Monthly Archives: January 2008

Man, were we DRUNK(With IAN)

So, about 3 and a half years ago Conspirators KEN AVIDOR, SEAN TENHOFF, and myself(DANNO) appeared on an early episode of Minneapolis’ own cable access hit DRINKING WITH IAN(drinkingwithian.com).
And man…did we get drunk!
Then we filmed an interview.
I’m still not sure if thats a good premise for a talkshow.
ANYWAY….
The other day at the library I noticed DRINKING WITH IAN SEASON 1 on DVD. I checked it out, and lo and behold there was commentary on our episode.
So here are some exerpts of IAN and Co.’s thoughts on drunken cartoonists:

**The commentary of our segment begins with Ian saying: “Speaking of drunken buffoons…”
and he goes to suggest we were “not familiar with bars or drinking…except (Avidor).”
**He points out “Danno is the only one coherent…intelligible, and can talk….but has no mike.”
As well, Danno is a “Good guy (Ian) still see(s) around town.”
**They sat Ken next to Ian because of his long history in comics and his plan to run for (drunk) mayor of Minneapolis, hoping that would produce good interview material. However Ken was so inebriated the interview was “not spectacular”.
**Ken is “Funny, despite how embarrassing he is”. All of Ken’s comments are “drunken gibberish” that was painful to edit.
**Sean had done a pre-interview with lots of good stories that were “gone” by the time we took the stage.
**The audience “couldn’t give a shit” and Ian “couldn’t blame them”.
**The people doing the commentary wished they could just fast-forward thru our interview.
**Kens drunken rant on enviormentalism at the end is the “best part of the interview” but it’s “no wonder he didn’t get elected”.
**Ian rated it as for sure one of the “fifteen bad interviews”.

There you have…cartooning, drinking, and talking don’t mix.
And thats one to grow on!

Belfry Center wants donations for zine library

The Belfry Center and Bat Annex Free School Library are looking for donations to their zine library. The Belfry Center is a DIY-type place that hosts art shows, bands, and other good stuff. I’ve been there a couple of times and give the place a thumbs-up.

You can mail books to them at:
The Belfry Center
3753 Bloomington Ave S
Minneapolis MN 55407

For more info, check these:
www dot belfrycenter dot wetpaint dot com
belfrycenter at gmail dot com
612-724-4293

Art School Summer US Premiere

Conspirators Dave and Mary Sandberg have completed a feature length cartoon, Art School Summer, which is having its US premiere in Minneapolis on the 12th! Bill Plympton is the only other animator I’m aware of that has made feature length animated films basically on his own (although their probably have been some others), so big congratulations to them on this amazing and rare accomplishment.

Art School Summer
Saturday Jan 12th at 7:30
Premiering at:
MCAD
2501 Stevens Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55404
In the big auditorium 150

The screening is free but seating might be in short supply.

Note that my understanding is that the film contains a whole lotta content that is not suitable for people under 18… so if you are under 18, please don’t try to attend. If you are 18 or over, you won’t want to miss it.

There will be a reception afterwards in NE… information on that at the event.

January Comic Jams in San Francisco

Upcoming jams from the Cartoonist Conspiracy San Francisco. We meet on the second and last Thursday of each month at the Church St. Café from 6:30 pm to sometimes between 9 and 10 pm. The group is intimate and fun and any artist is welcome to come and draw with us. So grab your favorite drawing tools and come and join us. Don’t forget to visit this blog to find the latest artwork and updates.

WHEN: Thursday January 10, 2008 and Thursday January 31, 2008.

Where: Church St. Cafe
Description: The San Francisco cell of the International Cartoonist Conspiracy meets twice a month from on the second and last Thursday of the month from 6-10PM at Church St. Cafe. Church St. Cafe 260 Church Street San Francisco, CA 94114 Transit info for San Francisco can be found here: transitinfo.org

Here is where we are: (the green cabin is the café and the blue markers are MUNI bus stations)

View Larger Map

Sat. Open Studio, Jan. 12, noon – 4 p.m.

Saturday Open Studio
Start the new year right!
Sat., Jan. 12, noon to 4 p.m., MCBA

Please join the gang at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts for the Saturday Open Studio. If you can’t find us in the MCBA building, ask the friendly person working in the MCBA bookstore. This is an open studio for all cartoonists, so come and and draw.

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
(Just down the street from Big Brain Comics)
1011 Washington Ave S, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: 612-215-2520

Upcoming Sat. Open Studios:
Feb. 9 – in the lower level print studio
March 15 – in the flexi space
April 5 – in the Bindery (the high tables!)

Inspiration: Golden Age Comic Book Stories blog

If you are in the mood to see some amazing classic artwork you need to check out Mr Door Tree’s Golden Age Comic Book Stories blog. Here posts included samples of artist like Winsor McCay, N. C. Wyeth, Burne Hogarth, Franklin Booth, Frank Frazetta, and Maxfield Parrish. The classic illustrations featured on the blog are the stepping stone that lead to comic strips and comic books as we know them and are sure to make many an artist drool over some of the beautiful work.

As being the start of the new year 2008 this illustration by Winsor McCay seems to be appropriate.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!

DOWNLOAD THE LUTEFISK SUSHI VOLUME C SUBMISSIONS DOC

Above: A rendition of the Conspiracy Logo Fiend by Lutefisk Sushi Volume C featured artist Kevin Cannon from the Big Time Attic Blog. Click it to download the submission info.

You can download and print the Lutefisk Sushi submission info here.

If you don’t have software for viewing a word document, you can get high-quality, free office software at openoffice.org.

LUTEFISK SUSHI "C"

IT’S COMING!!!!!

LUTEFISK SUSHI VOLUME C CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The third Cartoonist Conspriacy organized Lutefisk Sushi event, Lutefisk Sushi Volume C will be happening at Altered Esthetics in May 2008 (the month of Art-A-Whirl!).
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the previous events/compilations, you can see more about them here and here.
We need submissions!
The focus of the show will again be around a big ol’ fancy hand-serigraphed box of mini-comics with a cover by featured artist Kevin Cannon.
It will be limited to 150 copies… every participant will receive one.
To participate:
1) You must live in Minnesota.
2) You must provide us with 160 copies of your comic.
Not 161, not 159, not 2,364. 160.
Your mini-comic can be no larger than 5.5″ x 8.5″, or it won’t fit.
It can be any format and length. For the first set we even had a scroll hand-silkscreened in invisible ink. Please only submit one title, as space is limited.
3) You may also include other comics or other items you wish to have sold at the gallery. Make sure your name is in the comic somewhere and put a price on the cover. Also include a folded 3×5 card with the name of the comic and the price on it for each comic you are selling. If we do not have an obvious way of telling how much your comic costs, we will not sell it (note when pricing that the gallery gets 30% of the sales price).
We will do our best to be fair about the limited display space we have for various items… if you submit a lot of items, we may not have room to display them all.
4) You must matte, frame, or otherwise make presentable and hangable any originals you intend to have displayed. If you don’t do this we will not hang your work… frames can be purchased cheaply easily enough at thrift stores and other places. It is not required that you display originals, but it is encouraged. Put your name and the price of the piece on the back of the piece (note when pricing that the gallery gets 30% of the sales price).
5) You must submit everything by no later than March 15, 2008.
6) You must include the form with your submission. Submissions without forms will not be included in the show.
7) Every participant will receive a bento box. You must show up on opening night to pick up your Bento Box, or you must make other arrangements before then if you plan on getting one.
8) You must pick up your remaining original artwork, unsold comics and money (if any) at the end of the show. Any money or artwork not picked up by the artists will be kept by the gallery to do with as they please.
9) While it is not required, your assistance would be greatly appreciated collating the Bento Boxes at the collating party. We will also be looking for many volunteers to hang out and draw jam comics during art-a-whirl. You’re also encouraged to suggest and organize other related activities for the month.
We intend to include in the box all submissions that meet ALL these criteria.
Please read the criteria carefully before submitting, as it takes a LOT of our time and resources to go back and hassle people for items they are missing.
Entries not meeting ALL of the above criteria will NOT be included in the box.

No previous comic book making experience is necessary to participate.

While we plan on having all entries meeting the criteria included in the Lutefisk Sushi Volume C Bento Box, if we get a lot of entries, we may have to cut it off somewhere- we’ll let you know if the limit is getting close on the conspiracy website.
We had around 50 participants last time, and the box was packed to overflowing. First come, first served, so get your submissions in early.
In addition to the boxes, there will also be a lot of original artwork from the participating cartoonists on the walls. Using the artwork from the comic you submit to the Bento Box is preferred, although it is not required. ALL artwork should be priced for sale… let’s make the gallery some money. Submitting multiple items for display is fine, although we can’t guarantee we will have room for everything.
In addition to the main show, there will also be a “sideshow” featuring the art of Kevin Cannon.
Profits from the originals and comics will be split with the artists and gallery 70 (artists)-30 (gallery).
Profits from the Bento Boxes will go first to reimburse our miscellaneous production expenses, and then to the gallery (which is a wonderful non-profit organization we are thrilled to be involved with).
Lutefisk Sushi Volume B is being sponsored and organized by The International Cartoonist Conspiracy (www.cartoonistconspiracy.com), Altered Esthetics (alteredesthetics.org) and Big Time Attic (www.bigtimeattic.com).

LUTEFISK SUSHI VOLUME C PARTICIPATION FORM

Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

Name of the work you are submitting to the Bento Box:

Indicate prices of any originals included here (and on the backs of the originals):

Indicate prices and titles of any comics you are selling here (and on the books.. also include a folded 3×5 card with the name and price of each book you are giving us to sell):

I am aware that The International Cartoonist Conspiracy, Big Time Attic, and Altered Ethetics do not insure or agree to be responsible for any theft, damage, or loss of any article. I freely choose to exhibit in Altered Esthetics and I agree to accept any and all loss, theft, or damage resulting directly or indirectly from registrant’s participation in these activities.
In return for the benefits I will receive from participation, I agree to not sue or to hold the organizers, their directors, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers responsible for any loss, theft, or damage connected with registrant’s participation in the exhibition.

SIGN HERE

Send this form along with your submissions and the standard Altered Esthetics exhibition contract (http://www.alteredesthetics.com/2008ExhibitionContract.pdf) to:

BIG TIME ATTIC
1618 Central Ave. NE Suite 216
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 521-7423
Questions? Contact Danno at staplegenius at yahoo.com

St. Paul Cartoonist Conspiracy December Jam Comic

The last St. Paul Cartoonist Conspiracy jam comic for 2007 was finished nearly three weeks ago.

Turns out that traveling during the holidays takes a lot out of a person and their desire to do anything. Thus, three weeks later, you are presented with “Krampus Returns.”

The St. Paul Cartoonist Conspiracy meets every third Thursday of the month at Cosmic’s Coffee Shoppe, which is located at the northwest corner of Snelling Ave. and Selby Ave.

Meanwhile, our crosstown rivals, the Minneapolis Cartoonist Conspiracy meet every first Thursday of the month (TOMORROW!) at Diamond’s Coffee Shoppe from 6 – 10 PM. See the following post for more details.