The blog of Richard Thompson, caricaturist, creator of "Cul de Sac," and winner of the 2011 Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

A Richard's Poor Almanac "Star Wars"

This just in from a curator at the Air & Space Museum who owns the original. Richard did it when there was a Star Wars exhibit in the museum.


Thursday, December 17, 2015

Even more Cul de Sac stocking stuffers - playing cards!

Suicidal Clown Playing Cards
Suicidal Clown Playing Cards by Thompsoniana
Look at another Deck of Cards online at zazzle.com
So You Think You're Lucky? Playing Cards
So You Think You're Lucky? Playing Cards by Thompsoniana
Check out Luck Classic Playing Cards online at zazzle
Tragedy and Comedy Playing Cards
Tragedy and Comedy Playing Cards by Thompsoniana
Shop for another Deck of Cards online at zazzle.com

Need a last minute holiday card?

Check out Thompsoniana cards on Zazzle. They're 1/2 price through Sunday with the code EXPRESSCARDS

You'll be glad you did. Where else are you going to get a "Cat in a Sombrero Card"?


Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Happy Beethoven's birthday


Richard Thompson traditionally wishes all his fans a Happy Beethoven birthday. On his behalf, I do so today (a day early as it turns out so you got TWO days of best Beethoven wishes). - Mike Rhode

Monday, December 14, 2015

New holiday Thompsoniana swag available

Richard has always stood for giving his fans what they want* so today we unveil some more Christmas ornaments and other swell gift items. Coincidentally**, they're also on sale, today only, for 50% off with before-Christmas delivery. Use the code: ZGIFTSBYXMAS. - Mike Rhode



Saint Santa ornament by Richard Thompson
Saint Santa ornament by Richard Thompson by Thompsoniana
Shop for Christmas Ornaments online at Zazzle.com
Silly Cosmology Ornament
Silly Cosmology Ornament by Thompsoniana
Check out other Turtles Ornaments at zazzle.com



*Not really. Especially when they're his editors.
**Also untrue.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

A Cul de Sac Thanksgiving, 2008

originally appeared in the Washington Post Magazine, Nov 27, 2008.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

David Bragunier




David Bragunier was principal tuba player for the National Symphony Orchestra  for 43 years. He was also my friend Bono Mitchell's neighbor for 37 years; neighbor, friend, brother-she-never-had. [He passed away in July - here's his obituary in The Post. I believe he commissioned the Mstislav Rostropovich caricature that Richard shows below - MR].
                










A video.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

This blog is not abandoned...

... sometimes it just feels that way. I spoke with Richard today, and he would like his readers to know that while he's having trouble physically being able to blog, he still likes to hear from people. (We're also trying to set up a workaround so he can use the blog again.)

Here's a  recent photo of Richard at a showing of The Art of Richard Thompson short film. Director Bob Burnett posted it on Facebook, writing "Alexandria Film Festival (where RT received a standing ovation after the screening) the producer Andy "Hamdinger" Hemmendinger makes an appearance too."




Here's Richard with Pixar director Pete Docter, who hired him to work on Inside Out.
 


And here's an image or two from the upcoming book, The Incompleat Art of Why Things Are." Details to follow when they're finalized.




-- Mike Rhode

Sunday, July 12, 2015

An Eisner



Well, two,  but one's enough. I want to thank the judges,, everyone who voted,  especially  for me, and for courage in the face of wicked witches above & beyond I'd like to thank Nick Galifianakis, David Apatoff and Chris Sparks, who had to accept the Eisner on my behalf (photo below) because I'm scared of public speaking and was busy that night.

  

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Ham-Fisted Plagiarism or What?

Offered here without comment is this story and this cartoon, which predates it by more than a decade...

Thursday, May 28, 2015

3 (THREE) DAYS TO VOTE!


Are you a comics professional? Warning signs include:

  • Blood in the stool
  • Tinitus
  • Angst
  • Euphoria
  • Confusion
Plus the symptoms covered previously. If you suffer from any of these, you may be eligible to VOTE IN THE EISNERS! Named for multi-talinted  Ed  Eisner [NO, IT WASN'T. IF THS CHILDISHNESS CONTINUES RESPONSIBLE ADULTS MIGHT BE FORCED TO COMMANDEER THIS BLOG. NOW LET'S SEE WHAT BRIAN FRIES SAID.]

Reminding, asking, pleading....there's such a fine line between those words. Eisner Award voting closes June 1, and comics pros--which includes not just writers and artists but educators, librarians, booksellers, journalists, editors--are eligible to vote. I'm up for Best Digital/Web Comic and would appreciate your consideration (don't forget, if you voted online you can always go back and revise your ballot!). The link: http://eisnervote.com/

Other worthy names/titles I think deserve your vote (taking nothing away from their competitors) include Raina Telgemeier, Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast, El Deafo by Cece Bell, The Complete Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson, Kill My Mother by Jules Feiffer, and Stan Sakai for everything.
          

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Compleating Cul de Sac available now - New Richard Thompson book out

Richard's friend Mike here -

The Complete Cul de Sac isn’t.

Complete, that is. Compiling it while ill, Richard accidentally left out some strips. Others were purposely left out, either because he had redrawn them for syndication, or they were too tied to the Washington, D.C. origins of the strip to make sense for a worldwide audience, or he “just felt some were not funny.” Over 100 are not in The Complete CDS.

But if you’re a cartoon completist, or just want a little bit more CDS, we understand and we’re here for you. We’ve collected the lost water-colored Washington Post Magazine strips, the early inchoate musings about what the strip should be, the promotional material, the sketches for fans, and finally some fugitive Team Cul de Sac charity art by Art Spiegelman, KAL, Patrick McDonnell, Eric Shansby, Nate Beeler and others.

With Richard’s blessing, or at least active acquiescence, any money the book makes will go to Team Cul de Sac to fight Parkinson’s disease.

And if more art surfaces, we’ll do a second edition. (if you've got something, drop me a line)

Compleating Cul de Sac
by Richard Thompson, Michael Rhode and Chris Sparks
Asheville, NC: Team Cul de Sac & Arlington, VA: ComicsDC, 2015.


Available in paperback: http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-rhode/compleating-cul-de-sac/paperback/product-22163926.html

hardcover: http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-rhode/compleating-cul-de-sac-hardcover/hardcover/product-22163989.html

ebook pdf: http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-rhode/compleating-cul-de-sac-ebook/ebook/product-22185584.html

Save 25% on all print books with code MEMORIAL through May 27.

Team Cul de Sac art by Terry Flippo


Saturday, May 9, 2015

THE COMPLEAT IS COMPLETE

  

Order your copy of Compleating CDS from Lulu today for only $35.00 and you'll earn the envy of all you know! They'll be so sick with rage, they'll just spontaneously explode, probably! What other graphic novel can offer that?

Here's what you get:

  • All the strips, over 100 and many in color,  that were left out of the Compete CDS, even if they were salacious.
  • Rough sketches. Everybody loves rough sketches.
  • Ephemera, drawings done for promotion, drawings done  as dedications in books,  drawings done as attempts at bribery or usury or to pay off an exorbitant restaurant bill. 
There's also an exclusive, deluxe HARDBACK edition, available on a first-come-first-served basis to only our most loyal fans for only $50.00 from Lulu.

So hurry!

Today through May 10, save 20% on any print book with the code MOM20.

(Book editor Mike Rhode here - we hope to get a less expensive version out soon, which will also raise more money for Team Cul de Sac. If you need to buy one today, the paperback uses better interior paper stock than the hardcover)

Sunday, April 26, 2015

WHAT'S NEW AT THOMPSONIANA?

MOTHER'S DAY CARDS
FROM 

IT'S NO WONDER THE INVENTOR OF
MOTHER'S DAY WAS A
CRANK WHO DISOWNED THE ENTIRE THING, AND ANY SENTIMENTALITY ON SUCH A FRAUDULENT, MADE-UP OCCASION IS MISPLACED. 
IT'S GENERATIONAL EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL,
 BUT DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU
FROM ORDERING OUR
HIGH-QUALITY ARTISANAL CARDS.


THERE, THAT'S THE LOT.
INSIDE IT SAYS,
"TRUE STORY, I SWEAR!"
OR SOMETHING.

FROM 

TRUE, WE SWEAR.