The Mid-South Cartoonists Association is a Sub-Chapter of the Southeastern Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society.  That said, we recieved an e-mail for Help the Hodges, and hope you’ll go do some bidding:

The NCS Foundation would like to remind you that the auctions to Help the Hodges continue on eBay. We currently have our FINAL 72 lots available for bidding right now. All will conclude this coming Sunday, March 21.

Here are a few items of interest:

• Original Stitch animation drawing from LILO & STITCH
• Original FAMILY CIRCUS daily art by Jeff and Bil Keane
• Original LUANN daily and book by Greg Evans
• Original BETWEEN FRIENDS daily by Sandra Bell-Lundy
• Drawing of the DENNIS THE MENACE cast by Ron Ferdinand
• BEETLE BAILEY Sunday art by Mort Walker
• BIZARRO original Sunday art by Dan Piraro
• POGO original daily by Walt Kelly
• THE NORM comic strip art by Michael Jantze
• Two early MISS PEACH dailies by Mell Lazarus from 1959
• WIZARD OF ID by Brant Parker from 1979
* B.C. by Johnny Hart from 1979
• Three original watercolor illustrations by Dan Spiegle based on his classic comics
• USAGI YOJIMBO painting by Stan Sakai
• Batman and Superman art by Tim Sale
• Darwyn Cooke BATMAN-SPIRIT original art
• HELLBOY sketch by Mike Mignola
• Original cover art to Tex Avery’s SCREWBALL SQUIRREL by Bill Morrison
• The Simpsons comic book signed by ALICE COOPER who wrote a story inside
• A Pearl snare drum signed by the group SHINEDOWN
• SPIDER-MAN 3 movie poster signed by the actors and Stan Lee

The NCSF thanks you for your support as we push for a stellar finish in our fundraiser to HELP THE HODGES!

TO VISIT OUR SELLERS PAGE ON EBAY:

http://shop.ebay.com/ncsfoundation/m.html?_trkparms=65%253A1%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1&_ipg=100&_sc=1&_sop=1&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

TO SEE ALL THE ART THAT HAS BEEN DONATED:

http://www.HelpTheHodges.com

Hopefully soon, I will have the napkin art from the March 2010 MSCA Dinner Meeting online.  Lots of fun things to share!

Doodle Lyle has shared an article about his evolution of a gag comic.  I’ve posted the link on our forums, where you can discuss the article or your own process, by clicking here.

Adam Shaw shared a link for do’s and don’ts of showing your portfolio at conventions.  Click here to see the links and chat about your experiences.

Josh Elder of Mail Order Ninja has shared information about a group of which he’s Executive Director, Reading with Pictures, “a nonprofit organization that advocates the use of comics in the classroom to promote literacy and improve educational outcomes for all students” and which is now sporting a new anthology featuring his Mail Order Ninja!  Get more information by clicking here.

You’ve experienced Africa in April and Memphis in May, but are you ready for the “Sivads of March”?

The Sivads of March — a public tribute to the memory of the late Watson Davis, the Malco ad executive who, as Sivad, “the Monster of Ceremonies,” was the host of the “Fantastic Features” horror movie program on WHBQ-TV Channel 13 from 1962 to 1972 — will take place at various venues March 25-28, with movies, an art show, and a rock concert featuring the Reigning Sound.

Davis co-workers and family members are expected to attend, and rare film clips and Sivad “artifacts” will be displayed.

As the comically ghoulish Sivad, Davis — who died five years ago this March 23, at the age of 92  — was simultaneously beloved and frightening, with a community-wide popularity that transcended class and race in a way that perhaps was rivaled only by wrestler Sputnik Monroe and a few other entertainers. A 1963 appearance by Sivad at the Mid-South Fairgrounds attracted 30,000 fans, according to The Commercial Appeal.

Sivads of March highlights will include:

A “monster martini” opening ceremony and reception on March 25 at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, followed by an 8 p.m. screening of the 1958 horror masterpiece, “Night of the Demon.”

Screening of other films originally introduced by Sivad — including “The Giant Claw,” “A Bucket of Blood,” “From Hell It Came” and “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” — at the Brooks, March 26-28, along with a March 28 panel discussion featuring Sivad colleagues and experts. The famous “Fantastic Features” introduction will be shown before each film.

A “Sivad Art Show” at 7 p.m. March 26 at the Adam Shaw Studio, 2547 Broad Ave., featuring Sivad-inspired work by local artists.

“Li’l Film Fest 13” at 2 p.m. March 27 at the Brooks, featuring shorts created by local filmmakers that pay homage to Sivad and the tradition of TV horror hosts and scary movies.   (Entries still are being accepted: Visit livefrommemphis.com for more information.)

A March 27 concert featuring the Reigning Sound, the acclaimed band led by former Memphian and Sivad fan Greg Cartwright, at Nocturnal,  1588 Madison. The Reigning Sound’s latest album, “Love and Curses,” is named for a Sivad catchphrase, and the CD itself is imprinted with a picture of Davis’ vampiric alter ego.

For more, visit sivadsofmarch.com.

More Sivad!

The February 4th dinner meeting of the world’s greatest cartoonists was fun and we left full of pizza!

Adam Shaw spoke about the graphic novel he painted for HARPE, written by Chad Kinkle.  The novel is available at Comics and Collectibles, The Comics Cellar, Davis-Kidd, and Amazon.

There was a great review online.

Martheus Wade announced that “Defiance,” the movie based on Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa, has been cast.  (Happy 40th Birthday, Antone!)

Matt Ryan showed off his fabulous nails as he mentioned his title as Sequential Art and plans to bring more folk from Memphis College of Art.

Andrew Chandler continued our history of napkin doodles!