Thursday, July 19, 2018

The Post reviews Prentis Rollins' The Furnace

Best science fiction and fantasy books out this month [in print as Science Fiction].

Washington Post July 18 2018

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/best-science-fiction-and-fantasy-books-out-this-month/2018/07/06/bf6d9a4a-7eee-11e8-bb6b-c1cb691f1402_story.html

The Furnace (Tor)

"The Furnace," by Prentis Rollins (Tor)

Rob Roger's political cartoon exhibit opens at GW's Corcoran

Rob Rogers

by Mike Rhode

I was able to briefly stop by last night as Rob Rogers made a few short remarks about an exhibit of his cartoons, including 10 original pen and ink drawings and the companion colored prints critical of Trump that a Pittsburgh newspaper refused to print before they fired him. Also included are prints of sketches that they turned down before they became completed cartoons. Rogers' contentious relationship with the papers new editor has been written about extensively and soon after he was fired, GW announced they would exhibit his cartoonist directly across the street from the White House complex (information from their press release follows the images). The exhibit is sponsored by GWU and the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists. AAEC president Pat Bagley and Washington Post cartoonist Ann Telnaes contributed to the text of the exhibit.

The sold-out event drew local cartoonists Mike Jenkins, Joe Sutliff, Carolyn Belefski, Politico's Matt Wuerker, and Al Goodwyn a freelance cartoonists who appears locally in the Washington Examiner, in addition to Library of Congress curator Martha Kennedy (whose exhibit on women cartoonists is on display at the Library), and the Washington Post's Michael Cavna.

More photos can be seen here.

Incomplete sketch rejected by newspaper

Cavna, Goodwyn, Jenkins, Belefski

Belefski, Sutliff and Wuerker

Sutliff, Wuerker and Kennedy


Bagley's statement

'Spiked: The Unpublished Political Cartoons of Rob Rogers' Opens at the GW Corcoran School of the Arts and Design

Editorial cartoonist was dismissed from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after facing censorship of his cartoons

WASHINGTON (July 18, 2018)-The Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at the George
Washington University opened "Spiked: The Unpublished Political Cartoons of Rob Rogers"
today. This pop-up exhibition in the atrium gallery of the Corcoran School's historic Flagg
Building features 10 finished cartoons and eight sketches that went unpublished by Rob Rogers'
employer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, between March 6 and June 3, 2018.

Mr. Rogers served as the editorial cartoonist for the Post-Gazette for 25 years, until his firing in
June 2018. Prior to his dismissal, the newspaper refused to publish a series of cartoons
produced over three months.

"I believe the role of a newspaper is to be a watchdog, keeping democracy safe from tyrants. I
hope that visitors to the exhibit get a sense of the important role satire plays in a democracy and
how dangerous it is when the government launches attacks on a free press," Mr. Rogers said. "I
am excited to have my original cartoons on display at the Corcoran. The fact that these are
cartoons about the president and now they will be on shown a few blocks from the White House,
that is pretty incredible!"

The Corcoran strives to promote diversity of thought and experience, address critical social
issues and educate the next generation of creative cultural leaders.

"Mr. Rogers' work has tremendous educational value to our students by speaking to the skills of
technical virtuosity, iteration, perseverance and creative methodologies on how to critique
power," Sanjit Sethi, the director of the Corcoran said. "His work also becomes a powerful point
of departure for this community to speak with each other about issues around censorship,
freedom of the press, journalistic and creative integrity and the consequences of hypernationalism to a democracy."

The Corcoran organized "Spiked" in conjunction with University of Pittsburgh's University Art
Gallery and in collaboration with the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.
"Freedom of speech is more than words. It's pictures, too," Pat Bagley, president of the
association, said. "This exhibit draws attention to Rob Rogers, a popular voice at the Post Gazette
for 25 years. It points to what people in power do to people who draw funny pictures of
the powerful and why that is an important measure of a free and open society."

In addition to the exhibition this summer, the Corcoran will host a series of conversations this fall
regarding issues around censorship, freedom of the press, journalistic integrity and the consequences of nationalism to a democracy, in collaboration with both the Association of
American Editorial Cartoonists and GW's School for Media and Public Affairs.

Comic Riffs on The Dark Knight movie, the Ant-Man movie, and a Spider-Man comic book

'The Dark Knight' changed how we see 'comic-book movies.' But 10 years ago, some critics couldn't see its greatness.

by Michael Cavna Washington Post Comic Riffs blog July 18 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2018/07/18/the-dark-knight-changed-how-we-see-comic-book-movies-but-10-years-ago-some-critics-couldnt-see-its-greatness/

'Ant-Man and the Wasp' director likes life as Marvel's humble superhero comedy

by Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog July 11 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2018/07/11/ant-man-and-the-wasp-director-likes-life-as-marvels-humble-superhero-comedy/

Nick Spencer takes over 'The Amazing Spider-Man' and will focus on the Spidey basics: Laughs and love

by David Betancourt
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog July 17 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2018/07/17/nick-spencer-takes-over-the-amazing-spider-man-and-will-focus-on-the-spidey-basics-laughs-and-love/

ALMOST Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: #MeltICE

I'm afraid I missed posting this commentary from DC's Anarchist Cartoonist Mike Flugennock when it came out on July 13th due to family demands...

"#MeltICE"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=2562

"Schumer never once publicly criticized the Democrats who voted with the GOP to deregulate banks, give Trump more surveillance powers, or confirm a torturer as head of CIA. But this… https://t.co/LUilExPUWM "

Trevor Timm (@trevortimm) on Twitter, 06.26.2018

So, while the ICE has gone full Gestapo -- separating immigrant families, caging their children -- and people are in the streets taking direct action, occupying ICE offices, blocking detainee transfer buses and confronting officials in public, what are the Democrats doing? Well, along with hopping aboard the bandwagon for votes, they're lecturing us about "civility", with Chump Schumer and Nancy Pelosi being the worst of the bunch.

And, as usual, Democrats are waffling and mealy-mouthing, calling for "reforming", "restructuring" and re-imagining the American Gestapo; the most irksome of all has to be Kamala Harris who, after knocking herself out defending ICE, has suddenly started talking about "re-examining" ICE. Sorry, Ms. H., but "re-examining" and "reforming" are not abolishing.

11x16 inch medium-res color .jpg image, 1.5mb

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

The Hill on Bill Bramhall's front page cartoon for the NY Daily News

Thanks to DD Degg of the Daily Cartoonist for this.

NY Daily News cover following Helsinki summit shows Trump shooting Uncle Sam

By Morgan Gstalter - 07/16/18
http://thehill.com/homenews/media/397341-ny-daily-news-cover-shows-trump-shooting-uncle-sam-in-the-head

Rob Rogers in DC - for the record

Both events are either sold out, or no longer selling tickets, but for the record, he'll be at the Corcoran exhibit opening tomorrow night and the National Press Club on Thursday night.

Opening Night Reception: Wednesday, July 18; 6 - 8 p.m.

The Atrium Galleries at Flagg Building; Corcoran School of the Arts & Design, 500 17th Street NW

RSVP: go.gwu.edu/spiked

Banned in Pittsburgh: A Conversation with Cartoonist Rob Rogers

July 19, 2018 6:00 PM

Journalism InstLocation: Bloomberg Room

This is a ticketed event. Click here to jump to the ticket form.

Rob Rogers Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute in a conversation with Rob Rogers and see the work that was too hot for his publisher to handle. He'll be talking with Ann Telnaes, Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist at the Washington Post. Join us 6-8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 19, in the NPC's Bloomberg Room. Tickets are required to attend; RSVP using the link below. The conversation will be followed by a Q&A session. Both Rogers and Telnaes will be signing copies of their books, which will be available for purchase.

This event is being hosted by the National Press Club Journalism Institute, the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club.

Sense of Wonder exhibit open at National Gallery of Art

Sense of Humor: July 15, 2018 – January 6, 2019; West Building, Ground Floor
https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2018/sense-of-humor.html

James Gillray, Midas, Transmuting All into Paper, 1797, etching with hand-coloring in watercolor on laid paper, Wright and Evans 1851, no. 168, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Purchased as an Anonymous Gift

Humor may be fundamental to human experience, but its expression in painting and sculpture has been limited. Instead, prints, as the most widely distributed medium, and drawings, as the most private, have been the natural vehicles for comic content. Drawn from the National Gallery of Art's collection, Sense of Humor celebrates this incredibly rich though easily overlooked tradition through works including Renaissance caricatures, biting English satires, and 20th-century comics. The exhibition includes major works by Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Jacques Callot, William Hogarth, James Gillray, Francisco Goya, and Honoré Daumier, as well as later examples by Alexander Calder, Red Grooms, Saul Steinberg, Art Spiegelman, and the Guerrilla Girls.

The exhibition is curated by Jonathan Bober, Andrew W. Mellon senior curator of prints and drawings; Judith Brodie, curator and head of the department of American and modern prints and drawings; and Stacey Sell, associate curator, department of old master drawings, all National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Organization: Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington

Passes: Admission is always free and passes are not required

About the Artists

Bruegel the Elder, Pieter: Flemish; , 1525 - 1569

Calder, Alexander: American; , 1898 - 1976

Callot, Jacques: French; , 1592 - 1635

Daumier, Honoré: French; , 1808 - 1879

Gillray, James: British; , 1757 - 1815

Goya, Francisco de: Spanish; , 1746 - 1828

Grooms, Red: American; , 1937 -

Guerrilla Girls: 1985 -

Hogarth, William: British; , 1697 - 1764

Spiegelman, Art: American; , 1948 -

Steinberg, Saul: American; , 1914 - 1999

Press Event: Sense of Humor

https://www.nga.gov/audio-video/press/press-sense-of-humor.html

At the press preview for Sense of Humor on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, remarks were given by Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art. Following that, a tour of the exhibition was given by Jonathan Bober, Andrew W. Mellon senior curator of prints and drawings; Stacey Sell, associate curator, department of old master drawings; and Judith Brodie, curator and head of the department of American and modern prints and drawings.

Released: July 10, 2018

Monday, July 16, 2018

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Blue Plate Special"

From DC's anarchist cartoonist, Mike Flugennock:

"Blue Plate Special"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=2567

A little over a month ago, Democratic Party "rising star" (spit) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted "this is a massacre", referring to the Israeli slaughter of unarmed Palestinians in Gaza. Needless to say, as soon as the establishment pushed back, she immediately started waffling her ass off and folded faster than Superman on laundry day, saying that she posted that tweet "as an activist" and not a Congressmember. However, now that she's a member of Congress, she's apparently willing to "learn and evolve" -- which, as someone who grew up in Washington DC, I understand to mean "flip-flop", or "do an Obama" as we say these days.

Granted, the focus of her activism was on economic issues, but still -- if you're going to run for Congress, you also need to keep up on lots of other issues as well, such as the 70 years of brutal occupation of Palestine and the Gaza Strip by Israel, and the ongoing mass murder of Palestinians in Gaza.

What especially galled the hell out of me is that initially, Ocasio belted out the straight, raw truth -- but when the pushback hit, her first instinct was to backpedal rather than show some backbone and stand her ground in solidarity with the people of Gaza against Israeli barbarity. All the walking back, backpedaling and explaining she can possibly do now will do her no good because, as the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

At least we found out early.

"Ocasio-Cortez hedges criticisms of Israel– 'I may not use the right words'", Mondoweiss, 07.15.18
https://mondoweiss.net/2018/07/ocasio-cortez-criticisms/

"NY insurgent who said 'Dems can't be silent anymore' about Palestine clips AIPAC poodle in primary shocker", Mondoweiss 06.27.18
https://mondoweiss.net/2018/06/insurgent-anymore-palestinian/

The Post on ‘The Dark Knight’ and Heath Ledger’s Joker

'The Dark Knight' and Heath Ledger's Joker were a prophecy of our troll culture [in print as Prophet of the trolls].

by Alan Zilberman

Washington Post July 15 2018, p. E2

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-dark-knight-and-heath-ledgers-joker-were-a-prescient-example-of-troll-culture/2018/07/12/405c4694-8393-11e8-9e80-403a221946a7_story.html

This Joker Holds All the Cards

By Stephen Hunter

Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 17, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/16/AR2008071602877.html

The Post on Akira anime

Why the pioneering Japanese anime 'Akira' is still relevant 30 years later [in print as How 'Akira' rewrote the rules for anime].

by Hau Chu
Washington Post July 15 2018, p. E3, 5

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/why-the-pioneering-japanese-anime-akira-remains-relevant-30-years-later/2018/07/12/b7577c74-813f-11e8-b851-5319c08f7cee_story.html

'Akira' (NR)

By Richard Harrington
Washington Post Staff Writer
December 25, 1989
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/akira.htm

John Siuntres talks to Tom King

Tom King Q&A The Bat(Man) Is (Heart) Broken

john siuntres

July 13, 2018

http://wordballoon.blogspot.com/2018/07/tom-king-q-batman-is-heart-broken.html

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wordballoon/2018/07/13/tom-king-qa-the-batman-is-heart-broken.mp3

Batman #50 . Wow . Tom King joins us to pick up the pieces of Batman's jilted heart and gives us clues to look for as Bane gathers a strange anti-bat family to torture the caped crusader.

Members of the League Of Word Balloon listeners ask Tom about the firts 50 issues of his Batman run, Collaborations with Adam Kubert on The Wal-Mart Exclusive Superman story, Heroes In Crisis with Clay Mann Mister Miracle with Mitch Gerads and Joelle Jones . Lots of info on many current past and future projects, plus the passing of Steve Ditko and other comic creator encounters.

Ann Telnaes on Trump and Russia in The Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/opinions/amp-stories/ann-telnaes-trump-russia/?wpisrc=nl_ideas&wpmm=1

JULY 21: DC Zinefest 2018

JULY 21

DC Zinefest 2018

Public

· Hosted by DC Zinefest and Art Enables

Saturday at 11 AM - 5 PM

Art Enables

2204 Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington, District of Columbia 20018

Come see us at our NEW location at *air-conditioned* Art Enables in NE DC! The 8th Annual DC Zinefest features self-published zinesters from DC and beyond. The Fest is a one-day independent event designed to provide a space for zine-makers, self-published artists, and writers to share their work with each other and the Washington, D.C., community.

FREE & Open to the Public! All Ages!

The DC Zinefest is a safer space, which means that it is intended to be a welcoming, engaging and supportive environment free of oppressive actions, behaviors, and language. Participants and attendees are asked to consider how their language and behavior impacts others in attendance. Racism, sexism, classism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination will not be tolerated, in tabling material or at the Fest itself.

*Accessibility: The building is two stories. Both entrances are accessible by an outside street, but to go from the first floor to the second floor you will need to exit the building and enter via the other entrance. There are 15-20 stairs with handrail inside to go between floors.

*We suggest bringing CASH (and smaller bills are better!) for buying awesome zines. We'll have a list of ATM locations in the area, but know that some tablers won't be taking credit/debit cards.

*How do I get there? Where can I park?
http://dczinefest.com/faq/