Jason Marcy

Yep. Check it out:

And here's a handy dandy banner link if you haven't already gone to see the comic work of Lezley Davidson:

Just finished the latestr from alexbot3000 )or as he is known in the comic world, Alex Robinson)..., the amazing Too Cool To Be Forgotten.
Well, after struggling to see through my tears (yes, moved to tears, folks...), all I'm saying is go to your awesome local Indy friendly store and buy it. Just buy it, read it, and thank me later.
As for Mr Robinson, I was the first person to buy a copy of this at MoCCA, and yeah, I should've read it sooner, man. But hey, thanks. Thanks for putting out this awesome work. I'm proud to own it, and you should be proud of producing it.

Courtesy of jimsupreme via The Hollywood Reporter:

Peanuts' animator Bill Melendez dies
from the HollyWood reporter:


Bill Melendez, best known for bringing the Peanuts characters to life with such classics as "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," died Tuesday at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica. He was 91.

Melendez, the only animator permitted by Charles M. Schulz to work with the Peanuts characters, earned eight Emmy Awards, 17 Emmy nominations, one Oscar nomination and two Peabody Awards. He began his career at Disney and Warner Bros., working on classic characters at those studios, and spent more than 70 years in the entertainment industry.

In 1948, the Mexican native left Warner Bros. and for more than a decade served as a director and producer on more than 1,000 commercials and films for United Productions of America, Playhouse Pictures and John Sutherland Prods.

It was at UPA that Melendez started doing work for the New York-based J. Walter Thompson ad agency, whose client included Ford. The carmaker expressed interest in using the Peanuts characters to sell its cars on TV, and in 1959 Melendez prepared his animation work and showed it to Peanuts creator Schulz.

Melendez went on to bring Charlie Brown and his pals to the screen in more than 63 half-hour specials, five one-hour specials, four feature films and more than 372 commercials. In addition to perennial favorites "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965) and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966), Melendez produced the Oscar-nominated "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" (1971), "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (1973), "She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown" (1980) and "You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown" (1975). He also provided the voices for Snoopy and Woodstock through the years.

Melendez also animated TV specials "Garfield on the Town," "Cathy," "Babar Comes to America" and "The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe," among others. He shared an Emmy in 1987 for outstanding animated program with three others for "Cathy."

His last credit was as a producer for 2006 TV special "He's A Bully, Charlie Brown."

Melendez, who sported a handle bar mustache for decades, began his career at Walt Disney Studios and worked on Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, Dumbo and classic Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck cartoons. He then moved to Warners to animate Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and others. He worked under the monikers C. Melendez or J.C. Melendez.

Bill Melendez Prods., its sister studio Melendez Films in London and Sopwith Prods. (Melendez's art distribution unit) will continue to animate, direct and produce features and commercials.

Goddamn. Honestly, Jerry Reed was a shock to me (because he had been out of the limelight for so long, I was sure I'd read of his passing years ago...), and then you get this guy. I'm tired of famous folk dropping over... :(
Get ready for the apocalypse: Sarah Palin is about to speak at the Republican Moron Convention...

Remember Jerry Reed? He was the sidekick to Burt Reynolds in the Smokey and the Bandit films (and had the misfortune of being the star of #3...). He had a singing thing going too, didn't he? Anyway, he passed away today from Emphysema complications.Read about it here.
Rest easy, you ol' maverick.

In a 1998 interview with The Tennessean, he admitted that his acting ability was questionable.

"I used to watch people like Richard Burton and Mel Gibson and think, 'I could never do that.'

"When people ask me what my motivation is, I have a simple answer: Money."

Hard to believe, but Xander's first Summer after a year in school is over, and tomorrow he'll be doing the Senior Kindergarten thing. It'll be a little strange, cause SK is in the afternoon as opposed to JK's morning classes, but he'll get used to it. Just wait till next year, when he realizes he'll have to go all day...
So Summer seems to be winding down, though judging from the predicted temperatures for the next few days, it'll feel in early September more like what August normally feels like.
Today the pool in our townhouse complex closed (about ten minutes ago, actually...) for the year.Never got into it this year. In fact, I was a real miser when it came to Summer activities with my boy.WTF? I felt more content to sit outside and draw while he rode his bike or played with his cousins. We did go for a few walks in the local park as a family, but I don't know. Was work really that busy this Summer?
Speaking of work, we'll be gearing up for the lunch crowds the schools in the area bring whether it be teacher or student. Got a new gal starting tomorrow night for part time as well.
Keeping an eye on ol' Gustav. krahsloop is literally in the thick of it down there as she stuck around with fellow College reporters to keep the news flow going. Here's hoping she's doing okay.
If only this kid would go to sleep. He seems to be a little more rambunctious than usual. School nerves?
Oh, and I've changed Image hosting again. No idea what's up with Imageboost, but I needed to get strips up. If the old host never comes back online, I'll think about repairing and reposting the last couple of weeks of strips. Maybe...
I could go on forever, but I won't.

Here's the line up for Kramer's Ergot #7. I've highlighted the artists I have strong or mild interest in seeing in this book.

Rick Altergott, Gabrielle Bell, Jonathan Bennett, Blanquet, Blex Bolex, Conrad Botes, Shary Boyle, Mat Brinkman, John Brodowski, Ivan Brunetti, C.F., Chris Cilla, Jacob Ciocci, Dan Clowes, Martin Cendreda, Joe Daly, Kim Deitch, Matt Furie, Tom Gauld, Leif Goldberg, Matt Groening, John Hankiewicz, Sammy Harkham, Eric Haven, David Heatley, Tim Hensley, Jaime Hernandez, Walt Holcombe, Kevin Huizenga, J. Bradley Johnson, Ben Jones, Ben Katchor, Ted May, Geoff McFetridge, Jesse McManus, James McShane, Jerry Moriarty, Anders Nilsen, John Pham, Pshaw, Aapo Rapi, Ron Rege Jr., Xavier Robel, Helge Reumann, Ruppert & Mulot, Johnny Ryan, Richard Sala, Souther Salazar, Frank Santoro, Seth, Shoboshobo, Josh Simmons, Anna Sommer, Will Sweeney, Matthew Thurber, Adrian Tomine, C. Tyler, Chris Ware, and Dan Zettwoch.

Yep. Not enough for me to think about spending BIG money on. There are a number of folks who I feel shouldn't be drawing with crayons on the list, but that's my humble opinion. I'm sure some feel the same about me, so, ahhhh well. This is the last time I'm gonna mention this book in the blog. Well, for awhile...

Seems the Imageboost site is down, so not only can I not see my strips, but I can't upload em, either. Hopefully they come back up online...

PEELING ONIONS is the comic work of the lovely and talented Lezley Davidson, who I met at FanExpo after she waited 45 minutes in line at the bank machine to get money to buy my books.
Turns out she's a talented artist and cartoonist!! The last couple of pages of this strip are her starting up her own dailies. Please do go and check it out!!

Another Expo in the can. Did pretty good, selling thirteen graphic novels and one mini comic.
Friday, after registering and setting up, it became quite apparent nobody gave a damn, so I wandered the show a bit. Was surprised to see first how little I wanted to buy anything(In fact, I bought four books in total, a new low record for me...). Then there was the huge video game section, complete with a mini "Zellers" video game store (for those not in the know, Zellers is kind of a very low rent Wal-Mart, and I hate the shithole cause they usually have nothing and are overpriced...). Friday was miserably long and tedious, and ended without a sale for all at our table but blur02, who sold two dollar buttons.
Saturday was a nuthouse. Spent very little time away from the table, and sales were brisk and interest high. By day's end, eleven of my books were gone, and a good 70% of em to new readers or folks from lj (hey there, faeta_comics!!). It was tiring day, and both mister_f and qmaster_p were crashed out by 9:30 that night. I maanged two more hours than that.
Sunday was steady but quiet. oved two books. My compadres had a few sales more than me that day.In fact, this was qmaster_p's best FanExpo EVER, and mister_f had his best show in years. It was great to see. Anyway, the day ended with three sales for me (two GN's and a mini...). We packed up and got the hell outta dodge.
Overall Thoughts: Once again, we were relegated to the ghetto of the South building for this year's con. One of my pals in Artist Alley told me it was apparently due to the fact that the rent for this space was cheaper. To me it was kinda stupid, as the North building is much bigger and also has the advantage of actual natural light and ready access to Front Street. In the South building, you are completely oblivious to the happenings outside and it's one loooooonnnng walk to get to the show.
A lot of folks weren't there this year. ttallan, listed as a guest, never showed. Neither did sach, who both mister_f and I were eager to talk to. Along with a few regulars missing in Artist Alley and missing pals who just attend, it was odd.
Thought the emphasis on videogames a little ridiculous, and the presence of Zellers kind of absurd, but Hobbystar has become more and more corporate sponsored (There were also strong presences felt by Blockbuster and Curry's Art Store, the latter a good choice because most of the artists there likely use them for something...), so though it left a bad taste in one's mouth, ah well...
It was probably the second or third best Expo for in the ten years I've done the gig, though I've never had a bad Expo since "going pro" in 1999. My tablemates also did quite well, and it was good to see everyone leave on a happy note in that respect.
Now, time to re energize and regroup.

So alandaviddoane posted his Must Read list of Graphic Novels. I've highlighted those I own and have read!!
100 - Little Nothings: The Curse of the Umbrella by Lewis Trondheim (NBM)

099 - Reid Fleming: Rogue to Riches by David Boswell (Deep Sea Comics)

098 - Real Stuff by Dennis Eichhorn et al (Swifty Morales Press)

097 - The Norm in Color by Michael Jantze (thenorm.com)

096 - Lost at Sea by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Drawn and Quarterly)

095 - Life's a Bitch: The Collected Bitchy Bitch by Roberta Gregory (Fantagraphics)

094 - Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell (Top Shelf)

093 - Curses by Kevin Huizenga (Drawn and Quarterly)

092 - American Splendor: The Best of American Splendor by Harvey Pekar et al (Ballentine)

091 - War Stories by Garth Ennis et al (two volumes) (DC Comics)

090 - A Treasury of Victorian Murder: Abraham Lincoln by Rick Geary (NBM)

089 - Storeyville by Frank Santoro (Picturebox)

088 - All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC Comics)

087 - Spent by Joe Matt (Drawn and Quarterly)

086 - My War with Brian by Ted Rall (NBM)

085 - Mad Night by Richard Sala (Fantagraphics Books)

084 - Late Bloomer by Carol Tyler (Fantagraphics Books)

083 - The Collected Hutch Owen by Tom Hart (Top Shelf)

082 - God's Bosom and Other Stories by Jack Jackson (Fantagraphics Books)

081 - Fred the Clown by Roger Langridge (Fantagraphics Books)

080 - Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (Marvel) Marvel "Phonebook" editions...

079 - Ripple by Dave Cooper (Fantagraphics)

078 - Conan: Born on the Battlefield by Kurt Busiek and Greg Ruth (Dark Horse)

077 - City of Glass by Paul Auster, Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchelli (Harper Perennial)

076 - Bone One Volume Edition by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)

075 - Black Hole by Charles Burns (Pantheon)

074 - Daddy's Girl by By Debbie Drechsler (Fantagraphics Books)

073 - The Gypsy Lounge: Lunchtime Variety Criminals by Jasen Lex (Aweful Books)

072 - Marvel Boy by Grant Morrison and JG Jones (Marvel Comics)

071 - The Walking Man by Jiro Tanaguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

070 - Waterwise by Joel Orff (Alternative Comics)

069 - Red Eye, Black Eye by K. Thor Jensen (Alternative Comics)

068 - Good-Bye by Yosihiro Tatsumi (Drawn and Quarterly)

067 - Abandon the Old in Tokyo by Yoshiro Tatsumi (Drawn and Quarterly)

066 - The Push Man - by Yoshiro Tatsumi (Drawn and Quarterly)

065 - Shuck Unmasked by Rick Simth and Tania Menesse (Top Shelf)

064 - Paul Has A Summer Job by Michel Rabagliati (Drawn and Quarterly)

063 - Monkey vs. Robot by James Kochalka (Top Shelf)

062 - Hellboy by Mike Mignola (six volumes to date) (Dark Horse)

061 - Lost Girls by Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie (Top Shelf)

060 - McSweeney's Quarterly Concern #13 edited by Chris Ware (McSweeney's)

059 - The Legend of Wild Man Fischer by Dennis Eichhorn and J.R. Williams (Top Shelf)

058 - The Fart Party by Julia Wertz (Atomic Books)

057 - Demo by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan (DC/Vertigo)

056 - The Silver Surfer by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Marvel Comics)

055 - Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus by Jack Kirby (four volumes) (DC Comics) DC's "phonebook" editions...

054 - Pizzeria Kamikaze by Etgar Keret and Asaf Hanuka (Alternative Comics)

053 - James Sturm's America by James Sturm (Drawn and Quarterly)

052 - Palestine by Joe Sacco (Fantagraphics Books)

051 - Strangehaven by Gary Spencer Millidge (three volumes to date) (Abiogenesis Press)

050 - The Outer Space Spirit by Will Eisner, Jules Feiffer and Wallace Wood (Kitchen Sink)

049 - Top Ten by Alan Moore, Zander Cannon and Gene Ha (two volumes) (America's Best Comics)

048 - The Placebo Man by Tomer Hanuka

047 - We3 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC/Vertigo)

046 - David Boring by Dan Clowes (Pantheon)

045 - Cages by Dave McKean (NBM)

044 - Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw (Fantagraphics Books)

043 - Crecy by Warren Ellis and Raulo Caceres (Avatar Press)

042 - The Maakies by Tony Millionaire (Fantagraphics Books)

041 - The Book of Leviathan By Peter Blegvad (The Overlook Press)

040 - Fantastic Butterflies by James Kochalka (Alternative Comics)

039 - B. Krigstein Comics by Bernard Krigstein (Fantagraphics Books)

038 - Jay's Days: Rise and Fall of the Pasta Shop Lothario by Jason Marcy (Hairy Bald Guy Books)

037 - Gødland by Joe Casey and Tom Scioli (Image Comics)

036 - Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley (four volumes to date) (Oni Press)

035 - The Filth by Grant Morrison and Chris Weston (DC/Vertigo)

034 - The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson (Andrews McMeel)

033 - Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

032 - Marbles in My Underpants by Renee French (Oni Press)

031 - Catwoman Volumes One through Four by Ed Brubaker, Darwyn Cooke, et al (DC Comics)

030 - Bluesman by Rob Vollmar and Pablo Callejo (NBM)

029 - The Castaways by Rob Vollmar and Pablo Callejo (NBM)

028 - DC: The New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke (DC Comics)

027 - Mad Love by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm (DC Comics)

026 - The Journal Comic by Drew Weing (Self-published)

025 - 32 Stories by Adrian Tomine (Drawn and Quarterly)

024 - The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard by Eddie Campbell and Dan Best (First Second)

023 - It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken by Seth (Drawn and Quarterly)

022 - Street Angel by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca (SLG)

021 - Batman: Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli (DC Comics)

020 - Daredevil: Born Again by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli (Marvel Comics)

019 - Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (three volumes to date) (Marvel/Icon)

018 - Sleeper by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (four volumes) (DC/Wildstorm)

017 - Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Houghton Mifflin)

016 - The Complete Peanuts by Charles Schulz (Fantagraphics Books)

015 - King-Cat Classix by John Porcellino (Drawn and Quarterly)

014 - Locas by Jaime Hernandez (Fantagraphics Books)

013 - The Frank Book by Jim Woodring (Fantagraphics Books)

012 - The Ticking by Renée French (Top Shelf)

011 - Bob and Harv's Comics by Harvey Pekar and R. Crumb (4 Walls 8 Windows)

010 - Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez (Fantagraphics Books)

009 - Alec: How to be an Artist by Eddie Campbell (Top Shelf)

008 - Hey, Wait... by Jason (Fantagraphics Books)

007 - Ghost World by Dan Clowes (Fantagraphics Books)

006 - Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware (Pantheon)

005 - American Elf: The Collected Sketchbook Diaries of James Kochalka (Top Shelf)

004 - Ice Haven by Dan Clowes (Pantheon)

003 - Louis Riel by Chester Brown (Drawn and Quarterly)

002 - Diary of a Teenage Girl by Phoebe Gloeckner (Frog LTD)

001 - From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell (Top Shelf)


I didn't highlight the Ominbus stuff, though I've read them in those phonebook black and white collections...EDIT: I went and fixed the fact I've read the Omnibus stuff, just in it's black and white form. I also forgot I do indeed own the Silver Surfer GN by Kirby and Lee and have read it...

Hairy Bald Guy Books will be representin' at artist alley table A68. There you will find such talents as mister_f,qmaster_p, blur02,( that be Joe Meyer, Paul Quinn, and Leslie Gauthier...) and yours truly, the Hairy Bald Guy hisself.
All down at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Front Street. August 22-24.
Also, alandaviddoane has listed Jay's Days:Rise and Fall of the Pasta Shop Lothario as #38 on his list of 100 MUST READ GRAPHIC NOVELS. Thank you, kind sir!!!

Kris has got to go into work for three am. All because of some stupid bitch who can't seem to realize she's the on call night worker. God, I can't stand a bunch of the folks she works with. So it's gonna be a loooonnnng night for me. If it were eleven she was in for, I could take that, but three in the morning?! Christ. And it was totally last minute too.
I do have a couple of strips to post. Meanwhile, some folks have been commenting on my Kramer's Ergot #7 post. Check it out, add your two cents, whatever.