Phone photo 1389

Morty Comix # 2341

Morty Comix # 2341 was tucked into a cyclone fence spot where smokers go on work breaks.

Phone photo 1388

Have Fun

Favorite Movie Quotes: Lonely Are the Brave

"Have you ever noticed how many fences there are getting to be? And the signs they got on them-- no hunting, no hiking, no admission, no trespassing, private property, closed area, start moving, go away, get lost, drop dead! Know what I mean?"

So far as I can see, this is the finest film Kirk Douglas ever made. It deserves more recognition. 

Phone photo 1387

The Olympia Airport Tree

Tumwater, Washington

Box Art

Here are some images I created a year or two ago using preprinted letters and numbers on boxes provided by book vendors.

Phone photo 1386

Evergreen Lecture

Last night I had fun talking with a classroom of 40 plus students in "The Women's West" program taught by Jolie Sandoz and Ann Storey at The Evergreen State College. My talk, which was a bit rambly, attempted to tie together the threads of the Baby Boom, the history of Evergreen, and Newave Comix and the creative freedom afforded by photocopy technology. Most of the students were in their 20s, the same age I was when I attended Evergroove.

I printed up special TESC editions (75 copies each) of Write-In Morty the Dog for McCleary Mayor, Dante's Coat, Ambergris, To Touch the Face of Larry,  and As I Recall The 'Sixties, as well as a sample of Bezango WA 985.

For you bibliographic completists, the above minis also had a blue test copy, except for To Touch the Face of Larry, which had two copies. I used the lecture opportunity to promote Mini-Comics Day in McCleary and who knows? Maybe we'll see some future cartoonists come out of this.

I had a blast and this was the first time I have given an academic lecture in several years. This was also my first time talking to an Evergreen audience, and it was sort of strange delivering this in a building that didn't exist when I was a student there. They were a good group, very attentive and asked good questions. We even had a drawing exercise.

Thanks for having me over, fellow Geoducks!

Phone photo 1385

Kiosk honoring Tumwater pioneer George Washington Bush

Morty Comix # 2340

Morty Comix # 2340 was left inside a local free publication as a "supplement" available in a place where Washington State Dept. of Corrections personnel go to consume food

Phone photo 1384

South Union, Washington

Favorite Movie Quotes: Live and Let Die

"Don't worry darling, its just a small hat, belonging to a man of limited means, who lost a fight with a chicken."

Phone photo 1383

South Union, Washington

Morty Comix # 2339

Morty Comix # 2339 was left in a free distribution box for real estate pamphlets 

Tumwater, Washington

Phone photo 1382

Favorite Movie Quotes: Little Miss Sunshine

"I can say what I want! I still got Nazi bullets in my ass!"

[Reviewed in Cheaper by the Dozen 57]

Phone photo 1381

Charlie and Buster catnap and dream about having the ability to manipulate a can opener

Favorite Movie Quotes: Little Big Man

"Men will believe anything, the more preposterous the better. Whales speak French at the bottom of the sea. The horses of Arabia have silver wings. Pygmies mate with elephants in darkest Africa. I have sold all those propositions. Well, maybe we're all fools and none of it matters."

Phone photo 1380

Morty Comix # 2338

Morty Comix # 2338 was left in a rack of free local brochures

McCleary, Washington

Phone photo 1379

Dreamer

Favorite Movie Quotes: The Lion in Winter (2003)

Henry II to King Philip of France: "We are the world in small. A nation is a human thing. It does what we do for our reasons. Now, if we're civilized we can put the knives aside, we can make peace. It's in our hands."

Phone photo 1378

Moss on pine bark

Favorite Movie Quotes: The Lion in Winter (1968)

"I've snapped and plotted all my life. There's no other way to be a king, alive, and 50 all at once."

[Reviewed in Cheaper by the Dozen 46]

Phone photo 1377

Favorite Movie Quotes: Liar Liar

"Max, no one can survive in the adult world if they have to tell the truth."

Phone photo 1376

I have no idea what this groundcover is, but for the past few years I have mowed around it. It is not spreading quickly but returns every spring. Anyone out there know what this is?

Midnight Fiction Going Into Hibernation

One of the treats of Saturday mornings, besides not having to commute to work, is visiting Richard Krauss' Midnight Fiction site, where I can catch up on news about this thing of ours. In addition to being a really nice guy and fellow Pacific Northwest comix artist, Richard has provided a real service to those of us who publish our own work. He has extended the Newave philosophy into the 21st century.

When I was at SPACE last year I was asked more than once: Is Richard Krauss really as nice as he seems?  And of course the answer was a big YES, based on my in-person contacts with him.

Today's installment has some news, which I'll abbreviate:

"An assignment for a class in Dreamweaver, with content fueled by Newave comix pages, soon took on a life of its own with comix, reviews, small press news, interviews and special features. MidnightFiction.com has served the small press scene nearly every week, since Oct. 2006."

"It's been a good run, but I'm ready for a break ..."

"I'll continue to keep the site online as a resource, but after next week ... MF.com will for the most part be on hiatus."

I left out all the individuals he thanks. For that I suggest you visit his site.  

Having edited City Limits Gazette for nearly three years, I can totally understand Richard's reasoning. And my deal was only bi-weekly! Five and a half years, weekly, of Midnight Fiction is a very good show.

So thank you Mr. Krauss for providing a major contribution in telling our story to the world at large. You done good and my Saturday morning ritual will take awhile to get used to the void. In the meantime, I hope your newfound free time is used in endeavors you find creative, original and expressive.

Favorite Movie Quotes: Lawrence of Arabia

"Young men make wars. And the virtues of war are the virtues of young men-- courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men-- mistrust and caution."

[Reviewed in Cheaper by the Dozen 50]

Phone photo 1375

Solomon's Seal new growth