Comic Riffs - From cartoons to comics, Michael Cavna gets his geek on.

Posted at 02:41 PM ET, 04/02/2012

THE RIFF: Why cartoonists are smart to pursue side projects — even if it means taking time off

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 02:41 PM ET, 04/02/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:03 AM ET, 02/29/2012

GIOACHINO ROSSINI ‘LEAP YEAR’ GOOGLE DOODLE: A high note! Musical ‘Leap’-frog logo celebrates Italian composer’s birth

By Michael Cavna

Google’s logo for Feb. 29 marks both the Leap Year’s extra day and the 220th anniversary of the Italian composer’s birth.

By Michael Cavna | 12:03 AM ET, 02/29/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: gioachino rossini, leap day, google doodle

Posted at 11:35 PM ET, 02/27/2012

RIP JAN BERENSTAIN: Co-creator of Berenstain Bears dies at 88

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 11:35 PM ET, 02/27/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: berenstain bears, jan berenstain

Posted at 10:11 PM ET, 02/26/2012

‘Rango’ writer says Animation Oscar validates ‘mad vision’

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 10:11 PM ET, 02/26/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 06:40 PM ET, 02/26/2012

‘Rango’: Why it deserves the Oscar for feature animation

By Michael Cavna

Why “Rango” deserves the Oscar.

By Michael Cavna | 06:40 PM ET, 02/26/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: academy awards, rango, man or muppet, morris lessmore, gore verbinski, james ward byrkit, john logan

Posted at 04:12 PM ET, 02/24/2012

THIS JUST IN: Team Cul de Sac book cover unveiled

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 04:12 PM ET, 02/24/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:06 AM ET, 02/24/2012

‘CALVIN AND HOBBES’ ART AUCTION: Watterson’s watercolor original sells for $107K

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 12:06 AM ET, 02/24/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: bill watterson, calvin and hobbes, heritage auctions

Posted at 11:49 PM ET, 02/23/2012

2012 ACADEMY AWARDS: As the Oscars celebrate Paris and cinematic past, who can win the Animation honor?

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 11:49 PM ET, 02/23/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: academy awards, oscars animation, rango, kung fu panda 2, puss in boots, chico and rita, a cat in paris

Posted at 12:00 AM ET, 02/23/2012

BIG-MONEY AUCTION: Comics collection from a Depression-era Virginia boyhood fetches $3.5M

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 12:00 AM ET, 02/23/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: billy wright, heritage auctions, michael rorrer

Posted at 12:04 AM ET, 02/22/2012

HEINRICH RUDOLF HERTZ GOOGLE DOODLE: ‘Wavy Doodle’ proves a magnetic tribute to German physicist

By Michael Cavna

In a world unloosed by wireless technology, it’s only fitting that we’re still tethered, somehow, to the history sparked by Heinrich Rudolf Hertz.

By Michael Cavna | 12:04 AM ET, 02/22/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: heinrich rudolf hertz, google doodles, sophia foster-dimino

Posted at 12:08 PM ET, 02/21/2012

NEW KICKSTARTER RECORD: ‘Order of the Stick’ webcomic creator Rich Burlew cites ‘huge geeky safety net’ in $1.2M donation campaign

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 12:08 PM ET, 02/21/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: rich burlew, order of the stick, kickstarter

Posted at 07:22 PM ET, 02/17/2012

REUBEN AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: Crane, Pastis and Richmond up for NCS ‘Cartoonist of the Year’

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 07:22 PM ET, 02/17/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: reuben awards, tom richmond, stephan pastis, brian crane

Posted at 10:19 AM ET, 02/17/2012

‘THE SIMPSONS’ HITS 500th EPISODE: The Top-15 Episodes Ever (*And Top-5 Moments)

By Michael Cavna

To mark the occasion, Comic Riffs asked Gammill to share his Top 5 favorite moments from the show.

By Michael Cavna | 10:19 AM ET, 02/17/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: the simpsons

Posted at 12:01 AM ET, 02/17/2012

‘CUL DE SAC’ GUEST ARTISTS MOVE IN MONDAY: On hiatus, Thompson asks 6 top cartoonists to take a shot at his strip

By Michael Cavna

Six top cartoonists will take over the creative duties of the comic for five weeks while creator Richard Thompson seeks treatment for Parkinson’s.

By Michael Cavna | 12:01 AM ET, 02/17/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Richard Thompson, Cul de Sac, Mo Willems, Stephan Pastis, Lincoln Peirce, Michael Jantze, Corey Pandolph, Ken Fisher

Posted at 04:30 PM ET, 02/14/2012

VALENTINE’S GOOGLE DOODLE INTERVIEW: Animator ‘Lippy’ Lipman takes us behind the scenes (and screens)

By Michael Cavna

The story behind how the viral animation got made in mere weeks.

By Michael Cavna | 04:30 PM ET, 02/14/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: google doodles, michael lipman, willie real, valentine's day, ryan germick

Posted at 12:03 AM ET, 02/14/2012

VALENTINE’S DAY GOOGLE DOODLE: Today’s charming musical animation makes for one sweet gift

By Michael Cavna

Google is celebrating Valentine’s Day the world over with a charming animation that is all heart.

By Michael Cavna | 12:03 AM ET, 02/14/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: google doodles, michael lippy lipman, valentine's day, willie real, tony bennett

Posted at 04:35 PM ET, 02/13/2012

GAME ANIMATION OF THE DAY: ‘Angry Birds’ for Facebook uncaged a day early

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 04:35 PM ET, 02/13/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: angry birds, facebook, rovio

Posted at 09:35 AM ET, 02/13/2012

THE BOULET INTERVIEW: Inside‘The Darkness,’ the secrets of a great 24-hour comic

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 09:35 AM ET, 02/13/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: boulet, scott mccloud, angouleme

Posted at 12:40 AM ET, 02/11/2012

VIDEO PICKS OF THE WEEK: From Kevin Smith’s ‘Comic Book Men’ to the ‘Ghost Rider’ legal appeal (*plus Avengers, Spider-Man & SFX Gaiman!)

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 12:40 AM ET, 02/11/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: comic book men, neil gaiman, frank miller, heritage auctions, bill watterson, marvel, gary friedrich, ghost rider, amazing spider-man, the avengeers

Posted at 05:47 PM ET, 02/10/2012

STRIP OF THE WEEK: When ‘QV’ meets QR to spoof Doonesbury/Chicago Trib kerfuffle

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 05:47 PM ET, 02/10/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 09:42 PM ET, 02/08/2012

#SNOOPYVALENTINE: ‘Peanuts’ trends on Twitter thanks to savvy social-media ‘party’

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 09:42 PM ET, 02/08/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: peanuts worldwide, iconix, ariana grande

Posted at 03:23 PM ET, 02/08/2012

STAN LEE LAUNCHES NEW SITE: Marvel mastermind answers our questions (*And yours at 7ET)

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 03:23 PM ET, 02/08/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 10:41 PM ET, 02/07/2012

Political cartoonists say they’re indignant over Times’ solicitation

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 10:41 PM ET, 02/07/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: new york times, matt wuerker, john cole, cam cardow, john cole

Posted at 12:04 AM ET, 02/07/2012

CHARLES DICKENS GOOGLE DOODLE: Classic characters populate today’s logo to celebrate author’s 1812 birth

By Michael Cavna

Google paid tribute to the 200th anniversary of the author’s birth with its prominent perch.

By Michael Cavna | 12:04 AM ET, 02/07/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: charles dickens, google doodle

Posted at 12:01 PM ET, 02/06/2012

ANNIE AWARDS: ‘Rango’ tops animation honors

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 12:01 PM ET, 02/06/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Annie Awards, rango, kung fu panda 2, the simpsons

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 02/06/2012

‘DOONESBURY’ PULLED BECAUSE OF CHARITY: Trudeau responds to Chicago Tribune’s decision not to run DonorsChoose cartoon

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 10:00 AM ET, 02/06/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: garry trudeau, doonesbury, chicago tribune, Donors Choose

Posted at 12:18 AM ET, 02/04/2012

SUPER BOWL XLVI HUMOR: Our ‘Fave Five’ Giants vs. Patriots cartoons

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 12:18 AM ET, 02/04/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: super bowl, next media animation, jeff parker, drew litton, clay bennett, gary varvel

Posted at 10:45 PM ET, 02/01/2012

‘BEFORE WATCHMEN’: Should DC Comics be revisiting the epic?

By Michael Cavna

By Michael Cavna | 10:45 PM ET, 02/01/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: before watchmen, dc comics, alan moore, dave gibbons, j. michael straczynski

Posted at 10:39 AM ET, 02/01/2012

Watchmen prequels: Full list unveiled

By Maura Judkis

Creator Alan Moore isn’t happy about the announcement of the Watchmen prequels.

By Maura Judkis | 10:39 AM ET, 02/01/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Comic Riffs: April, 2012