MEMPHIS LIBRARY COMIC CON – MAY 31, 2025

If you’d like to sign up for this year’s LibraryCon event, please follow this link. Applications will remain open until May 17, subject to availability of space. There are plenty of rules to check out, too, so be sure you read everything. May 31, 2025, from 10 AM to 3 PM inside the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library located at 3030 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38111.
https://www.memphislibrary.org/events/mpl-comic-con-vendor-application/

SEC/NCS ANNUAL MEETING – April 25 – 27, 20

Mark down April 25-27, 2025 in your calendar. We will be going to KNOXVILLE.

HOTEL
The Crowne Plaza Knoxville
401 W Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, TN 37902
They have offered us an amazing deal:25 – KNOXVILLE, TN

Mark Simon of the SEC/NCS shares:
Not joining us this year in Knoxville would be your biggest mistake.  Make sure to reserve your hotel room. (and please let us know if you are attending)  We are working hard to bring you another GREAT yearly SE-NCS chapter event.

$150 per night (taxes included) for us.
Plus $15/day parking fee if you stay the night (day visitors will not be charged)
Normal rates for that weekend are $354 per night!

BOOK YOUR ROOM
National Cartoonist Society – BOOKING LINK
When you click on the link, it takes you to their hotel screen.  Click the box “View Prices “in the top right corner.  On the next screen you will need to insert the group dates you want.  If you insert dates other than the group dates the appropriate rate will not show up.
Or, you can call the In-house Reservations: 877-424-2449

You will need to secure your room by early March to get that rate. The earlier you register, the better we look and the better chance you have of not losing that awesome rate.

SCHEDULE
Friday night, April 25, 2025
Check in
4:00 – Draw at a children’s hospital (time may be adjusted)
Dinner at a local restaurant
Saturday, April 26, 2025
8:30-9am – Hangout and breakfast snacks
9-12pm – Chapter Business Meeting (Members Only) – Crown Plaza Knoxville
Lunch at a local restaurant
1:30-5pm – Dogwood Arts Festival. http://www.dogwoodarts.com/dogwoodartsfestival
(More than 15,000 attendees)
SEC-NCS Q&A in the tent
5:30 – Dinner
7:30pm – An Evening with Charlie Daniel – Editorial Cartoonist.  University of Tennessee Library special presentation of Charlie’s work.  Charlie Daniel was an award-winning editorial cartoonist for more than 60 years. He will share his stories and his art with us and the public.
Sunday, April 27, 2025
-Goodbye breakfast
-Annual Disc Golf at a local course

TIM JONES SHARES NEWS WITH RHODE ISLAND SODA COMPANY

NORTH PROVIDENCE, RI (November 20, 2024) – Yacht Club Soda, The Official Soda of Rhode Island, and “Sour Grapes™,” a nationally syndicated comic strip created by Rhode Island resident Tim Jones, have launched an exciting new beverage together: Sour Grapes Soda. This collaboration combines the effervescent creativity of Yacht Club with the humor and charm of Jones’s comic. The collaboration marks Yacht Club’s first licensed soda. The idea came from Jones, who saw the potential to license his comic strip for a product that resonates with local culture. Jones approached Yacht Club Soda owner John Sgambato with the idea of a branded soda since, “Yacht Club Soda is a Rhode Island staple and I’m a Rhode Island resident,” said Jones. Sgambato added, “We’re always looking for creative ways to partner our drinks with other small businesses and would love to explore more opportunities.” Naturally, it’s a sour grape flavored soda with a label designed with Jones’s artwork by his daughter Jillian Jones, a graphic designer. The soda’s vivid green hue matches the logo for Jones’s comic strip. “We wanted the soda to not only taste amazing but also capture the fun and unique vibe of Tim’s great comic,” Sgambato said. Jones was impressed by how quickly Sgambato came up with flavor. After only two taste tests to strike the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, Jones suggested the striking green color. “John nailed it,” Jones said. Jones plans to promote the soda at local shops that carry Yacht Club Soda. At book shops and events where they don’t sell beverages, he’ll showcase the product with a creative display featuring a QR code that direct fans to where to purchase the soda. “This is just the beginning,” Jones said. “John and I have talked about future flavors with new labels and even a collectible series featuring my other comic strip characters.” The Sour Grapes Soda is available now at Yacht Club Soda’s North Providence store, at farmers’s markets and select retail locations. Jones kicked off the launch with a book signing event at Brown and Hopkins Country Store in Chepachet. A QR code on each bottle links directly to the Sour Grapes website, allowing fans to explore the comic’s archives and see where Jones will be appearing next. More information about Yacht Club Soda can be found at yachtclubsoda.com and more information about Sour Grapes™ can be found at sourgrapescomic.com.
Yacht Club Bottling Works is a family owned and operated local manufacturer. The facility opened in 1915 with the goal of bringing a premium quality beverage to Rhode Island. A lot has changed over the last 109 years, but Yacht Club, The Official Soda Company of Rhode Island, is still dedicated to providing premium beverages to Rhode Island and nationwide. Visit the company store at 2239 Mineral Spring Avenue, North Providence, RI 02911. yachtclubsoda.com | 401-231-9290 | info@yachtclubsoda.com

DRAWING FUNNY PODCAST NOTES:

“Drawing Funny” podcast host/producer Lin Workman has offered free promo spot airtime on the podcast. All MSCA members and any events and businesses that support the Mid-South Cartoonists Association are welcome to send in their 15-30sec promotional spot as an MP3 file. It can be to promote your art project, event appearance, Kickstarter campaign, commission availability, website, art sale, etc. Don’t know how to record a commercial…? That’s okay- just send Lin your info and he’ll read it in one of the podcast’s upcoming news segments. Just remember, “who/what/when/where/why/how much“. He’s also looking to do promo spot swaps with other podcasts. For those commercials up to 60sec are good to submit. If you’d like to discuss your event or project with Lin in person, or be a featured guest on the podcast let him know and he’ll get back with you to schedule a recording time and place.

To be included in a future episode, send your MP3 formatted audio files and/or news/press releases to podcast(at)drawingfunny(dot)com.

For more info on the offer click HERE.

Last Friday night Lin Workman and I headed over across the Mississippi River and down to Helena, AR for artist Andre L. Miller‘s art show.

It was held at the Delta Cultural Center downtown on the banks of the river. We got there just after Andre started to address the crowd and tell the story behind the inspiration for his art exhibit, shared some facts about Robert Johnson and dispelled a few rumors about the blues legend and the stories about his deal with the devil for his soul at the crossroads. It was great to listen to Andre discuss some of the symbolism in his art pieces and study the paintings’ vibrant colors and rich textures, but it was also very educational to read the text pieces below each of the 29 original art pieces. Lots of great facts, stories, and thoughts by Andre about Robert Johnson.

The exhibit of 29 paintings by Andre Miller runs thru April 12, 2025, and there are plans for the show to tour. The museum is located at 141 Cherry Street, Helena, AR 72342. Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and admission is FREE. Be sure to check out the gift shop while you’re there.

We hadn’t been down to Helena for almost 15yrs or so, and don’t plan on waiting that long to visit again! We plan on trying to do a group trip back before the show ends.

If you’d like to join the MSCA mailing list see me at one of our dinners at Garibaldi’s or email me at: midsouthcartoonists(at)gmail(dot)com