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Looked Into
Triple Star: Typography's Asterism
Filed under: Looked Into Tagged: Alexander Humez, asterisk, asterism, César Cui, Nicholas Humez, Pollux, punctuation, Richard Taruskin, typography
Pollux writes:
You don’t see the asterism very much. Three asterisks in a triangular or linear formation, the asterism is used in typography to indicate minor breaks or subchapters in a text.
(continued)
Pylcrafte: The Origins of "Pilcrow"
Filed under: Looked Into Tagged: contests, dictionaries, etymology, Latin, pilcrow, Pollux, punctuation, Walter William Skeat, Wynkyn de Worde
Pollux writes:
“Pilcrow” is a strange word for the punctuation mark used to signify new paragraphs. Lucy, one of the letter-writers in our ongoing contest in which you address the punctuation mark of your choice, had to look it up. We did, too. Where does it come from?
The words “pilcrow” and “paragraph” may have a common ancestor. Walter William Skeat, in his Notes On English Etymology (1904), theorizes how the Latin paragraphus (“paragraph”) eventually became
(continued)
Panelled Tribute: Vanessa Davis' "Splendor"
Filed under: Looked Into Tagged: cartoons, comics, Gothamist, Harvey Pekar, Pollux, Tablet Magazine, Vanessa Davis
Pollux writes:
“People called Pekar a curmudgeon—but I know that his brand of grumpiness comes from the truly tender-hearted.” That’s from “Splendor,” Vanessa Davis’ illustrated remembrance of Harvey Pekar for Tablet Magazine.
A lot of wonderful written tributes to Pekar have been created this week, and it is great to see homage paid in words and pictures as well.
Check out an interview with author and cartoonist Vanessa Davis at Gothamist.
(continued)
Splendorous Tributes: Eric Reynolds and Bill Kartalopoulos Honor Harvey Pekar
Filed under: Looked Into Tagged: Bill Kartalopoulos, comics, Eric Reynolds, Fantagraphics, Harvey Pekar, Jeff Hurst, Pollux
Above, a portrait of Pekar by artist Jeff Hurst.
Pollux writes:
A lot of thoughtful and moving tributes to Harvey Pekar have emerged from the world of comics this week, and Emdashes would like to make special mention of two of them.
Eric Reynolds of Fantagraphics has written an insightful piece on Pekar. Reynolds talks about his relationship with Pekar, both as a young fan and admirer and as a subsequent editor for The Complete Crumb series.
Bill Kartalopoulos, an authority and teacher of comics (and a friend of Emdashes) has written a typically thoughtful piece on Pekar that explores the Clevelander’s contribution to the world of comics.
(continued)
The Harvey Heads: A Pekar Project
Filed under: Looked Into Tagged: Harvey Pekar, Pollux, SMITH Magazine
Pollux writes:
SMITH Magazine’s “Pekar Project” was a webcomic series by Harvey Pekar and multiple artists that has been tragically brought to a halt by Pekar’s death.
However, SMITH magazine has asked artists to create “The Harvey Heads,” in which artists submit their portraits of Pekar. You can see them, and the “Pekar Project,” here.
(continued)
About us
Hello! We are media enthusiasts and culture addicts—not to mention classically trained (as we like to say) professional journalists. This is our collection of generally civilized conversations about magazines, movies, politics, punctuation, and other things that stir us.
You'd like to read more about us individually? That's so nice! Here you can learn a lot more about the Emdashes team, the mysterious-sounding names of our daily and non-daily columns, and our guest contributors.
We welcome tips, questions, and comments, and are always looking for ardent new contributors who care about letters (postal, typographical, admiring, literary, and tough-love). Here's how to contact us.
Occasionally, we host book giveaways, and review books here as often as we can. Publishers, please e-mail us and we'll send you an appropriate mailing address.
Tell me more
They say that dashes “are particularly useful in a sentence that is long and complex.” Emdashes—like em dashes—provides a thoughtful pause amid the hubbub.
Emdashes, founded in 2004, is currently written and drawn by Emily Gordon, Martin Schneider, Pollux, Jonathan Taylor, and Benjamin Chambers, as well as occasional guest contributors. (Unsigned posts through October 2008 are by Emily Gordon.)
The site is designed and maintained by House of Pretty and illustrated by Jesse Ewing for Inkleaf Studio. Additional drawings are by Carolita Johnson and Pollux (who also draws our daily comic, "The Wavy Rule"). The kissable Emdashes logo is by Jennifer Hadley, based on a 1943 Dorothy Gray ad.
Other writing by Emily Gordon
- Profile: Valerie Casey, Designers Accord founder, is spearheading the design of sustainability (for SXSW World; PDF, p. 20)
- Feature: Rea Irvin: visionary art director, man about town, and New Yorker founding father (for Print)
- Report: Learning to read with comic books--that are edited by Françoise Mouly (for Print)
- Interview: Designer Eleanor Grosch (for Print)
- Review: Charles Addams: A Cartoonist's Life by Linda H. Davis (for Newsday)
- Review: King's Gambit: A Son, a Father, and the World's Most Dangerous Game by Paul Hoffman (for Newsday)
- Review: Does a New Republic redesign mean a change of tune? (for Print)
- Interview: James Surowiecki on what's next for the wisdom of crowds (for Assignment Zero)
- Report: Eustace Tilley spruces up for The New Yorker's website redesign (for Print)
- Feature: Muslim immigration iconography in the Netherlands, and an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali (for Print)
- Review: books about various New Yorker cartoonists by Liza Donnelly and Iain Topliss (for Newsday)
- Profile: screenwriter and novelist Joe Keenan (for Newsday)
- Review: The Complete New Yorker (for Print)
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