Gary Panter

Underground comics legend Gary Panter -- best known for his "ratty line" drawing style and Emmy Award-winning production design for "Pee-wee's Playhouse" -- will give a lecture in conjunction with the Hammer's current exhibition "The Bible Illuminated: R. Crumb's Book of Genesis," focusing on the influence of the Sunday funnies and comic books on contemporary art, and vice versa, culminating in today's iconographic "feedback loop" linking high- and...

The Simpsons of Springfield, U.S.A., will mark their 500th episode as a TV family Sunday. "The Simpsons," in its 23rd season on Fox, is already the longest-running cartoon, the longest-running situation comedy and the longest-running scripted prime-time series in the history of American television. There is something especially improbable about this particular household, with their goggle-eyes and cantilevered overbites and complexions betokening an advanced case of jaundice, claiming these crowns.

I've noticed some illustrations by an artist named Gary Baseman in various sections of Calendar. In other publications, I've seen drawing by someone named Gary Panter. If I'm not mistaken, Gary Baseman, and Panter appear to be one in the same. What gives, Calendar? MEL UDARA Covina Gary Baseman says, no, he's not Gary Panter--nor Gary Larson or Garry Trudeau.

In the early 1980s, comics were as much a part of Los Angeles alternative culture scene as independent film and punk rock. That's gone now, but here, comics historian Ben Schwartz takes a look back. None of them knew each other. They saw one another's comics in 'zines, weeklies and punk newspapers. "Yeah, there were a number of us," remembers Matt Groening, 30 years after his strip "Life in Hell" debuted in the Los Angeles Reader. "I don't think we even considered it a 'scene.

The Simpsons of Springfield, U.S.A., will mark their 500th episode as a TV family Sunday. "The Simpsons," in its 23rd season on Fox, is already the longest-running cartoon, the longest-running situation comedy and the longest-running scripted prime-time series in the history of American television. There is something especially improbable about this particular household, with their goggle-eyes and cantilevered overbites and complexions betokening an advanced case of jaundice, claiming these crowns.

In the realm of alternative comics, few artists have had greater influence than Art Spiegelman, Robert Crumb, Gary Panter and Chris Ware. With their library of cutting-edge titles -- among them "Maus," "Mr. Natural," "Jimbo" and "Quimby the Mouse," respectively -- the four can arguably be credited with ushering comics into their current era of literary and artistic respectability.

In the early 1980s, comics were as much a part of Los Angeles alternative culture scene as independent film and punk rock. That's gone now, but here, comics historian Ben Schwartz takes a look back. None of them knew each other. They saw one another's comics in 'zines, weeklies and punk newspapers. "Yeah, there were a number of us," remembers Matt Groening, 30 years after his strip "Life in Hell" debuted in the Los Angeles Reader. "I don't think we even considered it a 'scene.

John Leech, 74, a co-founder of L.A.'s legendary Onyx Cafe, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Wednesday, the county coroner's office confirmed. A hangout for literary figures and bohemians in the city's Los Feliz area, the Onyx opened its doors in 1982. It hosted monthly art exhibits and poetry slams and was a launching pad for local musicians, including Beck. Patrons included artists Peter Shire, Gronk, Gary Panter and Cam Slocum. A 1988 Los Angeles Times story described it as a place "where a lot of books were written and lots of black was worn."

Pablo Neruda remarked that "a bibliophile of little means is likely to suffer often. Books don't slip from his hands but fly past him through the air as high as birds, as high as prices." Expect a lot of that at next weekend's Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which brings together publishers from around the world. Many debut or announce big, beautiful books on L.A. artists, including Jorge Pardo, Jason Rhoades, Tim Hawkinson, Barbara Bloom, Frances Stark, Doug Aitken and Pat O'Neill.

Hal Meltzer's paintings are so cloyingly adorable you want to tweak them on the cheek. Science-fiction landscapes rendered in lurid Day-Glo colors, the pictures put one in mind of those collaborative murals done by grade-school classes that adorn the long halls at the airport. Meltzer sees himself as part of the Pop Surrealist school that includes Gary Panter and Kenny Scharf, but Neo-Infantilism seems a more appropriate tag for his work.

Underground comics legend Gary Panter -- best known for his "ratty line" drawing style and Emmy Award-winning production design for "Pee-wee's Playhouse" -- will give a lecture in conjunction with the Hammer's current exhibition "The Bible Illuminated: R. Crumb's Book of Genesis," focusing on the influence of the Sunday funnies and comic books on contemporary art, and vice versa, culminating in today's iconographic "feedback loop" linking high- and...

In the realm of alternative comics, few artists have had greater influence than Art Spiegelman, Robert Crumb, Gary Panter and Chris Ware. With their library of cutting-edge titles -- among them "Maus," "Mr. Natural," "Jimbo" and "Quimby the Mouse," respectively -- the four can arguably be credited with ushering comics into their current era of literary and artistic respectability.

I've noticed some illustrations by an artist named Gary Baseman in various sections of Calendar. In other publications, I've seen drawing by someone named Gary Panter. If I'm not mistaken, Gary Baseman, and Panter appear to be one in the same. What gives, Calendar? MEL UDARA Covina Gary Baseman says, no, he's not Gary Panter--nor Gary Larson or Garry Trudeau.

For years we've heard rumblings that the Internet will displace television. That rumor moved one step closer to reality this week when the primarily TV-based Cartoon Network extended its programming to the Web (http://www.cartoonnetwork.com) and introduced two interactive, online cartoons.

Claiming its place on the vanguard of the Pop surrealist and "lowbrow" art movements, Billy Shire's La Luz de Jesus Gallery, established in 1986 and originally on Melrose Avenue, will launch a behemoth two-part group show, "La Luz de Jesus 25," featuring more than 260 artists who have exhibited there since the gallery's inception, among them: Gary Baseman, Joe Coleman, Matt Groening, Frank Kozik, Elizabeth McGrath, Mark Mothersbaugh, Gary Panter, Marion...