[PHOTO: left to right, Thorax O’Tool, Mark Brill, RR Anderson, JUDGE NO. 1, The Jinxmedic, CLAW CADET Nick Butler]

We owe a debt of gratitude to month of September CLAW Open Swim MC – Adam M Botsford (aka Number 11) for coming up with the killer concept of DRAW A MUPPET MASHUP with MUSICAL ROCK GROUPS.  We cartoonists of the Fez packed the tiny Amocat Cafe to capacity!

[PHOTO: MC ADAM M. BOTSFORD  photo courtesy of MARK MONLUX]

We had puppets, many non-claw civilian cartoon hobbyist guests the combination of which erupted in spontaneous a cappella renditions of The Muppet Show Theme,   and Kermit’s Rainbow Song (double rainbow remix) you had to be there to believe it!

But enough digression ON TO THE ART CONTEST WINNERS!

MARK BRILL – FIRST PLACE WINNER! Teenage Mutant Ninja Muppets

KENDRA – SECOND PLACE WINNER! Meepwood Mac

STOWE – 2ND SECOND PLACE WINNER! Axl Grov

MARK MONLUX – Third Place – Andrew Bird The Mysterious Production of Eggs

RR ANDERSON – 2nd Third Place – Q: Are we not muppets? A: We are DEVO!

CLAW CADET NICK BUTLER – Honorable Mention

“DEBIVANS” – Honorable Mention

MC ADAM M BOTSFORD – Honorable Mention

SEE MORE GLORIOUS PICTURES!

other Items of interest: We absolutely love Amocat! Morgan was thinking about removing a wall to better fit the needs of our humble organization. Excellent service!  Also noticed a young couple in love chose our event as part of their ‘date night’  We approve of this activity. A very moral choice!  Young ‘at risk youth’ in love choose C.L.A.W.  for intellectual stimulation (Please come again dear Anna and Joe)!  Several CLAW members were missing… Anique, Electric Elliot, Shawn Clayton, Jeff ‘logjam’ H. what a horrible thing to neglect your C.L.A.W. brothers and sisters! Fez of shame!

Stowe, Monlux and Brill mid embrace PHOTO COURTESY OF NEWS TRIBUNE

For local cartoonists, a league of their own

by ROSEMARY PONNEKANTI; [Tacoma] News Tribune STAFF WRITER

It’s hard to be serious when you’re holding a conversation with a guy who’s wearing an eyeball-topped fez and maniacally drawing a goofy bear on his computer. That would be James Stowe, Tacoma cartoonist and one of the founding members of CLAW, the Cartoonists’ League of Absurd Washingtonians. Nearly two years old, CLAW is the epitome of tongue-in-cheek geekdom – but through open sessions and private gigs, the dozen or so members also work hard to support local businesses, the Tacoma art community, and the fine art of having fun with pen and ink.

Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/08/01/1285188/a-league-of-their-own.html

Last night CLAW hosted another absurdly entertaining Open Swim meeting. The B-Movie themed poster contest was well received… producing such never ran movies as Dino-riding Werewolves From Beyond Space, I Married an Alien Squid, ANTS! and Hirsute Cartoonist Overtakes T-Town (seen here). CLAW also welcomed our twelfth member Shawn Clayton with the first musical member initiation ceremony EVER!!!

Stowe's Co-Winning B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

Brill's Co-Winning B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

Other entries include:

Monlux's attempt at B-Movie Poster from the Open Swim

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RR’s “Aliens vs. Pet Detective vs. Predator”

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Debivan’s FREDO PLANET

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