I’ll be at the Stumptown comics convention this weekend in Portland. Unfortunately, I won’t be tabling, but I will be on two panels. If you are planning to attend, please stop by.
Saturday @ 2:00 pm – Comics Journalism
I’ll be talking with Shannon Wheeler, Sarah Glidden, Steve Duin, and moderator Mike Rosen.
Sunday @ noon – Portland NCS chapter
I’ll be moderating a panel on creating an NCS chapter in Portland. It’s a historic organization with a reputation of being a little closed off. Should Portlands huge comic community try to make inroads? Panelists Jack Ohman, Jen Sorensen, Shannon Wheeler, and Scott Kurtz will discuss the pros and cons.
I think a Northwest chapter would be a great addition to the NCS given how many cartoonists reside there. I recall a vibrant community called Cartoonists Northwest out of Seattle some years back. I have one concern about this panel….shouldn’t there be someone from the NCS represented? I mean someone with some institutional knowledge of it’s history, it’s purpose and benefits?
Jen Sorensen joined recently, but out of the hundreds of professional cartoonists living here, Shannon and I aren’t aware of any other members. Any leads?
I can’t think of anyone offhand but I’m certain if whoever put this panel together contacted the NCS, some sort of arrangements could have been made to have it represented. I can just guess what Scott Kurtz is going to contribute to a panel that discusses the merits of NCS membership since he just wrote a manifesto on his blog essentially trashing the organization and demonizing the people who run it because his application to join was denied. I know it may be entertaining …but in all fairness, you’ll be getting a one sided version of one volatile catalyst’s experience…not very helpful. I spoke with Jen and although she is an NCS member (who I sponsored) she’s been a member for about 6 weeks and by her own admission knows little about the inner workings of NCS which is understandable. I’ve offered to give her a written statement of the NCS purposes and benefits and the proceedures required to start a chapter. I hope you find that helpful and appropriate in presenting the NCS’s position.
Hi Rick,
The goal of the panel will be to create a local NCS chapter that Shannon Wheeler is putting together. I know Kurtz is one of the organizations toughest critics and that’s OK. Should be lively. But the goal isn’t to bash NCS
Rick, you have nothing to worry about from me. I’m not anti NCS. I’m anti YOU black-listing me from the NCS. I highly doubt your name will come up in conversation.
You got a group of young cartoonists here eager to form a NW chapter of your organization. Instead of telling them that they’re doing it wrong, why don’t you try encouraging them?
@Matt- Jen emailed me asking for help in representing the NCS so I sent her some talking points regarding the history, purpose and functions of NCS that she can share with the group. It also includes guidelines on membership requirements as well as how a Charter is given to a new chapter. The NCS is excited that a NW chapter is being discussed and welcomes the idea wholeheartedly.
@Scott- Contrary to what you believe, I have no power to “blacklist” any potential NCS candidate. Applicants are reviewed by a Membership Committee of several NCS members. One of the requirements granting membership is that the applicant’s reputation be a good one within the industry. You easily met all the other professional requirements for NCS membership fail one. Given your history of publicly denigrating and insulting other professional cartoonist’s work on blogs, chatboards, podcasts and cartoonist bulletin boards, your own actions precluded your inclusion to NCS. You did it to yourself. The NCS is a fraternal organization that supports all cartoonists working in the industry and there’s not a lot of support amongst it’s membership for volatile individuals who vocally denigrate others and their work.
On a side note , I did lobby on your behalf last year when the idea came up to include you on the panel that will be giving the web comics seminar at this years Reubens in Boston. That idea was summarily rejected. I have reached out to you in the recent past, extending the olive branch on several occasions and your response was for me to go “f” myself. So your claim that I have it out for you in some way doesn’t hold water.
@Rick,
I meet all the requirements for the NCS. It’s insulting and ignorant for you to suggest otherwise. Ignore the fact that I have an equally good rep as someone who has helped push the medium, reputation hasn’t been a limiting favor with your other members.
I notice Scott Adams is still hanging out with you guys and Dilbert is featured on you Reuben weekend artwork despite his reputation. Lots of NCS members have been equally insulting to other cartoonists, including yourself. Your pretty quick to insult in fact and you were President of the NCS.
I meet all the requirements but I’m not allowed in. That’s called blacklisted.
@Scott
Again…You are not blacklisted…you don’t meet ALL of the requirements…most importantly that of reputation. What you post on blogs, say in podcasts (just recently you expressed an urge to “punch Randall Monroe in the head”) and in seminars about other cartoonists and their work, both print and web, precedes any interaction you’ve ever had with anything NCS much less me. I’ve had no hand in reviewing your application or having input on your status. I’ve just been the messenger and you’ve got it in your head that I’ve somehow had it out for you.
Matt,
Rick and I actually had a very nice conversation today and worked through a lot of the issues going back and forth in these comments. So thanks for having me on the panel if for no other reason than it lead to that!
@Matt
I concur with Scott. Always best to work these things out over the phone or in person rather than on a chatboard. It was a very good conversation and meeting of minds. …I look forward to our next one.
Rick
Glad you guys could work it out. The panel went well. thanks, Scott!