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.

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

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.

  

Ham-Fisted Plagiarism or What?

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

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.

          

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