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Category: writing

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RIP Trina Robbins

Trina Robbins speaking at the 2023 WonderCon in Anaheim, California. Photo by Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia

I did not know Trina Robbins very well, but she has impacted my thinking and my work. She was the kind of person that, after hearing her stories and reading her work, I have a deep appreciation for what she accomplished, and I wish I could have gotten to know her more and talked with her about something we share — a passion for the work of comics history.

I had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times in the past few years. The first time I met Trina was when I joined her on a panel at FanExpo in San Francisco in November 2022. I remember it as the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and our panel topic was the centennial of the birth of Peanuts cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. Cartoonist and maze master Joe Wos, who organized the panel, invited Lex Fajardo, the editorial director for Schulz Creative Associates, and me (as curator of the Schulz Museum) to join him and Trina in a wide-ranging discussion of Schulz and his impact on cartooning. Trina was the only one of us to have really known Charles Schulz, bringing not only her stories of meeting Sparky (as he was known to those who knew him) but also her perspective as a Bay Area cartoonist and younger contemporary to him. It was fascinating and, of course, a lot of fun. Few people can tell the story about getting Charles Schulz to contribute a piece to a collection of cartoonists’ nude portraits.

Trina was in high demand that weekend, rushing from panel to table, signings, and other events that day. She joined us a few minutes late and had to leave the panel early for her next commitment, so I didn’t really get a chance to visit with her in that first meeting, though I got to basically sit next to her and hear her tell stories for an hour or so.

I’m so glad I remembered to bring my tape recorder with me, so I at least got audio of the panel—most of it, at least. The brand-new batteries I installed died, and I had to switch to my phone, but something went wrong—don’t try to talk on a panel and record yourself simultaneously if you can help it. At least I got a good chunk of our talk, which is now in the Schulz Museum’s archives.

The next time I saw her was at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2023, when we both had books nominated for an Eisner Award in the same category: Best Comics-Related Book. Attending the Eisner Awards is another story, but there’s a little time as people arrive and get settled in to say a few hellos. I saw her and said hello, and wished her good luck. I’m not confident she remembered me or even knew I was one of the other authors in her category, but she was very gracious. I was so overwhelmed just being in the room, so I don’t remember any other details, especially after Nat Gertler and I were announced as winning the category.

Though she was not awarded an Eisner that night (I thought she would win), her book about Gladys Parker is fabulous. Just as all of her historical work is not only well done but groundbreaking and essential reading. Comics is a rich field for study and enjoyment, enriching our lives as readers, thinkers, artists, and whole people. Trina brought that home, especially preserving, sharing, valuing, promoting, and shouting about women in comics from the rooftops.

After meeting Trina, hearing about her work, and finding her books, I looked at my own writing, my own thinking, and my own historical work and asked myself, “Where are the women?” In one project in particular that I’ve been slowly working on for a couple of years, a collection of short historical essays about the working methods of cartoonists, there were very few women initially. Now, it’s better, but there’s always room to improve. Thank you, Trina, for your work, for being wholly you.

UPDATE:

Andrew Farago compiled a wonderful collection of remembrances of Trina Robbins for The Comics Journal if you’ve not seen it yet.

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

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Eisner Award Nomination

Silver circle foil seal for a Will Eisner Nominee book. Features the comic signature of comic artist Will Eisner, a large letter E as the central figure, and the word Nominee at the bottom. In very small print at the outer edge of the circle seal, it reads Comic Con International Comic Industry Awards

The book I wrote with Peanuts fan extraordinaire Nat Gertler has been nominated for a Will Eisner Award by the people who bring you Comic-Con International in San Diego each year! Voting has closed for the comics publishing industry award, but it’s been a thrill just to be nominated. I’ve never won an award and tended to roll my eyes at the idea of being grateful for a nomination, but I get it now. This is a recognition of the hard work of *so many* people. I’m so proud and grateful to my team at the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, our publishers Weldon-Owen, and all the fans of Charles M. Schulz, who have supported the museum and all do a part in preserving and sharing the legacy of Charles Schulz and Peanuts.

Of course, the book is still available everywhere that good books are sold, and proceeds support the Schulz Museum. You can also buy the book directly from the Schulz Museum, which is a way to support the museum doubly. You can even leave a note when you purchase to request that I sign it, and I’m happy to do that.

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

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Celebrate the Art of Newspaper Comics and Support a Great Cause at the North Bay Letterpress Arts — Saturday, April 22

If you’re a fan of newspaper comics and letterpress printing and live in the North Bay Area, you won’t want to miss a special event hosted by the North Bay Letterpress Arts organization on Saturday, April 22nd. The “Sunday Funnies” event will feature a conversation with Benjamin L. Clark (me), Maia Kobabe, and Andrew Mecum, the Executive Director of NBLA, about the relationship between printing, comics, and beyond.

Maia Kobabe, who was once a member of NBLA, is an accomplished author and artist who has created beautiful books. Eir graphic novel, Gender Queer, has been widely banned (boo!), bringing em major media attention, interviews, (and a new book deal).

In addition to the conversation, there will be a short movie about the subject, live printing demonstrations, and fundraising party tricks. All guests will be treated to coffee from Retrograde, tea, donuts, and other fun snacks throughout the event.

This year, the month of May is also a memorial tribute to Dennis Renault, a political cartoonist and letterpress printer who sold Eric Johnson his iron hand press. Unfortunately, Renault passed away last fall. Examples of his work will be on display at the event, showcasing his life and legacy that perfectly embodies the spirit and wit of the “Sunday Funnies” event.

The event will take place at the North Bay Letterpress Arts studio, located at 925-D Gravenstein Hwy S, in Sebastopol, California. Doors will open at 4:00 PM, with the event ending at 6:30 PM. Sliding scale donations will be accepted in person at the event, or you can donate ahead of time online. Be sure to leave a note that it’s for the event or email the organizers.

All proceeds from the event will support the mission of NBLA, which is to democratize letterpress, lower the barrier of entry, and create more access for a wider audience, especially youth in the community. This year, NBLA is generously supported by a grant from the California Arts Council, along with support from local sponsors such as Sonoma County Libraries, the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, the Cartoon Art Museum, Blackwing pencils, and Retrograde Coffee.

Join us for an afternoon of fascinating insights into the world of newspaper comics and letterpress printing while supporting a great cause. We hope to see you there!

NB: This post was partially written with ChatGPT tools.

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Keith Haring’s trap

“It’s easy to fall into a trap of making things that are in the manner of previous “successful” endeavors — is it a trap?” — Keith Haring, Journals Nov. 1979, page 85.

Cover of Keith Harring's Journals
Cover of Keith Harring’s Journals

Could this be a thing? It’s certainly a thing, but is it on the level of Murphy’s Law? Around May 1st last year, I found a copy of Keith Haring’s Journals visiting a favorite local thrift store (for books). Of course, I had to take it home. I always love a good collection of journals or letters. In my copy, a large paperback by Penguin, there was supposed to be an introduction by Shephard Fairy, but it had been torn out of this copy for some reason. I didn’t notice when I found it. The previous owner otherwise kept it in good shape and tore it out pretty cleanly, so it’s not noticeable, and something tells me I’m not missing much. They also seem to have used white-out across the statement about Fairy’s intro.

So, what about this trap of success? I imagine it should have a name. The [something] Paradox. If there’s not yet a name for this, there should be. The curse of success? Many creators struggle with this and others seem to just roll along, evolving by creating and trying, but every creator is lured back, or at least tempted by what was successful in the past. Especially if that’s how you eat and shelter.

It’s not *my* problem — I don’t have the level of success solely by my own creation and work, but it’s an interesting question. But, as someone who does make things, I want the things I make to be fresh. For my own sake, I want to keep my work fresh, mostly, but also to have a sense of progress, of making and not simply re-making. So, now I must ask myself at various points in a project, “Am I falling into the Haring Trap?”

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

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Book Review: The Pigeon Tunnel by John le Carré

JOHN LE CARRE ( David Cornwell) English Writer 1931-- by N.C. Mallory (CC)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/augustusswift/4514760392.jpg
JOHN LE CARRE ( David Cornwell) English Writer 1931— by N.C. Mallory (CC)

John le Carré (David Cornwell) says that every one of his books was titled The Pigeon Tunnel at some point in the early stages. He finally nails a book worthy of the title with this memoir of his writing life, his time working for British Intelligence, and between the lines, a sense of the man behind the stories of espionage and intrigue.

Le Carré tells stories about meeting Arafat, about fellow author and intelligence operative Graham Greene, and letting Robert Redford borrow his Swiss ski chalet, which he’d built with the proceeds of his first smash hit book The Spy Who Came in from the Cold… But le Carré doesn’t splay these stories before readers, pushing his own life before us like a wordy, mercenary paparazzi, exploiting his limelight-adjacent life. He also comes across as a man trying to sort things out, but barely mentions marriages and children. Perhaps out of respect for their privacy, or perhaps because they’ve been covered in past interviews. I don’t know, but for me, it’s a curious absence.

The Pigeon Tunnel by John Le Carré

Some stories are well-polished yarns le Carré has no doubt shared for many years over drinks, at readings, or over dinner. Like the time he was with Joseph Brodsky when he found out he won the Nobel Prize. Or being summoned by Margaret Thatcher to Number 10.

Then there are the stories of his father. Ronnie Cornwell, le Carré’s father, was a con man of the very highest order. A few of his schemes and cons are outlined here by le Carré, but again, as a man trying to make heads or tails of what information he’s been able to gather, and willing to share. You can almost see him shaking his head throughout the retelling. However, it does give readers a glimpse into how the son of con-man would be drawn into the life of intelligence.

Author John le Carré speaking at the German Embassy in London in June 2017.
John le Carré speaking at the German Embassy in London in June 2017.

It’s an excellent book. You won’t find much of “the writer’s life” type of musings, but I doubt many readers will be all that interested in that. No, over his long and productive life, I get a sense that le Carré has been just as busy managing his intellectual property rights, film rights, and fighting off lawsuits and inquiries to make the actual writing of fiction a wonderful respite when he’s able to get down to it. I recommend Pigeon Tunnel if you’re interested in his books, Cold War stories, or Hollywood.

And about that title. After reading his explanation, which takes readers along on a gambling escapade in Monte Carlo, I can see just about any one of his books carrying the title, and it’s meaning, very well. It’s perhaps the aptest metaphor I’ve read in a very long time for not only the life of people working in intelligence but also for writers. I don’t think Le Carré sat on the title all these years because he kept finding titles that suited his novels better. I think he knew it was a title with only one story worthy of it: His own.

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

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Writers Dreaming, Writers Musing

Cover of book Writers Dreaming by Naomi Epel
Writers Dreaming by Naomi Epel from 1993.

What an interesting book. It is literally about the dreams — the hallucinations of slumber — of writers. Not so much about daydreams, or aspirations, or anything other than the literal dreams of writers.

Naomi Epel worked as a driver/helper of visiting writers in San Francisco. She’d pick them up, drive them to book signings, talks, etc. Naturally, they’d talk, and she was keenly interested in dreams. She later hosted a radio show on the subject as well, eventually putting together this book. 20 years later, it’s still a fascinating read. A couple of the essays sounded familiar — especially Sue Grafton’s. Grafton edited a book about the process of mystery and thriller writers, including herself, and she talks a lot about how dreams play a part in her process.

Gloria Naylor, in her essay in Naomi Epel’s Writers Dreaming, says that writers are a work’s first audience. The idea stuck with me, and I’ve been thinking it over. I think it may be true. It feels true at least, and that’s not the worst test.

I know some writers get huffy when other writers say that their characters take over, that they have no idea where ideas come from, that they are just along for the ride, etc. Abdicating responsibility for their work with what sounds like a projected false humility. 

The writers that get mad about these statements resent members of the tribe going out and making light of our work. Writing as work is frequently minimized, unacknowledged, even denied. Who wouldn’t be mad about that?

Gloria Naylor in Writers Dreaming, 1993
Gloria Naylor in Writers Dreaming, 1993.

As (one of my writing heroes) E. B. White said to his step-son, Roger Agnell when he proposed that White might “have fun” revisiting the city and write a little piece about his old haunts in New York for Holiday Magazine (of which Agnell was an editor). E. B. White replied, “Writing is never fun.”

But I also see what Naylor was saying in her essay. We open the taps of creative flow, and like a kid playing in the rainwater rolling toward a gutter, we put in little sticks and leaves and watch them go. We pull up clumps of mud and find big rocks to try and redirect the flow of water. This is writing, in a way. 

It must be connected to the part of our brain that makes faces out of things and the stew of you, all the bits and pieces, the ingredients that have become you. Your genetics, your upbringing, your talents, and fears. Your love and failures, the rivers you have drunk and mountains you have stood upon – the deserts that lay ahead and behind. 

Stories are the same. All the makeup is outside of you trying to get in but it may first be run through you – sieved into you to become whatever it will become. And as it becomes, we create and watch, creator and first spectator together – as always a multiplicity of identity in any given moment — human. 

What artist/ writer/ creator, hasn’t been surprised by the product of the pen or brush? If you never have, you should write more. Surprises await. What do you think? Hit reply and let me know!

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

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Meeting Jacqueline Winspear, part II, Q&A

Jacqueline Winspear and Benjamin L Clark
Fans at Jacqueline Winspear event
Lots of fans turn out to see Jacqueline Winspear in Santa Rosa, California, April 2019.

If you missed PART 1, click here.

After giving some background, and a little reading from her latest book, The American Agent, Jacqueline Winspear was kind enough to answer some questions from the 100+ fans in attendance (116 by my count from the back of the room).

While fans asked great questions, I jotted down Jacqueline’s answers as I heard them, but not being proficient at shorthand, or recording anything, these aren’t direct quotes, but they’re paraphrased from Jacqueline. Anything in quotes is a quote. My humblest apologies to Jacqueline Winspear if anything is wrong.

Q: When you wrote Maisie Dobbs, did you know it was a series?

Jacqueline Winspear speaks to fans

A: When started, she had not planned a series, just one book. The day after it went into print the publisher asked for the next book of the series. Luckily Jacqueline had been writing little fragments and things on her computer, so she printed them all off and laid them out on the floor. Within these fragments, she found six books — or the seeds for six books. She began to think of the arc of a series instead of an arc of a single book.

Q: Did you plan the length of the series then? Do you have a planned length now?

A: Didn’t plan it then, but “there are more books behind me than in front of me.” Maisie will return “not next year but maybe the next.”

Q: Is Maisie based on anyone in particular?

Copperfields Books Author Event Sign

A: No! But Jacqueline wanted to honor that generation of women that were so changed by World War I, members of the “surplus women” generation. The War changed how these women saw themselves. At that time they had just won the right to vote, and then the war, and expansion of Women’s suffrage, so women would outnumber male voters by far for years to come. They wanted a home worthy of heroes, that took care of people. It was thanks to them the UK developed the National Health System and much more.

Q: What about Maisie’s psychic abilities?

A: She’s has a sharp intuition. She’s ‘A Sensitive.’ “She’s been trained to use it.” There was a lot of Spiritualism growing, coming up at that time, so it was certainly part of the culture and time period. [Another example of the era is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who became deeply interested in Spiritualism at that time, and Harry Houdini who moved from hopeful to skeptic to critic. –blc]

The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear poster

Q: Maisie has interesting heritage on her mother’s side? Where did that come from?

A: It was organic. Jacqueline wrote about it in a much earlier book, but took it out, placing it later. It was something she just seemed to know about Maisie early on. Roma people were in the UK very early on, and water gypsies too.

Q: Are you working on any other non-Maisie projects right now?

A: Yes! Two upcoming books with different characters. “It’s very exciting.”

Jacqueline Winspear and Benjamin L Clark
Jacqueline Winspear and Benjamin L Clark

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

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Book Review: Montaigne in Barn Boots

Philosophy and HumorMontaigne in Barn Boots by Michael Perry

Author Michael Perry opens by describing laying on a gurney with a kidney stone and it made him think of Montaigne. Having had a kidney stone or two in my day, I can say I didn’t do much thinking, but any and every distraction was welcome. His book in hand I thought, ‘This is someone I can learn from.’ It also had an image of Montaigne wearing an Elmer Fudd hat on the cover — how could I resist?

Michael Perry is a hick. An NPR listening one, but a bonafide bumpkin from rural Wisconsin. And his approach as a writer is a wonderful blend of Dave Berry-esque humor and E. B. White’s reflective essays on life at his farm in Maine.

But don’t be fooled by Perry’s “Aw shucks” demeanor. He dives deep into not only the works of the 16th Century French nobleman-essayist, but also into his translators, devotees, and critics, flipping through each and finding the humor and wisdom for consideration in each encounter. Honestly, I thought Perry’s book would be a collection of Montaigne’s greatest quotes with a few essays built around them, but it’s much more than that.

One thing I learned, Montaigne was 38-years-old when he started writing his essays, finding wisdom with reflection. It happens to be the birthday I’ll have this year and I probably shouldn’t ignore my own copy of Montaigne on the shelf. Over the years, I’ve read from it a couple times, opening it to dip in and out seeing what I can find. Not like a miner desperately swirling his pan for gold. More like the weird uncle pinching choice bits of meat in the kitchen before the roast goes to the table. Did Horace B. Taylor, the previous owner of my copy as a student at the University of Montana sometime in the 1950s ever open it? Judging by the crispness of the pages and the tightness of the binding, I think not.

Perry follows Montaigne into all parts of life, including Friendship, Marriage, Sex, and yes, Farts (officially funny if you were wondering.) Perry is honest, making himself vulnerable exploring all of these subjects and many more. As a reader I found myself nodding in agreement, appreciating his willingness to not hide behind the page as a writer but to lay life out for all of us, that we can connect over our common humanity. Even if it’s over fart stories.

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RECOMMENDED

Michael Perry quotes Montaigne that the study philosophy is really a preparation for death. Perry comes to the same conclusions, thinking on experiences of his life, love marriage, children, writing, and working on an ambulance crew. After reading and loving “Montaigne in Barn Boots” is not the preparation for death but appreciate our commonalities and a better appreciation of our lives.

(c) Lincoln Journal Star
This review first appeared in print December 12, 2017

Benjamin L. Clark writes historical mysteries and works as a history museum curator.

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Book Review: Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung

INTROVERT ALERT

Discovering what you want out of life, navigating self-doubt, and standing on the threshold of adulthood is tough no matter who you are. Luckily there are friends along the way who can help us. For some, those friends happen to be made out of a splash of ink and a pound of paper. Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story by Debbie Tung is one of those books.

When it arrived, Debbie Tung’s graphic novel looked familiar to me and no doubt why – I had been following her work on Instagram, which can be found @wheresmybubble. Her work has appeared in print and online in several places. I was glad to get my hands on this book.

Cover of the book Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung This autobiographical graphic novel of Tung’s young life and entry into adulthood is told in single-page sets of drawings which makes it easy to dip in and out, or do as did and read it all in one sitting. She makes her way through graduate school, writing her dissertation, reflecting on her childhood and getting into a relationship with an extrovert — all with observational, self-deprecating humor and charm.

Tung’s book had a very similar effect on me as when I read Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking a few years ago. It opened my eyes to my own introversion and I found a kinship. I knew I was an introvert long before reading it, but there were parts of my personality that didn’t make sense to me, like my ambition, like my ability to be outgoing in specific situations. Cain’s book explores introversion in a deep dive and gave me a lot of helpful insight. Tung’s book is anecdotal, and more like a quiet cup of tea with a good friend, you can communicate with entirely by passive telepathy.

Tung also opened my eyes to differences in experience. Experiences I imagine that would be more common for young women who are introverts as well, navigating sexist behavior on top of their introversion. I’ve already pressed my copy into the hands of my favorite introvert to see what she thinks.

I’d recommend Quiet Girl in a Noisy World to introverts who are figuring things out and the people that love them.

This review originally appeared in the Lincoln Journal Star on December 3, 2017.  ©Lincoln Journal Star, 2017.

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About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark is a writer in Omaha where his family understands that he needs a little space sometimes.

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Guest Post from Radha Vastal, author of the Kitty Weeks Mysteries

Murder Between the Lines by Radha Vastal

One of the most enjoyable parts of researching …

Murder Between the Lines by Radha VastalDelving into the details of the past to create a realistic world and a period-appropriate mystery in which challenges and obstacles arise from the mundane realities of life in New York City during the 1910s, is for me, one of the most enjoyable parts of researching and writing the Kitty Weeks Mystery series.  So, for instance, in both A Front Page Affair and Murder Between the Lines the central mystery is connected with little-known actual events that occurred during the time, and these events feed into the plot right down to the day and date that they actually took place.

In Murder Between the Lines, the dead girl at the center of the mystery is known to be a sleepwalker and her sleepwalking is attributed to nervous tension brought on by too much schoolwork.  That was a perfectly reasonable causal explanation in the 1910s!  The schoolgirl’s death was inspired by a news story from late 1915, which I came across while scanning through the New York Times from November of 1915 to about February of 1916.  I knew that was the timeframe in which I wanted to set the second book; about 3 or 4 months would have elapsed since the events in A Front Page Affair, and I wanted to open things up with President Wilson’s second marriage.  While flipping through the papers I read about the “Girl Somnambulist Frozen to Death” and immediately knew I had found my crime/possible crime.

A Front Page Affair by Radha VatsalMost of my research is done through primary sources: newspapers, career guides, self-help books, medical books, etiquette guides, advertisements and so on… I also look at secondary sources, but then always pivot back to read the sources from the period that are referenced.  In terms of writing historical fiction, one of the most interesting things for me is not presenting events as we might understand them today, but trying to understand how the same events were perceived during their time.  So, in the case of the sleepwalker found frozen to death, in the 2010s, we would immediately question “too much schoolwork” as a cause, but in the 1910s, that opinion was backed up by doctors and medical books.  And in fact, in the course of Kitty’s investigations, she speaks to a “nerve specialist” who tells her that girls who study too hard or work too much (like herself) are prone to all sorts of diseases.  She has to get past that in order to solve the mystery.

About the Author:

Radha Vatsal is the author of the Kitty Weeks mystery series. Her latest book, Murder between the Lines (Sourcebooks), was published May 2.