Comics Riffs on Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat

ALI FERZAT GALLERY: Eight eye-catching cartoons to support beaten Syrian artist

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 31 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/ali-ferzat-gallery-eight-eye-catching-cartoons-to-support-beaten-syrian-artist/2011/08/30/gIQAXjrjrJ_blog.html

Note local cartoonists Matt Wuerker and Nate Beeler are featured.

Comic Riffs interviews Dan DiDio on DC's reboot

THE NEW 52: DC's DAN DiDIO shares his take on Wednesday's hotly anticipated relaunch
by David Betancourt
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog (August 31 2011)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/the-new-52-dcs-dan-didio-shares-his-take-on-wednesdays-hotly-anticipated-relaunch/2011/08/30/gIQAoSKwqJ_blog.html

Jo Chen cover for Captain Victory #1

There's a shot of Jo Chen's cover in this interview:

Gates Revives "Captain Victory"
by Steve Sunu, August 31 2011
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=34106

PR: Craig Thompson's HABIBI Debuts For CBLDF at SPX 2011

Craig Thompson's HABIBI Debuts
at SPX 2011 to Benefit CBLDF!

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is proud to host Craig Thompson at this year's Small Press Expo, and to premiere his eagerly awaited graphic novel HABIBI! Through a special arrangement with Random House, a benefit preview edition of 100 signed & numbered copies of the graphic novel will be available to donors who contribute $100 or more to the CBLDF at SPX. These copies will be available on a first-come, first served basis when the show opens on Saturday, September 10.

In addition to this rare preview, the CBLDF is also auctioning off lunch at SPX with Craig and #1/100 from this preview edition on eBay starting on Tuesday, August 30th, and ending on Thursday, September 8th. Bid on this exciting auction now!

Craig Thompson says, "It's very exciting to be able to launch HABIBI at SPX in a way that gives back to the CBLDF. I got my start in small press comics, and have always been supportive of the CBLDF. Being able to help out in this way, and to appear at the show with HABIBI feels like a homecoming."

Sprawling across an epic landscape of deserts, harems, and modern industrial clutter, HABIBI tells the tale of Dodola and Zam, refugee child slaves bound to each other by chance, circumstance, and love. We follow them as their lives unfold together and apart; as they struggle to make a place for themselves in a world fueled by fear and greed.

At once contemporary and timeless, HABIBI gives us a love story of astounding resonance; a parable about our relationship to the natural world, the cultural divide between the first and third worlds, the common heritage of Christianity and Islam, and the magic of storytelling.

This is a rare opportunity to spend time with one of the great modern cartoonists, and receive an extremely limited edition of what is sure to be the biggest graphic novel event of 2011.

All proceeds from this auction will immediately benefit the First Amendment legal work of the CBLDF.

Sept 13: Georgetown Library Graphic Novel Club meets

On September 13th, the Georgetown Library Graphic Novel Club meets at 6:30 pm for the first time, discussing Batman: Battle for the Cowl. For information call 202-727-0232.

SPX at LOC in TCJ

An interview with Warren Bernard over the Library of Congress' new deposit collection -

Introducing The Small Press Expo Collection
BY Dan Nadel Aug 30, 2011
http://www.tcj.com/introducing-the-small-press-expo-collection/

A prediction about Habibi

I talked to Craig Thompson today for a City Paper feature, and thus got to read the galleys of Habibi early. 

My prediction - this graphic novel, and it really is more like a novel that you have to read in chunks - will be the hot book of 2011 in the wide world, the way Mazzuchelli's Asterios Polyp was in 2009.

It's not for kids though.

Comic Riffs on 9/11 comic strips and Stripped documentary

9/11 TRIBUTE: Comics pages will mark 10th anniversary of Sept. 11 tragedy
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog (August 30 2011)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/911-tribute-comics-pages-will-mark-10th-anniversary-of-sept-11-tragedy/2011/08/30/gIQAZMm4pJ_blog.html

'STRIPPED': Comics documentary reaches Kickstarter target of $58K
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog (August 29 2011)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/stripped-comics-documentary-reaches-kickstarter-target-of-58k/2011/08/29/gIQApZJcoJ_blog.html

Richard (Cul de Sac) Thompson was interviewed for the latter; I'm not sure if he or Donna (Reply All) Lewis or Gene (Barney & Clyde) Weingarten or Kevin (Crock) Rechin are participating in the former.

Pixar's Marty Baumann interview at City Paper

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Marty Baumann

by Mike Rhode
Washington City Paper Arts Desk blog Aug. 30, 2011


Most non-animation fans probably don't know his work, but Marty's got a real sweet style.

Here's some minor cutting room floor bits:

WCP: What's your favorite thing about DC?

MB: My friends.

WCP: Least favorite?

MB: The drivers.

WCP: What monument or museum do you take most out-of-town guests to?

MB: Gettysburg. The battlefield is one of the most awesome places on earth.