The Annual August Chalkoff, ‘08
One day, in December of 1950, lightning struck and changed everything.
The lightning in this case was the zig-zag bolt that appeared on Charlie Brown’s sweater. Chuck first turned up in newspapers in the fall of 1950, and wandered morosely through a couple months worth of strips, having relatively unmemorable adventures while wearing a relatively unmemorable white shirt. But then in mid-December he put on a sweater with a lightning bolt zig-zag across the front, and didn’t take it off for nearly half a century… and in the process became the most memorable fictional character to ever walk the daily comics.
The theme of this year’s Annual August Chalkoff is comic strip characters who existed before lightning struck: all those brick-throwing mice and unruly street kids, those hard-nosed Dicks and valiant princes. Get out your chalks and draw me an early 20th century comic strip character. Contestants will be graded on originality, aesthetics, and whether or not the scene they draw is funny and/or has an interesting narrative element.
The Prizes:
1st place: a video iPod, audiobooks of HEART-SHAPED BOX and 20TH CENTURY GHOSTS, plus a signed copy of the LOCKE & KEY hardcover.
2nd place & 3rd place: signed copies of the LOCKE & KEY hardcover.
4th & 5th: a signed comic.
Now take note folks: this is not a fucking sweepstakes. You do not all have an equal chance of winning. It’s a test of cunning and skill and those who know how to draw have a cruel advantage (although the ingenious may be able to find ways to work around their limitations). Shane and I will be judging this thing, and we are unfair and capricious judges. Most who enter will lose. The race goes not always to the swift, etc., etc.
RULES
You are allowed to send more than one entry. However, you will be judged based only on your most recent entry.
An entry consists of a single “panel” or image.
Can your submission, featuring a pre-1950s comic strip character, include modern elements? In other words, can you draw the Katzenjammer Kids as George Bush and Dick Cheney? Absolutely. Even better. As a rule, Shane and I are unlikely to hold your creativity against you.
You may send a digital picture of your entry to chalkoff at joehillfiction dot com. You may also e-mail a link to a flickr or other photo sharing site. You’re free to post your images on the message board, but that won’t count as a valid entry.
If you don’t own a digital camera, and/or can’t figure out how to give us a digital image, e-mail us at the chalkoff address, and we’ll give you a snail mail address where you can send your submission.
Professional artists are allowed to enter. However, current employees of IDW or HarperCollins, and artists who have worked with me in the past, are not eligible for any of the prizes.
Your judges reserve the right not to award all the prizes, if we feel there aren’t five entries up to snuff. We had a very small number of entries last year, and this year’s contest is more challenging, so it is very possible the contest will conclude with less than five prizewinners. Don’t like it? That and a quarter will get you a half hour psychological therapy session with Lucy van Pelt.
You are expected to draw on some stretch of pavement or sidewalk. However, last year we received one chalk entry on black paper, and accepted it, so we’re flexible.
Contest ends August 31st, at midnight, Eastern Standard Time.
How many will really enter? In 2007 we had less than 25 valid entries, making this the easiest iPod to win on the web. I’m betting we double our entries this year, but owing to the increased complexity of the challenge, I could be wrong. In any event, it’s clear that it’s wildly stupid not to enter… what do you have to lose?
That’s it guys. Go get your chalk on.
July 31st, 2008 at 8:42 pm
It begins…
July 31st, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Gentlemen (and ladies): Start your engines.
July 31st, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Lovin’ the theme. I cannot wait to see the entries.
Have fun, all!!!
July 31st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Question: Does the lightening strike have to be for the character, or can it be for the artist who finally gets recognition?
July 31st, 2008 at 11:39 pm
I’m feeling good on this one. There’s a sneaky
feeling that my daughter is going to be missing
some of her sidewalk chalk.
I can just see my wife now asking me what
the hell I’m doing. —erased— by myself.
Just had a great idea…I believe I just might
be drumed out of the neighborhood society.
Must do under the cover of darkness.
August 1st, 2008 at 8:41 am
I have never in my adult life been SO excited to pick up some chalk – I don’t have any idea if I’ll be able to pull this off, but it’s SO worth a try!!
August 1st, 2008 at 8:56 am
ugh!
August 1st, 2008 at 10:37 am
WICKED!
I am sooo up for this challenge. I may not be the best artist out there, but I’ll damn sure give my best attempt to win one of those prizes.
GAME ON!!
August 1st, 2008 at 10:52 am
I’m so all over this.
And, I will be a purist and actually draw on cement or pavement, whatever. I need to find a smoother surface this year though.
Thanks Joe and Shane–be afraid. Be very afraid.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Well, I bought some chalk today. We’ll see what happens.
August 1st, 2008 at 7:17 pm
you did..oh, oh, im going to the store right now..lol..
August 4th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Cripes! I have been waiting for this to come about. I found some old chalk in my storage room awhile back (when this was frist mentioned) and have been waiting for the subject! I have no idea what I am going to do. But, I wish everyone luck on this interesing and exciting venture of ours!
August 5th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Hehehehe……I can finally open the chalk I bought a coupla months ago. Now, to choose the comic……..LK
August 6th, 2008 at 11:47 am
well crap, there’s a serious shortage of sidewalks in this town and my street’s all tore up, what’s a girl to do?
August 8th, 2008 at 5:00 am
Last years contest was sooo much better, I can only think of 2 or 3 charactrers and I know they will be done already, so I don’t think I can do this one
August 8th, 2008 at 8:17 am
[...] the information about the Annual August chalkoff is here. Read, draw, and enter. Have I mentioned this is probably the easiest-to-win free iPod on the [...]
August 8th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
There is no age limit is there?
like those bullshit “you must be this old to enter” or “this tall to ride the rides”? Just wondering..
August 9th, 2008 at 11:59 am
No age limit, although I’d be disinclined to send audiobooks of H-SB and 20THCG to a 6-year-old, should a kid of that age take the top prize; in that situation, I’d probably e-mail the kid and ask ‘em if I could send along the iPod and some age appropriate material of equal value.
August 11th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Unfunny joke- do some internet research- you’ll find loads of comics to choose from.
Joe! Can I use charcoal? I need a dark black…..can’t get that w/ chalk. Charcoal IS chalky……please answer. I don’t want to do it and then get disqualified!
LK
August 12th, 2008 at 4:46 am
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
August 16th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
thanks a bunch Joe! I wouldn’t say that I’m a six year old, but I’m certainly not out of High School yet.. so I’m not THAT old. I’m entering now, how I make it into the top three!! I’m not the greatest, but I do have the ambition and skill to become a professional artist someday down the road. maybe this will help me reach my goals? Anyway, thanks a bunch Joe! You’re truly talented to me!
August 16th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
It’d be amazing if you were to check out my artwork I have created and give me feedback on them!! Please & thank you
August 17th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
[...] But there can only be five winners in the Annual August chalkoff, and of them, only one gets the free iPod. You want a shot, you need to get your entry to us by the end of the month. Rules and game info here. [...]
August 18th, 2008 at 7:53 am
[...] your sidewalk chalk, a chunk of pavement and get to it! Joe Hill’s sidewalk chalk contest [...]
August 23rd, 2008 at 10:00 pm
lpucxsitjjrkroxjgwoawdvadzayod
August 24th, 2008 at 10:27 am
What a creative idea.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Finished mine last nite! The pics should be uploaded tomorrow!
August 27th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
[...] Just a little over four days left before the chalkoff is a done deal. There’s a free video iPod to whoever takes first place, so you’d be crazy not to enter. Prizes for the runner-ups, too. All contest info here. [...]
August 31st, 2008 at 8:25 am
Well, my entry’s in!
In the nick of time too! looking foward to seeing all the entries (if they do get shown)
All of the best.
Neville.
September 1st, 2008 at 10:41 pm
hi…
Not sure that this is true) but thanks…
September 9th, 2008 at 2:29 am
artwork storage…
(Blogger now has backlinks – very similar to the trackback feature in Movable Type. Six Apart started a working group in February 2006…
September 14th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Adult Social Network Free Porn XXX MySpace…
Wow…your article was inspiring! You should check out this great adult social network. Free videos and pictures!…
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:07 am
???????
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:39 am
???????
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:47 am
????