Tag: Crosstown Concourse

Dinner Dates, Dracula Bites, Zine Swap, Monsters And More- MSCA Fall Events

Hey, gang-

Well, it’s been a busy year for the MSCA, and the last quarter is gonne get even busier. But first here’s what’s happened so far in September…

First up was the Record Swap & Zine Fest at Crosstown Concourse over Labor Day weekend.

The two day event on Saturday and Sunday had numerous record vendors/dealers on the first floor.

Upstairs on the second floor he artists & zine creators were set up.

…and there even was an area where attendees could create their own zines.

I also saw  some familiar faces on the second floor, including local artists Tony Parker, Dale Martin, and Jason Negen.

Dale Martin was set up there both days. Dale had lots of his own original art, prints, comics, and zines for sale.

He was also debuting the new issue of the MSCA zine “The Good, The Bad, and The Sketchy” gaming issue with cover art by Devin Hodges (who was set up on Sunday only).

I purchased several items and enjoyed talking to all the creators and vendors while I was there. I hope to set up there next year with zines and trading cards, and sketchcards, and would love to see an MSCA group table/presence there.

This last Tuesday we got together again at Garibialdi’s Pizza near the U of M. We had another great turnout for this month’s dinner meet-up. We get together the first Tuesday of each month at Garibaldi’s from 6-8pm. Our next one will be October 3rd.

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The main topic of business this month was putting together more issues of the MSCA zine and divying up the issues to participating members and bundles to take to local comic shops around town.

Those zines, along with several comics by local creators, are now available at 901 Comics East (Macon Rd.), and will soon be at all 4 comic shops locations around town- 901 Comics (Cooper/Young), Comics & Collectibles (Poplar Ave.), and The Cellar (Bartlett, Blvd.).

Members at the dinner meeting also worked on their own art or checkec out the new gaming themed zine.

Plus some more work was done on the Vampire/Halloween jam piece which will be on display at the upcoming “Drawing Blood” art show.

We also had some freebies available including some blank sketchcards, which Ron Hicks drew on for the first time.

Sketchcards (or “art cards”) are the size of normal trading cards like baseball cards, but have a surface made for drawing or painting on. The only limits to working on sketchcards are your imagination. You can create your own blanks, buy them at art stores like the Art Center (Union Ave. ), or become an official sketchcard artist for trading card companies.

I ususally have some MSCA blanks available at our Sat-Art-Days and Drink-N-Draw events. I also have some free 3 Stooges, Ultraman, and Halloween/Trick-Or-Treat blanks from RRParks Cards available now, too. Hit me up at one of our events if you’d like some.

I recently sent back 15 sketchcards to Gabe’s Cave (El Dorado, AR), and they recently sent me this sweet banner.

Those cards will be given away on their YouTube channel. This is the second set/series I’ve done for Gabe’s Cave.

After people ask what a sketchcard is, the next question asked is almost always, “What do you do with them when you’re finished..?” Anything you want- trade, gift, donate, sell, hoard, etc. I sell most of mine (at shows online, or retail stores), or have been hired by card companies to be a part of a trading card set.

I’ve got several horror sketchcards that will be a part of theupcoming RRParks Cards Halloween Trick-Or-Treat card set this fall. The Kickstarter for it will be dropping soon.

This is the third Halloween set I’ve done for Richard Parks, andI’ll have some bat base cards and lenticular (or should I say “LINticular” motion cards as part of the set. He was kind enough to send me a bunch of sketchcard blanks and trading card packs to hand out at our MSCA events.

Currently I have several of my official artist returns and personal sketchcards for sale at 901 Comics East in Cordova…

…and more along with a couple sketchcovers at The Cellar in Bartlett. More to come, and I plan on releasing a trading card set with sketchcards next year- “stay tooned!”

For those participating in our Dracula themed art show, “Drawing Blood” here’s some info and dates for you.

The Mid-South Cartoonists Association’s “Drawing Blood” art show begins with an opening reception Friday, October 13, from 5:30 – 8 pm, with a full run from October 27 – November 12, 2023, from noon – 4pm and during shows of “Dracula: The Bloody Truth” at Germantown Community Theater.  We will close out with an MSCA Fest from Noon – 4 pm on Saturday November 18, 2023.

The deadline to turn in your art is the October 3rd dinnier meeting at Garibaldi’s. This art show will run inconjunction with Gremantown Community Theatre’s run of “Dracula: The Bloody Truth” from October 27 – November 12.. The closing reception for the art show and 1 day MSCA mini-con will be in the building behind the theater.

OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, October 13, 2023, from 5:30 – 8pm.SHOW RUN:  October 17 – November 12, 2023, Noon-4pm and during shows at GCT.CLOSING RECEPTION/MSCA FEST!: Saturday November 18, 2023, Noon – 4pm behind GCT (this is also art pick-up day, too).

We’ll have another Drink-N-Draw in October at 901 Comics East.

We’ll also be a part of 901 Comics East’s Halloween Comic Fest the Saturday before Halloween. This is a free event much like Free Comic Book Day. If you’d like to set up with us let me (Lin) or Kevin know. Table space is limited.

And if you get a chance, stop by the Monster Market. It’s back in-person but for one week only!

Dinner And Zines- Next Tuesday, September 5th

First up- dinner meeting details and zine news from recent birthday boy and MSCA Prez Kevin L. Williams…

Hi, everyone, especially the digital doodlers, ink slingers, pencil pushers, wordsmiths, and enthusiasts,

Next Tuesday, September 5, 2023, is our dinner gathering.  Hopefully, folks are still in town as the day before is Labor Day!

We gather at 6pm at Garibaldi’s Pizza, 3530 Walker Ave, Memphis, TN.  Bring money for delicious food, bring art to show, bring a friend…

I’ll be there a little early to meet up with Dale Martin and help get some binding underway for the next issue of The Good, The Bad, and The Sketchy, featuring a cover by Devin Hodges!  If you want to help and have a long-reach stapler, bring it.  CLICK HERE to see what I’m talking about.

At that dinner meeting we’ll be a month away from the art due date of our next big artshow, “Drawing Blood!”  If you’re participating, be ready to bring it to the October 3 dinner meeting!

Be Safe, Be Happy, Be Well!Your Pals,Kevin L. Williams& Muley the Mule

In other local news…

Crosstown Concourse
Saturday, September 2, 2023
Sunday, September 3, 2023
Record Swap: 10 am – 5 pm
Zine Fest: 10 am – 2 pm
Tickets: Free and open to the public

This is a two-day event, on Saturday, September 2, and Sunday, September 3.

Calling all music lovers, record collectors, zinesters, artists, punks, poets, and weirdos!

Memphis Listening Lab/WYXR’s Record Swap and Crosstown Arts’ eighth annual Zine Fest are coming together for one awesome event in the Crosstown Concourse Central Atrium!

Shop from records, CDs, cassettes, and other music-related merch and memorabilia curated by Memphis Listening Lab on the first floor of the Central Atrium. WYXR will be selling tees and other radio station merch.

On the second floor of the Central Atrium, Crosstown Arts will host its annual Zine Fest where guests can shop for zines created by local makers.

Haven’t made a zine? No problem! We’ll have a free zine-making table! There will also be a DIY zine-making station each day of the fest with demonstrations and supplies to help you get started on making your very own zine! Just bring your ideas! Think Memphis, music, literature, punk, DIY, handmade prints, photographs, whatever you want!

This event is FREE and ALL AGES so bring your friends and family!

More MSCA news…

We recently had another great Satartday at 901 Comics.

“Stay Tooned!‘ for info on our next Satartday. They[re free and open to the public- and we have free art supplies for everyone to use including paper, sketchcards, markers, pencils, and more.

Our next MSCA Drink-N-Draw will be Wednesday, October 18th at 901 Comics East from 6-8pm.

That will be followed up by the Halloween Comic Fest at 901 Comics East on Saturday, October 28th from noon-4pm. Think Free Comic Book Day but with a Halloween twist.

Artist/author and now Arkansas resident Jerry Bingham was recently in the M-town for an in-store appearance/signing at 901 Comics East on August 19th. I was able to talk toons with Jerry and get my “Batman: Son Of The Demon” graphic novel signed.

Next 901 East comic guest will be local creator and ad-man Charles Marshall on October 14th.

Some congrats are in order- on August 5th at the FedEx Forum two of our MSCA members graduated from the University of Memphis.

 

Nick Workman not only completed her masters, but was the only one in her MBA class to graduate with a 4.0GPA..!

And Kevin Thorn completed was awarded his PHD and is now “Dr. Nuggethead”!
Congrats to both of our Brainiacs.

And belated birthday wishes to our own Kevin L. Williams who has a  birhtday earlier this month!

Some sad news…

Arleen Sorkin, original voice actress and inspiration for Harley Quinn, has passed away August 24 at the age of 67 f rom multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system.

Arleen, who made her TV debut as an extra on “Saturday Night Live” in 1982, achieved major recognition when she joined the cast of the popular soap opera “Days of Our Lives” in 1984. Her portrayal of Calliope Jones Bradford earned her two nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress at the Daytime Emmy Awards. Sorkin would go on to reprise the role on several occasions, leaving a lasting impression on fans. In 1992, Arleen Sorkin ventured into the world of voice acting, taking on the role of Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn in the animated series “Batman: The Animated Series” after inspiring Paul Dini to create the character while he home sick watching “Days Of Our Lives”- as well as helping to inspire many future episode storylines. Arleen’s wise-cracking and charismatic portrayal of the Joker’s henchwoman resonated with audiences. That led to invitations for future episodes and voiceovers in video game adaptations featuring Harley. She was married to Christopher Llyod– the writer/producer (not actor/Doc Brown).

This week I’ve had a few folks reach out to me on local artist Mitch Foust’s recent passing (August 25). He and I had our falling out years ago, and only spoke in passing a few times at local conventions. We’d worked together with A.G. Howard and Greg Cravens for many years back in the late ‘80s and ‘90s and I do still have a lot of good memories. That’s me, Mitch, and A.G. at the 1992 Memphis Fantasy Con in Memphis.

My heart goes out to all his family and friends. I know they are hurting, and was glas to see so many people recalling positive experiences at cons and their appreciation of his art. He was very popular in the Sci-fi/fantasy community, did dozens of comic and book cover art, was a co-creator/publisher of “The Last Generation” comic book series, and co-founded The Wild Hare/Animated Jack’s retail stores in Memphis. I haven’t heard an exact cause of death, but 59 is way too young to leave this world.

Here are the visitation and funeral arrangements details:
Jerry Michell Foust Obituary – Memphis, TN (dignitymemorial.com)

Hope yo see you all this next Tuesday night at Garibaldi’s.

“Get Ready..Get Set…GO!!!” – Upcoming Events

Okay, gang- here are some event dates to add to your calendar…it’s gonna be a busy few months!

Heroclix Tournament at 901 Comics East/901 Games East
Saturday, July 15, 2023 (1-4pm)

Diecast And Toy Show at Bartlett Station Municipal Center (Stage Road at Bartlett Blvd.)
Saturday, July 22, 2023 (9am-3pm)
Saturday, November 4, 2023 (9am-3pm)

Artist Trading Cards Memphis is having a show at Crosstown Concourse’s Art Bar, and MSCA’s Dale Martin is joining in the fun this Sunday, July 16th from 6-9pm. He’ll be one of the exhibiting artists with his new project, “You Are What You Eat“.

901 Comics East POP! Swap at 901 Comics East
Sunday, July 30, 2023 AT (noon–5 PM)

901 Comics East 2 Year Anniversary Celebration with artist Jerry Bingham
Saturday August 19, 2023

MSCA Monthly Dinner Meet-up at Garibaldi’s Pizza/U of M (1st Tuesdays  from 6-8pm)
August 1, 2023
September 4, 2023
October 3, 2023
November 7, 2023
December 5, 2023

MSCA Drink-N-Draw  at 901 Comics East
August- Wednesday 16 (6-8pm)
October- Wednesday 18 (6-8pm)
November- Wednesday 15 (6-8pm)

Sat-Art-Day (Sketchy Saturday) at 901 Comics East
August  26, 2023 (10-2pm)

Halloween Comic Fest at 901 Comics East
October  28, 2023 (noon-4pm)

MSCA “Drawing Blood” Art Show At Germantown Community Theatre
Starts on October 27 and ends on November 12, 2023.
Opening reception 5:30-8pm Friday the 13th..!!!
Runs in conjunction with the GCT play “Dracula: The Bloody Truth”
MSCA/GCT Mini-con: Nov- 18, noon-4pm (behind GCT)

Monster Market
October 13-18, 2023

Covington Comic Con
August  12, 2023

Memphis Comic Expo/MCX (DonnieCon)
September 23 & 24, 2023

Memphis Comic And Fantasy Con/MCFC
November 10-12, 2023

And don’t forget that we will have a Cinderella themed art show at Theatre Memphis next summer in June.

Oh, and here are several other events happening around the M-town.

For more info follow the links above or check out the MSCA Facebook page. You can also contact our president Kevin L. Williams to join our mailing list and not miss out any of our upcoming event info.

Lin

“Spamalittle and Drawalot” – Our Latest MSCA Art Show and Sat-Art-Day Events

It been a very busy (and wet) couple of weeks here for our merry band of cartoonists, but overall it was a lot of fun.

First up was our “Spamalittle: Knights Of The Drawing Table” art show reception at Germantown Community Theatre on Friday night.

This is the second art show that the MSCA has exhibited in the lobby of GCT, and apparently we’ll be back for another next season.

GCT will be announcing their next season on March 9th, and we’ll be announcing that show shortly after.

This art show featured “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” inspired artwork on display (and for sale) by our members.

Lots of great takes on that epic Monty Python movie! You can see more pics by heading on over to the MSCA Facebook page.

We also got to enjoy a live performance of “Find Your Grail” by Sir Muley and Annie Freres who performs as ‘The Lady Of The Lake“). This video can also be seen on our Facebook page.

I really enjoyed catching up with A.G. Howard. We talked about many of our misdaventures togeher back in our airbrush days, and some of our recent health scares and brushes with death..! Yeah, it’s been a scary few years for many of us, but always great to still be able to get together for events like this.

The cold rain and scary weather around the midsouth kept the attendance down a bit, but definitely not the sales! Several of the show’s pieces were sold that night, and two were sold before we even got set up for the reception. Heck, the show hasn’t even officially opened yet and it’s been one of our most successful ones yet.

Thanks to Kevin Williams and DaMarco Randle for hanging the art show and setting up the refreshments table for the reception. And thanks to everyone who participated in the show, braved the bad weather, and bought art. Big thanks to the staff and volunteers at GCT for having us back out again, and again.

You can check out the show for yourself at the theater during their normal box office business hours and during Spamalot performances.

The Spamalittle art show runs in conjunction with their production of “Spamalot The Musical” March 3-19 at GCT – 3037 Forest Hill Irene Rd.👑

9014537447:Box Office    9014537444:Main  Box Office:office@gctcomeplay.org

The next morning many of us were drawn together for our latest Sat-Art-Day at 901 Comics East out on Macon Road.

It was another full house for our latest sketchy Saturday in the back gallery room at 901 Comics’ Cordova location. We were surrounded by a lot of comic art on the walls – including some original comic book pages from”The Walking Dead“.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had some of our regular attendees, as well as some new faces there. Was great to have Izzy and Timothy join us this time, and I hope they can make it back for future Sat-Art-Days and other MSCA  events.

Many folks brought their own stuff to draw with/on, but we also provided extra art supplies such as markers, pencils, pens, paper, and sketchcards for anyone who needed them.

And they were put to good use.

Like the night before at the art show reception, it was cold and wet outside, but warm, dry, and a lot of fun inside. We only heard the occasional bit of rain hitting the roof while we sketched.

The only rules we have other than have fun and be respectful of your felllow artists is that if you’re not old enough to drive yourself to the comic shop, you need to have a parent or guardian come with you.

They’re welcome to sit and draw as well, play a game in the gaming area, or hang out and watch some TV at the bar.

The shop serves beer on tap and in cans, but you don’t have to just drink beer. 901’s “Bar With No Name” also serves sodas, bottled water, snacks, and personal sized pizzas.

We’ll be back out at 901 for another Sat-Art-Day on March 25th, as well as another Drink-N-Draw event on March 15th, the Wednesday before St. Patrick’s Day.

901 Comics (both locations) also sells many locally created comics including several comics series made by MSCA members.

One of those Memphis made comics is “Stoned Ninja“.

It (and others) are published by 901’s Shannon Merritt and his own Bad Dog Comics Publishing.

And speaking of  Stoned Ninja, the creative team behind it will teach you what they know about making comics all while enjoying a beer at Crosstown Brewery (1264 Concourse Avenue, Crosstown Concourse) on March 23rd from 6-8pm.

Join writer Gabe DeRanzo and the MSCA’s own Greg Cravens (The Buckets, Hubris, Shoney Bear) as they teach the next class in Crosstown’s Creative Juices sereies- which are instuctional classes for the creative 901.

They’ll be throwing out lots of comic knowlege, and knowing Greg- probably a lot of ninja star stickers as well.

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Everyone in the class will get:

  • A written breakdown of The Process, spelling out the steps and the order in which they have to be taken
  • A full size comic book practice page that you classroom creators will pencil your own dialogue, characters, and action into.
  • One beer will be included in ticket price for those of legal drinking age. Must present ID at the bar to get your beer. Minimum age for this class is 13 years old.

TIckets are $30.00ea and can be purchased through eventbrite by cliking here.

Our next upcoming MSCA event is the monthly dinner meet-up at Garibaldi’s Pizza on Walker Ave. near the U of M on Tuesday, March 7th from 6-8pm.✏️🍕

The meeting is casual, free, and open to the public. Do feel free to bring your sketchbook, tablet, or other drawing supplies if you like, as well as any promo items you might want to share with the group. Plus bring a few bucks to order off the menu if you’d like anything to eat or drink. Like the Sat-Art-Days, any age or skill level is welcome to join us, just bring a parent with you if you can’t drive yourself there. We meet on the 1st Tuesday of the month (except for the 4th of July this summer).

And be sure to “Stay Tooned” for the next episode of the Drawing Funny Podcast which will be dropping later this week….which reminds me- I need to record it!

Later,

Lin

ZineFest/Record Swap Coming Back To Crosstown Concourse In September

Shared by Dale Martin(our MSCA Zine editor/publisher), here’s an opportunity for many folks to get their first-ever table set-up, have a new outlet for your books, or return to the event!

Contact Courtney Fly (courtney@crosstownarts.org) for more information and/or to reserve your table for this awesome event at the Crosstown Concourse!

From Courtney…

Hi everyone!!!!

I hope you all have been great! I’m happy to announce that Zine Fest 7, in collaboration with the Memphis Listening Lab’s 2nd annual Record Swap, is a go this year! The event will take place again on the second floor of the Central Atrium. We do anticipate a good crowd this year as the Memphis Listening Lab will be open during this time and should also help generate some extra foot traffic!  Of course I wanted to go ahead and extend an invite to you all if you’d like to participate again this year! We can provide the table again! The times are 10-5 on Saturday, September 3rd and 10-3 on Sunday, September 4th. Please let me know if you’d like to be a zine vendor this year by Friday, August 19th so I can mark you down for a table! 

Looking forward to hearing from you! Please let me know if you have any questions! 

Courtney Fly
Event Coordinator
___________________________

C R O S S T O W N   A R T S
___________________________

1350 Concourse Ave. Ste 280
Memphis, TN 38104
www.crosstownconcourse.com

 

A “zine”  (/ziːn/ ZEEN; short for magazine or fanzine) is a small-circulation self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images, usually reproduced via a copy machine. Zines are the product of either a single person or of a very small group, and are popularly photocopied into physical prints for circulation. (Wikipedia)

The MSCA has published 6 issues of the “The Good, The Bad, And The Sketchy”, a  zine anthology with B/W interiors (5″ x 8.5″) which features art by various MSCA members. It was a fun group project that we hope to return to.

Some issues have not only had art created at MSCA dinner meet-ups, but the actual zine itself has been put together at them as well!

These zines can currently be purchased at MSCA events and at local Memphis comic shops– Comics & Collectibles, The Cellar, and 901 Comics. Be sure to stop by Dale’s  Zine Fest booth and check out his numerous zines and merch.

Crosstown Concourse
1350 Concourse Ave, Memphis, TN 38104 (off N. Watkins St. between Union and Jackson)

Crosstown Concourse is a mixed use development in Memphis, Tennessee. It is located in the heart of the Crosstown neighborhood, so named for the intersecting trolley tracks at Cleveland and Poplar that connected Memphis commuters to the neighborhood in 1927.

Crosstown Concourse itself is located at the intersection of North Parkway and N. Watkins Street and is the western terminus of the V&E Greenline.

The structure stands 14 stories tall and includes 65,000 square feet of retail, 630,000 square feet of commercial office space, 265 apartments, and a high school. Crosstown Concourse was once a Sears, Roebuck & Co. distribution center and retail store, which opened on August 27th, 1927, welcoming nearly 30,000 visitors on its first day.

A Month Of Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Art Events!

June is going to be a busy month! Here are some of the events happening in and around the mid-south…

This weekend is a double birthday celebration for Memphis comics. On Saturday it’s the 36th anniversary of Comics & Collectibles over off Poplar (between Colonial and Perkins).

That same day, 901 Comics is celebrating it’s 6th anniversary of their midtown location at Cooper/Young.

The following Tuesday, June 7th is our next MSCA dinner meeting at Garibaldi’s Pizza over near the U of M. We’ll be getting together from 7-8:30pm, but feel free to slide by a bit earlier if you’d like- and bring your sketchbook or anything you’ve been working on lately.

That next weekend has a lot happening! Up in Metropolis, IL is the 44th annual Superman Celebration. This year they are celebrating the 50th anniversary of being the official home of Superman. It’s about a 3hr drive from Memphis and is located just across the Ohio River from Paducah, KY.

Back here in Memphis, the Anime Blues Con will be going on downtown at the convention center.

That Sunday, June 12th– 901 Comics East in Cordova will be having an in-store appearance by Red Ranger Jason Faunt.

Towards the end of the month it’s time for the Memphis Crafts & Drafts Festival Summer Market at the Crosstown Concourse.

Oh, and today is a couple of MSCA member birthdays. Happiest of birthdays to Mr. J himself- Chris Jowers.

Also, happy birthday to my wife and MSCA webmaster Nicki Workman! We’re both off today and are looking forward to doing breakfast and then getting out to take some pics.

We just celebrated our 12th engagement anniversary over the weekend. We got engaged at the 2010 Phoenix Comic Con. Love ya, Babe!

Oh, and happy (or unhappy) birthday to Oscar the Grouch who shares a June 1st birthday with Chris and Nicki!

Hope you all are able to get out and enjoy these events. If you know of any others please give me a yell.

Lin

 

Comics & Collectibles
4730 Poplar Avenue #2
Memphis, TN 38117
901-683-7171
memphiscomics.com

901 Comics (East)
8551 Macon Rd,
Cordova, TN 38018
(901) 249-7959
901 Comics (Cooper/Young)
2162 Young Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 421-8819
901-comics.business.site
Crosstown Concourse
1350 Concourse Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 203.-8300

Anime Blues Con
Renasant Convention Center (downtown)
255 N Main St.
Memphis, TN 38103
Metropolis Superman Celebration
Metropolis, IL 62960
618-524-2714
office@metropolischamber.com
Garibaldi’s Pizza
3530 Walker Ave
Memphis, TN 38111
(901) 327-6111

“I’m Going To Midtown!” – Midtown Comic Con at Black Lodge and “Memphis Quarantine” at Crosstown Arts

This weekend Nicki Workman and I headed over to midtown to do some running around and just get out of the house. It was just too pretty to stay indoors!

Our first stop Saturday was The Art Center over on Union Avenue. It’s been a while since I’ve been by the shop.

I had to check out their stock of Copic markers. I saw online that they had them, and I’m always looking for another source.

I was also happy to see they still sell sketchcard blanks and physical comic pages for creating comic books, manga, and comic strips…sweet!

I dropped off some swag for their customers, and I bought a few of their stickers and some other art supplies. (You can see more about my shopping experience here on my Lin Workman site.)

Our next stop was the MidTown Con at Black Lodge over on Cleveland. It’s was their inaugural mini-con.

When we first walked in it was obvious that many others had this event on their list of things to do on Saturday. The place was much bigger on the inside than I had expected, and definitely much more attended than I had expected as well.

The first folks we recognized were Gabriel DeRanzo and MSCA’s Greg Cravens with “Stoned Ninja” comics.

Apparently due to hunger Greg got one of his prints confused with the Stoned Ninja gummies!

I also ran into fellow MSCA member Jason Negan. Due to work and the pandemic it’s been too long since we’ve talked in person.

I also got to run into some other local artists at the show, such as Devin Hodges/DIAST Cartoons and The Common Days of Cade comics.

Billups Allen and Cramhole zine.

And artist/cosplayer Nora Childers, who is part of the Indie Artists Market (just around the corner from Black Lodge). She’ll be a part of the 901 Heroes Fantasy Wars cosplay fashion show at Black Lodge on Sunday, April 24th from 5-10pm.

I saw a lot of toys, comics, art, apparel and more. They even had a concession stand- and restrooms which I really appreciated.

Nicki brought along her new mirrorless Sony to play with at the show. Thankfully she only wanted to shoot me with her camera, and not what she’s usually packin’ when we go around Memphis..!

We ran into local cosplayer supreme Kelldar…

…as well as a couple other cosplayers like this Mando and Harley. We had to cut out just as their costume contest got underway.

More and more folks were arriving and we felt the need to create a bit of space for them. Really glad the MidTown Con was such a success. I don’t know if the vendors did well, but I did see a lot of folks buying and selling. Overall it seems like folks are ready to get back to attending conventions and events.

Since we had parked at the Crosstown Concourse and Nicki had her camera, we decided to visit it next. It’s on Cleveland just half a block up from Black Lodge. Again, the weather was extremely nice out so we enjoyed the short walk.

We grabbed a few drinks at Farm Burger and walked around the Concourse.

We enjoyed checking out all the artwork hanging around on the walls.

We headed up the stairs to walk around the Crosstown Arts section on the second floor.

We noticed that there was an photography exhibit going on. It was “Memphis Quarantine” by photographer Jamie Harmon, who photographed 800 plus dwellings and over two thousand people between March 13th and May 31st of 2020- averaging 13 photoshoots a day lasting between 15-30 minutes..! Each home/person/family received a private web link with edited images they could download and have at no charge. (You can read more about the photo shoot here.)

There were photos everywhere we looked- all around the foyer area and in the large galleries. Two things I didn’t realize until last night. One- the show ended the next day, Sunday April 10th (today). And two- Jamie was actually hanging out in one of the areas. Had no idea what he looked like, and he was talking with folks so we tried not to bother them. Wish I had known both then!

If you missed the show, check out the website where they are doing preorders for the Memphis Quarantine book at www.memphisquarantine.com ($70ea).

When we were at Farm Burger earlier I noticed the guy behind the register was wearing a Memphis Listening Lab tee on. I asked him what that was and he said it was upstairs.

Yep, it wasn’t here the last time I had stopped in at the Concourse. Here’s the scoop on MLL–

Memphis Listening Lab is a curated collection of music and music history, a forum for music-related talks and performances, and a music education, appreciation, and experimentation space located in Crosstown Concourse. The MLL mission is to provide the community with opportunities to study, research, and enjoy popular music by way of a steadily expanding catalog of resources that represent the rich musical heritage of Memphis.
You can find out more about MLL here and buy some merch here.

We headed back downstairs to turn in Nicki’s photo pass. This was the first time I’d seen someone behind the boards at the radio station. Usually I’m there a bit later, and I’m not sure if they were in the studio during the pandemic or not.

After we left Crosstown, we headed over to The Cellar in Bartlett, and then over to Comics & Collectibles off Poplar. It’s been about a month since we’d been to either shop.

I’ve got sketchcovers and sketchcards for sale at The Cellar – each hand drawn and done in markers. MSCA member Lonnie Easterling has some sketchcovers for sale there, and I noticed another artist had added their sketchcards as well.

I saw some copies of The Dragon Templar by Brad Starnes and MSCA’s Dale Martin, sitting next to a Fathom comic with a Skoot Starnes cover, and just above some of our MSCA The Good, The Bad, and the Sketchy zine on the shelf at The Cellar. Later at Comics & Collectibles we saw copies of Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa by Martheus Antone Wade, Janet Wade, and Kevin L. Williams .

If you need acrylic stands for your collectibles be sure to check out Charles Ettinger‘s at The Cellar, or on his Etsy shop- www.etsy.com/shop/LaserheadStudios.

You can always find freebie MSCA and Drawing Funny podcast swag at Comics & Collectibles, The Cellar, and 901 Comics in the Copper/Young neighborhood.

Hope you’ve all had a great weekend. If you were set up at the MidTown Con I hope it was a success for ya!

Lin

 

Black Lodge Video
405 N Cleveland St.
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 424-1514
blacklodgememphis.com

 

Crosstown Arts
Crosstown Concourse
1350 Concourse Ave #280
Memphis, TN 38104
crosstownarts.org

The Art Center
1636 Union Ave.
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 276-6321
The Cellar: Tabletop Games & Comics
2737 Bartlett Blvd
Bartlett, TN 38134
(901) 382-8623

901 Comics (Cooper/Young)
2162 Young Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 421-8819
901-comics.business.site

Comics & Collectibles
4730 POPLAR AVENUE #2
MEMPHIS, TN 38117
901-683-7171
memphiscomics.com

Three Amigos- Our Latest In Person Monthly Meeting

Hey, gang-

Well, this last Tuesday was the 1st Tuesday of the month which means it was time for our monthly MSCA meet-up. The weather was amazing- especially for the first week of August in Memphis! Kevin Williams, Greg Cravens, and I met up in a shaded area of Overton Park. We had a fun time talkin’ toons and swapping freelance war stories.

The next in-person meeting will be at the Woodruff-Fontaine House on Tuesday, September  7th at 6pm. We’ll be meeting outdoors under one of the many shade trees on the grounds, so bring a chair, something to eat/drink, and any art, books, swag, etc. you’d like to share/show with everyone. I’ll have some freebie “Drawing Funny”swag to share.

Beginning in January we’ll be meeting in person back at Garibaldi’s Pizza – fingers crossed!

2022 will be the MSCA’s 35th anniversary. This was the promo flyer for the first meeting way back in March, 1987- art by Jack Cassady.

What would you like to see the group do to celebrate this milestone..? Any suggestions on making those things happen? Any upcoming 2022 events we could participate in as a group?

Bring your wish list and suggestions, plus any ways you think we could make them happen to our next meeting and let’s discuss the future of the MSCA.

Speaking of upcoming events, Dale Martin shared this Zine Fest news from the Crosstown Concourse…

“The 6th annual Memphis Zine Fest will be held inside the Central Atrium of Crosstown Concourse for two days, Saturday, September 4th and Sunday, September 5th. The event times will be 10-4 pm and this year, the Zine Fest will be in conjunction with the first annual Memphis Listening Lab/WYXR Record Swap event. There will be a lot going on that weekend and it should be a lot of fun!”

We’re planning on setting up a group table at the event. If any members would like to take a turn manning the table please give Dale or Kevin a yell. It will be the weekend before our next monthly meet-up in September. Should be a great way to promote our group and move some MSCA “The Good, The Bad, & The Sketchy” Zines..!

BTW- last Saturday, July 31st Nicki and I made a day trip up to Metropolis, IL for the annual Superman Celebration. I’ll have a blog post about our adventures in the home town of Superman on my Have Geek, Will Travel blog, as well as doing a recap on “Drawing Funny” soon, but you can see/hear us on the Supergirl Radio podcast or their YouTube channel. We were interviewed at the Celebration by Supergirl Radio co-host Rebecca Johnson. Our segment is towards the end of the episode, but you can see us behind Rebecca in the episode video on YouTube and Facebook.

Next year the Superman Celebration should be back to its normal weekend of the second full weekend of June.

That’s all for this update- stay \S/uper!

Lin