October 20th, THIRD THURSDAY at AMOCAT CAFE 7:30 pm

Come prepared to DRAW DRAW DRAW your favorite HALLOWEENIE !  Whatever you think that means.  By popular vote the winners will get their pick of LEXX cult classic Canadian science fiction DVD’s.  Maybe even witness a few CLAW new member swearing in ceremonial rituals!  We will post all artwork to the CLAW DRAW site.

Outrageous #occupytacoma fun! See you there, Comrade.

Of the Competing CLAW talons ALL members met the challenge to complete 24 pages in 24 hours!

1. Larry (aka Thorax O’Tool) – [pages not live?]
2. RR Anderson – WYATT JAMES, BOY DETECTIVE
3. Stowe + Kevin – Wango the Wallaby: Trouble in Console Town 
4. Mark Monlux – Stickman’s Tips for Having A Table at a Comic Book Convention
5. Michael Daley – Insomnia Bites
6. Mark Brill – The Mad Man from Planet Zatar!

Check out the finished comics linked above. These are truly dark economic times for the friends of CLAW so donations to our Young Cartoonist of the Future Scholarship fund not as frequent this year… but all the more special, which brings our grand total up into the $500′s. Thank you so much for your donations!  If you showed up to the event and made a donation, you got to take home one of these incredible mystery monkey tile original artworks:

Extra-extra thanks to Mr and Mrs. Izenmania who showered us with delicious home-made baked goods. Godamnit I love these people so much. Just look at these young patriots, they love freedom and well fed cartoonists…

see how happy I am?

See full set of Mark Monlux photos here.  THANK YOU WEEKLY VOLCANO FOR YOUR MAINSTREAM MEDIA COVERAGE!

THANK YOU STAFF OF COMIC BOOK INK! the power of the universe flows through you all!

IN OTHER NEWS…

CLAW is considering formation of a sub-support group within our body of Cartoonists specifically for Cartoon/Comic-strip writers.  Here is what we have so far:

• Writers who join the CLAW would be known as Quills.
• Their dues would be $60 a year, not $70
• They would not have a vote.
• They would be judged on their body of work in which they have shown actual collaboration with a cartoonist.
• They can only be sponsored by cartoonist, or a sponsor would be appointed for them via the four eyes if they pass four-eye assessment.
• Four eyes will determine the leader of the quills, just as all leadership is determined by the four-eyes.
• The leader of the quills will be given the title of Alpha, and regarding duration of leadership, will follow the same rules as the other leaders of the CLAW. Past Alpha will be referred to as Omega.
• Letters will be assigned Quills. There can only be one Alpha symbol worn, Omega’s can wear their symbol as long as their members.
• It’s suggested that Quills would wear berets instead of fez.

NEXT CLAW Sketchbook Open Swim

Theme: “Halloweenie!”  at Amcat Café @ 7:30 pm on October 20^th, 2011 (Third Thursday)

Robot Overlord CLAW T-shirts

(coming soon)

 MISC

• Drawing dragons for First Night  event
• Winterfest event at Tacoma Art Museum (december)
• Friend of CLAW nominations
• Yearly Changing of the Four Eye council ritual at Knights of Pythias Temple
• New Members: Michael Daley and Britton Sukys!

Saturday October 1st, 2011 A.D.

2510 S. 84th, Suites 15A-B, Lakewood, WA 98466
(253) 761-4651

YOU WILL HAVE
24 HOURS
To MAKE a COMPLETE 24 Page COMIC BOOK

Can YOU Do it?

CAN YOU Create a COMPLETE COMIC BOOK
in Only 24 Hours?!

That is the Question that Tacoma, Washington’s COMIC BOOK INK is Challenging the Members of C.L.A.W. (the Cartoonists’ League of Absurd Washingtonians), and YOU, to try and accomplish SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1st! Starting at 10:00am THIS Saturday and Continuing ALL DAY ..into THE NIGHT..and Straight on until the NEXT MORNING on Sunday, October 2nd at 10:00am…That’s right, 24 HOURS!

“This is our 3rd Year issuing the challenge,” said store owner, JOHN MUNN, “And our Homegrown Heroes, the Members of C.L.A.W., are being dared to Return to the Challenge that TWO of them COMPLETED last year…and we challenge them to bring even more of their numbers. And when I say, ‘Return to the Callenge’, it means we are hoping for the chance to put them on public display again..doing what they do best..Creating Comics while continuing to be Absurd. Every year, C.L.A.W. uses this event to promote their SCHOLARSHIP FUND and we know they will rise to the challenge again this year!”

C.L.A.W. is uses this event as an opportunity to seek out Contributors to C.L.A.W.’s Student Scholarship Fund. “One of the reasons we started C.L.A.W. was to establish a Scholarship, however meager, for Art Students interested in Comics and Cartooning,” said MARK MONLUX, one of the founders of C.L.A.W., resident of Fern Hill and Award-Winning Illustrator. “Those of us who draw know just how tight finances can be for someone who is just starting to learn their craft. Besides tuition and books, there is the ever-increasing price of art supplies. Our Goal is to help out with relieving some of the burden, even if its only a few dollars.”

• LIVE TWEET STREAM here
• OFFICIAL Facebook Event Page

What is 24 HOUR COMICS DAY?

24 HOUR COMICS DAY All Starts with a Challenge!!

The 24 HOUR COMICS CHALLENGE is for a Cartoonist to completely create a 24 Page Comics Story in 24 Straight Hours. A “24 Hour Comic” is any comic story that you make while facing the challenge…even if you take more than 24 consecutively-awake hours to make the comic or if you end after the 24 hours with a story that shorter than 24 pages.

Is this really the best way to make a great comic?

Probably not (although some really cool comics have been made this way), but that is not the real goal. The goal is to have the experience of trying. It’s a creative exercise that can teach you a lot about what you are capable of.

Who came up with the “Concept” of the 24 HOUR COMIC?

A cartoonist named SCOTT McCLOUD. Scott is the leading theoretician in the comics field. A position he achieved with the release of “Understanding Comics” an analysis of the comics form. Head on over to www.ScottMcCloud.com to learn more about Scott and his Insights!

How many 24 HOUR COMICS have been done?

Over 1000 people have taken the challenge so far worldwide. Just last year, Comic Book Ink hosted 18 People for the Challenge.

What is 24 HOUR COMICS DAY?

It’s a Celebration of the Creation of Comics. The first event was held in 2004.

Are YOU up to the CHALLENGE? Join us this Saturday at 10:00am or come in and witness the spectacle and cheer on our challengers!!

Who knows…we might have a few late night surprises for you…

The Cartoonists League of Absurd Washingtonians formed in October of 2008. That previous summer Frost Park (named after slain police officer Frost) was saved from having a fence placed around it when RR Anderson issued a challenge to one and all that an hour contest draw on the sidewalk with chalk to see who was the greatest illustrator in the universe would be held at Frost Park. The Frost Park Chalk off quickly became a Friday tradition. But as October drew near, so did the merciless rains, which would make chalking impossible. Four magnificent souls from the contests had a lunch to discuss what could be done to keep the fun going over winter. Thus it was that the brainchild of the CLAW was born over Sushi and chalk.

The Tacoma Art Museum, recognizing an organization that was actively fun and terrific PR, asked the CLAW to become involved in some of it’s events. So it was on August 6th that the CLAW participated, for the third year running, along with many of the Frost Park Chalkies, in a chalk art competition at Tollefson Plaza, across the street from the art museum. The theme of the competition was “Identity”. The public via the TAM Facebook page will submit votes to determine the winner.

SEE ALSO MARK BRILL’S blog:

1. COWBOYS & DINOSAURS
2. COWBOYS & DINOSAURS – THE PROCESS 

The CLAW holds a publically accessible Open Swim meeting the third Thursday of each month at the Amocat Café. July had the Dockyard Derby Dames volunteering for an evening modeling session. The theme for Augusts’ meeting will be Win-Loose-or CLAW, a team drawing completion involving everyone who attends. Member-only meetings are the first Wednesday of the month and are held secretly at Comic Book Ink. If you would like to become a member of the CLAW applications can be found at the website under “About Us”. Potentials are voted in by all the membership based on their cartooning skill. You can find us, and see members work at our Facebook page and Flicker groups.

In Other News

• The Tribulations of Mr. Fiddlesticks
• NEW CLAW member spambot comic launched!
• NEW CLAW member zombie comic  launched!
• NEW CLAW Draw’s the Derby Dames
• NEW CLAW member no. 17 – welcome Brandon!

Image Courtesy of Four-Eye Mark 9 Brill

Comic Book Ink and the C.L.A.W. held the “Be A Hero!” Fundraiser. (read Mark Brill’s excellent first-person account)  The CLAW’s goal was to raise $1,000 to purchase a share of Comic Book Ink, with the eventual profit from the share going into the CLAW Student Scholarship Fund. Cartoonists and Comic artists descended on Comic Book Ink on Saturday, June 25th from Noon to 5:00 pm. And during that the CLAW exceeded its goal. Many thanks to all those who participated! And the fun didn’t stop there! From 5 p.m. on the artists went next door to the Green Pup Sports Bar for a Drink and Draw! The artwork created at the Drink and Draw went on display at Comic Book Ink and raised yet more funds for the cause. The Open Swim was held at the CLAW’s new meeting time, the third Thursday of the month. So that makes this next CLAW Open Swim will be on Thursday, July 21st. The next big public event the CLAW will be participating in will be Tacoma’s Art Museum’s Best of the Northwest Summer Festival’s Chalk Art Competition. This will be the CLAW’s third year attending and we are hoping that one of our members will walk away with the grand prize, a year’s membership at the museum. For this and other event coming in August, keep an eye on our calendar.

One Ringy Dingy

UPDATE: A slew of members form the CLAW will be at Comic Book Ink today; James Stowe, Mark Brill, Adam Botsford, Nick Butler, Mark Monlux and special guest Jesse Munoz. All of them will be doing drawings for you when you make a donation to the fund.

Raffles! There will be an hourly raffles for Comic Book Ink Gift Certificates!
Also, Mark Brill will be raffling off framed original art from one of the pieces he did for a Magic the Gathering cards.
We know there is a lot happening this weekend, but we encourage you to stop on by and show your support for a local merchant who’s done a lot for this community and the CLAW!

Comic Book Ink and the C.L.A.W. (Cartoonist’s league of Absurd Washingtonians) are inviting you to “Be A Hero!” The CLAW, in response for all the previous support given by Comic Book Ink, is looking to return the favor. The CLAW’s goal is to raise $1,000 to purchase a share of Comic Book Ink, with the eventual profit from the share going into the CLAW Student Scholarship Fund. Caroonists and Comic artists will be descending on Comic Book Ink on Saturday, June 25th from Noon to 5:00 pm. For everyone who makes a donation these fine artisans be drawing you or a loved one as a Super!

And the fun doesn’t stop there! From 5 p.m. on the artists are going to head next door to the Green Pup Sports Bar for a Drink and Draw! Artwork created at the Drink and Draw will be display on Sunday at Comic Book Ink and available for purchase via a silent auction. Come in and mark down your bid on your favorites.

Out of town but still want to participate? Just go to: http://www.cartoonistsleague.org and click on the donate button. All donations made during the weekend of June 25th and 26th will go towards into this unique effort to support a local merchant who’s has been a long time supporter of local artists and gamers in the community.

To see a continually updated lists of participating artists visit:
http://www.comicbookink.com

The C.L.A.W. Student Scholarship Fund
This scholarship is given yearly to an Art Student to aid in their ongoing studies of sequential art, and continues to get larger each year. With a humble award of $100 in 2009 the scholarship had grown each year, with last scholarship being $908. This generosity was in no small part thanks Comic Book Ink who was been both a donator of fund but also acting as the venue for the 24 Hour Comic Challenge in November, the C.L.A.W.’s primary fund drive. It’s the C.L.A.W.’s deepest wish to keep Comic Book Ink open and alive, so that they can continue to be one of the truly socially active retailers in our community.

One Ringy Dingy

Comic Book Ink and the C.L.A.W. (Cartoonist’s league of Absurd Washingtonians) are inviting you to “Be A Hero!” The CLAW, in response for all the previous support given by Comic Book Ink, is looking to return the favor. The CLAW’s goal is to raise $1,000 to purchase a share of Comic Book Ink, with the eventual profit from the share going into the CLAW Student Scholarship Fund. Caroonists and Comic artists will be descending on Comic Book Ink on Saturday, June 25th from Noon to 5:00 pm. For everyone who makes a donation these fine artisans be drawing you or a loved one as a Super!

And the fun doesn’t stop there! From 5 p.m. on the artists are going to head next door to the Green Pup Sports Bar for a Drink and Draw! Artwork created at the Drink and Draw will be display on Sunday at Comic Book Ink and available for purchase via a silent auction. Come in and mark down your bid on your favorites.

Out of town but still want to participate? Just go to: http://www.cartoonistsleague.org and click on the donate button. All donations made during the weekend of June 25th and 26th will go towards into this unique effort to support a local merchant who’s has been a long time supporter of local artists and gamers in the community.

To see a continually updated lists of participating artists visit:
http://www.comicbookink.com

The C.L.A.W. Student Scholarship Fund
This scholarship is given yearly to an Art Student to aid in their ongoing studies of sequential art, and continues to get larger each year. With a humble award of $100 in 2009 the scholarship had grown each year, with last scholarship being $908. This generosity was in no small part thanks Comic Book Ink who was been both a donator of fund but also acting as the venue for the 24 Hour Comic Challenge in November, the C.L.A.W.’s primary fund drive. It’s the C.L.A.W.’s deepest wish to keep Comic Book Ink open and alive, so that they can continue to be one of the truly socially active retailers in our community.

[Gong - Gong - Gong]

Q: What Are Robots?
A: [redacted]

Q: Zombies Must Die!
A: [redacted]

Q: [clapping]
A: [redacted]

Please be seated!

ITEMS OF DISCUSSION:

1. MEMBER ONLY + SPECIAL GUEST C.L.A.W. BBQ will be held at STOWE‘s house. Event will be combined with STOWE’s Meaties BBQ tournament. Weird vegetarian food will be served to space aliens who cannot process earth meat. If you would like to attend, contact your favorite CLAW member for secret location and time.
2. CLAW VS. WORLD bowling challenge (canceled)
3. CLAW subdomain member sites – ACTIVATED!  So far the only one in use is BOTFans by Honorable Botmaster Stowe. If you’re having trouble accessing your personal subdomain contact RR.
4. NON PROFIT STATUS? – Monlux reports can’t find proper forms [whatever!!!].
5. CLAW FACE BOOK GROUP – RR reports CLAW member RSS Feeds have been jammed in there for automatic member posts. JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP!
6. GOAL – post more AMAZING ITEMS on our CLAW blog! like This Guy!
7. SHOW AND TELL – RR Anderson has acquired a THEME SONG for his television drawing show. Thanks Death by Stars!
8. SHOW AND TELL – Mark Brill, STOWE both have new art blog/comic projects (see #6, #3)
9. SHOW AND TELL – RR Anderson is still selling copies of his TACOMA POLITICAL CARTOON FUNNY BOOK!
10. CLAW GIANT COMIC ANTHOLOGY – in pre-production now. ALL NEW ORIGINAL STORIES! A REAL COMIC BOOK! STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES.

CLAW MAY OPEN SWIM MEETING NOTES:

CLAW cartoonists and several CLAW fans gathered at the AMOCAT CAFE to draw FEMALE VERSIONS of FAMOUS MALE TRANSFORMERS…

[please post pics.. most of mine turned out blurry]

[R2-Dcup2, not actually a Transformer Robot by Debivans?]

[Kickback, Grasshopper Robot Transformer by RR]

EVERYBODY who DRAWS votes…  and the grand winner is….

MARK BRILL! NICK BUTTLER! JAMES STOWE! Right?  I think.  Please post your winning entries!

MEANWHILE!   STUNNING CHALK ART EVERY FRIDAY NOON AT FROST PARK in tropical DOWNTOWN TACOMA!  9th and Commerce!

watch in REAL TIME on FeedTacoma.com

That’s right… The Cartoonist’s League of Absurd Washingtonians are launching their own webcomics on their very own webdomain. BOT FANS, a daily webcomic illustration the creative comments recieved from spam bots, is the first comic to be published under the CLAW banner.

To learn more about it and follow BOT FANS just go to: http://botfans.cartoonistsleague.org/

And keep checking back here as more  CLAW members begin to publish more webcomics in CLAW approved internet space.

Finally cartoonists making comics on a cartoonists website.

What will we think of next?

At the last 24 Hour-Comic day, i began a project with my friend and writing partner Zan Christensen.  It was a comic about bullying and one boy’s efforts to overcome it and although we didn’t finish it at the event, we did continue to work on it actually did a limited print-run to debut at this year’s Emerald City ComiCon.  Now we are trying to raise funds through Kickstarter.com to do a large, color print-run that will hopefully be published in time for San Diego ComiCon, through Northwest Press.com (Zan’s publishing concern.)

Well, now Zan and I have been named “Heroes of the Week” on Michael Hulshof-Schmidt’s “The Sollipsistic Me” blog site.  He writes about the comic and what it’s trying to accomplish in raising awareness about the issue of teen suicide because of bullying.  You can read more about it by following this link:

http://hulshofschmidt.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/hero-of-the-week-award-april-29/

“Hero” is a bit of a strong word, but I certainly appreciate the recognition!

Donations can be made to the Kickstarter.com site here:  (Please copy and paste into browser.)

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zan/anti-bullying-comic-the-power-within

Wayzgoose was this last Sunday and The CLAW was well represented. I mere fifteen feet in from the front door if Kings Books in downtown Tacoma The CLAW was teaching those attending how to fold a ashcan comic from a single piece of paper. In attendance were RR Anderson, Mark Monlux, Anique Zimmer, Nick Butler with assistance for part of the day by James Stowe and Mark Brill. Those manning the table brought merchandise to sell to the unweary.

Come 1:30 our team’s time slot arrived for the poster printing. While our target was 10 posters, time only allowed six to be printed. One will be auctioned off to benefit Wayzgoose, another will be place in the Woolworth window (last time it was later returned to CLAW,) and those participating in the day has dibs on the remaining four. The print was a huge success.

When the message of the Robotic Overlords revealed, a cheer went up from the crowd.

Also, the CLAW Student Scholarship of 2012 received its first donation of $4 bringing the current total to $104. It was a most awesome day. Again, thanks to Stowe for coming down and helping us to set up and drawing caricature nameplates, and to Brill for being part of the team to oversee the printing of the posters.

see more at exit 133 dot com

March 23rd Open Swim at the Amocat Cafe  7:30 pm

The last drawing was finished and put into place on Wednesday…a day before the con started.  Zan put forth an heroic effort and laid out the book and printed and folded and cut copies of it so that it was ready and waiting when the ComiCon opened its doors on Friday!

Anyway–here is a shot of the cover of our 25 page story of a teen dealing with classmates who are bullying him because he is a little different.

You can find out more and even purchase a copy at the following link:

http://northwestpress.com/

(I believe the proceeds from this book are oing to The Trevor Project, but I need to confirm that.)

Peace out!  ^0^

Mark  B-9!

The Power Within

Featuring:

• Mark Monlux’s Movie Comic Critic by Mark Brill
• RR’s Tacomic/Learn 2 Draw in 3D! by Adam M. Botsford
• Mark Monlux Movie Comic Critic by Mark Brill
• Stowe’s SCATS by Debivans
• TO’T's Fail Whale by The JinxMedic
• Stowe’s SCATS by Debivans
• TO’T's Bean Town by Mark Monlux
• Electric Elliot’s Bob the Dog by RR Anderson
• The JinxMedic’s O&J Crow Comic by Thorax O’Tool
• Adam the Alien’s Adam the Alien Comic by Chris Tirri
• PLUS A SPECIAL BONUS TO’T's DOOMAFUDGE MINI POSTER FOLD-OUT by Nick Butler!

DUDE!

"What is reality?" by RR Anderson

IN A WORLD OF SHADOW,
ALL CREATURES OF TERROR
COME TOGETHER
once a year to ELECT…

PRESIDENT OF THE UNDERWORLD!

these horrible nightmare monsters have
all dumped huge sums of anonymous cash
into the creative mega-hive mind of CLAW
(Cartoonists’ League of absUrd Washingtonians)
to come up with A KILLER CAMPAIGN POSTER!

1. step 1 – pick a monster
2. step 2 – position your candidate (e.g. Mummy is old – lots of experience!, Dracula – time for fresh blood!)
3. step 2.5 – DRAW DRAW DRAW!
4. step 3 – stump speech
5. step 4 – VOTE!

secondary under-theme: EVERY BODY DRAW STAN SHAW DAY!

ALSO: OCTOBER ZINE FOLDING PARTY!

help fold zine and take one home! (you can see my page contribution attached)

Wednesday, October 27, 7:30 PM 2010 A.D.
AMOCAT CAFE in tropical DOWNTOWN TACOMA!
FREE PARKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More From Kings Books Website:

October 12 * 7 pm. Ted Rall Talk.
Join us as we welcome political cartoonist Ted Rall as he talks about his new book The Anti-American Manifesto. The book is a new manifesto for an America heading toward economic and political collapse. While others mourn the damage to the postmodern American capitalist system created by the recent global economic collapse, Rall sees an opportunity. As millions of people lose their jobs and their homes, they and millions more are opening their minds to the possibility of creating a radically different form of government and economic infrastructure.

Ted Rall is twice the winner of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award and a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Rall is a political cartoonist, opinion columnist, graphic novelist and occasional war correspondent whose work has appeared in hundreds of publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Village Voice, and Los Angeles Times. His cartoons appear in approximately 100 newspapers across the US. Rall is President of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.

CLAW = CLAW
Ted Rall = TR

CLAW: Dear Ted Rall, you and a team of bearded political cartoonists have returned from a self-funded, un-embedded trip to Afghanistan on a fact finding mission for political cartoons. How is this even possible?

TR: With money and stupidity, all things are possible.

CLAW: PART 2 – Did the beard disguise really work?

TR: Incredibly, it worked too well! We got detained three times by nervous Afghan National Policemen convinced we were either Pakistani suicide bombers (“Say something in Pashto!” My answer: “I’m American. We don’t even speak one language!”), American Talibs, or miscellaneous Bad Santas from the Hindu Kush. We had to get serious trims in order to fit in.

Courtesy of Tedd Rall

CLAW: What’s so important about sending a cartoonist to Afghanistan?

TR: Well, we did win the war. Surely that counts for something.

CLAW: Please give us a sense of your field cartooning techniques. Laptop? Scanner? Do you use a wacom tablet?

TR: Typing paper, Rollerball pen, portable flatbed scanner, laptop (used for scanning and Photoshop). Delivery via laptop attached to BGAN satellite modem, which is powered by solar panels and portable battery charging device.

Courtesy of Tedd Rall

CLAW: What did the Afghan people think of your drawings? How did the people of Afghanistan react when you told them you were a cartoonist?

TR: They were into them. They especially liked Matt Bors’ stuff, since his style is more realistic. They were fascinated by the idea of reproducing something you could see on paper. Apparently no one does this there anymore, which is in some ways more expository about the trials and tribulations of Afghanistan than the death count. They do have cartoons in Afghan newspapers, but those only circulate in Kabul and few people buy them.

Courtesy of Tedd Rall

CLAW: Did the Qur’an burning bumpkin news story give your expedition any problems?

TR: Fortunately the chaos created by that moron began to break as we were heading toward the Iranian border.

CLAW: Recently one of our sister cartoonists, Molly Norris of Seattle, has disappeared into the rabbit hole of the FBI witness protection program (or something to that effect). Your thoughts?  What went wrong? What can we do?

TR: Needless to say, that sucks. But I said it anyway. I’m not impressed by her cowardice, however. Death threats are standard-issue for cartoonists who work in the political realm. I get them, Garry Trudeau gets them, David Horsey gets them. If you’re afraid of being threatened or even getting killed for your opinions, don’t publicize political opinions. If the best counter to bad free speech is good free speech, the best counter to attempts at censorship is a refusal to be silenced.

I wish Molly had thought things through more before publishing on the Internet. I also wish the cartoonist and journalist communities had done the right thing and rallied around her. Too often cartoonists get thrown to the wolves. It’s happened to me and many others. We should look out for one another.

It’s not too late, of course, to launch a big PR campaign against this successful stifling of a journalistic voice.

CLAW: Several of our C.L.A.W. members are in the service. One guy drew this cartoon… about how popular the 1988 Israeli film “The Beast” is on base.  How well do you think that film holds up today (not counting Stephen Baldwin’s Russian accent)?

TR: I am partly responsible for “The Beast”‘s “low box-office statistics.” I haven’t seen it.

CLAW: Any advice to CLAW members headed to Afghanistan or Iraq right now?

TR: Are you fucking crazy?  Or just stupid?

Courtesy of Tedd Rall

CLAW: How many cartoonists does it take to end a war?

TR: At least four, apparently.

Courtesy of Tedd Rall

CLAW: What is next for Ted Rall, Adventurer/Cartoonist?

TR: Writing the book about the trip. That will keep me busy until spring. I’m touring “The Anti-American Manifesto,” a tome with the world’s most lowkey title ever, this fall. And I’m working on a coupla graphic novels. I’m itching to go somewhere exotic and dangerous again, of course. I never feel happy unless I have weird plane reservations.

BONUS QUESTIONS

CLAW: What do you think about cartoonists who manufacture books with no actual cartoon drawings in them?  Isn’t that like when Jim Carrey plays dramatic roles and expects people to take him seriously?

TR: Actually, I like those Jim Carrey movies.

CLAW: [in reference to Molly Norris death fatwa] How hidden, if at all, is your home address, phone number, and the route you take to work every day?

TR: As hidden as they possibly can be. But I don’t worry about Islamic radicals. I worry about American right-wing nuts. Cartoonists, particularly political cartoonists, who blog their private lives, including references to their children, are out of their minds. This country is awash in high-caliber weaponry owned by people with low-caliber intellects.

CLAW: We all face revisions, but how many is your limit with your editor before you curse and or threat and or beat them with a blunt object?

TR: Three. I’ll go two rounds of edits without complaint. The third time, whatever it is should have been brought up the first two times.

CLAW: Do you consider the internet your friend, or a demon that demands it’s tribute?

TR: An impecunious demon. It must be fed, and it gives little if anything back.

CLAW: We all have that one thing we find incredibly difficult to draw, what is yours?

TR: Animals.

CLAW: See you at Kings Books in Tacoma (the city of destiny) !

[CLAW was disturbed to read about the plight of City Arts Seattle cartoonist Molly Norris who went into hiding after she drew a EVERYBODY DRAW MOHAMMED DAY cartoon and ended up on a terrorist hit list. We contacted every state and local elected official we could think of... the only one man enough to give us a comment was Mr. Marty Campbell of the Tacoma City Council]

from marty:

RR,
Thank you. As a video store owner I am often witness to needless censorship and overreacting responses.

I believe that political speech should not only be protected, but also defended.  The same is true for an artists work.

I think every artist should be prepared to be criticized and maybe even rejected, but they should never have to fear for their life or the lives of their family and friends.

I’m sure Molly understood there may be a disproportionate response to her cartoon as there has been in the past, and yet she took the risk. If we are willing to spend $$ to rescue mountain climbers, river rafters and people trying to sail around the world when they take known risks, don’t we owe the same to those who risk their lives in the name of free speech.

I am disappointed that the course of action to protect her right to free speech is to effectively end her ability to speak freely.

Marty Campbell, Tacoma City Council – Position 4

Zombie Apololypse/Copyright - Having vs. Filing Mash-Up by Mark Monlux

Mark Monlux fell three pages short of completing the challenge, but he finished the art the next day so that everyone who contributed both to filling his belly with meat and filling the student scholarship fund’s coffers could see where he drew them into the comic. If you are missing from the strip, or you think he drew you poorly, all I can offer as an excuse is that he was was sleep-deprived. You can see all 24 pages by clicking here.

THIS SATURDAY

OCTOBER 2nd

24 HOURS

To MAKE a COMPLETE

24 Page COMIC BOOK

Can THEY Do it?

Can YOU Do it?

CAN YOU Create
A COMPLETE COMIC BOOK
in Only 24 Hours?!

That is the Question that Tacoma, Washington’s COMIC BOOK INK is Challenging the Members of C.L.A.W. (the Cartoonists’ League of Absurdists Washingtonians) and YOU to try and accomplish THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2nd! Starting at 10:00am THIS Saturday and Continuing ALL DAY ..into THE NIGHT..and Straight on until the NEXT MORNING on Sunday, October 3rd at 10:00am…That’s right, 24 HOURS!

“This is our 2nd Year issuing the challenge,” said store owner, JOHN MUNN, “And our Homegrown Heroes, the Member of C.L.A.W., have returned to the the challenge that 2 of them COMPLETED last year…and they are bringing more of their numbers. And when I say, “Returned to the Callenge”, it means we have offered them a chance to be on public display again..doing what they do best..Creating Comics while continuing to be Absurd. We are also excited that C.L.A.W. are going to be once again using this event to promote their SCHOLARSHIP FUND!”

C.L.A.W. is using this event as an opportunity to seek out Contributors to C.L.A.W.’s Student Scholarship Fund. “One of the reasons we started C.L.A.W. was to establish a Scholarship, however meager, for Art Students interested in Comics and Cartooning,” says MARK MONLUX, one of the founders of C.L.A.W., resident of Fern Hill and Award-Winning Illustrator. “Those of us who draw know just how tight finances can be for someone who is just starting to learn their craft. Besides tuition and books, there is the ever-increasing price of art supplies. Our Goal is to help out with relieving some of the burden, even if its only a few dollars.”

What is 24 HOUR COMICS DAY?

24 HOUR COMICS DAY All Starts with a Challenge!

The 24 HOUR COMICS CHALLENGE is for a Cartoonist to completely create a 24 Page Comics Story in 24 Straight Hours. A “24 Hour Comic” is any comic story that you make while facing the challenge…even if you take more than 24 consecutively-awake hours to make the comic or if you end after the 24 hours with a story that shorter than 24 pages.

Is this really the best way to make a great comic?

Probably not (although some really cool comics have been made this way), but that is not the real goal. The goal is to have the experience of trying. It’s a creative exercise that can teach you a lot about what you are capable of.

How many 24 HOUR COMICS have been done?

Over 1000 people have taken the challenge so far worldwide. Just last year, Comic Book Ink hosted 18 People for the Challenge.

Are YOU up to the CHALLENGE? Join us this Saturday at 10:00am or come in and witness the spectacle and cheer on our challengers!!

Who knows…we might have a few late night surprises for you…

(special thanks to John Munn of Comic Book Ink)

[PHOTO: left to right, Thorax O'Tool, Mark Brill, RR Anderson, JUDGE NO. 1, The Jinxmedic, CLAW CADET Nick Butler]

We owe a debt of gratitude to month of September CLAW Open Swim MC – Adam M Botsford (aka Number 11) for coming up with the killer concept of DRAW A MUPPET MASHUP with MUSICAL ROCK GROUPS.  We cartoonists of the Fez packed the tiny Amocat Cafe to capacity!

[PHOTO: MC ADAM M. BOTSFORD  photo courtesy of MARK MONLUX]

We had puppets, many non-claw civilian cartoon hobbyist guests the combination of which erupted in spontaneous a cappella renditions of The Muppet Show Theme,   and Kermit’s Rainbow Song (double rainbow remix) you had to be there to believe it!

But enough digression ON TO THE ART CONTEST WINNERS!

MARK BRILL – FIRST PLACE WINNER! Teenage Mutant Ninja Muppets

KENDRA – SECOND PLACE WINNER! Meepwood Mac

STOWE – 2ND SECOND PLACE WINNER! Axl Grov

MARK MONLUX – Third Place – Andrew Bird The Mysterious Production of Eggs

RR ANDERSON – 2nd Third Place – Q: Are we not muppets? A: We are DEVO!

CLAW CADET NICK BUTLER – Honorable Mention

“DEBIVANS” – Honorable Mention

MC ADAM M BOTSFORD – Honorable Mention

SEE MORE GLORIOUS PICTURES!

other Items of interest: We absolutely love Amocat! Morgan was thinking about removing a wall to better fit the needs of our humble organization. Excellent service!  Also noticed a young couple in love chose our event as part of their ‘date night’  We approve of this activity. A very moral choice!  Young ‘at risk youth’ in love choose C.L.A.W.  for intellectual stimulation (Please come again dear Anna and Joe)!  Several CLAW members were missing… Anique, Electric Elliot, Shawn Clayton, Jeff ‘logjam’ H. what a horrible thing to neglect your C.L.A.W. brothers and sisters! Fez of shame!