by John | Sep 28, 2009 | Blog
Okay, let’s say you’re a big star and you run inside a fancy department store because you desperately need something important (panty hose!) so that civilization as we know it doesn’t crumble. But you didn’t bring enough cash and you don’t have any photo ID. How do you convince the store to accept your check?
I think most of the audience at McCaw Hall here in Seattle figured out the answer pretty quickly last night. We all knew what was going to happen when Carol Burnett started telling the story. And yet, we were all surprised by the punch line.
Burnett’s “Laughter and Reflection” performance was primarily—like the opening moments of her Emmy-winning variety TV show (1967-78)—a question and answer session. Oh, we got to see some hilarious clips from the series as well, but it was mostly just Burnett alone on stage telling us about her life and coming up with funny answers to funny (as in odd) questions from the audience.
That may not sound like the makings of a great evening, but Burnett’s ability to connect with people is phenomenal and her obvious delight when she gets a wacky question is contagious.
The pantyhose story came early in the evening when a woman in the audience got up and mentioned the “Tarzan” yell (actually more of a yodel) that Burnett did so often on her TV show. Apparently the woman’s mother used to wake her up every morning with the yell. The mom was in the audience too. So the daughter and Carol tried to get the mom to do the yell. She declined–insisting she was out of practice. So Carol did the Tarzan yell herself.
Carol also told a story about how she was in a ritzy store once and didn’t have any ID. So–to verify that she was really Carol Burnett–the store manager had her give the Tarzan yodel. A moment later, the store’s security guard–not knowing what the heck was going on–burst through a door with his gun drawn.
by John | Aug 9, 2009 | Blog
Last Kiss is one of more than 100 webcomics featured in the Cartoon Art Museum’s show “Monsters of WebComics.” Now through Dec. 6, 2009 see some of the best webcomics in the world–such as Girl Genius and Slow Wave–at the San Francisco museum.
Other great shows being featured at the museum is “Once Upon A Dream: The Art of Sleeping Beauty” (through Jan. 10, 2010) and “The Brinkley Girls” (through Aug. 23, 2009.)
by John | Aug 2, 2009 | Blog
Me and Leonard Starr.
If I had to pick a favorite moment at Comic-Con International, it’d be easy. Except it wasn’t a moment. It was more like two or three hours. I had lunch the first day and drinks later that night with a personal hero: Leonard Starr.
Leonard created, wrote and drew one of the best adventure comic strips of all time: On Stage With Mary Perkins. I don’t think a more gorgeous strip was ever drawn. The sheer beauty of the art and the fact that the main character was a stage and movie actress might have made some people mistake it as a soap opera comic.
But if it was a soap opera, you didn’t notice as soon as you started reading it. Adventure, mystery, drama, humor–On Stage was like a movie from Hollywood’s golden era. Great scenery and production values; top-notch, bigger-than-life actors; and a story that had just the right mixture of human interest, suspense and humor.
If doing On Stage for over 20 years wasn’t enough, Leonard went on to write and draw Annie (the revamped version of Little Orphan Annie) for another tw0-plus decades. But it was On Stage that changed my life…
Don’t believe me? Well, at some point during my first date with Shelagh, the subject of favorite comic strips came up. (Probably because she knew I was a comics geek.) And the one strip that we both loved was On Stage. Of course, it’s a well known fact that if you find a woman who shares your taste in comics–well, you better marry her.
So…thanks, Leonard!
(On Stage art copyright of respective copyright holder.)
by John | Jul 30, 2009 | Blog
I’ll post a real Comic-Con International 2009 report this weekend, but in the meantime here’s a photo of Jackie Estrada, Batton Lash and me (far right) at the Supernatural Law booth. In addition to doing one of the best and longest running independent comics books, Bat does a great web comic. Check it out: “Beware the creatures of the night! They have lawyers.” Photo by Robyn Hill.
by John | Jul 19, 2009 | Blog
I’m doing several signings at Comic Con International 2009 this week in San Diego. If you want some free Last Kiss goodies or just want to chat, come on by. I’ll be the handsome guy in the Last Kiss shirt:
THURSDAY (July 23):
• 5-6 pm World’s Famous Comics–Booth 4918
FRIDAY (July 24):
• 1-2 pm Comics Buyer’s Guide–Booth 1419
• 5:30-6:30 pm World’s Famous Comics–Booth 4918
SATURDAY (July 25):
• 10-11 am World’s Famous Comics–Booth 4918
• 3-4 pm Little Lulu Fan Group–Room 24A (No signing, but I’ll be there and it’s lots of fun. Come by and take part in a “radio” reading and recording of one of John Stanley’s classic and hilarious Little Lulu stories!
SUNDAY (July 26):
• 1-2 pm Cartoon Art Museum–Booth 1930
• 3:30-4:30 pm World’s Famous Comics–Booth 4918
by John | Jul 8, 2009 | Blog
It’s been a wonderful, happy, scary and weird few weeks in the Lustig household. My daughter’s recent wedding supplied the wonderful and happy portion. The scary and weird part has been something I haven’t talked about, though.
My wife–the amazing Shelagh–hasn’t felt too amazing this last month. In fact she spent several days in the hospital with a really nasty infection that caused an abscess in her nose. (Scary because it could’ve gone into her brain.). She had surgery (twice), but is mostly fine now and should make a full recovery. Really.
Why am I mentioning this now? Well, mostly because we’ve come through this and I’m sure there’s a happy ending. But also because I want to explain why I’ve been re-running a few of my older comics recently.
Frankly, after getting through a month of medical drama and our daughter’s wedding, I decided to give myself a gift: a few days off while I catch up.
Hence today’s re-run. New stuff is coming soon. Really!
