Saturday, February 8, 2014

In the Still of the Night

Copyright 1937, but printed ca. 1948.



Cal Tjader Plays Bacharach

Help Build a New Comix Zine!

Bruce Chrislip, Colin Upton, Blake Werts
SPACE 2011, Columbus, Ohio

Our friend Blake Werts has either lost his mind or is a visionary (I'm going with the latter, but he might wind up in the former after a year or two of this project!). 

Please take a look at this news release and give Blake some feedback. I have already contributed an essay for the first issue:

 January 18, 2014

Charlotte, NC


Greetings mini comix fan,

It all started when I made a half-joking proclamation to Dan W. Taylor, "We
should start a mini comix news zine!" Dan wasted no time responding, more or
less, with "Blake, that sounds like a great thing for YOU to do.." Fast
forward a few years and I still have the itch. This idea was mentioned in an
email exchange with Richard Krauss, and next thing I know I was getting both
words of encouragement and lots of great suggestions on how we could make it
happen. Would it be possible to recapture some of the "paperNet" of years
past? I won't be so bold as to say we'll rebuild the sizable networks that
congregated around Clay Geerdes' "Comix World/Comix Wave" or Bruce Chrislip
and Steve Willis' "City Limits Gazette," but I'm excited to give it a try.
All I need is a little help from you..

Below you'll find a few questions to gather current information. It will be
compiled and published in our first few issues. Then, as you create new
material, or have updates that you'd like to share with the community, just
let us know and we'll help spread the word. Also planned are interviews,
biographies, histories, artwork, and maybe a few surprises from Steve
Willis!

Please help us get this started by answering the enclosed questionnaire and
returning it to me as soon as you get a chance. Of course, you can email
your responses to me at bwerts@vnet.net if you'd rather.

Much appreciated!





D. Blake Werts
12339 Chesley Drive
Charlotte, NC 28277



Please answer and mail/respond to:

        D. Blake Werts

        12339 Chesley Drive

        Charlotte, NC 28277

        bwerts@vnet.net



1. What's happening? Are you currently active in cartooning or any other
creative endeavors?


2. Do you have any new comix or zines available? If so, what are the details
(size, page count, cost)?


3. Do you have any older comix or zines available? If so, what are the
details (size, page count, cost)?


4. Will you consider trades?


5. Best way to contact you? Postal mailing address? Email address?


6. Besides this newsletter, how can readers keep up with your work? Are you
are active online?


7. What would you like to see in a newsletter / zine about mini comix?


8. Any announcements you'd like to make?


9. Would you be willing to contribute a spot cartoon or cover artwork for an
issue?


10. Any other mini comikers we should contact?


-----------------------------------


Serenade

From 1935 by the Calumet Music Company. Interesting that sheet music by Franz Schubert has advertisements for cowboy songs on the back cover.





The Lettermen Sing Bacharach

Friday, February 7, 2014

That Wonderful Souvenir Strain : Fox Trot Song

When I was a teenager I loved going to record stores and thumbing through the LP albums just to enjoy the graphic design of the covers.

But before my time, there was commercial sheet music and I find myself enjoying the cover graphics of this music-related medium in much the same way.

This piece appears to have been published in 1922 or 1923, and is local!





Favorite Movie Quotes: And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself

"The improbability of events depicted in this film is the surest indication that they actually did occur."

Phone photo 3161


Louise Cordet Sings Bacharach

Phone photo 3160


Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Phone photo 3158


During its heyday in the 1960s, The Trail's End was out in the country in the Tumwater area, hosting lots of horse and pony shows and events. Since we raised Shetland and New Forest ponies, this was a place we'd visit from time to time.

The place has been closed up and derelict for quite awhile, and residential sprawl has caught up to the surrounding area. Today it could serve as a nice location for a B-movie.

Barbara Jean English Sings Bacharach

Phone photo 3157

Tumwater, Washington

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Sunday, February 2, 2014

OK My Town Is Going Nuts Right Now


The Seahawks won and about half of the 1600 souls in my little town are honking horns, firing guns, lighting fireworks, yelling in the streets. The last time I saw this much public celebration around here was when Obama got Osama. It is really something to witness.

Well, good. Washington, my home, deserves to finally have some national win of any sort in the sports world. I am not a football fan, but I like the way this has generated a lift in morale for folks around here. Sort of like Christmas has been extended up here in our Far Left corner of the USA.