Dustin Harbin on TCDS

Super-friendly cartoonist Dustin Harbin, the man who brought Richard to cons (specifically Heroes Con) profiles TCDS.

R.C. Harvey on Richard Thompson and Cul de Sac

Fanfare: Open Access for our hare-raising report on the Reubens Weekend, May 27-29, during which the National Cartoonists Society bestows numerous awards, including the Reuben for "cartoonist of the year." Meet the Wimpy Kid's Jeff Kinney, freelancers Roy Doty and R.O. Blechman and Cul de Sac's Richard Thompson and read all the sordid details of the humiliation of the Happy Harv himself and other disgraces that transpired over the weekend. Plus—a plan to reform Congress!! This installment is open to all comers, whether you pay a $ubscription fee or not. This largess occurs only once or twice a year, kimo sabe, so don't miss out. Beam up by clicking below.

http://www.rcharvey.com/rantsraves.html

Stay tooned,
R.C. Harvey

For comics news and reviews, profusely dosed with cartooning history and lore, beam up to www.RCHarvey.com, where our online magazine, Rants & Raves, is posted every two or three weeks.

More art will be shown soon!

I have more cool art to share with folks. Bill Janocha did us a beautiful piece that I just love.Shaenon K Garrity and Andrew Farago did another awesome piece of art for TCDS. The amazing Craig Yoe has

donated art to TCDS! Plus many other wonderful submissions that are still flowing in.

The real problem is I have been around so many artists the last year I have caught the deadline opps. I have some web projects that need attending to ASAP...so, I will be posting these and other amazing submissions at a slower rate the next week or so.

D-Day means Fox de Sac thanks to Bill Amend

Bill Amend contributed this great piece. This is a fitting last art of the deadline day.

I was such a fanboy when I met him in Boston. The only thing I could say had to be something dumb...

Bill, I love Foxtrot but the math strips... I hate the math strips. God I hate math..blah blah blah.

So Bill, I am sorry I couldn't be a normal dumb annoying fan, I had to be a dumb incoherent math hating fan.

I cannot believe he did me a sketch, I am sure it was so I would just leave him alone. arghhh

Here I am rambling again....

Thank you Bill, you are such a legend and Im so glad you are part of Team Cul de Sac!

I really do love Foxtrot...except for......

D-Day

Ok, everybody. Here it is, deadline day. I know a lot of people have been calling, emailing, printing and packaging to get their artwork here by today. Please don't worry if it isn't here yet. I have plenty to keep me busy for the next few days, and if your package comes Monday, Tuesday or at some point in the next week, you will still make it into the project. And if you haven't heard from me whether your package has made it, maybe you could see it in the picture. Wow. Just--wow.

Joe Sutliff donates to TCDS

Joe sent us this very wonderful piece of art! he also had a few worlds about Richard. Enjoy!

"Richard is a cartoonist's cartoonist - I hear this time and again. His work is so finely crafted that sometimes it takes the experience of working in the medium to appreciate the complexity of his composition and writing, which appears so flowing and effortless. If I have one complaint at all about him, it is that Richard is too skinny. Whenever he travels to shows, he is forced to carry five pounds of pea gravel in his pockets to conteract sudden wind gusts. Next time you see him, ask to feel around in his pockets - you'll see."

John K. Snyder III paints for TCDS

John K. Snyder III is on of the best cover illustrators in the comic world. We are very lucky to have him do this great rendition of Alice. Thank you John!

Here is a little more about John.

John has done covers for Harlan Ellison's Phoenix Without Ashes comic adaptation from IDW, the collection(with his cover) just recently was on the NYT bestseller Graphic Novel Hardcover list, and his Classics Illustrated adaptations of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent were just re-issued in France, as well as Jekyll/Hyde by Papercutz books here in the US--He also recreated the Doctor MidNite(along with Matt Wagner) character for DC Comics in 1999.

Dustin Harbin hangs out with Dill

I have known Dustin since we both had hair and when it wasn't grey. I could say so much about his talent and wit plus he is such a big supporter/fan/friend of Richards. I really want to say more but then he would be sooo hard to put up with!

Dustin Thank you so much. Thank you for using Dill... We need more Dill in our lives!Please check out http://dharbin.com/ to see some of his outstanding work.

You are just one of the best people to have in your comic life. Thank you.

Jan Eliot serves TCDS some Stone Soup

My In Laws love Jan and Stone Soup! I just scored major points with them! Jan than you so much!

Jan Eliot Stone Soup Cartoons

www.stonesoupcartoons.com

Rina Piccolo waits on Petey

I think Rina is one of the most talented and beautiful ladies I have ever met. She is so charming and witty that I just wish my time with her last year and been longer. Rina, Thank you !

A word from Rina...

Richard Thompson and “Cul de Sac”

“If I didn't know Richard, I would read "Cul de Sac"

and wonder about the man behind the characters. Is

he sensitive, intuitive, distinctively brainy? Or is he

just awesomely neurotic?

All of these things are true about Richard. He's the

spark that gives "Cul de Sac" its charm. I'm so glad to

know him.

Oh, and did I mention he's an alchemist at the

drawing board? Turns ink and paper into pure gold!”

Rina Piccolo

Mort Walker

Thank You Mort!

Deadlines and being overwhelmed!

Dear TCDS folks,

The support for TCDS has been greater than I could have ever dreamed of and the last few months have been amazing. From the Baltimore Comicon last year, then the Cartooning Festival at Ohio State U last fall, to the recent NCS awards in Boston(Congrats again, Richard), then Heroescon this month... I am so lucky to have met many of the artists who have contributed. Thank you all so very much.

The deadline for contributions is this weekend and feel free to mail the art ASAP. Contact Caty Neis or me if you are working on art and haven't mailed it yet. If we don't answer ASAP, it's because we are so lucky enough to have so much to do! I know Caty is still sorting packages and she is still being trapped by checking out all of the great art.

We are planning to have the art auction in the fourth quarter this year and the book will launch May/June next year.

I am working on having a big launch party at Heroescon 2012, June 22-24.

If I haven't posted your art yet, don't worry, I will post a few more, but remember I need to leave some shockers for the book!

I have asked Richard Thompson to create our cover. I cannot wait to see what he does for us!

Rick Detorie is always there.

Rick has been such a supporter of ours from the start. This art shows you just how amazing an artist he is and what a wonderful man. Rick thank you so much for your support to TCDS and the friendship to Richard and myself. Rick ad a few words about Richard:

Richard Thompson draws funny.

By that I mean his drawings, with their loopy lines, scritchy scratchings, and omnifarious orbs, coalesce to form characters whose faces seem to have been channeled from ancient Inuit totems (or the lavatory wall of the Kerrville, Texas, Dairy Queen). They’re stand alone funny. You don’t even have to absorb the gag to be tickled silly.

But when you take these quirky characters, who are as familiar to us as members of our own family, (Come now, who doesn’t know a diffident Peter or an audacious Alice? Can someone hand me a mirror, please?), and place them in a whimsical world that’s really quite mundane, until soggy clumps of it are probed with precision by a masterful cartoonist who transforms them into tiny cluster bombs of insightful hilarity, then you get the magic that is “Cul de Sac.”

And it’s just so damn wonderful.

Rick Detorie is the cartoonist responsible for the comic strip “One Big Happy.” He is also author of the YA novel “The Accidental Genius of Weasel High.”

Hilary Price joins TCDS!

I met Hilary last year at OSU and I think she is so talented . Her strip always makes me laugh and makes me wish I had a tenth of her wit. Rhymes with Orange is it!

Thank you so much Hilary!

Mark Tatulli LIO Teaser!

I met Mark a few weeks ago in Boston and I think he is such an entertaining and smart and and and . It was such a treat to hang out with him. Mark thank you for being such a supporter of TCDS and for now this is a tease of the upcoming Sunday strip of LIO!

Carolyn Belefski says the Otterloops needs a date night!

Ok, I think she is right! Maybe a date month? Is a night really long enough? Here is a little about Carolyn Belefsk, My date hero! Please follow more TCDS news on her blog!

WHY

For my Team Cul de Sac art, I wanted to create a story involving Richard's characters and my Curls character. I felt like the Otterloop parents needed to go on a date because they hardly have any time to themselves, so I wanted them to get-away and introduce Curls to look after Alice and Petey. Richard Thompson is a brilliant cartoonist. I admire his skills very much and I wish Team Cul de Sac the best of luck to raise money for Parkinson's Research.

BIO

Carolyn Belefski was nominated for Friends of Lulu's 2010 Kim Yale Award for Most Talented Newcomer. She displays a new Curls webcomic every Monday and Thursday at www.curls-studio.com/curls and collaborates with writer Joe Carabeo on the comic books Kid Roxy, Black Magic Tales and The Legettes. Carolyn’s illustrations have been published in USA WEEKEND Magazine, The Commonwealth Times, Magic Bullet, The Pulse on Comicon.com and more.

Big Nate + Cul de Sac= Love

Big Nate is one of the biggest names in cartooning right now, thanks to best-selling books and an uncanny ability to delve deep into the psyche of an eleven-year-old. We thank him immensely for his contribution to the Team, and hope this piece goes to a loving home.

Dave McDonald's TCDS contribution

Dave McDonald shared space with us at Heroes Con as a South Carolina member of the National Cartoonist Society chapter, and we twisted his arm into doing a piece for us.  I'll leave his contact information here in case anyone wants to see more of his Hamster Sam.
--

Cartoonist & Teaching Artist
www.davemcdonald.com

Bill Mitchell's contribution

Richard Thompson says "this is from my old friend Bill Mitchell, former DC resident and one of the first online editorial cartoonists. It's cool!"

From: Bill Mitchell

I've attached some snap shots of my contribution to the Team Cul De Sac auction. On Friday I received a very nice note from Caty Neis informing me that she'd gotten my package and that I would be published in your book! I'm very pleased to know I'll be included. I had thought that I might not make the cut - mainly because the thing is a paper sculpture and not as easily scanned (photographed) and a flat illustration.

Mike here - I think this is very cool too, and I'll be bidding on it (which shouldn't dissuade anyone because I have honestly liked EVERYTHING sent in so far, and can't afford it all).

B.C. art for Team Cul De Sac

by Mason Mastroianni, B.C. head-writer and cartoonist.

 

Bio :

 

Mason Mastroianni has always been passionate about art. Born with one of those rare artistic gifts, Mason was seldom seen without pen and paper as a child. Growing up, Mason worked to hone and test his talent by entering and winning many local and state art competitions.

 

Mason attended illustration courses at the Rhode Island School of Design and then enrolled in The DAVE School (Digital Animation and Visual Effects) in Orlando. Upon graduation, he took a position as a CG animator in Minneapolis. Mason's work at Wet Cement Productions earned the company an Emmy award for computer graphic animation.

 

Mason's combination of raw talent and early exposure to the cartooning world through his grandfather, Johnny Hart, made him by far the best candidate to carry on the comic strip, B.C.

Jamie King's Alice and her awesomeness

Jamie is one of the most amazing artist/designers I have met. She is also one of the best business partners and friends I could ever ask for. This was a nice surprise for me. She has been wonderful during all of the TCDS madness. Thank you Jamie for always being there for me and all of the madness.

Jamie was thrilled to meet Richard a couple of weeks ago and was very inspired by him. In her words:

"I went through a lot of ideas, but finally settled on oil pastel. They tend to take on a childish quality which I thought could be appropriate. I chose to depict alice, because I like her attitude she gets sometimes. And I put crayons on the table to suggest my own artistic frustration.:-)"

Heroes Con Drink and Draw pictures

The indomitable Heather ran the money table for us and writes in:

 

I just loaded all the Drink and Draw pics on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54091968@N04/sets/72157626784127815/

Drink and Draw Social Club art

Here's some of the Drink and Draw Social Club charity artwork that I bought at Heroes Con on Friday night to raise money for Team Cul de Sac.




Captain Jack by Tom Zahler.


Roger Langridge's Burping.


Lois Lane by Thom Zahler


Nude by ? - let us know!

Heroescon update!

Team Cul de Sac wants to give a big shout out to Shelton Drum who runs the best comic convention in America! His team of Rico, Seth and Heather helped us get the word out about Team Cul de Sac and provided both Richard and the Team with tables and support. Thank you all!

Dave Johnson, Jeff Johnson and Dan Panosian are co-founders of the Drink and Draw Social Club or D.D.S.C. for short invited Team Cul de sac and special Bartender Richard Thompson to join them. TCDS received all of the donations and tips from the event! We'd especially like to thank all the cartoonists that did spur of the moment drawings and donated them, while hanging around until late in the evening. (Perhaps we can get some of the ones that we bought scanned and put up here.) After buying t-shirts and special limited edition (of 25) prints to sell, largely due to the Drink and Draw Social Club, we cleared $900.00 for the Fox Foundation.

We still have a few signed and numbered prints ($50.00) and t-shirts ($20.00).

Don't forget we debuted our fanzine and it is still availiable for you to buy ($5.00). Stay tuned for a Paypal option to make buying tchotckes easier.

Richard Thompson featured in Charlotte Observer

Richard Thompson is in Charlotte, NC, at Heroes Con - here's a local interview with him -

 

Cartoonist draws peace from imagination
By Mark Washburn
Saturday, Jun. 04, 2011

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/06/04/2349613/cartoonist-draws-peace-from-imagination.html