Category Archives: Good Causes

Last Day to Pledge to Altered Esthetics’ Kickstarter Calendar Project!

Altered Esthetics, Good Causes

The calendar will be full-color and professionally designed – a piece of artwork in and of itself! It will also be a bargain – just $5 for pickup or $10 shipped directly to you! (We saw calendars not nearly as awesome for $15 at Target! Wouldn’t it be way cooler to buy and support your local arts nonprofit?)

We’d like to make this Halloween all about treats, no tricks. Please help us make this Kickstarter project successful! You can check out the project at: kickstarter.com/projects/469564467/help-print-altered-esthetics-2012-artists-calendar.

Thank you – and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Kickstart Altered Esthetics’ Calendar, Become a Master of Time

Altered Esthetics, Good Causes, Kickstarter

Hey! Are you looking for a cool art calendar for your wall next year for less than the price of a pair of chattering teeth?

Please consider supporting Altered Esthetics’ Kickstarter campaign to print their 2012 calendar (disclaimer: the campaign ends in three days, none of which will be included on the calendar).

It will feature art by the brilliant Zander Cannon, among others. Zander will be the featured artist for Lutefisk Sushi Volume E, the fifth box set of Minnestota mini-comics put together by The International Cartoonist Conspiracy (in collaboration for the last two volumes with Altered Esthetics… who also collaborated with us on Just Add Ink, Big Funny, and Alley Cat among other things).

Unlike inferior digital calendars, this one can also serve to cover the unsightly holes you punched in your wall.

Altered Esthetics is not only unarguably the single greatest art gallery in the entire world that there has ever been, but it is also a non-profit, community-centered art gallery that does a tremendous amount to support not only artists, but cartoonists, in the Twin Cities area!

You’re only a Lincoln away from mastering time in 2012. If Lincoln had only had one of these, perhaps the ugly night in Ford’s Theater could have been avoided completely.

RIP Dylan Williams

Good Causes

Sparkplug Comics publisher and cartoonist Dylan Williams recently passed away from cancer at the age of 41. There are tributes to him at a number of places around the web… Zak Sally’s is particularly moving. I did not know Mr. Williams, but I’ve had the good fortune to appreciate a number of the comics he published, and he certainly leaves behind quite an impressive and passionate legacy. A benefit to help with his hospital expenses was started before he died… and his family obviously still needs help with this. Please consider helping by donating artwork to an ongoing benefit auction or buying Sparkplug books.

Make Mine Kirby

Good Causes

Appallingly, Marvel Comics recently prevailed in court over Jack Kirby’s heirs in their challenge over ownership of and proper compensation for the creations that Mr. Kirby made for them (i.e. “The Whole Damn Marvel Universe”). If you are as disgusted by this as I am (or if you just want some food for thought), please consider reading what Steve Bissette writes about the issue. Marvel may have triumphed legally, but that does not mean we have to let them win. Why buy any new Kirby or Kirby-derivative comics from Marvel? Do you really need to read more fifth-generation rip-offs of the master?

Zak Sally Funds Sammy the Mouse Book Using Kickstarter! You Can Still Help!

Good Causes, Kickstarter

I meant to post information about this a while ago… Zak Sally is seeking funding on Kickstarter to pay for printing a Sammy the Mouse collection. Before I got it posted, it already got funded with 16 days to go! Congratulations, Zak! Note that you can still help fund the Zak’s project beyond the goal and get some cool stuff for doing so.

Kickstarter is becoming a really amazing resource for cartoonists. Just the idea of art made for and funded by patrons rather than corporations is a very liberating prospect.

Buy a Fez for Springcon… Get a Free Cartoonist Conspiracy Patch!

Good Causes, Opportunities, Springcon

The Conspiracy is trying a different tactic this year for Springcon (May 21-22), our wonderful local comics convention. Rather than having a centralized presence at one table, we are hoping to have our presence felt throughout the convention. To this end, please consider helping our cause by purchasing a fez!

This site sells high-quality fezzes CHEAP in a wide variety of colors and styles.

Anyone purchasing a fez to wear at Springcon will receive a free Cartoonist Conspiracy patch to sew onto it! To get your patch, just hassle me whenever you see me at or before the convention… or email me if you don’t know who the hell I am (webmaster(at)cartoonistconspiracy.com).

Please pass on the word about this. Thanks much to all of you choosing to participate in this!

Psychic Cartoons at AE’s 7th Anniversary Party This Friday!

Altered Esthetics, event, Events, Good Causes, Minneapolis, mn

We will be drawing cartoons to raise funds for Altered Esthetics, the wonderful non-profit community gallery we collaborate with, at their 7th anniversary party next Friday. For a suggested donation of $5, we’ll peer into your soul and give you a drawing of one of the following:

Psychic Readings
Dream Interpretations
Fortunes
Spirit Animals
Inner Demons

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to participate in this!

Read more about the event here.

Pictured above: Local Hero Kevin Cannon’s fantastic art donation to the Altered Esthetics fundraiser. See a gallery of other donated artwork here.

Volunteers Needed for Altered Esthetics 7th Anniversary Fundraiser Drawing Event Friday April 29th!

Altered Esthetics, event, Events, gallery show, Good Causes, Local Hero Kevin Cannon

Pictured above: Local Hero Kevin Cannon’s fantastic art donation to the Altered Esthetics fundraiser. See a gallery of other donated artwork here.

We will be drawing cartoons to raise funds for Altered Esthetics, the wonderful non-profit community gallery we collaborate with, at their 7th anniversary party next Friday. We need cartoonist volunteers to draw pictures for patrons offering donations. Bring your All-Seeing-Eye of Agamotto! Using our amazing ecto-ink, we will “read” the patrons to bring them personalized:

Psychic Readings
Dream Interpretations
Fortunes
Spirit Animals
Inner Demons

It should be a good time. We will be working in shifts, so you will have plenty of time to peruse, schmooze and booze as well. As always, any interested cartoonists are welcome to participate… but please, let me know you’re coming so I can get you on the schedule. To participate, email me at webmaster(at)cartoonistconspiracy.com.

Read more about the event here.