May 27: Batmobile coming to DC

DCist has the story about the pre-movie premiere visit of the Batmobile to our fair city.

Photos! Al Jaffee, Michael Uslan, Rick Marschall and Jim Ottaviani

Comics events in DC happen with surprising regularity these days - here's pics of a few events I attended late in the year.

Comic book writer Jim Ottaviani signed his new book 'Feynman' at the National Air & Space Museum. Notwithstanding the last photo, he had so many people I barely had a chance to speak with him:









Comics historian Rick Marschall at the Library of Congress:







Batman movie producer Michael Uslan discussing his book The Boy Who Loved Batman at Discovery (note the signature he uses):









MAD magazine cartoonist Al Jaffee and Mary-Lou Weisman signing their book at the DCJCC:













Al Jaffee's bookplate that he uses instead of signing due to a tremor.


Al Jaffee's bookplate that he uses instead of signing the biography Al Jaffee's Mad Life (by Mary-Lou Weisman).


A display of Big Nate books at Barnes and Noble.


Cartoon books for sale at the National Cathedral.

Truitt on Batwing and Defenders

Judd Winick's 'Batwing' explores the Batman of Africa
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 5 2011

Matt Fraction embraces the weirdness of 'The Defenders'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 7 2011

Michael Uslan interview coming to the City Paper tomorrow

I'll post the link when it appears, but I did a 45-minute telephone interview with the Batman movie producer, which touched on his new autobiography, his writing for Archie comics, and of course, on Batman:

Michael Uslan: Yeah, The Boy Who Loved Batman is about the boy who loved Batman, the ultimate fanboy geek who learned to read from comics before he was four, and the adventures and misadventures I had collecting comics, going to the world's first comics convention ever held, becoming an early member of comics fandom, finding a way to incorporate my love of comic books and superheroes, in particular Batman, into my work and life with my attempt to restore dignity to Batman after the tv show and finding the ways for a blue-collar kid from New Jersey to make it to Hollywood to show them the potential of dark and serious Batman movies, even though I didn't come from money, and couldn't buy my way into Hollywood. I didn't know anyone and didn't have any relatives in the business, so it's really my story of a life's journey of what you can do to make your dreams come true – for me I was able to pull it off ultimately.

He'll be appearing on Thurs, Dec 8th in Silver Spring at the Discovery building.

Dec 8: "An Evening with Michael Uslan, Executive Producer of The Dark Night"

"An Evening with Michael Uslan, Executive Producer of The Dark Night"

CINE is co-hosting a book party with PGA-East for Michael Uslan, who is the Executive Producer of The Dark Knight and the other Batman movies in Silver Spring on December 8 at 6:30 pm. To pre-register, go to www.cine.org - there is a charge which varies between $10 and $30. Uslan will be mingling and available to chat as well as signing books.

Truitt on Batman, Swamp Thing and a Flight of Angels

'Noel' takes 'Christmas Carol' under Batman's wing
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY November 1 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-11-01/batman-http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifsuperhero-holiday/51030852/1

'Swamp Thing' writer Scott Snyder is a new master of horror
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY October 31 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-10-31/Swamp-Thing-writer-Scott-Snyder-a-new-master-of-horror/51012068/1

Heavenly interest sparks creation of 'A Flight of Angels'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY November 1 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-11-01/Heavenly-interest-sparks-A-Flight-of-Angels-graphic-novel/51031858/1

Glen Weldon attempts comic book schooling...

...the fool!

Pop Culture Happy Hour: We Give Thanks, Try Comics, And Debate Happiness
by Linda Holmes
National Public Radio's Monkey See blog November 26, 2010
http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2010/11/26/131609227/pop-culture-happy-hour-we-give-thanks-try-comics-and-debate-happiness or

http://public.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/blog/2010/11/20101126_blog_pchh.mp3

Truitt on Batman, Inc.

'Batman and Robin' brings a 'game-changer' for Bruce Wayne
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY November 3 2010

Cul de Sac starts Batman homage UPDATED

Richard Thompson in Cul de Sac starts a Batman homage or parody or swipe today.

If you're not familiar enough with the superhero to see the whatchamacallit, click here.

Ok, apparently I wasn't the first to notice that. Richard mentioned it on his blog yesterday. BTW, it's his birthday.

Zadzooks on Batman's Red Hood and The Losers

Zadzooks: Batman: Under the Red Hood, The Losers, Clash of the Titans
Blue over Batman's 'Red Hood'
By Joseph Szadkowski - The Washington Times July 28, 2010

Greg's recommendations popped up this week too -

Bennett's Best: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and Welcome to Tranquility
By Greg Bennett, Special to Zadzooks
Monday, July 26, 2010

Superheroes Who Are Super at the Capital Fring Festival beginning tonight

 

 

Save the Day Productions is presenting its live readings of comic books, "Superheroes Who Are Super" at the Capital Fringe Festival beginning tonight

 

Times

Friday, July 9 @ 8pm
Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man and Wonder Woman #1
Saturday, July 10 @ 10pm
Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man and Wonder Woman #1
Wednesday, July 14 @ 9:45pm
Batman Adventures: Mad Love
Friday, July 16 @ 10:15pm
The Uncanny X-Men #127-128
Sunday, July 18 @ 3:30pm
The Uncanny X-Men #127-128

 

Location

The Apothecary
1013 7th Street, NW
Washington, DC
Tickets: $15

Brian Truitt on the formerly-dead Robin

'Lost Days' looks at Red Hood's tragic saga
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY 6/3/2010

Zadzooks reviews comic books, including Captain America's return to life

Zadzooks: Captain America, The Crazies and Sparta U.S.A.
Joseph Szadkowski
Washington Times March 20, 2010

Meanwhile at Bennett's Best, Greg has a couple of recommendations, neither of which I can get behind.

Comic Riffs on silly Batman auction price

1939 Batman Detective Comics No. 27 sells for record $1 million at auction, By Michael Cavna, Washington Post February 26, 2010.

Zadzooks 2009 gift guide

Zadzooks: 2009 Gift Guide
By Joseph Szadkowski
Washington Times December 17 2009

More SHOCs - Batmania and Japanese anime in 1966

I went through a couple more fragments of 1966 Detroit Free Press newspapers today.

One of the big stories was apparently the Batman tv show - this illustrated an article on Batmania:


Things don't appear to have changed much in 40 years, do they? It's by Thurston, who also did one of the Odd 'Change comics in yesterday's post.


I'm guessing that DC wasn't paid for this use...


And this wire photo of a Japanese anime character surprised me. I had to go Wikipedia to find out this was Obake no Qtarō (or Oba-Q as in the caption here). From February 28, 1966.

OT: Batmobile replica for charity auction for Africa

I was asked to post about this, and it seems like a good cause. However, you will not see this under the "Mike's new acquisitions" heading.

A working replica of the 1960s Batmobile is being auctioned for The Life Project For Africa, Giving Hope To The Poor.  The replica has 705 hp 514 cu in Stroker motor with Billett alum parts, flame thrower, custom transmission, adjustable air suspension, Pioneer AZIC 3 Navigation system, and much more. 

You can view the detailed information and bid on the Batmobile here: http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/106401

 

Zadzooks likes new Batman videogame

See "Zadzooks: Batman: Arkham Asylum review," Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times September 5, 2009 in which he concludes "Batman: Arkham Asylum is the best licensed comic-book video game ever made. Read that and weep, my friends, as it will take a lot for me ever to write that again."

LEGO Brickfest 2009 continued

Kids - don't buy ice cream from Uncle Joker's trucks. Presumably this came with a specialty Batman set when the movies were released.

Batman at the Renwick

Herschel K writes in "As part of the exhibit Staged Stories: Renwick Craft Invitational 2009, at the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery August 7 to January 3rd, 2010 there are a number of Batman items by fiber artist Mark Newport."

Sounds interesting - the Renwick is a gem of a museum too.