Hi, all. Miss me?

I’ve returned to bring you yet more on political cartoons: in this case, a traveling exhibition on “cartoons in conflict,” with international editorial cartoonists’ take on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It’s sponsored by a peace group with a pretty amazing story–check out the video, and the exhibit if you’re in NYC.

From the UPI…

Really, if you want to push a right-wing agenda, you may want the help of a dictionary. I’ll let the Chicago Sun-Times‘ Richard Roeper explain:

Just a few ways in which Obama’s policies differ from a socialist agenda: socialism would mean no health insurance companies; decriminalization of drugs and prostitution; immediate withdrawal of all troops on foreign soil; a certain cap on all salaries in any situation and public funding for the media. I don’t see the White House calling for such measures, do you?

What say ye? Inventive comic tie-in? Guerrilla propaganda at its finest?

I’m particularly happy that it’s Friday this week–I’ve got an exciting weekend planned. To kick things off right, though, here are some stories from around the web.

Splash Page is speculating about Twitter rumors that Nathan Fillion and Rainn Wilson had a meeting with DC Comics.

Daryl Cagle‘s been posting videos from the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists Convention. This one’s an interview with Mikhaela Reid and Jen Sorenson, two female editorial cartoonists.

More dirt on the terrible idea know as The Crow remake, which maybe isn’t so much a remake? Um, what?

To celebrate the release of The Nobody, Jeff Lemire has some lovely art and linkage over at Standard Attrition.

Since Neil Gaiman is off to accept his Newbery Medal for The Graveyard Book today, check out video of him reading from the book on his tour.

Finally, if you have a spare $20,000 or so, you can get a second-tier Twilight star at your party. No Robert Pattinson or Kristen Stewart, sadly.

I’ve been more affected by Michael Jackson’s death than I thought I would be, so I’ve been thinking about this stuff for a few days. Mostly about pop stars and iconography and the image vs. the person–what do we mourn when we mourn a dead celebrity? In Heath Ledger’s case, it was so obviously the work he had left to do, but in Jackson’s case, it seemed fairly likely that he’d never make any music again, that his music was completely overshadowed by his court cases and plastic surgeries. Yet people have still been publicly mourning.

Daryl Cagle, cartoonist extraordinaire, wrote about Michael Jackson and editorial cartoonists, and his sadness was clearly only that he didn’t have an easy target for cartoons anymore.

Michael Jackson was God’s gift to editorial cartoonists. Now that the gift has been “returned to sender” the cartoonists are mourning the loss of one of their most evergreen gags.

Yet this cartoon, that I saw this morning, really seems to sum up all the feelings about Jackson.

Do you remember, indeed. Before the accusations and the surgeries and the baby-dangling, when it was just about the music.

I’ve written about Persepolis and Marjane Satrapi in the context of the current protests in Iran, but someone took it a step further and rebooted (remixed?) Persepolis to reflect the current situation.

I have no idea if Satrapi is involved in this project, but I do find it interesting that a completely new story can be made by moving some panels around and changing the captions. Aside from my interest in it as a political document–and the way comics can carry a message more potently than a simple news story–it is also an exercise in figuring out the weight of the message carried in the images vs. in the text of a comic.

Sadly, it is not my review. Rather, I direct your attention, if you care about comics lampooning semi-unknown Minnesota congresswomen, to TPM‘s review.

A highlight:

Right from the cover, which has a wacky cartoonish feeling as if it were somehow pencilled by Sergio Aragones and inked by R. Crumb, you know we’re dealing with a special politician:

Personally, I’m always sort of extra fascinated by powerful, successful women–and whatever your opinion of her, Michele Bachmann is a successful politician–who spend their time arguing that women should get back in the kitchen. It’s sort of a “physician, heal thyself!” moment–I argue that women should be represented equally in the job force (and in comics) and Bachmann argues for traditional family values, yet she’s in Congress (and starring in a comic).

Also, I’d rather see more critical takes on politicians in comics rather than 100 more Barack Obama appearances just to sell books. But I’m probably in the minority on that one…

Anyway, I’d love to do an actual review of the Bachmann comic, so I’ll see what I can do about getting my hands on one.

This is kind of a short’n'sweet rundown on the articles I bookmarked this week, as I’m knee-deep in so much stuff right now I don’t have time to do them justice.

The Hathor Legacy on Warren Ellis’s Freakangels.

The Angry Black Woman says she would make a terrible superhero girlfriend. She also takes on being a sci-fi/comics fan and being a woman of color.

Johanna Draper Carlson wants to know what your geekiest thing is.

Racialicious revisits Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology and finds a few identities still missing.

Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, prone to outrageous statements, will be the latest politician to star in her own comic book.

Todd Klein does the Library of Dream.

Splash Page has five out and proud heroes who’d oppose Proposition 8.

Daryl Cagle sticks it to the Huffington Post on comics and editorial cartoons.

Interview with Julia Wertz, creator of I Saw You…Comics Inspired by Real Life Missed Connections. Who doesn’t love missed connections? Even better in comics form.

Girl-Wonder.org has a new blogger at 1000 Miles Outside Metropolis, and her first post is on the perils of reading indie comics in a lousy economy. Check it out.

Comicsgirl is actually looking forward to Marvel Divas. And she makes me rethink my snark. (h/t When Fangirls Attack)

Daryl Cagle’s Arlen Specter cartoon made me laugh, and I love when he posts his progress on a cartoon.

Suzie at Echidne of the Snakes takes on Dollhouse-as-boyfriend-test. Take note, gentlemen.

I totally love when political bloggers blog about comics. Attackerman on Wolverine.

Finally, don’t forget G. Willow Wilson’s May Day AIRlift project. Buy comics, help a good cause. You can indeed still participate buying from your local retailer…

Over at Mother Jones, there’s an interview with political cartoonist Steve Brodner on illustrating articles, which politicians are the most fun to caricature, and how what’s best for satirists is what’s worst for America.

It’s available in podcast form, or there’s a transcript. Check it out.

At Daryl Cagle’s cartoon blog, Taylor Jones takes on the treasury secretary from a cartoonist’s point of view. It’s pretty hilarious, whatever your political views:

No, the problem with Timothy Geithner is the way he looks and sounds — like a kid. A fifteen-year-old high school sophomore who’s nervously reciting his book report in front of the class. Afraid, more than anything, that his voice might crack and make his classmates laugh. That’s why the stock market usually tumbles when he delivers a policy address. The stockbrokers are waiting for his voice to crack, and signs that he might look very afraid, or maybe even cry! Recently, the stock market went UP after Secretary Geithner spoke, but that’s because cameras and microphones were banned from the room. He should do that more often — it might jumpstart the economy!

The economy is still scary, but we can spare a few laughs at the expense of Geithner. Not to mention, Jones’ points are well taken. Confidence is as important as anything else in a time of crisis, and Geithner certainly doesn’t inspire it.

Because it’s Thursday, I’m swamped, but the rest of the blogosphere hasn’t been slacking.

Dollhouse: I’m not gonna lie, I skimmed this review because I haven’t watched this episode yet. However, some of the insights noted struck me, so I’m linking here. Also because I mean to write more about Dollhouse, which I think is steadily improving–and growing more challenging–with each episode.(h/t When Fangirls Attack)

The Blockbuster Mentality and the Invisible Audience: about how the magical male 18-35 demographic became so in Hollywood, with interesting possible extrapolations to the comics industry.

Joelle Jones, whose art I fell in love with on Token, links to a preview of her new Oni Press graphic novel with Jamie S. Rich, You Have Killed Me. Her art is worth it on its own, but the preview looks pretty fabulous.

Jezebel notes that Good Morning America has finally resolved the question: “Are There Vampires Among Us?” And in related news, Gawker assures us that Boston Latin High School is not, in fact, crawling with vampires. (Too bad, as I’m heading to Boston this weekend).

Daryl Cagle has a North Korea-related political cartoon that made him laugh. It made me laugh, too.

Finally, Splash Page posted this story about an autistic boy saved from a ledge by a man in a Spider-Man costume, which reminded me that Rachel Maddow actually had video on the other night. So here’s the video. Enjoy!

Over at Daryl Cagle’s Cartoon Web Log, there’s a story you should read.

Cartoonist Dan Reynolds has been treated for testicular cancer, and continued to draw cartoons while undergoing treatment, attempting to keep things positive. Now that he’s off chemo, he’s making a more concerted effort to use his art to help others fight their cancer, and he’s offering a subscription to his daily cartoons for just $10. The money will go to the American Cancer Society.

Editorial cartoonists are suffering plenty in this economy, so it’s heartening to see someone working to help others. Check out the link for examples of his cartoons and to sign up for the subscription.

Lots of linky goodness for you today.

Kevin O’Neill talks League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Marshal Law, and many other things with The Times. That’s right, the NEW League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, coming your way in the not-so-distant future from Top Shelf. Keep an eye out for more on this…

More Twilight-related news (because I totally love it): Drew Barrymore may be in talks to direct the third Twilight film, Eclipse. Drew recently wrapped her directing debut, a film about roller derby (really!) starring Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde in X3).

More academia as well: do you write research papers on superheroes? There’s a call for papers for an interdisciplinary conference at the University of Oregon.

We invite 1-2 page proposals for 20-30 minute conference papers considering the implications of superhero fantasies for our understanding of such diverse topics as gender identity, queerness, theological yearning, and nationalist politics. We also welcome appreciative discussions of superhero comics as significant aesthetic achievements — particularly insofar as those discussions contribute to the ongoing project within contemporary Comics Studies, to map the unique conventions of the comic art form. Above all, we are interested in sophisticated, lucidly written analyses that utilize the conceptual tools and hermeneutic lenses of contemporary literary and cultural theory.

Molly Crabapple hipped me to Sketch Theatre, which is a super-cool site that sets high-speed video of artists at work to music. Molly is the featured artist right now. Also, you can check out her fashion week coverage at Coilhouse, if you’re into that sort of thing (which I so am).

Johanna at Comics Worth Reading previews Secret Identities: The Asian-American Superhero Anthology. Sounds like good stuff. Check it out.

Racialicious takes on Frank Miller and Zack Snyder’s 300.

The Guardian puts Sight and Sound’s top ten movies of all time to the Bechdel test.

Finally, via Daryl Cagle, a lament for another dead newspaper from my former (albeit briefly) hometown.

To build off Caleb’s post below, as well as something I’ve written about before, today, Here and Now on NPR featured cartoonists talking about Obama and race.

Wednesday’s New York Post cartoon has sparked a national conversation about the role of race in cartooning. On Monday – two days before the Post cartoon came out – three editorial cartoonists shared their views on race in cartoons in a forum at the JKF Museum. We hear a piece of their conversation and then check in with one of the cartoonists, Joel Pett, to see if his opinion has changed in the light of the Post cartoon.

The audio is available on the site, and the segment on the cartoons comes in at 29:25. Pett notes that part of the reason to interpret the cartoon in a negative light is, frankly, the reputation of Delonas, the cartoonist.

“The guy was either so insensitive as to not be able to anticipate this reaction or he anticipated it and just didn’t care. Either way it’s a terrible cartoon.”

“There’s a difference between free speech–you can draw a stupid racist cartoon and walk around the streets showing it to people. But that doesn’t mean that you necessarily get a place in the profession and get paid for it. If you do that, you gotta expect to be held to some kind of standard of decency.” (more…)

You may have experienced this in your neck of the woods, I know all of the sudden our local outlets are a little lighter. The Chicago Reader this week has addressed one particular medium in the dwindling newspaper industry that’s taken a huge hit, alternative weeklies.

While Matt Groening is set for the next several generations, thanks to The Simpsons, most creators of comic strips found in free weekly newspapers are finding less and less places to call home.

Readers, have you felt the hit in YOUR favorite local weekly?

Edit: The above comic is courtesy of Ben Claassen III. Thanks, Eden!

As we continue to see the decline of editorial cartoons in newspapers and we raise questions about appropriate political satire, a story in the New York Times’ blog about a South African political cartoon reminds us of the power in a sketch.

Jacob Zuma, leader of the ruling party in South Africa, has been accused of corruption and even rape. (He was acquitted of the rape charges in 2006.) But it appears he’s more bothered by the work of top political cartoonist Zapiro.

Zapiro drew a vicious, almost disturbing image of Zuma unbuckling his belt, looking down on a woman labeled “Justice System,” blindfolded and held down by leering men. (Check it out here.)

From Zapiro’s Web site:

On Wednesday 17 December the Sheriff of the Court served Zapiro with a letter of demand claiming R7 million – R5 million for injury to Zuma’s reputation and R2 million for injury to his dignity ‘ to be paid within 2 weeks, failing which Zuma will take Zapiro to court.

Zuma also cites The Sunday Times in his claim. The Sunday Times and its editor, Mondli Makhanya, have stated they are fully behind Zapiro. They are prepared to stand by their decision to publish the cartoon and will contest the case through their legal representatives. . .

. . . Zapiro is also convinced that, if this case does go to court, freedom of expression will be upheld. He feels that the courts will uphold his right as a satirist and as a cartoonist to criticise public figures harshly, even when the images he produces are offensive to some.

The U.S. has decisions like Flynt v. Falwell to uphold the rights of cartoonists and satirists to lampoon political and public figures. I won’t pretend to know the first thing about South African speech laws, but I can certainly hope that Zapiro will not end up in jail for a cartoon.

Like Zuma and Nelson Mandela, Zapiro was a political prisoner during the apartheid regime. Yet more reminders that political cartoons can have more impact, and of the importance of free speech.

Check out more of Zapiro’s work at his site or at the excellent Mail & Guardian newspaper’s site.