BookLust

Why Is Everybody Always Picking On Me?

In the Cartoon Issue of The New Yorker, Jonathan Franzen has written a wonderful essay about growing up with Peanuts, Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Unfortunately, not everyone enjoyed it. And it just seems to me, that whenever anyone starts to criticize Franzen, it invariably ends up being some mean attack on something about him personally (his appearance; that 'Oprah' thing). Why is that? What is it about Franzen that elicits such venom? I really enjoy his writing. And I think he's a nice person. In fact, he kinda has some very 'Charlie Brown' characteristics about him. His self-depricating writing style; his inabiltiy to distance himself from past embarrassments; his need (I think) to be liked. I think if Franzen had ever met Schulz, they would have got along quite well. Franzen understands what 'Peanuts' is all about. It's not a strip that is supposed to always make you slap your knee and laugh out loud; it makes you think, it makes you sad, it makes you say "that's me. I'm Charlie Brown." That's why the strip was (and is) so popular. It's always been hip to like Peanuts; Fantagraphics, bless those folk, just made it easier, that's all. (Oh, and apologies to Fantagraphics, Schulz and Seth for the spoof cover).

People who say "I don't like Peanuts; it's not funny" are really missing the point, and that is their loss. People who don't like Franzen are missing the point, too.

But don't you worry; You're A Good Man, Jonathan Franzen.

TGIF Illustration 3!

Oh dear, I had to cheat again. This is an old illustration, from a safety poster I did for the Toronto Board of Education. Penelope's subject this time is 'cling'. I think this illo fits the bill. You see, I'm just swamped with work! A children's book, some greeting cards and two e-book covers. But I like being a part of this fun group.

Mea Culpa!

Cover Me With Love 3

I love this cover, and I figured it would be appropriate today, it being Thanksgiving and all for our friends across the border.

It's written by a Canadian, Miriam Toews, who lost out to Alice Munro for the Giller Prize, but hit it big with the Governor General's award.

I haven't read it yet, but it's on my very long and ever expanding reading list. I hope I have a long life so I can read all these goddam books that keep coming out. I guess I shouldn't complain. At least I outlived the poor turkey on the cover.

A Sad Passing

The extremely gifted illustrator Trina Schart Hyman, died November 17 from complications associated with breast cancer. She was 65.

From Publisher's Weekly:
Hyman earned degrees from the Philadelphia Museum College of Art, the Boston Museum School of the Arts and Konstfackskolan, the Swedish state art school. She became the first art director of Cricket magazine, from 1972 to 1979, and illustrated more than 150 books for children. Her 1985 book, Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges, was awarded the highest honor for children's books, the Caldecott Medal. She also has three Caldecott Honors to her name: the 1984 retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, the 1990 holiday title Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric A. Kimmel and A Child's Calendar, a book of poems by John Updike, released in 2000.

I discovered her work when I was in my early 20's, and was utterly amazed at her drawing ability. It's a big loss to the world of children's illustration.

For Better or For Worse, for a little bit longer

If you are a fan of Lynn Johnston's comic strip, then you probably know that she will be retiring from doing the strip in about 3 years. I don't know if she'll have somebody else continue the strip once she retires; I hope not; she is one of those rare cartoonists whose personality is the strip.

On Friday night my mother and I lined up for over an hour at The Different Drummer in Burlington, to get our Suddenly Silver books signed by Lynn herself. Some people might think that that is an idiotic thing to do, especially for just a book of cartoons (and most especially since, at one point in the waiting, we had to wait outside the bookstore because the line was so long! Good thing it wasn't that cold outside!) But I didn't just go there because of her strip. I admire that woman tremendously (some people in my family would say that it goes beyond excessive hero-worship; whatever).

Lynn Johnston is not just an extremely talented cartoonist. She paved the way for other women cartoonists to break into this field. She created bright, sensitive, funny, and intelligent characters (unlike another woman cartoonist, whom I shall not name directly). She was the first woman to become president of the National Cartoonist Society, the first woman to win the Reuben (that's like the oscar for cartoonists), she was awarded the Order of Canada, and she was nominated for the Pulitzer. Not too shabby, I think. And if you know a little bit about her life story, all her success makes it all the more amazing.

But I will try not to gush. I wish her all the best in whatever she decides to do once she retires. It's hard to believe that she's been doing that strip for 25 years.

Oh, and if you are wondering about that strip I posted, I wonder about it, too. In 1990 I went to North Bay to take a cartooning workshop, which was being taught by Lynn. She was hilarious. Funny and full of life. I lumbered around that weekend, feeling gloomy about myself and my work; obviously she noticed I didn't exactly exude confidence in her class. Not too long after I came home from that workshop, I noticed this strip in the paper. Was she trying to cheer me up? Or was it just a coincidence? I don't know. I choose to believe the former, because it would be the sort of nice thing that she would do.

Everything's Comin' Up Tarts

I know, I know. I'm getting carried away with this Tart thing. But she's just so much goddam fun!!

This lovely coloured version was done by my crazy Kiwi pal Mikemot, a very talented cartoonist and animator who has some strange obsessions with sheep, marmots and boodlewackers.

Ok, here's yer Tart.

Mixed-Up Media 2

Was watching Canada A.M. this morning (why? who the hell knows) and had the great joy to see that vaccuous and annoying Leah McLaren espousing her intellectual views on Bridget Jones. After cleaning up the vomit from the living room floor, I remembered that I had recently drawn a Mixed-Up Media 'toon of this blonde bimbo. Personally, I think I was too nice.

Cover Me With Love 2

I think this cover kicks ass.

TrenDESIGN 7

You've been craving another TrenDESIGN, haven't you?

Well here it is.

Please, Sir, I Want More Tart

I dunno about you guys, but I'm fed-up with feeling depressed. I think it's time we try and laugh again, don't you? And what better person to lighten our heavy hearts than the one, the only, the always incorrigible, and blue-tongued to the bone, Tart.

A warning for readers, though. The opinions expressed in this strip do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the idiot cartoonist.