Out of the Inkwell

Going back to Vermont. Come by and see the show!

The Center for Cartoon Studies presents an evening with animation historian and scholar G. Michael Dobbs on Tuesday, September 23, at7 PM. Dobbs will sign copies of his new book “Escape!”, followed bya lecture and exhibition of vintage animated cartoons from the 1920s-1940s at 7 PM at the Center for Cartoon Studies, 94 South Main Street, White River Jct., VT, with Q&A after.

Dobbs, who is currently writing a biography of pioneeranimator Max Fleischer, will discuss the Pre-Code FleischerBrothers animation ofthe 1930s (Betty Boop, Bimbo, Koko the Clown, Popeye,etc.) and its influence on the cutting edge work of the 1990s that helped re- define the medium for the 21st Century.

“Escape! How Animation Broke into the Mainstream in the 1990s” chronicles the rise of animation with updated articles from “Animato!” and “Animation Planet” magazines as well as new pieces.G. Michael Dobbs saw the industry change first-hand as editor of those two publications. Interviewing both the risingstars and the vets of the animation industry, Dobbs gave his readers a front row seat to an entertainment revolution.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, Dobbs will be lecturing CCS’s comics history class, “Survey of the Drawn Story.” CCS sponsored his appearance in the Valley earlier this summer on July3rd at Left Bank Books in Hanover, NH and the Main Street Museum in White River Jct. That event filled the Museum to capacity and delighted an audience aged 6 to 60 years of age. This week’s
event provides a new selection of animated cartoons and further insights into the history of the medium.

A writer and former radio talk show host, Dobbs has working Western Massachusetts’ mass media for over 30 years with stints at The Valley Advocate, Holyoke Transcript-Telegram and Westfield EveningNews. He's interviewed dozens of personalities as diverse as elected officials such as Michael Dukakis, Eliot Richardson and George MacGovern to best selling authors (Sidney Sheldon, Alan Dershowitz)to film legends (Vincent Price, Lillian Gish) to television personalities (Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Clayton Moore, Elvira).

Dobbs is also a nationally recognized animationauthority through his position as editor of Animato! and Animation
Planet, two magazines for animation fans. He taught as an adjunct faculty member for 13 years at Western New England College, instructing students inthe development of mass communications and the history
of film. His freelance writing has appeared national in Video Watchdog, USA Todayand Rod Serling Twilight Zone Magazine. He joined Reminder Publications as the editor of the Chicopee Herald and is now the managing editor of the company’s five publications, which reach about 120,000 readers in western Massachusetts.

His second book, a postcard history of Springfield, MA from Arcadia Publishing was published in August; he will also have copies for sale at CCS. Dobbs lives in Springfield, MA with his wife Mary, a disobedient Bichon and way too many cats.

The vintage animated cartoons are all unrated butsuitable for all ages; admission is free. CCS students willalso be selling their comics and minicomics before and after theevent. For more information, call 802-295-3319.