September 8 Because it will be September 11 on Monday, the fifth anniversary of the attack on New York, I thought I'd post the cartoon I did in response. I think it captures the hysteria and fear of that moment, which has now abated to a dull background roar that we barely notice anymore, since it is the worn fabric of our times. I used only one word.

Hate | September 20, 2001

September 7 This Harper cartoon wrote itself. As soon as I saw the story about Prime Minister Stephen Harper attending the International Firefighters' Convention in Toronto, only a week after the AIDS Convention that he refused to attend, I knew it had to be.

Our PM seems to get off on dressing up in a uniform. First, in Afghanistan, army fatigues. Now firefighter duds. He was on the no-show list for the AIDS conference because it didn't allow him a macho dress opportunity. Donning a hospital gown just didn't cut it. So, in this cartoon, the emperor has no clothes. Now there's a photo-op you'll see only in Weltschmerz.

For the footage that provided my visual reference, go to this CITY-TV news clip. Here is the firefighters' fundraising calendar that has Harper as cover boy (the money generated by this tasteless, softporn look at hunks and babes goes to fight cancer). For an artful fundraising calendar, check out Breast of Canada (which I designed). It's goal is education (not titillation) on women's health, primarily breast cancer. Education is a sorely underfunded piece of the cancer puzzle, yet is the most effective approach. The bulk of cancer funding goes to high-cost, high-tech measures. This five-year-old initiative to encourage women be proactive about their health is trying to shift the balance.



This weekend is the Eden Mills Writers' Festival. On Saturday, I'll be at the symposium with the theme, Write the Story - Tell the Story - Illustrate the Story. I'll be joined by authors Nicole Brossard and Sandra Sabatini, and storyteller Dan Yashinsky. There will be a broad discussion among all panelists about their work, then participants can choose to join the individual panelists for smaller workshops to discuss all aspects of the craft. I will bring samples of my roughs and discuss the strange and mysterious process of creating Weltschmerz. On Sunday, I'll be selling and signing my book, so come by and say hi.



Attack of the Same-Sex Sleeper Cells Retailers:

Toronto:
Pages, 256 Queen Street West (at John). On the graphic novels table.
The Beguiling, 601 Markham Street (near Bloor and Bathurst)
Book City, three locations - 501 Bloor St. West, 348 Danforth Ave., 663 Yonge St.
Hairy Tarantula, 354 Yonge Street (near Dundas).
David Mirvish Books, 596 Markham St.

Guelph:
The Bookshelf, 41 Quebec Street.
Macondo Books, 18 Wilson Street

Waterloo: Words Worth Books, 100 King Street South

Kitchener: KW Bookstore, 308 King Street West

Hamilton: Bryan Prince Bookseller, 1060 King Street West

Ottawa: Collected Works, 1242 Wellington Street West (at Holland)