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Dale Martin, Cartoonist

@smearysoapbox.bsky.social

80 followers 130 following 110 posts

Artist. Writer. Reader. Publisher. Caretaker of WATUSI the TALKING DOG. I've been handcrafting comics since 1985, & don't see any reason to stop now! Blog: smearysoapboxpress.com Webcomic: watusithetalkingdog.com Newsletter: eepurl.com/bawHc9

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Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 3h

66 hours left! Fully funded (congrats, Greg!), there's still time to add decks for your own game night w/ ConCards! by Greg Cravens www.kickstarter.com/projects/754...

ConCards!

The Matching-And-Counting Card Game made to play all over your favorite Convention! (and around the dinner table on Game Night)

www.kickstarter.com

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 4h

As heart-wrenching as the end to #10 was, the final page of #11 was even more of a surprise! The final issue of
@chrissamnee.bsky.social & Mark Waid's series comes out tomorrow, & I can't remember ever being as excited to read a final issue of a loved series as this one! #LunchtimeReading

Cover art by Chris Samnee to "Batman & Robin: Year One" #11. A forlorn Batman, in shadow, looks over a crowd of Robins.

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 1d

True, right out of the gate!

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 4d

Len Wein comes on strong as writer/editor (#242) with a satisfying time travel adventure that takes Thor & co. to the end of time (after failing to stop the end of Earth itself) and back! Buscema & Sinnott continue to shine on art! #ThorReread #LunchtimeReading

Cover art to Thor #242, where the thunder god and the Warriors Three are menaced by a giant hand that has grabbed Jane Foster. Artwork by Gil Kane & Frank Giacoia.

Cover art to Thor #244, where the thunder god is battling a trio of giant aliens called the Time-Twisters. A sword-wielding Jane Foster rushes up to help, while a futuristic city collapses and burns around them. Artwork by Rich Buckler & Joe Sinnott, with John Romita.

Interior artwork from Thor #244, by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott. A dark-eyed alien speaks over a starfield while planets break apart.

Interior artwork from Thor #245, by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott. Thor and his companions stand amidst the rubble of a destroyed Earth. Fires flare in the wreckage.

Reposted by Dale Martin, Cartoonist

Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives @darrencullen.bsky.social · Aug 7

Did a new one

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Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 11d

Rereading his 70s Thor (inking Buscema); such gorgeous art. And he was inking FF (if not more) at the same time! Such beautiful work, so fast, month after month - amazing!

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 12d

Continuing my #ThorReread w/ #240; feels like Conway's departure left the title in a lurch, playing deadline catchup w/ Mantlo on script, Sal on art, and _every_ editor to help it make sense! I like a lot of Mantlo comics, but he struggled with Asgard-ese in this early effort. #LunchtimeReading

Cover art to Thor #240 by Gil Kane. Thor is battling the Egyptian god Horus on the steps of a pyramid, while civilians flee in the foreground.

Splash page to Thor #240. Art by Sal Buscema and Klaus Janson depicts Thor flying through space.

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 19d

Just got back from helping hang this show; the work looks really good all together. 24 pieces by 10 artists!

Reception tomorrow, 5-7 at 3037 Forest Hill Irene Rd.

KevinMule @kevinmule.bsky.social · 19d

ARTISTS' RECEPTION in 2 Days!
Friday, October 10, 2025, at Germantown Community Theatre from 5 - 7 pm.

Costumes welcome!

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Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 19d

It's a busy art weekend for me! Fortunately, Memphis Monster Market is open from Oct. 10-16th in the Medicine Factory, down by the river! It's not just a spooky curated art market, but a week packed with fun events!

Find my art at Monster Market 2025 ... October 10-16, 2025 ... Medicine Factory, Memphis, TN

Schedule of In-Store Events at Monster Market 2025 ... October 10-16, 2025 ... Medicine Factory, Memphis, TN

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 19d

It should be a great weekend for an outdoor festival! Come out and find me at V&E Artwalk in Memphis: I'm bringing comics, prints, and few other surprises!

V&E Artwalk ... Saturday, October 11, 2025 ... 11 am to 5 pm ... Kirby Stationhouse grounds : 1625 Tutwiler Ave., Memphis, TN 38112 ... FREE admission : pets on leash : FREE street parking

Festival booth for artist Dale Martin, Oct. 2024. Adorned with colorful prints.

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 19d

Another great Redcoat issue from @bryanhitch.bsky.social & Geoff Johns! I love the mix of longer arcs and done-in-ones, and even their crossover issues stand on their own. I recommend this latest issue as a good choice to sample (and get hooked on) this series! #LunchtimeReading

Cover art by Bryan Hitch to Redcoat #14. The titular hero (a debatable term, as least to hear the character talk about himself) is being attacked by a British soldier while the White House burns in the background (during the War of 1812). On the back half of the wraparound cover, we see images of the current President and her young son.

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 20d

I just backed ConCards! on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/754...

It's been fun to watch as Greg's been developing this game engine over the years; it's fully baked, so now's a good chance to jump into this fast-paced card game!

ConCards!

The Matching-And-Counting Card Game made to play all over your favorite Convention! (and around the dinner table on Game Night)

www.kickstarter.com

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 20d

#LunchtimeReading the latest from the Mid-South Cartoonists Association, a tasty little "good luck/bad luck/no luck at all" issue. For my part, I seeded 3 Watusi jam comics, picked up on by Jim Palmer, @kevinmule.bsky.social, and Eric McMeans. No spoilers here, tho!

Cover of The Good, the Bad, and the Sketchy #13 by Lin Workman. A somewhat anthropomorphized cartoon pencil (it has arms) wearing a cowboy hat is ready to draw the bananas in the holster it's wearing. The tagline reads "Luck Of The DRAW!"

Watusi the Talking Dog in "Leave it to chance": a cartoon dog flips a coin. "Heads I do something fun-- tails I do something responsible!" In the second panel, we see the results: heads! Two panels of a black and white cartoon drawn by Dale Martin; below, we see a tease to the next two panels, drawn by Jim Palmer.

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 22d

16 of 27, IIRC...

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 22d

Thor #235, featuring the art of John Buscema & Joe Sinnott, possibly my favorite Thor artists (not an easy call to make, actually). Check out the ALT text for more info about Gil Kane's cover, including a spoiler for a 50+ year old comic. #LunchtimeReading

Gil Kane's cover art to Thor #235. Thor is fighting Kamo Tharn, while a defeated Hercules lays in the foeground. In reality, it's quite a misleading cover, as not only does Thor never meet Kamo Tharn, he doesn't even share any scenes with Hercules!

Splash page to Thor #235; artwork by John Buscema & Joe Sinnott shows a moody Thor on roof during a rainy night.

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 23d

More @elmwoodcemetery.bsky.social drawings from yesterday; both mine and a group shot of finished drawings from other Memphis Urban Sketchers . #urbansketching

Pencil/ink drawing by Dale Martin; a black and white drawing of the Davidson M. Leatherman mausoleum at Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis.

The Davidson M. Leatherman mausoleum at Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis. Much of its plaster has weathered away, showing the brick structure underneath.

A grouping of colorful drawings by members of Memphis Urban Sketchers, from their drawing session of 4 October 2025, at Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis.

A grouping of color and black & white drawings by members of Memphis Urban Sketchers, from their drawing session of 4 October 2025, at Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis.

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 23d

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodmen...

WoodmenLife - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 23d

Yesterday's drawing with Memphis Urban Sketchers at @elmwoodcemetery.bsky.social ... I was fascinated by the repeated symbolic elements of these markers, until @marthakellyart.bsky.social told me about the Woodmen of the World. Similarities explained!

Ink drawings by Dale Martin of two different headstones in Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis. Carved in the shape of a tree stump, they share the same iconography of a hanging scroll, a bird, and a hatchet wedged into a log.

Two headstones in Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis. Carved in the shape of a tree stump, they share the same iconography of a hanging scroll, a bird, and a hatchet wedged into a log.

Ink drawing by Dale Martin of a pair of headstones in Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, belonging to a husband and wife. The husband's (1902) is an elaborate Woodmen of the World marker, carved in the shape of a tree stump with ferns and a lily. The wife's (1957) is a modest commercially-made marker about a third as tall as the husband's.

A pair of headstones in Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, belonging to a husband and wife. The husband's (1902) is an elaborate Woodmen of the World marker, carved in the shape of a tree stump with ferns and a lily. The wife's (1957) is a modest commercially-made marker about a third as tall as the husband's.

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Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 25d

Starting a reread from the oldest issue (#232) in my contiguous 70s/80s Thor collection. This one always stood out as an oddity because of the art: John Buscema inked by Dick Giordano, which seemed like an unlikely pairing (especially for 1974) ...
#LunchtimeReading

Cover art to Thor #232, by Ron Wilson and Tom Palmer. Thor is being attacked by Firelord in an outer space setting. Loki gloats in the background.

Firelord steps into an otherworldly setting. Loki, masked by shadows, looks on from above. Atwork by John Buscema and Dick Giordano, from Thor #232.

Reposted by Dale Martin, Cartoonist

scott⚡️mccloud @scottmccloud.bsky.social · 26d

Written 55 years ago, Schulz's heartfelt clarity cuts through the noise, even today.

h/t @tisserand.bsky.social

Scan of a typed letter from 1970, from Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, addressed to "Joel Lipton, 622 N. Foothill Road, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90210"

It reads:

"Dear Joel:

I think it is more difficult these days to define what makes a good citizen than it has ever been before. Certainly all any of us can do is follow our own conscience and retain faith in our democracy. Sometimes it is the very people who cry out the loudest in favor of getting back to what they call "American Virtues" who lack this faith in our country.

I believe that our greatest strength lies always in the protection of our smallest minorities.

Sincerely yours,

Charles M. Schulz"

At bottom is an illustration of Charlie Brown and Snoopy, a kite wrapped around the dog house.

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Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · 28d

Great little essay! Thanks for the reminder that how I see my work isn't how others see it!

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Reposted by Dale Martin, Cartoonist

PJ Holden @pauljholden.com · 29d

Here is the gift of being a comic artist, if you’re lucky every single day you get to make something that didn’t exist before and that harms no one and adds something good to the world. Even if no one wants it.

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Reposted by Dale Martin, Cartoonist

wobblerocket 🎲🎮 @wobblerocket.com · Sep 18

As you cancel streaming services, here is a casual reminder that only 16% of Americans read for pleasure anymore, and your local library has hundreds or thousands of books you haven't read.

They would love to see you stop by and renew your library card.

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Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · Sep 13

"Jack of All Trades"

Dale Martin, Cartoonist @smearysoapbox.bsky.social · Sep 12

Silver lining: it means people besides just other artists read your comic! (Sorry to hear Mankato sounds about the same as when I left it 30+ years ago)

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