Howdy, MSCAers!
So much happening for our little group that 2025 will be a fantastic year! Zine in April, art show in June, a potential in December (plus one more), outreach opportunities, and more!! You know I’m always excited about looking for ways that you guys can make more money!
Oh, and stay tuned for the next Germantown Community Theatre art show as well – we love how good they are to us!
Finally, please send any information, links, or details to share with the group by the last Monday of the month. midsouthcartoonists(at)gmail(dot)com
I’m excited to share in all this with you,
Kevin Williams
MSCA President
Kevin Williams
MSCA President
DINNER GATHERING
On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, bring your food money, art, collections, and ideas to Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, behind the University of Memphis from 6 – 8 pm.
CON CARDS WITH GREG CRAVENS
Greg Cravens, the creator of Con Cards gaming, has shared that Wednesday, March 5, is an event at 901Games on Broad Ave at 6pm on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
Then, look for Con Cards at MidSouth Con Gaming March 21-23, 2025!
GOOD BAD AND SKETCHY
April 1 is the deadline for the next issue of GBS with a theme about Food and Drink. Email MSCApub@gmail.com (copy midsouthcartoonists@gmail.com, please) with your page count for the next issue.
Think about how to include the idea of restaurants, family dinners, coffee shops, bars (keep it family-friendly), picnics, grocery stores, etc. Or, just have your character holding a drink or hot dog. Be sure to also indicate how many extra copies of the zine you wish to have ($3/page to play, $1 each additional copy.)
You can purchase previous issues of “The Good, The Bad, and the Sketchy” at comic shops around town including Comics & Collectibles, The Cellar Table Top Games & Comics, Centerpoint Toys & Games, and both locations of 901 Comics.
MIKE NORTON BANKS ON KRYPTO
Mike Norton is working on a miniseries starring Krypto the Superdog..!
A new five-issue DC All In comic book series, Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton by writer Ryan North and artist Mike Norton, as part of their “Summer of Superman” publishing plans. Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton is set to debut on June 18, 2025, and delivers a heartfelt and moving view of humanity, good and bad, through the empathic eyes of the ultimate outsider: a poor, lost dog, who just happens to have superpowers.
“I’m always ready for drawing more dogs in comics,” added artist Mike Norton. “Krypto is dream project!”
Learn more here:
or here.:
NATIONAL CARTOONISTS DAY
May 5, 2025, is National Cartoonists Day. Be sure you celebrate somehow. YOU’VE EARNED IT!! Here is a history about the holiday: https://nationaltoday.com/national-cartoonists-day/
AVE MARIA RETIREMENT HOME
The director of community affairs has written asking if some of us would be interested in coming out to do a presentation during the week of (not the day of) National Cartoonists Day. Talk about cartooning, do some examples, draw some art. It might be fun to do some Pictionary with them. Who would be interested in this type event? https://avemariahome.org/
MSCA ART SHOW – PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Please reply to let me know if you are participating in this show.
This show will be what I call a “Kitchen Sink” show where you can display art you’ve already created for sale. Katie Jones has secured a space for the MSCA to present an art show at Playhouse on the Square, June 13 – 28, 2025. New or old art. The date to turn in the art is June 3, 2025, dinner gathering.
This show will be what I call a “Kitchen Sink” show where you can display art you’ve already created for sale. Katie Jones has secured a space for the MSCA to present an art show at Playhouse on the Square, June 13 – 28, 2025. New or old art. The date to turn in the art is June 3, 2025, dinner gathering.
They do require one piece to be donated (they are 501c3) for their auction, but this will need to be prior to mid-March (this can be a print or original) for their Art Party fundraiser. This can be delivered to the theatre directly to Whitney Jo (on the second floor).
All art must be framed and hangable. There will be a $5/piece hanging fee for the art show.
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER ART GALLERY SHOWING
The Cultural Arts Director contacted us asking if we’d like to be a part of their gallery show December 22, 2025 – January 30, 2026. On display will be handmade wooden artwork including pieces such as soda shops and pinball machines, and think our work would be interesting to help kick up conversation. Some years back, our friend Eddie Zeno curated a Superman exhibit there which was fantastic!
Please let me know that you’re interested in participating in this show.
https://www.jccmemphis.org/featured-boxes/arts/
Please let me know that you’re interested in participating in this show.
https://www.jccmemphis.org/featured-boxes/arts/
PORTFOLIO REVIEW INTEREST?
I didn’t hear from anyone, so I figured I’d check once more: are we interested in hosting a portfolio review day to help young’uns get on the right path to art? Reply to let me know if you’re interested in participating.
ROGUES GALLERY: RISING – MAY 10, 2025
Applications are open until April 12 at midnight for the next Rogues Gallery. Katie Jones shares:
Our very first event of Rogue’s Gallery 2nd year entitled Rogue’s Gallery: Rising, with poster Artist Guest of Honor and official logo artist @mattbowersmemphis, will open artist and maker applications on January 24th Stay tuned to this space! Applications will close on April 12th at midnight!
Our very first event of Rogue’s Gallery 2nd year entitled Rogue’s Gallery: Rising, with poster Artist Guest of Honor and official logo artist @mattbowersmemphis, will open artist and maker applications on January 24th Stay tuned to this space! Applications will close on April 12th at midnight!
It’s bigger on the inside. Become one of us! Be weird, make weird art, and be awkward.
A show created by artists for artists and exclusively for artists.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-GzePiL4TTRisukayQEOXKK-lUDOPlKTtyRj0eU5YozFSdg/viewform?usp=sharing
SEC/NCS ANNUAL MEETING
It is happening in Knoxville, TN, from April 25 – 27, 2025.
HOTEL
The Crowne Plaza Knoxville
401 W Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, TN 37902
They have offered us an amazing deal:
$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!
The Crowne Plaza Knoxville
401 W Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, TN 37902
They have offered us an amazing deal:
$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.
MEMPHIS LIBRARY COMIC CON – MAY 31, 2025
If you’d like to sign up, please follow this link. There are plenty of rules to check out, too, so be sure you read everything. Admission is FREE, as are the tables (+ 10% of any sales made).
https://www.memphislibrary.org/events/mpl-comic-con-vendor-application/
https://www.memphislibrary.org/events/mpl-comic-con-vendor-application/
TROLLFEST AT THE MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDENS
Katie Jones shares this from the Botanic Gardens:
My name is Carlee Zamora and I’m the Adult Education Coordinator at the Memphis Botanic Garden. On April 5th we are planning a fun event called Trollfest, to celebrate our new Trolls exhibit. The Trolls: Save the Humans exhibit is centered around educational themes of recycling and creativity, as well as urban gardening and biodiversity.
My name is Carlee Zamora and I’m the Adult Education Coordinator at the Memphis Botanic Garden. On April 5th we are planning a fun event called Trollfest, to celebrate our new Trolls exhibit. The Trolls: Save the Humans exhibit is centered around educational themes of recycling and creativity, as well as urban gardening and biodiversity.
I am asking for any artists whose artwork centers around recyclable materials, ex. plastics, recycled paper or magazines, cardboard or cans, that are interested to email me examples of your work. Recycled artists will be given first priority of selection. This event will not require any vendor fees, however, spots are limited and artists will be selected at the Memphis Botanic Garden’s discretion. Selected artists will be given (1) one spot on our vendor’s aisle and the opportunity to sell any artwork of their choice that falls under the educational themes previously mentioned.
Upcycled artists will be considered following the selection of recycled artists. Per Google definition, we are viewing upcycled and recycled as the following: Upcycling is the process of repurposing waste into new items that are higher quality than the original, while recycling is the process of breaking down waste into raw materials to create new items.
If you have any questions or would like to submit your artwork for possible selection, please email me at carlee.zamora@membg.org.
Carlee Zamora
she/her/hers
Adult Education Coordinator
Memphis Botanic Garden
901-636-4136 | [carlee.zamora@membg.org]
DRAWING FUNNY PODCAST EPISODE 75
New “Drawing Funny” is available at the link below, on Spotify, Apple, or most podcasting platforms.
Show notes: On this 75th episode of “Drawing Funny” I sit down to talk to local comics creator Ryan Ladner about his recently released 1st issue of “Memphis VS Zombies“. Ryan had a successful Kickstarter campaign for this new Thrill Comics zombie comic series set in the M-town. I caught up with him out at 901 Comics East for his second signing of the weekend. I was able to pick up my Kickstarter rewards in person at the comic shop, and talk toons with him for a bit.
In this episode’s news section I discuss details on such events as our next MSCA dinner (March 4th), Rogue’s Gallery at Centerpoint Toys & Games in Millington, upcoming art shows around town, Trolls at the Botanic Gardens, local comic cons, submission details for our next “The Good, The Bad, and the Sketchy” zine, and more.
I also wish Joe “\S/tuberman” Stuber happy anniversary for 11 years of his “Comic Book Central” podcast, and the CGS crew a happy 20th anniversary of their show “Comic Geek Speak“. They celebrate 20 years of podcasting on March 25th, and will have a free in-person celebration (“dysfunctional geeky family reunion”) up in Reading, PA this March 29th (click HERE for details).
Congrats to both shows, and I’m excited to finally make it to 75 episodes of “Drawing Funny“!
From the Thrill Comics website: “Memphis vs. Zombies” is our thrilling flagship comic that blends Memphis charm with undead chaos. Follow Walter, B.B., and a cast of quirky characters as they navigate a zombie apocalypse in the heart of the Bluff City. Packed with humor, action, and heart, MvZ is a fun and fantastical adventure you won’t want to miss!
Copies of “Memphis VS Zombies” created/published by Ryan Ladner can be purchased at both locations of 901 Comics and the Thrill Comics website.
Jackson Comic Expo is coming ) this Saturday, March 1, 2025 to the Carl Perkins Civic Center – 400 S Highland Ave., Jackson, TN.