The National Cartoonists Society 63rd Annual Reuben Awards
Los Angeles May 22-24, 2009

The headquarters for the Reuben Weekend was at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel at Hollywood and Highland, next to the Kodak Theater where the Academy Awards are held. There is a Metro stop there, so I Metro-ed over Friday afternoon, checked into the hotel and registered with the NCS. The goodie bag this year was a computer bag-like art satchel filled with cartoon books. The t-shirt was drawn by Mad magazine's Tom Richmond, and the cover of the souvenir book was by Sergio Aragones and featured cartoon characters on a Hollywood sound set. The interior featured pictures of members photoshopped with famous stars.



Steve Moore, Eric Goldberg, and Drew Struzan each gave presentations in the afternoon. I especially wanted to catch Drew Struzan. He showed many of his movie posters, including Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Back to the Futures, and the Muppets. He is retired now, but sells original art. I had brought his book, Oeuvre, for him to sign. I also met Chris Houghton, the recipient of the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship. We have a mutual friend in Guy Davis. Other members in attendance included Scott Adams, Bill Amend, Brian Basset, Jim Borgman, Sandra Boynton, Chris Browne, Daryl Cagle, Greg Evans, Andrew Farago and Shaenon Garrity, Bill Gallo, Stan Goldberg, Bil Keane, Rick Kirkman, Mell Lazarus, Bobby London, Patrick McDonnell, Bill Morrison, Mike Peters, Dan Piraro, David Silverman, Tom Sito, and Jay Stephens.


Drew Struzan

Sharon arrived a few hours later, just in time for the pool side Welcome Party buffet. The prime rib was delicious. The sushi had a bit to be desired. The rice was a tad undercooked, and the seasoning could have been better. However, it did improve as the evening went on. At the end of the evening, the sushi chefs were making crab hand rolls which were very good. Photographer Greg Preston was there. The Artist Within, Greg's book of photographs of cartoonists in their studios, came out a few years ago. He has almost enough material for another book, and was scheduling shootings with cartoonists there.

Saturday morning, we went down to pool side for a very decent buffet breakfast with Rick Detorie, after which the group had the General Business Meeting. The meeting is limited to members only, and we introduced new members, recognized the board, and discussed general business.


JJ Abrams

There were more seminars in the afternoon. However, Sharon and I opted to take a walk down Hollywood Blvd. There are reasons we do not go to Hollywood often. The traffic is one, and the strangeness is another. Just around the corner is Graumann's Chinese Theater. There were a lot more folks in costume--Batman, a couple of Jokers, sexy cops, the Bride of Frankenstein, Indiana Jones, Sweeney Todd, Sponge Bob, and even Homer Simpson--posing for tips.


Elephants at Hollywood and Highland



The awards dinner is always black tie, and I was glad to see my tuxedo still fit. It began with a hosted cocktail reception on the terrace where we could view the nominees' art, then dinner in the Grand Salon. The meal was catered by Wolfgang Puck. It started with a salad, chicken was the main course, and ended with a very fine chocolate dessert. We were seated at the Mad table with Sergio, Nick Meglin and Linda Maloof, Sam Viviano and Diane Bloomfield, Grant and Lydia Geissman, and John Reiner.


The chicken was okay...


...but the dessert was excellent.


Chad Frye, Chris Houghton, me

Mike Luckovich was the MC, and the awards part of the evening began with a film starring Steve McGarry and President Jeff Keane (in drag) driving around LA in a red convertible singing "I Love LA". The awards were given out, beginning with the Jay Kennedy Scholarship and ending with The Reuben for the Cartoonist of the Year to Dave Coverly. I was not familiar with any of the Comic Book Division nominees--Chris Blain (Gus and His Gang), Matthew Forsythe (Ojingogo), and Cyril Pedrosa (Three Shadows). Cyril took home the award. Sam Viviano, one of our table mates was nominated and won a division award for Magazine Feature/Magazine Illustration.


Sam Viviano

Buses picked us up Sunday afternoon and transported us to Casa de Cathy Guisewite for shmoozing and dinner. She has a lovely home with a guest cottage, tennis court, swimming pool, and lots of trees. The most interesting room for all of us was her studio, of course. Cathy laid out a step-by-step display of her creative process, beginning with a life-size Cathy doll at the drawing table, to her sketches, and ending with the toned finished art. There were also a lot of framed cartoons and paintings throughout the house. We especially enjoyed talking to Jeannie Schulz, and Jim and Bernita Whiting. I just had to meet Stephan Pastis. His cousin is my dentist. I found out when I was reading a Pearls Before Swine collection in the waiting room, and saw my dentist in there.





Tom Richmond shows he can draw better than the rest of us even when blindfolded

We bussed back to the hotel at 8, then it was up to the Level 3 Nightclub for a final party, sponsored by Bongo Comics. De Luz Band, featuring vocals by political cartoonist Michael Ramirez, supplied entertainment until 11:00, when the stage opened up for Cartoonist Karaoke. I have to say that I was impressed by the vocals. Even Tim Burgard did his rendition of Elvis' All Shook Up.


A scene from Lady and the Tramp

Monday was my birthday, but, since I had been having fun all weekend, had to get back to work. I finished the lettering on Yokai, and did the word balloons on Tuesday. After some final art touch-up, all the painted pages were sent to Dark Horse. I had asked for 3 months to write, draw, paint, and letter the 56 page graphic novel. Editor Diana gave me 2 1/2. I finished even before then. I guess she knows me better than I do. That is why she is such a great editor. What I don't understand is, if I am 4 days ahead of deadline, why am I 3 days behind schedule?