangbusters."There's no such thing as a built audience; you're always in building mode.Audience engagement is like the Ship of Theseus; it's constantly changing.You should aim to gain 2-6% new audience every month to replace those who leave.Negative comments often come from unhappy individuals; don't take them personally.Every creator must continually learn and adapt to thrive in the industry. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

An online publisher has become the center of some genuinely alarming stories. Brad and Dave break down five hard lessons comic creators can learn when a publisher shows signs of instability, mismanagement, or collapse.Today's ShowFive Lessons from a Publisher in CrisisSubmitting your work for awardsSummaryCartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett explore the importance of owning and controlling one's career in the comic industry. They discuss the need for business acumen among cartoonists and the risks of signing contracts. The conversation emphasizes the value of learning from mistakes in self-publishing, the power of transparency among creators, and the benefits of submitting work for awards. Ultimately, they stress that the goal is not independence at all costs, but informed consent in business relationships.TakeawaysThere is a percentage of humans who can close their nostrils underwater.Cartoonists must be prepared to be business people.Your best defense is often not signing a contract.Mistakes in self-publishing are manageable and teach valuable lessons.Transparency among creators is crucial for success.Experience changes the power dynamic in negotiations.Submitting for awards can provide valuable insights into your work.Reviewing your work helps improve your editorial and aesthetic eye.Self-publishing allows for greater control over your career.Imposter syndrome should not prevent you from submitting your work.  You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

The Secret S.T.E.A.M Society is a series of educational graphic novels for kids and teenagers. Each volume of Secret S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Society focuses on a different subject, taking a deep dive into different topics such as music and spaceflight. The debut edition, being published on February 10th by Papercutz, focuses […]

Martin Rowson has been skewering politicians in the Guardian for more than four decades, bringing ink, paint and biting satire to some of the biggest political moments of our time. But with the world in turmoil, does satire still matter?Martin Joined Sean to discuss

28 Years Later was the long awaited sequel to the 28 Days Later zombie movie franchise. Upon its release last year, it split the horror community in half with some fans feeling disappointed in the lack of kinetic thrills the original film delivered and other fans embracing the new apocalyptic world that Danny Boyle and […]

Have everything you're supposed to want, but still feel empty and exhausted? Listen now to this interview with Dr. Toni Liu, #Cartoonist, #HolisticHealer, #Physician, #Educator, #RelationshipCoach, #MentalHealth Advocate,  and Anti-Tiger Mom

Have everything you're supposed to want, but still feel empty and exhausted? Listen now to this interview with Dr. Toni Liu, #Cartoonist, #HolisticHealer, #Physician, #Educator, #RelationshipCoach, #MentalHealth Advocate,  and Anti-Tiger Mom

If you're into comics and graphic novels, you probably know of Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud. Telgemeier rose to "first-name-only status" among middle-grade readers with her adaptations of The Babysitters Club and award-winning autobiographical graphic novels including Smile and Guts. Scott McCloud is a leading comics theorist, having spoken and written about the art form since the 1980s. In fact, Telgemeier credits McCloud's work for inspiring her when she was a teenager. Now these two leading artists come together to discuss the unique power of comics and their new graphic novel, The Cartoonists Club. Their book centers around four characters: Makayla, who is bursting with ideas but doesn't know how to make them into a story; Howard, who loves to draw but struggles to come up with ideas and his dad thinks comics are a waste of time; Lynda, who constantly draws in her sketchbook but keeps focusing on what she feels are mistakes; and Art, who simply loves being creative. Throughout the book, Telgemeier and McCloud infuse how-to advice on comics creation that, they hope, will inspire a new wave of cartoonists. They both have seen renewed enthusiasm for the genre, especially among younger readers and are teaming up to provide an entertaining and practical guide to the magic of comics storytelling. Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award–winning creator of Smile, Sisters, and Guts, which are all graphic memoirs based on her childhood. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, and is the adapter and illustrator of the first four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels. Facing Feelings: The Art of Raina Telgemeier is a companion catalog for an exhibition held at Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Raina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more, visit her online at goraina.com. Scott McCloud is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art; Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels; Zot!; and The Sculptor. He is a frequent lecturer on the power of visual communication, creator of the international 24-hour comic movement, and, in 2021, was inducted into the Will Eisner Awards Hall of Fame. His art and stories are available in more than 30 languages and on the web at scottmccloud.com Buy the Book The Cartoonists Club Brick and Mortar Books

A listener asks: "Should you judge a book by its cover?" Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar say... YES! Next, a cartoonist who is too embarrassed to promote his own work gets some encouragement and words of advice from the veteran comic creators.TODAY'S SHOWShould you judge a book by its cover?Too embarrassed to promoteTakeawaysA book's cover plays a significant role in its marketability.It's important to design a cover that reflects the content of the comic.Promoting comics can be challenging, especially in unexpected social situations.Introverts can find it difficult to promote their work in person.Having a decoy website can help ease the promotion process.It's okay to feel uncomfortable discussing your work with strangers.Using humor can help deflect awkward conversations about your work.Online promotion can be more effective than in-person promotion.  You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

If you’ve been in Portland for a while, you’ve probably seen Mike Bennett’s artwork: It’s on the facade of the Wonderwood Restaurant & Indoor Mini Golf course. It’s on Trailblazer hats and Portland Timbers banners. It’s on road signs and beer cans. Now, the famous cartoonist and immersive space designer has launched a new video-podcast series that explores the animal kingdom for a youth audience. Every episode of “The Zooquarium Podcast” begins with a listener-submitted question — mostly from young kids — and the video element features animations in Bennett’s whimsical cartoon style. The first episode aired Tuesday, with a silly and science-backed conversation about sloth stool.   Bennett joins us to share more about the origins and details of his new podcast. We’re also joined by his co-host, Chanel Hason, a marine biologist, science communicator and director of outreach and community relations at the Elakha Alliance.

Simon Birks is a writer who’s been creating and publishing comic books for over ten years. With his Blue Fox Comics imprint, he’s helped bring various books, comics, and role playing games out into the world. With his comic Antarctica, he teamed with Image Comics to release one of his projects to readers everywhere. In […]

Our pal, John T. Reynolds (TV Writer and Cartoonist), joins us to share a few creepy stories from his childhood involving clowns and disembodied voices in a cemetery. And listener Mike has a story from his uncle about a psychic connection with his grandmother. Instagram @afistfulofbabies  Please send us your own true paranormal experiences in either a voice memo or e-mail to funnyfeelingpod@gmail.com. SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown. We're a community for creators and fans vibrating around common curiosities, shared interests and persistent passions. ⁠⁠spectrevisionradio.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been eight months (!) since Part-Time Fanboy visited the apocalyptic world of The Planet of the Apes. On our last Damn Dirty Apes episode, we began breaking down the live-action Planet of the Apes television show which only lasted one short season in 1974. This week Joe Slepski (of the Joe on Joe Podcast) […]

Call ins, legal and civic positions on ICE shooting and Noam's take on Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams. Guest: Professor Robert Jan Van Pelt, the principal expert witness on Nazi gas chambers in the David Irving trial, joins. Robert Jan Van Pelt is one of the world's leading experts on Auschwitz. An architectural historian who has taught at MIT and the University of Waterloo, he is best known for proving the reality of the gas chambers and crematoria. His work made him a central figure in the fight against Holocaust denial. He appeared in Errol Morris's Mr. Death and served as a key expert witness in the landmark Irving v. Penguin & Lipstadt trial. He has received major honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a National Jewish Book Award.

Tune in to the DMZ America Podcast as hosts Ted Rall from the left and Scott Stantis check in with former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette political cartoonist Rob Rogers. Fired for criticizing Trump in his work, Rogers worked for decades at the Post-Gazette, the highest-profile newspaper top shut down in the journalism bloodbath. Ted and Scott bring you the exclusive dish.The three will also discuss Trump's shocking moves to overthrow the president of Venezuela as well as his threats against Colombia, Iran, Cuba and other countries.Support the showThe DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis. Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrallWeb: Rall.com

Tune in to the DMZ America Podcast as hosts Ted Rall from the left and Scott Stantis check in with groundbreaking animated political cartoonist Mark Fiore.Mark Fiore, born 1970, is an acclaimed American political cartoonist specializing in Flash-animated editorials. Shaped by California upbringing and Idaho wilderness, he majored in political science at Colorado College, graduating in 1991 amid Dick Cheney's speech.Starting in print for The Washington Post and LA Times, Fiore joined San Jose Mercury News before pioneering online animation in the late 1990s. His cartoons appear on SFGate.com, NPR, Mother Jones, and KQED.Hailed as "the undisputed guru" by The Wall Street Journal, he won the 2010 Pulitzer—the first for non-print work—plus a 2016 Herblock Prize, 2004 RFK Award, and multiple Online Journalism honors. From San Francisco, Fiore satirizes politics via markfiore.com.Support the showThe DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis. Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrallWeb: Rall.com

“Who can draw when the world is burning?” asks celebrated Vermont cartoonist Alison Bechdel in her new graphic novel, Spent.This tension between the political and personal has been a deep well for Bechdel in her art. Bechdel has been cartoonist laureate of Vermont, as well as a recipient of a MacArthur "genius award" and a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship.She garnered a cult following with her early comic strip, “Dykes to Watch Out For.” Her best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home, was named Best Book of 2006 by Time. It was adapted into a musical that won five 2015 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Fun Home tells the story of growing up in a family that ran a funeral home, and how, after Bechdel came out as a lesbian, her closeted gay father died in a presumed suicide.The cartoonist is also known for the Bechdel Test, which rates movies on whether they include at least one scene in which two women talk to each other about something other than men.Bechdel is now a professor in the practice at Yale University. She divides her time between teaching for a semester at Yale and living and drawing at her home in West Bolton, Vermont. Bechdel's wife Holly has been the colorist for her last two books. This week, she had an op-ed cartoon featured in the New York Times about how to stand up to tyranny.She spoke to me from her home in Vermont.

What does it really mean when someone looks at your career and says, “You should be doing more”?In this episode of ComicLab, Brad and Dave respond to a pointed listener question that cuts straight to the bone: If they have the skills, the experience, and the ideas — why haven't they launched even more projects? The answer isn't defensive or dismissive. Instead, it becomes a clear-eyed breakdown of creative bandwidth, sustainability, work-life balance, and the invisible labor that propels up a long-term comics career. From Patreon and newsletters to storefronts, commissions, podcasts, and family responsibilities, they unpack why “doing enough” is often misunderstood from the outside — and why restraint can be a strategic choice, not a lack of ambition.The conversation then pivots to one of the trickiest problems any humor writer faces: How to judge your own work when readers don't get the joke. How many confused comments are just statistical noise—and when do they signal a real problem in execution? Brad and Dave dig into the uncomfortable middle ground between ego and humility, exploring how to listen to feedback without letting it derail your voice, and how to improve clarity without sanding off what makes your work distinctive. It's a nuanced, experience-earned discussion about ramps, chasms, audience expectations, and why “it happens to everyone” is not an excuse — but also not a death sentence.If you've ever felt pressure to produce more, or struggled to decide whether reader confusion is a warning sign or just the cost of taking creative risks, this episode offers hard-earned perspective from two cartoonists who've been navigating those exact questions for decades.TakeawaysCreative projects often take a backseat due to time constraints.Cartoonists manage a heavy workload that includes multiple projects.Balancing creativity with administrative tasks is crucial for success.Feedback from readers can help improve comic writing.Self-editing is a continuous process for comic creators.Reader confusion can indicate a need for better communication in comics.Communication is key in the artistic process.     You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

In this premiere of The Truth In This Art, the guest on this episode is Lonnie Millsap! Who is Lonnie Millsap: Lonnie Millsap is an award-nominated (Thurber Prize, Reuben Award nominee) Los Angeles-based cartoonist. He is known for his work in the New Yorker Magazine, where he's word has been pushlished over 90 times, his synicated cartoon 'bacön' and over publishing over 13 books including his most recent, 'My Pockets Are Juicy!', The juiciest collection of cartoons ever drawn. Millsap is known for his unique illustration style and humor. Also, Millsap has earned the praise of cartooning legends like Keith Knight, Gary Panter, Sergio Aragones, Dan Piraro and Jim Benton. In this episode, Lonnie shares his story. In it, Millsap describes turning his childhood passion of drawing everything into a carerr of publishing books as well as welling them. Millsap shares some of his inspiration from Gary Panter and Charles M. Schulz. Millsap also provides some background on 'The juiciest collection of cartoons ever drawn.', My Pockets Are Juicy!' and his syndicated comic 'bacön'. Lonnie shares his thoughts on the community within indie comics and cartooning. (Lonnie and I met during in the indie comics loop - initially at Small Press Expo and then I had the chance to interview Lonnie at Cartoon Crossroads Columbus in 2025, it was great!)This was a great way to start off the new season and I hope you enjoy. Lonnie's website is https://lonniemillsap.com/ Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis. Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Joe Wos is the 6-time Emmy Award-winning creator and host of “Cartoon Academy” as seen on PBS affiliates nationwide.Joe's been a professional cartoonist since the age of 14. Over the past 35 years, as he's sought new and innovative ways to pursue his passion for the cartoon arts, his career path has taken as many twists and turns as one of his wonderful mazes. For example, he spent 30 years touring the U.S. as a performer, illustrating stories live as he told them. He founded and ran a cartoon art museum here in Pittsburgh called the Toonseum. He illustrated symphony performances live with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. And he's exhibited his art in museums worldwide. Beyond all that, Joe's been the visiting resident cartoonist of the Charles M. Schulz Museum for over 23 years.With MazeToons — his unique hybrid illustration that is part cartoon and part puzzle — Joe has fulfilled a lifelong dream to appear in the funny pages.He's the author and illustrator of a dozen books, including “A-Maze-Ing Peanuts”, “Mega Maze Challenge,” “Our A-Maze-Ing National Parks,” “A-Maze-Ing America,” “A-Maze-Ing Animals,” “The Exploding Kittens Activity Book,” and many more.  Joe's also the Brand Character Integrity Consultant and artist for Charlie the Tuna of StarKist fame.Joe won the 2020 Divisional Reuben Award for the Variety Category as presented by the National Cartoonists Society.For the record, Joe and I have known one another for more than a decade, from his days running the Toonseum here in Pittsburgh.  

During this holiday season, hear some recent favorites:Jelani Cobb, dean of the Journalism School at Columbia University, a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of Three or More Is a Riot: Notes on How We Got Here: 2012-2025 (One World, 2025), looks back at recent history and find the threads that connect the era of protests and backlash.Irin Carmon, senior correspondent at New York magazine, co-author of Notorious RBG (Dey Street Books, 2015) and, most recently, author of Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America (Atria/One Signal, 2025), explores what it means to be pregnant today in America through reporting and personal stories.Marina Lopes, author of Please Yell at My Kids (GCP/Balance, 2025), talks about her story in The Atlantic suggesting American parents look at the way childcare works in Singapore where grandparents are frequently primary caregivers and get paid for the work.Julia Ioffe, founding partner and Washington correspondent of Puck and the author of Motherland: A History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy (Ecco, 2025), talks about her new book that delves into the feminist history of Russia and why it offers context for the war in Ukraine.Liza Donnelly, writer and cartoonist at The New Yorker and the author of Very Funny Ladies: The New Yorker's Women Cartoonists, 1925-2021 (Prometheus, 2022) and the substack "Seeing Things", discusses the short documentary film she directed, "Women Laughing," about cartoonists at The New Yorker and their artistic processes. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:Defining the Decade (Nov. 13, 2025)The Perils of Pregnancy in America (Nov. 6, 2025)Grandparenting as Paid Labor? (Oct. 10, 2025)Russia and Feminism (Oct. 25, 2025)Funny Women of The New Yorker (Nov. 10, 2025)

For 75 years, Charles Schultz's Peanuts gang has reflected our humor and hope, as well as our struggle to navigate some of life's everyday curveballs. How is it that the characters he created so poignantly reflect how we experience other people and the world around us? And why do a ragtag group of comic strip kids who debuted in newspapers in 1950 post-war America, still resonate with children and adults around the world? Andrew Blauner, author of “THE PEANUTS PAPERS: Writers and Cartoonists on Charlie Brown, Snoopy & the Gang, and the Meaning of Life,” sat down with USA TODAY's The Excerpt to discuss the 75th anniversary of the Peanuts gang and its enduring impact. (This episode originally aired on October 3, 2025.)Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett discuss the nuances of print-on-demand services. As Brad says, "It's a good place to start, but a bad place to stay." They delve into the importance of advanced planning for holiday sales. Finally, they share strategies for engaging audiences at comic conventions, covering pricing strategies and the psychology of sales, and emphasizing the importance of understanding costs and audience engagement.Today's ShowPrint on DemandHow to "Let Time Be Your Editor"Convention PricingHuionHuion is sponsoring today's show, and they're offering additional discounts on the following products when you use the discount code: ComicLabKamvas 22 Plus — A luxurious large-screen, high-resolution digital pen display with an etched glass surface that simulates the texture of paper while it protects your eyes from harmful glare.Kamvas 13 (Gen 3) — With a large 13.3-inch screen and an FHD (1920X1080) resolution, this model ensuring seamless collaboration with your laptop. The durable back cover also offers superior protection while ensuring interface stability.Huion Note — You found your new on-the-go brainstorming tool. With writing synchronizing, offline storage, document management, one-click PDF sharing, and portable A5 size, Huion Note will redefine what a new generation of notebooks can do.TakeawaysPatience is key in daily struggles.Print on demand can be a good starting point but not a long-term solution.Planning for holiday sales should start well in advance.Engaging with audiences at conventions is crucial for building a network.Clear pricing and signage can significantly boost sales at conventions.Using loss leaders can attract customers but should be carefully calculated.Understanding your costs is essential for pricing strategies.Round numbers simplify transactions and reduce friction in sales.Time away from your work can provide valuable perspective for editing.Building a strong online presence is important for comic creators. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.