And now stuff that isn’t books.
First off let’s look at some drawers. On the front of the top drawer of the file cabinet is a Batman door sensor. Pass your hand in front of it and it plays the 90s animated Batman theme and says, “Batcave defense program activated. Please wait for security clearance.” On top left there is a picture of me in my superhero costume. (It’s not my fault – read here.) There are also various bobble heads, including one of me my friend Chuck Gamble made for for 40th birthday. On the side are some odd candies from Seattle’s Chinatown. On the top of the dresser are some fake Bo Nanas merchandise I made as holiday gifts for my clients. (More on that later.) Down the side is some escape artist nerd stuff (yep, they’re real handcuffs). Down the front, a couple of lanyards with buttons to keep them from being under foot.
Left to right: A special edition Batman thingy, a cardboard Dilbert periscope, Aku from “Samurai Jack”, Ned* and a Dick Tracy lunchbox. Next shelf: mini Batman/Mr. Freeze Rock ’em sock ’em robots being crushed by books.
* Ned was a product that Lynn Johnston created based on a naked suction-cup-to-window guy (a la Garfield) that the character Michael had in her comic strip “For Better or for Worse.” I think these were prototypes and she brought a bunch to a cartoonist gathering in Toronto. This one is signed.
Left to right: Avon Peanuts soap from the 70s, an Opus phone (take the handset from his back and he turns his head toward you) and a bird sculpture by a cartoonist friend.
In 1995 the National Cartoonist Society had their Reuben Weekend in Boca Raton, FL to celebrate the new International Museum of Cartoon Art…except the museum wasn’t finished yet. So one of the receptions was a hard hat party. We were all given hard hats and Sharpies and, well, you can see what happened. (The fancy-pants glass box is actually an aquarium on its side.)
Tags: cartoonist
Kovaleski (the blog of a cartoonist named John) 
September 16, 2009 at 7:37 am
What a kick to see your Opus phone! It’s only the second I’ve ever seen. Mine also sits in a bookcase of comics memorabilia, along with my Andy Capp’s Cheese Fries, my Garfield Compound-W Wart Remover for Kids, the Blondie A&W Root Beer cup, the Peppermint Patty Pez dispenser, and the can of Popeye brand spinach with the now-bulging ends. (That could get unpleasant. I’m not sure what do do about it.)
September 18, 2009 at 2:26 am
I’ve only seen one other one myself, at the home of my Washington Post Writers Group editor (also Breathed’s syndicate.) I remember them being pretty expensive when they came out in the 80s. I got mine in a discount store for $10 in the early 90s.