Category: Cartooning

NCS Redux

It feels as though I just attended the Reuben Awards dinner, but that was already two weeks ago.

While admitting that I am only an “adjacent” member of the NCS, I very much agree with this decision by the board of directors.

81st Annual Reuben Awards and NCS Conference
San Diego, August 12–14, 2027

You may be thinking — didn't we just go to San Diego? We did, in 2024! And we're going back on purpose.

A few years ago, with feedback from members, the NCS board decided to trial a "hub city" model — rotating between three partner cities (San Diego, Boston, and Columbus) instead of a new city every year. Why? Because building real community partnerships takes time, and returning to cities where we've already built relationships means better public-facing events, lower expenses, and less burnout for the volunteers who make this all happen — all while keeping your registration costs as low as possible.

San Diego is home to partners like the San Diego Comic-Con Museum and, after our great 2024 visit and the success of our new public-facing programming in Columbus, we're excited to be building a robust experience with a ton of fun at the Town and Country Resort.

Stay tuned for a chance for members to give input this fall. We can't wait to celebrate the 81st Reuben Awards together!

Post-NCS Post

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, at Ohio State University in Columbus, is a must-visit for anyone interested in any and all genres of cartooning.

NCS attendees took an OSU bus from the hotel to the Bill Ireland. This brought to mind very happy memories of a field trip to see New York art museums I once took in college with Marion, my girlfriend at the time, and Barbara Harris, our Art History instructor at Westfield State.

Last Saturday in the auditorium, Colleen Doran told the story of her lifelong devotion to being a comics creator and artist.

When Colleen detailed her Pre-Raphaelite artistic influences, I felt as though I was back in Art History class with Ms. Harris, as we called her at the time. I am very pleased to own one of Barbara’s excellent paintings.

I also proudly own this painting by Colleen. It’s an outstanding work that is worth far more than what I paid her many years ago.

Cover painting to ‘The Aria’, Book 3 of ‘A Distant Soil’, by Colleen Doran

The Billy Ireland’s galleries aren’t huge, but they’re packed with visual delights. Samples of Bill Waterson’s original art for Calvin & Hobbes are prominently displayed.

The museum has curated a touring Calvin & Hobbes exhibit, that will be presented later this year at the Norman Rockwell Museum, here in Massachusetts.

The New England Chapter of the NCS is planning a field trip to the museum to see the C&H exhibit. There are more happy memories to be made!

To wrap up, here is an interactive PDF of the National Cartoonists Society program book from last week’s conference and awards dinner. As you will see on page 3, Colleen is now the NCS Treasurer.

https://www.flipbookpdf.net/web/site/51ff6ed59f2753c2c5323c206e3270578d53aa57FBP29703983.pdf.html

Wayno, No Relation to Waymo

In the LINKS section of this site and you will find Dan Piraro’s Bizarro. It’s a comic strip with a sideways and inside-out view of the universe we are all required to inhabit.

https://www.bizarro.com/

Go to Bizarro and you will find Wayno, Dan’s partner in cartooning craziness. Wayno handles Bizarro every day except Sundays. Dan reserves that cartoon for himself.

https://comicskingdom.com/creator/wayno

Wayno is another favorite cartoonist of mine who I was very pleased to meet this weekend. I caught up with him during Saturday’s events at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum & Library.

Wayno has picked up on something that’s amused me for a long time — the effect on the Beatles from adding an “s” to their name.

© Bizarro Studios