Podcasts about National Cartoonists Society

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.

This week on the podcast is part two of our interview with Dan Gorman. He's a Co-Founder of Route 8 Studios, a collaborative graphic design and illustration studio featuring comic book artists and designers. He's worked on over 150 Licensed Trading Card sets with dozens of well-known brands such as Marvel, Star Wars, the Game of Thrones, AMC's The Walking Dead and more. As a comic book penciler, his works have been published in numerous publications. Dan is a member in good standing of the National Cartoonists Society and runs and promotes several local comicons and Pop Culture Cons. Make sure to visit his website to see samples of his illustrations! www.dangormanart.com and https://www.route8studios.org/

This week on the podcast is part one of our interview with Dan Gorman. He's a Co-Founder of Route 8 Studios, a collaborative graphic design and illustration studio featuring comic book artists and designers. He's worked on over 150 Licensed Trading Card sets with dozens of well-known brands such as Marvel, Star Wars, the Game of Thrones, AMC's The Walking Dead and more. As a comic book penciler, his works have been published in numerous publications. Dan is a member in good standing of the National Cartoonists Society and runs and promotes several local comicons and Pop Culture Cons. Make sure to visit his website to see samples of his illustrations! www.dangormanart.com and https://www.route8studios.org/

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.  

Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar make their predictions for 2026 and share their goals for the new year. Also — they offer their annual reminder to shop the Comicraft New Year's Day sale on January 1st.Brad's PredictionsSyndicated comics reach the tipping pointCreator identity becomes prominentSubstack pulls throughWebtoon bubble burstsPatreon expands “community” and “discovery” tools.AI gains acceptanceDave's predictionsIf you want a stable career in comics, produce Dog Man.NCS will continue to grow its membership to numbers it hasn't seen in decades.If Funko Pop indeed goes bankrupt — and that's still a big if — there might be SDCC space available for the first time in years.I'm predicting a good-sized market correction in the second part of the year.Brad's GoalsShifting from survive to thrive.This will be a two-Kickstarter year. Spice Rack was a moderate success. Uncensored Artists is the next stepRepackaging, re-releasing, and rebranding my archives for a new and evolving audience.20% email list growth on the Evil Inc Substack and the free-membership tier on Patreon.Start doing monthly assessments so I can improve my annual assessments. Dave's GoalsKickstart one new book, “Double Dog Dare”Exhibit at WorldCon in LA for the first time in a decade.Successfully navigate the first of the last four years of DRIVE. Get more “Tales of the Drive” in the works.  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.

Many singers do a key change in the middle of a song to indicate drama. Dave Kellett is so good, he does it right in the middle of a word! Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett learn too much about each other while sharing a hotel room with his friend at the National Cartoonists Society Conference and Reuben Awards. Dave and Brad return from Boston brimming with stories from a week of cartooning camaraderie and community.Here's how to join the NCS. If you're under the age of 27, your membership is only $27!Cartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett reflect on their experiences at the NCS Conference and Reuben Awards sharing insights on the importance of community, networking, and the evolving landscape of cartooning. They discuss the joy of meeting fellow cartoonists, the impact of online creators, and the significance of new voices in the industry. The conversation also touches on travel tales, humorous anecdotes, and the camaraderie that defines the cartooning community.TakeawaysThe NCS Conference and Reuben Awards is a vital event for networking.Community and camaraderie are essential in the cartooning world.New voices in cartooning are crucial for the industry's evolution.Online cartoonists face unique challenges and opportunities.Travel experiences can lead to unexpected adventures.Meeting fellow cartoonists fosters a sense of belonging.The importance of supporting new members in the NCS.Humor and storytelling are key elements of the Comic Lab podcast.The future of cartooning is bright with diverse voices.Networking at events can lead to valuable connections. 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. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar hosted a live performance of ComicLab at the 79th annual National Cartoonists Society Conference and Reuben Awards. Joining them onstage to talk about the business of comics were three marvelous cartoonists:Jason Chatfield, a remarkably talented cartoonist who is as comfortable doing stand-up comedy as he is sitting down to create cartoons for The New Yorker. His new book, “You're Not a Real Dog Owner Until…”, is a danged delight, and belongs on your shelf.Sean Wang, the creator of Runners, a wonderful sci-fi comedy about alien smugglers. Its most recent Kickstarter launched a couple days before the recording of the show, and was funded shortly thereafter — which is 100% a coincidence, but we'll be claiming credit nonetheless.Cassidy Wasserman, whose debut graphic novel, On Guard, was published by Random House earlier this year to rave reviews. She has also illustrated no fewer than three delightful children's books.On the show...What's working — and what's not working — in your comics business?What should you do when subscriptions stagnate?What's the best way to use Patreon without burning out on complex rewards?What is the best use of Print On Demand?How can I use Substack to publish/monetize my comic?Is social media declining? — And if so, how are you compensating? 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. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Show notes: For this episode I try and catch everyone up on what's coming up for the Mid-South Cartoonists Association and Memphis events scene- especially in May.Free Comic Book Day and Rogues Gallery Rising on Saturday, Star Wars Day on Sunday, Cartoonists Day on Monday, MSCA monthly dinner gathering on Tuesday, Con Cards Gaming Night on Wednesday- plus MidSouth Mega Con and Memphis Library Con later in May.This summer the Metropolis Superman Celebration and MSCA art show at Playhouse On The Square are in June. The Memphis Comic Expo returns in September, Memphis Comic Expo in November, the MSCA will have a Halloween art show at Germantown Community Theatre and another later in December/January at the Jewish Community Center.Our 12th issue of the MSCA zine "The Good, The Bad and the Sketchy" snacky/food themed issue is on its way back from the printer. We'll be assembling it at our May 6th dinner gathering at Garibaldi's. We'll have staplers but need extra hands to help organize and fold the pages. Our 13th issue is scheduled to go to press in October and be ready for the GCT Halloween art show.Nicki and I have been busy with yardwork, and had a lot of fun going to the recent Earth Day/Hernando Farmers Market/Spring Art Festival on Courthouse Square in Hernando, MS. I've got some art for sale. and free MSCA and Drawing Funny swag available at the DeSoto Arts Council in Hernando, MS. Slide by if you're in the area, or stop by Comics & Collectibles or The Cellar Table Top Games & Comics if your out and about on FCBD. We also have a swag table at our monthly dinner meetings. More news and details on all the events are available in this episode, on our MSCA website and Facebook page, and many of the links are listed below.Stay tooned, and support local!LINKS:Drawing Funny Podcast website – ⁠www.drawingfunny.com⁠Drawing Funny Podcast on Spotify – ⁠www.podcasters.spotify.com/⁠Drawing Funny Podcast on Apple – www.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drawing-funny/Mid-South Cartoonists Association/MSCA (Memphis, TN) – ⁠www.midsouthcartoonists.org⁠My art website – ⁠www.linworkman.com⁠National Cartoonists Society – www.nationalcartoonists.com/National Cartoonists Day (May 5th) – www.nationalcartoonistsday.com/Garibaldi's Pizza (U of M) – ⁠www.garibaldispizza.com⁠Lootz Collectibles – www.lootzcollectibles.com/Rogue's Gallery Memphis – www.roguesgallerymemphis.com/Free Comic Book Day – www.freecomicbookday.com/Germantown Community Theatre (upcoming season) – www.gctcomeplay.org/season-54-announcement/Playhouse On The Square  – www.playhouseonthesquare.org/DeSoto Arts Council (Hernando, MS) – www.desotoartscouncil.org/The Real Hernando Podcast – www.therealhernando.com/The Rythm Section Podcast – www.therhythmsectionpod.com/Metropolis Superman Celebration  – www.supermancelebration.net/Bricks & Minifigs Hernando – www.bricksandminifigs.com/hernandoms/Bricks & Minifigs Hernando (Facebook) – www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562495777800Bob Kimball GoFundMe – https://tinyurl.com/3hma4hssGreg Cravens – www.cravenscartoonist.com/Memphis Comic Expo/MCX – www.memphiscomicexpo.com/Memphis Comic And Fantasy Con/MCFC – www.memphiscfc.com/Geek Tank Radio – www.geektankradio.wordpress.com/MidSouth Mega Con – www.midsouthmegacon.com/Memphis Library Con – www.memphislibrary.org/events/mpl-comic-con/#mscaTheme: ⁠“Silly Bank Heist” ⁠⁠music by Steve Oxen⁠⁠.⁠   News intro theme by David Fesliyan.©2020 ⁠Fesliyan Studios Inc.⁠ – music and sound effects used by permission.Please DO NOT add this audio content to the Youtube Content ID System. I have used background music which is owned by ⁠Fesliyan Studios⁠.Movie quotes and additional sounds from ⁠101soundboards.com.⁠⁠⁠“Drawing Funny” podcast⁠⁠ hosted/produced by ⁠⁠Lin Workman⁠ ©2025. “Drawing Funny” is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only.Run time: 30min 48sec(Click on the highlighted hyperlinks or links in the show notes to check them all out.)

Imagine a cartoon opening a door to transform a challenging conversation into a productive and meaningful conversation in your team.  In this episode, we explore how listening and observation can engage humor which can shift our mindset and enhance our ability to engage with others meaningfully. Dave Coverly is the award-winning creator of the internationally syndicated cartoon Speed Bump, featured in hundreds of publications including The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and The Globe & Mail. A four-time winner of the National Cartoonists Society's “Best Newspaper Panel” award, he received their highest honor, the Reuben Award for “Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year,” in 2009. His work appears on greeting cards, in books, and across major media outlets, and he serves as the principal cartoonist for BarkBox.  Dave Coverly has authored several cartoon collections and children's books published by Macmillan namely Speed Bump: A Collection of Cartoon Skidmarks (Andrews McMeel), Cartoons for Idea People (ECW), Just One %$#@ Speed Bump After Another (ECW),  Dogs Are People, Too, and its sequel, Cats Are People, Too. And his children's picture books include Sue MacDonald Had a Book (with Jim Tobin, Macmillan), The Very Inappropriate Word (with Jim Tobin, Macmillan), and How To Care For Your T-Rex (with Ken Baker, Macmillan). His chapter book trilogy began with Night of the Living Worms, and continued with Night of the Living Shadows, and Night of the Living Zombie Bugs.   With a career spanning over 30 years, Dave has mastered the art of observational humor, using his cartoons to reflect on the human experience and the nuances of everyday life. In this conversation, Dave shares personal stories and insights that have shaped his career as a cartoonist with listening playing a core role. Not just as a skill, but as a vital part understanding human patterns and through this tapping into human connection.  We explore how humor can serve as a bridge to deeper conversations and how the act of listening can inform and inspire creativity.  Listen to the end, where David also shares how humor can help navigate serious conversations and lighten the mood. Enjoy listening in! “Listening is about connecting with people and understanding their experiences.” – Dave Coverly SUPERPOWER Notes: 00:08 – The Power of Humor. Dave discusses how humor can provide a different perspective on serious topics and enhance communication. 02:50 – Early Influences. Reflecting on his childhood experiences with his uncle and teacher that sparked his interest in listening and humor. 10:15 – The Role of Observation. Dave explains how being an observant listener informs his cartooning process and helps him create relatable content. 15:30 – The Importance of Context. Understanding how context shapes humor and the need to stay relevant in a changing world. 22:00 – Listening as a Creative Tool. How deep listening can lead to new ideas and insights in both cartooning and everyday interactions. 30:00 – The Impact of Silence. Exploring how silence can enhance the listening experience and foster deeper connections. 35:00 – Humor in Serious Situations. Dave shares how humor can help navigate serious conversations and lighten the mood. 42:00 – The Evolution of Humor. A discussion on how humor adapts to cultural changes and the importance of authenticity in comedic expression. Key Takeaways: “Doing humor is kind of that right brain, left brain thing." – Dave Coverly “Humor is a way to connect with people and share experiences.” – Dave Coverly “Listening is not just about hearing words; it's about understanding the context and emotions behind them.” – Dave Coverly "I love the idea of having a cartoon as a pause for, to take a breath or pause to reset or a pause to allow another perspective or pause to give permission to another perspective."– Dave Coverly   People Mentioned: Mike Peters - A cartoonist who provided Dave with valuable advice about humor and authenticity in cartooning. Christy Ottaviano - Dave's children's book editor, described as a legend in the industry.   Connect with Dave Coverly: https://www.speedbump.com/ https://www.instagram.com/speedbumpcomic/  

In a recent interview for the National Cartoonists Society, Greg Evans (the creator of the newspaper comic strip "Luanne") spoke about painting a single wall in his studio red. Mel Lazarus, creator of the syndicated strips "Momma" and "Miss Peach," told him that the color red was proven to increase creative thoughts. This resulted in one burning question for the cartoonists assembled to watch the interview: "DID IT WORK!?"Today's ShowCreativitySusan MacTaggart's Personal AffirmationUsing copyrighted music lyrics in a comicSummaryIn this episode, cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar discuss various topics related to creativity, including the significance of the color red in creative spaces and personal superstitions that influence their creative processes. They explore the humorous aspects of creativity and the shared experiences of cartoonists while also celebrating the 40th anniversary of the comic strip 'Luanne'. In this conversation, Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar explore the complexities of creativity, discussing the psychological effects of color, the challenges of maintaining a consistent creative output, and various strategies to overcome creative blocks.In the second half, after Susan MacTaggart drops by to share a personal affirmation for a lucky ComicLab backer, they also touch on the importance of legal considerations in creative projects, particularly when referencing existing works. The dialogue is filled with humor and personal anecdotes, making it relatable for artists and creators alike. In this conversation, Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar delve into the intricacies of copyright, fair use, and the ethical considerations surrounding using creative works. They discuss the historical context of copyright, the importance of seeking permission to use others' intellectual property, and the complexities of navigating licensing agreements. The conversation emphasizes the need for artists to respect the rights of their peers while also understanding the legal landscape that governs creative works.TakeawaysThe song 'Piña Colada' has bizarre lyrics that reflect on relationships.The color red is believed to boost creativity, as shared by cartoonist Greg Evans.Creativity is often difficult to pin down and can be influenced by environment.Many artists have personal rituals or superstitions that help trigger creativity.Getting bored can lead to creative breakthroughs, as distractions are removed.Having a specific workspace can enhance focus and creativity.The importance of context in understanding creativity is emphasized.Superstitions can be seen as strategies for fostering creativity.The discussion highlights the shared experiences of cartoonists in their creative journeys.The episode humorously addresses the absurdity of certain creative beliefs. Creativity can be influenced by environmental factors like color.Consistency in creativity is a challenge for many artists.Finding personal strategies for creativity is essential.Boredom can lead to unexpected creative breakthroughs.Starting the creative process is often the hardest part.Engaging with interesting people can spark new ideas.Reading old work can help reconnect with your creative voice.Deadlines can reduce fear and encourage action in creativity.Legal considerations are crucial when referencing other artists' work.Your art has intrinsic value, regardless of external validation. Copyright gives artists control over their work.Fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material.Seeking permission is crucial when using others' work.Ethical considerations are as important as legal ones.The complexities of copyright can be daunting for creators.Documentaries often fall under fair use but still require permissions.Artists may feel protective over their creations.Licensing agreements can be complicated and vary widely.Understanding copyright is essential for all creators.Navigating permissions can be a lengthy 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. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

John Rose has been breathing new life into the iconic comic strip Barney Google and Snuffy Smith for over two decades. After joining as an inking assistant to Fred Lasswell in 1998, he took over the strip following Lasswell's passing in 2001. John has published several collections, including The Bodacious Best of Snuffy Smith and Snuffy Smith in His Sunday Best. He also illustrated the children's book The Dogwood Tales and regularly appears at cartooning events, offering live chalk talks where he demonstrates his craft. John's distinctive hillbilly characters have earned him the National Cartoonists Society's Award for Best Newspaper Comic Strip.You can follow John on Instagram @johnrosecartoons and the strip itself at snuffysmithcomics.com.____________________Check out a video version of this episode on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits.If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts. And if you really like this podcast, support what we do as a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters: buzzsprout.com/1817176/support.Looking for more ways to express your undying DBB love and devotion? Email us at dollarbinbandits@gmail.com. Follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook and Instagram, and @DBBandits on X._____________________Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.Support the show

Show notes: This is part 2 of my 2024 MSCA year end wrap-up review conversation with Mid-South Cartoonists Association president Kevin L. Williams. Kev and I pick up where we left off on "Drawing Funny" Ep. 71 discussing the very busy year our local cartooning group experienced in 2024. The MSCA and its members were a part of numerous art shows, festivals, conventions, gatherings, and other events in and around Memphis and the mid-south area- plus created new MSCA "The Good, The Bad, And The Sketchy" zine issues and "Drawing Funny" podcast episodes (and a new DF promo spot) for folks to check out. This was probably the busiest the MSCA and its members have been in years, and 2025 doesn't look like it's gonna slow down any! Our first MSCA Monthly Dinner Gathering will be this Tuesday, January 7th from 6-8pm at Garibaldi's Pizza off Walker Avenue near the U Of M. Later this month we've also got our first Sat-Art-Day of the year back out at 901 Comics East on Macon Road on January 25th from 10m-2pm. Be sure to follow the MSCA's socials and website for where else the cartoonists association and I will be in 2025. I went solo to many shows, so thankfully all my con tables were near a restroom this year, and there was even a defibrillator behind me at one event. It was good to have all my health issue bases covered as I got back into doing cons again in 2024! Hope to see you around the M-town and mid-south this year. Now, if you'll excuse me I've got to go pee...again. "Stay tooned!" LINKS: Drawing Funny Podcast website – ⁠www.drawingfunny.com⁠ Drawing Funny Podcast on Spotify – ⁠www.podcasters.spotify.com/⁠ Mid-South Cartoonists Association/MSCA (Memphis, TN) – ⁠www.midsouthcartoonists.org⁠ My art website – ⁠www.linworkman.com⁠ 901 Comics East (Macon Road) – ⁠www.facebook.com⁠ Memphis Monster Market – ⁠www.memphismonstermarket.com⁠ Memphis Monster Con – ⁠www.memphismonstercon.com⁠ Memphis Comic Expo/MCX (DonniCon) – ⁠www.memphiscomicexpo.com⁠ Memphis Comic And Fantasy Con/MCFC – ⁠www.memphiscfc.com/⁠ Geek Tank Radio – ⁠www.geektankradio.wordpress.com/⁠ Tool Talk Radio – ⁠www.tooltalkradio.wordpress.com/⁠ National Cartoonists Society – ⁠www.nationalcartoonists.com/⁠ DeSoto Arts Council/DAC (Hernando, MS) – ⁠www.desotoartscouncil.org/⁠ Garibaldi's Pizza (U of M) – ⁠www.garibaldispizza.com⁠ Greg Cravens Cartoonist – ⁠www.cravenscartoonist.com⁠ A.G. Howard (Howard Art Studios) – ⁠www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049349688106⁠ Crosspoint Toys & Games (Millington, TN) – ⁠www.facebook.com/CenterpointToys/⁠ The Rogues Gallery – ⁠www.roguesgallerymemphis.com/⁠ That Katie Jones Art Studio– ⁠www.facebook.com/thatkatiejonesartstudio⁠ John Martin Art– ⁠www.jwmartin1225.wixsite.com/johnvampyrmartin⁠ Eric McMeans – ⁠www.instagram.com/emcmeans1/⁠ Devin Hodges  Art– ⁠www.diastcartoons.com/⁠ Shawn Howe Art– ⁠www.facebook.com/TheArtOfShawnzilla⁠ Matt Bowers Art– ⁠www.mattbowersdesignart.weebly.com/⁠ Chris Jowers – ⁠www.chrisjowers.com/⁠ Mike Norton –⁠www.ihatemike.com/⁠ First Congo Church – ⁠www.firstcongo.com/⁠ #midsouthcartoonistsassociation #msca #comiccons #cartooning #ncs #freecomicbookday #hernandoms #petaluma #memphis #lego #theroguesgalleryatcenterpoint #mcfc #donniecon #linworkmanart #drawingfunnypodcast #drawingfunny #realhernandopodcast #podcast #podperson #staytooned Theme: ⁠“Silly Bank Heist” ⁠⁠music by Steve Oxen⁠⁠.⁠  ©2020 ⁠Fesliyan Studios Inc.⁠ – music and sound effects used by permission. Please DO NOT add this audio content to the Youtube Content ID System. I have used background music which is owned by ⁠Fesliyan Studios⁠. Movie quotes and additional sounds from ⁠101soundboards.com.⁠ ⁠⁠“Drawing Funny” podcast⁠⁠ hosted/produced by ⁠⁠Lin Workman⁠ ©2025. “Drawing Funny” is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only. Run time: 56min 29sec (Click on the highlighted hyperlinks or links in the show notes to check them all out.)

At the beginning of the year, Dave and Brad made a series of predictions and set some personal goals for the year. The year is over, and it's time to see how they fared.Predictions for 2024BRAD: Twitter will crash in 2023 2024DAVE: Social media will remain distributed over five or six platformsBRAD: Web users will begin to pivot away from social mediaDAVE: Patreon will move closer to an IPOBRAD: Kickstarter will remain #1 by continuing to avoid mentioning blockchainDAVE: SDCC will return to normal after an abnormal '23... and profits will plummet for creatorsThings we DIDN'T see coming!AI snuck up on us in 2024 — No one predicted that!Bluesky snuck up on us, too!Goals for 2024DAVE: Launch "Pickles" Kickstarter in Jan/Feb, launch "Drive 4" Kickstarter in summerBRAD: In Q1, Kickstart an Evil Inc book paired with an After Dark edition. Kickstart another book — Webcomics Handbook, Evil Inc After Dark or collection of single-panel comics — in Q2/Q3DAVE: Prepare for a 5-15% sales drop at Comic-Con InternationalBRAD: Personal appearances, including SDCC and NCSDAVE: ComicLab Across AmericaBRAD: Use NON-social-media alternatives to drive Patreon.DAVE: Revisit KIndle Direct PublishingBRAD: Start prepping website for a post-Patreon futureDAVE: Build the ComicLab Patreon to 500 members   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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Comics librarian and curator Caitlin McGurk returns to the show to celebrate her amazing new book, TELL ME A STORY WHERE THE BAD GIRL WINS: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund (Fantagraphics). We talk about Caitlin's shock at her 2012 discovery of Barbara Shermund's incredible gag-comics and illustrations in the archive of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, how her interest in Barbara evolved from blog posts to a museum exhibit to a book, the challenge of writing about someone who did no interviews or press and had no close relatives, and how easily women get erased from history. We get into the gestalt of Barbara's fantastic linework and washes and her wry sense of humor, why Caitlin wound up writing an academic press version of the book before rewriting it for a trade publisher, the challenges & rewards of designing a book to showcase so much art, how Barbara helped create the look of The New Yorker in its early years, why Caitlin speculated (but not too much) about Barbara's sexuality. We also discuss the malleability of history, how the Billy Ireland has changed in the 10 years since Caitlin & I last recorded, the pep talk she wished she could have gotten from our late friend Tom Spurgeon, time Al Capp (!!) advocated for allowing women into the National Cartoonists Society, the incredible story of tracking down Barbara's remains and giving her a proper funeral 35 years after her death, and a lot more. Follow Caitlin on Instagram and the Billy Ireland blog • More info at our site • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Patreon or Paypal and via our e-newsletter

Show notes: My wife Nicki and I headed downtown on Sunday to attend the Memphis Comic Expo. Unfortunately my voice had other plans..! We did have a great time in the newly remodeled Renasant Convention Center and talked toons with many of our friends- Janet and Martheus Wade, Mike Norton, John Martin, Peter Melonas, Eric McMeans, Brad Starnes, Andrea Starnes, Benito Deranzo, Greg Cravens, Jaime Wright, Sam Payne, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and met some new ones including artists Zion Titus from Maryland and Steve Messenger from Ohio. As usual, the annual "DonnieCon" was a great event, had an amazing guest line-up, amazing artists alley, and a variety of vendors. My next event will be the inaugural Memphis Monster Con at the Pipkin Building in Liberty Park. I'll be set up there with my new "Scared Silly" zine, plus plenty of prints, scketchcards, sketchcovers, stickers, buttons, and more. Hope to scare ya there! LINKS: Drawing Funny Podcast website – www.drawingfunny.com Drawing Funny Podcast on Spotify – www.podcasters.spotify.com/ Mid-South Cartoonists Association/MSCA (Memphis, TN) – www.midsouthcartoonists.org My art website – www.linworkman.com Toshigawa Universe – www.desotoartscouncil.org Titus Illustrations – www.instagram.com/titus_illustrations/ Steve Messenger Art (Art House Live) – www.youtube.com/@stevemessengerart Garibaldi's Pizza (U of M) – www.garibaldispizza.com 901 Comics East (Macon Road) – www.facebook.com Memphis Monster Market – www.memphismonstermarket.com Memphis Monster Con – www.memphismonstercon.com Memphis Comic Expo – www.memphiscomicexpo.com John Martin Art – www.instagram.com/realjohnmartinart/ Greg Cravens Cartoonist – www.cravenscartoonist.com Mike Norton – www.ihatemike.com/ Peter Melonas – www.etsy.com/shop/fancifullart Eric McMeans – www.instagram.com/emcmeans1/ Broot Studios Comics – www.instagram.com/broot_studios_comics/ Mehdia Raiise Cosplay – www.instagram.com/mehdia_raiise/ National Cartoonists Society – www.nationalcartoonists.com/ Lawler's On Beale – www.lawlersonbeale.com/ Bad Dog Comics – www.facebook.com/p/Bad-Dog-Comics-Publishing-100065085420209/?_rdr #midsouthcartoonistsassociation #msca #mcx2024 #donniecon #memphismonstercon #linworkmanart #drawingfunnypodcast #drawingfunny #podcast #podperson #staytooned Theme: “Silly Bank Heist” music by Steve Oxen.  ©2020 Fesliyan Studios Inc. – music and sound effects used by permission. Please DO NOT add this audio content to the Youtube Content ID System. I have used background music which is owned by Fesliyan Studios. Movie quotes and additional sounds from 101soundboards.com. ⁠“Drawing Funny” podcast⁠ hosted/produced by ⁠Lin Workman ©2024. “Drawing Funny” is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only. Run time: 1hr 26min (Click on the highlighted hyperlinks or links in the show notes to check them all out.)

Attending this year's National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards has changed Dave's bucket list. He wants one of those danged trophies! (And so does Brad.) Also, after Dave looks at the analytics from his recent Kickstarter, he decides to leave Twitter and Instagram once and for all.On Today's ShowUPDATE: ComicLab stingersDave's new Bucket ListUPDATE: Dave's Kickstarter convinces him to leave both Twitter and InstagramUPDATE: Patreon's AutopilotToo many different comics?Pen name for a teacher? Taking a break to build up your bufferMade with Human Intelligence iconsArtificial IntelligenceSummaryIn this episode, Brad and Dave discuss their bucket list goals for their comics careers and the importance of leaving a legacy. Dave reveals his desire to win the Reuben Award and an Eisner, sell a book with high sales, and be invited to Angoulême or Japan as a guest. They also discuss the effectiveness of social media platforms for promoting their work. In the next half hour of the conversation, the hosts discuss Patreon's new Autopilot feature, which sends discounts to selected free members who seem likely to upgrade. They also talk about the importance of picking a lane and building a brand as a cartoonist and the benefits of using a pen name when transitioning to a new career. The hosts advise against switching between different comic genres and styles, as it can make it challenging to build an audience. They also recommend removing old comics that didn't gain traction and focusing on creating high-quality, well-branded work. The conversation explores using AI in creative work and the implications of labeling work as 'not made with AI.' The hosts discuss using pen names and the creative freedom it allows. They also touch on the challenges of typography on curved surfaces and the potential hypocrisy of artists when it comes to AI. They discuss AI's short-term and long-term impact on the creative industry.TakeawaysTechnical difficulties can be frustrating, but finding solutions and recording is essential.Having goals and aspirations in your comics career, such as winning awards or achieving high book sales, can provide motivation and a sense of accomplishment.Creators often desire to leave a legacy, which can be achieved through awards, book sales, and recognition from peers.Different social media platforms have varying levels of effectiveness for promoting comics, and it's crucial to find the ones that work best for you.Sharing your goals and aspirations with others can help hold you accountable and provide support and encouragement.Patreon's Autopilot feature sends discounts to free members who are likely to upgrade, improving the free-to-paid membership upgrade rate.Picking a lane and building a brand is vital for cartoonists to attract and retain an audience.Using a pen name can be beneficial when transitioning to a new career, such as becoming a public school teacher.Switching between different comic genres and styles can make it challenging to build an audience.Taking down old comics that didn't gain traction and focusing on creating high-quality, well-branded work can help build momentum and attract readers. Using a pen name can provide creative freedom and allow exploring different themes and styles.Typography on curved surfaces can be challenging and requires advanced skills.Artists may have hypocritical views on AI, being against its use in certain areas but accepting it in others.The short-term impact of AI in the creative industry may involve a crash-and-burn scenario due to wasted VC money, but in the long term, AI is here to stay.The ethical sourcing of AI is an essential consideration for its acceptance in creative 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

This time, Jojo interviews Mike Luckovich - an editorial cartoonist who has worked for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1989. He is the 2005 winner of the Reuben, the National Cartoonists Society's top award for cartoonist of the year, and is the recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes. They talk about his more notable political cartoons, the mountainous material he has gotten from Donald Trump, and the 100th birthday of Jimmy Carter.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the final installment of a three-part series on the National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards celebration, cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar sit down over a couple of tasty adult beverages and share stories and reflections on this year's event. 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar take their podcast on the road, recording this episode live at the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego as part of the National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards celebration! They were joined on stage by Danesh Mohiuddin, Hilary B. Price, and Tauhid Bondia to discuss the pressing issues facing cartoonists in the years to come. On today's show:How are you addressing artificial intelligence?What's working on social media?What are your plans for the next five years?What does retirement look like?Danesh MohiuddinDanesh Mohiuddin is a Canadian Cartoonist from India. He grew up in Dubai on a regular dose of MAD Magazine and European comics. He now lives in Toronto and illustrates and writes children's books and graphic novels. His latest is Princess Pru and the Ogre and the Hill. Clients include Scholastic, Oxford University Press, Owl Kids, and Kids Can Press. He's also a history buff and loves traveling.Hilary B. PriceHilary Price is a cartoonist, storyteller, and speaker. Her comic strip Rhymes with Orange appears in newspapers internationally. The National Cartoonists Society has awarded her the Best Newspaper Panel Cartoon award four times, and she was just named Cartoonist of the Year in August 2024.Hilary graduated from Stanford University and, at the age of 25, became the youngest-ever female syndicated newspaper cartoonist. Aside from this year's Reuben Award, other shiny trophies include an Inkpot Award for Career Achievement from the San Diego Comic-Con International and the Elzie Segar Award from the National Cartoonists Society for making a unique and outstanding contribution to the profession of cartooning. Hilary teaches at the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont and shares stories on NPR's The Moth.Tauhid BondiaTauhid Bondia is a cartoonist and illustrator from Kentucky. He has been creating comics online for 15 years, and loves drawing and telling stories as much as ever. Tauhid is the creator of the syndicated comic strip Crabgrass, which appears in about 800 newspapers across the US and Canada, as well as two books. The comic features themes of friendship and taps into a sense of childhood nostalgia that people of all ages seem to respond to. Tauhid's goal is to draw the strip for as long as he is physically able to, or as long as it continues to make people smile. Whichever comes first. He previously wrote and illustrated A Problem Like Jamal, a comic about a young brother named Jamal Marcus trying to navigate life and middle school in a modern era. 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar take their podcast on the road, recording this episode live at the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego as part of the National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards celebration! They were joined on stage by Maria Scrivan, Hector Cantu, and Dana Simpson to discuss the pressing issues facing cartoonists in the years to come. On today's show:How are you addressing artificial intelligence?What's working on social media?What are your plans for the next five years?What does retirement look like?Maria ScrivanMaria Scrivan is a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning syndicated cartoonist.The first book in her graphic novel series, Nat Enough (Scholastic/Graphix), launched on April 7th, 2020, became an instant New York Times bestseller. It was followed by Forget Me Nat, Absolutely Nat, Definitely Nat, Nat for Nothing, and All is Nat Lost. Nat a Chance will be available in Spring 2025. She is also a contributor to Marvel's Super Stories, which was released in October 2023. Her books have been translated into Italian, French, German, Spanish, Catalan, Hebrew, Korean, Russian, Turkish, and Greek. Maria's comic, Half Full, is syndicated by Andrews McMeel and available on GoComics.com/half-full. For the past ten years, it has appeared daily in newspapers nationwide, including the LA Times.Hector CantuHector had numerous submissions to Mad magazine successfully rejected before the age of 12. In 2000, he launched “Baldo” with Carlos Castellanos. The strip appears in more than 200 newspapers through Andrews McMeel Syndication. Hector currently lives with his wife in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and is founder of Texas Cartoonists, the Texas Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society.Dana SimpsonDana Claire Simpson, a native of Gig Harbor, Washington, first caught the eyes of devoted comics readers with the internet strip Ozy and Millie. After winning the 2009 Comic Strip Superstar contest, she developed the strip Phoebe and Her Unicorn (originally known as Heavenly Nostrils), now syndicated in newspapers worldwide.There are nineteen Phoebe and Her Unicorn books, including the newest, Unicorn Crush. Ozy and Millie have two books also. All told, Simpson has sold over four million books.Her books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and won the Washington State Book Award and the Pacific Northwest Book Award. She lives with her spouse and her cat in Santa Barbara, California. 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Show notes: This episode features interviews from the South East Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society's annual meeting in Atlanta, GA at the Center For Puppetry Arts, and mine and my wife Nicki's thoughts on our road trip there and back. We were invited down by SEC NCS president Greg Cravens and joined by Mid-South Cartoonists Association president Kevin L. Williams and fellow MSCA member Naim Hakeem for the event. Great puppetry displays including various Henson Muppets and international puppets- I highly recommend the puppet pilgrimage! Thanks to the SEC NCS for the event, the Center For Puppetry Arts for hosting, and to Greg, "Snuffy Smith" cartoonist John Rose, and artist Trevor Hawkins for talking toons with me. Big thanks to Kevin for bringing along Muley and Fozzie! Special thanks to Nicki for going on this art adventure with me, and thanks to you for listening- “stay tooned!” LINKS: “Drawing Funny” podcast – www.drawingfunny.com Mid-South Cartoonists Association/MSCA (Memphis, TN) – www.midsouthcartoonists.org Kevin L. William's website – www.kevinlwilliams.com My art website –  www.linworkman.com Greg Cravens – www.cravenscartoonist.com Greg Cravens "Hubris" –  www.hubriscomics.com Greg Cravens "The Buckets" –  www.gocomics.com/thebuckets Barney Google & Snuffy Smith Turn 100! - The Bodacious Digital Collection – www.shop.comicskingdom.com John Rose/Barney Google & Snuffy Smith – www.comicskingdom.com/barney-google-and-snuffy-smith John Rose on Instagram – www.instagram.com/snuffysmithguy Trevor Hawkins on Instagram – www.instagram.com/funky_filosofy_fridays Liz Vitale on Instagram – www.instagram.com/queen_hallowdragon National Cartoonists Society – www.nationalcartoonists.com Center For Puppetry Arts (ATL) – www.puppet.org Metropolis Superman Celebration – www.supermancelebration.net Buc-ee's – www.buc-ees.com The Muppets – www.muppets.disney.com #midsouthcartoonistsassociation  #linworkmanart #cartooning #msca #nworkmanphoto #drawingfunnypodcast #drawingfunny #podcast #podperson #staytooned Theme: “Silly Bank Heist” music by Steve Oxen. ©2020 Fesliyan Studios Inc. – music and sound effects used by permission. Please DO NOT add this audio content to the Youtube Content ID System. I have used background music which is owned by Fesliyan Studios. Movie quotes and additional sounds from 101soundboards.com.  The Muppets © Disney ⁠“Drawing Funny” podcast⁠ hosted/produced by ⁠Lin Workman ©2024. "Drawing Funny" is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only. Run time: 46min 53 sec  

Show notes: This episode features news updates for Mid-South Cartoonists Association and art happenings in our area. President Kevin L. Williams joins us again to announce the next MSCA art show at the Germantown Community Theatre and the accompanying play/musical. I share some info on the next MSCA monthly dinner gathering at Garibaldi's Pizza, Drink-N-Draw and Sat-Art-Day at 901 Comics East, the upcoming South East Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society's annual meeting in Atlanta at the Center For Puppetry Arts next month, and the recent passing of comics legend Ramona Fraydon. I also interview Ryan "Big Daddy Laddy" Ladner and find out the details on Thrill Comics and his "Memphis VS Zombies" comics Kickstarter, which is happening right now! I end the episode with my opinion on "exposure" for artists, a recent interaction with an art collector on social media, my reasons for no longer doing any art commissions and/or freelance work these days, and where my art can be found for purchase if anyone is interested in acquiring any. Thanks for listening- "stay tooned!" LINKS: “Drawing Funny” podcast – www.drawingfunny.com Mid-South Cartoonists Association/MSCA (Memphis, TN) – www.midsouthcartoonists.org Kevin L. William's website – www.kevinlwilliams.com My art website – www.linworkman.com 901 Comics East (Macon Road) – www.facebook.com The Cellar Table Top Games & Comics – www.comiccellaronline.com Germantown Community Theatre – www.gctcomeplay.org Memphis Ghostbusters – www.memphisghostbusters.com Woodruff-Fontain House Museum (Memphis) – www.woodruff-fontaine.org Garibaldi's Pizza (U of M) – www.garibaldispizza.com Thrill Comics – www.thrillcomics.squarespace.com Memphis VS Zombies – www.kickstarter.com National Cartoonists Society – www.nationalcartoonists.com Center For Puppetry Arts (ATL) – www.puppet.org #midsouthcartoonistsassociation  #linworkmanart #idontdocommissions #cartooning #msca #thefunnypages #drawingfunnypodcast #drawingfunny #podcast #podperson #staytooned Theme: “Silly Bank Heist” music by Steve Oxen. News intro theme by David Fesliyan. ©2020 Fesliyan Studios Inc. – music and sound effects used by permission. Please DO NOT add this audio content to the Youtube Content ID System. I have used background music which is owned by Fesliyan Studios. Movie quotes and additional sounds from 101soundboards.com.  ⁠“Drawing Funny” podcast⁠ hosted/produced by ⁠Lin Workman⁠.  ©2024 Run time: 37min 37 sec

From the fall of 2022 - Kenosha's own John Hambrock and Ann Morse Hambrock discuss their comic strip "The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee" shortly after it received the highest award given to newspaper comic strips- the Silver Reuben from the National Cartoonists Society.

Show notes: Mid-South Cartoonists Association President Kevin L. Williams joins us again to give the 411 on the 901 for this 57th “Drawing Funny” episode. He shares what plans are in the works for this month and on into the new year- such as the 901 C0mics East Drink-N-Draw night and Sat-Art-Day, MSCA monthly dinner meet-up at Garibaldi's Pizza, upcoming art shows and cons around town, and the South East Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society's annual meeting in Atlanta at the Center For Puppetry Arts next month. We both also discuss the crazy stories of the recent break-ins at 901 Comics and 901 Toys, the GoFundMe Crime Relief Fund for them, and co-owner Shannon Merritt's on-air conversation with fellow comic book store owner Kevin Smith..! 901 Comics East is my day job so these burglaries hit WAY too close to home here in the M-town. Don't worry- Shannon is on the case...with or without a cape and mask! Stay safe, and STAY TOONED! LINKS: "Drawing Funny" Podcast – www.drawingfunny.com Mid-South Cartoonists Association/MSCA (Memphis, TN) – www.midsouthcartoonists.org Kevin L. William's website – www.kevinlwilliams.com My art website – www.linworkman.com 901 Comics East (Macon Road) – www.facebook.com 901 Comics (Cooper/Young) - www.facebook.com/901comics 901 Toys (Cooper/Young) - www.facebook.com/901TOYS 901 Comics & 901 Toys Crime Relief Fund – www.gofundme.com GAS Hour 1 - Kevin Smith Fills In With Guest Shannon Merritt (02/01) – www.iheart.com/podcast/139-gary-and-shannon-27401728/episode/0201-gas-hour-1-kevin-147151331/ Garibaldi's Pizza (U of M) – www.garibaldispizza.com MidTown Con – www.facebook.com/MidtownCon38104 Haywood Comic Convention – www.haywoodcomiccon.com Center For Puppetry Arts (ATL) – www.puppet.org Memphis Public Libraries – www.memphislibrary.org Jay And Silent Bob's Secret Stash – www.thesecretstashonline.com "Fatman Beyond" Podcast – www.smodcast.com/fat-man-beyond #midsouthcartoonistsassociation  #linworkmanart #cartooning #msca #drawingfunnypodcast #drawingfunny #podcast #podperson #staytooned Theme: “Silly Bank Heist” music by Steve Oxen. News intro theme by David Fesliyan. ©2020 Fesliyan Studios Inc. – music and sound effects used by permission. Please DO NOT add this audio content to the Youtube Content ID System. I have used background music which is owned by Fesliyan Studios. Movie quotes and additional sounds from 101soundboards.com. "Drawing Funny" podcast hosted/produced by Lin Workman.  ©2024 Run time: 27min 27 sec

Join us as we welcome Jeff Keane, the current cartoonist of Family Circus, the incredibly successful one-panel cartoon, now over 60 years old and featured in 1500 newspapers worldwide. Jeff talks about the real-life family behind the cartoon; his dad, Bil, the originator of the cartoon; the National Cartoonists Society; humor; creativity; and all kinds of fun things. A wonderful episode with Bill Aho co-hosting.Where to see the Family Circus cartoons:https://comicskingdom.com/family-circus/archiveThoughts? Comments? Potshots? Contact the show at:https://www.discreetguide.com/podcast-books-shows-tunes-mad-acts/Follow or like us on podomatic.com (it raises our visibility :)https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/books-shows-tunes-mad-actsSupport us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/discreetguideJennifer on Post.News:@JenCrittendenJennifer on Twitter:@DiscreetGuideJennifer on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkcrittenden/Discreet Guide Training:https://training.discreetguide.com/

Welcome to the Shelf Care Interview, an occasional conversation series where Booklist talks to book people. This Shelf Care Interview is sponsored by Penguin Random House Canada. In this episode of the Shelf Care Interview, Sarah Hunter talks to Paul Gilligan, the author and artist of PLUTO ROCKET: NEW IN TOWN. Paul Gilligan writes and draws the syndicated comic strip Pooch Cafe with Andrews McMeel, which runs in over 250 newspapers around the world and has been twice nominated by the National Cartoonists Society for Best Strip. In addition to being the author and illustrator of PLUTO ROCKET, he works in animation and has shows in development with Guru Animation and the Cartoon Network. Paul is based in Toronto, Ontario.

John Hambrock and Anne Morse Hambrock talk about their comic strip "The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee" (which John writes and draws and Anne colors). It debuted in newspapers across the country in 2006 - and two weeks ago, it won the Silver Reuben for Newspaper Comic Strips from the National Cartoonists Society, which is essentially the 'Oscar' for newspaper comic strips.

Watch the video on our youtube channel. In conversation with Signe Wilkinson ''One of America's foremost political satirists'' (The New York Times), illustrator, caricaturist, and cartoonist Edward Sorel has illustrated 41 covers for The New Yorker and has published pictorial essays and features in The Nation, Vanity Fair, Esquire, and The Atlantic, among many other publications. His many pictorial books include Literary Lives, Unauthorized Portraits, and Mary Astor's Purple Diary. The recipient of the George Polk Award for Satiric Drawing and the Best in Illustration Award from the National Cartoonists Society, Sorel's work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums. His new memoir combines 172 of his drawings, cartoons, and caricatures with lively prose to tell the story of his Depression-era Bronx upbringing, the adventures in his rich personal life, and extraordinary 70-year career.    Signe Wilkinson is a widely syndicated cartoonist and the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. Formerly based at The Philadelphia Inquirer, she is the recipient of three Overseas Press Club Awards. With Jonathan Zimmerman she co-authored the book Free Speech: And Why You Should Give a Damn. (recorded 12/9/2021)

Pigeons: rats with wings or wonder birds? Rosemary Mosco, science writer and naturalist, enters the dovecote with Eve and Julie to settle the debate. The author and illustrator of A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the World's Most Misunderstood Bird, Rosemary defends her feral, feathered friends with an extraordinary (yet widely unknown) historical and anatomical tour. She discusses how the once-wild rock pigeon grew into a domesticated military tool capable of turning “the global tide of politics.” And, in a Book Dreams first, Rosemary illustrates what it would mean for a pigeon to be endowed--yes, that kind of endowed. As Julie's grandmother would say, this episode has “got some sexy in it.” Rosemary Mosco is a science communicator, acclaimed cartoonist, and speaker on all things bird. She's the creator of the web comic Bird and Moon, which won the National Cartoonists Society's Award for Best Online Short Form Comic. Rosemary is the author of many science books for young people, including The New York Times bestselling Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid. She's also a writer for the PBS kids show Elinor Wonders Why.  Find us on Twitter (@bookdreamspod) and Instagram (@bookdreamspodcast), or email us at contact@bookdreamspodcast.com. We encourage you to visit our website and sign up for our newsletter for information about our episodes, guests, and more. Book Dreams is a part of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. Since you're listening to Book Dreams, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows about literature, writing, and storytelling like Storybound and The History of Literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ed Steckley is an illustrator. He works on children's picture books, middle grade chapter books and advertising assignments. He's been a caricaturist, cartoonist and tried animating too- but that wasn't his wheelhouse, he says. He shares his passion, his journey and his goals. He also expresses gratitude for his mentors, some of the greatest artists that have contributed work in the last 100 years. Along with drawing "tractors and lawn mowers," to get practice in his early years, he has created wonderful characters in pencil, ink and paint. His cat Franklin is always in his home studio, in Queens, New York, where he creates his magic. His newest accomplishment is available mid November; one of a series of books called "Rube Goldberg," about a little kid who invents things, and based on a real person. He did ninety drawings for this series of books in grey scale and full color. You can now purchase this book, published by Abrams Publishing, and the same editorial director who put out the hit MG series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Charlie Kochman.  Ed Steckley is also on the board of the National Cartoonists Society, and says networking is a key way to get to know people in this industry. Knowing your craft is imperative, but "a college degree is not what will get you work in this industry," says Steckley.  For more on Passion to Power and host, Michelle Zeitlin, please see Passion-Power.com and MoreZap.com Michelle Zeitlin is the founder of More Zap Productions & Management, a talent & literary boutique in Los Angeles. Along with representing artists, authors, actors and activists, Zeitlin is also a show creator and director/choreographer.  If you are interested in appearing on this podcast as a guest, please send a request to MoreZap@gmail.com.  

On this episode, The Barretta Brothers welcome Muppet Fan Artists, Stuart Reeves, David R. Hulteen, James V. Carrol, and Kenny Durkin.   ABOUT OUR GUESTS: Stuart Reeves In 2009 Stuart opened his own studio after working in-house at one of the U.K's largest privately-owned companies as Senior Creative since 2001, where he developed a collaborative expertise with the immensely talented creative team there and passionate belief that integrating digital techniques and photography often results in the most successful imagery. His approach has resulted in a number of national design awards, global magazine covers and professional accolades. Since opening the door to freelance, Stuart has had the opportunity to work on a number of global brands such as Lego, Disney, Warner Bros., Mercedes, Universal Pictures, Pizza Hut and The North Face. His work has spanned the fields of automotive, fashion, concept design, storyboards, character design and development.   David Hulteen For the last 15 years he has worked for The Salvation Army as a publications specialist, editor, writer, graphic designer, illustrator, and art director in New York. He has also done freelance work for the Jim Henson Company, the American Broadcasting Company, Clear Channel Communications, SModcast Internet Radio, the Gramercy Brass Orchestra of New York, and Imperial Brass. Dave has been fortunate to do commissioned work for Bill Barretta, Paul Rudolph, and Matt Vogel among other family members of Muppet performers.  "I have a beautiful wife and daughter and we are all a bunch of Jersey kids."   James V. Carroll James V Carroll is a San Francisco-based, freelance graphic artist. Over the past decade his creative endeavors have included everything from promotional billboards and illustration to multimedia and product design. He is an avid moviegoer and known contributor to the Muppet fan community. His passion for Jim Henson's characters led him to collaborate with Palisades Toys for many of their classic action figure designs. He also has contributed illustration work for licenses such as Fox and Disney.   Kenny Durkin Kenny Durkin is a Florida-based cartoonist/caricature artist who has illustrated children's books, designed everything from plush toys to garden gnomes, self-published his own comic books, and had his cartoons on apparel for AMC's Duck Dynasty, Disney's The Muppets, and The Jim Henson Company. He's designed numerous company logos and has illustrated the posters and playbills of several off-Broadway musicals. He writes and illustrates his own online comic strip Father of the Brood. He has performed live caricature entertainment at events across the United States for over 20 years. He's drawn caricatures at Walt Disney World retail locations and special events for 15 years. He is a proud member of the prestigious National Cartoonists Society and an award-winning Gold Member of the International Society of Caricature Artists.

It’s time for another episode of Hold My Umbrella. Glad you’re back! If you haven’t checked out our episodes “Native-ish to Colorado” and “Soup for the Soulmate”, go ahead and get caught up. We’ll still be here! This week we’re cracking down on the long history of sexism in the comic book and movie industries. The comic book industry began in the 1940s and 50s when what was once just strips in newspapers became episodic tales. Comic book stores started popping up and an immediate sexist trend began. Many young women and girls have always read comic books, despite a major misperception that they weren’t interested in these heroic stories. But shortly into the industry’s development, post-war romance comic titles boomed in attempts to appeal to the female audience. These comics were written mostly by men, featuring female protagonists who were framed solely through their relationships to men. If you don’t know about women in refrigerators… brace yourself. We talk about the initially female-excluding National Cartoonists Society, the origins and ineffectiveness of the Comic Book Code, and the remaining gender gap to this day. Female comic book fans gained visibility less than a decade ago and the objectification of women in comic book-inspired films is still an issue. Notable figures Carrie Fisher, Trina Robbins, and Kelly Sue Deconnick, are among several women who have helped pave a better road for female creators, readers, and viewers. Listen in to learn about these incredible women who inspire us to speak up at injustices to make the world a better place for the next generation. Find us on the ‘gram @holdmyumbrella and stay tuned for more!

This episode of Talkward welcomes back cartoonist, stand-up comic, and actor Jason Chatfield! Jason is the president of The National Cartoonists Society, and a contributor in The New Yorker. We discuss […]

This episode of Talkward welcomes back cartoonist, stand-up comic, and actor Jason Chatfield! Jason is the president of The National Cartoonists Society, and a contributor in The New Yorker. We discuss cartooning, Tom Richmond, Mort Drucker, Jason's drawing diary during his bout with Covid-19 and even the Murder, She Wrote episode that uses The Reuben Award as a murder weapon!Visit Jason here: https://www.jasonchatfield.com/  http://twitter.com/jason_chatfield  http://instagram.com/jasonchatfield  http://www.facebook.com/jasonchatfieldcartoonist

Jason Chatfield and Dan Berry talk about Covid infections, drawing tools and being president of the National Cartoonists Society. Jason has a podcast with Scott Dooley called Is There Something In This? Check it out! We also talk a little about the brass pens I make. If so inclined, you can buy one here. Help support the show on Patreon for as little as $1 per episode.

JarJarJeremy talks with cartoonist/creator of Sour Grape, Tim Jones, at Plastic City Comic Con. Tim Jones is a self-syndicated comic strip artist from Rhode Island where he lives with his wife and two daughters. Cartooning for over 20 years, he created his comic strip, Sour Grapes, in 2013, which is currently published in multiple newspapers throughout Rhode Island, Southern Massachusetts and California. Tim is a member of ARIA (Association of Rhode Island Authors) and a member of The National Cartoonists Society.Sour Grapes: www.sourgrapescomic.com/about.htmlTim's Facebook: www.facebook.com/tjonestwentytenSour Grapes Instagram: @sourgrapes2017Find out more at https://loose-cannon-jar-jar-jeremy.pinecast.coSend us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/loose-cannon-jar-jar-jeremy/51a7b739-9ace-4c4a-8f9d-a6263cad21eaThis podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-fa1962 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Loose Cannon Jar Jar Jeremy.

Andi and Lise are really into the webcomic, Stand Still Stay Silent, written and drawn by Finnish-Swedish artist Minna Sundberg. Actually, they might be complete and utter fangirls of it and it was Lise, this time, who turned Andi onto this amazing post-apocalyptic story that has elements of Nordic mythology in it. SSSS is so good that it won a Reuben in 2015 for best online comic (the Reubens are given out by the National Cartoonists Society, and it is the highest honor that the society bestows). From the website: “It’s been 90 years after the end of the old world. Most of the surviving population of the Known world live in Iceland, the largest safe area in existence, while the safe settlements in the other Nordic countries; Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, are small and scarce. “Countless mysterious and unspoken dangers lurk outside the safe areas, the Silent world, and hunters, mages and cleansers will spend their lives defending the settlements against the terrifying beings. Because of a great fear towards everything in the Silent world no official attempts to explore the ruins of the old have been made, and most of the information about it has turned into ancient lore, known by few. “But now, at last, it is time to send out an research crew into the great unknown! A poorly funded and terribly unqualified crew, but a crew nonetheless.” — The art and story are engaging, the characterization is brilliant, and the artist brings in mythological elements and fuses them incredibly well with the larger story arcs of the post-apocalyptic theme (this apocalypse originating with a disease) and the reclamation of older, pagan traditions that provide a way to cope with and survive in new circumstances. Find Stand Still. Stay Silent HERE Find the artist, Minna Sundberg, on Twitter HERE (@SSSSComic) and HERE (@hummingfluff) Also, in honor of recording this podcast, Andi was drinking Einstök beer, crafted in Iceland, located 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle. In this instance, she was indulging in the Icelandic Wee Heavy. Super delish. https://lezgeekoutcast.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/LGO_39.mp3

Episode 39: Webcomic Stand Still. Stay Silent  Andi and Lise are really into the webcomic, Stand Still. Stay Silent, written and drawn by Finnish-Swedish artist Minna Sundberg. Actually, they might be complete and utter fangirls of it and it was Lise, this time, who turned Andi onto this amazing post-apocalyptic story that has elements of Nordic mythology in it. SSSS is so good that it won a Reuben in 2015 for best online comic (the Reubens are given out by the National Cartoonists Society, and it is the highest honor that the society bestows).  From the website:  “It's been 90 years after the end of the old world. Most of the surviving population of the Known world live in Iceland, the largest safe area in existence, while the safe settlements in the other Nordic countries; Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, are small and scarce.  “Countless mysterious and unspoken dangers lurk outside the safe areas, the Silent world, and hunters, mages and cleansers will spend their lives defending the settlements against the terrifying beings. Because of a great fear towards everything in the Silent world no official attempts to explore the ruins of the old have been made, and most of the information about it has turned into ancient lore, known by few.  “But now, at last, it is time to send out an research crew into the great unknown! A poorly funded and terribly unqualified crew, but a crew nonetheless.”  --  The art and story are engaging, the characterization is brilliant, and the artist brings in mythological elements and fuses them incredibly well with the larger story arcs of the post-apocalyptic theme (this apocalypse originating with a disease) and the reclamation of older, pagan traditions that provide a way to cope with and survive in new circumstances.  Find Stand Still. Stay Silent HERE  Find the artist, Minna Sundberg, on Twitter HERE (@SSSSComic) and HERE (@hummingfluff)  Also, in honor of recording this podcast, Andi was drinking Einstök beer, crafted in Iceland, located 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle. In this instance, she was indulging in the Icelandic Wee Heavy. Super delish.  AND! Find Lez Geek Out! on Twitter HERE! (@LGOPodcast) 

This week Michelle Fern talks Earl, Mooch, Shtinky Puddin’ and the rest of the crazy cast of characters in the hit comic strip, Mutts with cartoonist and Mutts creator, Patrick McDonnell. In 1994, Patrick McDonnell created the comic strip MUTTS, which now appears in over 700 newspapers in 20 countries. McDonnell has received numerous awards for this strip, including the National Cartoonists Society’s highest honor, The Reuben, for Cartoonist of the Year; five Harvey Awards for Best Comic Strip; Germany’s Max and Moritz Award for Best International Comic Strip; and the Swedish Academy of Comic Art’s Adamson Statuette. More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Are Cats Mutts? Yesh! with Michelle Fern

From 2008: Check out cartoonist Mike Lynch’s work on his web site, HeyKidsComics.com while you listen to this interview. Lynch, who lives in the foothills of the White Mountains in rural New Hampshire with his wife and three cats, freelances for advertising agencies, calendars, books and so on. He’s also on the board of the National Cartoonists Society.

Today's Guest: Ray Billingsley, syndicated daily cartoonist, creator, "Curtis" 'Curtis' by cartoonist Ray Billingsley When I was researching my biography, Will Eisner, A Spirited Life, one of the biggest surprises for me was learning that two extremely successful daily cartoonists, Ray Billingsley of “Curtis," and Patrick McDonnell of “Mutts,” were once students of Eisner’s at the New York School of Visual Arts. Eisner spoke highly of both men, and he developed an ongoing mentor-style relationship with Billingsley, who was a very young man, just about 16, when he first took Eisner’s class. Billingsley’s strip, “Curtis,” brings a black perspective to the daily comics pages of more than 250 newspapers. It’s a steady performer recognized by the American Cancer Society for Curtis’ efforts to get his father to stop smoking. And Billingsley takes the detour from the usual story lines every December for an original Kwanzaa tale. Ray Billingsley Website • Facebook UPDATE: May 23, 2007 Curtis by Ray Billingsley The most talked about "Mr. Media Interview" to date - by far - was the one above with "Curtis" cartoonist Ray Billingsley. He hit a nerve by taking issue with book publishers who have been unwilling to produce a collection of his strip in nearly two decades. The interview led to not one but two stories on EditorandPublisher.com - including a condemnation of his remarks by the current president of the National Cartoonists Society, Rick Stromoski ("Soup to Nutz") - and a lengthy discussion on the popular web site, The Comics Curmudgeon. Billingsley isn't letting the issue die down, either, with the NCS' annual Reuben Awards just around the corner. A recent Sunday strip has generated even more controversy, this time on The Comics Journal Message Board. Read the strip and what's been written here. Or feel free to click on "Comments" below and add your thoughts here. ] Cartoonist Ray Billingsley What I find interesting is that Billingsley hasn't directly mention the name of the publisher of the vast majority of comic strip compilations - even though it's pretty obvious with whom he's so frustrated. I also wonder why no Black-oriented book publisher has stepped forward - yet. If you'd like to hear more from Billingsley on this subject - live and in person, he'll be one of the guest speakers at the Festival of Cartoon Art, Oct. 25-27, 2007, sponsored by Ohio State University's Cartoon Research Library. Order Will Eisner: A Spirited Life (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Sergio Aragones, legendary MAD magazine cartoonist, creator, "Groo" Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of MAD cartoonist Sergio Aragones fans dressed up for Halloween as Groo the Wanderer… in the NEW new media capitol of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida!  Order MAD’s Greatest Artists: Sergio Aragones: Five Decades of His Finest Works by clicking the book cover above! (2010) My first issue of MAD magazine was purchased near the checkout counter at a Stop & Shop supermarket in my hometown of North Brunswick, New Jersey, in July 1970. I’ll never forget the cover: a parody of the summer’s big hit, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, featuring a couple of actors named Redford & Newman. I no longer have it, but I suspect that that was my first exposure to legendary artist Sergio Aragones. SERGIO ARAGONES audio excerpt: "I did about 20 Pocket Books for MAD with new material. The characters are what sell the book. I thought, 'Why not draw myself on every cover? That way they know it's my book.' So I became a comic book character." Sergio has been producing illustrated gags for MAD since 1963 and for many fans, his work and the humor mag’s name are forever entwined. He has been one of the Usual Gang of Idiots for longer than I’ve been able to spell “ee-diots.” This month, Sergio — who has already won the National Cartoonist Society’s top honor, the Reuben Award, as well as the Will Eisner Hall of Fame Award and the Comic Art Professional Society’s Sergio Award, named after, um… him — is being recognized in a different way with a book retrospective. MAD’s Greatest Artists: Sergio Aragones: Five Decades of His Finest Works, is an oversized coffee table collectible that reproduces some of his finest, crazy material in a hardcover format that will no doubt outlast us all. It is a great honor to have him as a guest today. Sergio Aragones Website • Groo • Facebook • Order MAD’s Greatest Artists: Sergio Aragones: Five Decades of His Finest Works Order 'Sergio Aragones Funnies,' named by the National Cartoonists Society the Best Comic Book of 2013, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the comic book cover above! Order 'Sergio Aragones' Groo: Library,' available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!   Order 'Will Eisner: A Spirited Life' (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!   The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!  

Today's Guest: Cartoonist Mort Walker, dean of American comic strip creators, creator of Hi & Lois, Beetle Bailey. (FROM 2007) Order Beetle Bailey: The Daily & Sunday Strips 1966 by Mort Walker, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above![/caption] Mort Walker is the dean and -- in some ways -- the curator of American cartoonists. Best known for his long-running strips “Beetle Bailey” and “Hi & Lois,” Walker, 84, is also a bedrock member of the National Cartoonists Society, and he’s the founder and energy behind the National Cartoon Museum. This is the third time I’ve had the pleasure of Mort’s company over the last 20 years. I enjoy interviewing him because he says what’s on his mind, and what’s on his mind is never dull. But just in case my questions aren’t sharp enough for this American comic strip master, I’ve called in reinforcements. Ray Billingsley, creator of the “Curtis” strip and an old friend of Walker’s, kindly contributed questions today. So did a newer member of the fraternity, Mark Tatulli, creator of “Heart of the City” and America’s fastest-growing new strip, “LIO.”   Order Will Eisner: A Spirited Life (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!

I struck up a conversation with Jason Chatfield when he was doing a signing at the GoComics booth and we had such a great time that we decided to schedule an interview. We sat down at the National Cartoonists Society... Read More ›

Famed cartoonist Patrick McDonnell delivers a special salute to the late great Charles Schulz, shelter animals and even critters on a farm sanctuary as a guest on the Oh Behave Show hosted by Arden Moore. McDonnell, voted Cartoonist of the Year by the National Cartoonists Society, has been making us laugh and think since first unleashing the Mutts comic strip in 1994. McDonnell just released two Mutts-have books, Bonk! A Mutts Treasury, and The Monsters’ Monster. To win an autographed copy of these two books, be the 100th and 101st person to email Arden (Arden@fourleggedlife.com). Now, that’s PAW-some news! Questions or Comments? Send them to: arden@petliferadio.com. More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - Oh Behave - Patrick McDonnell Shares Insights into Earl, Mooch and the Rest of His Mutts Comic Strip Characters on the Oh Behave Show with Arden Moore var ACE_AR = {Site: '845738', Size: '468060'};