*THANKS TO EVERYONE..
..who came by the Los Angeles Anarchist Book Fair over the weekend. It was great to reconnect with so many folk who I had met in the Bay Area. Plus all the new people I met including Aaron, the kid selling classic vinyl, to Terry, the Critical Resistance Superhero–and all folks in between.

I’m looking to head to the Bay Area around the 22nd of Feb., so if there are any tasty events going on, let me know.

*LETTERS/EMAILS OF THE WEEK…

Hi Keith,

Now, You don’t know me so you can stop wracking your brain trying to come up
with a face to a name… I was a Freshman at SSC in 1989 when we protested
at the state capital for the tuition increases and were reprimanded for
stomping on the flowers. Now, is there a snowball’s chance in hell that
there is a print of the strip you did for the t-shirts that has survived
these 20 years?

(Still) love reading the K Chronicles!

Best wishes,

j.

(wow!! talk about a blast from the past!! and i just attended an s.s.c alumni dinner in
long beach for those of us who escaped new england!!-kk)

Hey Keith,

I get “Funny Times” and just wanted to let you know that I am always amazed at how many things hit home daily that you have in the “(K)chronicles, etc…)”. I grew up in Jersey but now I’m in teeny Peterborough, N.H….still your stuff hits home, I mention the “Honey is the only food that doesn’t go bad” thing and all that. I know folks send in things that they experience but I can’t right now…one too many new beer samples. Just wanted to say “hi” and we appreciate your humor in Peteborough, N.H.

Take care,

D.

Hello Keith,

I’m Chris and I have been reading your strip for years. I first found it in
our local weekly rag and always make a point every week to find a copy. It’s
really the only redeeming quality of the thing, and never fails to bust me
up. Very funny stuff man. Very smart clever and quick. So I’ve done a little
online searchin’ and would like to get a copy of your book. Also, do you, or
the Marginal Prophets, ever make it to SLC? We’re not quite the cultural
wasteland most perceive us to be, but I don’t know if you’re ever out this
way. Would love to catch a performance…

Anyhoo, look forward to more from you and hope the new year is treating you
well.

C.

(ahh–who knows when the prophets will perform again..i would love to–but i’m 300 miles away from my band!!-kk)

Hey K:

I’ve been reading your article monthly in FUNNY TIMES for maybe 8 years now (guessing). It’s my favorite thing in there. Every issue I think I’m going to write you and tell you. Well I finally did. Thanks for the cool strip and keep up the good work!!! You know I feel like they were all written about me and my experiences. But I bet everyone says that, don’t they?

Where can I get more of your stuff? Do you really have books out now? I live in backward Oklahoma and we don’t have anything near as cool as this in our newspapers comic strips. And can I get something daily or weekly online. I just got to your website and haven’t looked at it yet.

Again, thanx for the fun and games
a K Chronicles fan
B.

(wow..new hampshire, utah and oklahoma!! mebbe i should run for president!!
you can score mosta my stuff from the website store, but expect a lot more to come as far
as product goes, later this year!!-kk)

Keef,

I recently received a forgotten rebate from some software that I bought online. So I
figured that in the spirit of the film, ‘Pay it Forward’ I’d pass the PayPal funds on to
your tip jar.

If I understand the premise of the movie correctly this means I’m entitled to make out
with Helen Hunt sometime soon… but I may have missed the point.

Happy New Year anyway.

- R.

(you the man, r. helen hunt is on her way…-kk)

*FIRST SHOW OF THE YEAR: LOS ANGELES ANARCHIST BOOK FAIR!!
I just heard about this on KPFK radio last week!! One of the things I miss about the Bay was the annual anarchist book fair in Golden Gate Park. It was so close to my apartment that I would drag my books over in the morning. And Arizmendi Bakery would have those delicious sandwiches..*sigh*..

Anyhoo..This is only the 2nd annual one in L.A., so it has some building to do–why don’t you help by coming on down to Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd. in East Hollywood this Sunday, Jan 24th from 11am-9pm.

Here’s a press release from their site:

January 19th, 2010:
LOS ANGELES – A group of Southern California anarchists is holding a
bookfair on Sunday, January 24th at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood from 11:
00 AM to 9:00 PM. The park is located at 4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles,
CA 90027. The purpose of the bookfair is to provide the Los Angeles
community with access to radical literature, engage in workshops, discuss
current topics, and create communities of resistance.

Cheers!

I’ll have a bunch of new stuff up soon…

*GREETINGS FROM THE BLACK FOREST OF GERMANY…
They just reran my interview on the Story last night–Welcome all y’all who’ve never read my stuff before. I hope you’ll stick around..

I’m currently chillin’ in the tiny little town on Monchweiler, Germany with my wunderbar in-laws. We’re eating spaetzle and cake and schinken whilst drinking the local beer (Tannenzaepfle!!).

We took the Incredible Cuteness of Being sledding for the first time at 17 months. It probably wasn’t the most responsible thing I’ve ever done, but I didn’t crash the sled til I went on my solo runs.

The boy traumatized not by the snow, but by the horrendous temperature. We arrived on a day of record-setting cold. Minus 30 degrees celsius!! But it kicked up to zero the next day. Pretty harsh for a kid born in Southern California…

*GOOD RIDDANCE 2009!!
I don’t know about you, but this past year ranks up there as the worst of my short existence. Death, sickness, pain, suffering–And that’s just what’s happened to the print and comics industry!!

Nah–in all seriousness, I lost some close people this year..And as I stumble haphazardly into middle age, it’s just going to get worse. Ye olde circle of life I suppose..

But 2010 is shaping up to be a tasty year! I’ve got a new (th)ink collection coming, and the first collection of my daily strip, the Knight Life. Plus my first time as a special at the San Diego Comic Con. Also: the return of T-SHIRTS!! Bow down , fools!!

Just hope all of us and bounce back economically and start throwin’ some cash to where it really counts: Cartoonists and people who sell sh** on Etsy!!

Tschuss!!

GREETINGS FROM THE BLACK FOREST OF GERMANY..
I’m having trouble loading the K Chronicles for this week, so please bear with me.
Plenty of snow. Plenty of beer. And plenty of German food. I’ll post more later..

*HAPPY HOLIDAYS Y’ALL…
I hope 2009 ends on a high note (whichever way you want to read that). We’ll be on a plane to Germany via Switzerland. Looking forward to generating some overseas hilarity with the in-laws.

I’ll probably contemplate end of the year stuff in another post, but 2009 was pretty tough. I lost some serious folk. Many friends had health issues. And everybody else has been fiscally sick for a long, long time.

Instead of dwelling on it, take some time out to appreciate what you’ve got.

We got a lot. (including the Wire on DVD-thanks Beth!!)

-Keef

Thank you-thank you-thank you to Beth who sent me the Wire:the Complete Series on DVD!! You have a special place in my kingdom when I boldly take over the planet in 2012!!

Okay!! So the Wire is crossed off the list and, according to the email of the week below, I’ll be getting some bacon , too!!

*EMAIL/LETTER OF THE WEEK:

Hey Keef,

I just wanted you to know that I am a regular reader of your strip on
Salon and you always bring a grin to my face. I am currently living in
Osaka Japan but during the holidays, my thoughts wander back to America,
where I stay current with my trusty computer.

If you are serious about your christmas wishes, I would like to turn
you on to some really fine, down home, bacon the is sold by an amazing
deli called Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, MI, where I used to live and go to
school. Their applewood smoked bacon is great as are all their other
offerings. Tell me where to send it and the bacon pigs will take flight
to your abode. I’m serious! I can’t spring for the Bacon of the month
membership: that’s just a bit too rich for my blood, but how about a
pound or so of some righteous bacon for the holidays?

Let me know if you are serious and I will make it happen.

Sincerely,
A fan,

S., Osaka, Japan

YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT I’M SERIOUS!! SEND THAT BACON OVER!!
This isn’t the Bacon of the Month membership, so I’m still hopin’ to score one.