Thursday, January 31, 2013
The Post reviews 'Zorro' play
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Feb 8-10: Fairfax High School production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”
Friday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 9, at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children at http://www.fxplayers.org or, at the door, $15 for adults and $10 for children. Children ages 5 and under are free with adult purchase.
More information about the play and cast can be found in this article:
'Peanuts' Comic Strip Comes Alive
Fairfax High presents, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."
By Bonnie Hobbs
Fairfax Connection January 30, 2013
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2013/jan/30/peanuts-comic-strip-comes-alive/
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Exhibiting the gold in the Golden Age at the Jewish Museum of MD
Robinson had multiple careers in cartooning including writing a history of comics, being an editorial cartoonist, and starting a syndicate, but he began as a young man in comic books. As a seventeen-year old he began working on Batman as a letterer and inker in 1939. Eventually he became a penciller for the character, and as an employee of what became DC Comics, he met a lot of artists. And thankfully he saved examples of their work, at a time when that behavior wasn't very common.
Simon & Kirby cover to Adventure Comics #78 |
And many of the writers and artists were Jewish. As comics historian Arnold Blumberg noted in his remarks at the preview, "...it's a joy to see the exhibit come to a facility like this and to take a look at it from our unique perspective of what our culture, what our heritage, has given not just to itself, but to the world. The world owns Superman and Batman and all these characters now. Many of them may not have a clue where they came from, who were the kind of people who sat down and created them, but they are now owned by the entire world. They're heroes for everybody and they came from us."
Siegel & Shuster drawing dedicated to Robinson |
This version of the exhibit does have a tricky dichotomy to it. The uncolored, unfinished single pages of comic book artwork will appeal to a mature (elderly, if they bought the titles originally) viewer, while the idea of a superhero largely is aimed at male teens and younger children. This version of the exhibit caters to the very youngest viewers, with a set of tables, chairs and supplies for making cartoons, a replica of Superman's telephone booth with costumes set alongside it, a Batmobile kiddy ride, a newsstand with comics to read on it, and a piece of "Kryptonite"with a recording that warns one not to get to close.
I was fortunate to be able to visit the exhibit with local cartoonists. Barbara Dale (of Baltimore), known for her humorous cartoons, fixated on the original Spirit page by Will Eisner and the Frank Frazetta that was next to it, and thought those two pieces made the entire exhibit worthwhile.
The Eisner Spirit page that impressed Barbara Dale... |
...and the Frazetta cover that Dale also admired. |
Note Wrightson's debt to Lou Fine. |
Bob Fujitane uses Japanese iconography. |
I had seen a previous version of this exhibit in New York at the Jewish Museum there, but it was reworked as an addition to the massive "Masters of American Comics" show. Any fan of comic book history should take the opportunity to see this version of the show at the Jewish Museum of Maryland. The catalogue can be bought in the gift shop, along with Superman toothbrushes, Batman lunchboxes and hand-painted superhero yarmelkes. The Museum has produced two curriculum guides for schools and plans lectures throughout the exhibit which runs from January 27 - August 28, 2013, and costs $8 or less. More of my pictures can be seen here.
Lost Art Books Quarterly Newsletter #2
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Monday, January 28, 2013
2012 RFK Journalism award winner Stephanie McMillan's crowdfunding book
Capitalism Must Die!
A short book of very simple, basic, accessible revolutionary theory with text, illustrations & comics: how capitalism works, why it's evil, how to crush it.
Ok, that's Stephanie's short take up there.
Kal on MPT tonight
May 11: ANS Con includes Frank Cho and other local cartoonists
THE SECOND ANNUAL ANS SCI-FI & COMIC CON
New Flying Dog bottle with Ralph Steadman label
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Smithsonian Magazine on superhero secret origins
By Robin Rosenberg
Smithsonian magazine, February 2013, p. 22
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/The-Psychology-Behind-Superhero-Origin-Stories-187938991.html
Thanks to Steve Artley for the tip.
OT: Dr. Who book published by local comics scholar
RELEASE: 8/17/12
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ATB Publishing is proud to announce its first publication:
OUTSIDE IN:
160 New Perspectives on
160 Classic Doctor Who Stories by 160 Writers
edited by Robert Smith?
There are many books and websites that review all these Doctor Who stories – tales that fans know very well – but editor Robert Smith? (Who is the Doctor; Time, Unincorporated 2-3; Braaaiiinnnsss: From Academics to Zombies) set out to create an unprecedented archive of opinion from throughout the professional and fan communities, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the greatest television show in history! The results are inventive, provocative, and always surprising. Smith? himself says:
"It's the biggest, wildest idea I ever had: as many reviews are there are classic series stories. That alone was a huge undertaking. But what really makes this shine is that I put in an additional requirement: say something different. In short, these aren't your father's reviews. What I wanted for OUTSIDE IN was takes on the classic series that make you go, 'Wow, I never thought of that.' Fortunately, that struck a chord with everyone and I mostly got to sit back and watch everybody bring their A-game to the table.
Some reviews are thoughtful, some are funny, and some are utterly gonzo. I've had mock-angry letters to the BBC, transcripts of council meetings, even a recipe. There are flow charts, maps, TV scripts, timelines, Shakespearean plays... and, of course, intensely passionate and vocal opinions about the entirety of Doctor Who. You may not agree with everything that's said in this book – indeed, I hope you don't! – but the end result is something intensely personal that every Doctor Who fan will find resonates with them in some way.
The watchword of the project is diversity. That's one of the great strengths of fandom: put ten fans in a room and you'll wind up with eleven opinions. And isn't that the great thing about Doctor Who? It's like the weather: endlessly discussable and if you don't like what's happening right now, there'll be something else along shortly. OUTSIDE IN captures that essence, both in terms of the show itself and also its many-splendoured fandom."
OUTSIDE IN debuts on November 23, 2012 with a launch at Chicago TARDIS 2012 (www.chicagotardis.com). 5% of the full retail price of all sales of the book will be donated to Avert, a UK-based HIV/AIDS charity (www.avert.org).
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Cover Price: $24.95 (p/b)
Release Date: November 23, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-9882210-0-0
432 pages, 6" x 9"
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Featuring contributions from:
ANDREW CARTMEL (DOCTOR WHO script editor, 1987-1989)
DAVID J. HOWE (DOCTOR WHO historian, Telos Publishing co-founder)
DEBORAH STANISH (co-editor, Chicks Unravel Time)
GRAEME BURK (co-author, Who is the Doctor)
JONATHAN BLUM (DOCTOR WHO novelist)
KATE ORMAN (DOCTOR WHO novelist)
KIM NEWMAN (author, Anno Dracula series and DOCTOR WHO novella Time and Relative)
L.M. MYLES (co-editor, Chicks Unravel Time)
SHAUN LYON (Program Director, Gallifrey One convention)
TAMMY GARRISON (contributor, Chicks Dig Time Lords)
& 150 more!
ATB Publishing
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P.O. Box 1863
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Cockeysville, MD 21030
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OT: Matt Wagner and the Shadow
Straight from the Source: Matt Wagner Casts Light on The Shadow: Year One
PREVIEWSworld January 2013
http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/977?articleID=130678
Unlike Matt, I didn't become a comic book creator though. And he's absolutely spot-on when he says "The process of collecting comics used to involve a certain sense of mystery that's missing from today's fandom, where a quick internet search can hook you up with pretty much anything your budget can afford." Late last year I decided to read the 1960s Belmont novels which set the Shadow in then-present day. After 30 years of looking for them and finding 3 or 4 in used bookstores, I completed my set in a few minutes on the internet.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Jan 26: DENNIS HOPELESS and MIKE NORTON at Third Eye Comics
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