Stepping Out: I left Portland a couple weekends ago to meet my dad in San Diego for the Reuben Award weekend, and the days have just been ticking away since then.  I think meeting and just sharing the room with so many legends in cartooning set my brain on fire and it’s still smoldering.  I “talked shop” with  Sergio Aragonés and Russ Heath, shook hands with Mel Lazarus and Rick Geary, just to name a few.  Here’s a picture of my dad with some of the cartoonists at our table during the award ceremony.  Can you spot a Dan Piraro or a Matthew Diffee? I’d like to do a thorough report of my experience.  It really was a remarkable weekend, but I’m going to have to put that on the back burner for the time being.

Kicking In:   I would like to direct the attention of anyone in the industry to the National Cartoonists Society because they are looking to expand the roster of qualifying members. There are new perks for being a member that are in the works.  That’s right, “Perks in the Werks!”  You can find out everything you need to know about joining at the newly renovated website HERE.

Kicking In:  I recently contributed to a Kickstarter that my friend, photographer, comic book collector, and comic book writer Jim Berry is running to fund the production of a thrilling graphic novel about The Battle Of The Little Big Horn (Greasy Grass) featuring art by legendary illustrator, Val Mayerik.  Please take a look at the Of Dust and Blood Kickstarter and consider pitching in to make this book a reality.

Stepping Out…to the comic shop, I encountered a number of excellent books coming out right now.  Probably at the top pf my list for entertainment is Starlight written by Mark Millar with art by Goran Parlov that is just riddled with nods and homages galore to the late, great Moebius.  I’ll sign off with this piece of Starlight fan art that was created in everyone’s favorite new graphic software, Manga Studio 5. Stepping out of my comfort zone to learn this new tool, after kicking in some cash to buy it;-)