One more plug for Craig Yoe’s Milt Gross book (it deserves it) now that you can order it on Amazon (for $29.19). Craig searched high and low for unseen Gross art to illustrate his 40-page introduction. I told him I had an unpublished Gross sketch given to me by Bob Clampett, but unfortunately I could not find it in time for inclusion in the book. I just found it yesterday.

So here it is - Gross caricatures Clampett (and himself?), with Clampett as a director yelling “Cut!”. Gross asks “With what?” What is Gross about to eat? A sausage covered with ketchup? A drippy eclair? It’s autographed to “Battling” Bob Clampett - what does that refer to? Lots to read into here. Enjoy!

This week: Crankshaft (3/9/10) by Tom Batiuk and Chuck Ayers; Wulffmorganthaler (3/13/10) by Martin Mostrom Nielson; The Argyle Sweater (3/10/10) by Scott Hilburn.

(Thanks to Jim Lahue, David Ian White)

How do I love thee, let me count the ways: this isn’t so much a book review, but a book RAVE. Craig Yoe’s massive new tome reprinting the comic book art of Milt Gross (IDW/Yoe Books, 354 color pages, $39.99 or cheaper on Amazon) is an absolute must-have by everyone reading this blog. Buy it now. Gross was the dean of funny cartoonists, influencing everyone from Bob Clampett and Harvey Kurtzman to R. Crumb. He pioneered what we call today the graphic novel, worked in animation, wrote songs, coined slang, had a long running newspaper comic strip and directed two insane MGM cartoons in the 1930s (I’ve embed one of them, Jitterbug Follies (1939), below).

Yoe’s new book reprints Gross’ rarely seen comic pages for Picture News magazine and for the American Comics Group (ACG) from the 1940s. He precedes this with a 38 page detailed history of Milt Gross, loaded with rare cartoons, advertisements, still photos and frame grabs that are worth the price of the book alone. A Foreword by Herb Gross (Milt’s son) and a clever “Fold-INtroduction” by Mad’s Al Jaffee set the zany tone. The Complete Milt Gross Comic Books and Life Story; To paraphrase both Jack Kirby and Milt Gross: Dun’t Esk, just buy it!

24 comments  permalink  posted in Animators, Books, Comics

The Sunday Funnies (3/7/10)

March 7, 2010 11:00 am

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From the top: Today’s Lio (3/7/10) by Mark Tatulli; Ink Pen (3/6/10 and 3/7/10) by Phil Dunlap; Butt Sweat n’ Tears (3/6/10) by Makinita (Andres Silva); and Reality Check (3/6/10) by Dave Whamond.

(Thanks, Jim Lahue and Charles Brubaker)

18 comments  permalink  posted in Comics

The Sunday Funnies (2/28/10)

February 28, 2010 12:05 am

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From the top: Brewster Rockit (2/26/10) by Tim Rickard, The Argyle Sweater (2/27/10) by Scott Hilburn, and Off The Mark (2/23/10) by Mark Parisi

(Thanks to our usual crew of comic strip mavens: Uncle Wayne, Jim Lahue, Charles Brubaker, John Hall and Jed Martinez)

14 comments  permalink  posted in Comics

The Sunday Funnies (2/21/10)

February 21, 2010 10:00 am

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Argyle Sweater (2/18/10) by Scott Hilburn, Lio (2/16/10) by Mark Tatulli and today’s (2/21/10) Fox Trot by Bill Amend.

(Thanks Jed Martinez, Jim Lahue and Charles Brubaker)

9 comments  permalink  posted in Comics

The Sunday Funnies (2/14/10)

February 14, 2010 11:00 am

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At the top, today’s (2/14/10) Ink Pen by Phil Dunlap (it looks like the arms/legs belong to: (1) Mickey Mouse, (2) Hippety Hopper, (3) Popeye, (4) Magilla Gorilla The Grape Ape, (5) Snagglepuss & (6) Heathcliff); in the middle, Argyle Sweater by Scott Hilburn (2/11/10); and Adam at Home by Brian Basset (2/7/10).

(Thanks, Jim Lahue and Charles Brubaker)

20 comments  permalink  posted in Comics

Winsor McCay’s Hell House

February 14, 2010 12:05 am

According to Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay news blog, the so-called “Hell house” at 1811 Voorhies Ave. (between Ocean Ave. and Shore Road) — currently inhabited by a horde of insects — turns out to be a former residence of legendary cartoonist and pioneering animator Winsor McCay.

According to the blog, “…the property’s owners seek to tear down the structure and replace it with condominiums. Failing that, they’re attempting to subcontract it to the city for a new life as a halfway house or homeless shelter. What should be done is a full restoration and landmarking.” We couldn’t agree more.

(Thanks, Anne D. Bernstein)

44 comments  permalink  posted in Cartoon Culture, Comics

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