Blog Heap o'Art of Links

Reports now confirm that political cartoonist Akram Raslan died at the hands of Syrian police after vanishing in October 2012… had not been heard of since he was abducted from his office. "[Raslan's] works were known for being very direct in opposing the Syrian regime," Palestinian cartoonist Fadi Abou Hassan wrote on Cartoon Movement. "Raslan drew more than 300 cartoons that accompanied the early developments of the Syrian revolution."…

After you chop off your finger in a lawnmower, and your pregnant wife has to drive you to the hospital, and then your car catches fire, I think getting saved by someone in a Spider-Man costume probably seemed like the obvious next step...

Chicago TV Station Marks Yom Kippur Using Same Yellow Star Of David Nazis Forced Jews To Wear During Holocaust…

Jack Larson, who played Jimmy Olsen on The Adventures of Superman, has passed away… He was 87. …his onscreen career was defined almost entirely by his time as Jimmy Olsen. He played the role from 1952 until 1958, and would periodically return for cameos in other Superman-related media, from Superboy to Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman to Superman Returns.

Brad Anderson, veteran cartoonist and Marmaduke creator, passed away… August 30th at age 91. …unexpectedly. …worked briefly in advertising but left to focus on freelance cartooning in 1953. From 1954 to 1966, he drew a strip called Grandpa's Boy, which overlapped with his creation of Marmaduke in 1954. Anderson continued to work on the strip until his passing. …won the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award from the NCS in 2013.

Jack Kirby, co-creator of much of the Marvel Universe and creator of, among other things, the Fourth World characters, Kamandi and dozens more for DC Comics, would have turned 98 years old today.

In honor of The King's birthday, comic book retailers, fans, nonprofits and more are holding birthday parties for Kirby, which you can find out about using the #Kirby4Heroes hashtag on social media.…

Six decades after "Gunsmoke" debuted on television, several actors who appeared in the show, including Burt Reynolds, are scheduled to reunite in Dodge City. … "Gunsmoke" ran on CBS from 1955 through 1975 and was nominated for more than a dozen Emmys. … Other key actors from the show have died, including James Arness, who starred as Matt Dillon; Amanda Blake, who played Miss Kitty; and Milburn Stone, who was Doc Adams.

Headline: Oklahoma Gun Range Causes Outrage With Racist Sign That Business Is 'Muslim Free'

…The researchers examined fragments of 24 clay pipes that were recovered from the garden of Shakespeare's home in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, as well as from surrounding houses. After examining the fragments using a gas chromatography technique, the scientists found that eight of the pipes contained traces of cannabis, one contained nicotine, and two contained traces of cocaine derived from Peruvian coca leaves. Four of the pipes containing cannabis came from Shakespeare's property. …

Richard Glossip, a man who is scheduled to be executed by the state next month.… Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon…

…The publishing arm of Warner Music Group has claimed since the 1980s to have exclusive rights to the song's reproduction, distribution and public performances. But this week, the attorneys representing a film company that's suing Warner said they had uncovered proof that any copyright of the song would have expired about a century ago…

Spider-Man was created in 1962, but could his costume have been inspired by a child's Halloween costume from the 50's? … Steve Ditko [when asked] about the costume… “The burden of proof is on the person who makes the assertion, claim, charge. Some clippings, etc., are not rational proof of anything but some clippings, etc.”

Ted Cruz told the New York Times that he identified with Star Trek’s Captain Kirk more than Captain Picard because he felt that Kirk was more of a conservative and Picard more of a liberal.…

Throughout his long career, the Egyptian star Omar Sharif, who died Friday at the age of 83, was known for both the subtlety and grandeur of his roles. He won acclaim for many of them — multiple Golden Globes, a Cesar award and an Oscar nomination.

And, of course, there’s his signature scene: the one in which he moves across the desert on a camel in "Lawrence of Arabia," now etched into out cinematic consciousness. …

You can make a tortilla into a 78 RPM record, play it, and then eat it.

'Back To The Future' was released 30 years ago today… and we’re still not sick of it.…

A world-renowned banjo player, who brought joy to thousands of bluegrass fans is in need of your help. John Hickman, is a five string banjo picker who lives in Guthrie. After battling health problems, racking up medical bills and being forced to quit work, the Hickman’s house is falling apart with no funds for repairs. Now the community is coming together to raise the money. …

…“I wouldn’t mind, if Peter Parker had originally been black, a Latino, an Indian or anything else, that he stay that way,” he said. “But we originally made him white. I don’t see any reason to change that.”…

…in the English-speaking world—and perhaps the world as a whole—has quite a backstory… She had never written any poetry, but the plight of a young German Jewish woman, Margaret Schwarzkopf, who was staying with her and her husband, inspired the poem.…

Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93 - latest reaction and tributes - Screen legend famous for roles in Hammer Horror films, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars dies in hospital after suffering heart and respiratory problems

…Created by Michael Hefferon, Reboot: The Guardian Code is based on the original ReBoot created by Gavin Blair, John Grace, Phil Mitchell and Ian Pearson. The YTV series was the first of its kind–a fully CG animated television series. The series told stories of heroic Guardians who battled viruses inside computer systems.

ReBoot: the Guardian Code is an adventure-comedy series about four teens (Austin, Parker, Grey and Tamra) who discover that they’re next-gen Guardians with a mission to save the world, by defending it in cyberspace.…

…There are four lawn/garden figurines to choose from: Kirk, Kirk & Gorn, Redshirt, or Spock.…

Stan Lee Is Now The Highest-Grossing Movie Producer Of All Time At Domestic Box Office

Forty-five years after Simon & Garfunkel split up, the singer [Garfunkle] is still consumed with bitterness…

The Oklahoma Historical Society celebrates the launch of 46 Star Records tonight at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. Their first release will be unearthed radio sessions of Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys on 180-gram vinyl records.

“Really why Silent Bob is silent was because Jayson [Mewes] talks a lot. It was that simple,” said Smith. …

[I wouldn't normally have much to do with the Vlogbrothers, but their silly argument over Batman is sort-of worth slogging through to catch the songified version at the end of this post.]

The Duke playing Genghis Khan in yellowface, filming on a nuclear testing ground? Chris Bell on why nobody escaped the fallout from The Conqueror…

A year ago, professional artist Mauricio Abril released "Poor Spidey," which showed Spidey being pulled away from the fun-filled Avengers by a corporate executive. … Sony and Marvel worked out their differences… That news has led Mauricio to create a follow-up piece, "Spidey Reunited," to mark the joyous moment.…

[bob sees faces everywhere. The amazing thing is how, with some of these, you might not notice, but thanks to the context, you can't help but notice.]

Soul singer Percy Sledge, best known for his recording of "When a Man Loves a Woman," died at his home in Louisiana at age 74 after battling liver cancer… dubbed "The King of Slow Soul," recorded the song for Atlantic Records in 1966. It was his first single and is considered one of the greatest of all soul songs. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. …

[Audio-only Video, 2:50, dumpster0101's channel, YouTube]

New research indicates that William Shakespeare wrote a "lost" play, "Double Falsehood," that had been attributed to Lewis Theobald. Here's a look at the poet and playwright's vast influence, which lives on almost 400 years after his death.…

…So Charlie Hebdo's nationally beloved cartoonists were massacred and yet, [Doonesbury creator Garry] Trudeau thinks its helpful to contextualize their deaths by characterizing them as hate-spewing fanatics. …

"…says she didn’t do the show because Andrew Dice Clay — the character — was an abuser of women and a homophobe.…" [Just like she's always said.]

I just put the last stitch into this "congratulations on your graduation quilt for my daughter. …

[Lovely work]

The word "genius" gets tossed around a lot in the entertainment world, applied at times to anyone who has been anywhere near a success. One of the few people I've met who truly earned it was Stan Freberg. …

…I would have to be some sort of multilimbed Hindu goddess to perform a facepalm of magnitude appropriate to this utter stupidity. …

[Just had to blog that classic line. Context is at link, but the line transcends the context.]

Rolling Stone Magazine beclowned themselves royally, didn’t they?

I’m not sure if we can blame it entirely on the fact that a music industry magazine attempted to pass itself off as a hard-hitting news source. Truth is, all of investigative journalism has been corrupted. So, really? Is Rolling Stone to blame or the entire state of Tabloid Journalism in the Age of Obama? …

[Must-see Rolling Stone parody cover by Dianny]

The Most Famous 6-Second Drum Loop & How It Spawned a Sampling Revolution

Gary Dahl who in 1975 invented the Pet Rock died last week at age 78. From the New York Times:

…The bar talk turned to pets, and to the onus of feeding, walking and cleaning up after them.

His pet, Mr. Dahl announced in a flash of bibulous inspiration, caused him no such trouble. The reason?

“I have a pet rock….”

A Nashville entrepreneur is trying to launch a weekly 6-page comic page delivered via mail.

Irwin Hasen, the cartoonist and comic-book artist who drew, and helped create, “Dondi,” the widely syndicated comic strip about a lovable, wide-eyed World War II orphan, died on Friday in Manhattan. He was 96. [Quoting New York Times]

Something magical is afoot! Cinderella (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Belle (Whitney Avalon) throw down in the fourth Princess Rap Battle. [Video 2:58]

A typical show opens with a six-canary choir accompanying Mrs. Hansen (on the vibra-harp) in "The Star-Spangled Banner," while an oriole pulls a string that hoists a flag on a tiny pole and a parakeet shinnies to the pole top to pose as an American eagle…

Amazingly, Hansen was able to continue putting on his Bible Birds show for 60 years…

"DuckTales," the beloved Disney animated series that originally ran on TV from 1987 to 1990, is getting a reboot. Disney announced on Wednesday it has ordered a new series of globe-spanning adventures starring Uncle Scrooge, his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie and the rest. The new series is expected to premiere on the Disney XD channel in 2017.

"In the wake of Supanova’s announcement that Adam Baldwin would be attending Supanova — and organiser Daniel Zachariou’s statement explaining the decision — a number of high-profile artists and cosplayers have officially announced they will not be attending the show in protest. The Ledger Awards, a non-profit organisation designed to reward the best work done by Australian comic book artists, has announced it is dissolving its sponsorship relationship with Supanova following the decision."

21-minute independent Star Trek film. Very nicely done.

The large brick wall outside 108 Contemporary’s Gallery in downtown Tulsa will soon get a whole new cover made entirely out of yarn.

Groups of knitters across the state are teaming up for a massive art project called “The Unbearable Absence of Landscapes.”

"Archie is getting a reboot. The last issue (#666) will be released in June…" —Alan Gardner, Daily Cartoonist

The accompanying illustration has a redhead and a young woman of ethnicity where Betty and Veronica are supposed to be. You don't suppose… No, it's too vile to contemplate…

In any case, what kind of evil corporation ends a run on #666? This can't bode well.

"…on Valentine's Day and These 19 People's Hearts are Broken—Read Their Reactions!" (or not)

Posted as a public service announcement.

Chicago-born actress and comedian Nora Dunn, who is one of the few alums of TV’s “Saturday Night Live” based in the Chicago area, has sold her two-bedroom vintage condominium unit in Ukrainian Village for $258,500 and paid $185,000 for a condo unit in Evanston.

“Are these really the questions I was called here to answer?” demanded Callahan. “I called you out for putting ‘blah blah blah blah blah’ on your notepad and now you’re asking me questions like this? Really? Are we talking about this now?

“OK, how about you ask a very serious and respectful question instead of asking a little childish question?”

The committee leader told Callahan he had just asked him about climate change, and he now wanted to give someone else a chance to respond.

“If you’re not going to let me I’m going ask you to leave. That’s two strikes.”

Callahan laughed and said, “Who do you think you are?”

Callahan was then told to leave the meeting.

[YouTube Video]

...Washington Examiner columnist Conn Carroll read Dionne’s screed and did something increasingly unusual for journalists these days: he looked for facts before turning on his word-processing program. Imagine that.

So, first looked at how things are going in Mordor Kansas:

Peter Jackson's eagerly awaited new film is the first to be shot using high-speed 3D cameras that capture twice the normal number of frames per second. But some viewers said the filming techniques made them feel nauseous and even caused migraines.

Two local news anchors in Bangor, Maine resigned on air without warning over claims they were not allowed by upper management to pursue their ethical duties as reporters. Cindy Michaels and Tony Consiglio of ABC affiliate, WVII announced the move at the end of their 6 p.m. broadcast. [video]

...for the first time since its introduction in 1953, Bazooka bubblegum... Not only will... lose its popular red, white and blue colour scheme but its iconic comic strip featuring Bazooka Joe will also be replaced.

“He was an archetypal character, somewhere between crazy artist crossed with left-wing radical crossed with working-class Latino hood... He had a big influence on me through his artwork. He was top-of-the-line in that generation of underground, breakaway cartoonists.” —R. Crumb

The strip was owed by Adam@Home and Red and Rover creator Brian Basset, who told me last September that he acquired the original back in 1986 after agreeing to exchange originals with Bill Watterson. A recent financial pinch prompted him to put the piece up for auction.

…here are 10 of cinema's most obnoxious tropes that you see in Oscar-bait film after Oscar-bait film, with two entries dedicated solely to the most shameless award-whore movies in recent history

first-sale doctrine in copyright law, which allows you to buy and then sell things like electronics, books, artwork and furniture, as well as CDs and DVDs, without getting permission from the copyright holder of those products … which the Supreme Court has recognized since 1908 … challenged now for products that are made abroad, and if the Supreme Court upholds an appellate court ruling, it would mean that the copyright holders of anything you own that has been made in China, Japan or Europe, for example, would have to give you permission to sell it … copyright holder would now want a piece of that sale. [This seems to me to be exactly the opposite of the direction copyright jurisprudence should be taking. An appeallate court upheld this??] … In August 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld a lower court’s ruling that anything that was manufactured overseas is not subject to the first-sale principle. Only American-made products or “copies manufactured domestically” were. “That’s a non-free-market capitalistic idea for something that’s pretty fundamental to our modern economy,”

UPDATE: Still no ABC, CBS, NBC coverage of Univision's Fast and Furious report on Monday's evening newscasts or Tuesday's morning shows.

Now hear this! Your leader hath not deserted thee! In an effort to be more like my fellow Avenger, Tony Stark, I have had an electronic pace-maker placed near my heart to insure that I’ll be able to lead thee for another 90 years.

The state-run media's unabashed acceptance of its self-appointed role as "progressive" advocate is nightmarishly breathtaking to behold.

I regret that I must convey the sad news that Michael O'Hare passed away today. He suffered a heart attack on Sunday and was in a coma until his passing this afternoon. This is a terrible loss for all B5 fans and everyone involved with the show wishes to convey their condolences to the O'Hare family. He was an amazing man.

In 1998 1988 there was no internet, there was no Drudge. No Fox News and Rush Limbaugh would only become national in August of that year and not the force of nature he is today.

Picture for a second if there were people attending rallies, writing articles, analyzing polls, recording what is actually being said and putting that information out to the entire world. If that was taking place in 1988 do you think for one moment the mask on the actual state of the Dukakis campaign would not have been torn off long before election day?

This is the state that we are in now. The left is playing the same function as they did that year, trying their best to create the illusion of a winning campaign for Obama when none exists, but today while the MSM attempts to hide the unpleasant realities from liberal, an Army of Davids behind keyboards & cameras are spreading the word (That would be a great title for a book). …

[Photos from the con]

“I’ve had great fun, in a Sisyphean kind of way, but the time has come to let Binky and Sheba and Bongo and Akbar and Jeff take some time off,” Groening, 58, said by email.

“It’s hard to imagine how the business model that sustained alternative social-commentary and political cartooning for two decades (and is now all but dead) would have evolved had papers not discovered the power of Groening’s strip and its ability to attract readers,” said syndicated cartoonist Ted Rall by phone.

[Meh. It had its moments. Led the way on badly-drawn Leftie spew. Sad, really.]