POST CARD BY RICK GEARY  FOR THE 3RD ANNUAL CARRIZOZO ARTISTS STUDIO TOUR:

Rick Geary:  Creative Treasure, cartoonist, illustrator, writer, gentleman.  Like the hero in the mystery, Murder at the Hollywood Hotel,  Rick set out from Kansas as a young man to seek fame and fortune in the sunny state of California.  Since that time he has dedicated full time to his art, which includes illustrations for magazines, newspapers, post cards and, of course, his books.  Especially his books of true crime and classic murder cases, including Lizzie Borden, Sacco and Vanzetti, Jack the Ripper, all of which  he thoroughly researches.   Rick has been nominated for the Eisner Award (Will Eisner is the father of the graphic novel).  He is an award  recipient of the National Cartoonist Society for its Magazine and Book Illustration Award in 1994 and the Graphic Novel Award in 2017.

We drove from Santa Fe to Carrizozo this past Saturday, a two hour plus drive through back country.  I feel very much in touch with New Mexico when we drive these back roads.  We’ve made this trip in all kinds of weather,  even in snow storms, but this past Saturday was emerald green and beautiful due to all the fortunate rain we’ve had.  The occasion for our road trip was the Third Annual Carrizozo Festival and Studio Tour.  Carrizozo.  Also known as ZoZo.  A small town that saw its hey day at the turn of the last century when the railroad came to town and triggered a period of growth.  One of the old buildings on the original and historic 12th Street,  still standing and  in the process of resurrection by two local artists, Paula Wilson and Mike Lagg (momazozo.com), is the Lyric Theatre.  They decided, as part of the festivities, to open the theatre in the evening for a one time showing of the animated film , Murder at the Hollywood Hotel by Rick Geary.

So when I heard that Murder in the Hollywood Hotel (I loved that book!)  was having a one-time showing in that very interesting looking previously boarded-up and condemned theatre, I thought:  I’m going!  Another thing to ponder was that this is an animated film (1984) that was later made into a book (2015) rather than the usual book or comic strip made into a movie.  The book has all of the characters of the film:

OUR HERO

OUR HEROINE: MISS MAUDE BEVERIDGE

SUPPORTING ACTORS

THE POLICE (BECAUSE IT’S A MURDER MYSTERY)

AT THE LYRIC  THEATRE:

 

The theatre, which is in the first stages of renovation, filled up quickly with friends, art enthusiasts, townspeople and the out of town visitors, well wishers, the simply curious, and a dog or two (this being New Mexico).  Mike was on hand to give free popcorn from the original pop corn maker and Rick later signed and sold books outside at the ticket booth. Paula and Rick were both on stage to give an introduction and answer questions about the making of the film. I couldn’t help thinking that we all made the perfect material to step right onto the pages of a Rick Geary book.

Rick has been spotted this summer selling his books at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, at Denver Comic Con, and most recently at Comic Con in San Diego, which he has attended every year except one for the last forty years.  If you can’t want until next summer for Comic Con he can be reached at www.rickgeary.com.