SPACE 2011 Report, pt. 12

Bruce Chrislip and Matt Feazell inspect the Outside In foamboard display right before the event where I'm interviewed by Bruce.

Judging by the expression on Bruce's face, I'd say he was using the method actor technique of preparing for his role as interviewer. For you see, about 35 minutes after this was taken, I saw Bruce give the greatest performance of anyone ever on any panel discussion of any type.

In the course of the hour, Bruce read a couple selections from "The Bil Keane Watch." The first one was from City Limits Gazette # meat of the tree (June 1991):

But it was Bruce's rendition of the next one that brought down the house. This was from City Limits Gazzzzzzzette # Pongo (Aug. 1991):

Being every bit as dramatic and somber in his narration as James Earl Jones or John Houseman, Bruce slowly built up his voice until by the time he was yelling out at the top of lungs "DEAD! DEAD!" he was on his feet with his clenched fists in the air. The audience applauded in ope mouthed awe. I was laughing so hard I was crying.

This 50 minute Chrislip-interviews-Willis portion has been captured on audio by both D. Blake Werts and Bruce Rosenberger. I have a copy of the Werts version and The Fabulous Sarah is working on a way for us to post it here.

Update, 3/25/2011: Audio by Bruce Rosenberger is available at the SPACE website:
http://www.backporchcomics.com/SPACE2011CrislipandWillis.mp3

Bruce Chrislip's amazing performance is about 30-35 minutes into the program.

SPACE 2011 Report, pt. 11

The much anticipated arrival of Buzz Buzzizyk/Maximum Traffic/Borpo Deets finally came to pass and all was well with the world. Max's arrival made an already extraordinary event become something historic for me. A lot of us sit around thinking creative thoughts, but Max actually has the energy and discipline to give expression to his visions. He is one of my artistic heroes.

Although we didn't really get a chance to talk a great deal, I was thrilled to finally meet him and look forward to giving Max a tour of my corner of the world someday in the near future.

Max brought a stack of the recent White Buffalo Gazette as well as his compilation, Truth Be Known.

In the above photo Max is talking with Colin Upton. In the background Bruce is showing Mike Hill and Hillary Buzzizyk the Outside In portraits on foamboard.

SPACE 2011 Report, pt. 5

Bruce Chrislip is totally at home in this convention environment. I can't think of anyone in our Newaver generation of comix artists who has remained so consistently as enthusiastic about comic art over the span of time as Bruce.

He created several prints to sell at our table, including some old jam material of ours. Bruce also published an 8-page minicomic called Free Space just for SPACE 2011.

There were also a couple formboard displays with selected self-portraits from the Outside In series he originally put together back when he lived in Seattle. That's when I remember seeing them initially.

If you hang around Bruce and Joan for long be prepared to laugh a lot.

In this photo Bruce is gearing up for what will be one of the crowning performances in his comic career later the same day. And I was there to see it, and you will read about it when I reach that point in my report.

Morty the Dog

1st edition, 1984, Seattle, Washington : Starhead Comix, 100 copies, goldenrod cover, regular digest size.

2nd edition, 1986 (probably November), Starhead Comix, purple cover, regular digest size.

As you have probably noted by now, Michael Dowers had a second career of taking my obscuro comix and reprinting them in collections for a wider audience. There is no doubt in my mind that the attention Morty the Dog received in the 1980s was a direct result of Starhead providing a bigger stage upon which the mutt could strut and fret his way across.

This comic was the first of those anthologies. The cover was drawn specifically for the book, but everything else was reprinted-- in this case from Pacemaker Defect, Dogtown Zoo # 1, and Cranium Frenzy # 4.

Bruce Chrislip wrote the intro for this one. Shortly before this comic was published Bruce had journeyed from Seattle to Pullman to attend a lecture at Washington State University by none other than Robert Crumb. To tell you the truth, meeting Bruce had more an impact on my memory, and subsequent influence on my comix inspiration, than seeing Crumb.

Bruce's comment in his intro regarding "The Family Circus" was pretty ironic considering what happened later. First, while Bruce was taking over editorship of a series I started, Outside In, I had taken over editorship of a series he started, City Limits Gazette. Then, in CLG, one of the most popular running features was "The Bil Keane Watch." So popular that when collected and published as an individual book it filled 2 volumes!

The Minicomic Experience

For more than a month I've been scanning and posting a ton of work in the minicomic format. All of my solo minis, so far as I know, have been included. Almost all the jams have been in here as well.

Finding all the Raining Quills artists will continue to be a challenge, but I have managed to post two issues here. Hank Arakelian, if you're reading this, drop me a line.

One artist I have yet to track down is Marc Myers, one of the more gifted Newave artists. In 1986 he visited Pullman and stayed with us for a few days. During that time Marc and I produced a mini called Little Snowjob. I would love to post it here, but I need his permission. Marc, wherever you are, please contact me.

There are many other minis where I contributed a page or two, or an essay. Brad Foster's Stuff series was one of my favorite places to be a guest. And I haven't even mentioned Outside In yet (Illustration above is Morty and I, from Outside In #2, in 1983). But all will be revealed over time.

I like the mini format, and especially used it in Century 21 as age shortened my attention span and energy level. Right now I'm working on a full length story, but find myself not really driven. So I might return to minis as the venue of choice.