Where:  Dorky’s Arcade

754 Pacific Ave.

Tacoma, WA 98402

Come down to Dorky’s and get your Wile E. on.  What If?  Wile E. Coyote Edition is simply what if Wile E. was on a different show, movie, band, etc.  Come and share in some fun and laughter as we recreate a classic cartoon character’s image.

Where: Comic Book Ink

2510 S. 84th, Suites 15A-B

Lakewood, WA 98499

Join us at Comic Book Ink for a day devoted to hammering away at something or another! We liked how productive 24-Hour Comic Day was for the participants, though the workday will only go until closing time.

Bring all necessary materials, tables and chairs will be provided. Facebook users can RSVP on the official event page

This year the Four Eye Council, with support of the Talons of the CLAW, declare the White Elephant rules as:

1. Gifts, if new, should be less than $10.
2. Once a gift is taken of the table it MUST be unwrapped.
3. A gift can be stolen twice, and then it is locked in.
4. A person cannot steal the same gift twice.
5. You can only get a present if you bring a present.
6. You can bring more than one present.
7. Spare presents number will be awarded though a rock-paper-scissors competition by all who want to participate.

Date: Wednesday, Dec 7th 2011
Location: The Amocat Cafe, 625 Saint Helens Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402
Time: 7:30 p.m.

(written by Mark Brill)

The Cartoonists League of Absurd Washingtonians is leaving 2011 behind in a busy cloud of dust as we work our way through several year-end projects! In October CLAW was represented at the “Beyond Crayons & Finger Painting 2.0 Youth Art Project” event hosted by the B2 Fine Art Gallery in conjunction with the Tacoma Art Museum, the Museum of Glass.

The CLAW continues to expand as it welcomed Member #18, Michael Daley to its ranks during the Open Swim event in October! The theme of the artwork created at the event was Halloweenies. The results were as enjoyable as they were disturbing!
In November, our final Member’s Only meeting for the year took place at the usual Comic Book Ink venue. Plans were discussed for the upcoming Great Yearly Ceremony!

GREAT GIFT IDEAS to SUPPORT LOCAL CARTOONISTS

Winterfest on Sunday, Decemeber 4th at the Tacoma Art Museum will feature CLAW members doing sketches and selling their wares.

Dragons!

In preparation of Tacoma’s First Night Celebration, the many talons of the CLAW will be drawing dragons. Keep an eye out for them here, on FeedTacoma, our member’s blogs, and other locations between now and First Night. Further details of Dragon CLAWs at First Night will arrive as the date draws near.

Another White Elephant

The final Open Swim of 2011 will be held on Wednesday the 14th of December at the Amocat Cafe at 625 St. Helens Ave, Tacoma, and it will be our annual “White Elephant Gift Exchange”! Anyone who brings a gift (wrapped please, since unwrapping them is half the fun) to the event can participate. Numbers will be drawn, gifts will be stolen and re-stolen. (But don’t worry–everyone involved will end up with a gift!) And laughs will be had by all! Gifts are supposed to be either around $10 or something fun and amusing from one’s Closet-of-Abandonned-Presents-Past. Festivities begin at 7:30 PM.

In 2012, the Open Swim meetings will be moved back to their original dates of the forth Wednesday of each month and will be held at a new location: Dorky’s Bar Arcade! The address is 754 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402. Come join in the fun!

YEARLY END OF THE WORLD CLAW RITUAL

Finally, the C.L.A.W.’s GREAT YEARLY CEREMONY is also coming up at the beginning of 2012. Monday, January 2nd, in fact, and will again take place at the wonderful Knights of Pythias “Castle Hall” Temple, located on Broadway in Tacoma’s Theater District. Tickets for the event will be sold at several retail venues around town, such as Comic Book Ink and Dorky’s. Please see the CLAW website for further details in December. It will be a gala event featuring a cast of several and costing tens of dollars! New Council of Four Eyes members will be inducted, official “Friends of CLAW” will be honored, a MUCH-faster-than-last-year’s slideshow will be presented, and most importantly, there will be cake! Don’t miss out! Additionally, it should be noted that all proceeds from the purchase of GYC tickets will go into the CLAW Students Scholorship Fund!

MORE VIRTUAL WONDERS!

You can find us, and see CLAW members work on our CLAW DRAWS sketchbook, Facebook page and Flicker group.

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!

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!

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.

[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

We’re thinking about moving our public artist-game hang out nights. Fill out the survey to help us pick the best time!

Transform your favorite Transformer.

Although genderless, the male to female ratio left many female fans of the Transformers without role models. So let’s imagine a world where the transformers were mostly fem-bots and Draw your favorite autobot or Decepticon as a Ladybot or Deceptibabe.

WEDNESDAY
May 25, 2011, 7:30pm

AMOCAT CAFE
625 Saint Helens Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98402

Join CLAW at the Amocat Cafe (625 St. Helens Ave, Tacoma, WA) for the April

Open Swim (Wednesday, 27 April 2011 7:30 pm).  We’re cutting albums, well

drawing album covers.  Top 40, Punk, R&B, Funk, Metal–serious or parody–it

doesn’t matter.    Just make sure yours is number #1 with a bullet.

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

Presentation song:

You know that times are tough.

It’s hard to make ends meet.

The world is dog-eat-dog,

And you’re a bacon treat!

Too many folks in line…

I think it’s SUPPERTIME!

Cannibal PSA by Brill 9

Come join the CLAW for another another Open Swim! This theme will be public service announcements, the smarmier and sillier the better.

Also, please purchase food and drink at the Amocat during Open Swim to support their extended hours for hosting us!

When: Wednesday January 26th, 7:30 PM

Where: Amocat Cafe

"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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[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!

Some Muppet Rocking! Thanks to Muppet’s Studio!!

Art students and professionals alike are invites to an open draw with local cartoonist group The C.L.A.W.

This influential (and sometimes infamous) group of artists offers a wide range of skilled and talented artists all looking for a chance to get to know more artists. The goal is to learn and share within the art community. All artists welcomed…cartoonists, illustrators, comic artists, political cartoonists, and inventors encouraged!

Special tip for students: This is a great chance to network with a group that offers a student scholarship. Free money?! What! Be there!

Where: Amocat Cafe (Downtown Tacoma)
625 St. Helens Ave, Tacoma, WA
When: Wednesday, September 22nd @ 7:30 pm
Cost: FREE!!! (coffee/drink purchase advised…as they are delicious and fuel your brain)
What to bring: sketch books, art ideas, chaotic brainstorms, laptops, and drawing supplies
What to Expect: Hijinks, great drawing, ridiculousness, and general amusement.

Open Swim September 22nd

Robot Calendar - February

This month’s Open Swim is going to be filled with Tips and Tricks from the drawing masters. Those of you with laptops with Adobe Photoshop installed are highly advised to bring them. There will be traditional advice as well. So brush your teeth and comb your hair, a little hygiene never hurt anyone. And come to the CLAW’s first EduCLAWtional Open Swim. And don’t forget to bring your own drawing tools!

Oh! The CLAW has decided to stir things up and try a new venue for this event. Come and join us at…

Amocat Café
625 St. Helens Ave, Tacoma, WA
WEDNESDAY, August 25th @ 7:30

Disclaimer: The CLAW Open Swim is an adult oriented meeting. Language, art, and varied other bad influences will be uncensored PG13 – R – X.

Talons of the C.L.A.W. were invited into the secret underground lair of seminal wheat-paste duo BEAUTIFUL ANGLE for an initial letter press team social and discovery project meeting–the project being namely LOCAL CURRENCY.  Morgan Alexander, owner of the AMOCAT CAFE has already signed up to be the first Tacoma business to accept this new money (read his Local Currency blog post here).

But first, A quick initiation ritual…

Special thanks to team Beautiful Angle for use of their handsome garden!

Please welcome DEBIVANS, NEW MEMBER NO. 13

And now for a never before seen, behind the scenes, underground tour of the Beautiful Angle letterpress studio…

Talons of CLAW awestruck by the intricate vintage machines..

Lance and Tom of Beautiful Angle invented “ART” in Tacoma, they have no problem showing us how it’s done.

Stowe has a go. “Keep your fez tassel out of those gears!” Bellows Lance.

Soon the tiny cave is filled with the latest ‘adult themed’ Beautiful Angle poster.

Extended viewing BONUS photo albums!

1. Mark Monlux candid photography
2. Adam M. Botsford’s flash powder camera (via Mark Monlux)
3. Adam M. Botsford original super-candid photography

Stowe's Co-Winning B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

Brill's Co-Winning B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

Other entries include:

Monlux's attempt at B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

* * *

RR’s “Aliens vs. Pet Detective vs. Predator”

* * *

Debivan’s FREDO PLANET

* * *

Classic Attack of the 50 Foot Woman Movie Poster

Mark Monlux, Big D, Double D, Wonderboy, Electric Elliot and Adam Botsford in The Man Cave

Check out the podcast at http://nwconvergencezone.com/wordpress/2010/07/the-boys-have-a-secret-meeting-with-c-l-a-w-and-talk-with-the-falcons/

Meeting is called to order. SECRET CLAW OPENING RITUAL: What are Robots? Robots are Cool. Zombies Must Die! Shoot ‘em in the head. [One CLAP] Ceci nes pas une pipe. [Rotate Self 3 Times]

Old Business

1. CLAW vs. the World Bowling Challenge . . . ?
2. Non Profit Status? Mark Monlux is much to busy to do the paperwork.

New Business

1. Adopt Amocat as new Open Swim meeting space – RR tasked with talking our way in there.
2. CLAW online store – So far only RR has posted anything
3. STAN SHAW REPORT – motion to taunt professional Tacoma cartoonist Stan Shaw PASSED.
4. Beautiful Angle Local Currency project – limbo. Motion to pester Lance exponentially in September PASSED.
5. Tacoma Art Museum – members committed to July 31st CLAW team-up with Frost Park Community Chalk Militia to bring chalk art to dead concrete of TAM. Passed.
6. FeedTacoma.com Comics Page – Members discussed picking a day to post their comic strip. New members are still thinking of new strip ideas.
7. Agreed to appear on PODCAST: Northwest Convergence Zone – Sunday July 25th at about 5PM?
8. JUNIOR CLAW CADET NO. 12 to be voted in soon! Check out Shawn Clayton

Show and Tell

• Mark Brill has a new gay-furrydom time travel comic out. UNBELIEVABLE + ASTONISHING!
• Stowe gave a preview of his latest SCATS web comic
• VEX zine is interested in a CLAW collaboration… RR brought in his VEX zine collection.  CLAW’S MESSAGE TO VEX: Show us the money! Minimum donation to CLAW Scholarship fund is $150.

SECRET CLAW CLOSING RITUAL: What are Robots? Robots are cool. Zombies must die! Shoot ‘em in the head! [1 CLAP] Beware the flying monkeys.