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

Join us as we celebrate 2011 and usher in 2012, CLAW’s “Year of the Flying Monkey”!

Fun will be had!  Slides will be shown!  Fezzes will be worn!  Cake will be eaten!!!

Be there!  (Or the Flying Monkeys will get you!)

The Pythian Temple is located at:

911-913 Broadway, Tacoma, Washington 98402

Tickets for the Great Yearly Ceremony are $5 each and are available at these fine locations!
Comic Book Ink – 2510 S. 84th, Suites 15A-B, Lakewood, WA 98499
King’s Books – 218 St Helens Ave Tacoma, WA 98402
Mad Hat Tea – 1130 Commerce St Tacoma, WA 98402
Amocat Cafe – 625 Saint Helens Avenue Tacoma, WA 98402
Atomic Comics – 4020 South Steele Street Tacoma, WA 98409

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.

CLAW Four-Eyes Council Member, Mark Brill, along with his writing partner and publisher of Northwest Press, Charles “Zan” Christensen, are being featured in this month’s special issue of OUT Magazine. They are part of the prestigious OUT100 list of individuals who are considered to have made a positive or valuable contribution to the LGBT community in 2011.

The honor was bestowed for creating the anti-bullying comic book “The Power Within”, which began life at the 24 Hour Comic Book event in October of last year.  Although the book wasn’t finished that day, it ultimately took on a life of its own, culminating in the international recognition of being recognized by OUT Magazine!

Read the full press release from Northwest Press by following the link below:

http://northwestpress.com/2011/11/17/christensen-and-brill-named-two-of-out-magazines-out-100-for-the-power-within/

(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!

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!

Robo Chap #1 by Mark Monlux

Saturday, August 6, 2010 1:30 pm
Tollefson Plaza

Join Tacoma Art Museum and CLAW artists and compete in a chalk art competition. We challenge you to chalk your “Identity.” The chalk art will be photographed and put online to be voted on. Not feeling competitive? That’s fine, Tacoma Art Museum is free all day and tons of activities during the Best of the Northwest.

Official list of prizes:
1st Place – Year Membership
2nd Place – $25 Gift Certificate from Gift Store
3rd Place – Gift bag

Official Voting Process:
Voting will be done online by users at the Tacoma Art Museum Facebook Page.
Voting will occurs for a week after the festival. Winners will be notified by the art museum through their signup information, collected at the event. Just look for Josh or his assistant (however is holding a clipboard.)

July’s Open Swim will be a live-model drawing jam featuring some special guests from Tacoma’s Derby Dames! Mia Smackabitch, Rusty O’Tulle, Gita Kraken and Red Bull Dozer have volunteered to pose in full gear, with prizes awarded to the top-voted drawings!

Where: Acomat Cafe – 625 Saint Helens Avenue.Tacoma, WA 98402
When: 7/21 at 7:30 PM

Back to back with our drawing jam is the art show reception for CLAW member (and current Open Swim coordinator) Anique Zimmer, whose drawings and illustrations can be currently seen hanging in the Amocat’s gallery until the end of the month(see previous post).

Stop by for a gander at the drawings and illustrations of CLAW member Anique Zimmer, on the walls of the Amocat Cafe on 625 St. Helens Ave in Tacoma. The show will be up all through July with a reception during Artwalk on Thursday the 21st, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Everything on the wall is for sale and the reception will accompany CLAW’s July Open Swim drawing jam, so bring a sketchbook or camera!

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.

WHAT IF...Star Wars had been a sitcom???

Tomorrow! TOMORROW! TOMOOOOOORROW!!!!! Join us on our new THIRD THURSDAY

time for the CLAW Open Swim Meeting at the Amocat Cafe on St. Helens in beautiful downtown

TACOMA!  It’s still at 8:00pm (7:30 for council and any other interested members), but we have

changed to the THIRD THURSDAY of each moth in order to hopefully begin attracting the

Artwalk crowd!

The theme for tomorrow’s Open Swim Sketch Contest is “STAR WARS…What If?” What if

Star Wars had been a musical? Or a sword & sorcery fantasy? Or a game show? Or a sitcom

(as seen in my drawing above)??? It’s a wacky Star Wars redux event inspired by the wonderful

70s Redux SW drawings that Chris Tirri (CLAW member 7.2) was doing last month!!

Thanks Chris for such an inspirational concept!!

So join us TOMORROW with your best “SW What If?” ideas firmly in mind! There will be

fabulous and exciting Star Wars prizes! Well, OK, cheap and tawdry Star Wars prizes…

But it’ll be FUN and GEEKY!  Don’t miss out!

Special Guest Robot:  R2D2!

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

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