Archive for May, 2008

A cartoonist’s fate

Saturday, May 31st, 2008

In 1979, when Tintin celebrated his 50th birthday, Casterman published a small booklet in which Hergé explained how he and his team went about creating the quiffed one’s adventures.  As an example, they used the fabled page 22b from Tintin Et Les Picaros, at that time Tintin’s latest, and eventually also his last adventure.  While drafting that book, Hergé and Bob De Moor, his second-in-command, accidentally had provided for 65 pages, instead of the obligatory 64, and so one page had to go.  This was later also reprinted in Tintin’s Imaginary Museum.

The booklet was called “Fifty years of real fun work“, but judging by Bob De Moor’s illustration on the cover, I wonder if this title was not totally in irony…

By the way, this post is dedicated to Dean Haspiel, on his birthday. I’m sure he’ll appreciate the sentiment of the picture. Many happy returns, Dino…

Action Comics Lego

Friday, May 30th, 2008

By Julian Fong.  Wicked.

(via Super Punch)

Shaggerman !

Friday, May 30th, 2008

This image graces the cover of Shaggerman Rock ‘n’ Roll Vol. 1, a quite good compilation of late 50’s rock, with songs by the likes of the Dazzlers, the Loafers, Tommy Bell and Tony Joe White.

From the lack of information about the publisher etc., I take it this is no original work.  If you have any idea what comic this was lifted from, please let me know.

Photoshop can be fun

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

Vedeze is a Belgian cartoonist who uses existing photographs to create his satirical and topical imagery.  Most of his work is focused on the current Belgian socio-political situation (Vedeze is also a supporter of the “Save Solidarity” movement, which aims at saving the bonds between Flemings and Walloons).  Some, as this example proves, will probably also be understood by viewers from other countries.

And there’s comics content to boot.

(thanks, Arf Lovers, altough I think it’s a bit sad that I had to learn about this site via an American one…)

It’s the science of the seventies, man.

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

It’s more like yesterday’s Web2.0, if you ask me.  Except we’d be saying “dude”, I guess.

(From Kamandi, The Last Boy On Earth, # 20 - 1974)

When Dandruff Is Actually Bad

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

A very nice, cartoony campaign for Schwarzkopf Anti-dandruff shampoo, by DDB Düsseldorf (copy by Jan Propach and illustrations by Marc Herold). I like the fact that it not only uses ar fairly cartoony style, but also tells an actual story. These drawings wouldn’t be out of place in an alternative anthology.

(From Ads Of The World)

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Serieskolan

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

The Serieskolan in Malmö (Sweden) is the Swedish version of the Center for Cartoon Studies in the US. It’s a place where young hopefuls can learn the art and business of cartooning and creating comics in general.

This brochure for the school was created by Jamil Mani (of the C’est Bon Kultur collective, story) and Niklas Asker (art), and was sent to me by Lotta, who picked it up at the Stockholm SPX last month (thanks !).

I don’t read Swedish, so I don’t have any more than a very faint clue of what is said in this comic. What struck me, though, is that there seems to be an emerging, international style for the alternative, small-press comic that is immediately recognisable, and quite similar across the globe. Nice logo too (by Peter Hallin).

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M&L With Ever

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

M&L used to be the bimonthly magazine if the Flemish official agency for “Monuments and landscapes” (now the agency for the protection of our immobile heritage). For a government publication, it was a quite glossy production, with lots of top-rate photography and every so often a beautiful cover illustration by an important Flemish illustrator.

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Real life wrist radio

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

No batteries, no electricity - I wonder how they did this…

(from America’s Best Comics # 23, 1947, with thanks to the many scanners)

Can’t get any bigger

Monday, May 26th, 2008

Some artist sent a suitcase with a gps device around the globe, collated the data, et presto, the biggest self portrait in the world.  Now the whole world is art.

Now, why did he have to take up a Jesus stance ?