Saturday, May 19, 2012

Mini-Comics Day!: Someone Does Not Want You to See This Poster

Here in McCleary the Post Office bulletin board is the central form of text communication. I have been putting up posters daily heralding the coming of Mini-Comics Day, and daily someone has been taking them them down, ripping them up, and throwing them in the garbage. It seems aimed pretty much at just this event as compared to other posters on the bulletin board.

And here I thought I was pretty much washed up as a cartoonist and self-publishing advocate, but apparently I still have the power to offend, so that feels good. I cannot even begin to guess why anyone would do this with such discipline. It is nice to know I can still get under the skin of some intolerant person. Most artists want to inspire people, but we cartoonists were born to step on toes in this ungentlemanly art, so this very targeted vandalism makes me feel like I'm doing my job.

Strike a blow for fun and creativity and come to the McCleary Community Center on May 26! If you don't feel like drawing anything, come and cheer on those who are willing to risk expressing themselves on paper. An event like this has never taken place in the entire history of McCleary, so come be a part of history.







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View from above of Tumwater Falls
The same waterfall from the old Olympia Beer labels

Morty Comix # 2358

Morty Comix # 2358 was part of a packet of Morty Comix that fell out of my pocket at The Evergreen State College, so even I don't know where they landed! I was intending on planting them in various places, but this is an accidental but great way of random distribution, a happy twist of Fate.

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Upper Tumwater Falls

The Weekly Volcano Interviews Frank Hussey

Alec Clayton of The Weekly Volcano interviewed Frank Hussey of Olympia's Danger Room in preparation for the TESC 40th anniversary cartoonists panel. The piece is available online!

I had a great time at the event! After the panel discussion Matt and I were filmed together outside by Evergreen staff talking about TESC. Not sure when or where that will eventually surface. I understand the panel discussion was recorded as well.

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Buster's life is so hard

40th Anniversary Reunion at Evergreen

I took part in the program Animation, Comics and Graphic Novels: A Great Evergreen Tradition as part of the 40th anniversary of The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. On my way there I was saddened to see the Handy Pantry, or the "H.P.," a place we used to go to on frequent beer runs back in the 1970s, apparently in a state of stasis.


 The TESC Steam Plant. Sometimes we would sneak past the guy in the glass office and gain entry into the maze of steam tunnels that honeycomb the campus.

 Dorm A. In 1974 Matt Groening lived in the room with the window on the 2nd floor far left. The next window was my room. He was the first person I met on my first day at Evergreen.

 This is the spot where an incident I relate in Evergroove Trivia Pt. 15 took place.


 One time Lynda Barry and I were walking together and at this point she grabbed me and made me hide with her around a corner while a conceptual artist walked by. "That man hates art!" she trembled. The actual corner has since been obliterated by building expansion.



 A lecture hall where one of our classmates in Shakespeare and the Age of Elizabeth vaulted over several rows of seats to beat up someone he didn't like in 1979.

 Ron Austin of Cartoonists Northwest and son Liam.

 Setting up

 With Tommy Thompson

 Tommy Thompson, Craig Bartlett, Matt Groening, Megan Kelso, Drew Christie


 Evergreen faculty Ruth Hayes, who will moderate, joins the group

 Showtime begins

The geoduck, Evergreen's mascot

Friday, May 18, 2012

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Historic marker on the site of Washington territory's first prison at Seatco (now Bucoda)

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Morty Comix # 2357


Morty Comix # 2357 became the sole occupant of a groady real estate brochure distribution box outside of a bakery in Tumwater, Washington.

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The Olympic Club woodstove and poolroom, Centralia, Washington

From what I have been told, my grandfather basically lived at a pool table here in the 1930s-1950s. He "owned" the table closest to the stove (although I'm sure that original table has long since passed on).  This place was pretty much a seedy dive when I first visited it in the 1970s, but it has since been McMenaminized just like the Spar in Olympia and many other Washington/Oregon local icons. This place includes a family dining area in a room where I formerly observed old guys in fedoras smoking cigars and playing cards. The Wm. Hoss building is next door to the McMenamins complex.

Favorite Movie Quotes: The Stranger (1946)

"The little man was walking all by himself across a deserted city square. Wherever he moved he threw a shadow. But when he moved away, Charles, the shadow stayed there behind him and spread out just like a carpet."

[Reviewed in Cheaper by the Dozen 9]

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Wm. Hoss
1908

Building on Tower Avenue, Centralia, Washington, bearing the name of my great-grandfather's brother. I understand several nefarious activities took place in this structure. The youngest of five children, William "Willy" Hoss lived from 1865 to 1933. The family arrived in Lewis County in the mid-1870s.

Favorite Movie Quotes: Scarlet Street

"How can a man be so dumb? I've been waiting to laugh in your face ever since I met you. You're old and ugly and I'm sick of you! Sick, sick, sick!"

[Reviewed in Cheaper by the Dozen 6]

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Another roadside mascot for Yard Birds
Chehalis, Washington

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Favorite Movie Quotes: Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

"If his unpleasant wounding has in some way enlightened the rest of you as to the grim finish beneath the glossy veneer of criminal life and inspired you to change your ways, then his injuries carry with it an inherent nobility, and a supreme glory. We should all be so fortunate. You say poor Toby? I say poor us"

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A giant crow with baby bird, serving as a roadside attraction for Yard Birds in Chehalis, Washington.

As you can see, the tail end is in the process of being repaired. Restoration work has apparently been going on for awhile.

Favorite Movie Quotes: Scarface (1983)

"Every day above ground is a good day."

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"This pioneer town founded in 1853 on this donation claim of Louis H. Davis, once was the county seat and an important stop-off for travelers between the Columbia River and Puget Sound. The sturdy little church, built in 1858 with hand-forged nails and lumber sawed in a water-powered mill, doubled as a school - Claquato Academy. The bronze bell in the belfry came around Cape Horn from Boston 1857. In the 1870s, when the railroad by-passed Claquato, most of the town moved 3 miles east to Chehalis."

Favorite Movie Quotes: Saving Private Ryan

"I just know that every man I kill, the farther away from home I feel."

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

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OK, this sign really bothers me. It is in Lewis County, Washington, pointing to Rainbow Falls State Park.

"1 miles"?!?


Favorite Movie Quotes: Maciste alla corte del Gran Khan = Samson and the Seven Miracles

"The prince talks about hunting. Why not let him go? Hunting accidents do occur."

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Chehalis River
Rainbow Falls State Park

Favorite Movie Quotes: Sansone = Samson

"If you had horns, my friend, you'd look like a buffalo."

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Pe Ell, Washington

Favorite Movie Quotes: Sahara

"Got ... got to ... make it ..."

I actually mentioned this quote in a post last November, but it is worth using again. Back in the late 1960s/early 1970s when we could only get less than half a dozen stations and there was no such thing as VHS or DVD for consumers, my brother and I ate up all those old Warner Brothers films the independent Seattle/Tacoma  stations continuously played. We were so struck by Bruce Bennett uttering this quote while crawling through the Sahara Desert that we started using it for all kinds of things. For example, if Bryan asked me to pass the salt at dinner, I would move slowly and utter, "Must ... make ... it. Got ... got to ... reach salt ..."

And we continue this malarkey to this day. Funny how a few seconds of film can change lives.

In spite of this eccentric impact on our behavior, this is one of the better WWII propaganda movies.

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1948 Chevy truck
Pe Ell, Washington

Favorite Movie Quotes: Saddle the Wind

"I never sat on you; I never tied you down! I only wanted one thing in my life and that was to see you rise up. You only got up as high as your gun belt. And that's a low height for a man."

[Reviewed in Cheaper by the Dozen 49]

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Pe Ell, Washington