Mike Dawson Comics

I think the best thing about being a voracious comics reader is being aware of lots and lots of great cartoonists who’s work I am totally into. The next best thing is that you can buy prints and even original artwork from many of these cartoonists at very, very reasonable prices. I have quite a lot of comics-art hanging up around the apartment. Here are some things that I’ve got on the walls:

Print by Matt Forsythe. I got this at TCAF two years ago.

Print by Phil McAndrew. I pointed out to Orli that the man has a big nose. Now she’s calling it “Big Nose Man”. I am worried I’ve just taught her to remark on people’s notable features.

Print by Onsmith. I actually got this a long time ago, at an SPX. I really like it, but I couldn’t find a great picture of it online. I bet there is one, I probably just have to look harder.

Original art by Vanessa Davis. This is called “Sleepies”. I just got it this week. I think I’m going to hang it in Orli’s room as a reminder of what she’s supposed to be doing in there when I put her in the crib (“Look at those ladies, Orli. They are being good and going to sleep”).

Print by Kate Beaton. I just got this too, and I have to get a frame for it before I can hang it up. This will probably have to go into my study, because of the cursing and all that. It cracks me up though. A very funny strip.

I’m going to SPX in early September. Not sure if I’ll be squatting at someone’s table, or just walking around. I am fine with either one. I am hoping to get another print or even more original art while I’m there. That’s one of the best things about those shows for me, because so many comics and books I can buy in one of the great comic stores we’ve got here in NYC.

Friday gets going over at the Troop 142 micro-site with three new pages.

Join us as we catch up on current events, discuss the pros and cons of being Hikikomori, and welcome Colonel Wakkybagz back into the Lair with a brand new novelty song treat. Comments Welcome!

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And a reminder, on August 22nd come join us as we record Episode 57 live in front of a studio audience!

A small two page Troop 142 update this week, bringing the fifth chapter, Thursday, to a close. Wow – it’s kind of unbelievable to me to be starting in on what’s really the last full chapter, as Saturday’s going to be more of an epilogue, kind of like how Sunday was the book’s prologue.

I feel like I’ve said elsewhere that while I’ve only been actively writing and drawing this version of my Boy Scout comic since last November or so, I’ve been working on variations of it off and on for over ten years now. I remember when I first met Aliza, in 2002, I was taking a silk-screening class at SVA where I was making covers for a different version of this story I was working on then. So, it’s definitely been a long time.

Speaking of that SVA class, I also used the equipment there to make the cover of another little “graphic novella” that I had out at the time called CABARET. It was a semi-comedic, sort of dramatic slice-of-life story about some recent college graduates. I haven’t read or looked at this comic in years now, but gave it a re-read the other day, and had to say that it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. I dunno what I’m going to do once I finish Troop 142, but was thinking maybe of revisiting some of that material. At the very least, I’ve become a better cartoonist in the past 8 years, so could make a much better book now. I guess we’ll see.

August 22, 11AM-2PM
Bergen Street Comics
470 Bergen Street
Brooklyn, NY, 11217
(718) 230-5600

Join Alex Robinson, Mike Dawson, and iFanboy’s Josh Flanagan, for Sunday morning brunch hilarity as they tape a live episode of The Ink Panther Show! podcast. There’ll be surprises and special guests galore. Come armed with questions!

Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, iFanboy’s Josh Flanagan gently pads back into the lair and curls up with Mike and Alex to talk a little about his favorite movie of all time, JAWS. (I think it was JAWS… maybe it was JAWS II or III…) Then it’s the debut of our brand new recurring segment: Colonel Wackybagz Novelty Song Parade! Check out the treat the Colonel cooked up for us this week. Comments Welcome!

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Four new Troop 142 pages posted. I love the word “wuss”. Is it regional to the New York area, or is it widely used? I used it around my Scottish Uncle once, and always thought it was amusing how he pronounced it (woose, like “Moose”) with his thick accent.

In other news, Troop 142 #4 got a mixed-to-good write-up over at The Comics Reporter. Obviously I wish the review had been 100% totally positive, as Tom Spurgeon is one of my favorite writers about comics, but I’m still psyched to get to read his response to the book. And, he’s not wrong about some of the criticisms he made, especially that scene where the Dad’s discuss Scouts and atheism. It felt clumsy when I wrote it, and I’m not sure I’ve ever felt totally confident about it.

Having wobbly scenes like this go out into the world is one of the big downsides to my approach to writing combined with how I’m releasing the pages (online and in print) as I finish them. I’m certainly look forward to the day I start editing/revising this thing as a whole.

Feeding Ground cartoonist Michael Lapinski creeps into the lair this week to talk Pixar films and militant veganism. Nobody on the show is actually vegan, but everytime Mike (Gags) talks about being a “pescatarian”, you kind of want to hit him in the face. Comments Welcome!

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Four new Troop 142 pages posted. What’s been going on back at Lenape while Danny and Tony have been caught out in the storm? What do the Scouts do when there’s violent thunder and lightning? Do they hide under trees or in their tent? Or do they have to find something more sturdy to huddle under?