COSMICON

The information given below comes almost entirely from Ron Kasman’s account of this event which began March 3, 4, 5, 1972 at York University and survived to 1975. For a more complete account read Ron’s memoir.

Ken Ketter a sophomore at York University and a horror film fan applied to York University for a $600 grant to put on a convention covering cartooning, science fiction and horror films. He asked Ron Kasman who was also a student for help. Ron brought in Ron Sutton who has gone on to be an established artist in the graphics field and Mark Segel a publisher. Gloria Agnew was hired as administrator. These four were the coordinators for the many volunteers who helped.

They invited Jim Steranko for comics, Gray Morrow for speculative fiction and Alain Resnais for film, paying for their aircraft tickets. The turnout far exceeded the organizers expectations and even overwhelmed them. Fans came from as far away as Québec, Ohio, Michigan and even Germany. It appears that many fans expected to find European especially French graphic stories here. There weren’t any, of course, but it appears that the social aspects of the conference were enough to entice many to return to the following year with friends and materials.

The second year attendees included Jim Warren of Warren Publications, Carmine Infantino, Editor-In Chief at DC, Stan Lee from Marvel, Michele Eury Comic Editor at Playboy and P.J. O’Rourke Editor-In-Chief of National Lampoon.

The popularity of the convention increased. CBC Arts reporter Sol Littman came to visit them in 1974.

As its popularity grew so did opposition to it. Many thought too much money was being spent for the benefit of Americans. They had a point. There is little evidence to suggest it did anything to represent and advance cartooning in Canada. There were other changes. As the budget increased there was a shift in administration from control by fans in the university to control by the students not necessarily interested as fans. Finally, the drive behind it began to dissipate as the students who began Cosmicon because of their intense interest in the genre were beginning to graduate and leave the university.

1975, Cosmicon’s fourth year became its last. Its budget by then was up to $24,000, a significant amount at that time. Its coverage reached a peak. They were front page news in the Toronto Star. They were satirized by Pete ‘n’ Geets (Pete Griffin & David Haydu) a popular comedy duo on CHUM-FM’s morning show. One can only say it left the scene on a high note.

SOURCE:

Memoir:

“ Cosmicon 1972-1975: A Tell-All Expose.” An account written by Ron Kasman one of the participants. It can be found under the web site “York University’s Cosmicon: on of Canada’s earliest comic conventions. “ Posted 19 January 2015 by Kevin Boyd. Joe Schuster Awards. Shuster Awards Association. Accessed 4 April 2018.

Internet:

“On this day in 1974: CBC investigates the fast changing world of comics.” CBC Arts. CBC Archives, Alanna Stuart. 25 January 2016. CBC reporter was Sol Littman.

CORRIGAN Patrick

Born 1951, in Toronto.

He studied fine arts at the Ontario College of Art. After graduation, he freelanced for The Financial Post, Maclean’s, and The Toronto Star. He joined the Star staff in 1983 as an illustrator, then assumed duties as an editorial cartoonist in 1995. He has won awards in illustration from the Society of Newspaper Design (1984), New York Director’s Club (1985), Advertising Design Club of Canada and the Toronto Art Directors Club.

WORK:

CARTOONIST:

BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content editorial cartoon:

Caricature. Cartoons Canada. Ed., Terry Mosher. Linda Leith Publishing, 2012: 48.

Portfoolio …: The Year in Canadian Caricature. Ed., Guy Badeaux . Writ., Charles Gordon. Macmillan of Canada, ….
6: 1990.	7: 1991.	8: 1992.	9: 1993.

Portfoolio…: The Year’s Best Canadian Editorial Cartoons. Ed., Guy Badeaux . Writ., Ken MacQueen Macmillan of Canada, ….
10: 1994.	11: 1995.	12: 1996.

Portfoolio …. The Year’s Best Canadian Editorial Cartoons. Ed., Guy Badeaux . Writ., Jay Stone Macmillan of Canada, …
13, 1997.	14, 1998.	15, 1999.	16, 2000.	17, 2001.

Portfoolio 18: The Year’s Best Canadian Editorial Cartoons. Ed., Guy Badeaux. Writ., Scott Feschuk. McClelland & Stewart Ltd., 2002.

Portfoolio …. The Year’s Best Canadian Editorial Cartoons. Ed. & Writ., Guy Badeaux . McArthur & Co. …
19, 2003.	20, 2004.	21, 2005.

Portfoolio …: The Year’s Best Canadian Editorial Cartoons. Ed., & Writ., Warren Clements. McArthur & Co. ….
22: 2006.	23: 2009.	24: 2010.	25: 2011.

SOURCE:

Article book:

Portfoolio 6: The Year’s in Canadian Caricature. 1990: “Patrick Corrigan”: 169.

Portfoolio 25: The Year’s Best Canadian Editorial Cartoons.  2011: “Patrick Corrigan”: 160.

GALLERY:

Toronto Star, 19 June 1989: A14

Toronto Star, 26 Dec. 1993: F2.

Toronto Star, 4 Jan. 1997: E2.

Toronto Star, 2 Oct. 1999: N6

Toronto Star, 25 Nov. 2006: A16.

Toronto Star, 12 Mar. 2016: IN10

Toronto Star, 16 Apr. 2016: IN10.

CORREA Alexander

WORK:

WRITER:

BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content story:

Toronto Comics v., 2, Ed., Steve Andrews et al. Toronto Comics Anthology, May 2015: “Started From The Bottom.” Illus., Kelvin Sue: 153-162.

CORNER GAS

The sixth season Corner Gas which was the number 1 sitcom in Canada over its entire run came to the Comedy Network as an animated series in 2017. The original live series cast except for Janet Wright (Emma) who passed away, was assembled to provide voices for the animated characters. In the first season, it was composed of thirteen half hour episodes.

Both the live action and animated series revolved around the interplay of a group of characters centered around a gas station in Dog River Saskatchewan.

Prairie Pantoons/355 Productions in Vancouver and Moving Mountoons/Vérité Films and Smiley Guy Studios in Toronto were involved in the production. Brett Butt, who is the creator and plays the principle character in the series, along with David Storey and Virginia Thompson is the producer. Brent, who with a friend started Windwolf Graphics which published his serial Existing Earth, was accepted into the animation program at Sheridan College but instead chose to be a successful stand up comedian.

SOURCE:

Newspaper text:

Animation Magazine, 19 Dec. 2015: “The Comedy Network Greenlights Toon Reboot of ‘Corner Gas’.” Writ., Mercedes Milligan.

Business in Vancouver, 19 Dec. 2015: “Vancouver production studio pumped up for new Corner Gas reboot.” Writ., Emma Crawford Hampel.

Regina Post-Leader, 19 Dec. 2016: “Corner Gas sparks animated series.” Writ., Barb Pacholik.

Toronto Star, 19 Dec. 2016: “Corner Gas to be rebooted as animated series.” Writ., Debra Yeo.

Toronto Star, 20 Dec. 2016: “Corner Gas creator lives his cartoon dream.” Writ., Lauren La Rose.

.

CORKY

See CLARK Violette

CORDOBA Richard

WORK:

CARTOONIST:

BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content story:

Potlatch presents The 1980 Comics Annual. Ed., Ian Carr. Potlatch Publications, 1979: “The Revenge Of Yukon Tom”: 54-57.

COPLAND Jason

This Vancouver artist has had work published by Image, Dark Horse and Villard/Random House.

WORK:

ILLUSTRATOR:

BOOK GRAPHIC COLLECTED:

Content serial & Cover book wraparound Col., Paul Little:

Kill All Monsters, v. 1. Writ., Michael May. Let., Ed Brisson, Ryan Ferrier, Micah Myers. Dark Horse Books, July 2017.

BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:

Content portrait:

Monstrosity, v.2, 2014: No title.

COOPÉRATIVE DES PETITS DESSINES

The University of Montréal group headed by Jacques Hurtubise that published L’Hydrocéphale Illustre in November 1971 created in 1973 the Coopérative des Petits Dessines an association of creators. This was with a grant from the Québec government.

It initiated a number of projects like art exhibits but its most significant effort was to sell a package of six cartoon strips to Le Jour [Québec] in 1974. They included “Le Sombre Vilain by Jacques Hurtubise, “Les Terriens” by Réal Godbout, “Célestin” by Michel Demers and “Lunambule” by Gilles Thibault. Half the strips were dropped after six months. The paper lasted as a daily only to 1976. “Le Sombre Vilain” brought back when the paper was revived as a weekly in 1977, but the paper again ceased operations in 1978.

SOURCE:

Article book:

Canuck Comics. Ed., John Bell. Matrix Books/Matrix Graphic Series. 1986: “Québec: A Short History.” Writ., Luc Pomerleau: 108.

 The World Encyclopedia of Comics, Ed., Maurice Horn. Chelsea House Publishers, 1976: “Hurtubise  Jacques (1950 –    ).” Writ., Maurice Horn: 208.

 

COOPER Heather

A renowned Toronto illustrator. She was part of a group of Canadian illustrators Jamie Bennett, David Chestnutt, Julius Ciss, Ken Dallison, Blair Drawson, Gail Geltner, Roger Hill, Tina Holdcraft, Jeff Jackson, Douglas Johnson, Anita Kunz, Doug Martin, Willi Mitschka, Denis Noble, William Russell, Joseph Salina, Mark Summers, Maurice Vellekoop and Rene Zamic, who gained an international reputation in the 1970’s and 80’s.

WORK:

ILLUSTRATOR:

BOOK TEXT:

Cover dust jacket:

Bluebeard’s Egg. Writ., Margaret Atwood. McClelland & Stewart Ltd., 1983.

COOPER H. W.

Attached to the Intelligence Branch of the Canadian forces in France during World War 1, he made cartoons of life at the front which appeared in Maclean’s.

SOURCES:

Periodical text:

Canadian Bookman, Jan. 1919: “Some Canadian Illustrators”. Writ., George St Burgoyne. 24.