Comic Book Resources

Chris Ware 'Unmasked' in the New Yorker

Unmasked

The New Yorker has posted a new strip by Chris Ware that has a bit of a Halloween theme. And an iPhone.

Via Drawn & Quarterly

New Yorker cartoonist comments on Marvel/Disney deal

The Beat, er, beat me to this Lee Lorenz cartoon in this week's issue of the New Yorker (I always seem to get my subscription issue several days late), but it's amusing enough I think to warrant reposting here.

Straight for the art | Adrian Tomine covers the New Yorker

Tomine's new New Yorker cover

Yeah, I think the subject line says it all. (via D&Q blog)

Talking Comics with Tim: Harry Bliss

Luke on the Loose

Harry Bliss makes comedy and storytelling work on many levels. How do I know? He crafted comedy out of my dry questions in this email interview. In all seriousness, I credit Bliss' collaborations with Doreen Cronin (including 2003's Diary of A Worm and 2005's Diary of a Spider) as being a key catalyst (by tapping into my son's sense of humor) in sparking an increased interest in reading for him. So when I found out about Bliss' new book (for Françoise Mouly's Toon Books), Luke on the Loose ("Luke looks on at the pigeons in Central Park, while Dad is lost in 'boring Daddy talk', and before you know it—LUKE IS ON THE LOOSE! He’s free as a bird, on a hilarious solo flight through New York City", a story in which he handles both the writing and illustrating roles), I jumped at the chance to email interview him. My thanks to Bliss for his time--and to Ron Longe for his assistance in making this interview possible.

Tim O'Shea: You've worked with Françoise Mouly for years at the New Yorker--in terms of Luke on the Loose coming together, did she seek you out to work with the Toon Books imprint--or did you seek the publisher out yourself?

Harry Bliss: Francoise asked me to contribute to Toon Books and she is the publisher, so...

O'Shea: You've collaborated with several children authors, including Doreen Cronin, Kate DiCamillo, Alison McGhee and Sharon Creech. Were there any storytelling assets or lessons you took away from these collaborations?

Bliss: I learn many things from all the wonderful authors I've had the good fortune to work with over the years, mainly, how to integrate words and pictures. It's really a dance, trying to pair up the text with the art, not simply illustrating the words, but to move the story forward visually. If something is not enriching the story/characters, then it needs to go. This was especially critical with Luke. The author and I went back and forth constant- wait, I wrote Luke! Sorry.

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More on that New Yorker issue

Chris Ware's New Yorker strip

I feel that I should mention that in addition to that swell cover by Daniel Clowes, the latest issue of the New Yorker also features a lovely one-page strip by Chris Ware, as well as a gag cartoon by Ward Sutton and an illustration by Michael Kupperman. Blog Flume also notes that Ware has a strip in the current issue of the Virginia Quarterly Review (Spring 2009) and the current issue of Wired.

'You keep calling me Eustace. I don't like you.'

Rorschach Tilley, by Marcus Parcus

A couple of days ago Chris Mautner mentioned The New Yorker's annual Eustace Tilley Contest, in which artists are invited to reinterpret the magazine's iconic dandy. Drawn! has skimmed over the gallery of entries submitted so far, and uncovered the terrific Rorschach Tilley, by Marcus Parcus.

New Yorker holds a 'Tilley' of a contest

Eustace Tilley

See what I did there? I made a pun! I'm so clever and sassy.

Anyway, The New Yorker magazine (and Web site) have announced their second annual Eustace Tilley contest. Perhaps you remember the first one. Perhaps not. Either way, let me remind you of what it all entails:

Eustace Tilley was drawn by Rea Irvin, the magazine’s first art editor, for the cover of the first issue of The New Yorker, in 1925, and has returned for nearly every anniversary issue since. (Louis Menand gives a detailed history of Tilley.) For the past two decades, the magazine has invited contributing artists to reinterpret this iconic dandy, and last year readers contributed to the 2008 Eustace Tilley Contest.

Create your own Eustace Tilley by January 15, 2009, for a chance to win and be featured in an online slide show curated by The New Yorker’s art editor, Françoise Mouly.

All entries must be received by Jan. 15 (i.e. a week from Thursday). Winners will be announced with the release of the anniversary issue on Feb. 2. You can see who's entered the contest so far here, and view a slide show of some of last year's winners here. Keep in mind that, if I'm reading the rules right, the magazine owns your art if you do submit.

(Thanks to Bill Kartalopoulos for the link. By the way, when are you going to update your blog again Bill?)