Stephen Silver’s new sketchbook, cleverly titled Stephen Silver’s Sketchbook, is hot off the press and will be debuting at the San Diego Comic-Con. (It is also available online at www.silvertoons.com). Silver will be at the Con with a booth (#H6) where he’ll be signing books, answering questions and examining portfolios. On Friday from 12-1:30pm, in Room 3, Silver will be on a panel Designing Appealing Characters alongside animator (and Playboy cartoonist) Dean Yeagle and ILM animation director Glen McIntosh.

There’s going to be a Gumby exhibit opening Aug. 4th at the Center for Puppetry Arts museum in Atlanta. Several original props and models from the series history will be on exhibit. On opening night, Friday, Aug. 4 from 8-9:30 pm, there will be a showing of rare Gumby films along with a Q&A session with members of Art Clokey’s family. You can find more official info by going to www.puppet.org or calling (404) 873-3391.

Amid and I will be plugging Comic-Con International: San Diego several times during the next week as we slowly figure out what panels are worth attending.I’m interested in meeting as many Brew readers as I can. I’ll be running around the con handing out buttons to promote my Frederator cartoon short Hornswiggle. One way to get these rare collectibles is to attend the two events I’m moderating:

RANDOM CARTOONS SNEAK PREVIEW – Clips, interviews and production art from the new Nickelodeon Frederator series called Random Cartoons. Meet the creators, and get cool stuff! Sneak preview clips from various cartoons including MIND THE KITTY, ADVENTURE TIME, MOOBEARD, THE COW PIRATE and HORNSWIGGLE. Thursday July 20, 2:30pm in Room 2WORST CARTOONS EVER 2006 – My all-new annual screening of the rock bottom cartoon crap-ola, includes different episodes of SUPER PRESIDENT, MIGHTY MR. TITAN, JOHNNY CYPHER IN DIMENSION ZERO, as well as new discoveries like Sam Singer’s PADDY THE PELICAN and Harman-Ising’s SIR GEE WHIZ. Friday July 21, 9pm in Room CDEF

I’ll also be appearing at the ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD booth (#5434) on Saturday July 22 at 11am to hand out buttons there. So come up and say hello!

Check this out: Oliver on the Golden Age Cartoons Forum discoved the posting of an extensive interview (over four hours) with Joe Barbera (interviewed mainly by Leonard Maltin). This is part of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s Archive of American Television interview series and it’s presented in seven parts via Google Video. Recorded in 1997, it’s quite enjoyable and highly informative.

Greg Ehrbar, co-author of the new book Mouse Tracks, is hosting an ASIFA-Hollywood event this Thursday in Glendale. This is part of a whirlwind tour of southern California for Greg, with several book signing events lined-up (click here for his whole schedule). But Thursday at the Glendale Library Greg will be concentraing on the animation related aspects of the Walt Disney Records output, with many special guests including Jymn Magon and Phil “Phillio” Baron. Join him Thursday July 13th at 7pm in The Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard Street in Glendale, CA.

Dan Goodsell’s Sampler of Things blog is a daily must-see for everyone who loves classic cartoons and great retro package design. Today’s post is a particular nostalgic blast for me: a 1962 Kellogg’s promotion for it’s Hanna Barbera sponsored TV shows. I vividly remember cutting out these “trading cards” and package-back “pin-me-ups”. Around this time I also joined Hanna-Barbera’s Huckleberry Hound Fan Club – and getting the package, sent to home with my name on the label, was the first mail I ever received. I can never forget that thrill. In fact I think I still have the envelope. Thanks Dan, for reviving that cherished memory.

Where’s Waldo? Check this out.

No, the image above isn’t from the Filmation Tom and Jerry Comedy Show (1980), nor any U.S. produced latter day monstrosity. It’s a page out of one of the ugliest foreign childrens books I’ve ever seen. I just had to share.Someone left an anonymous donation at ASIFA-Hollywood last week – a set of Korean produced anime childrens books. When I took a closer look at the cover of first one I noticed, to my horror, something resembling an undersized Tom & Jerry cavorting with an oversized anime girl. The inside art redefines the word hideous. Whether this is a licensed product or not, I have no idea (I see no Time Warner or Turner Entertainment copyright mark anywhere on the book). It’s right up there with those ugly public domain video boxes you see in the bargain bins. Here’s the cover:

UPDATE! Brew reader Andre writes in to report that the anime girl on the cover is Minky Momo, “from Ashi Productions anime series (released in english as Magical Princess GiGi by Harmony Gold in the 80’s). So it’s not just one knockoff, it’s a two in one crossover.”For even more really bad animation art, don’t miss my 2006 edition of the Worst Cartoons Ever screening at the San Diego Comic Con. More info about my activities at the Comic Con will be posted in the next few days. In the meantime, enjoy!