Cartoonists Freedom Watch: Would-Be Attackers Arrested

The BBC reports three men in Norway have been arrested for suspected planned attacks on cartoonists who drew editorial cartoons featuring Prophet Muhammad. The cartoons appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Read the story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11426293

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The Signifiers #2 Begins!

A section of a panel from the second page of The Signifiers #2, now in progress (click on it for better look).

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Lew Cody

Few remember film actor Lew Cody, who we've seen in several films from the teens and 'twenties. It was nice to hear his name casually mentioned in an episode of Burke's Law we watched last night. That's all.

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Another Plug for American Barbarian

... 'cause Tom Scioli's creating a killer comic series with this one, replete with bone-crunching action (literally, as you can see), biblical allusions and experimental techniques, all wrapped with an '80s Saturday morning cartoon vibe.

Read it here: http://www.ambarb.com/

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It's Meg White!

...of The White Stripes.

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Battle Lines Undrawn

Small press writer, artist and publisher Rick Brooks published the first small press comic I ordered through the mail, Comics Digest, in the '80s. His broad range of subject matter and drawing styles, mature outlook and quiet integrity inspired me to begin publishing my own small press comics.

Over twenty years later, Rick Brooks has published a new novel for younger readers, Battle Lines Undrawn. I hesitate to describe the subject matter, which took me to places I didn't foresee. I will say the book is both gentle and hard-hitting and also quite good. You can learn more about it and order it here: http://rickbrooksbooks.com/Home_Page

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Neno Comics at Spoonful Records

A pic of Neno comics on the Spoonful Records comic book spinning rack, thanks to owner Brett Ruland!

Brett also has early Paul Pope comics in stock and some nice late '60s Hulk and Nick Fury, Agent of Shield comics on the rack, while they last. And The Mod Squad.

Check out Spoonful Records and the new vinyl inventory being posted nearly every day at:http://www.facebook.com/spoonfulrecords

Buy Neno comics and shirts, coffee mugs and other merchandise at: www.NenoWorld.com

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Deathbird Strikes!

Quacky Pig and Friends star in their own, demented, Whitmanesque coloring book, available now.

I handpainted the color brush strokes on the front and back covers of every copy and will be glad to sign the books, too, on request.

http://www.nenoworld.com/ColoringBook.html

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Cartoonists Freedom Watch: Jingjing and Chacha - Cute But Lethal

Internet users in Shenzhen, China are now being accompanied on their online activities by two cute-looking little friends, Jingjing and Chacha. The duo, among other "duties", inform internet users what is and isn't appropriate or acceptable to write on the internet in China.

The China Digital Times reported that it was told by an official at the Bureau that the main purpose of Jingjing and Chacha was...to "intimidate" users, openly reminding them to "self-regulate their online behavior".

Reports that the characters were originally designed driving tanks rolling over internet users are currently unconfirmed.

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Cincinnati Comic Expo Report

I don't anyone who attended the Cincinnati Comic Expo who didn't have a great time. Thanks to organizer Andrew Satterfield and Matt Bredestege for a great inaugural show!

Mary and I pulled into Cincinnati around 9:00 am. Our table was helmed on our left by Mark LeMieux, whose playful drawings were promoted by none other than The Joker. http://www.facebook.com/platypusproductions

On our right, cartoonist Sterling Clark had an array of comics, graphic novels and posters, including Tales From the Mother Land, a comic with a fun, colorful '70s Kirby vibe. I had to purchase a copy! Clark also has some exciting news involving Sal Buscema and Joe Sinnott. You should check out Sterling's work at: http://www.studiosproductions.com/

Mary and I quickly set up our table of comics, original art, paintings, coffee mugs, buttons, catalogs and new Signifiers bookmarks created just for the show.

I then set off to find our friends Verl and Adele Bond, who were selling copies of Verl's World Without Love (and I mean selling!). Check it out, if you haven't already, here: http://www.verlholtbond.com/purchase.php

They were seated beside cartooning legend Russ Heath. I had to purchase one of his gorgeous (and meticulously researched) war panoramas.

Along the crowded hallway I also got to talk a bit with Archie writer Craig Boldman, whose letter he received many years ago from Jughead artist supreme Samm Schwartz will be published in an upcoming book on the history of Archie comics. Craig was a really nice guy to talk to. http://www.craigboldman.com/

I also couldn't leave the area without chatting a bit with Lora Innes, writer and artist of the popular The Dreamer (www.thedreamercomic.com), Kel Crum, whose hilarious Cornelia comics never fail (http://dangerousbird.com/) and fantastic cartoonist Tony Moore; he signed a copy of Fear Agent Vol. 1 for me and a handsome book it is, too: http://www.myspace.com/tonymoore.

Next, I had to hunt down Murphy Anderson, who inked the first Superman comics I bought, in the early '70s and whose lush, organic inking style defines the word "romantic". I was surprised to find this legend sitting alone, no fans about (this may have been partly due to the seating area; the show was divided into two long hallways and, for some reason, one hallway seemed perpetually twice as crowded and lively as the other. Murphy and we were in the more sedate side). Anyway, he graciously signed my copy of The Life and Art Of Murphy Anderson and told me background stories on photos and drawings in the book. Anderson is a true gentleman, of a classy nature that's seemingly going by the wayside. I wish him many more years of health and prosperity! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=77630634197#!/group.php?gid=77630634197&v=wall

In the afternoon, Hollywood producer Michael Uslan moderated a panel discussion with Anderson, Heath and Allen Bellman, who worked on Captain America in the early '40s (among many other titles) and drew the awesomely retro poster for the con: http://www.cincinnaticomicexpo.com/index.php, http://www.allenbellman.com/)

Bellman was in great spirits, so full of good cheer and astonishment at the adulation for books he drew nearly 70 years ago(!) I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd leapt onto a table and burst into song! The panel discussion was packed, standing room only, with probably 90 or 100 people crowding the room. That was good to see. Only the loudness of the adjoining gaming room interferred with the panel discussion; it was difficult to hear Anderson with a mic, and Michael Uslan even mentioned the loudness of the gaming room during the discussion. I'd recommend seperate, enclosed rooms for panel discussions at the next Cincinnati Expo.

Next on the agenda: purchasing some copies of Patsy Walker with really gorgeous covers by Al Jaffee and Al Hartley (when he was using a much more delicate inking style than his later Archie work: http://community.livejournal.com/comics_scans/52540.html).

Later in the day I met up with two long-time collectors and great guys Rod Beck and Bruce Chrislip. Then I set down to ink an original pencil drawing of Sterling Clark's character, Ntombinde. Fun! Sterling, I forgot to take a photo of the drawing before I passed it back to you. Any way you can send me one or post it somewhere?

By this point, dealers were closing shop and so we did, too. The end of a great show!

Can I make a recommendation for the next Cincinnati Comic Expo? Name tags for all of the exhibitors (dealers, artists, etc.) would be very helpful, not only to see the names of people you pass in the hallway or talk to, but also to differentiate between customers and venders. This would even be helpful for the Expo staff.

Saturday was also the occasion of another adventure: friend Bruce Chrislip and I found some shade from the sun in which to hear some great-sounding examples of late-'40s King Records recordings which were, unquestionably, rock and roll before there was a genre called rock and roll. This was just a warmup for our next stop: the original King Records recording studio building, literally a few blocks away from the Expo. This is the neglected building where some of the first, if not the first doo-wop, funk, rock and roll and R&B was recorded; where The Twist was recorded, where James Brown created (invented!) funk music. The origins of nearly all pop music played today trace back to King Records. Only an historical sign erected in front of the forlorn building at the end of a trash-strewn dead-end road indicate the importance of this site (though you can read more about King Records here):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Records_(United_States))

http://www.history-of-rock.com/king_records.htm

http://www.bsnpubs.com/king/kingstory.html

http://www.karaoketraveler.com/landmarkskinglabel040909.html

We then drove across town to Shake It records, one of the most amazing record stores I've visited (and, believe me, I've been to a lot). Thousands of esoteric CDs, posters everywhere, books, comics, an entire basement of new and used vinyl and even Shake It's own record label and inventory! I plowed through the stacks like a madman and purchased a CD comp of King Records rhythm and blues recordings, a two-LP set of James Brown live in the '70s, Brian Wilson's new album on vinyl and Mavis Staples' new CD for Mary (Shake It was also playing the CD in their store). I was only disappointed to find no Apples in Stereo or Tori Amos vinyl LPs I didn't already have. http://www.shakeitrecords.com/Shakeit-store.html

Comics 'n' music: life is good!

BTW, check out my newest Twitter account: All comics, all the time: http://twitter.com/Nenofsky

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Nenofsky: An All-Comics Twitter Account

My new Twitter account, @Nenofsky, is all comics, all the time. Comics writers and creators, publishers, podcasters, bloggers, comic shop owners and fans are welcome to follow and join in the conversation.

Check it out at: http://twitter.com/Nenofsky

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The Cincinnati Comic Expo 2010

Only two more days until the Cincinnati Comic Expo, the River City's first major comic book convention in many years.

The Saturday, September 18th con is crammed with 80 talented cartooning guests, including legends Murphy Anderson (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=77630634197), Russ Heath(http://www.russheathcom.blogspot.com/) and Allen Bellman, who drew the classy poster above (http://www.allenbellman.com/).

M.R. Neno Productions will be on hand with a full line of comics 'n' merchandise, including a new line of Signifiers Universe bookmarks.

Also scheduled for the con:

- Action/adventure artist Verl Holt Bond, with copies of his killer graphic novel, World Without Love (www.verlholtbond.com/).

- Lora Innes, of the hit web strip and comic book, The Dreamer (www.thedreamercomic.com/)

- Tony Moore, illustrator of The Walking Dead and his creator-owned Fear Agent.

Check out the Cincinnati Comic Expo site for a full list of guests and more details: www.cincinnaticomicexpo.com/

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Champion City Con Report

Champion City Con has come and gone.

The Waffle House Mary and I tried to eat breakfast at on the way to the con was packed, so we ended up at the Country Table restaurant in West Jefferson, an unlikely place for two comments on my Jack Kirby Iron Man shirt. The sausage gravy there was superb.

Champion City Con took place in the Shouvlin Center at Wittenberg University. Mary and I met up there with long-time cartoonist and publisher Verl Bond and his lovely wife Adele.We had a table filled with books, original art and cool merchandise. Filled. With cool stuff.


Also set up nearby were SPACE mastermind Bob Corby and small press legend Larry Blake.



Dan Taylor, of Weird Muse, also shared a table on a second floor of cartoonists and publishers.

Ron Fortier, of Green Hornet and Captain Hazzard, had a table in the main hall. He was busy in conversation every time I passed by, but wish I'd made more of an effort to talk to him; I discovered after the convention that he writes a blog of pulp fiction reviews and also recently reviewed Startling Adventures Magazine, published by Daniel Poeira, a professor at the School of Fine Arts of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and supporter of my series The Signifiers! Small world.

A recommendation for the next Champion City Con would be to invite vendors of older comic books. Dark Star Books was the only dealer who brought a box of Golden Age comics for sale. Also, my thirst for Baby Huey, Patsy Walker and Jughead comics went unsated. In fact, most comics for sale at the con were overstock from the past several years!

Another recommendation: the Champion City Con webpage on the Main Street Comics site (the #1 rated page for the con in Google searches) featured (and still does) a very incomplete listing of the vendors and guests at the con.

I did purchase some cool buttons from Mutant Cactus, a Jimi Hendrix poster by Larry Blake, '70s comics from Super-Fly Comics (still looking forward to getting copies of The Signifiers to your store, guys!), and the new Cornelia comic by Kel Crum.

We had a mostly enjoyable dinner afterwards at Linardo's Villa, an old, gorgeously decorated family owned restaurant in Springfield, the home of liver pate 'n' sour kraut appetizers. Couldn't escape the liver on this trip!

Ron Fortier's pulp review site: http://www.pulpfictionreviews.blogspot.com/

A review of The Country Table Restaurant: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g51125-d918323-r25103594-Country_Table-West_Jefferson_Ohio.html

Dark Star Books: http://www.darkstarbookstore.com/

Daniel Poeira's Startling Adventures Magazine on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Startling-Adventures-Magazine-Travels-Fiction/dp/1451578318/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273764842&sr=8-4

Kel Crum's site: http://www.dangerousbird.com/

Bob Corby's site: http://www.backporchcomics.com/

The Mutant Cactus blog: http://mutantcactusblogs.blogspot.com/

Dan Taylor's Weird Muse site on eCRATER: http://weirdmuse.ecrater.com/

Champion City Con's updated site: http://championcitycon.com/

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The Mesh #1

The cover of The Mesh #1.

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Champion City Con Just Four Days Away

I will be attending Champion City Con in Springfield, Ohio on Saturday, September 11th. Bob Corby, the mastermind behind SPACE (Small Press and Alternative Expo) will be there and I'll have comics 'n' original art at the table of Verl Holt Bond (he'll have copies of his killer graphic novel, World Without Love, on hand). Stop by for a free Neno pencil drawing!

The hours are 10 am-6 pm, at the Shouvlin Center 737 Fountain Ave. (Wittenberg College Campus). Admission is $4.00.

http://www.championcitycon.com/

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Lost Weekend's Annual Parking Lot Record Swap

We will be set up from noon to 6:00 pm at Lost Weekend Records, 2960 N. High St. in Columbus Ohio (on the corner of Crestview & High) for the Annual Parking Lot Record Swap.

I've spent the day drawing rock stars. I'll be crazily giving the brush and ink illos away with any $10.00 purchase. We'll have lots of Signifiers comics and merchandise in stock,as well as other miscellanious cool stuff piling up in the Neno mansion.

In addition to scores of used records for sale or trade from various dealers, tomorrow is the final day of the Lost Weekend Summer Clearance Sale. 20% off used stuff (30% if you are a Small Business Beanstalk member) and 10% off new stuff (no bonus for SBB members).

Check out Lost Weekend's Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Columbus-OH/Lost-Weekend-Records/131521599429

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