January 28th, 2017

News Around the Kingdom: ART IMITATES LIFE AND OTHER ODDITIES

by The King

Hello, Royal Readers,

This week, we are delighted to share a post from BETWEEN FRIENDS cartoonist Sandra Bell-Lundy. She’s having some fun with a drawing that could be a self-portrait. It’s for an upcoming series in February. Check it out!

Sketch of Susan in her recliner — with blanket!

 And, since the cartoonists seem to be getting up close and personal this week, we are jes’ plain tickled that BARNEY GOOGLE AND SNUFFY SMITH cartoonist John Rose lets us take a peek inside his closet. Yes, his closet. He has quite a tie collection but, as one might expect, his faves involve the comics. Check out his Ties Fit for a King!

Ties Fit for a King

In BEETLE BAILEY this week, Brian Walker begins a new series with a look back to the start of a seminal decade in American history – the 1960s. And yes, the Beetle bunch was there. Check out the fun here.

Beetle Bailey Sunday page color proof, March 20, 1960

 Meanwhile, in HI AND LOIS, Brian continues the theme he has started this week in BEETLE BAILEY – a series that takes a fascinating look back at the best work of a decade.  In this episode that’s all about reading stories, we get a behind-the-scenes look at how it came to be. Check it out here!

Hi and Lois Sunday page color proof, February 21, 1960.

Also this week, a newspaper client sent King Features a request on behalf of a reader for an “official” answer to a question: In the Sunday cartoon from 1/22, DENNIS THE MENACE by Hank Ketcham has on a cowboy hat in the first frame. In frames 2, 3 and 6, it looks like a lampshade. Why??

Dennis the Menace and his cowboy hat…

 Here is how Sunday DENNIS THE MENACE cartoonist Ron Ferdinand responded:

All cartoonists try to find graphic representations for everything they draw….a sort of shorthand. Sometimes they are open to different interpretations to the reader. A popular one is “Why do Dennis’ nostrils look like the letter M”?

If you see the cowboy hat as a lampshade, that’s your unique and interesting interpretation. I tip my hat (or lampshade) to you!

Thanks for reading Dennis! We appreciate your feedback!

How do YOU interpret Dennis’ cowboy hat?

AND

Last but not least, Dan Piraro takes us on more BIZARRO adventures, first looking behind the scenes of his opening  panel for the blog and then sharing his always hilarious cartoons.

Bizarro

 Thanks for catching up on this week’s News Around the Kingdom.

Have a great week and see you again next Friday!