Son O’ God Comics

From Flashback.

IN 1972, National Lampoon magazine introduced the super hero Son O’ God, created by Michel Choquette, Sean Kelly and Neal Adams, 

Son ‘O God who turned from nebbishy Jewish New Yorker Benny David – 30-years-old; living with controlling parents; no aptitude for any sport – who turns into a WASP wonderman on a mission to tackle Catholicism, the Antichrist Pope and “the scourge of Islam”.

Brian McConnachie 1942-2024

From Patreon.

It's with great sadness that I must announce the death of friend and colleague Brian McConnachie last Friday morning. 

In addition to being the Founder of The Bystander back in 1981, Brian was essential in its relaunch in 2015. 

Every day, on every page, he has been our North Star.

Sam Gross Dies at 89

From Wikipedia.

Photo by Rick Meyerowitz

Famed National Lampoon and New Yorker cartoonist Sam Gross died May 6 at his home in Manhattan. He was 89.

Born in the Bronx on August 7, 1933, Gross was the son of Max and Sophie, who were Jewish immigrants to America.

Bruce McCall Dies at 87

William Grimes in The New York Times.

Bruce McCall, whose satirical illustrations for National Lampoon and The New Yorker conjured up a plutocratic dream world of luxury zeppelin travel, indoor golf courses and cars like the Bulgemobile Airdreme, died from Parkinson’s disease on Friday in the Bronx. He was 87.

National Lampoon Editor Sean Kelly Dies at 81

Richard Sandomir in The New York Times.

Sean Kelly, a wry master of literary and musical parodies who helped infuse National Lampoon with the sharp-edged and often crude humor it became known for, died on July 11 in Manhattan. He was 81.

His wife, Patricia Todd, said the cause of death, in a hospital, was heart and renal failure.

Neal Adams Dies at 80

 From the Hollywood Reporter.

Neal Adams, the legendary comic book artist who reinvigorated Batman and other superheroes with his photorealistic stylings and championed the rights of creators, has died. He was 80.

Adams died Thursday in New York of complications from sepsis, his wife, Marilyn Adams, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Adams jolted the world of comic books in the late 1960s and early ’70s with his toned and sinewy take on heroes, first at DC with a character named Deadman, then at Marvel with X-Men and The Avengers and then with his most lasting influence, Batman.

Bill Woodman (1939-2022)

 From Mike Lynch Cartoons.

Cartoonist Bill Woodman passed away on Saturday. He was 85 years old. 

Born in Bangor, Maine, upon high school graduation, he joined the Navy, serving on the USS Timmerman which patrolled the Rhine River.

Upon discharge, he took the next bus to New York, knowing that that was the place to start his cartooning career. 

"Trots and Bonnie" by Shary Flenniken

 From New York Review Books.

In the 1970s and 1980s, National Lampoon was home not only to some of the funniest humor writing in America but also to many of its best cartoons. 

One of the greatest was Trots and Bonnie by Shary Flenniken, a comic strip that followed the adventures and mishaps of the guileless teenager Bonnie and her wisecracking dog, Trots.

Humorist Anne Beatts Dies at 74

From The Comic's Comic.

Another of the original writers for Saturday Night Live has died. 

Anne Beatts, who was the first woman hired to help edit The National Lampoon, and after SNL went on to create the cult sitcom Square Pegs, died Wednesday. Beatts was 74.

The American Bystander at 18

 From The Daily Heller.

When in 2015, Trump was just an annoying little gnat, Michael Gerber knew that humor would be a saving grace in a demonic moment of history & unveiled The American Bystander, the first new national humor magazine in 30 years. 

The story behind "Not The New York Times"

From The New York Times.

In 1978, a mischievous band of writers that included George Plimpton and Nora Ephron teamed up to create a spoof of The New York Times. Turns out, Times journalists were among them.

The Original "American Bystander"

Jennifer Finney Boylan in The New York Times.

American Bystander, published for just one issue in the 1980s, is back. It was worth the wait.

Sam Gross at the NY Comics & Picture-story Symposium

From NY Comics Symposium.

From the December 1970 issue of the National Lampoon

The NY Comics & Picture-story Symposium welcomes Sam Gross to speak about his career of producing non-politically correct cartoons.
His cartoons have appeared in such diverse publications as Good Housekeeping and National Lampoon.

NY Comics & Picture-story Symposium 

Tuesday April 12 at 7pm 

Parsons School of Design

2 West 13th Street

Bark Room (off the lobby)

Free and open to the public.

John Caldwell 1946-2016

From The Times Union.

Cartoonist John Caldwell died Sunday after battling pancreatic cancer.

Michael Gross 1945-2015

John Rogers from Associated Press.

Michael Gross in his studio in Oceanside, California, in 2014.

Michael C. Gross, an artist, illustrator, film producer and personal designer who created two of the most iconic pop culture images of the 20th century – the enduring Ghostbusters logo and a dog with a gun to its head for the cover of National Lampoon – has died of cancer at age 70.

"Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The National Lampoon Story" trailer

However you know the name National Lampoon – the magazine, films, the comedians associated with them – there’s a long and storied history to the comedic institution. And a new documentary is hoping to celebrate that history later this year.

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The National Lampoon Story takes a look back at the humor magazine’s beginnings, with input from writers and readers about its influence on the comedy and pop-culture landscapes. Douglas Tirola’s documentary promises never-before-seen interview footage, clippings from the magazine, and more to offer a look at the magazine’s rise and fall and the legacy it’s left.

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead is set for release in theaters and VOD on Sept. 25.

MK Brown's "Stranger Than Life: Cartoons and Comics 1970-2013"

Robert Kirby in The Comics Journal.

MK Brown isn’t just the really good, uniquely gifted cartoonist who occasionally contributed to Wimmen’s Comix, the one who had her character Dr. Janice N!Godatu animated on The Tracey Ullman Show in the late ’80s, though prior to reading this book, that’s mostly how I knew of her. But Brown’s work has been in print in all sorts of publications, including wide-circulation venues like The New Yorker, National Lampoon, and Mother Jones, as well as in legendary underground comix like Arcade and Young Lust. 

Bruce McCall Interview

… with Ken Rockburn on CPAC.

Author, illustrator and cartoonist Bruce McCall has lived in New York for the past 40 years but he grew up in the quiet, peaceful idyllic town of Simcoe, Ontario. Never a strong performer in school, Mr. McCall displayed, from a very young age, a talent for drawing and writing.

Randall Enos Revives "Chicken Gutz"

Steven Heller in Print

Randall Enos, whose comic linoleum cuts graced the pages of magazines and newspapers everywhere, was known for a crazy, gag-riddled comic strip called “Chicken Gutz” that first appeared in the January 1972 issue of the National Lampoon and ran in each issue for about 12 years.

All this time later, Enos has revived his characters for the “Chicken Gutz” blog, which promises to feature a new strip every day — all new dailies. In between yesterday’s marathon drawing session, Enos took time to reply to the following:

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead

A few cartoons from the book...