Nope. We don’t know either.

But if you come to our Feb. 18 meeting you’ll find out how our guest speaker Pat Moriarity does it.

For over 20 years, the fabulously talented Moriarity has done it all. As a commercial artist he’s created art for video games, CD covers, posters, stickers, T-shirts and more. He’s done underground comics, editorial cartoons, and was one of the artists who collaborated with the late Harvey Pekar on Studs Terkel’s Working: A Graphic Adaption.

He’s created art for Nickelodeon, Fantagraphics (where he was art director for several years), National Geographic Kids, Seattle Weekly, Sasquatch Books and many others.

Currently, he’s a regular contributor to Mineshaft Magazine. And since 2008, he has been teaching sequential storytelling at the Art Institute of Seattle.

The January 2012 CNW Meeting Review

Can there ever be “‘nuff said!” about Stan “The Man” Lee? What a career! And what a book about that life and the man behind it (still web-slingin’ at age 89) penned by authors Danny Fingeroth and Roy Thomas, with Stan’s input (“The Stan Lee Universe”, 192 pgs., TwoMorrows Publishing).

At the specially-scheduled January 5th CNW meeting, Danny talked about the making of and displayed images from the book, keeping his audience face front and true-believin’! Even Mr. Fantastic might be hard-pressed to stretch his arms around this book’s trove of rare interviews with Stan and other comics luminaries, memorabilia, correspondence, photos and stories. The book encompasses the history of Stan’s legendary comic book achievements: co-creating Spiderman, the X-Men, the Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four, Thor, Iron Man … the whole Marvel Universe!

A few highlights: sample scripts and plots; Jack Kirby’s pencil work from 1978’s “The Silver Surfer Graphic Novel” (oft cited as the seminal GN, and written by Stan, ‘natch); a transcript of Stan’s interview with Will Eisner (Watch it on YouTube under the title “Comic Book Greats”); and a radio transcript of the Smilin’ One debating Hilde Mosse, associate of the infamously anti-comics Dr. Frederic Wertham. And listen up, sweatin’ scriveners… Deep within the pages of this tantalizing tome, behold and absorb the holy grail itself, Stan Lee’s Top Ten Tips for Writers! Stan’s energy and wit abounds throughout the book.

Witness one of his side projects: “Blushing Blurbs: A Ribald Reader for the Bon-Vivant”, a slightly risque “photo-funny book”. And as an active speaker-for-hire, Stan promoted himself with – what else? – a comic book! While Danny gleaned much of the book’s material from the Stan Lee archives held at the American Heritage Center (University of Wyoming), there are still mouth-watering gaps.

As Danny told it, Stan was in the habit of tape-recording Marvel plotting sessions with other members of the “bullpen”….but those historic tapes have not come to light! Lost, if you will, in a veritable black hole of the Stan Lee Universe! Oh, by the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth, may they soon be unearthed!

In the meantime, Danny Fingeroth’s book will be treasure enough to satisfy any pilgrim’s interest in the unforgettable fearless leader of Marvel Comics.

It’s the right time to build excitement about making comics, as Emerald City Comic Con 2012 is not far away. The convention will be at the Washington State Convention Center March 30-31 and April 1, starting 2 pm Friday and closing Sunday at 5 pm. If you are a CNW member and plan to have a booth this year, contact us through CartoonistsNorthwest.com and let us know where you will be so we can direct visitors at the CNW booth to your location. Progress is underway to have a new sign made for the CNW table, now in Artists Alley. I will be manning the booth this year and I am accepting volunteers to help meet the guests and promote our organization. Volunteering is available for single or partial day shifts, sign up now to get in the convention and see some panels!

It’s also time to start thinking about the Toonies, following only a month later. Voting will soon start with categories listed on slips accompanying Penstuff. Categories and nominees will also be listed on the website, so be prepared to nominate your favorite animators, illustrators, comic artists and cartoonists for CNW’s prestigious annual awards. The event will be held at Ivar’s Salmon House on May 5.

This year I’m excited to announce that the Toonies guest speaker will be one of the founding father’s of webcomics, Scott Kurtz. His online comic PVP has been running since 1998 and has been awarded both and Eisner and a Harvey. Not only is he one of the most popular and well-known comic strip creators working today, he is also an expert on the economics of independent comics publishing. Don’t forget to sign up for your space at this year’s Toonie Award banquet!

Guests got busy gluing googly eyes and pipe cleaners onto candy canes to compete in the Candy Cane Reindeer Contest. The winner was Maureen VanderPas, whose reindeer was voted “Most Creative” by a team of judges. The prize was a copy of Shannon Wheeler’s new book, Grandpa Won’t Wake Up.

Meanwhile, members exchanged gifts as part of the annual Cartoonists Northwest White Elephant Gift Exchange, where new and old oddities are wrapped and traded in the midst of a good laugh. Highlights included a chipmunk hat, decorative soap, and everyone’s favorite, Pankey jam.

Members filled several sacks of toys to be given to the Seattle Children’s Hospital. The donations were delivered promptly that Monday morning with many thanks from the hospital volunteers.

But it will be more than worth the wait.   Pat Moriarity is “a shimmering, glowing star in the cartooning firmament.”  He is a Cartoonist, Illustrator, Designer, Animator, Teacher at the Art Institute of Seattle.  When I worked at the Seattle Weekly, no other illustrator got the design staff as excited as when we were going to have work by Pat Moriarity in our newspaper.

Don’t miss out on your chance to meet the one and only Pat Moriarity at the February CNW meeting!   Did we mention there is no January meeting?

And by “Universe” we mean The Stan Lee Universe—Fingeroth’s new book (with Roy Thomas and Lee himself) about the man who created much of the marvel in Marvel Comics. The book is a compendium of Lee-rarities, including many unseen items from Stan’s archives housed at the University of Wyoming.

In addition to talking about how the book was created, Fingeroth will speak a bit about his own career in comics.

A former Marvel writer and editor, Fingeroth has also done creative development for TV; taught numerous comics writing classes; edited Write Now! (a magazine about the craft of comics writing); and written pop culture books such as Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero. He’s currently Sr VP of Education at New York’s Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA).

The meeting is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7, at Artist & Craftsman Supply in Seattle’s University District, 4350 8th Ave NE. Open to the public. Suggested donation of $4 for nonmembers.

We will be meeting at Tutta Bella Neopolitan Pizzeria in Wallingford at 4pm on Saturday, December 17 for pizza, brews and a great time with friends that will feature our first Candy Cane Reindeer contest! Some materials will be available, but bring anything you want from home to decorate your Candy Cane Reindeer and compete for a prize. We’ll be voting for the most creative reindeer and taking pictures for the website.

With our holiday party comes our annual White Elephant Gift Exchange. To participate, bring a wrapped gift of a curious nature. Who knows what may come home with you? Maximum spend: $10.

We will also be collecting toys for Seattle Children’s Hospital, so bring an unwrapped toy and help make a child feel extra special this year. Tutta Bella is located at 4411 Stone Way N, Seattle WA 98103.

A former Marvel writer and editor, Fingeroth has also done creative development for TV; taught numerous comics writing classes; edited Write Now! (a magazine about the craft of comics writing); and written pop culture books such as Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us About Ourselves and Our Society. He’s currently Sr VP of Education at New York’s Musuum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA), where he co-curated recent exhibits on the work of Al Jaffee and Will Eisner. Danny’s latest book, co-edited with Roy Thomas, is The Stan Lee Universe (from TwoMorrows Publishing), a compendium of Lee-rarities, including many unseen items from Stan’s archives housed at the university of Wyoming.

The final date and details are still being arranged but we’re tentatively planning a get-together Jan. 7.

As outgoing co-president, I just want to thank everyone for their exceptional volunteer help.  Thanks to co-president Ron Austin for his great assistance along the way, and especially for heading up Emerald City Comicon this past year.  Speaking of years, let’s see, I was president of CNW the first time in 1983 …only 28 years ago …I was a mere child at the time.  << ahem >>.  So okay, I wasn’t really that young.

But, the one person, through all these years, who has really kept us on task, is Penstuff Editor Dick Rogers.  He sends out reminder notices for folks to get their articles to him, then “pesky reminders” and then he patiently waits for everyone to get their news to him (hopefully) on time.  He then scurries to put Penstuff together, prints it and folds it practically all by himself.  Talk about dedication.  Dick Rogers is one amazing member!

Our speaker coordinator John Lustig is also invaluable, and his task is daunting to find such a variety of guest speakers.  Thanks also to our “Penstuff Party Folders”, where we fold, sticker and label Penstuff for mailing.  Our appreciation to Judy Burnett and Liz de Desrochers for being our treasurers and to our Vice President Moira McDonough.  Thanks also to our meeting writers and photographers and everyone else who has helped out this past year.  Including Fred Austin for his projector and wife Nancy for her great cookies!  YUM!  Now, let’s get busy and have fun at our Christmas party on Dec 17th, and I hope everyone volunteers to help Georgia through 2012!