AUGUST FUN-RAISER

Hey all, I'm trying to raise funds to publish the new King-Cat #73 in time for SPX (Mid-September) and to that end I've posted a bunch of photographs and drawings for sale on my Facebook page, and have discounted many prices on my available prints.

Take a look and let me know if there's anything I can get for you!  I'll be posting some images and stuff from the new issue here on the blog very soon.

Thanks everyone!
John P.

A TRIP TO THE CONFLUENCE OF THE ROCK RIVER AND TURTLE CREEK

So, I've been doing lots of research for the new King-Cat, for an article on the Bridges of South Beloit.  One Sunday in late May, I traveled around in intense heat to photograph the bridges for reference, and to look for any dates or other information I could find.

When I got to the two railroad bridges spanning Turtle Creek west of Blackhawk, I decided to trek into the woods to inspect the confluence where the creek empties into the Rock River.  This was the original site of the Winnebago Indian village called The Turtle, named for the prehistoric turtle shaped mound there.  After the Black Hawk War of 1832, the Indian village was deserted, and white men began to move in.  In 1835 Joseph Tebo built a cabin there, near the confluence, and worked as a trapper, hunter, and trader.  The area soon was sold to Caleb Blodgett, who began developing a town, first called Blodgett's Place, then, briefly, New Albany, which became known as Beloit in 1837.

This is where it all began.

Looking west from the south end of the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad bridge, one can catch a glimpse of the confluence through the trees.

A grove of smooth sumacs along the trail to the river.

The confluence, where Turtle Creek (right) flows into the Rock River.

Shirland Avenue bridge in Beloit, from the confluence.

I crossed over a muddy stretch on logs and wooden planks, onto what, in wetter times, would have been an island in the river.  Above: looking southwest from the island.

Looking north again.

The island was densely wooded, with only a narrow, overgrown path to follow.

Presently, I came to the southern edge of the island.

I didn't know that rivers had mileage markers, too.

Looking back north to the island path, strewn with trash and the debris of fishermen.

The Shirland Avenue bridge again, with downtown Beloit visible in the distance.

I love Illinois.

A SLICE OF CAKE*

So, the beautiful city of Chicago recently held its first alternative comics festival in a long time, CAKE.  I had high hopes for CAKE and it didn't disappoint.

For some reason Chicago has never had a sustainable alt-comics fest.  I think, and hope, that has changed now.  The CAKE organizers really worked hard at making this a great show.  They took their time and did things right, and it showed.  For a first year show, CAKE was a great success.

I was proud not only to have a show like this in my hometown, but I was amazed at the number of brilliant cartoonists and publishers who made the trek from all over the country, and from Canada, to attend.  CAKE was a winner, and no doubt will only improve as it moves forward.  If you didn't make it out this time...  next year?

Neighbors Laura Szumowski, Leslie Stein, and Zak Sally.

The Spit and a Half table.

Leslie and Zak.

St. Louis dis.

Just kidding!  Here's Mardou and Ted May, comics power couple.

Gotta love this job.

Whoa!  I was super excited to see old friend Carrie McNinch for the first time in like 12 years.  Check out Carrie's full-length, full-color comic in the new Three #3, edited by cartoonist and publisher extraordinaire Robert Kirby (to her right)!

Marc Bell and Anders Nilsen get down and dirty.

Anders' micro-edition accordion book.

"Dirt Do-og!"

Zettwoch!!

Saturday evening there was a gallery opening down the street featuring loads of great comic art.  You can't tell from this picture, but it was 1000° in there.

Photo by Jessica Campbell.

Wabash Street.

And look, my BFF Patrick Porter showed up on an Amtrak layover.

Crowd out in front of gallery/sauna.

Ol' Grandpa John enjoys a gourmet beverage and a nice rocking chair.

Photo by Julia Wertz.

That night we played Spin the Walter at Laura Park's house.

(L-R: Domitille Collardey, Julia Wertz, Tom Kaczynski, Zak Sally, Walter Wallet, Lisa Hanawalt, Laura Park.)

Don't give me that look.

These psychos from Minneapolis insisted on doing push-ups all the time.  We were all very, very impressed.

Next morning a delightful breakfast with Zak, Tom K., and CAKE organizer Grace Tran.

Yam Books' Rina Ayuyang and John P. get all surly on yo ass.

View from behind the Secret Acres table.  Like I said, the most beautiful city in the world.

*Sorry

THE HOUSE I LIVE IN

Even the American flag is depressed.

On Tuesday, June 5th, Election Day in Wisconsin, I stood on the Portland Avenue bridge in Beloit, with the swallows, ducks, and one Great Blue Heron, and held up a sign imploring citizens to Vote for Tom Barrett, the Democratic opponent to Governor Scott Walker, who was up for recall.

Why did I do this?  Because I believe liars should be ashamed of themselves.  Because I believe women, gay people, and minorities should have the same rights as me.  Because I believe that voter-suppression is Unamerican.  Because I believe the environment should be protected.  Because I believe religious hypocrisy is repulsive.  And because I believe Greed is a poison, and we could all do with less poison in our lives.

So I did it because I wanted to speak up in some small way about what America means to me.  To me it means tolerance, and respect, and working together with all kinds of different people for a greater good.  I guess maybe that's naive in this day and age, but that's what I believe.

Most people who noticed me honked their horns in approval, or waved, or gave the thumb's up.  Some Walker supporters shouted at me, flipped me off, or gave me the thumb's down.  Many just silently shook their heads at me, or mouthed the words "No."  I tried to not take it personally.  I reminded myself that if people had the right to voice their approval, others had the right to disagree.

At one point in the run-up to the election, it occurred to me that, truth be said, it might really only do little lasting good if Barrett won.  After all, he would still have about 50% of the electorate who despised him simply because he was a Democrat.  And the state, and our country, would still be bitterly divided, with no real solution in sight.  Standing there that day I realized that it's not only necessary to stand up and fight back against the Republicans and their Corporate Overlords, but to reach out to my neighbors as well.  To try to bridge this destructive gap the GOP has so ably aggravated and exploited.  But how do you do that?

When I was canvassing for the Democrats I talked to one woman who basically said she'd worked twenty-five years at a hard job, paying $250 a month for insurance all that time, and saving for retirement, until her  401K was obliterated in the economic collapse.  She told me she took sweet delight in public sector union members losing their collective bargaining rights.  She wanted people who had better benefits, and a pension, to feel what it was like to suffer-- like she had suffered herself.

Divide and conquer.

How do you fight back against unlimited corporate greed?  Unlimited wealth that pays for lies and deception to ring in people's heads every time they turn around?  We're in a new world now, in America, and I just don't know where it's going to end up.  What do these people ultimately want from us?  A return to feudalism?  When will enough be enough for them?

I want to be hopeful for the American Experiment.  But I also know that all good things must come to an end.

MYSTERIOUS MYSTERIES

Just a few mysteries the boundless universe has thrown my way recently:

I spotted this gelatinous green ball in March, at Highbanks Metro Park, Lewis Center, Ohio.  What is it?

You'd think this unique looking flower, photographed May 11 at Big Hill Park in Beloit, Wisconsin, would be easy to identify.  But it's not.  It's the only specimen of its kind I've seen.  Can you help?

I was on the park bench at Beckman Mill, watching the sun set with my pal Charlie the Chipmunk, when I noticed this little black beetle sucking blood out of my left hand.  I brushed it away, and the next day this reddish rash developed.  Now, a week later, it's turned a delightful raspberry color.  It doesn't hurt or itch, what in the wide wide world of sports is goin' on here???

A MONTH OF SUNDAYS AND SATURDAYS

So, anyhow, I spent early-April to early-May on the road here and there, with weekend trips to Chicago, Columbus, Urbana, and Toronto for comix/zine shows.  Here is a cursory record of those events:

First stop was C2E2 in Chicago.  Joe Chips managed to wrangle himself a free table at this superheroey event (he was giving a presentation on Disability in the Comics) and I managed to wrangle a corner of said table from him.  I guess I was too depressed to take any pictures.  'Nuff said.

Next, out to good ol' Columbus Ohio, for good ol' SPACE.  This trip is always a high point of my year, as I really like Columbus.  I get to visit old High School friends (and their pets), and the show itself is low-key but well-attended by enthusiastic readers and artists.

Ginger Vitus, my l'il buddy.

Spit and a Half table, SPACE

JP, Carol Tyler, MariNaomi at SPACE

After Saturday's tabling we all went over to recent Columbus transplant Caitlin McGurk's new pad where Zeek the Cat slept through the festivities.  Everyone agreed that the Midwest is the new Seattle.

I stayed at my friend John J. and Michele's house north of Columbus.  (Artwork by up and coming cartoonist Mia J.)

I managed to spend some time at the Highbanks Metro Park before leaving Ohio.

Hoo Hah, then down to Urbana, Illinois for the second annual Midwest Zine Fest!

Quimby's manager, Liz "Caboose" Mason, talks to the MWZF crowd about zine distribution.

Midwest Zine Fest

Spit and a Half spread, MWZF

In case you've never been here, this is what Illinois looks like.

Had one last show to do: TCAF, in Toronto.  BFF Noah Van Sciver flew out from Denver to Milwaukee's 1950's era airport, and we got to hang out for a few days before Zak showed up from Minneapolis, and we all headed east together towards Toronto.

Zak left Mpls at 3 AM and I took over driving once he got to Beloit.  This is Zak trying to drown out the Jerry Clower blasting over the car stereo.

Yes.

Beauty, eh?

"Wanna buy a possum?"

Big City Lights

Noah on the roof of our hostel looking out over downtown Toronto, Friday night.

So-called "Supermoon" rising over the Bloor Street Metro

The show itself was so busy I didn't have time to take any photos.  As always, TCAF delivered.  It goes to show you how well it's run that this seemingly perfect show manages to get better year after year.  (Photo above courtesy MariNaomi's Facebook page.)

Saturday I participated in a panel discussion with Lizz Lunney and Darryl Cunningham, co-moderated by Simon Moreton and Ian Williams, on "Comics and Mental Illness."  Surrounded by Brits!  I kept getting distracted by worrying that I was gonna break out into a scouse accent.

L-R: Tom Neely (over shoulder), David Collier, JP, Emily Nilsson, Zak Sally, Noah, Pascal Girard.  Photo ripped from Noah's FB page.

The Three Amigos AKA Road Hawgs

Photo by Tom Devlin

Afterwards, people got together at a bar, but as soon as the Kool Jamz™ started I took off with Noah to book-shop at BMV.  I picked up the Agonizing Love collection, Fantastic Four Masterworks Volume Two, and a John Cleary Buddhist anthology that included Timeless Spring, a book I've been looking for for years...

Sunday was simply insane.

That evening I wandered around alone, trying to clear my head.  We ended up waking at 3:30 AM to head back home, jamming out to Van Halen II on our way out of town.