Comic Riffs recently ran an article about comic strips doing a 9-11 commmemorative. We've got four strip local creators, so I asked them - are you doing a 9-11 strip?



Donna Lewis of "Reply All":



Yes. :-)



USA Today has a preview panel here and they included a panel of mine. :-) (very honored).



Richard Thompson of "Cul de Sac":



No, I didn't do one. I couldn't find a graceful way of putting a 9-11 comment into the small world of Cul de Sac that didn't diminish the commentary and the strip. The one cartoon on 9-11 that's stayed with me over the last decade is a Tom the Dancing Bug from a few weeks after the actual event. It's here. I couldn't offer anything as eloquent as that. For what it's worth I'm going to post three old cartoons I did on 9-11 on my blog.



Gene Weingarten, writer of "Barney & Clyde":



Yep, we have one.



Kevin Rechin, artist of "Crock" could not be reached for comment.

Congratulations, friends!



Meet Lizzie, the latest addition to the Pioneer Press comics page lineup (this is an interview with Donna)

By Molly Guthrey, Pioneer Press 08/27/2011

http://www.twincities.com/life/ci_18763817?nclick_check=1



'Cul de Sac' returns to E-N; Sunday strip that ran on a trial basis in 2008 chronicles the life of a chatty preschooler.

By René A. Guzman

 San Antonio Express-News August 28, 2011

 http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/article/Cul-de-Sac-returns-to-E-N-2141635.php

Both Barney & Clyde and Cul de Sac are in the running.  Good luck gentlemen.

 

Help us pick a new comic

Mar. 29, 2011

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/03/29/2180009/help-us-pick-a-new-comic.html

The Knoxville News-Sentinel published its comic strip poll which had Cul de Sac ranked.

Cul de Sac was 10th with women, but not in the top ten for men.

For Under 18, it was number 5.
For 18-34, it was number 8.

It didn't place in the top ten for anyone older than 35.

Overall it was number 19 with 202 loving it and 419 hating it.

Richard Thompson will be at a new bookstore on December 20th at 7 pm in outer Arlington, or outer Falls Church. The bookstore isn't quite open yet so it'll actually be in the condo's gathering room next door. I'm chauffeuring, so see you all there.

Richard Thompson will be at Big Planet Comics Bethesda on December 14th. That's tomorrow! He'll also be in Northern Virginia at a new bookstore on December 20th at 7 pm.

Richard Thompson will be at a new bookstore on December 20th at 7 pm. As previously noted, he'll be at Big Planet Comics Bethesda on December 14th. Lucky these are bookstores so he can get his Christmas shopping done.

It's true - right here -

Comics Review: 8/23/2010
by PW Staff
Aug 23, 2010

Cathy Guisewite is retirng her strip Cathy. I've seen this comment more than once now, and here's Tom Spurgeon articulating it the best:

I urge every paper that is looking for a replacement to consider Cul-De-Sac. I think it's the finest strip going with a client list short of where it should be, but it really needs to sit in your paper for a while to have the best chance for people to pick up on its rhythms. It's not the kind of strip that benefits from replacing something that's been running and that has fans that could demand its return.

There's a brief wire story in the Post today saying that the True Blood books and tv show will have a comic book based on them. There's actually a long tradition of this in comics, with some series lasting beyond the show.

Also in the Style section is a strange Cul de Sac comic on evolution.

The Harvey Awards have 2 local candidates - Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for best syndicated strip and Act-I-Vate featuring local writer Jim Dougan for best anthology.

Cavna thinks it should be an animated tv series based on the new RingTales shorts.

The comments quickly turned surly due to the Post's iffy record of running the Sunday strip haphazardly, as well as not updating the e-version. Our Man Thompson also chimed in with his opinion, for what that is worth.

From Chris Sparks' ears to yours -

Richard Thompson and before Cul de Sac audio interview part 1
March 31 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q39HC7EtRAA

Richard Thompson & Cul de Sac audio interview Part 2
April 1 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJxH-_a3o7w

jeditrue — April 01, 2010 — Part two explores the early years of Cul de sac, web comics and his editor.

Richard Thompson chats about Bill Watterson and deadlines part 3
jeditrue — April 02, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_GOTmhlc18

Richard Thompson chats about Bill Watterson writing the foreword to his first Cul de Sac collection and him dealing with deadlines and how easy ideas come to him.

Richard Thompson discusses Alice and Petey audio interview part 4
— April 03, 2010 —
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-4y2xhYU9k

Richard goes into detail about the origins of Alice and Petey from Cul de Sac!

Richard Thompson discussing the Cul de Sac family and friends audio interview part 5
April 3 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtHSrFRafS4

Richard Thompson discussing more of the Cul de Sac gang part 6
April 4 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWKbtWHifEo

Richard Thompson on having Parkinsons disease and the future of Cul deSac ...part 7
From: jeditrue | April 04, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=903XlJk3yPA

In the last part of this long but entertaining interview Richard is talking about
Parkinsons and his plans for Cul de Sac. I hope you have enjoyed the interview. There will be more art drawing videos and a shorter interview this summer.

Having abandoned his plan to conquer the Washington Post by single-handedly illustrating every section, Our Man Thompson has moved on to greener, or at least moving, pastures. According to his blog, three new Cul de Sac animations are out as is a 7-part interview on Youtube.

No wonder he won't answer my phone calls...

Richard's got a blogpost up with a nice watercolor of Cul de Sac land, which if you squint, vaguely resembles Washington, DC. Squint harder.

Richard's got a blog post up linking to a Youtube video where he draws Alice from Cul de Sac. This is only sped up about 1.5x - the guy's an absolute menace to be standing next to, as he draws and his arms flail around and that razor-sharp pen nib comes within millimeters of you...

Richard Thompson's announced a contest for the most ridiculous Christmas sweater, and you can win Christmas at his house with you in the role of Tiny Tim... no wait, it's actually an autographed copy of his book. Which is nothing to sneeze at.

Geez, I had lunch (or 'linner') with Richard Thompson on Sunday and he never mentioned that he put his story about meeting Brant "Wizard of Id" Parker up on his blog, so every blogger in America has the story before me. It's a good story though, and I'm glad Richard got it down in 'print'.

Richard would also like you to know that you can buy 365 unique Cul de Sac t-shirts.

Comics Journal columnist R. Fiore declares Cul de Sac is "the best contemporary newspaper comic strip,' arguing with Bob Harvey over 9 Chickweed Lane. Heretically, I may agree with Bob, as Chickweed is continuing stories with a bit of spice in them; it really depends what I'm in the mood for though.

Richard Thompson and Comic Riffs are sponsoring a color-your-own Cul de Sac contest.

Also Richard's telephone interview by Tom Racine, postponed from San Diego until recently is online.