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Spocking Fives

There is a former prime minister named Sir Wilfrid Laurier on Canada’s five dollar bill and since Leonard Nimoy’s death, the bills have been marked up – to look like Spock from Star Trek! The resemblance is uncanny with just a few pen strokes. It’s been happening quite often. It’s perfect during this 50th anniversary of Star Trek, too.

According to Bank of Canada it’s not illegal to do this “…However, there are important reasons why it should not be done. Writing on a bank note may interfere with the security features and reduces its lifespan. Markings on a note may also prevent it from being accepted in a transaction. Furthermore, the Bank of Canada feels that writing and markings on bank notes are inappropriate as they are a symbol of our country and a source of national pride.”

I am surprised they are circulating, if I received one, I think I would save it and not spend it. But as you can see above, there’s a US $5 bill circulating with Lincoln made into Spock, guess that’s how Lincoln would look if he was Spock for Halloween.

Krazy Kat and The Gumps

I ordered a couple of books from Amazon. Krazy Kat by George Herriman and The Gumps by Sidney Smith. The books are part of a series by The Library of American Comics Essentials and they are superb. The quality of the books themselves are first class, they come with a place holder ribbon, you know, like a bible has. And what’s great about the books is that they have one comic strip per page, basically the size that the original ran in the newspaper, the unique size of the book allows this. Each book takes one year, 365 days, of a period in time and the object is to read one strip per day and to be transported back into that time period, which is quite hard to do as you want to binge read the strips and cannot just contain your enjoyment to just one strip per day.

I’ve always been a fan of Krazy Kat and I have many Krazy Kat anthologies. What’s different about this book is that it’s not the usual full color Sunday pages which get all the usual attention. This is 365 strips from 1934. The first strip is January 1, 1934 and the last is December 31, 1934. This year was chosen because it was thought to be one of his best years regarding writing and drawing.

As for The Gumps, I didn’t know much about them except the name. When I had seen images of the strips in the past, they were few and far between and seemed too wordy for me. I’ve always felt that less is more when it comes to text in comic strips. But back in the early 1900s when The Gumps started, the comic strip was a very important part of American entertainment and the more wordy, the better.

The Gumps strips in the book run from May 1, 1928 to May 3, 1929. This was an important period in that it was probably when it had the most readers and the biggest plot twist of all time. It involved a new neighbor who moved next door to Andy and Min Gump, named Mary Gold, and the whole year twists and turns around her disappearance and (spoiler alert) death. Yes, cartoonist Sidney Smith had the character die which was something unimaginable at the time. The Gumps received thousands of emails a week, they received front page headlines during the Mary Gold episode and serial strips were born.

The Gumps was already a very successful strip, probably the number one strip and most popular. It started in 1917 when Sidney Smith had characters from his previous strip, Old Doc Yak, about a bunch of goats as people, moved out and the Gumps moved into their house. It all took place in the same space on the newspaper page. In 1922. a common greeting of people was, “Did you see Andy this morning?” Sort of like, “Who shot JR?”

One other interesting fact about The Gumps is that when the New York Daily News began in 1919, The Gumps was the only comic strip in the paper! “Gump” was a word used by Joseph Patterson, owner of the Chicago Tribune, NY Daily News and Tribune Syndicate, to refer to everyday people, he had Sidney Smith use that name for the characters in his new strip.

At the front of the Library of American Comics Essentials books there is a written history of the cartoonist and the strip. There is a lot of information there that I had never heard before. It’s just as good as the strips themselves. The Gumps really can fill a book all by themselves, I don’t mean comics, but the whole story of Sidney Smith and his life, how he was the richest cartoonist at the time, the most popular cartoonist and was known for his exotic car collection. He received a new car each year as part of his cartooning contract, something like a Speedster 348, which is shown in the book.

Sidney Smith was killed in an auto accident in 1935, very ironic since his life was the comic strip and cars. He was front page news as you can see.. You can read the article up close here. It jumps to page 6, which you can see if you scroll down on the Tribune site.

The election polls are out

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Batman, Superman, Peanuts, he’s got his hand in all of it

10 With Tom
10 questions in 10 minutes

Marc Tyler Nobleman, shown here, is the author of books including Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, Brave Like My Brother, and Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman, which helped correct the 76-year-old credit line of one of the most iconic fictional characters of all time. This effort is the subject of the Hulu documentary Batman and Bill, premiering in October.

I had the chance to ask Marc the 10 With Tom questions:

TOM: You rescued the legacy of Batman by taking over 10 years to have Bill Finger proclaimed co-creator of Batman so he has his rightful place next to Bob Kane. Why was this so important to you?
MARC: Because it was so important to so many. For decades, Batmaniacs have clamored for this (rumblings at cons, message board posts) but there was no organized campaign to rally around. I had intermittent delusions that Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman alone could lead to change, and if not, felt it could serve as a tangible focal point to educate people and build a groundswell of support for additional efforts. At the heart of the issue, the man who co-created one of our greatest champions of justice suffered from an egregious cultural injustice and it simply wasn’t fair to the Finger legacy, the Finger family, or Batman fans.

TOM: You also talk about the creators of Superman. Who would you prefer to be, Batman or Superman. Why?
MARC: Superman. Power of flight = no airport security lines.

TOM: You interviewed Peanuts voice actors a couple of years ago. That’s such a clever idea, what possessed you to do that?
MARC: Thank you. In between what I am supposed to be doing (writing books and speaking at schools/conferences), I like to fill gaps in pop culture history, particularly the eras I’ve lived through. Everyone has a story, even those who think they don’t. I believe in documenting as much as possible while the principals and firsthand witnesses are still here. The internet has been a boon for the kind of oral histories I do, in terms of both tracking down people and providing a platform to present the result. If there even are any magazines that would run such a niche feature, it’d be there-and-gone; so many fans would miss it. Online, the stories are generally easier to access and available indefinitely.

TOM: Can you draw?
MARC: Certain things! Actually, I’m a lapsed cartoonist. For several years I was regularly licensing single-panel cartoons to publications including The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Good Housekeeping. I also drew a book of cartoons for Scholastic. I started cartooning professionally with only one goal: break into The New Yorker. I got as far as having my own rejection folder there, and was proud of it! One day I’ll give it another go.

TOM: If you could spend the day inside any newspaper comic strip (other than Batman or Superman), which would it be?
MARC: Given how often I’m speaking in elementary schools, I already feel like a recurring cameo in Peanuts. But beyond that, Little Nemo in Slumberland for the visual stimuli alone.

TOM: Word of the moment?
MARC: Unconventional.

TOM: What is your favorite book of all time (not including your own)?
MARC: Morality Play by Barry Unsworth.

TOM: What’s the one thing you would like to change about yourself?
MARC: I’m in a constant state of trying to sleep and exercise more. At the moment, I’m doing better than usual.

TOM: What was the best phase of your life, and why?
MARC: Fatherhood. It encompasses all else (love, fun, challenge, responsibility, fear) and ultimately matters most.

TOM: What’s the one thing that people always misunderstand about you.
MARC: Perhaps some don’t realize that my persistence is not only a personality trait but also a bridge to do my job: tell stories to people whom I am confident will be moved.

Thanks for being a good sport, Marc! Marc is one of the great personalities in Tom Falco’s 10 With Tom series.

A lesson from 20 years ago

I was going through some old comics I did in the mid-90s. And I found some from the 1980s, too! I don’t know if I ever submitted them to the syndicates, I used to like the process and the journey, rather than the final destination back then. I would draw and enjoy the process but not send the work in.

I did find a bunch of comics that King Features published in the mid-90s as part of a comic called “The New Breed,” where they were grooming new cartoonists for something bigger and better. But I quit in the middle of it all when my business took off, I didn’t have the time; the road not taken. I regret that now.

Anyway, I found an old letter from King Features and I don’t think I noticed it at the time, but there was a handwritten note that said that they loved my single panel comics and they wanted to buy them at will a few at a time for “The New Breed,” but as a regular feature it lacked a look or style. They said it was “generic.” Their words. They said I didn’t have a unique style for the characters. I wish I had noticed it back then or at least remembered that as I would have worked on my style for single panel cartoons. So to that end, I am thinking of reviving “Paws,” my comic about Tombo the Rabbit and Jacomo the Mole. People loved it when I published daily, I even had a large dedicated audience on Instagram.

Paws is a single panel comic, which I love because I find it interesting and fun to do the gag in such a small space, without dragging it out through panels and in these days of social media, I feel that the single panel is easier to see and read on things like cell phones and tablets.

nighthawks-color-print — Tombo and Jacomo in my version of Nighthawks.

10 things you didn’t know about best-selling author Brad Meltzer

10 With Tom
10 questions in 10 minutes

Brad Meltzer is a well known, best selling novelist who writes political thrillers and non-fiction. He’s also a comic book author, having written for DC Comics’ Green Arrow, also Superman/Batman, Justice League of America series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and so many more. Brad is also well-known from his excellent TV shows, “Brad Meltzer’s Decoded” and “Brad Meltzer’s Lost History.”

He has two new children’s books out, “I am Jane Goodall,” and “I am George Washington,” also “The House of Secrets.”

I asked Brad the 10 With Tom questions. Here they are:

TOM: I see you were one of the entertainers at Barbara Bush’s 90th birthday party. What did you do to entertain the guests?
BRAD: The only thing I know how to do: Tell stories.

TOM: Who would you rather be Batman or Superman? Why?
BRAD: Batman. He’ll never win. He’ll never stop crime. He’ll never bring back his dead parents. But he’ll never stop fighting. Superman is who we wish we were, but Batman is who we know we really are. We all fight a losing battle every day. But we never stop.

TOM: I watch “Lost History,” your History H2 show. If only one piece of lost history could be found, which would you prefer it be?
BRAD: The 9/11 flag. That’s the one.

NOTE: Good News! Looks like the flag was finally located thanks to Brad’s determination!

TOM: Favorite junk food?
BRAD: Ice cream. Scooped ice cream at Haagen Dazs for four years. Still never tire of it.

TOM: Which comic strip would you love to jump into and spend the day?
BRAD: Calvin & Hobbes.

TOM: Last show you binge watched?
BRAD: Stranger Things.

TOM: Word of the moment
BRAD: Sad.

TOM: I was hesitant to ask why.

TOM: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
BRAD: Hawaii.

TOM: Last book you read, other than your own.
BRAD: Southern Bastards by Jason Aaron.

TOM: What did you have for breakfast today?
BRAD: Blueberries and granola. But I tell my brain it’s Count Chokula.

Thanks, Brad!

Vintage art

jerrylewis

A vintage Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon ad by Hirschfeld. How many Nina’s can you find?

Vintage comic strip shopping

I’ve been vintage comic strip shopping again, adding to my collection. I bought some more original cartoon art. This time I got four Momma strips by Mel Lazarus. Mel recently passed away, so this makes it even more special. And I purchased an original pen and ink King Aroo strip from Sept. 3, 1962, done by Jack Kent the strips’s creator and cartoonist. I just learned about King Aroo recently and love the style and comedy of Jack. I purchased a couple of compilation books of the comic strip last year. These strips are all signed.

The Momma strips are pen and ink originals from 1973. I also love Mel’s other comic strip, Miss Peach. Would love to get my hands on one of them. I’ve seen pre-production pages from a book, but I would love the original newspaper strip.

I would also love an original Peanuts strip, but those seem to be going for $25,00o to $50,000 and up!

I also purchased these new books. Love the shape, perfect to fit comic strips. The Gumps and Krazy Kat.

book-gumps book-krazykat

10 things you didn’t know about newsman Ayman Mohyeldin

10 With Tom
10 questions in 10 minutes

Ayman Mohyeldin, shown here, is one of my favorites at MSNBC. I love saying his name, but even more than that, he is an excellent newsman, whether he is traveling the world or anchoring behind the desk. I had a chance to ask Ayman the 10 With Tom questions, here they are:

TOM: You travel a lot, how many miles do you think you’ve gone this year?
AYMAN: I think I’ve made it around the world at least twice so far.

TOM: Favorite location to visit?
AYMAN: With all the traveling I do… Home is my favorite location to visit.

TOM: You must have some airport or travel secrets?
AYMAN: I could make millions with the travel secrets I’ve learned. How much are you willing to pay? I can get you through any airport pretty easily…wait, is TSA going to read this?

TOM: Do you prefer anchoring the news or being out in the field reporting?
AYMAN: My heart will always be in the field. But anchoring is a mental challenge as well. They both have advantages and disadvantages. I am a huge foodie, so field food was not good on my waistline. I pretty much ate my way through life when I was field reporting.

TOM: Favorite season. And why?
AYMAN: Summer. More reasons to be lazy.

TOM: Do you believe in Bigfoot?
AYMAN: No.

TOM: I really thought he would.

TOM: What song would you sing for your American Idol audition?
AYMAN: No Sleep Till Brooklyn

TOM: What did you have for breakfast today?
AYMAN: Iced Coffee and a cheese Man’ousha (google it and thank me later).

TOM: What’s something you always wanted to do as a child but never got to do?
AYMAN: Go to band camp.

TOM: What are two things you would do if you woke up to find yourself completely invisible?
AYMAN: I would sit in on a few high level meetings at the Oval office between world leaders specially some specific country leaders. And I would definitely crash the finals of the World Cup.

Thanks, Ayman! Good sport.

Being a one man newspaper act

The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) has a story about an Alaskan newspaper, the Skagway News, where the editor is also the only writer, editor lays out the paper, brings it to the printer, picks it up and distributes it.

From the article: “As the editor/reporter,” the listing for her job explained, “you will be responsible for writing every story, laying out every issue, sending it to the printers and picking it up in Whitehorse, [Yukon Territory], two hours away. You and our business manager are also responsible for distributing the papers throughout town and mailing them to the Lower 48.”

I love this, as I have been doing this for over 11 years with the Coconut Grove Grapevine the daily news in our little sailing village in Miami, FL. Well, every part except the having it printed, because the Grapevine is an online publication and I doubt it would ever exist if it wasn’t, although in the early 1980s, the Coconut Grove Grapevine was a monthly or twice monthly printed newspaper which I worked on as a kid, that’s where I got the name for the online Grapevine.

I worked at a place where I typeset and layed out newspapers and the Coconut Grove Grapevine was a client.

Interestingly enough, many of the people I know in Coconut Grove today, worked for the original Grapveine, mostly as writers just starting out.

But anyway, I’ve always been proud of the current Coconut Grove Grapevine as being a one-man operation – I find the news or edit the press releases that come in, I take the photos, interview people, design the layout and stories, sell the ads, etc. etc. Very much like the Skagway News. And I do mine all part time although it seems full time.

Anyway, here’s the Skagway article in the CJR.