Monday, February 17, 2014

Phone photo 3174

Charlie and Dreamer, Guardians of the Universe

The Four Winds and the Seven Seas


From 1949. Not a particularly exciting cover. Note the use of shading film.

Hal David (1921-2012) would team up with Burt Bacharach in 1957 and become the composer's chief lyricist.

The Comix Files: Anonymous 1

Amazingly enough, the number of anonymous mailings I have had over the years have been quite small. This particular one was mailed from the UK around 1994. Not only did this arrive without a return address, but also without postage. The small envelope contained carefully folded ads for various UK Punk recordings and zines, no doubt meant for me to reproduce in City Limits Gazette, which had already croaked by the time this made it to McCleary. The only title I recognize in this batch is the Bypass zine.

Here's a peek into the UK Punk/garage band/zine scene two decades ago:













The Midnight Rebels Sing Bacharach

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Alabama Moon



From 1920. I like the texture created by the uneven thick black lines, giving the work a look of being carved out of linoleum. The back cover includes a nice period drawing. The cover artist's signature cannot be deciphered.

The Comix Files: Randall Ainsworth

I first met photographer and computer guy Randall Ainsworth in 1992 when he photographed me for an article I wrote about McCleary.

A bit later we connected again. Ainsworth was based in Aberdeen, and I was interested in other small periodicals in Grays Harbor County. This was during a transitional period in 'zine history. The early era of online serials was just starting. Randall had a monthly called RAndY's RumOR RaG, which can now be considered something a pioneer effort.

So here's how Ainsworth described his publication in 1993:




And here is the July 1993 issue.  We Newave Comix artists call this digest size. Remember, the Worldwide Web was still in an embryonic state at this time. It would not start becoming a household feature for two or three more years. Oddly, the very first website still exists!






Hope you enjoyed this little peek into computer technology coupled with 'zine history. Impressive that this publication was started in 1985!






Nana Mouskori Sings Bacharach


Favorite Movie Quotes: The Crow

"Guess it's not a good day to be a bad guy, huh, Skank?"

Grays Harbor County, Fun Health Facts!

My poor county, literally. One of the last bastions of Wild West anarchy. But there is a price.

According to this health website, we ranked 36 out of Washington State's 39 counties for "Health Outcomes." But in "Health Factors" we placed dead last. Pun intended.








Washington State December 2013 Unemployment Rates

Grays Harbor County, we're number one! We're number one!


From: Washington State Employment Security Dept.

Beautiful Annabell Lee




Printed 1921, copyright 1920. Frederick Manning (1874-1960) specialized in portraying what was considered the standards of feminine beauty at the time.

In this piece, I think, Manning eerily anticipates Elizabeth Taylor!

The Comix Files: Ben Adams (Minnesota)

The following is the original material used for Ben Adams' interview, which was published in City Limits Gazette # Ch-ch-ch-changes (Sept. 29, 1993), the very last issue.






Phone photo 3173


Hoodsport, Washington

Akira Fuse Sings Bacharach

Phone photo 3172

Potlatch, Washington

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Humoreske


This crowded calligraphy was published in 1914, making it a century old. And hey, fittingly it was published by Century Music Publishing Company!

Phone photo 3171

Hood Canal at Potlatch, Washington

The Comix Files: Ben Adams (California)

There were two artists named Ben Adams back in the Newave era. The Ben Adams in this post hailed from Yuba City, California.

Here's a drawing on his stationary and a poster, although I don't know if he produced it or not. It is fun to look at anyway. Both images are from 1987.



Phone photo 3170

Hood Canal at Potlatch, Washington