Farewell, Earwax

After a long history in Chicago, I was saddened to hear that Earwax Cafe is closing. In addition to having some of the best milkshakes and vegetarian burgers I've ever tasted, Earwax served as a meeting place for myself and countless other cartoonists over the years. Earwax, whose walls were adorned with circus sideshow banners and oddities, could lay claim to logos and ads designed by a couple generations worth of funny book people, including Daniel Clowes (who I just saw has a functioning web site, another sign of the progression of time) and Jeff Brown. Jeff and I used to meet up there with some regularity (one such get-together is pictured above), back when we lived in the area, and I know Jeff drew there all the time (with scenes from the cafe featured in some of his books).

I hung up countless posters over the years in this place, went there when I was depressed about this or that, made plans with The Holy Consumption there, and my second date with my wife nervously took place there, before our first kiss on a nearby playground. When I heard Earwax was closing, it was surprising to me just how many memories came back. Sometimes a cafe isn't just a cafe.

Goodbye, Earwax, you'll be missed.

Two Clowes Interviews

The first of these, on McSweeney's site, I came across via Drawn & Quarterly's blog. The second – a 2000 Bookworm interview (below) with Chris Ware and Chip Kidd about the release of Jimmy Corrigan and David Boring – I have absolutely no clue how I came across. Occasionally a bit stilted of a conversation, but interesting and insightful nonetheless.

Omega the Collected (and Political?)

Last week, after what's been a several year trek, we sent the hardcover collection of "Omega the Unknown" off to press. I had the opportunity to design the jacket (the book market edition of which is above), case, and text for the book, and I think everything pulled together nicely (assisted in no small part by the tireless efforts of Farel Dalrymple, who I worked to the bone to produce the extra artwork for the final volume (sorry again, Farel)). Jonathan Lethem and Karl Rusnak put together notes for ten pages of bonus material discussing the original series. I scanned the original newsprint issues for those pages. Time will tell if those scans print like poop.

Speaking of Jonathan, this gives me an opportunity to post a video (courtesy Ed Piskor) of Jonathan discussing comics, writing, editing, etc. with Daniel Clowes at MoCCA. They cover a lot of territory, so while the quality might be hit and miss (watch for James Sturm's noggin to come into and out of the frame), there are plenty of interesting moments to make it worth a viewing.



And in a case of pure strangeness, Jonathan recently past along a link to this article on the McCain campaign site. Given the comic book reference (Superman, unless they're invoking a Nietzschean Übermensch) in the penultimate paragraph, it lends credence to the interpretation that this is some sort of play on Omega the Unknown, but... really? Is the Right trying to snag the hardcore 1970s comic nerd vote? In what universe are we living?

Philip Seymour Hoffman: The Happy Savage

While I'm a fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman's acting, I also recently noticed that he's one of the few people (probably the only person) to have the distinction of being drawn for a film poster by both Chris Ware and Dan Clowes.

I'm waiting for Charles Burns' and Jim Woodring's versions. Maybe for the "Capote" collector's edition.