As many of you know I’m attending the 63rd annual Reuben Awards this weekend. For those of you who don’t know, the “Reuben” is the cartooning world’s equivalent to the “Oscar” award presented by the National Cartoonists Society for outstanding cartoonist of the year. Each year they hold a three-day event of seminars, drinking, more seminars, awards, drinking, and drinking. This year, the awards are in Hollywood, California. Very cool!
The nominees for the Reuben this time around are Dave Coverly (Speed Bump), Stephan Pastis (Pearls Before Swine), and Dan Piraro (Bizarro). There are a host of division awards handed out as well. You can check out the categories and nominees on the NCS website.
I only became an NCS member this year, and it’s my first time attending the Reuben Awards, so I thought it would be fun to blog about the experience throughout the weekend.
I got up early this morning and picked up my name badge and a very generous amount of swag the NCS gives out to attendees. Nice!
By far, the coolest bit were Dan Piraro’s Bizarro trading cards. A little packet of laminated cards with a Bizarro strip on each one. I have to admit that I was disappointed to find no gum inside, though. Come on, Dan, trading cards are supposed to come with a stale piece of gum, everybody knows that.
After bringing my swag back to the hotel room, I headed out to find some breakfast and get the lay of the land. The picture above was taken out the window of my room. I’ve got a nice view of the hills and the Hollywood sign.
The hotel is about half a block away from Hollywood Boulevard. Above is the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater, and the Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum.
While looking for a place to eat, I stumbled across the stars of Charles Schulz and Walt Disney on the Hollywood Walk of Fame totally by accident. How apropos!
Well, the seminars will be starting soon, so that’s all for now. More to come later!
I hope there will be some pics of you in here too! Especially from Saturday night.
Practice holding the camera out in front of yourself and taking a pic, all the kids are doing it. You can practice this after you practice texting. You’ll come home with all sorts of new skills. 
This is great Norm, I’m very jealous. Is that really the view from your room or was that taken from the Pastis/Tatulli Suite?
That’s really the view from my room. I don’t have the special security clearance you need to get into the Pastis/Tatulli Suite
Any photos of cartoonists in rental tuxedos would be greatly appreciated. Have fun, Norm!
Will do, Richard! I’ll have those pics up tomorrow!