"No joke, comics library turns 30" 

The Cartoon Research Library at OSU is celebrating it's 30th anniversary according to Columbus Dispatch Metro columnist Ann Fisher. 

According to Fisher's article The Cartoon Research Library is home to:

• 2.5 million comic-strip clippings
• about 250,000 original cartoons 
• 51,000 serial titles, including comic books
• 34,000 book titles

 "comic strips from Pogo to Calvin and Hobbes"

Pogo was in "the funny papers" in the local paper when I was growing up but I never 'got it.'   When  Calvin and Hobbes came out I did not get that either.  Once someone explained it to me I thought it was funny...

Author and comics artist Scott McCloud will be in Columbus Wednesday for a free presentation at the Wexner Center for the  Arts, 1871 N. High St. The program is Storytelling 2007: A Celebration of Graphic Narrative, to commemorate the centennial of the birth of cartoonist Milton Caniff.

Fisher's article says Caniff was from Dayton, Wikipedia says he was from Hillsboro but goes on to say:

"Shortly after matriculating at the Ohio State University, from which he graduated in 1930, Caniff began a career in journalism by applying to the Columbus Dispatch. There he worked with the noted cartoonist William "Billy" Ireland until Caniff's position was eliminated."

What has five legs?

Scottt McCloud's visit to Columbus is part of a five legged tour of the US that is documented on his website. New England in fall 2006, southeast US in the first quarter of 2007.  Great lakes area in the spring...we are pretty this time of year... I think we are going into the 20's on Wednesday evening... but the  McCloud family is off to Minnesota after Ohio so we may seem warm.... in retrospect.... then the 4th leg is across the plains states to the Pacific Northwest then California and southwest in the summer is the 5th leg...