NCS North Central Chapter

Congratulations to this year's Reuben Winners!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Sun, 26 May 2013 20:00:00 +0000

A big congratulations to the 67th Annual Reuben Award winners at Saturday night's ceremonies:

Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year goes to (a tie) Rick Kirkman and Brian Crane. Great job, fellas.

Also, in their respective categories, congratulations to:

TELEVISION ANIMATION

Rich Webber, Director, Aardman Animation Studios, “DC Nation”

EATURE ANIMATION

Joann Sfar, Director, “The Rabbi’s Cat”

NEWSPAPER ILLUSTRATION

Dave Whamond

GAG CARTOONS

Roz Chast

GREETING CARDS

Jem Sullivan

NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIPS

Brian Basset “Red and Rover”

NEWSPAPER PANEL CARTOONS

Hilary Price “Rhymes with Orange”

MAGAZINE FEATURE/MAGAZINE ILLUSTRATION

Anton Emdin

BOOK ILLUSTRATION

John Rocco- Blackout

EDITORIAL CARTOONS

Jen Sorenson

ADVERTISING and PRODUCT ILLUSTRATION

Ed Steckley

COMIC BOOKS

Bernie Wrightson “Frankenstein Alive, Alive!”

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Chris Ware- “Building Stories”

ON-LINE COMICS – SHORT FORM

Graham Harrop “Ten Cats”

ON-LINE COMICS – LONG FORM

Vince Dorse “Untold Tales of Bigfoot”

My only regret is that I wasn't able to be there for all the fun. But I am feeling better now. See you next year, gang!

— ME

At the Reuben's...

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:02:00 +0000

I just received word that the Goodie Bag stuffing will take place on Thursday, May 23 at 2:00 pm at The Omni William Penn Hotel, 530 William Penn Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, Phone: 412-281-7100 in the Franklin & Greene room.

I'm looking for all North Central attendees to lend a hand. Last year our own John Hambrock was a "machine" when it came to sortin' 'n stackin' of the bags. So I'm hoping he and Anne will be there to lend a hand, once again. :-)

See you next week, Tooners!

Your beheaded leader,
ME

SpringCon Comic Book Carnival, May 18-19

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:50:00 +0000

If you haven't heard about it yet, the Minnesota State Fairgrounds will be the place to be this weekend, May 18-19, 10a-5p (both days).
Our own Jim Horwitz will be there and is wondering if any other North Central Members will be in attendance. If you are planning on attending, please let Jim know.

The passing of a giant...

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:37:00 +0000

Visual Effects Pioneer Ray Harryhausen Dies at 92

Mark your calendar!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:09:00 +0000

Free Comic Book Day! March 4, 2013

What makes and editorial cartoon and editorial cartoon? — Ann Telnaes

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:35:00 +0000

Ann Telnaes, Pulitzer prize winning editorial cartoonist at the Washington Post, posted a wonderful piece on her website this morning. My friends, this is well worth reading. Is your syndicate doing this to you? Are they asking you to participate in this kind of action that lowers the bar for serious editorial cartoonists everywhere? If so, you have to ask yourself if you want to add to the further decay of the editorial cartoon industry (although given how its been treated over the past several years, it's less and industry and more like a mom 'n pop store).

Your fretless leader,
ME

Comic Con International Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:01:00 +0000

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees 2013

Congress speaks!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:40:00 +0000

Congress sides with the NRA rather than the victims of gun violence.

Happy 75!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:44:00 +0000

Happy Birthday to the Man of Steel! Superman is 75 today. Three cheers!

PULITZER PRIZE for EDITORIAL CARTOONING

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:24:00 +0000

Congratulations to STEVE SACK, Minneapolis Star Tribune!!

This year's Pulitzer winner for Editorial Cartooning. Well done, Steve!

A Disney Legend leaves us

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:47:00 +0000

When I was a kid, I was in LOVE with Annette Funicello... along with every other boy in my age group. Rest well my "first love."

Actress Annette Funicello, longtime Disney and "Beach Party" star, died Monday at age 70 in Bakersfield, California, according to the Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Diseases Inc. and the Official Disney Fan Club.

She died from complications of multiple sclerosis, according to a statement from her research fund.

Remembering MAD Illustrator Bob Clarke

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:10:00 +0000

Bob Clarke, (Jan 25, 1926 - Mar 31, 2013; 87 years) was an illustrator whose work appeared in MAD Magazine since the time when Harvey Kurtzman left MAD. He created the label of the Cutty Sark scotch bottle. At the youthful age of 15 he was an uncredited assistant on the "Ripley's Believe It or Not" newspaper comic.
He will be deeply missed.

Pittsburgh, here we come!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:39:00 +0000

I'm packin' my bags. Leaving next month. Gonna have a GOOOOD time! Meet me in the town where the 3 rivers meet, baby.

APRIL 6 update!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:49:00 +0000

We're a little (and I do mean a little) more than a week away from our Not-Voting Weekendless Meeting.
April 6th. Plan to meet at the Upstream Brewery in the Old Market, Omaha. We've been there enough times to warrant warrants. 514 South 11th Street, Omaha, NE 68102.
They're expecting us at 12:00 noon until ? We'll be upstairs. TJ, the manager, has everything set for us.
The reservation is under my name, Mike Edholm, National Cartoonist Society.

See you there.

ME

Looking for a place to stay? Try the COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT. (Click on the name for the web link) We've stayed there before. As we don't have a humongous bunch coming in, we don't have a special rate. Though you might call the reservation desk and ask nicely. Remind them that the North Central Chapter of the NCS has been with them before (in larger numbers) and will be again. And whatever they can do would be most appreciated.

Courtyard Omaha Downtown/Old Market Area
101 South 10th Street · Omaha, NE 68102 USA

Room options are here: ROOMS

NCS and Free Comic Book Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 22:24:00 +0000

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Did everybody see this?

Encouraging kids of any age to discover and read comics has no downside, and to that end there is a wonderful annual event called Free Comic Book Day that happens in comic book specialty shops across North America and worldwide. Held the first Saturday in May each year, the premise is simple: any customer can walk into a comic shop and receive a free comic book!

Now in its 12th year, the folks who run Free Comic Book Day and the NCS are joining forces to help promote comic books as a gateway to fun reading and literacy. Many of you may already attend FCBD as a guest for signings, or personally in supporting your local shop. This promotion is a great thing not just for comic books and their publishers, but for the entire cartooning industry.

We’d like to ask members to promote comic books and FCBD on the day or days leading up to the event this year, which is Saturday, May 4, 2013, in their strips and comics. Whether it’s a mention is your daily, promotion of the event in your comic publication, or reaching out to fans and readers on your website or through social media, this is a fantastic program to encourage readers young and old to stop in their local comic book shop, get a free comic book and see what the world of comics and cartooning has to offer and interest them.

The FCBD folks also encourage members to contact their local comic book shop directly and inquire about setting up a book signing or personal appearance there. To find shops near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com

Since its inception, more than 27 million free comic books have been distributed to almost 8 million FCBD attendees. Last year, more than 3.5 million comics were given out, and the event generated over $1.8 million in free publicity for the event, comic books, and comic book shops. For more information, visit www.freecomicbookday.com.

Retirement? They have to be kidding...

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:49:00 +0000

My 15 minutes of fame in the town's best known birdcage liner.
In retirement, it's not exactly back to the drawing board

Room at the inn is running out!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:51:00 +0000

If you're planning on going to the Reuben Awards but are waiting until the last minute to get your hotel reservations in, heed the words of Ken Alvine. He just called to let me know that rooms are the Penn Omni are running short. He was booking a double but could get it for only two nights and then had to move to a king.
GET YOUR RESERVATIONS IN NOW!!!

...and we'll see you in Pittsburgh. :-)

Your fretless leader,
ME

The 67th Annual Reuben Award Weekend is coming up fast, May 24th-26th at the historic Omni William Penn in beautiful Pittsburgh, PA. The official Rueben brochures are being printed and mail as I speak... uh... type, but if you want to get a jump on booking your room, here is a link to a custom reservation page to do so:

http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/PittsburghWilliamPenn/MeetingFacilities/NCSReubenAwards5.aspx

Our room rate is $155 per night, another fantastically cheap rate for a AAA Four-Diamond luxury property. That rate is good for three days per and post Reubens, so if you want to make a vacation out of it and see more of Pittsburgh's fantastic museums, sights and entertainment, take advantage of that special deal. Make sure you also sign up for the Omni Select program, which will instantly get you perks like complimentary wifi, morning beverage service, pressing, shoe shine, newspaper, express check in/out, etc. It's FREE! Also—just a hint—we just might be staying at another Omni hotel at very near future Reubens, so those room nights will add up quickly for free nights. http://www.omnihotels.com/SelectGuestProgram/MemberBenefits.aspx

Stories for THE CARTOON!ST

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:49:00 +0000

If you have some fun, exciting, boring, whatever, going on in your cartooning life and want me to include it in the Chapter posting for The Cartoon!st, get it to me right away. Our piece is due this FRIDAY (March 1).

Also, don't forget we're gathering in Omaha at the Upstream Brewery & Restaurant on April 6. AND, if you haven't made your reservations for the Reuben's, I'd get on it if I were you. :-)

Interview with Jim Horwitz...

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:10:00 +0000

Chapter member Jim Horwitz was recently interviewed on TALL TALE RADIO with Tom Racine.
Part 1 goes up today (Monday, Feb 25) and follows with Part 2 on Wednesday (Feb 27).
Here's the link to the GoComics where the interview is located.

Enjoy.
ME

2012 Reuben Nominees!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom R) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:31:00 +0000

The National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award for "Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year" is arguably the top honor a professional cartoonist can receive. The NCS first gave out the honor in 1946 to Milton Caniff, and in the 67 intervening years some of the greatest cartoonists in the history of the art form have received "The Reuben" (with the exception of a stumble last year, when they gave it to this clown.) This year's nominees for the 2012 Reuben Award for “Cartoonist of the Year” were just announced by the NCS. They are:

Brian Crane
Rick Kirkman
Stephan Pastis

From the NCS Website:

Brian Crane is the creator of Pickles, a daily comic strip syndicated by the Washington Post Writer’s Group. Soon after Pickles’ debut in 1990, Brian “retired” as an art director for an advertising agency in Reno, Nevada, to devote his full attention to his comic strip. Although he often used cartoon figures in ads he designed, Pickles is his first syndicated comic strip. In 1995 and 2001, Pickles was nominated for Best Newspaper Comic Strip by the National Cartoonists Society, winning the coveted award in 2001. Pickles has topped comics polls across the nation again and again, and it appears in over 800 newspapers around the world. Brian lives near Reno with his wife, Diana. He’s the proud father of seven and grandfather of 11. This is his third nomination for the Reuben. Visit the Pickles website.

Rick Kirkman is the co-creator of the daily comic strip, Baby Blues, syndicated by King Features Syndicate. Prior to Baby Blues, Rick was a freelance humorous illustrator for national advertising and magazine clients. He and partner Jerry Scott initially based Baby Blues on Rick’s family. Creators Syndicate released the strip January 7, 1990. It now has 1200 newspaper clients in over 900 cities worldwide. The strip has been published in over 30 anthologies in the U.S., and many more in other languages, and became a TV series on the WB network. Baby Blues won Best Newspaper Comic Strip from the National Cartoonists Society in 1995. Rick lives with his wife, Sukey, in Arizona with a bunch of cats and dogs, and the kids are grown and having adventures of their own. You can visit the Baby Blues website here.

Stephan Pastis is the creator of the daily comic strip Pearls Before Swine, syndicated by Universal Uclick. Stephan practiced law in the San Fransisco Bay area before following his love of cartooning and eventually seeing syndication with Pearls. Launched in newspapers beginning December 31, 2001, the daily strip currently appears in 650 newspapers worldwide. The National Cartoonists Society awarded Pearls Before Swine the Best Newspaper Comic Strip in 2003 and in 2006. Stephan also recently released an interactive app called Only the Pearls. Stephan lives in northern California with his wife Staci and their two children. This is his fifth nomination for the Reuben award. Visit Stephan’s blog and the Pearls Before Swine website. The official ballots have been issued to all full members of the National Cartoonists Society for voting to determine the winner.

Congratulations to the nominees! The winner of the 2012 “Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year” will be announced on May 25th at the annual NCS Reuben Awards dinner in Pittsburgh, PA.

FREERANGE on FB

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:08:00 +0000

Bill Whitehead's FREERANGE Facebook page is now available. Check it out!
https://www.facebook.com/FreeRangeComic

NCS membership slippages

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:36:00 +0000

Good morning gang,

While trying to get the details of our membership roster up-to-date with those fine folks at Crow-Segal, we've discovered that a few members have chosen to drop out while others have neglected to pay their dues.

If you should decide that the NCS is no longer where you want to be, and for the life of me I can't imagine why that would be, PLEASE let me know. No, I won't try to strong-arm you into staying... I have Paul Fell to do that. (He'll whine you to death.) Also, PLEASE, OH PLEASE get those dues paid up. As our chapter funds are closely tied into the dues that are paid to the NCS, if you don't pay, we, the chapter, suffer financially. So help us out and stay in touch.

Remember, the North Central Facebook page is always open for business. Feel free to post a note, video, or photo/artwork. Please keep it clean though. Facebook don't like that kind of stuff and I'll have to explain what the dirty words mean to Fell. Ugh!

Thank,
ME

PS — And speaking of April 6, if you have somebody that you think might be a good NCS or North Central Chapter member, this is a great opportunity to throw them in the deep end of the pool ... er, to bring them along and meet the group. If they're interested in being a cartoonist and have some samples, encourage them to bring a few pieces for use to rip to shreds.

Pure Cupidity

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:29:00 +0000

A drawing I did for my girls' school Valentine's Day celebrations. Happy Valentine's Day all you lovebirds. XXOO -K

Stand by for NEWS... Fall Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:32:00 +0000

News about our Fall Meeting. I'll have some early info for you very soon. Some of you may have heard that we'll be meeting in the Midwest this year. True! Our hosts will be Ken Alvine and Dave Carpenter. Again, true! That the venue will be near water. That's three-out-of-three.

We'll need you, the membership (both NCS and our Chapter members, and you know who you are) to pack up a few samples of your work for a show. No originals. So please tell your spouse now so he/she can start nagging you to get your work in the mail. I'll have the address, contact, etc. shortly.

If you enjoyed last year's meeting in Sioux Falls, you're gonna LOVE this one!!!

Your retread leader,
ME

TOONS & BREWS

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Edholm) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 19:32:00 +0000

Got nothin' to do the evening of Friday, February 22?

Toons & Brews with Jeff Koterba

Friday, February 22
Open to the Public · By Benson Theatre
Friday, February 22, 2013
7:00 pm
The Pizza Shoppe Collective
6056 Maple Street
Omaha, NE

Join the Benson Theatre Project for Toons & Brews with artist Jeff Koterba and New Belgium Brewing on Friday, Feb. 22! A cartoon exhibit of Koterba’s recent work will open at 7:00 p.m. in the Pizza Shoppe Collective with a talk by Jeff at 8:00 p.m. A New Belgium beer tasting with food from the Pizza Shoppe will run throughout the night, and the historic Benson Theatre will be open next door for tours.

Jeff Koterba is an award-winning cartoonist for the Omaha World Herald, and his work is syndicated to over 400 newspapers nationwide. His cartoons have appeared in USA Today, The New York Times, Chicago Sun-Times, and on CNN, and have been collected by Oprah and Warren Buffett. In 2010, two of his original drawings traveled aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

His memoir Inklings was called “a powerful and moving portrait of an artist” by Entertainment Weekly and was named a Chicago Tribune favorite nonfiction book of 2009. In 2012, Jeff was featured in the documentary Voluntary Gestures, a film that explores the connections between Tourette syndrome and creativity.

Tickets are $20 and all proceeds benefit the Benson Theatre Project.
Visit bensontheatre.org to purchase tickets.