COLLABORATE OR PERISH!

Watch the micro-documentary above. Produced in collaboration with Access Sacramento & the California Arts Council.

Eben Burgoon has been creating comic books independently since 2007, starting first in webcomics with Eben 07: Covert Custodian, and then pursuing creator-owned series B-Squad: Soldiers of Misfortune and Tiny Wizards. Eben began collaborating on various publishing projects with the Burbank-based animation studio, Starburns Industries, best known for their development of Rick & Morty and the Oscar-nominated stop-motion feature, Anomalisa. Eben specifically aided the early development of their boutique publishing division, Starburns Industries Press, which produced numerous graphic novels, cassette tapes, and art books before shuttering in the wake of the pandemic. During this time, both B-Squad and Tiny Wizards were considered for development as an animated series via Adult Swim, Netflix, and FX.

A devoted advocate for the use of comics in schools as literature and art, Eben developed a suite of curriculum for teaching comic book storytelling to youth in 3rd grade and up. In early 2014, he worked alongside a Sacramento non-profit 916 Ink to produce two youth-written, but adult-illustrated comic books. Ultimately, Eben began bringing these workshops globally including a 22-workshop campaign through the weeks-long Sharjah International Book Festival in 2019. He has notably taught about comic books on behalf of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento History Museum, and numerous comic conventions, libraries, art institutions, schools, and universities around the globe.

Eben also collaborated with the Crocker Art Museum in 2013 to establish “CrockerCon” an annual celebration of comic books at the nationally accredited art museum in Sacramento. Starting as a 500-person program, by 2025 CrockerCon saw over 7000 tickets, a dozen speakers, and almost 75 exhibitors and special guests working in comics field. Burgoon has also championed a campaign to strikedown a 75+ year old comic book ordinance that effectively bans comics in Sacramento. His efforts garnered early support of the Sacramento City Council. If the proposal passes in 2026, the repeal of the book ban will also establish a Sacramento Comic Book Week.

In addition to comics and storytelling, Eben remains an accomplished international sculptor using masking tape to create fantastic creatures and other assorted sculptures. His artwork has been a featured part of art and maker events in Berlin, China, Lithuania, Rome, and Cairo — in addition to many exhibits in the United States including New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.

Eben is based in Sacramento, California with two cats, three elderly dachshunds, and his very special lady of over 20 years.

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Breonna Taylor deserves justice and the officers who killed her in her sleep must be arrested and prosecuted. Justice for Breonna. Arrest the officers. #blacklivesmatter art by Allison Gore @allisongore

Did these quick little signs to encourage mask wearing at the brewery. Covid cooties are still creeping around. Wear a mask and help stop the spread.

Been really fun to play games and conduct workshops the last week. These some doodles I did today to help students figure out mascots and carnival barkers.

Get some food.

My golden gal.

Margot engages puppy-periscope in the deeps of the cuddle puddle.

Vivienne.

Repost @thegrio ・・・ A crowd gathers at the Wendy’s in Atlanta where #RayshardBrooks was shot and killed by Atlanta police to memorialize the 27-year-old man. Flowers, original artwork, signs, t-shirts, etc. are adorning the location. 🎨Mural by @ashleydpaints

I know way too many friends who have stories where they had a little too much to drink and slept it off in their car. These police officers, amid massive global protests about excessive forces and racist brutality, still couldn’t deescalate the situation and killed Rayshard Brooks — shooting him in the back as he fled from police. Rayshard fell asleep in his car trying to get something to eat — a day before his daughter’s birthday. For contrast, Dylan Roof, the mass shooter that hatefully gunned down black people in prayer in Charleston was apprehended alive *and the police bought him cheeseburger* after he was arrested. Rest in Power Rayshard. Black Lives Matter.

Black Trans Lives Matter Reading about the recent attacks on women like Iyanna Dior to murder of Riah Milton and Dominique Fells and police brutality behind Tiny McDade. It is pride month. We all should take a moment and pay respect to these beautiful lives, but also reflect on how we can become more tolerant and loving to our LGBTQ+ neighbors, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, friends, family, coworkers — love is love and the shape of love is boundless.

Recommended viewing. Stranger Fruit is a documentary that examines a lot of the physical evidence, manipulation of first hand testimony and subsequent cover-up by police department, the right-wing media driven defamation following Michael Brown’s murder at the hands of an out of control police officer in Ferguson. Available on Hulu.

My best friends!

It is a joy to see these horrid statues that once flaunted the lies of white supremacy and continued the “lost cause” of the Confederacy continue to die out. These horrid statues should be so lucky to be dismantled in the beautiful and artful ways. Bravo. The next Confederate statues that need to go are Lindsay Graham and Mitch McConnell. Vote. 🗳 Vote 🗳 Vote 🗳 Vote.

#DefundThePolice

We couldn’t make the protests today, but I did bring the protest to our street here in #Sacramento. Mixed in words from @official_stevanteclark + @killermike & on of my favorite quotes from James Baldwin. My wife took some pictures of the sidewalk chalk mural I did on the corner outside our house in Land Park. Link in bio to donate to over 70 community action groups across the USA. #8CantWait #BlackLivesMatter #plotplanstrategizeorganizeandmobilze #everybodyloveeverybody

#Repost but you should follow the @thegrio to get more news and culture from black voices and thinkers in your feed, too! ・・・ “Black Lives Matter” mural painted on the road to the White House in Washington, D.C. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that section of 16th Street near the White House is now called "Black Lives Matter Plaza." 🎥 @simoneyvetteleigh

Take action today for Breonna Taylor. LINK IN BIO. In honor of Breonna Taylor's birthday, here are some concrete action items people can do to commemorate her life and fight to get her justice. Complete as many items on the list as you can and share the link to this campaign so that other people can complete it too. #birthdayforbreonna

More teachable moments from the giving tree. SWIPE to read.

She’s right you know.

This is all happening amid a pandemic, just even here in my hometown multiple police helicopters have been flying over the peaceful protests EVERY HOUR of day. What is that costing our fight toward the pandemic? How many after school programs is that going to defund? How much progress will it erode? We need leadership that is ready to DEESCALATE and EDUCATE. Our @mayor_steinberg has been listening and attending the peaceful protests the past few days, I hope he’s learning some hard truths and is considering how to create bridges instead of walls. #sacramento

#Repost but you should follow the @thegrio to get more news and culture from black voices and thinkers in your feed, too!
・・・
“Black Lives Matter” mural painted on the road to the White House in Washington, D.C.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser

Eben’s studio space, nicknamed BurgooneyTunes Studios, is hosted at the Sierra 2 Center in Curtis Park-region of Sacramento. Visiting hours are typically are currently by appointment only.

Masking Tape Artwork

Derpy unicorns, tape worms, and crazy characters all made out of masking tape! What can I make for you?

Peep the Art

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