Editor’s Note: Marshall McLuhan is gaining ground, much like Nikola Tesla, as a hero from the past speaking for today. He would certainly have something to say about the hotspot that is today’s Ballard, a far cry from the sleepy little hamlet that it once was. McLuhan was sensitive to such things as the character and identity of a place.

Has Ballard lost something? Well, it’s always been under development, that’s one way of looking at it. Consider the last panel in this comic. You see what was once a grand old fire station. It was converted into one of Ballard’s leading restaurants, The Hi-Life, long before the arrival of all the other new hotspots that make up the new Ballard. It’s certainly a great place and enhances the whole area. All you have to do is try their famously good fried chicken to know they belong right where they are.

“Giant Days #1″ is just what the doctor ordered if you’re in need of some rather droll humor. John Allison has been dishing out his humor, dry and stylish, for many years. Fans of Allison’s “Scary Go Round” are fiercely devoted to the misadventures of Shelly Winters, which you can check out here. Allison has gone beyond the youthful misadventures of Scary to the schoolgirl sleuths in “Bad Machinery.” And, in between, he created “Giant Days,” featuring Esther de Groot, just starting university, and always ready to get into trouble.

The characters in Giant Days are all quite young, full of spunk, and part of a way of looking at the world, all deadpan and cute. The quirk factor in Allison’s comics falls right in with comics by Kate Beaton and Bryan Lee O’Malley. All three cartoonists don’t seem to have a mean bone in their bodies. Their characters may say things that are snarky and yet they also come across as quite vulnerable, never much of a threat to anyone. Even when things come down to pounding fists and kicks, the genius to keep to a cartoony distance repels any real harm. That is a big part of the appeal. These characters can say and do anything and remain in a cartoon safe zone. That’s the story of a lot of great comics.

You would think this sort of thing is such a piece of cake. The art appears rather simple, yes? The jokes seem so casual and carefree, yes? But, no, it’s not easy cake. It’s not even easy cupcake. The process can be magical, enjoyable, and may seem easy. But it requires the right type of cartoonist: diligent, brave, and full of wit. So is the case with Allison. In Giant Days, he gives us one Esther de Groot, all cute and idealistic. She loves the cerebral and the misfit. Those are the types she wants to hang out with as she starts her life, away from home. But, given her cuteness, the cool girls want to take her as one of their own. Of course, they never expected Esther to have a mind of her own. Sarcastic remarks are made. Cat fights ensue. All in all, just the sort of comic to enjoy with a nice tea and crumpets.

Visit John Allison’s website here. And check out Giant Days over at ComiXology here.

The holiday season is upon us and what better way to rebel than with the right dose of sarcasm and wit? Well then, look no further than the latest issue of the quarterly humor magazine, The Devastator. Issue 9 is devoted to the theme, Toys & Games! Ah, what fun! Get it here.

In an issue chock full of comics, prose, and all sorts of jolly manipulation of other content, you start out with the one-page comic, “In Jail,” by K.C. Green, that sets the tone for funny.

“Mastermind,” spoofs the beloved board game and is brought to you by Comedian Greg Proops (The Smartest Man In World, Whose Line Is it Anyway?), well in the tradition of hilarious photo-comics from The National Lampoon.

Or perhaps your refined taste for offbeat humor runs toward more complex satire? No problem there, sport. You will be thrilled by such involved work as “Bye-Bye, Miss American Girl,” by Patrick Baker, with art by Grace Levine. There’s even a fully formed new board game, “ClueMates: The Passive Agressive Roommate Detective Game,” illustrated by BOOM! Studio’s Yehudi Mercado (Adventure Time comics, Pantalones, TX).

The Devastator is a Los Angeles comedy magazine, founded by writers Geoffrey Golden and Amanda Meadows. Each issue features original comics and writing by some of the funniest people alive: from The Daily Show, The Onion, Adult Swim, Marvel, DC Comics, and more! Check out devastatorquarterly.com.

There are a number of reasons why you might be curious about this show. The main reason to see it is because it’s funny. Politics and humor go hand in hand but they don’t always add up to something really funny. Sometimes, it is sent to us by the Gods. What else explains Tina Fey as Sarah Palin? Sometimes, it is sent to us by Garry Trudeau. Yes, that Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist of “Doonesbury” fame. His humor is recognized as rather wry and dry. But for this series, he’s eased up a bit on the drollness. He allows his characters to breathe and, in doing so, has established a good extended rhythm for the small screen.

Trudeau is a smart fella. He’s always been more of a writer than an artist. He has a solid sense for satire which can get the life squeezed out of it by the mini-episodic format of traditional newspaper comic strips. Of course, Trudeau makes the most of it. His current comic strip arc is set in Afghanistan and he has Hamid Karzai, the opportunistic President of Afghanistan, lusting over the prospect of Tom Hanks playing him in a movie. It’s a joke small enough to fit in a four panel comic strip. But what about when Trudeau has ample room to spread out and really get his political freak on?

We got a good example of what Trudeau can do with his mockumentary, “Tanner ’88.” With Robert Altman directing, this was any political junkie’s fantasy come true back in the day. The humor hasn’t aged well. It was already dating back to the ’60s when it first came out. It’s a shaggy dog sort of humor where people mumble and are supposed to be whipsmart but sound really dumb. Just imagine “Saturday Night Live,” from its early years to the present day. It began with a slow offbeat vibe and now it’s evolved to a fast snarky vibe. Something like that has informed Trudeau’s later work and made its way into this new project. It’s still Trudeau but zippier. To paraphrase the old Nixon slogan, he’s tanned, he’s rested, and he’s ready.

It’s also a good thing to have John Goodman as your star attraction. Alpha House is an ensemble show with four male leads, who all happen to be quite good, but, yeah, we’re talking John Goodman. This guy is a bear of a man and a bear of an actor–which means he’s darn good. I’d sit and watch John Goodman peel grapes and snack on them. The man has that kind of charisma. In this show, Goodman is one of four U.S. senators who share a house together while Congress is in session. I’m not sure how common that is but the idea is amusing. I know of at least one politician who had housemates and that was Rudy Giuliani. Just the thought of that is sort of funny. Now, imagine trying to live with John Goodman as your housemate.

There are set pieces to the show that seem to mimic the comic strip along with having the luxury to spread out. For instance, there’s the case of Sen. Louis Laffer (played by Matt Malloy) who is dogged by the perception, and fact, that he is a wimp. But then he literally stumbles upon getting a fairly credible war injury on a publicity seeking tour of Afghanistan. In the process of his ongoing recovery, you get to know his daughter, a devote Mormon who falls in love with Laffer’s chief of staff byway of the senator’s Skype sessions. More in tune with the possibilities of television are the quiet moments expressed by Sen. Robert Bettencourt (played by Clark Johnson). He marvels over his image in political ads while awaiting his own possible indictment.

What sticks with me is a scene typical of what you can expect when Sen. Gil John Biggs (played by John Goodman) is the focus. Sen. Andy Guzman (played by Mark Consuelos) is just getting used to being the new housemate when he hears loud snores coming from the shower. He frantically unveils the shower curtain to reveal Biggs slumped over. Instantly, Biggs wakes up and chastises Guzman for interfering with his morning ritual of dozing in the shower. Now, that’s well above and beyond the pace of a comic strip!

Alpha House is on Amazon on Fridays. You can view it here.

There’s a very cool, even flawless, indie movie, inside of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” This is a major motion picture, so the beautiful moments in this film must allow for the tentpole to go up and lure in the biggest audience. The CGI effects are great but they can get carried away as in one extended scene involving Walter Mitty and his boss duking it out, moving as if powered by jets, down midtown Manhattan. CGI is notorious for providing mixed results or downright duds in the humor department. There’s also a crowd pleaser daydream sequence involving a parody of “Benjamin Button” that, while funny, is jarring in its being out of place. But not to worry because, at its heart, this is a movie full of exquisite comedic timing, led by Ben Stiller as Walter Mitty, the ultimate daydreamer, and Kristen Wig as Cheryl Melhoff, his coworker and the object of his affection.

The secret to this movie’s success is in all its fine understated moments. There are many of them. And they’re very funny and touching. Those first opening shots of Walter at the subway platform on the phone with a rep from eHarmony are some of the best moments of comedy you’ll find anywhere. Audiences have already seen them in trailers and laugh each time they see them. And when they see them again in the movie, they laugh that hearty laugh from anticipating something they know to be good. By the time we reach the conflict between Walter and his boss, Ted Hendricks (played by Adam Scott), the plot has tightened up and has to ride out some unfunny edge. Mitty has been a longtime employee at Life Magazine. But the venerable magazine has reached its last print issue. The cover will be graced by a photo from its most legendary photographer, the mysterious Sean O’Connell (played by Sean Penn). That is if Mitty can find the missing negative.

At this point, once the chase is on to find the missing negative, the movie is entering its most dangerous territory, predictability. Based on James Thurber’s classic short story, the script by Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happyness) leans heavily in the feel good camp but there are ways to have your cake and eat it too. Cake, now that I mention it, plays an important role in this movie. It’s Walter’s mom, played by Shirley MacLaine, that makes the best pineapple upside-down cake in the world. It’s so good that it can charm Afghan warlords. If that sounds like a plot out of an old Flintstones cartoon, that would be a fair assessment. But as syrupy as this hero’s journey can get, the actors can ride out those rough spots. Stiller and Wig together carry this comedy in for a safe and funny landing.

As with any worthwhile comedy, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty has a meaningful core, once you pare away the big budget excess. Stiller is compelling as a man trying to find himself. On his journey of self-discovery, he must track down a larger-than-life enigma in order to find the answers he seeks. If Stiller and company had wanted to edit down their way to a more precise expression of what Walter Mitty meant to them, they could have done it. For a movie that takes a more substantial route with a somewhat similar plot, you’ll want to check out Steeve Coogan and Judi Dench in “Philomena.” But that’s comparing apples to oranges. Mr. Coogan made exactly the sort of movie he was after. And Mr. Stiller made exactly the sort of movie he was after.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty goes into wide release on Christmas Day.

There’s a high level of cool playing off a serious case of regret in the always engaging graphic novel, “Pretentious Record Store Guy,” by Carlos Gabriel Ruiz. As a fellow traveler in cartooning as well as hipster preoccupations, I can say that Ruiz has concocted something pretty special. It’s like he’s willed to life a particular view with all its quirky faults. Once the shark stops, he is doomed. Ruiz finds a way to keep that shark moving.

This is Guy Valentine’s world and welcome to it. He has the most enormous octopus tattoo on his arm and really cool hair. And he seems to have an unlimited amount of time to plot his course. Well, he seemed to have unlimited time. Guy is discovering there are limits to everything. Maybe he’s been aware that his life is not all it could be. He was missing proper motivation. That’s exactly what he gets in this story that never takes itself too seriously and is loaded with style.

Ruiz does just what is needed to ride a fine edge between satire and a dramatic plot. There’s an interesting static quality to the artwork that reinforces the humor and the disconnection. Guy needs to remain cool and detached. That is both his weakness and his salvation. He doesn’t express any emotion other than looking perpetually morose. His static stare and overall stiffness are what make him who he is. It’s a great look and something that Ruiz developed over time. The book also includes earlier versions of the character as he appeared in an ongoing comic strip. We get to chart the refinement of the character and his story. The fact that Ruiz deliberately tapped into that alienation is perfectly in keeping with Guy’s hipster scene.

The story itself is satisfying. At first, it will bring to mind Nick Hornby’s “High Fidelity” as we observe Guy going through his regular routine working at a record store. Guy is put upon by the typical customer’s overall lack of knowledge, style, and authenticity. He is right, of course. But that doesn’t mean that the unwashed masses are so thick as to never fight back. One particularly obnoxious little punk calls Guy out and pegs him for a 35-year-old nobody living in his parent’s basement. That hits a little too close to home for Guy. Anyway, things were already getting sour for him. Somehow, always being on the guest list for all the cool shows just wasn’t enough anymore. That’s when Guy decides he needs to take his band more seriously and that creates its own set of complications.

To round out the package, this book includes a fun grab bag of bonus features like Guy’s endless list of possible names for bands: The Sherlock Holmes Conspiracy, The Sesame Street Walkers, United Parcel Service, Sonic Boom Boom, The George Washington Junior High School Fencing Team Tryouts, and so on. This stuck with me and I found myself coming across my own discoveries. Today, for instance, I read the services at a hair salon and I was struck by a great name for a band. Digital Perm! I just read that some Japanese company owns the copyright to that perm term so I don’t know if that would hold up in court but I digress.

You can find Pretentious Record Store Guy at Ruiz’s website here. You’ll also want to go here, here, and here.

And check out my interview with Carlos Gabriel Ruiz right here.

There is something very wrong about following a vengeful JFK in pursuit of his killers but Craig Frank is willing to go there in his graphic novel, “JFK: SECRET OPS.” It is dark humor to be sure. What makes it work is Frank’s unabashed commitment to stay the course. Okay then, giddy up, pardner, cause we’re on a bumpy conspiracy theory-laden crazy ride. Where do I find these unusual works? Well, it ain’t easy but it’s fun.

A very big part of the appeal of this book is its ferocious animated style. Take a look, here, Frank knows and loves to draw cars. It’s not something every cartoonist takes to with such gusto. You can tell there were some key images that Frank was rolling around in his head as he set out to create this. Car chases! Guns! Girls! Rat Pack terror! He succeeds in a lot of ways. Maybe the only trouble, at times, is keeping up with all the people on JFK’s list of killers. But that’s alright. Maybe we want to scratch every possible conspiratorial itch. And we definitely want as many loopy things as possible, like JFK hanging out with Sammy Davis, Jr.

In many ways, you can’t get enough of this material. There is that strange attraction to JFK that we may never break free from. He is of the relative distant past and yet contemporary enough to still leave a sting. And, oh, what a sting when you start to think about it. That’s the thing. This is a story, and a tragedy, with a ripple effect to go on indefinitely. Some might even say it’s still too soon to create a book like this but, on the other hand, crass humor has its place.

In other ways, I can see where some paring down would have made this work that much better. It’s a matter of preference, for me, since I really have to hand it to Frank for what he’s accomplished. As it is, it’s a wild free-for-all that, to my taste, seems better suited for animation. Frank is, after all, a professional animator. And, hell yes, I’d definitely buy a DVD of the animated version to this story.

But, let me backtrack just a bit. I think this graphic novel is something of a hairy beast. JFK, like a Frankenstein monster, is going to stay the course no matter what. JFK ploughs through. It’s a very fluid ploughing through that could have been helped by a more precise composing of the comics page. That said, this is a solid piece of dark, sweaty, gritty humor.

I offer up this criticism with great respect for Frank. The truth is that taking on a graphic novel is a challenge, especially at the scale Frank is working at. This 260-page graphic novel is a wild ride.

“JFK: SECRET OPS” is on its way to an outlet near you. Check the internets. You can view my special Skype interview (Ooh ahh, Skype!) with Craig Frank right here.

We have heard that Kevin Smith was going to retire from directing movies. But maybe he can still keep his hand in. His latest film, TUSK, taps into his distinctive offbeat humor. Starring Justin Long, who got to spar a bit with Smith in DIE HARD 4.0, this new film allows Smith to try out some new things in the horror genre. It’s all systems go as A24 and Demarest Films have teamed up on distribution of Kevin Smith’s TUSK.

TUSK was inspired by the real-life story of an internet message board user who advertised for a roommate willing to dress as, and act like, a walrus.

“It’s about a guy who turns another guy into a f**king human walrus,” Entertainment Weekly quotes Smith as saying.

TUSK, which stars Justin Long, Michael Parks, Genesis Rodriguez, and Haley Joel Osment, was born out of one of Kevin Smith’s immensely popular SModcasts. Currently in production, the modern-day monster movie was also written by Smith. Sam Englebardt, David Greathouse, and Shannon McIntosh are producing.

Said A24, “We had the privilege of visiting Kevin on the TUSK set and seeing some of his early footage. We can say with certainty that this movie will blow people’s minds. Truly one you’ll have to see to believe.”

“I’m as happy as the day Miramax bought Clerks back in ’94! We’re so lucky A24 fell in love with our walrus picture and jumped in the pool with us. I was a big fan of how they released The Bling Ring and Spring Breakers, so I was praying TUSK would take root there. If anyone knows how to bring this flick to the masses, it’s them!” says Smith.

Demarest’s Sam Englebardt added, “We’re thrilled that A24 has joined us in backing Kevin’s wild, deviant vision. Tusk will be a horror movie for the ages and we couldn’t imagine a better partner in bringing it to the world.

TUSK follows Wallace (Long) a journalist on a mission. He finds the story of a lifetime in Mr. Howe (Parks), a worldwide adventurer with amazing tales and a curious penchant for walruses.

Smith is as busy as ever with his SModcasts and supporting new filmmakers. In 2013, independent distributor Phase 4 and the Kevin Smith Movie Club released THE DIRTIES, a gutsy faux documentary about bullying, by Matthew Johnson.

You can listen to my interview with Matthew Johnson, the co-writer, director, and star of THE DIRTIES right here. It was a pleasure to get to chat with Matthew and I thank him for his generosity.

A24 plans for a wide release of TUSK in the third quarter of 2014.

ABOUT A24

Launched in the summer of 2012, A24 is a New York-based media company focused on the distribution, financing and production and feature films. Recent releases include Sofia Coppola’s highly buzzed about THE BLING RING and James Ponsoldt’s Sundance darling, THE SPECTACULAR NOW. The company previously released Harmony Korine’s incredibly successful SPRING BREAKERS starring Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, and James Franco. Upcoming titles for 2014 include David Michod’s highly anticipated second feature THE ROVER, Steven Knight’s Tom Hardy starrer LOCKE, Jonathan Glazer’s acclaimed Scarlett Johansson film UNDER THE SKIN and the Jake Gyllenhaal starrer ENEMY.

ABOUT DEMAREST FILMS

Funded with private capital, Demarest produces and finances a wide range of film and television projects. The firm’s broad investment mandate allows it to move quickly and decisively, invest across the debt and equity capital structure, and ultimately help filmmakers secure the largest possible portion of their budgets from one reliable source. Demarest’s founders are themselves seasoned producers and can offer informed and collaborative backing to their artistic partners.

Recent and forthcoming Demarest projects include Anton Corbijn’s adaptation of the John le Carré novel A MOST WANTED MAN, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, Daniel Brühl, and Robin Wright, set for release in 2014; Max Nichols’s naughty romantic comedy TWO NIGHT STAND, starring Miles Teller, Analeigh Tipton, Jessica Szohr, and Kid Cudi, also debuting in 2014; Mike Flanagan’s psychological thriller SOMNIA, starring Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Annabeth Gish, and Dash Mihok, currently shooting; Victor Levin’s Manhattan romance 5 TO 7, starring Bérénice Marlohe, Anton Yelchin, Olivia Thirlby, Glenn Close, and Frank Langella, currently in postproduction; Robert Rodriguez’s MACHETE KILLS, starring Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, and Mel Gibson; and Neil Jordan’s vampire thriller BYZANTIUM, starring Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Arterton, Jonny Lee Miller, Sam Riley, and Caleb Landry Jones.

ABOUT SMODCAST PICTURES

SModcast Pictures, a division of SModCo and SModcast.com, has produced Red State and the animated Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie, as well as COMIC BOOK MEN for AMC. They’ve also produced a series of podcast comedy specials, including Jay & Silent Bob Go Down Under for Epix.

Jim Gaffigan as Howard Cantour

Portia Doubleday as Dakota Zearing

You know, I’m really surprised that Shia LeBeouf’s exercise in plagiarism has not been shut down and still exists as a legitimate film with its own official IMDb. So it goes, right? Well, for now. We’ll see how that turns out for Mr. LaBuff. Really, I enjoyed the Shia’s performance in 2012′s “The Company You Keep,” co-starring Robert Redford. It had a nice Hallmark Hall of Fame quality to it. Something Lindsay Lohan might have done before everything got fuzzy and weird.

Considering Shia’s new upcoming project as a sex addict, who knows, maybe things will start to get even fuzzier and weirder for him. But we don’t really want that for him. In fact, once this blows over, after wounds have healed, after some soul-searching, all could turn out quite well, no? And, if so, I’d be proud to shake Mr. LaBoof’s hand. For now, the craziness continues as you can read in this piece in The Independent from this Monday here.

So, basically, you’ve got a short film that lifts its story directly from a short work in comics by Daniel Clowes, entitled, “Justin M. Damiano.”

Hey, knock your socks off and view Shia’s little masterpiece at the YouTube right down here, just waiting for you. It might get deleted, so check it out, if you want:

Truth be told, sure, sure, sure, it’s an okay little piece but you gotta ask the original, yes “original” creator, permission, Shia, just gotta. Live and learn.

Frank is a civil servant in Singapore by day. And he’s a Cosplayer by night. He needs more room for all of his Cosplay costumes and related items but his apartment is tiny. IKEA has just posted a solution to Frank’s problem that you can view above. It’s pretty funny and a neat little home makeover too. It will inspire your next visit to IKEA.

Bob Mankoff, a cartoonist at work, circa 1974

“How About Never–Is Never Good for You?: My Life in Cartoons” is a very long title but it does two important things. It’s funny and it’s memorable. Just what you would expect from Bob Mankoff, the cartoon editor of The New Yorker.

Paradoxically, we all know a New Yorker cartoon when we see one but there really isn’t a typical New Yorker cartoon. It takes someone like, Bob Mankoff, the cartoon editor of The New Yorker, to explain that one. And why settle for someone like Bob Mankoff when you can have the real thing in his latest book.

If you really want to know what it takes to get a cartoon published in The New Yorker, then this book will answer that along with a lot of other things about the human condition. And, by the way, it takes someone sensitive to the human condition to get published in The New Yorker, let alone make a career out of it. This is where Mankoff has a leg up on many an aspiring cartoonist. He was most assuredly a sensitive and inquisitive youth. Although you could say that anyone truly interested in cartooning is already sensitive, but I digress. What is clear is that Mankoff is the sort of person who loves life and has a burning desire to express himself. Part of that desire came from his mother and part came from Jerry Lewis.

It was never a forgone conclusion that Mankoff would develop into any kind of artist. It was a combination of things, not the least of which was his Jewish upbringing, that gave him the strength and sense of humor to persevere. He would have loved to have pursued art as a youngster but he didn’t see himself as talented enough. It would be years later, once he was well on his way to getting his PhD in Behavioral Psychology, that he pursued cartooning. What he discovered was that he was good at it and was able to sell cartoons to such notable magazines as The Saturday Review. And, after 2,000 rejections, he finally got a cartoon published in The New Yorker in 1977.

What we learn about cartoons from Mankoff relates to just about everything else, as we go from the specific to the general. New Yorker cartoons reflect human nature. They do such a good job of it that we feel we already know all about them. But, in the end, there is no magic formula to creating a New Yorker cartoon. If there is a secret to their success, then it lies in the fact that they are created by individuals, each with their own unique vision. Mankoff is clearly excited about sharing what he knows. He shares his views on humor theory. He explains that there are “head” cartoonists and there are “hand” cartoonists: one is a master of the concept; the other showcases the artwork. And there are cartoonists who will only doodle during the first stage of creation while others will only write.

Carl Rose and E.B. White’s “It’s broccoli, dear” “I say it’s spinach, and I say the hell with it,” from 1929

Peter Arno’s “Well, back to the old drawing board,” from 1941

Bob Mankoff’s “How About Never–Is Never Good for you?” from 1993

Mankoff is genuinely fascinated with The New Yorker as an institution and an active player in the culture. To have a New Yorker cartoon become a catch phrase is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon that cartoon, that cartoonist, and The New Yorker. In a book full of cartoons, photographs, and diagrams, Mankoff is not shy about providing examples. Speaking of examples, he provides us with an in depth look at how The New Yorker has become part of the culture. Three prominent examples: Carl Rose and E.B. White’s “It’s broccoli, dear” “I say it’s spinach, and I say the hell with it,” from 1929; Peter Arno’s “Well, back to the old drawing board,” from 1941; and Bob Mankoff’s “How About Never–Is Never Good for you?” from 1993. All three of these cartoons are bona fide hits: they made it not only into the lexicon of the media but broke into the lexicon of the general public.

Do you harbor a desire to have a cartoon published in The New Yorker? Well, get in line. Even if you do get a cartoon published, that doesn’t mean you’re truly a New Yorker cartoonist. Try getting consistently published year after year. Then you might lay claim to that title. However, there might be a slightly easier way for you to get your cartoonist side to shine by entering The New Yorker caption contest. Mankoff is eager to help. He actually shows you how you can better your chances of winning. It has something to do with really trying. And that’s the best advice you could give about New Yorker cartoons, and life in general. It’s always good to really try.

“How About Never–Is Never Good for You?: My Life in Cartoons” is a 304-page hardcover book published by Henry Holt and Company. You can get your copy here.

Shannon Wheeler has been for many years the much beloved alternative cartoonist, famous for his over-caffeinated comics, “Too Much Coffee Man.” And then he went where many cartoonists have attempted to go before but only a smidgen have been heard from since…The New Yorker!

For many a cartoonist, the rejection slips prove to be too much. Perhaps they give up drawing cartoons altogether. Some brave, or misguided, souls venture toward another light…graphic novels!

The bravest of all cartoonists revel in the rejection slips. Perhaps they just know that someday they too will make the grade. But, for the time being, revel they do. Revel onward, my dear friends, revel with such gusto and you may have the last laugh! That is probably, at least in part, what Shannon Wheeler was thinking when he collected his cartoons deemed rejects by The New Yorker and turned them into a book. He’s given this a lot of thought. This latest book is his second collection of rejects. And that comes with the territory since Wheeler has been a successful contributor to The New Yorker since 2009.

And, hold on there true believers, everything is relative! The term “reject” has a somewhat different meaning when you consider what The New Yorker is up against. And, yes, they are truly up against it: hundreds of submissions per week with only about 17 slots to fill per issue. You do the math. It is pretty unlikely that, in this context, “reject” means “stinker.” Well, there have to be stinkers but you have to break some eggs in order to get an omelette.

On the other hand, once a cartoon has been deemed a reject, how does it live down that stigma? Well, it’s possible there’s a little too much of this or not enough of that. It could be a totally subjective call. Maybe it’s too close to something that’s come before, or that joke is already in that same issue. Those are the sort of questions one could ask while looking through this book. You might wonder if that’s really the right attitude to take with this book. All I can say is that you know you want to do it, so do it. This doesn’t mean the cartoons aren’t funny. It just means, for any number of reasons, they did not make the cut.

After reading all these cartoons, I have gained a greater appreciation for what it takes to develop into a New Yorker cartoonist. It seems inevitable that you must go through certain stages: rebelling against tradition, attempting to fit into tradition, and finally emerging as your own cartoonist.

Many of the cartoons I see here appear to straddle between a cartoonist as rebel and as standard bearer. One very funny example, is a classic trope, a doctor in a hospital about to deliver some news. He says, “We couldn’t save your husband, but we did save you some pizza.” It’s a great play on the word “save,” of course. Perhaps it feels more like a parody of a New Yorker cartoon than the real thing. Sometimes all the speculating in the world will not result in any satisfactory answer.

And then there are cartoons with a more weird vibe too them, perhaps created under the spell of too much coffee. Here we have a guy sitting on his couch with his cat curled up nearby. He says, “What are these mice-chasing apps on my phone?” To my taste, that one nails it, it is true Shannon Wheeler, and it IS a New Yorker cartoon. Well, I wonder if you can resubmit cartoons.

There’s another category that a cartoonist can play with. I call it, “I’m going to wow them with something they’ll say they wish they’d thought of!” That’s not a bad place to be. Might it end up looking like you’re trying too hard? Hmm, hard to say. One good example is of a couple in a museum. They are studying a painting with the word “Art” boldly stamped upon it. The man says, “But is it art?” This collection has its fair share of these type of “seeking the wow factor” cartoons. Of course, cartoons seek a wow factor, but I think you know what I mean. It’s too much a part of Wheeler’s sense of humor for him to ever give it up, and he certainly shouldn’t.

Getting back to “reject” being a relative term, there is no stinker in this big batch of cartoons. In fact, there are plenty of winners, so many that they make this book a keeper, a great little present for someone special, and a fascinating window into the world of New Yorker cartoons. So fascinating, in fact, that I’d recommend it as companion piece to Bob Mankoff’s recent New Yorker memoir (review here).

“I Don’t Get It” is a 116-page hardcover published by Boom! Town, an imprint of Boom! Studios. It is available here. And you can visit Shannon Wheeler at his website here.

Speaking truth to power. That’s a good thing. Needless to say, it gets rather complicated when it is in the form of an official statement or formal speech. In fact, speaking truth to power is not something you expect to hear at the highest levels of government. However, from time to time, there are those in power who actually do try to make a difference. In “Weapons of Mass Diplomacy,” we have a graphic novel that is a hilarious political satire and gives us the heroic story of the French Foreign Minister attempting to prove the pen to be mightier than the sword.

Alexandre Taillard de Vorms only has words to argue the greatest case of his life. He is going against the tide, to be sure. He is taking on the United States of America! It is 2002, and the drum beat towards war is incessant. He likens his situation to leading a small commando staff that could fit on a raft going after an army of staff at the disposal of the U.S. Secretary of State. He must make do with what his budget allows. A new speechwriter, Arthur Vlaminck, gives de Vorms hope. But, as Vlaminck goes on to show us, this will be a most rocky journey. Words! Will Vlaminck help his new boss find the right words? Vlaminck is the alter-ego of this book’s author, Abel Lanzac, a French diplomat who is in a unique position to provide us with an insider’s point of view. He was, after all, an adviser to the real life French Foreign Minister in our story.

Tina Turner once asked, “What’s love got to do with it?” In our case, we could ask, “What’s logic got to do with it?” As the Bush administration forces its way to invading Iraq, it does not matter how logical the argument is against it. However, one must try. What de Vorms seeks is such a compelling argument that his David can defy Goliath. The American neocons, on the other hand, have their way with no great attempt at eloquence or logic.

A most remarkable thing about this graphic novel is its sense of style and discretion. This is genuinely meant to engage the reader, not beat them over the head with an agenda. To better immerse ourselves in the subject, names and places have been changed. There is an air of fiction in order to get at a greater truth. You won’t find Iraq in this book. Instead, it is the Kingdom of Khemed. You’d be surprised how these little changes make such a difference and help you see events afresh. It helps us dig deeper as we shift back and forth between the contemporary and the timeless. This is a book with great vision and a great sense of humor. It is the artistry of Christophe Blain’s comics that add to that timeless quality. His artwork is made up of impeccable timing and masterfully rendered body language.

So, the cover of fiction is there to help enhance the experience. It is not there really to avoid offending anyone. Really, who would that be? Dick Cheney? With the “War on Terror” still raging, this is a most relevant book indeed. It has already caused a stir in Europe and will cause a good stir in America with its new edition, available as of May 6, 2014. “Weapons of Mass Diplomacy” is a 200 page hardcover published by SelfMadeHero, an imprint of Abrams Books, which you can visit here. You can also find “Weapons of Mass Diplomacy” at Amazon right here.

If you are interested in an intriguing movie based on a work in comics besides “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” you will want to see “The French Minister.” This comedy could be your window to offbeat political satire and French comics all rolled into one.

“The French Minister” is written by the same creative team for the graphic novel that the movie is based upon. Both the movie and the book were originally released in France and are both now being released in the U.S. The graphic novel, retitled in the states as “Weapons of Mass Diplomacy,” gives us an insider’s perspective on the French opposition to the U.S. led invasion of Iraq. It does this with an elegant and thoughtful discussion with just the right amount of satirical bite.

Writing under the pseudonym Abel Lanzac, author and diplomat Antonin Baudry gives us a fictionalized auto-biographical look back at what it was like to be a speechwriter to the charismatic French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, particularly in the time leading up to the U.S. gaining approval from the U.N. to go to war. In the graphic novel, Christophe Blain provides a tour de force in masterful comics transforming the French leader into a feverishly animated and elastic figure. That said, it is quite a treat to see the team of Lanzac and Blain behind this film.

Lanzac represents himself as Arthur Vlaminck (played by Raphaël Personnaz). We see the many frenzied machinations from his point of view as the minister’s key speechwriter. As the film opens, we see that he has just landed his position with the French Foreign Minister Alexandre Taillard de Vorms (played by Thierry Lhermitte). It is this important first meeting that sets the tone. It varies in interesting ways from the book and is a good example of the distinct purposes, and expected audience, for an ambitious graphic novel as opposed to a major motion picture.

For instance, de Vorms has a book he wants to share with Arthur. The movie uses an easier quote to digest. In explaining the U.S. threat of becoming unilateral, the book takes on the issue with a somewhat stronger description. That said, in both cases, it works. We understand that de Vorms sees the American neocons as heading down a dangerous path. He inspires Arthur to work with him to try to put a stop to the emerging U.S. doctrine of preventive war.

Directed by Bertrand Tavernier, “The French Minister” would make an excellent companion to the graphic novel, “Weapons of Mass Diplomacy.” As a farce alone, it works very well. Thierry Lhermitte proves to be quite up to the task of embodying the whirlwind that is Alexandre Taillard de Vorms. There is a running gag in the movie that has stacks of papers blasting into the air whenever de Vorms rushes from one urgent matter to the next. It’s quite an entrance to live up to and Lhermitte nails it every time with excellent comedic chops.

“The French Minister” is currently showing in select cities in the U.S. And you can also view in on Amazon right here. And the graphic novel the movie is based upon, “Weapons of Mass Diplomacy,” is published by SelfMadeHero, an imprint of Abrams Books. You can also find it on Amazon right here.

Imagine, it’s the ’70s, anything seems possible with free love, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. It was the zeitgeist and everyone participated, one way or another. For many, it didn’t lead to much more than preening about in a leisure suit, platform shoes, and feathered hair. But for the superhero team of Power Groove, it was their time in the sun, their glory days, their salad days, and their happy days. Today, forty years later, not so much. But, due to contractual obligations, they’re getting the team back together, and it hurts for them just to think about it.

The creative team of Ken Pisani (creator and writer) and Jim Lavery (art) bring you Power Groove. Having gotten a chance to know Ken Pisani (interview here) as well as having reviewed the first issue of his upcoming graphic novel, Colonus, (review here) I am excited about Power Groove. This is a comic in tune with superhero tropes and ready to poke fun at as many as it can. Given that Pisani is a seasoned pro in the entertainment industry, I feel he brings an authentic sense of humor that can easily navigate from light to pithy to snarky.

Jim Lavery has a fun art style, spare and cartoony, that works well with this story. We’re only looking at an 8-page teaser so far but it covers a lot of ground and promises some dark and light humor and twists and turns.

Check out the first issue of “Power Groove” right here.

CHEATIN’ is the latest work from animation master Bill Plympton. If you’re in Toronto on the 15th of June, you’ll want to stop by and catch it at the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International. Hot on the heels of the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, TAAFI is the natural extension to the festivities. But perhaps you’ll catch CHEATIN’ in Lawrence, Kansas or maybe Karkow, Poland. Check out the full screening list here.

Toronto Animation Arts Festival International – TAAFI – celebrates the many forms of animation from around the world, while supporting and nurturing the community that creates them. At TAAFI 2014 (June 13-16), you can immerse your senses in all things animation on Toronto’s Waterfront (Corus Quay & George Brown – Waterfront Campus)!

More details on the screening of CHEATIN’ at TAAFI follow:

CHEATIN’ (Film Screening)
Directed by Bill Plympton
Saturday, June 14th, 2014 @ 6:45pm
@ George Brown College Waterfront Campus, 51 Dockside Drive, Queen’s Quay & Lower Sherbourne
Tickets at http://taafi.com/festival/events/?id=138

TCAF is proud to partner with TAAFI, The Toronto Animation Arts Festival International, to present a screening of CHEATIN’, Directed by legendary animator Bill Plympton. The Screening will take place Saturday, June 14th, at 6:45pm. Tickets are available at http://taafi.com/festival/events/?id=138. TAAFI 2014 takes place June 13-16, on Toronto’s Waterfront at Corus Quay & George Brown – Waterfront Campus. For more information on TAAFI, visit http://taafi.com/.

ABOUT CHEATIN’

In a fateful bumper car collision, Jake and Ella meet and become the most loving couple in the long history of romance. But when a scheming “other” woman drives a wedge of jealousy into their perfect courtship, insecurity and hatred spell out an untimely fate. With only the help of a disgraced magician and his forbidden “soul machine”, Ella takes the form of Jake’s numerous lovers, desperately fighting through the malfunction and deceit as they try to reclaim their destiny.

“Birdman,” starring Michael Keaton, has got to be the best offbeat superhero movie since “Paper Man,” starring Ryan Reynolds, as Captain Excellent, in 2009. You can also include “Super,” starring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, and Liv Tyler. Hmm, then there’s “Kick-Ass” (2010) and “Kick-Ass 2″ (2013). We could maybe add a few more. They emerge at a nice steady pace.

There’s no doubt, especially after seeing the new trailer released today, that “Birdman” will not only be an offbeat treat but could very well be Oscar-worthy. Keaton is one of the greats and he’s never taken himself too seriously. That says a lot for the guy who was once known as Batman. For some fans, he’s still Batman.

“Birdman,” or “The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance,” is a dark comedy that tells the story of an actor (Michael Keaton), known for portraying an iconic superhero, as he struggles to mount a Broadway play. In the days leading up to opening night, he battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career, and himself. That is a solid synopsis. With an all-star cast that includes Emma Stone, Edward Norton, and Zach Galifianakis, this is sure to be a hit when it rolls out this fall.

Visit the official “Birdman” website here.

“No Clue” is a sly mix of comedy and noir. Comedy is a funny thing, isn’t it? And noir might be an even funnier thing, to get right, that is. So, to mix the two, and be sly about it, is pretty impressive!

That first scene could easily have been the deal breaker for me, with lesser talent. But there is nothing lesser, or least, or low about Amy Smart and Brent Butt. As the classic femme fatale and the would-be private detective, Smart and Butt amble their way through a very awkward, and funny, first meeting. She is distraught at the mere mention of her missing brother. He is trying too hard to comfort her, which leads to her becoming more and more distraught.

In the end, we find these two are good for the long run. Butt, as Leo Falloon, has a good handle on being rather absurd while not cartoony. Smart has a good handle on being sexy (which should be easy for her) and a sense of mystery and danger. And, of course, Falloon needs someone to confide in. David Koechner manages to be cartoony but with a heart that keeps him human. I had no clue about “No Clue” but I’m glad to be up to speed. It was chosen as an Official Selection at the 2014 LA Comedy Festival and I can clearly see why.

You may have never heard of Brent Butt before. But that can be corrected really quick. Just imagine what it was like before you became familiar with Louis C.K. And then, one day, you knew about him and it made you feel good inside. Or something like that. Louis C.K. is a good comedic actor to compare with Butt. Both of these guys are nobody’s fool. You’ll want to check out what Butt has been up to. He created Canada’s number one TV sitcom, “Corner Gas,” which is now on its way to becoming a major motion picture.

Aside from wonderful performances throughout, including Kirsten Prout and Dustin Milligan, this movie takes its noir seriously. Written by Butt, and directed by Carl Bessai, this is truly a mix of comedy and noir with a fun mystery to solve. This offbeat character-driven movie brings to mind Robert Altman’s “The Long Goodbye.” And, if you appreciate a good noir backdrop, you’ll see Vancouver BC in all its glory.

We follow Falloon from being a pretty nebbish salesman to a slightly less nebbish aspiring private detective. And then the character begins to wake up. What follows will require Falloon to either keep waking up or maybe ending up dead.

“No Clue” is distributed by eOne and is available on DVD starting June 17, 2014. Keep up with Entertainment One on Twitter here.

“Rachel and Penny” is spot on good stuff. Webcomics are a tricky thing. It is basically a character-driven endeavor. It can be a wacky sense of humor thing and nothing more. But, if you’re a talented creator who believes in good storytelling, believes in good characters, then so much the better. This is exactly what Lauren Zuke has accomplished.

Rahcel is a rock ‘n’ roll superstar. Penny is a homebody librarian type. Together, these two girls can take on the world. Or they can love each other. With any luck, they can do both!

The zany vibe to this webcomic does have its influences. I could bring up, for example, Bryan Lee O’Malley’s “Scott Pilgrim” or John Allison’s “Scary Go Round” and “Bad Machinery.” Fair enough, right? I think it’s totally fine to bring that up and celebrate those influences. Definitely, Ms. Zuke embraces the zeitgeist and runs with it with a distinctive flair.

Keep up with “Rachel & Penny” right here.

Noël Wells and Matt Mider in “Forev”

The whole idea behind the film, “Forev,” is wasted youth, or youth wasting away and just waiting to be rolled over and swept away. That’s pretty much how the characters in this movie often feel like. Not always, but it’s a tendency. When you’re right in the thick of being young, you can feel quite lost and that can bring on some loopy choices. Why not marry your next door neighbor since he’s just as lonely as you are and he seems pretty cool? Life has brought Sophie (played by Noël Wells) to this conclusion. And, oddly enough, her neighbor, Pete (played by Matt Mider) is into it.

It’s a premise that works quite well due to the actors and to the poetic nature of the screenplay. This fanciful story zips along as one thing leads to another. Just after Sophie and Pete have had their moment of clarity to get married, Pete reveals he has to leave to be with his sister. Huh? Oh, check this out, Pete’s sister, Jess (played by Amanda Bauer) is getting married. You know, like in the traditional way which involves dating, a relationship, an engagement, and sinking into debt. No, not for Sophie and Pete. They’ve found a way around the system! And these two are in such a hurry that they haven’t even kissed each other, ever. Time for that later.

This is a nice mix of farce and reality-check. The further along we go, Pete, Sophie, and later on Jess, get involved in some interesting adventures with various oddballs. But, as can happen after the greatest day ever, reality, such as it is, can set in. Going from loopy to grounded, these characters and story find a sweet spot in between. Written and directed by Molly Green and Jame Leffler, with additional writing by the three lead actors, this is a nice date movie and much more.

With news that Noël Wells has been bumped off SNL, it’s time to take a closer look at this wonderful talent. “Forev” demonstrates that Noël Wells can just have Lorne Michaels kiss her ass. Ah, just kidding. Anyway, it’s time to move on. The kid will do just fine. Check out the official Forev website right here.