McSwagger and NuNu

My drawing of NuNu, McSwagger's DJ and renegade confidante.

McSwagger's released two killer songs in the past two months: "12h20" on Jesse Cale's instant classic summer recording Get In! (http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/get-in/id371372728) and "Shut Your Mouth" on Attack Attack's new self-titled album (http://www.myspace.com/attackattack), #1 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart.

For more robotic sickness, check out McSwagger's MySpace page, sweet music samples, and more art here: http://www.myspace.com/mcswaggermusic

Also, follow McSwagger on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sirmcswagger

Attack Attack! on Twitter: http://twitter.com/attackattackoh

And Michael D. Neno on Twittah: http://twitter.com/nenoff

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Approved Columbus Schools Second Grade Paper

Longtime central Ohio residents may remember this official Columbus Schools writing paper; the logo brought back a lot of memories for me.

The still unopened package I recently purchased looks to be from the early '70s. It has a Gold Circle store price tag on it: 27 cents.

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Cartoonists Freedom Watch: Than Shwe Critic Recipient of Hellman/Hammett Grant

Harn Lay's frequent target, General Than Shwe, dictator of Burma, above.

In April of this year, political cartoonist and illustrator Harn Lay received a Hellman/Hammett grant for his drawn barbs against the Burmese regime.

According to The Irrawaddy, a web news site covering Burma and Southeast Asia,"There is no freedom of expression in Burma, where the regime censors media. The regime has arrested journalists, writers, bloggers, photographers, politicians and others and sentenced them to long prison terms for criticizing or exposing their actions. There are more than 2,100 political prisoners in Burma."

Read The Irrawaddy's article about the grant here: http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18335

Check out Harn Lay's website/blog here and many of his drawings here: http://www.cartoonharnlay.com/

Read an interview with Harn Lay here: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=49687

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Tom Scioli's American Barbarian

I'm loving the old-school '80s animation vibe of Tom Scioli's new American Barbarian strip, being updated regularly (for free, natch!) on http://www.tomscioli.com/.

You can read new The Myth of 8-Opus and Godland work there, too. The guy's prolific in a way that puts most contemporary cartoonists to shame!

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Cartoonists Freedom Watch: Kowsar Cartoon Pulled from Website

Mir-Hossein Mousavi (above)

A cartoon lampooning the leader of the Iranian Green Movement, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, by exiled Iranian cartoonist Nikahang Kowsar, has been deleted by the reformist website Rooz, spotlighting division within the Green Movement.

The irony is that Kowsar, who was jailed in Iran several years ago for a cartoon that poked fun at a hard-line cleric, has now drawn a cartoon which can be utilized by the hard-liners.

Read the Radio Free Europe article here: http://www.rferl.org/content/Cartoon_Mocking_Musavi_Pulled_From_Reformist_Website/2074972.html

Nikahang Kowsar's cartoons on Daryl Cagle's Political Cartoon Index:
http://cagle.com/politicalcartoons/PCcartoons/kowsar.asp

Mir-Hossein Mousavi's Twitter account: http://twitter.com/mousavi1388

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Original Brandon Dayton Art

I purchased these delightful drawings from Brandon at HeroesCon 2010.

Check out his blog, store and art gallery at: http://brandondayton.com/website/

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New Mesh and Freak Cave in the Works

Part of a thumbnail drawing for a new Mesh panel. Two new panels will be uploaded at the end of this week. More Freak Cave is on the way, too!

http://www.nenoworld.com/TheMeshEnter.html
http://www.nenoworld.com/Freak_Cave_Enter.html

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Nostradamus: Keepin' It Real Since 1547

For years, the great prophet Nostradamus spoke through modern seer and channeler, Sirianus, whose handsome face graces my blog today.

These Nostradomic interpretations of current events (known in some academic circles as "farcical dribble") were collected in the extraordinary book, The Lost Quatrains of Nostradamus.

The voice of Nostradamus, reaching across the centuries, was quiet for a time (Michel de Nostredame had a notoriously sore throat), but has begun to speak again. Sirianus, the conduit for these profound interpretations of world events, is posting the channelled messages on a new blog, Lost Quatrains, updated on a frequent basis: http://lostquatrains.wordpress.com

Copies of The Lost Quatrains of Nostradamus, Sirianus' previous erruptions, are still available on Amazon. It was illustrated by Michael Neno (not that that dubious fact should deter you from ordering the book): http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Quatrains-Nostradamus-Sirianus/dp/0615193528

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Cartoonists Freedom Watch: Comic Books Critical of Putin Confiscated

There's not much to add to the disturbing story linked to here except to say democratic process seems to be more of a theory in the new Russia than a practice.

The big news in America would be that a comic book had a print run of 100,000 copies.
http://morrisonworldnews.com/?p=14547

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FedEx and Copy Quality: Words That Should Go Together

For nearly 25 years I've been publishing B&W minicomics on cardstock using copy machines at various FedEx Office locations (previously FedEx Kinkos; previously, before that, Kinkos).

The self-serve copy machines at those locations did, at one time, produce deep, rich, black areas in artwork, an especially important necessity for my noirish, shadow-filled, atmospheric storytelling.
The visual quality produced by the B&W copy machines I've used at FedEx has gotten worse over the years, but has now, in my experience, hit a new low. I can no longer attain high quality results from the machines there and may have to discontinue my minicomics publishing until I can find a reliable copying source.

An example: the first crop above is a close-up from Michael Neno's Dream, copied several years ago on a copy machine at FedEx. The black areas are solid and rich.

The second crop is the same close-up from a copy attempted this week at FedEx. The black areas are a splotchy grey. The new machines being used at the FedEx locations I've visited are the kind that produce dark greys regardless of how dark the machine is set.

An employee at the location I most recently visited told me the B&W copy machines behind the counter (used by employees) are no better than the ones in front.

Ironically, the awnings which used to say Kinkos were forlornly

stacked up in the hot grass behind the store, waiting to be taken away and trashed.

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"Hey Kids!" Comic Book Advertising Exhibit - More Pics!

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"Hey Kids!" Exhibit Opens!

The "Hey Kids! A History of Comic Book Advertising!" exhibit opened at Wild Goose Creative last night, kicking off the annual Geekfest celebration. Members of the Columbus-based Sunday Comix group also showed, including Blink creator Max Ink (http://blinkcomic.wordpress.com/).

The exhibit was free (donations accepted) and will remain installed until mid-July.

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Nerdcore Rising Screening at GeekFest!

Only nine hours till the start of Geekfest at Wild Goose Creative!

Wednesday, June 16 - Saturday, June 19

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16
7PM - Gallery Opening of “Hey Kids!: A History of Comic Book Advertising!”

THURSDAY, JUNE 17
7PM - Forbidden Kingdoms: The Art and Science of Roleplaying Games

FRIDAY, JUNE 18
8PM – Sketch by Number presents an hour of geeky sketch comedy
9:30PM – Nerdcore Rising: A Film

SATURDAY, JUNE 19
9PM - Video Game Costume Party

ALL WEEKEND
Gallery - Hey Kids!: A History of Comic Book Advertising!

Where: Wild Goose Creative, 2491 Summit St. Columbus, OH 43202
Cost: $5 per event

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"Hey Kids!" Makes Columbus Alive's Staff Pick

Hey Kids! A History of Comic Book Advertising!, my new exhibition debuting Wednesday, June 16th at Wild Goose Creative, received the staff pick of the week in this week's Columbus Alive: http://www.columbusalive.com/live/content/features/stories/2010/06/10/staff-pick-hey-kids-comic-book-ads-exhibit.html?sid=108

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"Hey Kids! A History of Comic Book Advertising!"

"Hey Kids! A History of Comic Book Advertising!", an exhibition of approximately 70 comic book ads from the '40s to the present, will open Wednesday, June 16th, 7:00 pm at Wild Goose Creative, in Columbus, Ohio.

I'm curating this exhibit and have compiled a collection that'll amuse both the uninitiated and the hardcore comic book reader (there are ads in this exhibit I'd never seen!). The Wednesday evening exhibition officially begins GeekFest, three days of celebration of geek culture (including a screening of the documentary Nerdcore Rising).

Admission to the Wed. evening exhibit is free (donations to Wild Goose Creative accepted!). Snacks provided.

More info about this exhibit and other Wild Goose Creative events here: http://www.wildgoosecreative.com/Wild_Goose_Creative___Home.html

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HeroesCon Had to End

Entering the East River Mountain Tunnel from Virginia to West Virginia on an intermittently rainy day. Biscuit World in West Virginia made it all better.

HeroesCon, I'll be back!

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Chris Drier at HeroesCon

I had a chance to compare inking notes with the talented Chris Drier, inker of Warren Ellis and Gianluca Pagliarani's alternate reality Ignition City, published by Avatar.

Drier's hard at work on some other cool-looking series, too. Send me links to those, Chris and I'll post them here!

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A Green Lantern Walks Among Us

A bit blurry, but, hey, it's The Green Lantern. At HeroesCon.

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Popeye Picnic Creators at HeroesCon

George Broderick, Jr. and Chris Yambar, writer and artists of the limited edition Popeye Picnic comic book, celebrating 80 years of Popeye.

Both gentlemen have had long careers in mainstream and indie comics.

George Broderick's colorful site can be seen here: http://www.georgebroderick.com/

Also, check out Chris Yambar's incredible range of cartoony goodness here: http://www.yambar.com/

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HeroesCon Day II Opens

Minutes after HeroesCon opens a half hour earlier for advance registrants on Saturday.

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HeroesCon Day II

The loooong line begins for admission into HeroesCon day II.

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Artists at work at HeroesCon

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Brandon Dayton, of Whistling Cloud

Brandon Dayton, whose HeroesCon table is filled with beautifully designed and drawn prints, cards, books and original art.

Check out his blog here, especially his thoughtful mini-essay on mystery: http://brandondayton.com/website/

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Waiting for HeroesCon to Open

Many hundreds of fans who registered early waited in two very long lines for HeroesCon to open at 10:30 am.

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HeroesCon Via Virginia

On the way to HeroesCon, in Charlotte, NC, with Tom Lammers, author of the indispensible reference book, Tales of the Implosion: A History of the 1957 Atlas Implosion.

Good times ahead!

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