Tom's Mad Blog
March 26th, 2009 | Posted in General
It seems like every time I open the newspaper, there is more bad news about the economy. Apparently we are in a recession… The beauty of it is that the “experts” figure it started about December of 2007. I’m still not entirely clear on how we can be in a recession and not realize it for an entire year, but that’s how these things work. Whatever label you want to put on it, the economy is in rough shape. The real indicator, to me at least, of that is the unemployment rate. At over 8%, it’s pretty bad. Since our economy is essentially built on… READ MORE
March 25th, 2009 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
This week’s sketch is of another old musical favorite of mine from my high school days… former “Black Sabbath” frontman Ozzy Osbourne. READ MORE
March 24th, 2009 | Posted in News
For some inexplicable reason 2009 is shaping up to be The Year of Speaking Engagements for me. Here’s a list of the events I am scheduled to attend/speak/be at at so far: April Toon Award Exhibition, Okoboji, Iowa: Judging this award as part of college cartooning exhibition May 2009 Reuben Awards, Los Angeles- Swearing in as 2nd Vice President of NCS… there may be a lot of swearing, actually. June Calicomix Cartoon Festival, Cali, Colombia. South America- Guest of honor at this event celebrating illustration, comics and caricature. Dates details not officially set. July San Diego Comic Con- Appearing at NCS and “Super Capers” table… READ MORE
March 23rd, 2009 | Posted in General
Like an idiot I forgot to post a big Happy 88th Birthday to MAD‘s Al Jaffee on the 13th of this month (incidentally, another long time MAD artist shares that same birthday, but Sam Viviano is a relative spring chicken at a mere 56 years old). Well, Al never blogs about my birthday, so maybe I don’t feel that bad about it. For those who, like myself, are in awe not only of Al’s lifetime of fantastic work but that he’s still at the top of his game at 88, here’s some links to a great three part interview with Al by The Daily Crosshatch:… READ MORE
March 22nd, 2009 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: It’s obvious that networking is a very valuable practice in the cartooning and illustration world, but are situations such as a comic-con or other gatherings of that nature an appropriate venue to try and foster such contacts? Those with booths and tables are likely there primarily to sell their own work, so would they view that sort of thing as an annoyance or an opportunity? A: Comic cons are weird animals, to be certain. I actually haven’t been to that many cons, but I think I know what you are driving at. You want to know if it’s worth attending a comic con as… READ MORE
March 21st, 2009 | Posted in News
I received a nice e-mail the other day from the administrator of Gillian Anderson‘s Official Web Site (Scully of The X-Files, Lady Dedlock in Bleak House) wanting to extend Gillian’s invitation for me to contribute a doodle/drawing for NF, Inc’s Third National Doodle Day Auction scheduled to start on May 7, 2009. Gillian is the spokesperson for Neurofibromatosis, Inc., a non-profit charitable organization that helps families affected by NF – a genetic disorder of the nervous system which causes tumors to form on the nerves anywhere in the body at any time.¬¨‚Ć Gillian’s brother suffers from this disorder and their mother is the vice-president of… READ MORE
March 20th, 2009 | Posted in General
Today is the big limited release of “Super Capers”, playing at a theater near you (maybe). Check the theater list for where and when, then bring a group out to see it! Lionsgate will distribute it to 0ver 2000 theaters if it reaches a certain goal today! READ MORE
March 20th, 2009 | Posted in Wall of Shame
If I was feeling a little sorry for myself and was down in the dumps about my surgery yesterday, the package I just got in the mail sure cured my blues! Way back when I did a parody of the TV show “Heroes” for MAD, and was contacted by produced Michael Green about buying the original artwork for himself, creator Tim Kring and others that worked on the show. I had gotten hooked on “Heroes” after researching for the parody, so I did my customary deal of getting an oversized print of the splash signed by as many members of the cast as possible. Michael,… READ MORE
