DENIMED IF YOU DUDE..

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:

Let Lucifer logo A by the members of the M.S.Co.

This week, the Company finished up work on the a new logo for Indianapolis artisan clothier, Jerry Lee Atwood.

Jerry Lee's handiwork (photo courtesy of Jerry Lee Atwood)

Mr. Atwood is the founder and proprietor of Jerry Lee's (Mid)Western Wear; a one-man operation turning out some of the finest hand-made and embroidered custom western clothing since Nudie Cohn. The two parties' paths had crossed a few years back, during a previous Company tour. They hit it off off instantly, discussing the finer points of both antique typewriter and moustache maintenance. Since then, Jerry and his lovely soon-to-be wife, Jaime, have hosted the Company on its various crossings of the Hoosier state, providing the Misanthropes with a private and comfortable space to spread out and fulfill their Sunday protocols.

A one-man sweatshop (photo by Becky Johnson)

But Mr. Atwood divides his time among many compartmentalized interests. Presently, he is preparing to launch Let Lucifer, a separate clothing label for his line of rugged workwear. This is where the Misanthropes come in.

Steps in the collaborative creation of the logo

The Company has been hired to handle Let Lucifer's branding; designing the logo, tags, and sundry items for this new venture. And while things are still in their nascent stage, the M.S.Co. is excited at the prospect of seeing its work emblazoned on a leather tag, swinging to and fro on the back of a pair of indigo jeans down the streets of Indianapolis.

* * * *

THIS WEEK'S PRODUCTIVITY REPORT
Number of illustration initiated: 20
Number completed: 14
Number inducted: 4
Carried over to next week: 4

* * * *

NIGHTS of COLUMBUS...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:

(photo by Erkuden Sakana)

Canada's postal workers are on strike. And despite the National Post's groundbreaking article, wondering if, in the age of e-mail, texts, and twitter, anyone will even notice, the absence of mail does infact affect many, including the M.S.Co.

(The news)

With much of the Company's work in progress stuck in transit, this marks yet another week that the M.S.Co. has failed to induct a single illustration into it's archives. A real thorn in the sides of those members hung up on routine and craving the bureaucratic sense of completion that accompanies the christening of finished drawings and voting on which ones make the cut. Needless to say, this only adds fuel to the harrumphing at M.S.Co. Headquarters.

But it isn't just Company protocols being hindered by the strike. This month's shipment to the Company's mail-order subscribers is also being held hostage by the striking postal workers; as are various, prints, cards and commissioned portraits purchased from the M.S.Co. through its Etsy shop and various other channels.

Even orgonite dealers are being affected by the strike

Rest assured, the Company is taking measures to minimize the impact of this hold-up. The wheels of production do keep turning, despite delays in the postal system. In the meantime, however, the Company has closed down its Etsy shop until further notice.

* * *

Meanwhile, south of the border, the touring misanthropes have pitched their camp in Ohio. The away team is on a procurement mission, combing Columbus' legendary thrift stores for much-needed supplies, and stocking up on pipe tobacco at Smokers' Haven.

(pressed and sliced flakes of delicious, delicious tobacco)

This is one of the Company's preferred brick and mortar tobacconists. Owner Premal Chheda's passion is pipes, and his shop caters primarily to enthusiasts of the brier. There is even a workshop in the back, where pipes may be brought in for repairs and refurbishing, and celebrated pipe maker Bill Shalosky can often be found hard at work on his handmade pipes.

(photo by Cottonwood Fields)

The Smokers' Haven gang was kind enough to bring the misanthropes in after hours. This week's away team meeting and illustration session was carried out in the indulgently smoke-friendly luxury of the the store's smoking lounge.

* * * *

THIS WEEK'S PRODUCTIVITY REPORT
Number of illustration initiated: 43
Number completed: 10
Number inducted: 0
Carried over to next week: 27

* * * *

DOMY A SOLID...

by Tallulah Lastname, Company Clerk:

(photo by Cottonwood Fileds)

The Misanthrope Specialty Co.'s time in the silicone hills is drawing to a close, but the Company is leaving it's indelible stain behind. A little something for Austin to remember the misanthropes by.

(photo by Cottonwood Fields)

Domy Books, Austin's impecably curated bastion of zines, special interest periodicals, art comics and video now purveys a select assortment of Company wares. The Company became acquainted with Domy's co-founder, Russel Etchen at last weekend's Renegade. They hit it off immediately, discussing bootleg releases of You Can't Do That On Television, The Vacant Lot, and the Hilarious House of Frightenstein. Truly the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

(photo by Reverend Aitor)

Domy Books also maintains a gallery space, in wherein sundry events and exhibitions are produced, highlighting the stores intersecting ideas and sensibilities.

Presently, the gallery is exhibiting As Above, So Below: The Art of the Secret Society, a breathtaking collection of traditional artwork and imagery from various American fraternal lodges. If you love all seeing eyes and mystical masonic iconography half as much as the men and women of the M.S.Co., you'd be wise to drop by Domy Books. The Exhibit runs until June 9, 2011.

* * *

MUG SHOT...

by Rufus Spaulding, Cub Reporter:

(poster designed by the Misanthrope Specialty Co.)

Just a gentle reminder to those of you in the Los Angeles are: Levi MacDougall, patron and dare we say friend of the M.S.Co., will be performing his one man multidisciplinary experenece tomorrow at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.

(music video courtesy of Levi MacDougall)

A paltry five dollars gets you in the door. That's less than the price of a giant cup of coffee.

* * *

And speaking of the Los Angels area. The Misanthope Specialty Co. will be in it this summer. Stay tuned to know when and more things.

* * *

RUST IN PIECES

(A CALL TO ALMS)...
by Heywood McGuillicuddy, Company Chair:

"Rust In Pieces, Boris Carloff" by the Misanthrope Specialty Co.

He was a veritable Frankenstein monster. A 1987 Pontiac 6000 pieced together out of other dead cars -- and therefore christened Boris Carloff. He served the Company well, and he will be missed.

Boris in Arizona during the 2008 Sweetie Pie Press/Misanthrope Specialty Co. tour.
(photo courtesy of Becky Johnson)

Boris may not have been an official member of the M.S.Co. fleet, but he put in far more time and covered much more distance in the Company's employ than any one of the misanthropes' vehicles. He belonged to the lovely and intrepid Becky Johnson; proprietor of the Sweetie Pie Press, invaluable ally of the Misanthrope Specialty Co., and sweetheart to the Company's impresario, Reverend Aitor. Becky and Aitor toured North America on joint Sweetie Pie/ M.S.Co. ventures long before the days of the Company convoys.

Boris' door, paralyzed ever since his altercation with a drunk driver
in Chicago.(photo courtesy of Becky Johnson)

Despite the fact that he'd been running around with a bashed in door for years due to a scarcity of replacement body parts, Boris has been a real trooper. In all his years of faithful service, he rarely complained, and refused to show his age. Last summer, some of the misanthropes had the privilege of watching Boris' odometer turn over to 300,000 km on the way from Albuquerque to Los Angeles. It was a metric milestone, and heartily celebrated. But Boris was ailing.

Boris turning 300,000(photos courtesy of Becky Johnson)

Boris was finally showing signs of fatigue. He may only be twentyfour years old in human years, but that's closer to one hundred in car years, and seven years of crisscrossing the continent have taken their toll. Every effort had been made to keep him healthy and running. Had a fantastac mechanic looking after him. But now his oil tank keeps filling up with coolant, and the old boy just won't hunt anymore. It's time to put him down.

Outside of Kansas City, on the 2009 tour. (photo courtesy of Becky Johnson)

This sudden loss has come as something of a blow to all who loved him, but especially, both emotionally and financially, to Ms.Johnson, whose 2011 touring plans are now under threat. Having to purchase a new vehicle significantly ups the startup costs of embarking on another four-month roadtrip. But Becky Johnson doesn't take things lying down. Just ask Aitor.

The always resourceful Sweetie Pie Press is taking its campaign to the online funding platform known as Kicktarter, and you can be a part of it.

No donation is too small or too great. All manner of crafty rewards an incentives are being offered up to those willing to donate, and help raise the seed money needed to kick off this summer's Sweetie Pie Press North American expedition. The Company urges you to find out more about it by visiting the Sweetie Pie Press Kickstarter project page. And if you're somehow unfamiliar with the Sweetie Pie Press' escapades, Becky chronicles her travels on her blog.

Driving through Pennsylvania, or maybe Indiana. (photo by Reverend Aitor)

Becky and her blog have been an inspiring resource to many an aspiring craft-making bindlestiff. She has personally been a great help to the Company on its own travels. The misanthropes would probably never have begun their extensive touring had it not been for the example she'd set, lessons she'd passed on, and contacts she'd shared. We will not allow this bump in the road keep her from satisfying her raging wanderlust.

* * *

FAIR GAIN...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:

(photo courtesy of City of Craft)

Last night the Company came together after wrapping up at another successful City of Craft. The holiday show remains one of the misanthropes' absolute favourites, and not just because it's strolling distance from the Company Bunker.

The Misanthrope Specialty Co. officially takes its hat off the organizers for an impeccably curated and tightly run ship, full of fantastic vendors, imaginative interactive installations, and interesting satellite exhibitions.

Kudos to the organizers . The Company will surely try to shove it's way into the fold again next year.

* * *

Arthur on location in Montréal (photo by Heywood)

With all foreseeable art shows and craft fairs done with until the spring thaw, members are proposing and cooking up all manner of new projects for the new year.

For starters, the question of what to do with all the left over footage from Screaming Hell Hogs Eat Shit and Die is finally being addressed. It's beginning to look asthough some new (or partially new) film projects may soon be in the works.

* * *

1965 Dymo magazine advert

It's been a very long time since the Company last held any sort of contest or giveaway. It is one of the Company's New Year's resolutions to remedy this fact very shortly. Honest.

Readers will have to wait for the specific details, but one thing is for certain: it will involve labelling tape. Labelling tape of the woodgrain variety.

* * *

photo of the museum's nepenthe ventrata by Anahí Coria

Though the Museum of Natural & Artificial History and offices at Misanthrope Specialty Co. Headquarters will remain open through the holidays, familial obligations have whisked most of the misanthropes away for the next couple of weeks. The Company's Sunday sessions have therefore been suspended until January 9, 2011.

See you next year.

* * *

THIS WEEK'S PRODUCTIVITY REPORT
Number of projects initiated: 20
Number completed: 14
Number inducted: 8
Carried over to next week: 2

* * *

ALLS WONDERFAIR IN LOVE AND WORK...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:
The Misanthrope Specialty Co. is headed Southwest, after a thoroughly enjoyable weekend in Kansas.

(photo by Tallulah Lastname)

The Company's executive branch was in Lawrence to forge a new alliance with Asteroid Head Art Club; a local art collective with whom the misanthropes had been maintaining a tenuous epistolary flirtation/antagonism. The two parties hit it off immediately, due mostly to a mutual love of Abner Jay. One thing led to another and pretty soon the rest of the available misanthropes were called down from St.Louis and Wichita for an evening of nightswimming and secret exploits.

(photo courtesy of Asteroid Head Art Club)

Asteroid Head subsequently helped the Company gain entry into Wonder Fair Art Gallery; a far more spacious and better equipped space to hold this weeks meeting than the motel room the members originally planned to rent. As a result, the gallery now carries an assortment of M.S.Co. goodies.

* * *

It should be noted that much of the credit for Company's blossoming relationships in Lawrence goes to Sweetie Pie Press. It was via the misanthrope's long-time Toronto ally that the Company was first made aware of the goings on in Lawrence.

* * *

The Misanthrope Specialty Co. has yet another product to sell you.

(Message card made using vintage woodgrain Dymo tape)

It's been nearly three months since the Company hit the road. The temporal and geographic distance from loved ones has inspired the advent of a new limited release message card.

The I Miss You card, in embossed woodgrain tape on maple veneer will be available for sale at Renegade Los Angeles. Due to the increasing scarcity of woodgrain labelling tape, the run has been limited to twenty cards embossed with vintage Dymo brand tape from 1968, and another twenty on the company's own specially developed woodgrain tape. There are no plans for a second run until, possibly, the Valentine season is upon us.

(This one was made with the Company-manufactured woodgrain tape)

* * *

This week's drawing session has been was somewhat hindered by the unexpected loss of many of it Company's art supplies.

(photo by Reverend Aitor)

It seems a full day of the hot sun beating down on the the cars in which much of the Company's supply of pens, paints and paper stock were stored has taken its toll. Everything seems to have undergone a variety of heat-induced chemical transformations.

(photo by Becky Johnson)

Inks clumped, paints bubbled out of their containers, papers buckled and pens exploded. Even after everyone's respective kits and pencil cases had been sifted through, and the members got down to business, a number of pens and markers turned out to have sprung leaks. As a result, a number of this week's works in progress were unfortunately marred. Remarkably, though, a few were slightly improved.

The matter was put to a vote and agreed to curtail the illustrative portion of the evening. It was decided the Company's time and efforts would be put to better use bolstering it's inventory merchandise to peddle at next weeks Renegade show.

* * *

MULTIPLE CRAB WOUNDS...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary;

Last night, while visiting the American Visionary Art Museum, the Misanthrope Specialty Co. was invited to spend the night in the impeccably curated home of Uncle Ted, a veritable patron saint of the arts.

Uncle Ted at work (photo courtesy of Sun-Times media)

After a somewhat rushed Company meeting, and knowing that conditions for future Sunday Sessions wouldn't always be ideal on the road, the opportunity to hold an auxiliary meeting and make art in such comfortable and inspiring surroundings was a luxury not to be passed up.

(photo by Becky Johnson)

* * *

No trip to Maryland is complete without the consumption of Chesapeake Bay blue crab in all its forms. And while steamed crabs and crab cakes might be the obvious choices while dining in Baltimore, the Company's Minister of Acquisitions was sure to stock up on Utz "The Crab Chip" potato chips before doubling back to Philadelphia.

(photo by Reverend Aitor)

This tasty, salty, spicy roadfood treat is worth the heartburn, and becomes increasingly harder to find the farther one ventures form the area.

* * *

EASTER PROMISES...

by Heywood McGillicuddy, Chairman;

Easter dinner, as prepared by Tallulah
(Illustration by the Misanthrope Specialty Co.)

Although it was officially a long holiday week-end around these parts, the members of the Misanthrope Specialty Co. does not take Easter Sunday off. Instead, the Company marked the occasion by convening at the Clubhouse for a little afternoon croquet, followed by an exquisite meal of wine-broiled rabbit with hand-painted eggs before getting down to the business at hand.

* * *

Most of Sunday's drawing session was spent on work for the Company's exciting new bedfellow, letterpress visionaries, Trip Print Press.

Where the magic happens.
(photo courtesy of Trip Print Press)

Proprietor and head compositor Nicholas Kennedy is a master of hand-set type. The Company has long admired the eschewing of typographic trends, his encyclopedic knowledge of antiquated heavy machinery and his distinctly solvent-based scent. Nobody combines salvaged typeface, tint blocks and engravings into
contemporary design the way Mr. Kennedy can. In the small bubble that is letterpress nerdom, he is a punk rock star.

One of the Company's contribution to The Trip Print Press' arsenal of custom stock images.

Now he has enlisted the Company's help in the creation of an exclusive catalogue of custom stock images. A welcome alternative to exhausted clip art and vintage illustration, the Company is creating a fresh pool of contemporary images to compliment an arcane artform. And only Trip Print Press has the goods.

* * *

EXTRA SENSORY RECEPTION...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:
Once upon a time, the Misanthrope Specialty Co. was commissioned to contribute some artwork for the liner notes of Toca Loca's forthcoming album, P*P. Well, at long last, the aforementioned CD has finally forthcome.

(album art by the men and women of the Company)

The company hereby alerts any Torontonians with a predilection for the esoteric reconstruction of pop music math by classical music Dadaists to the fact that there will be a CD release party this coming Saturday.

(see what we mean?)

Opening for the band is the ever-brilliant Kathleen Phillips, pairing up with the infectiously funny Katie Crown. They will be plying their combined comedic stylings. The uninitiated among you may rest assured they alone are already worth the price of admission. You are invited to initiate yourselves via the videos below.

(Kathleen Phillips in "A Bet With Bill")

(Katie Crown in "Hiding From Bad Guys")

The members of Toca Loca will then play a series of solo sets, wherein they promise not to play anything from the new album, followed by, in the words of Gregory Oh, "a nerd reception afterwards, where we can talk and have a drink under bright, harsh fluorescent lighting."

TOCA LOCA CD RELEASE
Saturday February 27 at the Music Gallery
8:00-8:20 opening act: Kathleen Phillips!
8:30-9:20 Toca Loca plays
9:30- join us for nerdy good times in the fellowship room
Admission $10 or $15 with a CD
* * *

As an added treat, there will be door prizes.

One unlucky patron will win an Unflattering Portrait sitting with the Company's own Reverend Aitor.
Although the Company cannot speak on the good Reverend's behalf, the fact that there is drinking on the band's dime lend itself to the possibility for others to cajole him into getting portraits of their own.

***

LUST WEEK-END...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary;
Last night the Company congregated for its regular conclave and drawing session after a long, hard, throbbing day of peddling smut at the Come as You Are's Erotic Arts and Crafts Fair. This marked the Misanthrope Specialty Co.'s first public outing of the decade, and it couldn't have gone better.

(promotional artwork by the ever-brilliant Fiona Smyth)

While the Company hardly consider its wares to be particularly scandalous, it does sell a handful of sexually explicit material. These items, though not meant to offend, garner their fair share of disgusted sneers and tongue-clicking suck sounds at shows. The I Think of You When I Masturbate message cards never fails to rub someone the wrong way despite the romantic sincerity of its intention.

One of the Company's chief offenders

Such was not the case at yesterday's show. Not surprisingly, the event drew an entirely sex-positive and mostly goodhumoured cross-section of perverts. "Our kind of people," as Tallulah was quick to point out. And in great quantities to boot.

So pleased were the misanthropes with their experience that it was unanimously decided to participate again next year.

* * *

Meanwhile, the wanderlust which had evidently been festering within some of the misanthropes all winter long has finally erupted in talk of another North American tour.

Hold on St.Christopher

Not being on the agenda for this evening's meeting, the subject wasn't delved into in any official capacity, and much of the Company seems ambivalent about setting out on the road again for any length of time. Regardless, the travel-thirsty contingent has made it clear that they intend to lobby for an excursion, and will be submitting their tour proposals at next week's meeting.

* * *

CITIZENS [ON THE] PLAINS...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:
Serena McCaroll, good friend of the Company and one half of All Citizens, has been contributing to Broken Pencil's web log.

(photo courtesy of Serena Marie McCarroll)

Hot off the presses is her interview with the Company's own Reverend Aitor and Becky Johnson (of Sweetie Pie Press) about their visit to the little art house on the prairies. Read it.

* * *

SAVING AGAIN THE [WOOD]GRAIN...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:
City of Craft is over and done with, marking the Misanthrope Specialty Co.'s last show of the year.

(photo courtesy of tara.bursey)

Congratulations are in order to the organizers of this fine event. Though the Company speaks only from its own perspective, the show, now in its third consecutive year was a roaring success. No small feat in such dubious economic times.

* * *

In tangentially related news, the Misanthrope Specialty Co. sold out of the last of its wildly popular Holy Fucking Shit greeting cards at City of Craft.

(all 100 cards, scooped up by a frenzied public)

There is no shortage of woodgrain enthusiasts out there; or within the Company, for that matter. Infact woodgrain, both real and faux, has had something of a resurgence in craft and design circles in recent years. Some of the Company's favourite merchandise and most successful merchandise has involved the perfect union of two of its chief loves in the form of woodgrain labeling tape. Unfortunately, the Dymo corporation hasn't produced this stuff since 1973.

(detail from one of the Company's best-selling greeting cards)

The Misanthrope Specialty Co. has managed to maintain it's stock of labeling tape these past ten years by raiding the dusty stationary section of various small office supply and drug stores throughout its members' travels across the North America, but the discontinued rolls of woodgrain are ever more scarce. The aforementioned woodgrain trend, coupled with the scrapbooking craze, has also done much to accelerate the depletion of the increasingly coveted tape.

(1970 magazine ad for Dymo label tape)

Now the day many of the Misanthropes had long been dreading is upon us. The Company stockroom is down to its final roll of 3/8" Dymo woodgrain, with no current leads on any replenishment. But all is not yet lost.

(prototypes for the Company-made woodgrain tape,
in a variety of colours)

The Chief Engineer and Minister of Acquisitions have been diligently working in anticipation of this problem. Sunday's meeting saw the timely unveiling of their prototypes for the Company's own line of woodgrain embossing tape. There is still some fine-tuning to be done, but the results are encouraging.

Needless to say, there was much rejoicing.

* * *

LA POUBELLE PROVINCE...

by Tallulah Lastname, Interim Secretary:
Another Puces Pop, another satisfying trip to the City of Saints.

la poutine de La Banquise, c'est la meilleur
(photo by Heywood McGillicuddy)

While this is chiefly a whirlwind business trip, we did manage to partake in some of the revelry Pop Montréal had to offer.

As is usually the case when carousing here, much of Saturday night was spent elbowing our way up Mont-Royale and down Saint-Laurent, true to the Montréal habit of chasing the rumoured better party. An endeavour made no easier by the fact that none of us are in the habit of sporting cellular telephones. It's asthough every weekend is New Year's Eve here.

"My Stars!" One of this week's inductees.

We did eventually stumble upon Laura Barrett's utterly charming show at Le Cagibi. Miss Barret and her accompanying orchestra managed to delight us all despite the puzzlingly murderous glances of the staff and the venue's strict policy of only selling drinks when accompanied by an overpriced food order. Five bucks for a brownie? Va te faire foutre, connard! It's a good thing they sell beer at the corner store in this town.

Nervertheless: Laura Barret. We recomend her as heartily as one can recommend things to strangers.

* * *

Our new Montréal friend, Michel Courtemanche graciously invited us to hold our Sunday Session at his spacious Mile End studio. Our colleagues still stuck in Toronto overcoming the swine flu were green with envy when we reported that at Monsieur Courtemanche's digs, cocktails are brought in by a robot butler.

Truth be told, it sounds much more exciting than it actually was.

* * *

Not too surprisingly, the themes stirred up by the Company's run-in with pig sickness still linger in much of this week's output. Not just in the pieces we brought along to finish, initiated by those still confined to the bunker, but in many new pieces begun this week.

(photo by Lydia Caulpepper)

Perhaps we, not unlike Picasso, we are going through our "Flu Period." I suspect this phase might stick around atleast as long as the virus does.

* * *