Welcome to the webbed and wired edition of R&R, aristotle. This is 23 years of the same sort of song and dance here as in print: reviewing the latest comics and cartoon-related books and ranting about trends and abuses and unfathomable foolishnesses.

1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003- 2004 - 2005
2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012
2013 - 2014 - 2015 - 2016- 2017 - 2018 - 2019
2020 - 2021 - 2022

Opus One: May 5, 1999
• Four Number One Comics Reviewed
• Ugly Art Discussed and Defined

Opus Two: May 22, 1999
• All Hail, Hall: Bob Hall’s "I, Joker," An Artful Achievement
• At Long Last: A Discussion of Will Eisner’s Reuben and NCS’s Myopia

Opus Three: June 24, 1999
• Fan Satire: Mark Evanier’s Fanboy Funnybook

Opus Four: July 8, 1999
• Superheroics and SMS
• Life in New York: Living in the Building Built for the Old Humor Magazine

Opus Five: July 20, 1999
• Another One: Alan Moore’s Tom Strong
• Quips & Crockets: Archie Goodwin, FoxTrot Hits 1,000, and More

Opus Six: August 9, 1999
• More Ralls Than Not: Ted Ralls Attacks Art Spiegelman
• Ten-year Tenure: Short-lived Syndicated Strips like the Far Side

Opus Seven: August 25, 1999
• Yada Yada Yada: Tina Brown’s Travesty with Talk
• Con-tributions: Strolling the Aisles in San Diego

Opus Eight: September 8, 1999
• Tarzan: A Genuine Animated Cartoon At Last

Opus Nine: September 22, 1999
• Name Dropping & Tale Bearing: Reprints of Zits, Citizen Dog, and the Batman Book
• Toth in Truth: Toth in Black and White Reviewed
• Manning Tarzan: Dark Horse Reprints Russ Manning’s Tarzan

Opus Ten: October 6, 1999
• Putting the Fun Back in Funnybooks: Mike Manley’s Action Planet Comics
• Something Completely Different: First Amendment Abuse by the Press

Opus Eleven: October 20, 1999
• Doubles: Toth’s Zorro, Simonson and Goodwin’s Manhunter, Cho’s Liberty Meadows
• Another Anniversary: Garfield’s

Opus Twelve: November 5, 1999
• At Long Last: Comic Books Cop a Reuben (A Repeat, Actually, of Opus Two; Sorry)

Opus Thirteen: November 17, 1999
• Last Month at the Newsstand: Reviews of Marvel’s Re-issue of All Winners No. 19, Jay and Silent Bob, Superman Inc., Batman: DOA by Bob Hall, Ball and Chain, Shadow Man, Savage Dragon and Desperate Times

Opus Fourteen: December 1, 1999
• Big Baloney: Ersatz Comics History from the Gang at Big Bang

Opus Fifteen: December 17, 1999
• Celebrations, Part 1: Newspapering at the Millennium
• Celebrations, Part 2: Schulz and Walker To Hit 50th Anniversaries Next Year

Opus Sixteen: December 29, 1999
• Top One Hundred Print Cartoon Creations of the Century

Opus Seventeen: January 12, 2000
• Kudos & Crotchets: Reviews of Harley Quinn, Golden Age Greats No. 13, Eisner’s Princess and the Frog, Martin Mystery Reprinted by Dark Horse

Opus Eighteen: January 26, 2000
• Peeves and Plaudits: Reviews of Starman No. 62, Vampirella Monthly No. 20 (Bruce Timm’s cuties), Alex Ross’s Batman War on Crime, Wizard’s Flawed Comics History

Opus Nineteen: February 9, 2000
• Never Forever: Nathan Never from Dark Horse, Criteria for Mature Comics Enumerated

Opus Twenty: February 14, 2000
• The Age of Schulz: An Assessment and Appreciation of Peanuts at the Time of Schlulz’s Death

Opus Twenty-one: February 23, 2000
• Remembering Marky: My Friend Mark Cohen Dies
• Beefs and Boffos: Reviews of Larry Gonick’s Cartoon Guide to Sex, Tom Strong, Tomorrow Stories, "The Thief" (a movie without dialogue), Herblock’s Book about a Cat, and Stan Lee’s List of the Best of the Worst

Opus Twenty-two: March 8, 2000
• Good Grief and Bad: The Abuse of Satire by Paul Krassner of the Realist
• Comic Stripping: Reviews of Reprints--Drabble, Jump Start, Baby Blues, Close to Home
• Books and Funnybooks: Reviews of Eisner’s Princess and the Frog (again), M. Rex No. 1, 100 Bullets, The Witching, and Jeff Smith’s Stupid Stupid Rat Tails

Opus Twenty-three: March 22, 2000
• More Peeves and Plaudits: Simpson Strip Bombs, Awards for Over the Hedge and Jump Start, Editorial Cartoonists Doing Comic Strips, ZZZ, Spelling B

Opus Twenty-four: April 5, 2000
• Roundup of Reviews: Reprints of Mallard Fillmore, Jimmy Margulies editorial cartoons, Ted Rall’s My War with Brian, Carol Lay’s Joy Ride, Crumb’s Sketchbook No. 7, Arnold Roth’s Poor Arnold’s Almanac, Beastly Things (Non Sequitur), Frazetta’s Icon, Pin-up No. 3

Opus Twenty-five: April 19, 2000
• Tooners in the News: Drabble Getting Married, Jeff Shesol Erstwhile Strip Cartoonist Now Speechwriter for Clinton, New Comics (Soup to Nutz, Six Chix, Duncan)
• Newcomers: Hopster’s Tracks, Drastik, Dork Tower, Sam andTwitch, Breadman and Doughboy

Opus Twenty-six: May 3, 2000
• Again with the Vu Deja: The Teenie Weenies, Gordo
• Wind Instruments: NBM’s Grahic Novel Version of Wind in the Willows, Volume 1

Opus Twenty-seven: May 18, 2000
• News & Comments: Comic Book Crisis Debunked, Hugh Haynie Dies, Mexican Superhero
• Reviews: A Tricked-up Trio--Reprints of Zits, Mutts, and For Better or For Worse

Opus Twenty-eight: June 2, 2000
• Record Reubens: Report on NCS’s Annual Convention, This Year in New York City

Opus Twenty-nine: June 14, 2000
• Punk on the Loose: Review of Oliphant’s "Are We There Yet?" and Oliphant’s Anthem, the Exhibition Catalogue for a Show of His Cartoons
• Spoofing Superheroes: Mike Luckovich’s ZeroHeroes
• Reprint Roundup: DC’s Millennium Editions, AC Comics, EC’s Crime Titles

Opus Thirty: June 28, 2000
• Dan DeCarlo’s Just Desserts: Unjust, I Mean--Archie Comics Dumps the Veteran Whose Drawing Style Set the House Style

Opus Thirty-one: July 12, 2000
• In Memorium for Two Strips: Bringing Up Father and Boner’s Ark, Both Discontinued
• Eisner’s Knight Life: A Review of His Graphic Novel Don Quixote

Opus Thirty-two: July 26, 2000
• Jeff MacNelly: Gone Too Soon
• Pertinent and Impertinent: Reviews of Three Books--Graphic Opinions (about Editorial Cartoonists), Comic Book Culture (about Fans and Cons), and Defining New Yorker Humor

Opus Thirty-three: August 9, 2000
• Just Another Hockey Puck: Court Rules against McFarlane to the Tune of $24.5 Million
• Stan Meets Larry: Stan Lee Interviewed by a Stunningly Ignorant Larry King (Live)

Opus Thirty-four: August 23, 2000
• Wish Books: Coming Attractions--Robert McGinnis Paintings, Danger Girl No. 7, Harley Quinn, Little Annie Fanny
• All in Black and White: Jack Staff, K Chronicles

Opus Thirty-five: September 6, 2000
• Comic Strip News: Newspaper Comics in Color, Charles Atlas Loses, The Boondocks, Baldo
• At San Diego’s Con: Hero Bear, Cho’s Liberty Meadows, Marc Hempel, Comic Character Figurines from Craig Yoe

Opus Thirty-six: September 20, 2000
• Pulpit Meltdown and Desperate Times: The End of the Preacher and Desperate Times II
• Belated Blondie: The Strip’s 70th Anniversary

Opus Thirty-seven: September 27, 2000
• The Other Shoe and My Boo-boo: The Real Story on How MacNelly’s Shoe Is Being Continued

Opus Thirty-eight: October 4, 2000
• Cover-ups and Olympic Truth: Phoney Covers on Comics and the Australian Games
• Another High-water Marc: Naked Brain on Sunny Fundays Website

Opus Thirty-nine: October 18, 2000
• Adult Comics: A Review of the Crankshaft Reprint about Alzheimers
• Not Quite Legendary Steranko: A Marvel Reprint of His First Issues of Nick Fury
• Applause and Pitfalls: Robinsonia, No Pasaran

Opus Forty: November 2, 2000
• On the Shelf: Reviews of Reprints of Rose Is Rose, Rose In Loving Color, Speed Bump, The Neighborhood, Ziggy, Heart of the City
• Batman/Lobo: The Latest from the Bizarre Biz

Opus Forty-one: November 24, 2000
• Current Events & Other Looney Tunes: U.S. President Atchison, Bush as Alfred E. Neuman, the New Yorker’s Annual Cartoon Issue
• Reprint Lately Available: Review of The Boondocks
• Rancid Raves about Comic Books: Spyboy, Rose, Robin: Year One, Elvis Must Die, Phineas B. Fuddle, Batman: Dark Victory, 10th Muse

Opus Forty-two: December 6, 2000
• Adult Comics: White Out, Streetwise
• Forthcoming Comics: Desperate Times, Green Arrow No. 1, Poison Elves, Randy Renaldo’s Rob Hanes Adventures, Wally Wood Sketchbook, Ed Nofsiger Dies

Opus Forty-three: December 20, 2000
• Anyule Greetings: NEA’s Yuletide Strip, DC’s Christmas Package, T Lewis’s Forgotten Helper
• Still on the Stands: Comics in Time & Rosebud

Opus Forty-four: January 3, 2001
• Year-End Peeves and Plaudits: Newsweek’s Perspectives and Editorial Cartooning, Curtis’s Celebration of Kwanzaa
• Forthcoming: Reviews of Comic Books--Desperate Times II, etc.
• Auld Lang Signs: Reprint of Reg’lar Fellers, DC’s Good Millennium Editions, Beetle Bailey Figurines, Eisner’s Knight Life (again), Last Day in Vietnam (forthcoming)
• Sadly, Ed’s Gone: Death of Animal Cartoonist Ed Nofziger

Opus Forty-five: January 17, 2001
• Politics As Usual: Exhibit of Herblock Editorial Cartoons, Doonesbury’s 30th, the Florida Presidential Election
• More Strip Reprints: Cathy, Mutts, Close to Home, Zits, The Boondocks
• Fat Supes and Red-nosed Walt Kelly

Opus Forty-six: January 31, 2001
• Irks and Crotchets: Bettie Page Air Fresheners and Other Outrages
• Back in the Saddle: Stan Lynde’s Reprint Book of Grass Roots
• Editoonery: Review of Graphic Opinions

Opus Forty-seven: February 14, 2001
• A Fanny Valentine: Review of Dark Horse’s Reprint of Playboy’s Little Annie Fanny

Opus Forty-eight: February 21, 2001
• Quick & Sloppy: Reviews of DC Archival Plastic Man and The Spirit, Hoffman’s Sorceress, Private Beach No. 1
• A Classic Front: Review of a Re-issue of Bill Mauldin’s Up Front

Opus Forty-nine: February 28, 2001
• Thumbin’ and Squintin’: Tomb Raider, Hollywood Knight, Exposure, Crusades: Urban Decree, Actions Speak, Big Bang No. 35, Double Image, Mad No. 43 Takes In Advertising,

Opus Fifty: February 28, 2001
• Dennis Is Fifty: Hank Ketcham’s Dennis the Menace Has an Anniversary

Opus Fifty-One: March 7, 2001
• A Bodacious Cartoonist: Fred Lasswell Dies and Is Remembered

Opus Fifty-two: March 14, 2001
• Comic Book Rack: Reviews of Green Arrow No. 1, Gotham Knights No. 14, Hammer of the Gods, Boneyard No. 1, and Some Graphic Novels: Dixie Road, Raptors II, Gipsy.

Opus Fifty-three:March 14, 2001
• Before We Forget: Beetle Bailey’s 50th and Mort Walker’s Autobiography
Opus Fifty-four: March 28, 2001
• Mad Distress: William Gaines’ Venerable Lampoon Magazine Starts Taking Advertising with What Disastrous Results?
Opus Fifty-five: March 28, 2001
• Breathed Speaks: Excerpts from An Interview with the Notable Comic Strip Recluse in Early 2001
Opus Fifty-six: April 11, 2001
• Reviewed are the Spirit Millennium Edition from DC, 10th Muse, Harvey Pekar’s return in American Splendor’s 25th Anniversary, Image Two-in-One (a 24-hour comic by Larsen and Eliopoulos), Image’s Double Image No. 2, Kurt Busiek’s Superstar, Allison Dare: Little Miss Adventure, Green Arrow No. 2, and Citymouth from England’s stellar Hunt Emerson.
Opus 57: April 25, 2001
• Current titles on the stands reviewed are Tellos, Heavy Metal with another appearance by Serpieri’s Druuna, the Dodsons’ Harley Quinn No. 7, Alan Moore’s Tom Strong, the latest issue of Desperate Times, Eduardo Risso’s work in 100 Bullets and Weird Western Tales, and a new reprint volume from Andrews McMeel of Darby Conley’s Get Fuzzy comic strip.
Opus 58: April 25, 2001
• This year’s Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning goes to Ann Telnaes, only the second woman to win in this category, and a novel with a Superman aura.
Opus 59: (May 9, 2001)
• Discusssions of some recent graphic novels—Dixie Road, Raptors II, and Gipsy as well as Rick Geary’s delicious latest (all from NBM) and a new collection of Alex Toth art, not to mention an obit on Big Daddy Roth
Opus 60: May 23, 2001
• Reviews of comics on the stands at this date include premiere issues of Bazooka Jules, Codename Knockout, Desperadoes, and Randy O’Donnell as well as Kane, Private Beach, Tom Strong, and Joe Sacco’s reportorial cartooning for Time.
Opus 61: May 29, 2001
• Jack Davis, EC’s legend and a world-class caricaturist and cover artist, won the NCS Reuben as "cartoonist of the year’ for the year 2000; all other winners of Reuben "division" awards are also listed.
Opus 62: June 6, 2001
• Editorial cartoonist Steve Kelley is fired at the San Diego Union-Tribune and other news from hither and yon.
Opus 63: June 6, 2001
• Remembering Hank Ketcham, who died June 1.
Opus 64: A New Outrage from a Familiar Source & Some Quick Reviews (June 20, 2001)
• Reviewed are 2024,Ted Rall’s latest work, and some newsstand comics (Daredevil Yellow, Savage Dragon No. 85, Herobear and the Kid, Scary Godmother, 10th Muse, and the "first" issue of Codename Knockout) as well as notes on the latest development in the Steve Kelley firing and the Happy Harv’s last word on whether he (or Douglas Sirk) is alive or fictional.
Opus 65: The Ladies on the Cover and a Dose of News and Reviews (July 4, 2001)
• A book about Robert McGinnis’ paperback book covers, a footnote the Steve Kelley firing, a visit to a clutch of old time New Yorker cartoonists, and reviews of a few comic books.
Opus 66: Another Con Job and News and Reviews (August 1, 2001)
• A glimpse of what went on at the San Diego ComiCon, some book reviews and news, rapid rabbit reviews of a few new comics (Stan Lee’s Just Imagine, Codename Knockout again, and Robert Gregory’s newest Bitchy Bitch and the new Elektra), and trolling for comics in mainstream mags.
Opus 67: A Few Curves and None Too Soon (August 15, 200l)
• Cover girls with comics connections—Julie Strain and Stacy E. Walker—and reviews of a spate of space adventuress material from the extra-talented off-shore Alfonzo Azpiri (who knows how to draw a pretty sexy girl).
Opus 68: Good Ol’ Mary, News & Notes, and Pithy Pronouncements (August 29, 2001)
• The Real Truth about Apple Mary and Mary Worth (and the syndicate’s recent snafu), news about the International Museum of Cartoon Art closing its doors in Boca Raton and Erik Larsen revealing the Savage Dragon’s origins in February, and reviews of Stan Lee’s Wonder Woman, Gleason’s Daredevil, Dick Tracy’s Sam Catchem, Vandala II, Dollz, Dexter’s Lab, Samurai Jack, Angel and the Ape, Hunter, Prime8, and Oni’s Color Special 2001.
Opus 69: Ol’ Hatchet-jaw Hits 70 (September 12)
• Dick Tracy reaches his 70th but his anniversary is celebrated in Jim Scancarelli’s Gasoline Alley.
Opus 70: Muse, Reviews, and News (September 26)
• The question of laughter in cartoons in the wake of the 9eleven atrocity is examined and then come reviews of The Good Girl Art of Bob Lubbers, John Buscema Sketchbook, Jake Cole and Plastic Man and news about the forthcoming Will Eisner book, The Name of the Game, a new collection of Peanuts strips and art, Spy vs. Spy, and the latest skirmish in the Peanut Butter Battle over Percy Crosby’s famed Skippy.
Opus 71: Laughter and a Festival of Cartoonery (October 10)
• After a brief notice that we’re laughing again in the wake of the September 11th atrocity, we sample the festivities at the 7th triennial Festival of Cartoon Art at Ohio State University.
Opus 72: Reviews and the Simpsons and the Right to Know (October 24)
• Reviews of Savage Dragon, Harley & Ivy: Love on the Lam, Codename: Knockout, Astra, Battle Pope, Usagi Yojimbo, Hammer of the Gods, Stan Lee’s Superman, Vamperotica, Harvey Kurtzman’s The Grasshopper and the Ant, and the latest strip reprints for Baby Blues, Zits, Baldo, Grand Avenue, Lola, Dilbert, For Better or For Worse, Mutts (Sundays). We also ridicule scholarly attention to the Simpsons, and ask what became of our "right to know"?
Opus 73: A Ramble through the New Yorker’s Cartoon Issue, Two New Books, and Some Tantalizing Pretty Girl Art (November 7)
• Reviews of The New Yorker’s annual cartoon issue, Chip Kidd’s Peanuts: The Art of Charles M. Schulz, Great Comic Cats (reprised), Danger Girl Sketchbook, Draw No. 1, Sketch No. 4, and the first issue of Bloodstone or Tombstone or Bloodraider or what-have-you.
Opus 74: Back to Print (November 21)
• Notes on the Harry Potter movie and recent events on newspaper comics pages, plus reviews of Heavy Metal’s Attila and Women of Manara, Garth Ennis’ oafish Rifle Brigade, and Ron Goulart’s superior up-dated history of comics.
Opus 75: E&P Awards and Other Fresh News plus Reviews (December 5)
• Lynn Johnston and Clay Bennett are picked as "cartoonists of the year" (strip and editorial), plus reviews of various comic books.
Opus 76: NBM's Quarter Century (December 21)
• NBM's 25 years in the business--with reviews of line and some of its current graphic novels and other titles.

Opus 77: Happy Year's End (January 2, 2002)
• Highlighting events of the last month of the year: a nifty new book about Hal Foster, Walt Kelly's version of comics history, heroic images for Twin Towers Fund, Eduardo Risso again and again, Dark Horse's latest imported graphic novels, and the Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year.
Opus 78: Two Line King Books and Comic Book Reviews (January 16, 2002).
• Two new books of the great Al Hirschfeld's work, Hirschfeld's New York and Hollywood: The Film Art of Hirschfeld, are reviewed, as are several comic books: Catwoman 2, TV Western, Some Trouble of a Serrious [sic] Nature, Shades of Blue, Justice League Adventures 1, DC's reprint of Jack Kirby's Green Arrow stories, Jack Kirby Collector 9, Tom Strong 15, Stan Lee imagining the JLA anew, Groo: Death and Taxes, Batman: The 10-cent Adventure, Eightball 22 (in color!).
Opus 79: Still Having Fun Yet Plus Reviews (January 30, 2002).
• How Zippy survived an attempt on his San Francisco life plus reviews of Will Eisner's The Name of the Game, Steve Gerber's new Howard the Duck, and other works by Stan Sakai, C. Scott Morse, Terry Moore, Greg Rucka, Eric Coile, and Devon Massey, who doubles his fun.
Opus 80: Fanny Valentine, Wonder Woman, News, and Olymping (February 13, 2002).
• A long-eared look at Little Annie Fanny: Volume II, 1970-1988 from Dark Horse, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth from DC, a few odds & addenda of news, and a parting reminder of what the Olympics are all about.
Opus 81: News & Comment, Four-Color Rambling about Female Anatomy, Punch and Judy, and Frank Miller's DK2, plus Pithy Pronouncements (February 27, 2002).
• A statue of Prince Valiant, Aaron McGruder and NAACP, Disney and Pooh, plus a rambling essay on Arthur Adams' Jonni Future and female anatomy in the funnybooks, Punch and Judy and newspapering, Frank Miller's DK2 and short reviews of Queen & Country, America Century, Amazing Spider-Man, Superman in Tarzan's jungle and vice versa, and Eustace Tilley's return.
Opus 82: News & Reviews, Appalling Rall, Toppling Kopple, Piraro's Sunday Bizarro, Arnold Roth's Free Lance and Others (March 13, 2002).
• Ted Rall's "Terror Widows" cartoon, Letterman's good taste, Griffith's spite, Piraro's Bizarro collection, Arnold Roth's 50-year retrospective and such comic books as Trout, Spider-Man's Tangled Web, Catwoman, Howard the Duck, Love Bunny and Mr. Hell, Ruse, and Ring of the Nibelung.
Opus 83: More Roiling about Rall (March 20, 2002).
• Ted Rall attracts online fire from Alan Keyes, who is then admonished by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, after which Rall outrages NY firefighters, and then, in appearing on MSNBC to defend himself, betrays editorial cartooning, saying "It's just a cartoon."
Opus 84: Controversy, News & Reviews (March 27, 2002).
• Ted Rall strikes back, Oliphant and the Church, Modesty Blaise movie, religion in the comics, the demise of Comic Relief, R. Crumb in the world of "fine" art, recipients of this year's Sparky Awards, and reviews of The Sword of Zorro from AC, Stan Lee and John Byrne on Robin, and Bluntman and Chronic.
Opus 85: Awards and Alarums, Rescue and Reviews, and Other News (April 10, 2002).
• Clay Bennett wins the Pulitzer, nominees for the NCS Reuben, Oliphant and the power of pictures, Tom Toles replaces Herblock at the Washington Post, Top Shelf rescued by comics fans, some other online comics columns, Brooke McEldowney's 9 Chickweed Lane (a masterpiece that you can now sample in a new Andrews McMeel book), the latest Dilbert book, and--as a Special Bonus--the entire, UNADULTERATED (which is to say "fully adulterated"?) "Catching Up with Craig Yoe" article that I produced, at great pains, for CBG but which, due to their rigid rules about length, they shredded to a mere shadow of its magnificent self when publishing it.
Opus 86: Marvel Hype, Movies & Reviews (April 24, 2002).
• Marvel's hype (including a fiscal fact or two), Marvelous movies, and reviews of Strangers In Paradise, Paradise Too, Deadline, My Friend Dahmer, King David, Perdida (Part I), and AC's latest title, America's Greatest Comics.
Opus 87: Spider-Man in Motion and the Fate of Four-color Comics (May 8).
• The Spider-Man movie and how it relates to comic books, plus news about nudity, the Simpsons almost sued, museums of cartooning arts, and reviews of DC's replica edition of Sugar and Spike, the inaugural issue of Bastard Samurai, Powers No. 19, and Howard the Duck No. 4.
Opus 88: News, The Pro Forthcoming, and Reviews (May 24).
• Chris Yambar's slam and DK2, comic strips rib Episode II, a long and loving anticipation of The Pro and Marc Hempel's Naked Brain 3-issue series, reviews of the latest strip reprints (Ziggy, Zits) and comic books (Pantheon No. 11, Fables No. 1, Queen and Country No. 8, Stan Lee imagining Catwoman), and Batman in the Fifties.
Opus 89: Reuben Winners (May 28).
• Nominees and winners of the National Cartoonists Society awards for 2001 are listed.
Opus 90: NCS Corrections, Spider-Man Too Evocative, Outlaw Nation and The Big Hoax (June 5).
• Corrections to Opus 89's report on the Reubens, David Broder's attack on the Spider-Man movie, memorial statues abound, and reviews of Outlaw Nation, The Big Hoax, Oddballz, and the current issue of Hogan's Alley.
Opus 91: The Filth, Guardian Angel, and Cages (June 14).
• Reviews of the first issues of The Filth and Guardian Angel and of NBM's re-issue of the monumental Cages.
Opus 92: More Liberty Meadows and Nancy Drew's Guide to Life (June 19).
• Frank Cho wins Max and Moritz Award and Liberty Meadows goes into overseas syndication, plus a glimpse at NBM's forthcoming titles and a fond look at the real Nancy Drew.
Opus 93: Strip Contest, Punch, Work for Editoonists, and a Monument to Dick Tracy (June 26).
• How many entered the Beetle Bailey naming contest, Punch's demise (again), Doug Marlette and Steve Kelley find editoonery berths, and an absolutely colossal encyclopedia about Dick Tracy.
Opus 94:  Mad's Spider-Man, Larsen's Dragon, Ida Red & Bastard Samurai and Reprint Collections (July 5).
• Funnybook reviews of Mad No. 418's Spider-Man spoofs, Kanigher's contribution to the Webslinger flick, Savage Dragon Nos. 98-99, Mutant Texas: Tales of Sheriff Ida Red, and Bastard Samurai No. 2, plus an extended examination of the Andrews McMeel reprint of Mark Tonra's James strip and a glimpse of Bill Amend's latest Foxtrot collection.
Opus 95: Tina's Groove and the Big Thousand-plus (July 17).
• A new strip that seems likely to threaten Cathy and a list of the strips in 1,000 or more newspapers.
Opus 96: Reviews and A Trip Report (July 29).
• Reviews of Marc Hempel's Naked Brain, Elektra: Glimpse & Echo, Y-The Last Man, 100%, Apache Skies, the new League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Hellboy's "The Third Wish," plus-a somewhat perverse travelogue about Harv's recent sojourn in England.
Opus 97: News, Stan Lee's Autobiography, San Diego's Con, Martha's Fate (August 14).
• Contemplating the forthcoming Nine Eleven, Stan Lee's autobiography, the stupendousness of the San Diego Comic-Con, and Martha Stewart's fate.
Opus 98: Cleavage Mags, Copyright Law, News, Teddy Bears, the Marvel Family (Fawcett's), and Reviews (August 29, 2002).
• Plus greed at the Cartoon Bank on the anniversary of 9/11, and reviews of The Pro, Decoy: Storm of the Century, Big Daddy Danger, Gotham Girls and the Wertham snare, Live Nude Girls No. 2, Selina's Big Score and DC's Shazam Annual No.1. And some Bushwah.
Opus 99: News, Defining Comics (Again), Funnybook Review, Milton Caniff Profiled, Newspapers for the Elderly (September 11, 2002).
• Includes reviews of Fred the Clown, Y: The Last Man, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Fables, Max Hamm: Fairy Tale Detective, Milton Caniff Profile book from Italy, and a plea for newspapers to attend to the richest demographic.
Opus 100: Number Ones and Al Capp's Shmoo (September 15, 2002).
• Reviews of freshly minted Number Ones: Dungeon, Paradigm, 21 Down, Crime Comics, Spider-Man and the Black Cat, and the first issue of Liberty Meadows from Frank Cho's new publisher, Image; plus, a review of The Life and Times of the Shmoo.
Opus 101: Pogo's 60th, The Sopranos and Dubya, and Red and Rover and Brian Basset (October 4, 2002).
• Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Pogo's birth with a smattering of misbegotten history and a review of a freshly minted Pogo video, plus some Bushwah on the Sopranos and reviews of comic strip reprint albums from Andrews McMeel.
Opus 102: Misleading Bushwah, Mr. Magoo, the Mickey Mouse Copyright Law, Editorial Cartooning with Female Candidates, and Sherman's Lagoon (October 10, 2002).
• More political commentary and comics news, including the McFarlane vs. Gaiman case, brief reviews of current funnybooks and of two reprints of Sherman's Lagoon, with a short history of Jim Toomey
Opus 103: Negative TV Ads, Reviews, Corrections, Islam and Bushwah (October 31).
• Reviews of 21 Down 2, The Goon 1, Black Widow 3, Ballad of Utopia 1-3, Hawkman 7, and some Own Fitzgerald and Jim Mahfood, Gonick's latest History of the Universe, the most recent Rose Is Rose reprint and other new tomes from Andrews McMeel.
104: Fresh Number Ones and Volume 2 of Giardino's Pasaran (November 13, 2002).
• Plus news and the usual Bush League bashing.
Opus 105: Reviews of Comics New and Old and News about Cartoonists of the Year, plus the Usual Bushwah (November 29).
• Shelly Mayer's famed Scribbly re-visited and reviews of Jane's World, Truth, 3 Days in Europe, Marville, and a reprint collection of Non Sequitur, plus news about the Superman movie, John Cleese, Stan Lee's suit, Don Rosa's strike, Steve Geppi's Disney contract, Blondie's greeting card, Jules Feiffer's latest book, Schulz suing Walker, and an assortment of notes about the last national election.
Opus 106: Liberal Bias, New Yorker Profit, A Christmas Graphic Novel, and a Dual Autobiography (December 13, 2002).
• Plus—a vacancy at Garfield, Bizarro changes syndicates, more on the Schulz suit against the Walker museum, and a review of the autobiography of Stan and Jan Berenstain.
Opus 107: Rawhide Gaiety, the Berenstains Mystery, Disney's Treasure, and Crankshaft (January 15, 2003).
• Shameless promotion of the new Rawhide Kid, the Berenstains mystery solved, plus reviews of Disney's Treasure Planet and a lingering look at the latest Crankshaft collection.
108: Rawhide Kidding, Copyright Extension, and the Columbia Disaster (February 24, 2003).
• Rabbit Reflections the Gay Caballero, news and my view about the copyright decision from the Supremes, another installment in the Schulz-Walker Museum case, Dale Messick, what funnybooks the Happy Harv is reading and enjoying these days, a footnote on the Columbia disaster
109: Harvey Pekar Cops a Prize, Art Spiegelman Bows Out, the Yellow Jar, and the Impending War (March 6, 2003).
• News, including American Spendor's Sundance win, Spiegelman's anguish, and the Big Lie in American political life, plus a review of NBM's The Yellow Jar
Opus 110: Award Finalists, Songs of the Pogo, and Controversy over Comics for Kids (March 13).
• Reviews of the new CD "Songs of the Pogo" and of Rawhide No. 2, finalists in the Pulitzer and Reuben competitions, Biljo White and Bill Woggon, and whether comic books are for kids anymore.
Opus 111: Playboy's Erich Sokol Dies, Sinfest Emerges, and Rancid Raves on the War (March 22).
• Reviews of Sinfest, an online masterpiece now in book format, and the new syndicated strip, Pearls before Swine, plus news about Bloom County's return, superhero movies, Berry's World, and Annie.
Opus 112: Interviews with R. Crumb and Carl Barks, News Round-up, War Commentary (April 15).
• Plus editoonery that opposes the war, Daredevil movie review, Popeye's forthcoming anniversary bread, Stan Lee's latest ventures into reality tv, more real life in Edge City, Campbell's farewell to self-publishing, and a few thoughts about horses.
Opus 113: 2002 Pulitzer Winner, NCS Nominees, Editoonist Ranks Dwindling, Fond Farewells, and Shrink-squeezing (April 20, 2003).
• Plus John Byrne drawing Funky Winkerbean, Kirk Anderson getting laid off, Mike Luckovich getting spiked, good-bye to Codename: Knockout and (for the time being) Howard the Duck, and the history of Chester Gould's strips-within-a-strip.
Opus 114: National Cartoon Appreciation Week, the Age of Schulz, and the Feiffer Show (May 4, 2003).
• Plus news about Beetle, the IMCA, cheesey superhero movies, and a little commentary on the so-called war.
Opus 115: The Eisners, Reprint Reviews, and the Rawhide Kid Finale (May 18, 2003).
• A few nasty comments about the Eisner Awards and reviews of reprint books (Zits and Get Fuzzy), plus an apostrophe to the Jewish creators of the Golden Age and a final lambast for the Rawhide Kid.
Opus 116: Reubens Winners 2003 and Reprint Reviews (June 1, 2003).
• Winners of the annual honors at the National Cartoonists Society plus reviews of Andrews McMeel reprint tomes (Pooch Cafe, Zits and Get Fuzzy), a few nasty comments about the Eisner Awards, an apostrophe to the Jewish creators of the Golden Age, and a final lambast for the Rawhide Kid.
Opus 117: CartooNews, Criticism of Israel and Anti-Semiticism, FCC and The Media, and the Growing Oilogarchy (June 15, 2003).
• Plus: Fantagraphics survives, an unauthorized bio of Stan Lee, Tony the Tiger's 50th, new chief at the Mouse House and U.S. colonialism.
Opus 118: Reviews of Comic Books, Hulk Movie, and Stan Lee's Role in Marvel History (June 29, 2003).
• Kyle Baker, John Byrne, insights from Larry Gonick, the History Channel's so-called history of superhero comics, and (sigh) Stripperella's debut.
Opus 119: Comic Strip News and Reviews of Sinbad and the Krause Catalog of Comic Books (July 13, 2003).
• News about Marvin, Popeye, Disney being sued, nipple coverage, Zits sucks, Chickweed Lane's 10th, reprints s of Get Fuzzy and Tiny Sepuku and cautionary notes about fundamentalism.
Opus 120: News and Reviews of Two Number Ones, Plagiarism and Swipes, Ditko and Spider-Man (August 3, 2003).
• Plus Miramax's Archie's movie deal, "Spawns of Insomnia," editorial cartoonist being investigated by John Ashcroft's minions, Mickey Mouse being revamped for his 75th, law suit against Stan Lee from "Stripperella," Hugh Hefner as a new cartoon character, graphic novels triumph at the BookExpo in L.A., Eisner's latest graphic novel and racism, and the usual Bushwah. Beam up by clicking below.
Opus 121:  Con Report, Airport Security Alarums, and Reviews of The Last of the Independents and Persepolis (August 17, 2003). 
• Sandy Eggo's con and Wizard World Chicago, plus reviews of The Last of the Independents and Persepolis a screed about Airport Security.
Opus 122: Anniversary Reprints of Two Classic Comic Strips, Editorial Cartoonery, and NBM's Latest (August 31, 2003).
• The firing of an editorial cartoonist for views that some allege are anti-Semitic, reprints of Al Capp's Li'l Abner and V.T. Hamlin's Alley Oop to celebrate their August anniversaries, recent reprints from Andrews McMeel (including the last Pat Oliphant collection from 2001 and the first Lola), Gil Thorp and "the Rapture," and remembering fan publisher and Caniff Camp Follower Carl Horak.
Opus 123: Breathed's Back and a New Masterwork of a Graphic Novel (September 24, 2003)
• Plus Vertigo's tenth anniversary, reviews of two Number Ones, the Archival Plastic Man, plus snide remarks about Trouble and Freudian analysis of Bad Girls with a wink at the Mona Lisa, and Craig Thompson's superlative Blankets.
Opus 124: Peanuts Reprint, Opus' Ambitious Conditions for Return, Rose Is Rose Reprint, and Geary's Gore, (September 28, 2003).
• Plus T&A on the cover of Previews, a comic strip for us old coots, and reviews of Heroes Anonymous and three graphic novels, Farewell, Georgia; Sweater Weather; and Pop Gun War.
Opus 125: Harvey Pekar the Movie, Luann the Comic Strip, Taboos on Sunday (October 12, 2003).
• American Splendor on the screen, plus the Herblock prize for editooning, Doonesbury's masturbation and Endless Nights' castigation.
Opus 126: William Steig's Art (October 26, 2003).
• Plus Aaron McGruder and Condi Rice, Dilbert and the Weasel Awards and the mystery cartoonists doing Scott Adams' strip, reaction to Rush's disgrace in The Boondocks and in Mallard Fillmore, snippets from an interview with Kyle Baker, and reviews of books about Paul Murray, Jefferson Machamer, and Alex Raymond.
Opus 127: Bazooka Joe's 50^th Anniversary, Editorial Cartooning and the First Amendment, and Soup to Nutz Appreciated (November 16, 2003) .
• Plus Berke Breathed staking out Opus' half-page turf and managing, at the same time, to insult all other working cartoonists-which prompts Mort Walker to respond; the Rush-beau and Harv's conservative imperative; Pekar's talk show, Herman's 30^th, and more.
Opus 128: Disney's Achievements and The New Yorker's Annual Cartoon Issue (November 23, 2003).
• Plus Vernon Grant, Hirschfeld's Speakeasies, The Norm, Mark Evanier's new book, Steve Canyon's flawed come-back, Frazetta's Schwarzenegger, Don Simpson and Al Franken, and a mysterious windbreak.
Opus 129: Rudy Park , B.C.'s Anti-Islam Gag, and Playboy's 50^th ( December 14, 2003 ).
• Plus homoeroticism in the tv Batman of the sixties, comics-inspired movies for 2004 and reviews of Dark Horse's Conan revival, Caper, Teen Titans Go, and Kyle Baker's Plastic Man, and a look at an index to Lewis Carroll's Alice in the comics.

Opus 130: The Year's Best Editorial Cartoons, Herman, Marmaduke, and the Born Again Penguin (January 11, 2004).
• Plus reviews of various tomes featuring the female form, notes about The Norm, Heart of the City, and three notable records for 2003.
Opus 131: Jud Hurd Recognized, Kevin & Kell Debut in Print, Jane's World Doesn't, Popeye's 75^th, and Obits of Notable 'Tooners ( January 25, 2004 ).
• Also religious bias in B.C. again and anti-Semitism in a British cartoon; obits for comics historian Martin Sheridan, Ozark Ike's Ray Gotto, Tug McGraw, and Arkansas editoonist George Fisher, plus Barbie's history and reviews of College Cartoons and Floyd Norman's insight into animation studio life.
Opus 132: Cathy's Engagement & Janet's Jug and the Radical Nipple ( February 8, 2004 ).
• Plus reviews of graphic novels Like a River and The Bloody Streets of Paris; Pixar deserting Disney and other misfortunes at the Mouse House, and funnybook reviews of Caper (again), My Faith in Frankie, Vertical, Kyle Baker Cartoonist, Wonder Woman no. 200, The Unfunnies, and Desperate Times and the anniversary Popeye Sunday strip.
Opus 133: More on Cathy's Engagement, Julie Schwartz Remembered, Art Spiegelman's Views, and the Doonesbury Contest to Help Dubya ( February 29, 2004 ).
• Plus more on Janet Jackson's exploding bodice and a caption-writing contest (with the first photo of the adorned object), Will Eisner's Fagin the Jew and The Plot, Eustace Tilley and The New Yorker, and Opus' wastrel ways.
Opus 134: Dr. Seuss, Ted Rall's Alternate Cartoonists, the State of Editoonery Today ( March 14, 2004 ).
• Plus the crime of Martha Stewart, Johnny Hart's latest offense, the growing timidity of editors, Doonesbury's search for Dubya's Alabama past, and a review of Scott Bateman's strange and wonderful book, Scan.
Opus 135: Mad-nesses Galore, Triplets, and Keith Knight ( March 28, 2004 ).
• Reviews of Mad Art and Will Elder: Mad Playboy of Art, coupled to brief biographies of Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder; plus reviews of "The Triplets of Belleville," Mister O, Happy Halloween Li'l Santa, Greg Theakston's Thrill Book (of pre-Code 1950s horror and sf stories), AC's Golden-Age Greats Spotlight (Vol. 2), and of reprint tomes of The Boondocks, Baby Blues, and previews of Fantagraphics' massive Peanuts project, a new artist on Prince Valiant, new writer on Gil Thorp, and a round-up of cartooning prize winners and contenders, concluding with a long-deserved honor for Jules Feiffer.
Opus 136: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons, Sacco's Fixer, Chabon's Novel and Comic Book ( April 14, 2004 ).
• Plus the winner of this year's Pulitzer for editorial cartooning, the secret in Gasoline Alley, the death of pioneering African-American cartoonist Chester Commodore, all the nominees for the Reuben Division Awards from the National Cartoonists Society, Skippy's last chance at justice, Aaron McGruder profiled in The New Yorker, the demise of animation at Disney and another tantalizing body part from Janet Jackson. 
Opus 137: B.D.'s Leg, Cartoon Appreciation Week, Reviews of Peanuts Reprints and Mutts Art ( May 1, 2004 ).
• Plus the annual convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC), Larry Flynt and freedom of speech, how comics have gone to war in America 's bellicose past, the transition in Jane's World, and the new depths of Aaron McGruder's machinations.
Opus 138: More Outrage at Rall (Again) and Raymond Chandler in Graphic Novel Form ( May 16, 2004 ).
• An analysis of Ted Rall's Pat Tillman cartoon, plus race comics in South Africa , Lalo Alcaraz activities, and other controversies festering in the funnies.
Opus 139: Inside NCS's Reuben Awards ( June 6, 2004 )
• Plus tributes to Syd Hoff, Gil Fox, and Jack Bradbury, reviews of the Best Editoons of the Year 2003, two new Gil Kane books, and Jim Scancarelli's possible frustration.
Opus 140: The Reagan Road Show, CBG's Monthly Examined, Kubert's Yossel & Jews and the Comics (June 20, 2004).
• Plus the a-borning Batmovie, news about Donald Duck, Popeye, and Tintin, the invasion of manga, and the outcome of Jimmy Johnson's poll to decide how Janis should wear her hair.
Opus 141: The Harvey Awards, Schulz's Li'l Folks, and Fahrenheit 9/11 ( July 5, 2004 )
• Plus a short history of the Puck building, a cartooning shrine, and extensive quotes from Neil Gaiman's Harvey Awards keynote, comics as a natural human manifestation that will never die, celebrating free speech, the decline and fall of a commander-in-chief and other news flashes.
Opus 142: John Cullen Murphy Obit, Wild Bill Is Dead Graphic Novel, and Ari Avid as Savior ( July 18, 2004 )
• Plus psychological comedy in funnybooks, Heroes Anonymous and Dr. Blink, Lynn Johnston's retiring, Annie's new artist, and Australian cartooners' 80 years as a club, and more, including  some recent examples of gross media malfunction, including the fumbling over Dick Cheney's F-word and the persecution of Michael Moore.
Opus 143: San Diego Con, Doonesbury and Controversy, and Graphic Short Stories ( August 1, 2004 ).
• Plus an anthology of Between Friends and For Better or For Worse after 2007.
Opus 144: Ted Rall and Generalissimo El Busho, and Tom Toles' Replacement ( August 30, 2004 ).
• Plus four new strips (Franklin Fibbs, Todd the Dinosaur, Silo Roberts, Mullets), Ronin Ro's Tales to Astonish, the line-up at the Festival of Cartoon Art at Ohio State University, Zippy on stage, and the new Schulz book.
Opus 145: Birth of a Nation and Legacy Strips Forever? ( September 12, 2004 ).
• Plus news about Stan Lee's bunnies, "Father of the Pride," the fourth Presidential Candidate, and a little Bushwhacking and Outfoxing
Opus 146: Milo Manara's The Model, & Opus and the Ailing American Newspaper ( September 26, 2004 ).
• Plus news about Zippy, comics on museum walls, and reviews of new comic books-Hawaiian Dick, Forsaken, Ballad of Sleeping Beauty, The Milkman Murders-and Murray Olderman's book of sports reminiscences, Mingling with Lions.
Opus 147: Get Fuzzy Review and the Presidential Debate ( October 10, 2004 ).
• Also reviews of comic books Gray Area and Bloodhound and badinage about such topics as the deterioration of confidence in the so-called "news" media, Mickey Mouse's religion, anti-Semitic comic books in WWII's France , and the latest disturbance in The Boondocks.
Opus 148: Festival of Cartoon Art and In the Shadow of No Towers ( October 25, 2004 ).
• Speech-by-speech summary of the 2004 Festival, plus reviews of Jeff Danziger's latest book of incendiary political cartoons, the reprint tome of La Cucaracha and vintage Alex Raymond Flash Gordon.
Opus 149: Persepolis 2, Ann Telnaes, and Steve Roper ( November 8, 2004 ).
• Satrapi's second graphic novel, Telnaes' hard-hitting elegantly rendered editorial cartoons, and a eulogy a 68-year old strip about to end.

Opus 150: Strip Reprint Books and The Comic Book Nation ( November 22, 2004 ).
• Reprints reviewed: Hi and Lois (with a short history), Baby Blues, Zits, FoxTrot, Luann, The Other Coast, and Fantagraphics' second volume of Peanuts (1953-54), plus Ted Rall's latest adventure and Scott Kurtz's revolution.

Opus 151: All the Cartoons of the New Yorker & the Plight of the Animated Cartoon (December 5, 2004). 
• Plus reviews of comic strip reprints—For Better or For Worse, Opus, Dilbert, Sherman's Lagoon, Mutts, and Rudy Park —and of the new Will Eisner Companion from DC, the new Hardy Boys from NBM, and first issues of Wild Girl, Angeltown, and Gravedigger.

Opus 152: Still More Comic Strip Reprints, and the Brilliance of Maitena ( December 22, 2004 ).
• Reprints from Andrews McMeel (Shoe, Doonesbury, the surprising Rugrats, Tom the Dancing Bug, In the Bleachers, and Ziggy) plus Last Kiss, Prickly City , Chrismahanukwanzakah, and the reason for Tintin's perpetual youth.

Opus 153: Notable Comics Events of the Year, It's a Bird, & Calendar Girls (January 3, 2005).
• Plus Will Eisner's death (see Harv's Hindsights for an appreciation), new Krazy Kat reprints, voice actors, J.R. Williams' classic cartoons, Eric Vincent's Ten Miles of Bad Road, the syndication of website comics, the death of Bernie Lansky, Berke Breathed's latest pronouncements, and Art Spiegelman's comments on his latest book and his status with The New Yorker.

Opus 154: The Plight and Proud History of Editorial Cartooning, Edgy Comic Strips, and Farewell to Kelly Freas (January 30, 2005).
• Plus Stan Lee's win, The Norm's return, SpongeBob SquarePants' gaiety, a Kirby classic, more Eisner works, and reviews of Identity Crisis, Gotham Central, Conan and the Daughters of Midora, Tim Sale in Solo, Concrete, Hellboy, and an unusual turn in 100 Bullets.

Opus 155: E. Sims Campbell, Frank Cho's Shanna, Stan Lee on 60 Minutes (February 13, 2005).
Plus reviews of Concrete: The Human Dilemma, Gun Fu, The Wicked West, Wyatt Earp: Dodge City, and Angeltown; and news of the Spirit movie, Zippy's secret, Cathy's wedding, Ted Rall and Pat Tillman again, Garry Trudeau's Honey, and Prickly City being dropped.

Opus 156: Black Images in Comics, New Yorker Anniversary, Hunter S. Thompson, & Alleged Bigotry in Editoons (February 28, 2005).
• Morrie Turner's Wee Pals, Marvel's Black Panther and Keith Knight's latest book.

Opus 157: Daryl Cagle's Best Editoons of the Year, Modesty Blaise, & the Duke of Doonesbury (March 14, 2005).
• Plus news about awards, comic book store raid in Funky Winkerbean, McGruder's interpretation of GeeDubya's drug use and odds adenda.

Opus 158: Cartooning at The New Yorker, Trudeau's Gonzo Achievement & The Long Haul (April 3, 2005).
• Plus critic Richard Goldstein's hopelessly inadequate assessment of political cartoons, "Sin City" previews, 9 Chickweed Lane's artistry, and some reviews of first issues, including Stan Lee's Alexa.

Opus 159: Appreciating Dale Messick & Sin City Reviews (April 17, 2005).
• Plus reports of reader ire, cutback in domestic manga production, Pulitzer winner, the two tooners who made Time's most influential roster and a review of The Irregulars.

Opus 160: Will Eisner's The Plot (April 24, 2005).
• That's it: Eisner's last work, another pace-setter.

Opus 161: Mort Walker, Robert Crumb, Chuck Jones & Carl Rose's Spinach Cartoon (May 2, 2005).
• Conversation books on the first three, Stan Lee's latest adventures, and remembering Andre Francois and John Gallagher.

Opus 162: Abe Martin and Kin Hubbard & Jiggs, McManus and the Zeke Zekley Mystery (May 22, 2005).
• Why Zeke Zekley didn't inherit the strip he'd assisted on for twenty years, plus Calvin and Hobbes originals, the Spirit movie, bashing The Plot, Buzz Bunny re-styled, Born Loser's 40^th, a new triple threat strip from King, and funnybook reviews of Street Angel, City of Tomorrow, Red Sonja, The Atheist, and Kiss and Tell.

Opus 163: Reuben Winner(s) (June 5, 2005).
• Plus a review of Jud Hurd's Cartooning Success Secrets.

Opus 164: Editorial Cartoonists Convention & Farley's Anniversary (June 19, 2005).
• Worldwide persecution of editoonists here and abroad, plus new Gasoline Alley reprints and the line-up of other classic comic reprints from Spec Productions (Moon Mullins, Alley Oop, Rip Kirby, etc.).

Opus 165: Mickey and Perpetual Copyright, Batman Begins Again, Pearls' Swinishness, Chickweed's Daring, & Geary's Lincoln (July 10, 2005).
• Plus reviews of The Pirates and the Mouse and The New West, Judo Girl, Shanna, Heroes Anonymous, Dr. Blink, and Black Panther, racial stereotyping on a Mexican postage stamp, and the deaths of Selby Kelly, Rowland B. Wilson, and Bruce Hamilton.

Opus 166: Anniversaries for Blondie and Grimm & Reviewing Mother, Come Home (July 30, 2005).
• Stories about Mother Goose and Grimm's manic creator, Mike Peters, plus obit for Rowland B. Wilson, review of Modern Arf, Trudeau's turd, three cartoonists who are screwing up America, a screed about anonymous sources, and a long report on your reporter's recent sojourn in Ye Olde Merrie.

Opus 167: Clyde Fans, Baby Blues, & Wizard Comicon in Chicago (August 14, 2005).
• Plus reviews of  Nat Turner, JSA Classified, and The Ride- a regular festival of sex and violence; and insights into the artistry of Alex Ruiz, Andy Lee, Adam Hughes, and Alex Ross.

Opus 168: Goulart's Encyclopedia, Legacy Strips, & Dagwood Mysteries Solved (August 28, 2005).
• Also, a new home for Mort Walker's National Cartoon Museum, The New Yorker's single-sponsor issue (is it a sin against journalistic integrity?), obit for Jerry Marcus, and Intelligent (?) Design.

Opus 169: New Nemo & Old Blondie (September 11, 2005; posted October 4).

• Blondie's 75^th anniversary and Peter Maresca's spectacular Little Nemo reprint, plus news about the National Cartoon Museum and a re-vamped website of editoonery.

Opus 170: Jud Hurd Dies & Calvin and Hobbes Returns (October 16, 2005).

• Plus reviews of A History of Violence and Capote in Kansas, the New York Times’ new Funny Pages and Pat Bagley’s book about Clueless George, some first issue funny books, and what’s happening in 9 Chickweed Lane and in Over the Hedge.

Opus 171: Doonesbury’s 35^th, Embroideries, Tom Gill, Walt Disney & the Anti-Christ (October 30, 2005).

• Plus Walt Kelly and Edward R. Murrow take on Joseph McCarthy and Scott Kurtz postpones the end of newspaper syndication.

Opus 172: Animated Boondocks, Calvin and Hobbes, Dennis the Menace & Marvel Signs Stephen King (November 14, 2005).

• Plus the fight for Skippy and reviews of Revelations, Loveless, Jack Cross, Fell, Paris, Army of Darkness, Advent Rising, Wha...Huh?, Shaolin Cowboy, Y: The Last Man, and Gotham Central

Opus 173: Doomed Editoonists, Comics in Museums, Ted Rall’s Alti Books & Lou Myers (November 28, 2005).

• Plus Australia’s Cartoonist of the Year, a conservative superhero comic book, Eldon Dedini’s one-man show, reviews of Rudy Park, Candorville, DC’s archival Spirit and Plastic Man, Joe Sacco’s War’s End, and funnybooks Rex Libris, Hellboy: The Island, Wildsiderz, and Ferro City; Ten Comics That Shook the World, and the identity of the person who wrote Shakespeare’s plays.

 

Opus 174: Comics Before 1945, More Disaster for Editooners, & Stan Berenstain’s Cartooning Career (December 11, 2005).

• Black Ink Monday, the editooner protest, plus the Korean manhwa invasion, DC on postage stamps, Christopher Robin fired, pointed comment in Zippy, Candorville, Pearls before Swine, Herb and Jamaal, and 9 Chickweed Lane and Luckovich’s 2,000 cartoon; reviews of first issues of Down and Chicano, a Bernet hardback and Kyle Baker’s Nat Turner No. 2.

 

Opus 175: McGruder’s Xmas Satire, Results of Black Ink Monday, Dilbert Reconsidered & Graphic Novel Appreciation (Christmas 2005).

• Plus the Muslims upset by Danish cartoonists, dire plagiarisms, and Paul Gravett’s absolutely outstanding book introducing graphic novels.

 

 

 

Opus 176: The Cartooning Year in Review, Best Editorial Cartoons of 2005 & Farewell to Bud Blake (January 8, 2006).

Plus reviews of Daryl Cagle’s Best Editoons of the Year, Scoop’s top ten comic books, Time.com’s top ten graphic novels, the irony of Michael Ramirez’s new job, and Time magazine’s sell-out.

 

Opus 177: Farewell to Eldon Dedini, Louise Brooks & Disney and Pixar (January 22, 2006).

Plus the long lost Little Chief, a comic strip by and about a Native American, and reviews of Loveless, Jack Cross, Superman and Shazam: First Thunder, Boy Wonder, Sable and Fortune, The Exterminators, Marlene, plus Weiner’s 101 Best Graphic Novels and DeForest’s Storytelling in the Pulps, Comics, and Radio.

 

Opus 178: The Danish Dozen, the Toles Flap, & the New Adventurous Decade (February 13, 2006).

Evolution of the Muslim protest, links to the offensive images, and a score or more of opinions on the subject. Plus Oswald the Lucky Rabbit’s return to Disney, the best scholarly source on comics, New Yorker cartoons and the tradition of excellence, and reviews of Nextwave, Revelations, and the graphic novel Earthboy Jacobus.

 

Opus 179: More Danish Dozen, Winsor McCay Books, & Modern Masters of Comic Books (February 27, 2006).

Danish editor reveals his reasons, plus a new home for Mort Walker’s cartoon museum and the retirement of Judge Parker’s Harold LeDoux.

 

Opus 180: Moore’s Vendetta, McGruder’s Sabbatical & the Gasoline Alley Epic (March 27, 2006).

Plus reviews of Jim Whiting’s autobiography, the graphic novel The King, and news about the implications for editorial cartooning of the Knight Ridder sale, Scientology in South Park, and the Over the Hedge movie, and an essay about whether religion is the problem.

 

Opus 181: Superboy’s Owners, Best Editoons of the Year, & Frazz and Big Top (April 10, 2006).

Plus Humor Times, a book on African-American comics and cartoonists, Reuben nominees, a new Will Elder collection, and reviews of first issues of Blue Beetle, Tag and Bink II, Pat Novak, Batman: Year 100, and Anthem.

 

Opus 182: Luckovich Wins Pulitzer, Dick Rockwell Dies & Gerald Scarfe’s Book (April 24, 2006).

Plus reviews of funnybooks American Virgin, Painkiller Jane, Hysteria: One Man Gang, The Middleman, Super Real, and the Andrews McMeel reprint of Bo Nanas

 

Opus 183: Danish Dozen Mantra, First Graphic Novel (?), & Pearls Gets Fuzzier (May 8, 2006).

Plus reviews of a new Victor Moscoso book, the latest Peanuts reprint, and Milt Gross’s classic, He Done Her Wrong, and a shortchanged history of Islam.

 

Opus 184: Candorville, Bad Art vs. Ugly Art & the Excellence of Guiseppe Ferrario (May 22, 2006).

Plus Art Spiegelman’s examination of the Danish Dozen in the June Harper’s, and reviews American Virgin, Next Wave, and Truth, Justin and the American Way and Liberality for All, and how there are no cartoons of Muhammad in the NCS Reuben program booklet.

 

Opus 185: Reuben Winners, Alex Toth Dies, & Lipstick Lesbian Batwoman Comes Alive (June 5, 2006).

Plus new artist on Judge Parker, two new comic strips: A Lawyer, A Doctor and A Cop and Pajama Diaries; and reviews of Arf Museum, The Long Road Home, and The Big Book of Zonker.

 

Opus 186: Good Girl Art of Wonder Women, Marvel’s Red and Blue Civil War, & Surreal Pantomime in a New Strip (June 19, 2006).

“Strong lead female characters” analyzed, plus Superman as Jesus, Superman as gay icon, the annual Superman festival in Metropolis, Illinois, and the Raggedy Ann annual shindig in Arcola, Illinois, with a short bio of her cartoonist creator, Johnny Gruelle.

 

Opus 187: Herriman’s Non-racial Krazy Kat & Scandalous Editoonery (July 17, 2006).

Plus Doonesbury wins awards, Time’s 1944 obit for Herriman, vintage strips win reader polls, Sandy Eggo of yore, better art in Judge Parker, and the ideological stereotyping of editoonists.

 

Opus 188: Poetry and Comics & Milton Caniff on the Endangered Comic Strip (July 31, 2006).

Analysis of The Adapted Victor Hugo and City of Glass.

 

Opus 189: Funnybook Cons in San Diego and Chicago & A Last Furtive Word on the Reuben Award (August 14, 2006).

Plus Playboy in Indonesia, 50 historic sidekicks (with some conspicuous omissions, alas), and  political cartoons having clout overseas.

 

Opus 190: Russell Patterson, Sex and Faith in American Virgin, & Anti-Semitic Cartoons in Iran (August 28, 2006).

Plus Mart Nodell’s creation of the Golden Age Green Lantern and reviews of some comic book first issues: Casandra, Sidekick, Umbra, Jack of Fables,The Next; and of American Virgin, Jonah Hex, Marvel Westerns, Bomb Queen and Ant.

 

Opus 191: Manga’s Origins in Hokusai’s Sketchbooks, Tatsumi’s Push Man & Another Revival of Captain Marvel (September 11, 2006).

Plus Marvel’s postage stamps, Iran’s exhibition of bigotry, and reviews of Superman Batman, Wonder Woman No. 2, JLA Classified No. 16, Loveless, Civil War, 52, The Escapists.

 

Opus 192: Boondocks Bails, Art Spiegelman Withdraws, the Lone Ranger Rides Again, & the Latest Zits Compilation (October 4, 2006).

Plus Harlan Ellison sues Fantagraphics, editoonists rejoice in political lunacies, including the Pope’s slur on Islam, and the ranks of nationally distributed women editoonists gains a new member.

 

 

Opus 193: Michelle Urry and Hilda Terry Obits, Dedini Retrospective, & The Complete Far Side (October 26, 2006).

Plus, a new Barks book, a new answer to the question Where’s Judge Parker? and a new war graphic novel.

 

Opus 194: Chas Addams & The Jungle (October 31, 2006).

Plus a list of the 25 most important but under reported newsstories of 2005.

Opus 195: Cartoon America, Pride of Baghdad & Tributes to Jack Davis and Sergio Aragones (November 14, 2006).

Plus Doonesbury’s latest invention, The Sandbox, plagiarism in editorial cartooning, and a new comic strip.

 

Opus 196: Obits and Appreciations for Fandom Founder Jerry Bails and for Australian Paul Rigby & Review of Over the Hedge (November 28, 2006).

Plus reviews of the most recent For Better or For Worse reprint, with Lynn Johnston talking about the impending end of the strip next fall, a swarm of comic book titles, and the first volume of the complete collected Dick Tracy.

 

Opus 197: Fun Home Graphic Novel & The New Yorker’s Annual Failure (December 11, 2006).

Plus a look at Darwyn Cooke’s first visual interpretation of Will Eisner’s Spirit.

Opus 200: The Anniversary Celebration: Masters of Comics Artistry, Lots of Top Tens, Milestones in Fandom & Some Harv Art (January 31, 2007).

Review of the Masters of American Comics and the return of Dunston Barswig, who has a view or two about the arts of cartooning.

 

Opus 201: Best Editoon Books, Experimentation with Wiley Miller, Lynn Johnston’s Hybrid, & Scott Adams on Torture (February 14, 2007)

Plus more on the aftermath of the Danish Dozen, Jeff Smith’s Shazam, the Dismal Plight of Editorial/Political Cartooners, the Man who Co-created Archie. (No, not John Goldwater; he’s the fraud.)

 

Opus 202: Death of Captain America, Jane and Other Stripping in Britain, & Zodiac Cartoonist (March 12, 2007).

Books about cartooning in other countries, plus the fate of American newspapers and Roy Lichtenstein, the  bitterly disappointed would-be comic book cartooner.

 

Opus 203: : Miller’s “300,” Reuben Finalists, & La Perdida (April 3, 2007).

Plus Red Rall pleading for Ann Coulter, Bill Mauldin, and short reviews of Killed Cartoons and American Gone Wild, a fond farewell to Jay Kennedy and another to Marshall Rogers.

 

Opus 204: Johnny Hart and Brant Parker Remembered (April 28, 2007).

And religious issues in comic strips.

 

Opus 205: Art Out of Time, Betty and Veronica’s New Look, New Monarch at King, & Opus Death Throes (May 16, 2007).

Plus a short review of Cancer Vixen, more about the death of Captain America, Doonesbury calling for GeeDubya’s impeachment, editoonery awards, the Simpsons in Playboy, and what political cartooners think about during a two-year Presidential campaign.

 

Opus 206: Cartoonist of the Year, the Legacy Question, & Edge City Reviewed (June 5, 2007).

Plus, correcting the death of Opus, torture comic book, Falwell farewell cartoons, and the Gotham Book Mart.

 

Opus 207: Roger Armstrong & Kunzle and Topffer (June 26, 2007).

Plus, Mutt and Jeff co-habitating and two new strips, Cul de Sac and Little Dog Lost.

 

Opus 208: Editorial Cartoonists Convention & Obits for Doug Marlette et al ( July 20, 2007 ).

Most of this edition is devoted to political cartooning, past, present, and, perhaps, future. We also review a truly stupendous (that’s good, kimo sabe) book, Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend.

 

Opus 209: Tony the Tiger, Alex Raymond & Tatsumi’s New Book ( August 3, 2007 ).

Plus, Persepolis banned in Bangkok.

 

Opus 210: Two New Graphic Novels, Some Great Photography & An Excerpt from the Milton Caniff Biography ( September 2, 2007 ).

Reviews of The Black Diamond Detective Agency, The Professor’s Daughter and The Artist Within.

 

Opus 211: Muslims Upset Again, Sandy Eggo Wrap-up, Denver Domicile & Phil Frank Obit ( September 20, 2007 )

The racism of McCay and Herge, two new comic book stars (Paris Hilton and Jenna Jameson), plus reviews of the reprint of Girls & Sports comic strip and Rick Veitch’s Army @ Love.

 

Opus 212: Eightball Labeled Porn & Milton Caniff’s “Best Times” in New York (another excerpt from Meanwhile)( October 6, 2007 ).

We vent our disgust at the forced resignation of an English teacher whose crime was recommending Daniel Clowes’ Eightball No. 22 to a 13-year-old female student, and we applaud the only professional job of reporting on the incident, by quoting the entire article.

 

Opus 213: Naked Cartoonists, Silverstein Around the World & The Art of Ill Will (October 15, 2007).

Plus reviews of The Last Fantastic Four Story, Casanova No. 9, and Groo at 25, and the latest Muhammad uprising, La Cucaracha’s banishment, Boondocks’ return to late-night tv, the cancer fund from Funky Winkerbean, sexual intercourse in the funnies, farting in Zits, Bill O’Reilly in Candorville, and the very funny work of Richard Thompson.

 

Opus 214: Ninth Festival or Cartoon Art & Books for Christmas Giving (November 28, 2007)

Book reviews and obits for Bob Bindig and Paul Norris, plus what’s going on in some of the strips in the funnies.

 

Opus 215: Teddy Bear Blasphemy, Gay Romance Manga, Sunday Press Books & Farewell to James Kemsley (December 10, 2007).
Plus the surprising health of newspapers, Pat Bagley’s emergence, Gordon Lee trial ends ignominiously for the prosecution, reviews of Graveslinger, Deadlander, Brawl, Simon Dark, Green Arrow and Black Canary, and the Femlin book and Jim Silke’s Betty

 

Opus 216: Events of the Cartooning Year Reviewed, Al Scaduto Remembered & Meanwhile Excerpted (Christmas 2007, December 23).
The year’s best books, best strips, best comics, etc., plus the outing of Mitt Romney, the pagan and Christian origins of Hallowe’en and Christmas, and some antique Christmas cards.

 

Opus 217: Best Editoons of 2007, Anniversaries in 2008 & Tokenism for Black Cartooners (January 27, 2008).
Plus celebrating Christmas in the funnies, Vol. 3 of On Stage reprints, Dondi ditto, Vol. 2 of Rejection Collection, and the nearly naked Bomb Queen funnybook.

Opus 218: Black Cartoonists’ “Sit-in” Fails and Succeeds, Danish Cartoonist’s Brush with Terrorists, & Persepolis the Movie (February 25, 2008).
Plus the B.C. reprint book and Pat Oliphant’s latest, with notes on Mort Gerber and Nicole Hollander’s new books, NBM’s Tales from the Crypt, and a Warren Ellis prose novel.

Opus 219: Jackie Ormes, Paul Conrad, & Finales for Cooke’s Spirit and Y: The Last Man (March 23, 2008).
Plus Reuben Nominees, Pulitzer Predictions, Earl Oliver Hurst, and more Islamic Hooliganism.

Opus 220: History of Comics Criticism & Sexism in Editooning (March 31, 2008).
Plus the forthcoming re-issue of Chaykin’s American Flagg!, book reviews, and the latest Danish Dozen scandals.

Opus 221: Superman’s Copyright Re-assigned, Editoon Pulitzer Winner & Evanier’s New Jack Kirby Book (April 13, 2008).
Plus first issue reviews of RASL, Echo, Kick-Ass, Comic Book Comics, John Byrne’s FX, and the TwoMorrows’ Modern Masters series.

Opus 222: New York Comic-Con & Superhero Summer (April 28, 2008).
Plus sarcastic remarks about Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and a nice review of Percy Gloom and some other book

Opus 223: The World’s Largest Collection of Original Cartoon Art, Wordless Woodcut Novels, & How Cable TV News Is Trivializing Political Cartooning (May 24, 2008).
Plus, Free Comic Book Day 2008, Chinese students quaked by American editoonists, a final interim tally shows 101 full-time staff editorial cartoonists still at work, Baba Wawa’s unprofessional autobiography, and fond farewells to Ted Key and Will Elder.

Opus 224: Reuben Winners & Brooks’ Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year (May 31, 2008).
Plus a short history of Ed Stein’s Denver Square strip, the last of the local-focus newspaper strips and a discussion about how animated editorial cartoons should make their points with movement.

Opus 225: Graphic Novel Blue Pills, Exemplary Animation in Editoonery & the Ends of Lobster Johnson and Loveless (June 16, 2008).
Plus Working with Walt: Interviews with Disney Artists, Frank Miller on his Spirit, expanded space for CRL at OSU, Messner-Loebs is back, and funnybook reviews

Opus 226: Editoonists Meet at the Alamo & Jack Cole’s Betsy and Me (July 13, 2008).
Plus a rare artifact, Texas History Movies, and we also unwittingly perpetuate a Bushmiller hoax, about which you can read the explanation in Opus 227.

Opus 227: The Workings and Misfirings of Satire with Chester the Molester and The New Yorker’s Obama Cover & A Short History of the Founding of the San Diego Comic-Con (July 31, 2008).
Plus Pickles 500^th and 501^st, the demise of Diesel Sweeties, and the endless fakery going on in Get Your War On. And we admit to being hoaxed in Opus 226 on the Bushmiller-Beckett correspondence.

 

Opus 228: American Muslim Khalil Bendib’s Anti-stereotypical Editoons & Jules Feiffer’s Explainers (August 17, 2008).
Plus obit for EC Comics artist Jack Kamen.

 

Opus 229: Eight New Comic Strips Reviewed & John Read Profiled (August 24, 2008).
Reviewed are: Argyle Sweater, Arctic Circle, Ollie and Quentin, My Cage, Deflocked, Home and Away, Family Tree, and Knight Life

 

Opus 230: Mickey Mouse Loose, Superman’s Various Origins & FBOFW Changes (September 15, 2008).
Plus reviews of Comic Arf and the big IDW Sickles book, and some funnybooks—Hunkel’s Captain Marvel, The Helm, and Black Summer—and Charles Solomon’s appreciation of the late Bill Melendez.

Opus 231: Breathed Leaves Opus in the Lurch Again (October 11, 2008).

 

Opus 232: The Politickle Issue, an Election Eve Extravaganza Revealing Politics in Every Cartooning Genre; and Ethics for Editoonists (October 31, 2008).
In addition to the Election Eve screed, reviews of three campaign cartoon collections, Obama and McCain comic books, and politics in strips

 

Opus 233: Dick Tracy Doomed?, David Levine Going Blind & Editoonist Ranks Shrink by 10 Since May (November 10, 2008).
Also Berkeley Breathed departs; and how the Election was “reported” in strips and editoons.

Opus 234: Tracy Lives Still, Playboy Running Fewer Cartoons & Mr. Playboy’s Sex Life (December 3, 2008).
Plus masterful storytelling in 9 Chickweed Lane and reviews of Fringe, A Cartoon History of the George Dubya Bush Years; Little Nemo in Slumberland: Many More Splendid Sundays; Rick Geary’s Latest, The Lindbergh Child; Jaro Fabry: The Art of Fashion, Style and Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s; Artzybasheff’s As I See It; Comics Studies Reader; David Levine’s American Presidents; Brian Walker’s Comics: The Complete Collection.

 

Opus 235: The Legendary Landon Course, Editoonists and Newspapers on the Brink of Death, & A Shopping List of Books (December 22, 2008).

Plus the second half of the review of Brian Walker’s Comics: The Complete Collection, obits for Forrest J Ackerman and Bettie Page, comic book store financial news, and a review of the Punisher movie.

Opus 236: Year’s Best Editoons and Other Highlights of 2008 (January 13, 2009).
Plus reviews of The Alcoholic, volume one of a complete reprinting of Beetle Bailey, and a fond look back at Bettie and her bangs.

Opus 237: Frank Miller’s Spirit, Expiring Editoonists and Their Newspapers & John Updike, Cartoonist (January 30, 2009).

Plus revealing inside information about Dennis the Menace and 9 Chickweed Lane and reviews of six comic book first issues: Spider-Man Noir, X-Men Noir, Greatest American Hero, Mister X, Jungle Girl: Season 2, and Sir Apropos of Nothing.

 

Opus 238: The Excellence of Kirk Anderson’s Banana Republic & Biography of Shel Silverstein (February 15, 2009).
Plus reviews of Garry Trudeau: Doonesbury and the Aesthetics of Satire, Bagley’s Guide to Utah, Basil Wolverton’s Bible, and comic books, El Diablo, Femme Noir: Dirty City Diaries, Smoke and Guns

 

Opus 239: Sex Fiends Violate Manga Collector’s Privacy & Racist Editorial Cartoon and Obama Caricatures (March 8, 2009).
Plus Bagley wins Herblock, Rocky Mtn News dies, short history of Scripps, Steve Geppi’s financial woes, Mike Peters’ law suit, Maus in the Top 25, and NY Times inaugurates graphic novel bestseller list.

Opus 240: Post-Intelligencer Folds, Reviews of Watchmen, Shuster’s Kinky Book & Humbug Reprint (April 8, 2009).
Plus updating the tally of fired editoonists and reviews of funnybooks Soul Kiss, some Batbooks, The Great Unknown, Frank Frazetta’s Moon Maid, Bang! Tango, and Patsy Walker Hellcat.

Opus 241: Sam’s Strip, Jerry Dumas, Zapiro Threatened & Frank Springer and Jim Lange (April 29, 2009).
Plus Pulitzer winner Steve Breen, some current strips that are occasionally about being comic strips, Schulz gift to OSU’s Cartoon Library & Museum, reviews of Incognegro, Incognito, No Hero, and Uslan’s Spirit

 

Opus 242: Tenth Anniversary of Rancid Raves, Reuben Winner, New Breakdowns & Draper Hill Obit (May 27, 2009).
Ten pages of Zero Hero, 10 of Harv’s gag cartoons, 10 of Webby Lambros’

 

Opus 243: Child Porn Laws Threaten Collectors, Cartoonist Abuse Abroad, Roy Peterson Laid Off & Al Williamson’s Oeuvre (June 14, 2009).
Plus reviews of Waid’s Irredeemable, Power Girl, a couple of Marvel’s noirs, the end of 100 Bullets, and the Vigilante graphic novel.

 

Opus 244: Suppressing Cartoons, Anti-Semitism in Doonesbury, Boobs and Other Taboo Subjects, Underground Comix Histories, Four-color Supermen & Mallard Fillmore’s 15^th (June 29, 2009).
Plus Happy Harv’s casualties and reviews of wartime cartoons, Galveston, Marvel noirs, and Chaykin’s American Flagg, and an explanation for the demise of the Rocky Mountain News.

 

Opus 245: Song of the South Racial Controversy & Michael Jackson Dies in Editoons (July 19, 2009).
Plus Joel Chandler Harris and short reviews of A.B. Frost’s Stuff and Nonsense, George Sprott, Bringing Up Father reprint, scholarly books about Alan Moore and Osamu Tezuka, Art of Harvey Kurtzman, Nexus reprint and graphic novels Lawless and Bad Night, Rick Geary’s Famous Players, J. Edgar Hoover, and the Adventures of Blanche; Power Up, American Jesus, & Asterios Polyp.

 

Opus 246: Sandy Eggo Comic-Con, Exiled Iranian Editoonist Views the Riots in Tehran & Reviews (August 4, 2009).
Reviews of No Pasaran, Streets of Glory, Skitzy, Therefore Repent!; and more Abe Martin, glimpses of the forthcoming 12^th Complete Peanuts, On Stage, Juliet Jones, and more campaign cartoons, plus the state of American journalism with examples Walter Cronkite, Sonia Sotomayor, and the front porch arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Opus 247: Wimpy Wizard World, Health Care Debate in Editoons & Bob Novak (August 30, 2009).
Plus reviews of Unthinkable and Kid Colt, product placement in comic strips, “the Family” in Doonesbury explained, Tank McNamara gets nixed; notices about the new Bone book and Wimpy Dog Days.

Opus 248: Marvel Goes Disney, Editoonists Go After the Hypocritical Right Wing & Reviews of Kevin and Kell and Ploog’s Spirit (September 30, 2009).
Plus reviews of graphic novels The Hunter and Filthy Rich and first issues of Dominic Fortune, Starstruck, Red Herring, Sweet Tooth and Chew.

Opus 249: Archie Commits Bigamy, Marge Simpson Undresses for Playboy & Classic Children’s Comics Restored (October 25, 2009).
Plus Spidey’s new sex life, JumpStart’s 20^th, zombies and vampires galore, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Toon Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics and 1,000 Comic Books You Must Read.

Opus 250: Comics Journal Changes, Herriman’s Sacred Place & The Man with No Face and You Have Killed Me (Hallowe’en 2009)
Plus Stantis joins Chicago Tribune, Islamic Hoodlums’ plot to kill Danish cartoonists, The New Yorker’s Cartoon Issue, and Doug Marlette’s classic In Your Face: A Cartoonist at Work.

Opus 251: Remembering Shel Dorf (November 10, 2009)
An affectionate obit for the Founder of the San Diego Comic-Con.

Opus 252: Crumb’s Genesis, NEA’s Anyule Strip & How Newspapers Aren’t Dying After All (November 30, 2009).
Plus reviews of Fantagraphics’ new Prince Valiant, Verbeek’s Upside-Downs, Johnny Cash graphic novel, Crime Stories, Carol Lay’s Skinny; Stumptown and Body Bags.

Opus 253: Nell Brinkley, Eddie Campbell, Rip Kirby & Logicomix (Christmas 2009).
Plus obits for Ken Krueger and Irving Tripp and reviews of 18 books, 5 graphic novels, and a wimpy parody—Part 2 of our anyule shopping list.

 

Opus 254: The Best in 2009 Cartooning, the Latest in Islamic Hooliganism & Farewell to David Levine (January 13, 2010).
A healthy sampling of superb editorial cartoons and the best graphic novels, reprints, books about cartooning and/or cartoonists, and the like—plus “words of the year,” newspapers aren’t (actually) dying, and deception at the Comics Buyer’s Guide and Playboy.

 

Opus 255: Playboy’s First Decade, Gaiman in The New Yorker, Scouting’s Centennial & Daytripper (February 3, 2010).
Plus Bill Watterson interview and reviews of funnybooks: Dominick Fortune (Nos. 1-4), Archie Nuptial Saga (Nos. 603-605), Stumptown (No.2), The Last Resort, 28 Days Later, Glamourpuss (No. 10); and some first issues: Daytripper, Cowboy Ninja Viking, Nomad: Girl Without a World, Greek Street, The Eternal Conflicts of the Cosmic Warrior & Black Widow: Deadly Origin.

Opus 256: God of Manga, Comics Shrink & Dustin Debuts (February 14, 2010).
Abram’s tome on Osamu Tezuka, plus The Art of Japanese Paper Theater, Connie Reprints, Wimpy Kid Revisited, Mauldin’s Willie and Joe t-shirts, and Mr. Fish on comics in alties.

 

Opus 257: Five Black Cartoonists & The Knock of the Gestapo (February 28, 2010).
Morrie Turner, Ted Shearer, Ray Billingsley, and Milton Knight, plus the national disgrace of the Christopher Handley case.

 

Opus 258: Reuben’s Shortcomings, Islamic Hooliganism and Artistic Freedoms, & Reviews of Herblock, Simon and Kirby’s Sandman and Family Circus Reprint (March 16, 2010).
Plus Denver Post drops a third of its comics line-up, the Glyph Awards nominees, and reviews of a new Herblock book and IDW’s Family Circus reprint, The Best of Punch, Garfield from the Trash Bin, King Aroo, Simon and Kirby’s Sandman.

 

Opus 259: Jiggs’ Tour, Luann’s 25^th, Web Comics Sites & Manga Child Porn (March 30, 2010).
Plus Stephen King on American Vampire, Wolverton’s caricatures, Frazz Sundays and a short history of toilet paper.

 

Opus 260: Animated Editoons Win Pulitzer, Pickles is 20, iPad and the Future of Comics, Pope and Sexual Abuse & Why I Killed Peter (April 23, 2010).
Plus the “Kick-Ass” movie (briefly), the first annual Fips Award for political cartooning, teabaggers defined, Jerry Robinson biog coming, The Knight Life reprint, Schulz’ s Life with Charlie Brown, Abrams’ gorgeous Jaime Hernandez volume, and reviews of Incorruptible, God Complex, Supergod, Shuddertown, New Ultimates, Girl Comics and Green Hornet; and obits for Dick Giordano and Henry Scapelli.

 

Opus 261: Rall=s Year of Loving Dangerously, South Park=s Muhammad, Peanuts Rights & Archie Comics in the 21^st Century (May 6, 2010).

Plus, first issue reviews of Turf, Black Widow, and Kill Shakespeare, and we examine the history of Palestine and our news media=s failure to be objective about it.

 

Opus 262: Day of Effigy Defended, Hitler Metaphor in Editoons on Arizona, Kagan=s Kandidacy & Frank Frazetta and Peter O=Donnell (May 28, 2010).

Plus the impending death of Newsweek, and funnybook reviews: The Light, Electric Ant, Killing the Cobra, Hellboy in Mexico, and Archie at the altar or not.

 

Opus 263: Day of Effigy Revisited, Zapiro and Muhammad and Zuma, Reuben Awards & Gahan Wilson’s Playboy Cartoons (June 16, 2010).

Plus the whole problem of drawing Muhammad, which, it turns out, is counterproductive.  

 

Opus 264: Review of Footnotes in Gaza, Report on AAEC Convention & Remembering Al Williamson (July 5, 2010).

Plus reviews of X-Men: Xenogenesis; Buzzard, Rawhide Kid: The Sensational Seven; DV8: Gods and Monsters; Diva, Fin Fang Four Return, Iron Man: Armor Wars; Tom Strong and the Robots of Doom; Dead Run; Kato, Green Hornet: Year One, Green Hornet; Avengers Prime; Darkstalkers, Devil, and Joe the Barbarian.

 

Opus 264a: Bunny Bonus–Harvey Pekar, Rest in Splendor (July 17, 2010).

Encomiums on Pekar, plus Hefner’s offer to buy back Playboy.

 

Opus 265: The 41^st San Diego Comic-Con & Farewell to John Callahan (August 10, 2010).

Including Jon Goldwater and Stan Lee, the chances of the Sandy Eggo Con moving out of San Diego, and photos galore, plus Arlo & Janis’ 25^th, the Bard in two panels, and a Muslim cartoonist talking about Draw Muhammad Day.

 

Opus 266: Beetle’s 60, Cathy Quits & Newsboy Legion Reprint (August 30, 2010).

Feminism in comics from Cathy to kick-butt cuties in superheroine comic books and on the Big Screen, plus Wonder Woman’s new duds, DC’s The Newsboy Legion reprint, and Jim Ivey.

 

Opus 267: Paul Conrad & Ted Rall’s Trip to Afghanistan (September 13, 2010).

Plus the secret meaning of Pearls Before Swine and some of the month’s best editoons.

 

Opus 268: Comic Book Sales, Comic-Con’s New Home, Cathy’s Last, More Danish Dozen Antics & Rancid Raves’ Pledge to America (October 7, 2010).

Plus reviews of IDW’s King Aroo, Rip Kirby (Vol. 2), Li’l Abner, Blondie; Fantagraphics’ Popeye, Prince Valiant, Captain Easy, Peanuts (at the halfway point), Krazy Kat Marches On in Beauty, Complete Pogo; and zombie caricatures in Repuglicans, Ronnie Del Carmen’s And There You Are, and Doonesbury’s Signature Wound, and discussion of the question: Are the Sunday funnies doomed?

 

Opus 269: Milt Gross, Al Williamson’s Corrigan, Leo Cullum, Alex Anderson & Candidates for Cathy’s Replacement (November 7, 2010).

Plus obits for Leo Cullum and Alex Anderson, spiked editorial cartoons, and comic book future as seen from Portand comic shops.

 

Opus 270: New Yorker’s Flawed Cartoon Issue, Rall’s Afghanistan, Papercutz Books, Peyo and Smurfing & Non-movie for Wonder Woman (December 9, 2010).

Plus reviews of Papercutz Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, Harry Potty satire with Rick Parker, Stan Lee’s Hero Zero and the latest casualties among the editorial cartooning ranks.

 

Opus 271: NBM History and Books & Stan Lee’s Boom Books (December 31, 2010).

Plus Spider-Man on Broadway, More Islamic Hooliganism, Zuma Sues Zapiro, the Meaning of Life in a Sentence, and reviews of NBM books, Corto Maltese, The Story of O, First Time, Aldana, A Home for Mr. Easter, Salvatore, Elephant Man, and Papercutz’s Cyrano de Bergerac (to name a few); and funnybooks—Stan Lee’s Soldier Zero (again), Traveler, and Starborn, Risso’s Jonah Hex, Route Des Maisons Rouge

 

Opus 272: Book Reviews Galore, Beetle Bailey Can’t Be Stopped & Skippy’s Expose (January 18, 2011).

Book reviews: Golden Collection of Klassic Krazy Kool Kids Comics, Luann 25 Years, Bizarro and Other Strange Manifestations of the Art of Dan Piraro, Comics Shop, Graphic Classics: H.P. Lovecraft (and others), George Herriman’s Krazy & Ignatz in Tiger Tea, Shazam: The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal, The Classic Era of American Comics, 75 YEARS OF DC COMICS: The Art of Modern Mythmaking, DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle, Dick Briefer’s Frankenstein, Chic Young’s Blondie: The Complete Daily Comic Strips from 1930-33; graphic novels: Motel Art Improvement Service, The Playwright

 

Opus 273: Year End Review of 2010, Best of the Year, Editooning the Tucson Tragedy & Mark Twain Purified (February 2, 2011).

Plus reviews of The Cape and Pelican’s Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year (with a short bio of editor Charles Brooks).

 

Opus 274: Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, Festival of Cartoon Art, Spider-Man Lambasted, Wizard Ceases, Black Cartoonists Remembered & Sergio’s New Book (February 28, 2011)

Including Ireland’s biography and reviews of a new history of American Political Cartooning and The Punch Brotherhood plus John Byrne’s Next Men and Fantastic Four No. 587 wherein the Human Torch goes out. Also: Superman flick cast, Trudeau’s data verified, Reuben finalists announced, Carl Barks makes cameo appearances in anniversary issues of Disney comics, and obits for Bill Crouch and Dwayne McDuffie.

 

Opus 275: Comics on Broadway, Jefferson Machamer, New and Old Tracy & Only in the Comics (April 4, 2001).

Plus the irreverent “Book of Mormon,” Hajdu’s pose as a comics historian, Dick Tracy and Vitamin Flintheart and reviews of The Comics: The Complete Edition, Edie Ernest: USO Singer, Allied Spy, The Cardboard Valise, Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown; Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist (DVD), Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes (a 1976 effusion), and funnybooks Lady Mechanika, Human Target, and Random Acts of Violence.

 

Opus 276: Winners of Pulitzer and Herblock Prizes, Critique of Alleged Criteria & Village Voice Assesses Cartooning as a Poor-paying Profession (May 5, 2011).

Plus the reason Blackbeard died without our knowing, long-lost Seuss story, editoons on the assassination of Osama bin Laden, the Ziggy scandal, and reviews of Skippy vs. the Mob, Working with Disney, Denis Kitchen’s Chipboard Sketchbook, 101 Funny Things about Global Warning, Old Farts Are Forever, Wild Wood [Wally]: 100 Pages of Art and Text, Edie Ernst: USO Singer and Allied Spy, The Complete Peanuts: 1979-1980, Erik Larsen’s Herculian, Butcher Baker, Last Issue of Fantastic Four, Stan Lee’s Starborn No. 4, and The Mission.

 

Opus 277: Bill Gallo RIP, FreeComicBookDay Comics, 1941 Disney Strike & Watterson Art (May 27, 2011).

Plus alimentary practices in comic strips and Liza Donnelly’s book about being female in America, and we ponder what’s missing at Playboy.

 

Opus 278: Reporting the Reubens Winners & Reforming Congress (June 14, 2011).

A rundown of the doings of the Reubens Weekend, listing all winners, including Richard Thompson, “cartoonist of the year”; with a special sarcastic note on Tom Gammill’s video satirizing Meanwhile.

 

Opus 279: Happy Birthday Garfield (June 29, 2011).

Plus Garfield without Garfield and Diamond Li’l.

 

Opus 280: New York Times Drops Weekly Cartoon Round-up, Some of Harv’s Antique Girlie Cartoons & The NCS Roastee Responds (July 5, 2011).

Plus Bud Plant is selling out, satyrical cartoonist Hefner gets left at the altar, Tr!ckster to debut at Sandy Eggo, DC’s fresh Number Ones, the symbolism of windows with curtains flapping, Maxine’s maker; and reviews of Jerry Robinson’s revised and up-dated history, The Comics; The Horror! The Horror! (horror comics in the 1950s), Flashpoint: Batman the Knight of Vengeance, Reed Gunther, Drums, 50 Girls 50 and Kevin Keller.

 

Opus 281: Editoonery Outrage at Recent Congressional Shenanigans, AAEC Convention & New Archie Books (August 13, 2011).

Plus reviews of The Cape (the second No. 1 and the first No. 1), Jonah Hex No. 69, Captain America and Bucky No. 620, and the first four issues of Fear Itself and an illustrated explanation of why Steranko’s Red Tide is not a graphic novel.

 

Opus 282: Sandy Eggo Comic-Con Notes, Crumb Doesn’t Go Down Under & The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For (August 25, 2011).

Plus an essay on sexism in comic books, both female and male biases.

 

Opus 283: NineEleven Anniversary in the Funnies & Syrian Cartoonist’s Hands Broken (September 8, 2011).

A list of all comic strips that commemorated the 10^th anniversary of NineEleven.

 

Opus 284: Doonesbury Dropped, Editoonists on NineEleven & Mike Diana (September 24, 2011).

Plus 11 book reviews: Too Small to Fail: Another th(ink) Anthology; The Complete Peanuts: 1981-1982; The Lives of Sacco and Vanzetti; Guerillas: Volume 1; The Big Hoax; Lincoln from Rail-Splitter to Icon; Blackjacked and Pistol-Whipped: A Crime Does Not Pay Primer; Willie & Joe Back Home; The Peanuts Collection; How To Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less; Aaron and Ahmed

 

 

Opus 285: DC’s New 52, Miller’s Holy Terror, Tracy’s 80^th & Election News (October 31, 2011).

Plus The New Yorker’s so-called Cartoon Issue.

 

Opus 286: Cartoonists and Occupy, Herge’s Reputation, Keefe’s Retirement, Keane’s Death & Shopping Guide to Christmas Book Gifts (December 5, 2011).

Books reviewed: Pogo: Through the Wild Blue Yonder; Caniff: A Visual Biography; It Was the War of the Trenches; Complete Little Orphan Annie, 1936-38; 100 Sexiest Women of Comics, Good Girl Art by Ron Goulart, The Pin-Up Art of Humorama., Not Just Another Pretty Face: The Confessions and Confections of a Girlie Cartoonist (by R.C. Harvey); 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die, Code Word: Geronimo; Joe Palooka MMA; Liar’s Kiss (Graphic Novel); and these funnybooks: Peanuts Comic Book, Catwoman No. 3, Wolverine and the X-Men, No.1, John Byrne’s Cold War No.1, Neal Adams’ Batman Odyssey No.1; Aquaman No.1; The Kents, No.1, Shade No.1, Jonny Double No.1 (graphic novelish), Who Is Jake Ellis ends; ditto The Last of the Innocent

 

Opus 287: Sixteen More Books Suitable as Christmas Gifts (December 20, 2011).

Reviewed are: African-American Classics, Dr. Seuss & Co. Go To War, Cartoon Marriage: Adventures in Love and Matrimony by The New Yorker’s Cartooning Couple; I Thought You Would Be Funnier, What I Hate From A to Z, Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon (comic book): The Complete Series, Volume One; Milton Caniff’s Male Call: The Complete Newspaper Strips; 1942-1946; Setting the Standard: Comics by Alex Toth, 1952-1954; Alex Toth: Last Chance; Genius Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth; The Quality Companion; Will Eisner Conversations; Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes; De: Tales: Stories from Urban Brazil; Nuts: A Graphic Novel; The Adventures of Herge (in graphic novel form).

Opus 288:  Fond Farewell to Jerry Robinson and Joe Simon (January 9, 2012).

Plus Christmas in the funnies and reviews of first issues of Green Wake, Blue Estate, Spaceman and Kents No. 2, Catwoman No. 4, Cold War No. 2

 

Opus 289: Adieu to Ronald Searle, Year 2011 in Review, Best Editoons of the Year & Reuben Nominees (February 19, 2012).

Plus African American cartooning, Silberkleit banned at Archie, Kevin’s wedding, Watchmen prequels, Doonesbury pulled, NY Times offer to editoonists, and obits for Blaine and Al Rio, Richard Alf, Milburn (Pelican) Calhoun, and John Celardo.

 

Opus 290: Bunny Bonus—the Editoon Hilarities Provoked by Rush Limbaugh’s Latest Antic (March 9, 2012).

 

Opus 291: Rape in Doonesbury Banned, Plagiarists Detected & Obits for Jan Berenstain and Shelly Moldoff (March 27, 2012).

Plus Archie and the realism sprouting in Riverdale.

 

Opus 292: Sylvia Retires from Print, the F-Word, Krassner Offenses, Pulitzer and Other Awards for Unconventional Editoonery & Obits for Babin, Moebius, Matera and Mike Wallace (April 17, 2012)

Plus Andy Capp’s sobering up, Corey Randolph’s retirement of The Elderberries, unwed motherhood in 9 Chickweed Lane, the resolution of the disgraceful case of Canadian border guards seizing a computer and its owner for allegedly possessing child porn (it was manga), plus reviews of Stan Lee’s Mighty7 and commentary on Catwoman, Franchesco’s She Dragon, Fatale, Lobster Johnson, Batman, Mud Man, and All Star Western.

 

Opus 293: Reuben Nominees, Rage Comics, Salacious Paperback Covers of Yore, Pulitzer-winner Matt Wuerker, The Sign of Four Graphic Novel & Maurice Sendak’s Obit (May 24, 2012).

Plus a scholarly effort to find evidence of Jewish culture in comics, homophobia in Funky Winkerbean and Edda’s pregnancy resolved in 9 Chickweed Lane, and a review A Parent’s Guide to Kids’ Comics and farewells Tony DeZuniga, Ernie Chan, and Paul Gringle.

 

Opus 294: Reuben Winners, KAL’s Editoon with Impact & Blown Covers Review (June 2, 2012).

Plus brief reviews of the first issues of Valiant’s X-O: Manowar and Fury Max.

 

Opus 295: Denver’s First Comic-Con, Che Image and Biography, Hell Ends, Comics Fan Bradbury & Neiman and the Femlin (July 2, 2012).

Plus reviews of: Allan Holtz’s Encyclopedic American Newspaper Comics Guide, Health Care Reform (graphic novel), Sunday Funnies, Best of the Three Stooges Comicbooks, Adventures Into the Unknown: Pre-code Horror Anthology, Crime Does Not Pay, Issues 1-4, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, Boody: The Bizarre Comics of Boody Rogers, The Revolutionary Icon: Che; and a handful of funnybooks—Minutemen, Dan the Unharmable, Fury Max, Powers, Super Crooks, All Star Western, Bad Medicine, The Spider. And obits for Ray Bradbury (with an emphasis on his engagement in comics and the Sandy Eggo Con), LeRoy Neiman (and the Femlin), and Herman’s Jim Unger.

 

Opus 296: Sexual Assaults in the Military, Mike Lester’s New Strip & Reviews of Drawn Together and Holtz’s Encyclopedia (July 12, 2012).

Plus a near sexual encounter in Luann and reviews of the first issues of Hardcore and Harbringer.

 

Opus 297: Batmovie’s Midnight Massacre, Stupendous Sandy Eggo & Book Reviews (July 26, 2012).

Superman Versus the Ku Klux Clan: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate, by Rick Bowers; Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero by Larry Tye, plus Vol. 2 of Crime Does Not Pay.

 

Opus 298: Political Issue, Editorial Cartoons & the GOP (August 31, 2012).

Plus a correction: the Dirks Case Didn’t Set the Legal Precedent but Established ZZZs; and the Execrable Racist Poster of Obama.

 

Opus 299: Before Watchmen Comic Books and Other Number Ones, End of Cul De Sac & Joe Kubert Obit (September 15, 2012).

Plus reviews of Archie No.635 (Occupy Riverdale); Fatale No.6; Daredevil Nos.12-16; Superman No.11; Resident Alien No.3; Batman No.11; Penguin Nos1-2; Stan Lee’s Mighty 7 Nos. 2-3; Stripperella; Black Kiss (Second Series) No.1; plus Before Watchmen Titles: Comedian Nos.1-2; Rorschach No.1; Nite Owl Nos.1-2; Ozymandias Nos.1-2; Minutemen No.2; Dr. Manhattan No.1; Silk Spectre Nos.1-2, and a review of The Art of Amanda Conner.

 

Opus 300: Zunar’s Dubious Win, Last Cul De Sac, Porn at Chickweed Lane (?) & Holtz’s Encyclopedic Reference Guide Celebrated Again (September 30, 2012).

Plus reviews of recent and/or landmark tomes: The Sincerest Form of Parody; Bloom County, The Complete Library: Volume One, 1980-1982; Action! Mystery! Thrills! Comic Book Covers of the Golden Age; and The Collected Doug Wright: Canada’s Master Cartoonist. Forthcoming: Bazooka Joe.

 

Opus 301: Report on the Annual Editoonists Convention, the Prez Campaign in Editorial Cartoons & Caricaturing Obama (November 3, 2012).

Plus reviews of Odds & Ends from R. Crumb and Naked Cartoonists: Drawers Drawing Themselves without Drawers; and Steve Kelley to edit BECY for Pelican.

 

Opus 302: The Post-Election Report & Reviewing Playboy (November 10, 2012).

A survey of editorial cartoons on the re-election of Bronco Bama, the myopia of the Republicons, and the current viability of Playboy (plus a review of the Playboy Covers tome), Sandy Eggo Con stays in San Diego again, Mad’s 60^th, the validity of the Superman wars

 

Opus 303: Zuma Drops Suit against Zapiro, S. Clay Wilson Recovering (Slowly) & Marvel Comics History with Steve Ditko and Stan Lee and Others (December 20, 2012).

Reviews of Art of S. Clay Wilson, Comics about Cartoonists, The Lost Art of Zim, Matt Baker: The Art of Glamour, Marie Severin: Mirthful Mistress of Comics, Totally Mad: 60 Year Anniversary, Mort Drucker: 50 Years of His Art, Ralph Steadman’s Extinct Boids, Lover’s Lane: The Hall-Mills Mystery; & comic books: Batman: The Dark Knight, nos. 10-11; Happy, Wolverine Max, no. 2; Black Kiss II, Daredevil, nos. 18-20; Hawkeye, no. 4; Superman, no. 14; Lobster Johnson, Where Is Jake Ellis, The Creep, Bad Medicine, Criminal Macabre, The Saint (Eduardo Barreto) and Punk Rock Jesus: The Best Comic Book of the Year.

 

Opus 304: Comics Buyer’s Guide Killed, Ditto Spider-Man & A Solution to Gun Violence (January 17, 2012).

Includes a short history of CBG, plus short reviews of Black Kiss II, Hawkeye, Comeback, Foster, Black Beetle and All-New X-Men

 

Opus 305: Al Capp Biography Reviewed, Latest Edition of Best Editoons of the Year, Plagiarism Again & the Phoney Claims to Superiority of Stickfigure Funnies on the Web (February 13, 2013).

Bill Day is the ludicrously alleged “self-plagiarist”; plus the supposed anti-Semitism of a recent cartoon by Brit cartoonist Gerald Scarfe

 

Opus 306: Wertham Proved a Fraud, Herblock Winner & the End of Black Kiss 2 (March 8, 2013).

Plus reviewing Tardi’s graphic novel, Like a Sniper Lining Up His Shot.

 

Opus 307: Reubens Nominees, Editoons on Sequestering, Guns, Gay Marriage, the Pope & Batman Copying the Shadow (March 31, 2013).

Plus reviews of  Hawkeye, Black Beetle, and The Shadow from DE.

 

Opus 308: DC Unhires Anti-Gay Writer, Reviews of a Dozen Books & How Superman Destroyed the Infant Comic Book Industry (April 10, 2013).

Plus Chicago Public Schools bans Persepolis, Siegel heirs lose again, some of the best editoons of the month, plus reviews of: Icons of the American Comic Book, Silver Streak Archives, Vols. 1 and 2; Crime Does Not Pay, Vol.3; Adventures Into the Unknown: Pre-code Horror; Forbidden Worlds, Vol.1; The Best From the Tomb, Ditko Monsters: Gorgo!, The Complete Peanuts: 1985-1986 & 1987-1988, From the Files of Mike Hammer; The Golden Age of DC Comics: 1935-1956; American Comic Book Chronicles: 1960-65; and funnybooks Snapshot, No.1; Sledgehammer 44, No.1; Sex, No.1; and obits for Carmine Infantino and Bob Clarke.

 

Opus 309: Interviewing for a New Cartooning Documentary, Visiting the Schulz Museum, Pulitzer Winner & Editoons on the Boston Bombing and Gun Control in the Senate (April 26, 2013).

Visits with Andrew Farago, Jean Schultz, Tom Yeates and Morrie Turner, winners of other editorial cartooning awards, reviews of Sex, Sledgehammer, and Daredevil: The End of Days.

 

Opus 310: Examining the Before Watchmen Prequel & the Current Crop of Editoons Hazing Pandering Politicos, plus Ethics among Editoonists (May 22, 2013).

Plus National Cartoonists Day fizzle, Free Comic Book Day, guns and cleavage in Archie, and the latest adventures in Funky Winkerbean, Gasoline Alley; and obit for New Yorker’s Ed Fisher.

 

Opus 311: Reubens Winners (May 30, 2013).

NCS in Pittsburgh: Brian Crane and Rick Kirkman; plus Stan Lee stiffs Denver Comic Con.

 

Opus 312: “Man of Steel” Stinks, Denver Comic Con Succeeds, Four Wallace Wood Works & Graphic Classics History (June 26, 2013).

Plus the desecration of a Superman shrine in Cleveland, the courage of Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat, and the current status of Mike Diana (by reviewing the crime against him). And we review “The Illusionist,” and numerous books: Forbidden Worlds, Vol. 2: Nos.5-8; Black Cherry, Ratfist; Woodworks— Against the Grain, Wally’s World, Woodwork: Wallace Wood, 1927-1981, Came the Dawn and Other EC Stories by Wood; Halloween Classics: Graphic Classics, Vol.23; Native American Classics: Graphic Classics, Vol.24; Daggers Drawn: 35 Years of Kal Cartoons in The Economist; The Graphic Canon: Adapting 19^th Century Literary Works to Comics Form—and we rehearse the history of Graphic Classics.

 

Opus 313: Editoonists’ Annual Convening, Asay Retires, Plagiarism and Codes of Ethics (July 18, 2013).

AAEC guest Pat Oliphant, why no editoons for NSA or Zimmerman, Chuck Asay’s retirement, plus reviews of Uslan’s Shadow and Green Hornet, Neil Gaiman’s new Sandman, Harold Ross and John Held, Jr.’s impact on cartooning; Kitchen Sink’s return, Jim Ivey’s comic strip word game, and Hawkeye’s dog and the end of Fury’s Wars Gone By.

 

Opus 314: San Diego Comic-Con Report, Editoons on Zimmerman Verdict &  Howard Chaykin’s Latest Pronouncements (July 31, 2013).

Plus the Locher Legend, debunking the myth about Bob Kane’s “better” contract with DC, the origins of the Sandy Eggo Toucan, Chip Kidd’s wit at the Eisners, Harv’s dubious plagiarism, Chaykin’s Wobblie Buck Rogers, Satellite Sam and his other views.

 

Opus 315: Rumble in Riverdale, Editoons on Syria and Obamacare, Editoonist Roster Up by One & Stan Lynde Obit (September 9, 2013).

Batwoman Creators Quit, Spidey Stumbles on Broadway (and a dish memoir arrives)—plus some of the best editoons on the crises of August, reviews of Market Place, Elwell Enigma, The Education of Hopey Glass, Society Is Nix, Gail Simone’s Red Sonja, Sergio Aragones’ Funnies, Lady Rawhide, Thumbprint, Lazarus; and reports on Egyptian cartoonists, Doonesbury’s return on Sunday, and Mort Walker’s 90^th.

 

Opus 316: Colorado Flood, Batwoman Future, September Editoons & Pete Hoffman Obit (September 29, 2013).

Plus Harvey winners, Dark Horse’s Original Daredevil Archive and the PBS 3-hour Superheroes program and some news : Harvey winners, manga in Japan threatened by 2020 Olympics, the comic-con record in Salt Lake City, Disney owns Marvel characters, Facebook suppresses naked man, editoonist gets a day in Lexington, “Luann” co-writing Luann, Bezos at the Post.

 

Opus 317: Watterson Interview, Editoons on GOP Shutdown et al, PBS Superhero Documentary, Peyo’s Benny, Syrian Cartoonist Killed? & Roy Peterson Obit (October 31, 2013).

Plus reviews of Matt Bors new book, Blondie’s first year of marriage, and Hand of Fire (Charles Hatfield’s book analyzing Jack Kirby’s legacy).

 

Opus 318: Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Opens, the Festival of Cartoon Art at OSU, Crisis in Newspaper Comics Debunked & Stanley Winners in Australia (November 23, 2013).

Plus reviews of the Zits novel, Gaimen’s Unfortunately the Milk, Andy Gump novel, The Madam Paul Affair, Lost in the Alps, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy (Gentleman) and Apple’s banning Sex Criminals, Fantagraphics getting Kickstarted, and Mickey Mouse putting on gloves and other news.

 

Opus 319: The Sandman Overture, The Gumps, Jeet Heer’s Francoise Mouly, Breaking Taboos in Comic Strips & Secret History of Marvel Comics (December 12, 2013).

Christmas issue includes book reviews of: Polly and Her Pals: A Complete Year of Surrealist Hilarity; John K Presents Spumco Comic Book; Frank Frazetta: Art and Remembrances; Adventures into the Unknown: Pre-code Horror Anthology, Nos. 9-12; Graphic Novels Zombillenium; Geary’s Madison Square Tragedy: The Murder of Standford White; Chaykin’s Century West; and funnybooks Afterlife with Archie and Velvet—plus comic strip potty humor and other taboos of yore, Playboy’s 60^th and Garrincha’s new strip at GoComics, and Al Plastino obit. 

 

Opus 319a: Bunny Bonus—Legalizing Pot in Colorado & Editoons on 2013's Big Newsstories (January 10, 2014).

 

Opus 320: Stan Lee’s Legacy, Rudolph’s Red-nosed History, Will Eisner’s Lie and His Canny Humanity, Comics in 2013, Stan Sakai and Usagi Yojimbo, David Axe Books by Bors and Hamilton & Gary Arlington Obit (January 30, 2014).

Plus two analytical comics histories, artist changes at Rex Morgan and Sally Forth, The Nib’s line-up of cartoonists, a cartoon depicting JFK being shot on the day he was, classic Phantom Lady reprint, and reviews of Captain Midnight, Damian, Criminal Macabre: Eyes of Frankenstein, Daredevil No.24, 25; Tom Strong, The Saviors, 47 Ronin (5-issue series), and the possibly metaphysical Shaolin Cowboy) and a dozen books, including Cartoons of World War II, The Complete Colonel Blimp, The Best of the Comix Book, Bad Girls Need Love Too, This Book Contains Graphic Language, Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels, and Will Eisner: A Dreamer’s Life in Comics (brief).

 

Opus 321: Editorial Cartoons of January (February 9, 2014).

 

Opus 322: Reuben Nominees, Rube Goldberg, Doonesbury’s Hiatus, Lester’s Mike Du Jour, George Wunder’s Terry, Oop’s Time Travel Debut, Jonah Hex Stuffed Again & Sins Being Committed in the Name of “Graphic Novel” (March 14, 2014).

Plus the first Watterson cartoon in 18 years, a historic comics mural being threatened, taboos being violated in newspaper comics, and reviews of some graphic novels and a half-dozen books (including a new “biographical dictionary” of cartoonists).

 

Opus 323: Feiffer’s First Graphic Novel, Archie on Death Row, NCS Division Nominees, New Animated Peanuts, Stan Lee in Playboy & Fred Kida Obit (April 17, 2014).

Plus new bio of Robert Ripley, comic book first issues (Moon Knight, White Suits, Veil, Starlight) and others (Ms. Marvel Improved, Wolverine, Captain Marvel—All the Same Stuff; Daredevil and Hawkeye, Still Superior; Savage Dragon Starts Over; The Saviors, Brother Lono Ends); and new animated Peanuts, the plethora of superflicks, and weed in Colorado.

 

Opus 324: Racism Attacked, Pulitzers and Other Awards Announced, Censored Books Listed, Vip and Rodrigues Extolled & Obits for Feldstein and Ayers (May 27, 2004).

Plus the 50^th anniversary of the Fold-In, a review of Bill O’Reilly’s Killing Jesus and a report on South Carolina’s defunding a college because it put Fun Home on its reading list. And more—including paintings by modern masters GeeDubya and RCH.

 

Opus 325: Reubens Report on Who Won What, Wiley Miller’s Innovative Career & Obit for Morris Weiss (June 5, 2014).

Plus New York Post drops its comics section, shreds and patches of NCS history and cartooning lore (Who drew the Golden Age G.I. Joe? How the Milt Gross Fund got its name), a rare  glimpse of Harv’s Navy cartoon character Cumshaw, and more taboos being broken daily on the comics pages of the nation’s newspapers.

 

Opus 326: Bunny Bonus Bulletin: Watterson in Pearls(June 10, 2014).

Reclusive Watterson shows up in Pearls.

 

 

Opus 327: Getting Comic-Conned in Denver and Everywhere Else & Obits for Greats Charley Barsotti and Etta Hulme (July 16, 2014).

Pondering the current state of the comic-con “industry,” plus a sampling of the month’s editorial cartoonists and reviews of Southern Bastards, Dicks, Five Ghosts, The Massive, Time Lincoln Continental, Sandman Overture No.2, United States of Murder, Inc., and a report on Dick Tracy’s four-month search for Little Orphan Annie.

 

Opus 328: Sandy Eggo Comic-Con Critique, Death of Archie & Gahan Wilson Born Dead (August 14, 2014).

Plus Eisner Award winners, comic strips that celebrated the Sandy Eggo Con, some antique magazine cartoons, and editorial cartoons of the month.

 

Opus 329: Family Guy-Simpsons Crossover, the Summer’s ComicBook Movies, Pat Oliphant on the State of Editooning, Superheroines as Pin-Ups & Obit for Stan Goldberg (September 17, 2014).

Plus anti-bullying comics, Sandy Eggo’s law suit against Salt Lake, Frank Miller on making movies, Nate Beeler’s winning jubilant editoon, and superheroine pin-ups (including Milo Manara’s erotic twerking of Spider-Woman) and reviews of Outside the Box (a book of interviews with graphic autobiographers), Miss Mizzou beyond the comic strip, Terminal Man, Hexed, Howtoons, and The Bunker, and a fond adieu to Stan Goldberg.

 

Opus 330: Editoons on the Mess in the Mideast and Ferguson & Obitoons on Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall, Joan Rivers (September 20, 2014).

Plus obit for Tony Auth.

 

Opus 331: A New Record at the New York Comic Con & the Future of Comic Cons (October 31, 2014).

Plus Rocky Mountain Con, the Moscow Comic-con, EC Horror Lives on USA Today Weekend, Gibbons Gets Laureate, NCS Revamps Awards Process, Girls Getting Into Comics, and How the Shuster, the Oppression of Cartoonists in Turkey and Venezula, Kirby and Stan Lee Media Court Cases Are Faring.

 

Opus 332: Editorial Cartoonists Convention, Four New Pogo Books, Wonder Woman Exposed & Anniversaries in Comic Strips (November 8, 2014).

Reviews of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not reprints, a couple 75^th anniversary books (Marvel and Batman), and a volume of Puck color cartoons; anniversaries in Luann, Mother Goose and Grimm, Hi and Lois, and Dick Tracy, comic books Men of Wrath, The October Faction, Batgirl No.35 and Detective No.35 and some of the earliest post-Midterm Election editorial cartoons (plus some about ebola and the White House intruder).

 

 Opus 333: The PC of Zombies, Endings for Glasbergen’s Better Half, Jonah Hex & Best American Comics (November 30, 2014).

Bill Watterson’s latest artwork, Batman postage stamps, Wizard of Id’s 50^th anniversary, Marvel’s growing diversity, and reviews of: Joyce Babner’s graphic novel, Alice in Comicland, Bobby London’s Popeye (with a report of his firing in 1992 for attacking anti-abortion advocates), a book about New Yorker cartoonists, Bob Powell’s Terror Comics, Masterful Marks (Cartoonists Who Changed the World), Kim’s booty, and another end, that of Jonah Hex; plus reviews of War Stories, the new (and Wholly Unsatisfactory) Lobo and editoons on post-election shenanigans, Bill Cosby and Ferguson, with an obit for editoonist and collector Art Wood.

 

Opus 334: Book Reviews for Xmas & 43 New Scholarly Tomes (December 27, 2014).

Reviewed are: Vip’s Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher, The Art of Robert E. McGinnis, Frank Robbins’ Johnny Hazard (plus the end of the War in Caniff’s Terry & Crane’s Buz Sawyer); Death, Disability and the Superhero in the Silver Age and Beyond; Alex Toth’s Zorro, Classic Phantom Lady (not by Matt Baker it seems), Matt Baker’s Canteen Kate, (2 competing volumes of it), Bob Powell’s Cave Girl, Sheena Queen of the Jungle, The Alluring Art of Margaret Brundage (Queen of Pulp Pin-up Art), Percy Crosby’s Skippy, and graphic novels— Silent Partner, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, Woman Rebel: the Margaret Sanger Story; The Beats: A Graphic History. And comic books: Deadpool, The Wake, Starlight, Ms. Marvel, Tuki, Chaykin’s Satellite Sam, Chaykin’s The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow.

Opus 335: Islamist Hooligans Kill Cartoonists in Paris & Cartoonists and Governments React Worldwide (January 16, 2015).

Includes samples of Charlie Hebdo’s iconoclastic, irreverent cartoons plus cartoonists’ cartoon reactions world-wide and the role of cartoons in free societies.

 

Opus 336: Analysis of Charlie Hebdo’s Scandalous Cover Cartoons, Depicting Muhammad, Freedom of Expression & More Cartoonists Reactions (January 29, 2015).

Plus offensiveness in cartoons, alleged Islamophobia at Charlie Hebdo, Daryl Cagle’s massive online exhibit, the “survivors” issue of Charlie and a bibliography of articles in Print on censorship and related matters by Michael Dooley.

 

 

Opus 337: After Charlie—Advocating Freedom of Expression, 2014's Top Ten Newsstories in Cartoons & the World’s Worst Comic Strip (February 12, 2015).

Issues of freedom of expression vs. offensiveness in U.S., Palestine, Israel, Angouleme, and Malaysia; plus terrible WuMo, reviews of Lunar Park and Sabrina, Word of the Year, and obits for comics historian Cole Johnson and New Yorker cartoonist Joseph Farris.

 

Opus 338: Black Comics and Cartoonists, Gunfire in Copenhagen and Freedom of Expression & the Meaning of Life (March 8, 2015).

Plus award winners Trudeau, KAL, Bennett; threatened cartoonists in other countries; Tempus Todd, George Lee, Bass Reeves; editoon roundup, topless strip in London’s Sun, reviews of Rasputin and Casanova IV.

 

Opus 339: History of the Teddy Bear, Reubens Nominees, Trudeau on Charlie Hebdo, Cartoonists in Oppressive Countries, 16 Book Reviews & 7 Obits (April 19, 2015).

Reviews of The Sculptor, Heroes of Comics: Portraits of the Legends of Comic Books Jack Davis: Drawing American Pop Culture, A Career Retrospective; Foolbert Funnies: Histories and Other Fictions (Frank Stack); Law of the Desert Born; The Cisco Kid, Vol. 1, 1951-1953; Wally Wood: Classic Tales of Torrid Romance; Wally Wood: Strange Worlds of Science Fiction; Cannon; The Art of Ramona Fradon; Berlin: Books One and Two; Cats, Dogs, Men, Women, Ninnies, Clowns: The Lost Art of William Steig; Sherlock Holmes in a Study in Scarlet (delicious Gris Grimly illos); Lincoln for Beginners; Perfect Nonsense: The Chaotic Comics and Goofy Games of George Carlson; Bully! The Life and Times of Theodore Roosevelt. Plus: Frank Cho’s Manara cover spoof, Eric Larsen vs. “the vocal minority”; and reviews of funnybooks (Lady Killer, King Comics: Prince Valiant, The Phantom, Mandrake, Jungle Jim, Flash Gordon; Howard the Duck, Zombie Tramp; obits for Jim Whiting, Irwin Hasen, Fred Fredericks, Jim Berry, Yoshihiro Tatsumi, Roger Slifer, Stan Freberg.

 

Opus 340: Offensiveness and Freedom of Expression after Charlie Hebdo, Garry Trudeau on Hate Speech, PEN’s Protesters & Draw Muhammad Contest Shot Up (May 30, 2015).

Plus Archie’s failed Kickstarter, Denver Comic-Con report, and reviews of Goodbye God? by Hunt Emerson, Weird Al’s Mad, The Mythology of S. Clay Wilson, Vol. 1; Howard Chaykin’s Black Kiss XXXmas in July; The Big Con Job, Tales from the Con, Red One by Terry and Rachel Dodson.

 

Opus 341: Cartoonist in Iran Faces Jail Term, Editoons on Supreme Court Decisions, Confederate Flag = White Supremacy, Gun Control & DC’s Convergence Series (June 30, 2015).

Plus reviews of graphic novels—Moore’s Nemo books (Heart of Ice and The Roses of Berlin),  Geary’s Louise Brooks: Detective; and Tardi’s Run Like Crazy, Run Like Hell—and Comic Book People, Mineshaft (vestige of comix), and Airboy.

 

Opus 342: New Archie, San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel’s Secret Wars, New Seuss, & Return of Opus (July 31, 2015).

Plus reviews of Rowland B. Wilson’s Trade Secrets and The People Inside (a poetic graphic novel), a new Hirschfeld book, Wagner’s failed revival of Eisner’s Spirit, the month’s editorial cartoons and Peanuts Tribute to Charles M. Schulz, Celebrity Caricature in America, The Complete Cul de Sac (in Two Volumes), Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (forthcoming), and, among funnybooks, more Lady Killer, 1872 and Korvac Saga; Starve, Sex, Final Flop Issue of The Big Con Job and an obit for Leonard Starr.

 

Opus 342a: Does the “Firing” of Freelance Editoonist Ted Rall Mean We’re in a Police State? (August 26, 2015).

 

Opus 343: Historic Caricaturists, Trump and Editoonery, Regrettable Superheroes  & The First Folio (September 5, 2015).

In Recreational Reading, great caricaturists (Max Beerbohm, Ralph Barton and Aubrey Beardsley plus Oscar Wilde, Frank Harris, Bernard Shaw and Shakespeare—for the First Folio), and several reviews—first issues of Prez, Dark Corridor, Barb Wire, Eight; Summer Blonde, Desmond Puckett, early Jonah Hex, Bravo for Adventure—and the news (Iranian artist gets courage award, presidential candidates in funnybooks, Alcaraz joins Disney, alarm about Playboy’s cartoons). 

 

Opus 344: Editoonists Meet Under Guard, New Yorker Cartoonist BEK & Pin-up Covers of Superheroine Comics (September 22, 2015).

Plus reviews Graphic Canon Vol.3, Loisel’s Peter Pan, funnybooks Welcome Back No.1, We Are Robin, Romita’s Superman, 1872, IDW’s Sherlock Holmes, and news about Charlie Hebdo’s latest, Farghadani’s indecency, Warren Ellis’ forthcoming James Bond, “The O’Reilly Factoid,” and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the Bible and its reputed prohibitions, and an obit for Brad “Marmaduke” Anderson.

 

Opus 345a: Editooning Friday the 13^th in Paris (November 20, 2015).

 

Opus 345: Free Speech Ten Years after the Danish Dozen, Defending Roy Crane, the Jane Eliot Story, CXC Success, Politics in Strips & Pope Francis Comic Strip (October 30, 2015).

Plus Atena’s virginity test, Playmates denuded, a new comic-con about women cartooners, plus reviews of comic books—  Twilight Children, Mockingbird, Dr. Strange; and books— Mad’s Original Idiots, Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz, Milt Gross’ New York, Comics (A Global History), King of Comics, Walt Kelly’s Fairy Tale Parade, The War to End All Wars, and obits for Murphy Anderson and Roger Bollen

 

Opus 346: Peanuts Movie and New Book, Stan Lee Graphic Memoir, Books about Will Eisner, Charlie Hebdo’s Status & Political Correctness in Editoons (November 30, 2015).

Plus the new Jughead, Sean Murphy’s latest masterful work, the looming Playboy purge, war cartooning, The System graphic novel by Peter Kuper, Flannery O’Connor’s cartoons, and recent comic books— Tokyo Ghost, Call of Duty: Black Ops III; Joe Golem, Gravedigger, All Star Section Eight, Citizen Jack.

 

Opus 347: Ted Cruz Makes a Monkey of Himself, Vintage Christmas Strips, Nine First Issue Funnybooks & Ten Book Reviews, including Eisner Champion of  Graphic Novels (December 31, 2015).

Comics reviewed are Miller’s Dark Knight III: The Master Race, Fourth Issue of the New Archie, New Daredevil, Superman: Lois and Clark, Captain America White, Huck, Goddamned, New Shield, New Hawkeye, New Wolverine— plus Womanthology Heroic, Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel; Charlie Brown’s Christmas Stocking; The Joy of a Peanuts Christmas: 50 Years; A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition; Twelve Terrors of Christmas (Edward Gorey) and some graphic novels (Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage; Ann Tenna: A Novel; and The True Death of Billy the Kid) and The Life and Art of Wesley Morse of Tijuana Bible fame, plus Edge City ends.

 

Opus 348: Editoonists View Big News of 2015, Angouleme Fails Women Cartoonists, & Wesley Morse Biography, Bazooka Joe and Misguided Extinction of Cliff Huxtable (February 7, 2016).

Plus a review of Ted Rall’s Snowden, women in comics with Ally Sloper (two new names for the roster), the Dick Tracy and On the Fastrack cross-over (mentioning also the two other daily strips Bill Holbrook does), Charlie Hebdo a year later, and flaws in New Yorker cartoons.

 

Opus 349: No-Nudes Playboy (and NO CARTOONS either), New Yorker Cartooning, KREMOS’ Girls & Review of Gr iffith’s Invisible Ink (February 29, 2016).

Discovery of 1940s anti-Wertham comic book, CRNI’s protest of Atena’s incarceration, Fiore’s Herblock win with only animated cartoons, Luann’s self-declared lesbian character, a list of scholarly books on comics; plus reviews of Will Eisner’s PS Magazine; Lost and Found: Griffith’s Comics 1969-2003; and graphic novels Trashed, Tex the Lonesome Rider, Fist Stick Knife Gun.

 

 

Opus 350: Big 350^th Celebration with A Fling for the Occasion, Dennis the Menace  Anniversary, Playboy’s Explanation & Trumpery and the Fearsome Megyn Kelly Pinups (April 1, no foolin’, 2016).

Commemorating the occasion, a profusely illustrated history of Harv’s eroticartoon for Fling in the late 1970s, plus Pat Oliphant’s “retirement,” Playboy’s lame explanation for giving up on cartoons, guest artists on Dilbert, and Murphy Anderson’s Buck Rogers.

 

Opus 351: Reuben Nominees, Ohman’s Pulitzer & Reviews of New Black Panther, New Moon Knight, New Black Widow, Dell’s Pogo, Mandrake, and Graphic Novels Drama, and Magic Pen (April 30, 2016).

Plus Nick Sousanis’s Lynn Ward win, banned graphic novels, and an essay on Comic Books Corrupted by Movie Versions a review of Balls of Fire: More Snuffy Smith Comics; farewells to The New Yorker’s William Hamilton, Dick Hodgins, Jr., Paddington’s Peggy Fortnum, and Mad’s Lenny “The Beard” Brenner.

 

Opus 352 Bunny Bonus: Iranian Artist Freed, Iowa Freelance Editoonist Fired & Trumpery in the Wake of the Indiana Primaries (May 7, 2016).

 

Opus 352a Bunny Bonus: Reuben Awards Winners (June 1, 2016).

 

Opus 353: Bobby London’s Firing Revisited, the Complete Peanuts Completed & Ted Rall’s Bernie Graphic Novel (June 5, 2016).

Plus reviews of “cartoons” in Playboy, America in Cartoons: A History in Pictures; Dictators in Cartoons: Unmasking Monsters and Mocking Tyrants; Black Hand Comics and The New Yorker zoo cartoons and appreciating Darwyn Cooke and Mell Lazarus.

 

Opus 354: NCS Reubens Weekend, Alex Raymond Art Book & The Book of Hope Graphic Novel (June 17, 2016).

Also “Captain America: Civil War,” Frank Miller’s Daredevil and the Ends of Heroism, Mignola leaves Hellboy, Prez satire, the last Snyder/Capullo issues of Batman, and Muhammad Ali whuppin’ Superman in 1978, plus some old postcards, an old magazine, and the passing of The New Yorker’s Frank Modell.

 

Opus 355: Denver Comic Con, the Threat of Social Media, Walt Kelly’s Fables and Funnies & Wallace Wood’s Shattuck (July 17, 2016).

Playboy’s so-called  “cartoonists,” Red Ryder’s Fred Harman, and first issues (Midnight of the Soul, Renato Jones: The One %, Wagner’s Shadow) and Yuge: 30 Years of Doonesbury on Trump, Graphic Classics: H.G. Wells, Geary’s Murder at the Hollywood Hotel, The Tipping Point, and The Story of My Tits (graphic novel).

 

Opus 356: Atena Speaks, Frank Cho Quits, Editooning in July, Hughes’ Betty and Veronica, Farewell to Jack Davis and Richard Thompson & My Last Sandy Eggo Con (August 20, 2016).

Plus Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Mycroft Holmes, Garrett Price’s unique White Boy, and a clutch of barenekkidwimmin comic books, one of which veers off into sadistic eroticism, and why superheroines won’t work in a politically correct environment.

 

Opus 357: Editoons in the Season of Trumpery, Alan Moore’s Huge Prose Novel & Eight Comic Book First Issues (September 19, 2016).

Graphic novels The White Donkey (U.S. marines in Afghanistan) and Templar (during the Crusades), Charles Rodrigues’ cartoons in Gag on This, comic book first issues: Kill or Be Killed, Lucas Stand, Lady Killer 2, Kingsway West, Control, The Violent, The Fix, Black Monday Murders, and Lake of Fire, and porn covers on funnybooks.

 

Opus 358: Convention of Editoonists, Trump Editoons and Corruptions, the Debates & Pioneering Cartoonists of Color, a Review (October 13, 2016).

The AAEC convention, a gallery of Trumpix, a book of Kelly’s Onion kartoons, Wonder Woman’s sexuality, Cerebus’ damnation, a do-nothing Congress, and Trudeau’s six recommended books in The Week.

 

Opus 359: Cartoon Crossroads Columbus, Wonder Woman All Over & Trump and the Election (November 5, 2016).

More Trumpet caricatures, reviews of first issues of Moonshine, Cage, Shipwreck, Midnighter and Apollo; and of books—The Minicomix Revolution 1969-1989, Your Brain on Latino Comics, Latinix Comic Book Storytelling, The Best American Comics 2016.

 

Opus 360: Bunny Bonus: A Sampling of Editoons about the Recently Concluded Presidential Election (November 12, 2016).

A review of editorial cartoons published in the aftermath of the Election.

 

 

Opus 361: Reviews of More than 15 Books for Christmas, Preview of George Herriman Biography & Obits for Bob Webber and Jerry Dumas(December 16, 2016).

Reviewed are: She Changed Comics: Untold Story of Women Who Changed Free Expression in Comics; The Incredible Herb Trimpe; Extra Cheesy Zits; Alamo All-Stars: A Texas Tale; The Lost Work of Will Eisner; Tim Tyler’s Luck: 1934 (Alex Raymond’s debut); Krazy Kat: 1934; Step Aside, Pops; Jack Cole’s Deadly Horror; Super Weird Heroes: Outrageous But Real!; The Editorial Cartoons of Lee Judge, and graphic novels— Black Dahlia (Rick Geary); Strange Fruit; Trump: A Graphic Biography (Ted Rall); The Fun Family (satire of Bil Keane’s The Family Circus); The Funnies (prose novel); Cousin Joseph (Feiffer’s new graphic novel); Citizen 13660 (Japanese Internment, 1942-45); plus reviews of first issues of comic books— Frank Cho’s Skybourne; Terry Moore’s Motor Girl; and second looks at Moonshine, Cage, Shipwreck, Adam Hughes’ Betty & Veronica; also Resident Alien 3, Lady Killer 3, Kill or Be Killed 3/4, Renato Jones: The One % 5, Sex 32 and the regrettable ending of Prez in Catwoman Election Night No.1.  Plus survey of editoons of the month, and Brad and Toni’s wedding.

 

Opus 362: Reviews of More than a Dozen Books, DC’s Forthcoming Watchmen Series & Editorial Cartoons about the Trump Transition and Inauguration (January 21, 2017).

Reviewed are: Complete Peanuts: Comics & Stories; Ditko Monsters: Konga; Bloom County on Face Book; Peyo’s Pussycat; Serpieri’s Anima; Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, No.46; Love Is Love (Benefit Anthology for Orlando); New Yorker Cartoons of 2016 (Generously Sampled); The Comic Art of War: A Critical Study; Walt Kelly’s Pogo: The Complete Dell Comics, Volume Four; Panel to Screen: Comic Books and Film; The Meaning of Superhero Comic Books; and Thoreau, a graphic novel. We also survey editorial cartoons about Trump’s transition and inauguration, quote Merle Streep’s full acceptance speech at the Golden Globes.

 

Opus 363: Editoons on Trump’s First Month, Wallace Wood Life and Legend, Nudes Return to Playboy, Word of the Year, Trump the Fourth-Grader & Obits for Jack Mendelsohn, Herb Galewitz and Dan Spiegle (February 28, 2017).

Also reviews of Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse, Vols. 6-9; Mary Astor’s Purple Diary (Edward Sorel illos); The Best of Archie Comics: 75 Years, 75 Stories; “Riverdale”—Archie on Television; Black History in Its Own Words; Jim Davis’ Garfield Original Daily and Sunday Art in new Hermes Press volume; plus first issues of Francesco Francavilla’s Will Eisner’s The Spirit, The Few, and Bullseye. And—: Pat Oliphant’s brief return to editooning, politics in comic strips, NY Times drops Graphic Novel Bestseller lists, more awards for March: Book Three; another Resist! (with samples from the first issue), doubtful anti-Semitism.

 

Opus 364:  Corto Maltese, Dieter Lumpen, Mankoff’s Autobiography, Jack Cole’s Cuties, Stein Cartooning Again, Reuben Nominees, Editooning the Health Care Debacle (and Other Trump Malfeasances) & Obits for Jay Lynch, Skip Williamson, Bernie Wrightson, James Stevenson and Howard Shoemaker (March 31, 2017).

Lengthy reviews of two great graphic novels—Corto Maltese, back in a new translation, and Dieter Lumpen, at least Corto’s equal in the adventuring game; with Corto review, a virtual history of the character and his creator, Hugo Pratt.

 

Opus 365: Politics Sneaked into Marvel Comic, Suppression and Censorship of Cartoonists, Women Cartoonists Cracking the Ceiling, Analysis of Batman, the Spirit Joins Tracy & Other Eisner Centennial Celebrations (May 6, 2017).

The New Yorker’s Bob Mankoff goes to Esquire; the Denver Independent Comics and Art Expo (DINK); how Staton and Curtis got the Dick Tracy gig, plus reviews of an expanded albeit faulty biography of Will Eisner, and graphic novels Eisner’s A Contract with God (revisited) and Blacksad. Plus notes about comic books Snotgirl, Tank Girl, I Hate Fairyland, All Star Section Eight, Grass Kings, and American Gods.

 

Opus 366: Celebrating 18 Years Online with a Lavish Gallery of Illustrations, Pepe the Frog=s Death by Cyber Bullying, the Delusional Prez & the Failures of Coates= Black Panther (May 26, 2017).

Harv=s history with college magazines, plus Al Plastino=s Peanuts comic strips, Milton Caniff=s World War II lecture on the dangers of VD, the new cartoon editor at The New Yorker and obits for Jay Disbrow and Carolyn Kelly.

 

Opus 366A: Bunny BonusCAnnouncing the award winners at the NCS Reubens Weekend Just Concluded (June 2, 2017).

 

 

Opus 367: “Wonder Woman” (Superb), NCS Reubens Weekend in Portland & Social Media vs Bill Maher (June 30, 2017).

Feiffer’s new musical and first issues Renato Jones (Round Two) and Grrl Scouts, the Cartoons of Homer Davenport, Strange World of Your Dreams, plus obits for Adam West and Larry Wright.

 

 

Opus 368: Comic Cons—the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (July 26, 2017).

Denver Comic Con and various rants about the San Diego Comic-Con (booth prices, hotel room rates, declining attendance, origin stories), plus increasing sexless covers on comics, the Harvey Girl, and a new comic strip.

 

Opus 369: Comic Stripping with Rina Piccolo, Editooning with Pulitzer-winning Morin, Gag Cartooning with New Yorker’s Tom Toro, History of Uncle Sam, the State of the Cartooning Industry & the New Surreal Weird at The New Yorker (August 9, 2017).

Plus the untold history of Uncle Sam and reviews of first issues of Jazz Maynard, Jimmy’s Bastard, Normany Gold, and Accell, plus reviews of three books, 20^th Century in Cartoons, Hitler in Cartoons, and Cartoons Against the Holocaust; also What Roger Ailes Wrought and Alan Moore’s last comic book; obits for Joan Lee, Bob Lubbers, and “Fabulous Flo.”

 

Opus 370a: The Political Issue—Trumpet Antics Post-Charlottesville and Before & Dick Locher Obit (August 31, 2017).

Trump’s gaffes over Charlottesville, his racism and harangue against news media and Confederate monuments.

 

Opus 370b: Cartoons Debut at Esquire, Graphic Novels at Libraries, Archie’s New Comics, Savage Dragon Still Savaging, Reed Crandall Biog, Jefferson MacHamer & Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen (September 11, 2017).

Reviews of first issues of comic books Divided States of Hysteria, Dark Days - The Forge; and of books, Behaving Madly (Mad imitations), Playboy landmarks in comedy, Trump Tweets Illustrated, and graphic novel Rolling Blackouts, plus editoons that offend, Cartoon Bank gyping cartoonists (?), Beetle’s birthday, Charlie Hebdo’s new offense, the Lone Ranger mystery, and obit for Tom Eaton of Pedro fame.

 

Opus 371: Rocky Mountain Comic Con, Hef Dies, the Month’s Editoons & Dr. Seuss, America First, and Racial Controversy (October 17, 2017).

Schulz home burns but Museum is okay, Pepe fights back, The New Yorker’s “what if” cover, and a long segment on Dr. Seuss, his anti-America First stance in WWII political cartoons, the new Seuss Museum and the accompanying racist controversy from Right Thinkers.

 

Opus 372: Sheena, Moneypenny and Black Terror Funnybooks, Source of Ideas, Esquire Cartoons Analyzed, Mort Meskin and Jerry Robinson Books, Rube Goldberg’s Foolish Questions, Baker Street Four & Corto Maltese in Siberia (October 22, 2017).

Plus review of Shoe comic strip reprint, Hank Ketcham’s scarred visage, “line tangent” explained, lampooning at the National Cartoonists Society, and obits for Len Wein and the Summer of Love.

 

Opus 373: Editoonists Convention, Two New Black Comics Resources, Cartoons Return to Playboy & Books Sampling the War Years of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman (November 18, 2017).

Wonder Woman Gadot’s stand on sexual harassment, South Park’s failure to satirize Trump, the Art of Garfield and the first issue of Batman White Knight, plus a count of editorial cartoonists, and “retired” editoonist Bill Sanders on Trump, Ed Stein on tax reform, Ted Rall’s suit, Hirschfeld biography held up.

 

Opus 374, Part One: Christmas Shopping List of Book Reviews (10), the Legal Status of “Comic Con” & Ben Garrison Rogue Editoonist (December 22, 2017).

Farewell to the New York Mad and reviews of— Babes in Arms: Women in the Comics During WWII; Terry and the Pirates by George Wunder, Vol. 2; Oswald the Lucky Rabbit: The Search for the Lost Disney Cartoons; The Bible by Joe Kubert and Nestor Redondo; Oh My God—They Printed That?!; Walt Kelly’s Pogo: The Complete Dell Comics, Vol. 5; Blitt (cover artist for The New Yorker); and graphic novels The Man Who Laughs; The Man from the Great North by Hugo Pratt; and Calamity Jane (biography).

 

Opus 374, Part Two: December’s Editoons, Doomsday Clock & A Seminar on Sexual Harassment(January 3, 2018).

Over 40 editoons examined, and the fates of Garrison Keillor and Al Franken are regretted.

 

Opus 375: Editoons at the End of Trump’s First Year, New Comic Book Publisher, State of Gag Cartooning & Black Comic Book Heroes on TV and in Movies (February 15, 2018).

Plus reviews of 7 new books, among them Watchmen Annotated and The Realist Cartoons, another watershed moment in comics. And photos of Stormy Daniels.

 

Opus 376: Black Panther Success, Editoons on Mass Shootings and Guns, Reviews of Six New Books & Another Seminar on Sexual Harassment (February 28, 2018).                                                  

More sexual harassment cliche cartoons plus reviews of The Art of James Montgomery Flagg The Best of Hagar the Horrible, Cartoon County (Fairfield, Connecticut Cartoonists), Big Ben Bolt (reprints of the strip), The Prince Valiant Page (and a Valiant Try-Out that Failed), and Lemire’s Roughneck graphic novel.

 

Opus 377: Sitcomics’ Binge Books, Stan Lee’s Situation, Magazine Cartooning & Playboy’s Reaction to Sexual Harassment (April 15, 2018).

Reviews of Trina Robbins’ autobiography, Nicole Hollander’s memoir, Cap Stubbs and Tippie, West Coast Mad, and graphic novels Fog Over Tolbiac Bridge by Tardi and The New Deal, plus nominees for the NCS Reuben, and Black Panther being co-opted by alt-right, Stormy Daniels and Spanky, and a ringing statement supporting freedom of the press.

 

Opus 378: The Pulitzer Fiasco, the New Mad No.1 & Denver’s Boutique Comic-con DiNK (April 25, 2018)

Plus the New York Times report on Stan Lee’s situation and editoons for March and April.

 

Opus 379: Underground Comics 50^th, Cartoonists as Goat Getters, Wallace Wood Volume 2, Action Comics No.1000 and Captain America No.700 & Sex and Surprises in Savage Dragon (May 26, 2018).

Plus a report on FCBD at Mile High Comics and the surprising long life of Elfquest, the conning of Stan Lee, new cartoonist on Nancy, the origin of Tom the Dancing Bug and Lee Holley obit.

 

Opus 380: Bunny Bonus Report on the Reubens Awards of the National Cartoonists Society (June 4, 2018).

 

Opus 381: Editoonist Fired for Being Critical of the Trumpet, the Denver Comic Con & More Ominous Trumperies (June 30, 2018).

Plus the latest Trumperies and the burqa-minded Miss America management and a couple reviews.

 

Opus 382: Old Duffer Gets Inkpot, Nemo to Return, Toothpaste Caper in Gasoline Alley, Batman White Knight Limps to an End, Peter Wheat Review & Nick Meglin RIP (July 31, 2018).

Plus reviews of Hollywood and the Comics, Assume the Worst: Graduation Speeches You=ll Never Hear (truthful ones), a graphic instructional tome on sex, and Tom Tanquary=s documentary on comic strips.

 

Opus 383: Editorial Cartoons from August & Report on the San Diego Comic-Con (September 1, 2018).

Plus my Inkpot award.

 

Opus 384: Book Reviews of Feiffer’s Ghost Script, Escapist Reprints, DC Before Superman and Mr. Fish, Alley Oop History & Woodward and the Trumpet (September 13, 2018).

Plus a long remembrance of John Callahan, obits for Marie Severin and Russ Heath and some Jim Carrey cartoons and a story about me and Michael Chabon.

 

Opus 384a Bunny Bonus: Remembering Bill Cosby (October 26, 2018)

 

Opus 385: Stan Lee’s Situation, Jane’s Gay Marriage, Steve Kelley at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Why the Jews?, Reviews of First Issues, Batman’s Dick & Editoonists Annual Convention (November 1, 2018).

Plus Alley Oop’s comeback, Tijuana Trumpet, and reviews of first issues of Cemetery Beach, Dick Tracy, MCMLVII, Soldier Supreme, Archie 1941, and Batman Damned (and Batman’s dick) and journalists killed while reporting the news and an examination of the Pittsburgh massacre—why the Jews?

 

Opus 386: Bunny Bonus on Stan Lee (November 29, 2008).

 

Opus 387: Two Months of Editoons, 14 Book Reviews, Gas Alley’s 100^th, Mickey’s 90^th plus Harv’s Calendar Girls (December 14, 2018).

Plus the Kavanaugh hearing, how to reform male sexual conduct, and the time George H.W. Bush “stuck it” to journalist Dan Rather and—little-known facts about Edgar Rice Burroughs and the comic strip Tarzan and magazine cartooning at Esquire, The New Yorker, and Playboy.

 

Opus 388: More Short Book Reviews, Thomas Nast Defended, How to Avoid Racism & Sampling Christmas Comic Strips (January 9, 2019).

Reviews of thirty books and a dozen comic books, Time’s Person of the Year, plus Mattachine and McCarthyism.

 

Opus 389, Part One: A Month’s Editoons Reviewed, Plus Reviews of New Books and Comics & More Casualties in Editoonist Ranks (February 25, 2019).

Plus Christ’s Second Coming Cancelled, Ted Rall Pissed, Morrison Laid Off as Mad Editor, and reviews of Cover, Jimmy’s Bastards, American Politics: A Graphic History; The Best of Don Winslow

 

Opus 388b: Non Sequitur Is Getting Screwed. Here’s How—and What You Can Do (February 21, 2019).

 

Opus 388a: Review of “Black Panther” Movie and a Remarkable Oscar Acceptance Speech (February 19, 2019).

 

Opus 389, Part Two: Noted Editoonist Not Sexist, Review of Magazine Gag Cartoons, Anniversary Issues of The New Yorker and Playboy & Editoons on Pope’s Summit (February 28, 2019).

Plus setback in Ted Rall’s suit against the Los Angeles Times, reviews of Sikoryak’s Terms and Conditions, Unknown Anti-War Comics; graphic novels Dry Country, The Stranger, and Miss (Better Living Through Crime), editoons on the Pope’s summit, an essay on the origins of celibacy (in real estate!), and farewells to Batton Lash and Tomi Ungerer.

 

Opus 390: News and Reviews & T.K. Ryan Obit with History of Tumbleweeds (March 31, 2019).

Reviews of Stronghold and Exciting Comics, plus Invisible Republic, Savage Dragon (Captain Tootsie!), American Carnage, Cemetery Beach (seven issues) and Tank Girl anniversary issues. Also reviews of Knocked Out Loaded and graphic novels The Golden House of Samarkand and Tango At Half Light (both Corto Maltese books), and Tyler Cross: Angola.

 

Opus 391: Nominees for NCS Awards, Last Month’s Editoons & Famous Nude Chess Game (April 13, 2019).

Plus Steve Benson Finds New Arizona Home.

 

 

Opus 392: Golden Age Captain Marvel, Darrin Bell Wins Pulitzer, Fourth Annual DiNK “comic-con,” Sally the Sleuth, Notre Dame & Dwane Powell Obit (May 5, 2019).

Ted Rall Advances!; Rob Rogers Wins Headliner; at DiNK— Cartooning Race in America with Keith Knight and Josh Knight’s Giraffes, Dali, and the Marx Brothers; plus reviews of Man and Superman (Excellent), Gone with the Goof, Kirby and Lee: Stuf’ Said; Crumb’s Filth Bible; Fifty Things from Cathy; Kent State Won’t Die and Greg Theakston obit.

 

Opus 392A: Editoons from the Last Month, Chan Lowe’s Life and Work & Turk Editoonist at Trial and in Jail (May 15, 2019).

Our Political Posting for the month.

 

 

Opus 393: Twentieth Year Anniversary Celebration, A Dream Come True, Photo Tour of Rancid Raves Homestead and Sweat Shop & Shel Silverstein Re-runs (June 7, 2019).

Plus rerun of Bob Hall’s deconstruction of Batman and the NCS Reubens award weekend.

 

Opus 394: Mad Dies, NY Times Gives Up Editoons, Denver Pop Cult Con, D-Day Cartoons & Everett Raymond Kinstler Obit (July 17, 2019).

Plus reports on Esquire editors leaving and DC axing Vertigo, NY Times cartoonist 1908-58; a Politico essay AEnd Times of the Political Cartoon@; pictorial on FCBD, and reviews of  Enemy of the People: A Cartoonists Journey (Rob Rogers=), C.C. Beck=s Captain Marvel in Shazam, and comic books Deadly Class, Sham Comics, Thumbs, and an up-date on the prolongation of Doomsday Clock (Nos.7-10).

 

Opus 395: Last Month’s Editorial Cartoons, 50^th Sandy Eggo Con, New Weekly Comic Strip & Paul Krassner Obit (August 10, 2019).

Reviews of 1^st issues of Second Coming and Lois Lane, and High Heavens Nos.3,4; a new book Does It Fart?: The Definitive Field Guide to Animal Flatulence, Ann Telnaes’ new strip Mo.

 

Opus 396A: Reviews of Anniversary Books for Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, August’s Editoons, Non Sequitur’s Return & Ernie Colon Obit (August 31, 2019).

Plus Woodstock’s 50^th in Peanuts.

 

Opus 396B: Stonewall Inn Celebration with Gay Graphic Novel, Spiegelman’s Golden Age of Marvel, Review of Mad No.9 & Gun Control (September 19, 2019).

Plus reviews of Space Bandits, Wyrd, Loose Ends, Nos. 1-4; graphic novel Garden of the Flesh; Life and Times of Gardner Fox, and Spiegelman’s Essay on Jews Inventing Superheroes to Fight Anti-Semitic Nazis.

 

Opus 397: Reviews of “Watchmen” on TV, “Joker,” Olivia Jaimes’ Nancy, Corto Maltese Secret Rose, Graphic Novels Irena & They Called Us Enemy (October 28, 2019).

Plus obits for Bill Schelly, Arthur Dana Fradon, and Cokie Roberts.

 

Opus 398: Our Political Posting with Trumperies and Editoons from the Last 45 Days & Marvel Depoliticizing (November 21, 2019).

With a sidebar on Fred Harman and Red Ryder.

 

Opus 399: Popeye’s 90^th, “Watchmen” on TV & Peanuts Papers (December 17, 2019).

Plus comicbook cover pinups, impeachment editoons galore, reviews of Corto Maltese Early Years, Stumptown, and long obits for Howard Cruse, Gahan Wilson, Tom Spurgeon and Lew Little.

 

Opus 399a: Bunny Bonus—Doomsday Clock Analyzed (January 18, 2020)

A reader’s log.

 

Opus 400: Cartoons in The New Yorker (Good and Bad), Decade’s Top Five Censored Comicbooks & Our Yearly Report (February 1, 2020).

Reviews of Mauldin’s Willie & Joe: The World War II Years; Barney Google for President; The Complete Pogo, Volume 6; Mac Raboy: Master of the Comics; “A Very Stable Genius” @realDonaldTrump; The Art of Nothing: Patrick McDonnell and Mutts; Mad No.11; The Mueller Report, Steve Stiles obit

 

Opus 401: Political Posting of Editoons from the Last 45 Days & Katy Keene Revival (February 29, 2020).

Reviews of Front Lines: Political Cartooning and the Battle for Free Speech and The Trump Years: This Is the End; how truth is twisted on social media, DiDio fired at DC, Trumpet’s impeachment and trial by the Senate, his State of the Union address, plus obits for Victor Gorelick and Claire Bretecher.

 

Opus 402: Coronavirus Plagues Comicbook Biz, Disgraces of Trump, Labor Editoonists Retire, Reviews of Josephine Baker Biog & 5 More Books (April 13, 2020).

Plus Chris Ware on Isolation in The New Yorker, the first Canadian to get the Herblock, Ted Rall loses (for now); Jack Kirby’s Dingbat Love: Unpublished ’70 Stories and more; Mineshaft Magazine. Obits for Russ Cochran, Frank McLaughlin, and Albert Uderzo.

 

Opus 403: Reuben Nominees, Vermont’s Laureate Veitch, Bagley Finishes 40, Broomhilda’s 50^th Anniversary, Why Brits Don’t Like Trump, Comics and Coronavirus, Three Signatures in Dennis & Obits for Gene Deitch and Mort Drucker (May 10, 2020).

Plus 35 years of Comic News; reviews of Hog Wash and nine Number One comicbooks (including the sexy Queen of the Black Coast, dim Grimm Noir, and the astonishingly unusual Decorum, Strange Academy, King of Nowhere, Backtrack, Criminal Macabre, Killdelphia, Artemis and the Assassin); hate groups in America, and Biden accused of rape.

 

Opus 404: Editoons Galore, John Stanley and Little Lulu, Early Dr. Seuss, Freud & Trump Faces (June 1, 2020).

Plus Drawn to Purpose (women illustrators and cartoonists), Lynn Johnston’s Proustian Answers, collections of gag cartoons, comicbooks Hellblazer and Butcher of Paris, a gallery of Trump faces, and an essay on “will comicbooks survive?”

 

Opus 405a: Lechery and the Penile Prompt—Warren Ellis and Sexual Harassment (July 23, 2020).

 

Opus 405: Mitzi McCoy, Thurber books, Editoons on George Floyd and the Birth of a Battlecry & Obits for Dennis O’Neil, Murray Olderman and Frank Bolle (June 29, 2020).

Plus roundup of recent editoons, Winning an Emmy, Pastis Can Draw, Political Correctness, Stone Soup Ends, Jaffee Retires, Nancy Drew’s Phony “Death.”

 

Opus 406: Editoons of July, Anemic Choices Newspaper Editors Make for Editoons, Screwball Comics, Flapper Queens, Facsimile Comicbooks, No.1's & John Lewis (August 10, 2020).

Among No.1's reviewed, Adventureman, Texas Blood, Dead Body Road, and Family Tree; facsimiles of comicbooks Detective No.38, also No.475 and the Very First Comicbook, New Fun), and farewells to Joe Sinnott, Henry Martin, and John Lewis.

 

Opus 407: A Month’s Editorial Cartoons, Outcry over Editoons , Winners of NCS Awards & Cartoonist of the Year (September 17, 2020).

Mostly editoons.

 

Opus 408: Reviews of Chu and Bad Mother; and Terry Moore’s Five Years: Stalemate; Trudeau’s Lewser, Frank Cho’s extraordinary Ballpoint Beauties, the Wondrous Hedra, plus Myron Moose & Beetle’s 70^th. (September 30, 2020).

Plus reviews of Year Zero, Toth’s Zorro, Rick Geary’s Lincoln County War (Billy the Kid Stuff), UnPresidented: Cartoons of Chaos; The Art of Frank Cho; Stormy Daniels in Four-color Fantasies; Online Comic Book about Trumpet Pandemic Failures; “Chaykin’s” Blackhawk.

 

Opus 409: Pre-election Editoons and Reviews of Negan Lives, Stillwater, Jaffee’s Tall Tales, Black Heroes of the Wild West, Iconic Little Joe, Pulp & Mae West’s Babe Gordon (October 27, 2020).

Plus Tom Toles retiring, 5 alleged myths about Stan Lee, anniversaries of Between Friends and Arlo and Janis, reviews of comicbook 1^st issues and Bob Weber’s Moose.

 

Opus 410: Bunny Bonus of Editorial Cartoons on Election Day (November 7, 2020).

Plus sample of comic strips that noticed the Election and my log of the unfolding of that week.

 

Opus 411: Ten Books Reviewed, plus Four Number One Comicbooks, First Comic Strip (Ever), Stan Lee’s Sad Last Days & the Trumpet’s Big Sulk (December 15, 2020).

Red and Rover: A Boy, A Dog, A Time, A Feeling; Waggin’ Tales: A Red and Rover Collection; Cork High and Bottle Deep (Cartoons by Vip); Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouses: The Ultimate History; Constitution Illustrated by R. Sikoryak; Laughing Matters: Political Cartoons; Comics Aren’t As Simple As They Seem (Scholarly Treatise); Illustrators No.29 (featuring the work of Roy Wilson, Lawson Wood, Thomas Rowlandson, J.J. Grandville, and Charles Adams); Editoonery Patrick Chappatte Does Graphic Novel; Fearless: A Cartoonist’s Guide to Life by Rob Armstrong; On A Roll! JumpStart Treasury for 30^th Anniversary; and graphic novels The Winter of the Cartoonist & Michael Jordan: Bull on Parade. Also anniversaries of JumpStart and Herb & Jamaal and the Shortest Presidential Term—One day. And our Annual Report, a review of the comics year.

Opus 412a: Bunny Bonus with Editoonery about Trump’s Insurrection (January 10, 2021).

Plus text expressing Rancid Raves outrage, and explanation of the 25^th Amendment.

 

Opus 412: Cartoonists and Trump-free World, Editoons about Loser Trump, Friends/Fans Discuss Stan Lee, the Year’s Best Graphic Novel & Linus and Saint Luke (December 30, 2020).

Reviews of Henry Speaks for Himself (Carl Anderson’s mute kid), The Nutcracker (fantastic illos), Gahan Wilson Sunday Comics, A Wealth of Pigeons: A Cartoon Collection (by Steve Martin and Harry Bliss); The New Yorker Cartoon Issue, The Book Tour (exceptional graphic novel), The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist (Adrian Tomine’s autobiographical essay); plus first issues of Sacred Six and American Ronin and appreciations of Christmas Issue of Mad, Bad Mother No.4, Hellboy by Adam Hughes, and Miles to Go No.2, forthcoming T.S. Sullivant tome and obits for Richard Corben and Ken Spears.

 

Opus 413: Dan DeCarlo, T.S. Sullivant, and Bud Blake, plus DC’s Future State of Superheroes’ Inner Lives & Kent State Graphic Novel (January 31, 2021).

Plus reviews of Lynda Barry’s Making Comics, Patrick Chappatte’s Trump Years editoons, Stan Lee: A Life in Comics; and of first issues of Wolverine Black, White & Blood, Barbalien, Punchline, Indigenous Voices, Wonder Woman, and Kara Zor-el Superwoman. Also what Trump actually accomplished and lists of comic strips ending, new strips starting and cartoonists dying in 2020, and the Future State of DC Comics plus all of Harv’s Trumpet cartoons.

 

Opus 414: Anniversary New Yorker, Six Number Ones, Jose Carioca, Graphic Novels Reviews & Obits S. Clay Wilson, Limbaugh, Flynt & Ferlinghetti (February 28, 2021).

Another Stan Lee biog, RCH’s version of Stan Lee at Marvel, Bill Chenoweth the imitation Russian, reviews of Number Ones (Cross Over, Miskatonic, Scumbag, Zorro Times Tales, Bomb Queen, Black Friday, Steambound, and Young Hellboy), Corto Maltese Mu Lost Continent, Love in Vein (Robert Johnson biog), graphic novels Fatherland, H.P. Lovecraft.

 

Opus 415: Round-up of Editoons, Six Seuss Cancelled, New Presidential Caricatures & The Most Popular Editoons of 2020 (March 17, 2021).

Over 100 editoons from the past month, plus video of RCH developing a caricature of Biden.

 

Opus 416: Wonder Woman’s H.G. Peter, Dagwood’s 8-pager, Hank Ketcham’s Graphic Brilliance & Editoons (April 8, 2021).

Plus reviews of Mignola book, Golden Age Westerns, Brzrkr No.1, and glimpses of Little Sport, Harvey Kurtzman’s Rumples, Liniers, and RCH’s Dennis try-out and anniversaries of Dennis, Ginger Meggs, and Al Jaffee.

 

Opus 417: The Chauvin Verdict, Listing This Year’s 147 Mass Killings, Stereotyping and Cartoon Shorthand, Timm’s Big Tease & Tempest Storm Obit (May 11, 2021).

Editoons on the Chauvin verdict, Tarzan ends, plus reviews of  comicbook number ones (Ha Ha, Women of Marvel) and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Captain America.

 

Opus 418: The Month’s Editoons, Crumb on Women and Trump & M. Thomas Inge’s Creation of Scholarly Interest In Comics (May 26, 2021).

Our 22^nd anniversary with a page of special comics.

 

Opus 418a: The Pulitzer Dereliction of Duty: No Prize for Editoons This Year (June 15, 2021).

 

Opus 419a: Bunny Bonus with Vocabulary from the LGBT+ World (July 15, 2021).

Lists new words for man and woman etc.

 

Opus 419: More on Pulitzer No Prize & Ten Book Reviews (June 30, 2021).

Plus Charles Schulz all-adults comic strip, Vladimir Nabokov’s poem about Superman’s dilemma, reviews of Chaykin’s Hey, Kids! Comics!; Books, Books, Books: A Hilarious Collection of Literary Cartoons; Danger Girl: Permission to Thrill Coloring Book; Love and Other Weird Things, Cartoons by Rich Sparks; Birth of a Beetle: The Magazine Cartoons of Mort Walker; Rusty Riley: Volume Two, Dailies: 1949 - 1951; Can the Hulk Lift A House?; The Complete Don Quixote Graphic Novel; Mickey All-Stars; It’s Life As I See It: Black Cartoonists in Chicago, 1940-1980; and The Adoption graphic novel) plus a sampling of the month’s editorial cartoons.

Opus 420: July’s Editoons, the First Corto Maltese Book, Mister Oswald & Obits at Andrews McMeel Universal (August 8, 2021).

Over 80 of July’s political cartoons (anti-vaxxers, the Big Lie, and other issues); we also review the Bill Blackbeard comicbook, Snooty Bookshop (50 literary postcards), the Will Eisner DVD, The Case of Bill Cosby and a comic strip in The New Yorker.

 

Opus 421: Book Reviews (19 of Them), August’s Editoons & Plugs in Funky (September 7, 2021).

Book reviews include Scoop Scuttle and His Pals, Two-Volume Biography of Basil Wolverton, Invisible Men: Black Artists of Comic Books, I Think He’s Crazy: The Comics of B.K. Taylor,

Secret History of Marvel Comics, The Marvel Vault: A Visual History, Marvel Greatest Comics: 100 Comics, Marvel: The First 80 Years, Captain America: The First 80 Years, Marvel Comics in the 1970s: Issue by Issue, DC Through the ’80s, The Joker: 80 Years of the Clown Prince of Crime, Totally Awesome: The Greatest [Animated] Cartoons of the Eighties, Stan Lee’s How To Draw Superheroes, Draw Comics Like a Pro by Al Bigley, Introduction to Cartooning by Richard Taylor, Terry Moore’s How To Draw and Steranko: The Self-Created Man.

 

Opus 421a: Bunny Bonus on Ray Billingsley, Reuben Winner and Cartoonist of the Year (October 22, 2021).

 

Opus 422a: Awards Season (NCS Reuben Divisions & Others), Superman Bisexual, October’s Editoons & Kevin Robinette Obit (November 29, 2021)

Other awards: the EWK, Babin, Berryman awards. We also celebrate leaf-peeping in Colorado, and bid a fond farewell to Kevin Robinette, “Comics Professor.”

 

Opus 423: Parents Censoring School Libraries, Death of Magazine Cartooning, Novelist Mosley To Write The Thing & Taboos Broken in the Funnies (December 2, 2021).

Plus reviews of Number Ones (Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body, Human Target, Cross To Bear, The Magic 2 Order) and Sheena Queen of the Jungle, Pickles Tales, Pen and Ink (Frank Cho).

Opus 424: Schulz and Feminism, Stan Lee Meets Larry King, Some Well-drawn Comics, Best Books from Jeremy Dauber & Our Anyule Greeting (January 7, 2022).

Reviews of The Quality Companion from Two Morrows, Frank Pe’s Little Nemo and The Big Hoax plus some comicbook Number Ones— King of Spies, The Thing (by Walter Mosley), Newburn; and other books— Masters of British Comic Art; R. Crumb Sketchbook: Volume 6, February 1998 - March 2011; Archie: 80 Years of Christmas; and Hirschfeld: The Biography.

 

Opus 424a: Last Month’s Editorial Cartoons (January 13, 2022).

We report on Charles Schulz and feminism and Stan Lee interviewed by Larry King, and we review The Quality Companion from Two Morrows, Frank Pe’s Little Nemo, and The Thing (by Walter Mosley), plus a beautifully drawn graphic novel, the Big Hoax—and a lot of editoons. 

 

Opus 425: Book Banning (Including Maus) in Schools, New Yorker Cartoon Failures and Anniversary & Long Obits for Ron Goulart and Orlando Busino (February 15, 2022)

Plus reviewing the final book in the Complete Peanuts series (which covers miscellaneous Schulz cartoons).

 

Opus 426: Last Month’s Editorial Cartoons & Pat Oliphant in Retirement (February 25, 2022).

Plus Trumperies, dirty doings at the Playboy Mansion, Spiegelman in Time, and Valentine’s Day in the funnies.

 

Opus 427a: The Month’s Editoons, Dick Wright Is Back, Zelensky’s Speech to Congress, Sally Forth’s Unusual 40^th  & Orson Welles Cartoonist (March 29, 2022).

Plus Crankshaft explains the current newspaper crisis.

 

Opus 428: Obits for Neal Adams and George Perez, Recent Editoons and Comic Strips Surveyed & Five Hardcover Books Reviewed (April 30/May 17, 2022).

Reviews of Obsessed with Marvel: Test Your Knowledge of the Marvel Universe

The Million Year Picnic and Other Stories (Elder and Severin), Atom Bomb and Other Stories (Wood), The Place To Be: Washington, CBS, and the Glory Days of Television News (Roger Mudd), graphic novel Berlin and comicbooks Cassidy’s Secret, Little Monsters, Monkey Meat,

She-Hulk, Batman Catwoman, Number One plus USPS cartoonist stamp.

 

Opus 428a: Bunny Bonus!! SPECIAL REPORT on National Cartoonists Day, the Yellow Kid & Rose Is Rose (May 5, 2022).

We look at more than 60 of the month’s editoons, watch Crankshaft explain the newspaper crisis and Sally Forth
celebrate her 40 th anniversary, conduct a biography of editoonist Dick Wright, and review Zap Comix No.16, Orson Welles cartoons and comicbooks Grrl Scouts and Monkey Meat—plus a
Bunny Bonus about National Cartoonists Day and the Yellow Kid.

 

Opus 429: Bunny Bonus!! Selected Editoons and Article Excerpts on Guns and the Mass Murder in a Texas Elementary School (May 27, 2022).
Editoons about guns and the mass murder in a Texas elementary school; in Opus 428, we celebrate the lives and achievements of two giants in comicbook artistry with obits for Neal Adams and George Perez. We also review comicbooks and editoons and several books (including two reprinting EC works by Elder and Wood) and offer a way to prevent mass murders.

 

Opus 429a: Editoons Threatened, Five Books Reviewed, Davenport Editoons,  Latino Tooner Lalo Alcaraz & Jack Chick’s Ghost (June 29, 2022).
A roundup of recent editoons even as editooning is threatened, more mass murders enrage a nation, Florida governor vs Disney, reviews of Foul Play, Badass Broads, Davenport, Grass Kings, Lalo Alcaraz’s long journey, and Jack Chick’s ghost—and more.

 

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To find out about Harv's books, click here.