Hey, gang- Lin, you’re friendly neighborhood cartoonist and assistant webmaster here. Wanted to introduce you to the new MSCA website and am gonna try and get you caught up with what’s going on with the group these days…
So, as you may remember the MSCA started out 2020 with a lot of momentum. We were having our monthly dinner meet-ups at Garibaldi’s Pizza near the U of M on the first Tuesday of each month, and our MSCA Drawing Nights at Michaels in Olive Branch, MS on the second Tuesday of the month. I was enjoying drawing at The Cellar comic shop each Wednesday night, and occasionally getting together with members at other events, or to just hang out.
We had also produced two issues of the new MSCA Zine, The Good, The Bad, And The Sketchy which were for sale at local comic shops around town. Then a few months later that all came to a screeching halt because of the pandemic- no meetings, no drawing together, and no open comic shops.
Well, things are slowly starting to happen again for this group. One is this new website. It’s still under construction, but more and more of it will be unveiled this month as the content becomes available. We’re working on a members page, comics gallery, helpful links, and more. Thanks to my wife Nicki Workman for helping me bring the MSCA website back online.
The MSCA Zines are still alive and being produced. We actually have enough art in the can for issues #3 (magic themed) and #4 (animals). Luckily our jam piece for issue 3 had already been drawn at the last dinner meeting we had, and we could each submit our art through emails. Thanks to Dale Martin and Jason Negen for spearheading this printy project.
Both of the next two issues are at the printer and we should have them back in hand for assembly and in stores soon. Issue #5 (winter themed) is currently being drawn together. You can still purchase copies of the first two issues (#1 horror, #2 space) at Comics & Collectibles on Poplar Ave. near Colonial, 901 Comics in the Cooper/Young area, and at The Cellar on Bartlett Blvd. near Stage.
Speaking of The Cellar, you can find hand drawn sketchcovers by me, Charles Ettinger, and Lonnie Easterling for sale- as well as several of my sketchcards. Proceeds go to support our comics and art habits- neither of which are cheap these days.
We had a lot of fun on our first MSCA Zoom call this summer. It was great to see everyone’s faces and talk toons with each other again. Hope you can join us for this next meeting. BTW, FYI it’s BYOP (bring your own pizza).
Speaking of takin’ toons, I’m currently in the process of creating a new MSCA podcast- Drawing Funny. I’m still learning how to record, edit, upload, and distribute a podcast, but I’m slowly becoming a pod-person. I’ve been on a few podcasts over the years, and I listen to several a week, but I have to admit- tech and I aren’t good friends so wish me luck. My plans with this show are to help spotlight some of our MSCA members, our events, learn some tips and tricks, catch up with artists I haven’t talked to in a while, and find out more about folks in the comics industry and fandom who just like to draw funny. I’m also going to try and record our Zoom meetings, and look at doing some video podcasts and time-lapse drawing videos for the new MSCA YouTube channel that Kev is setting up. Will post more soon about it and how members can share their drawing videos, too.
That should catch you up on what’s currently happening with the MSCA. For a group that hasn’t really seen each other in person for over 6 months we are still moving forward- just mostly socially distanced and online right now. I’ll be posting more news here as I get it. Feel free to share any on our Facebook page, or email us at midsouthcartoonists(at)gmail(dot)com. Just be sure to put “news” in the subject line so it will get forwarded to me.
Not sure when we will all see each other again in person, but until then I hope to see you here.
Take care, stay safe, and keep drawing funny!
Lin