Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Ann Simon at Alliance Francaise (catching up)

Ann Simon spoke with Michael Cavna of the Washington Post's Comic Riffs blog a couple of weeks ago. I took some pictures, but am just now getting them onto Flickr.

20161012_210418

20161012_195834
(Translator is in the center)

IMG_20161012_193202

20161013_074640
Her drawing for Michigan State University's Comic Art Collection.

More pictures can be seen here.

Wednesday, January 07, 2015

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Cartoons on matchbooks

I stopped into the MARVA matchbook club meeting yesterday to hand off some old matchbooks (as you know, I love ephemera) and the group was very welcoming. They usually have piles they trade amongst themselves as everyone has to specialize. I found a few of cartoon interest:

matchbooks - 1940s cartoons
3 hillbilly gag cartoons, probably from the 1940s or early 1950s, on matchbook covers.

Matchbooks - won't be long now
"Won't Be Long Now" hillbilly cartoon gag on matchbook cover.

matchbooks - Cricket not Disney
A cricket that looks a lot like Disney's Jiminy on a "Li'l Cricket Food Stores" matchbook cover.

matchbooks Art Instruction
Matchbook ad for Art Instruction, Inc, the school that Charles Schulz attended (via correspondence) and taught at before Peanuts.

Matchbooks Art Instruction reverse
Interior of matchbook ad for Art Instruction, Inc, the school that Charles Schulz attended (via correspondence) and taught at before Peanuts.

matchbooks - Francisque Poulbot of France
Cartoon matchbook spotlighting French cartoonist.


ANNÉE DE L'ENFANCE [aka, Année internationale de l’enfant : 1979]

Francisque Poulbout (1879-1946)
Dessinateur humoriste, POULBOT devient célèbre vers 1910, grâce à ses dessins inspirés des gosses de la rue. Il crée en 1920 le Dispensaire de P'tits Poulbots et la République de Montmartre pour aider les enfants nécessiteux. Le nom de poulbot est aujourd’hui passé dans la langue courante pour désigner un gosse de la rue.

Translation by Portugese comics scholar Leo de Sa:

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE CHILD [1979]
Francisque Poulbout (1879-1946)
Cartoonist, POULBOT became famous around 1910, thanks to his drawings inspired by street kids. In 1920 he created the Dispensary of Little Poulbots and the Republic of Montmartre to help needy children. The name "poulbot" became the everyday-language designation for a street kid.



Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Festival Imagé updated schedule

Pulled from the Festival Imagé website, here is updated information.

Booksigning tonight!
-Tuesday April 20 at AFDC, 6:30 pm:

Exhibition opening "Les Trois Ombres" by Cyril Pedrosa


Book signing by Antoine Dodé and Cyril Pedrosa

At the Alliance Française. The opening reception and book signing are free but reservations are mandatory. 202 234 79 11



-Wednesday April 21st at MICA, 7 pm:

Presentation: Laurence Arcadias

Short Films from SUPINFOCOM and MICA students



At MICA/ free



-Thursday April 22nd at Letelier Theater, 7 pm

Short Films from SUPINFOCOM and MICA students



At Letelier Theater 3251 Prospect Street, NW, Upper Courtyard, Washington DC/ free for MICA students and AF members - General admission $8



-Friday April 23rd at AFDC, 6:30 pm

Lecture by Pascal Fioretto: "Humor in comics"



At the Alliance Française/ free for MICA students and AF members - General admission $8



-Saturday April 24th at MICA:



-2 p.m., Room 140: MICA illustration faculty member Alain Corbel presents his Sequential Art students’ exhibition

-2 p.m., Room 110: MICA students' animation on display

-3 p.m., Room 140: Workshop with Cyril Pedrosa and MICA students on the narrative process

-4 p.m., Room 140: Professional forum with publishers Yvan Alagbé (Fremok/France), Jérôme Martineau (Carabas Revolution/France) and Calista Brill (First Second Books/US)

-6 p.m., Main Court: Closing party


At MICA/ free




-Sunday, April 25 at MICA
2-5 pm: Room 140: Closing of exhibition by MICA's Sequential Art class

At MICA/ free

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Alliance Française de Washington lecture today

Antoine Dodé is speaking at 2 pm at the Alliance. The complete festival press release follows.




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Alliance Française de Washington, MICA's Illustration and Experimental Animation Departments present

From April 16 to 24, 2010

Festival Imagé

French Comics and Animation Festival

Baltimore-Washington DC (USA)


The Alliance Française de Washington and The Maryland Institute College of Arts (MICA) are inaugurating their partnership with the Festival Imagé, first festival in the USA, which promotes the new generation of French artists working in comics and animated films.

From April 16 to 24, meetings, author-led workshops, and screenings of animated films will stress the similarities and differences which exist in "bande dessinée" and animated film between both sides of the Atlantic.

Five comics artists, four comic book publishers from both France and the US, as well as various comics connoisseurs and a series of events prepared by DC-based comics artists and students of MICA – America's oldest art school– will help animate this exceptional 10-day festival dedicated to sequential art.

The festival will engage a wide audience of amateurs, children, art students, Francophiles, and comic's aficionados of the "9ème Art" through the creativity and vitality of this made-in-France artistic format where more than 5000 titles are published each year.

Having been involved in the Festival Imagé since its inception, MICA's animation students will also have the chance to introduce their view of French culture through their own animated shorts, to be shown at two successive screenings.

During these two consecutive days, animated films from both MICA students and students from one of the most famous French schools, SUPINFOCOM, will be showcased in Baltimore and Washington.

A French author will also be visiting one of DC's underprivileged elementary schools through the Alliance Française's Outreach Program to share his passion with children.

On their side, students from MICA and local illustrators will meet French and US publishers and present their work through exhibitions during the professional forum.

This forum will offer a chance to create artistic ties and professional opportunities to be published in the USA but also in France.

Last but not least, French and American illustrators will launch a creative dialogue during the entire Festival Imagé with an interactive and collective production to be revealed during the festival's closing party.

Prepare to be overwhelmed by a new generation of talented and productive artists who interpret the daily complexities of modern society through an incredible variety of styles and artistic universes.

"Strike your imagination!"

Festival Imagé Program

-Friday April 16 at MICA:

7:30 pm: Opening reception

8 pm: Panel discussion with Nicolas Nemiri, Antoine Dodé, Alain Corbel, and Laurence Arcadias. Moderated by José Villarrubia.

Beginning of the contest

At MICA/ Free

-Saturday April 17 at AFDC, 2 pm

Workshop with Antoine Dodé

http://www.antoinedode.com/

At the Alliance Française/ Free

-Monday April 19 at MICA, 8 pm

Lecture by José Villarrubia: "Colors in Comics"

At MICA/ Free

-Tuesday April 20 at AFDC, 6:30 pm

Opening reception of the exhibition Les Trois Ombres by Cyril Pedrosa

Workshop with Domitille Collardey

http://www.domitille-collardey.com/ink.html

At the Alliance Française/ Free for MICA students and AF members - General Admission $8

-Wednesday April 21st at MICA, 7 pm

Presentation: Laurence Arcadias

Short Films from SUPINFOCOM and MICA students

At MICA/ Free

-Thursday April 22nd at Letelier Theater, 7 pm

Short Films from SUPINFOCOM and MICA students

At Letelier Theater 3251 Prospect Street, NW, Upper Courtyard, Washington DC

Free for MICA students and AF members - General Admission $8

-Friday April 23rd at AFDC, 6:30 pm

Lecture by Pascal Fioretto: "Humor in comics"

At the Alliance Française/ free for MICA students and AF members - General admission: $8

-Saturday April 24th at MICA:

2:00 Alain Corbel presents his students work:

Exhibition "Gargantua"

2:30 pm: Workshop with Cyril Pedrosa http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/threeShadows.html

4 pm: Professional Forum with publishers from France and the US

Contest Results

6:30 pm: Closing Party

At MICA/ Free


Artists and speakers

Antoine Dodé was born in Amiens and lived there until he moved to Belgium to study illustration at the Saint Luc School of Art. He is best known in the French and Belgian market for his character Armelle, who has been featured in two graphic novels published under Carabas Revolution (Semic): "Armelle and the Bird" and "Armelle and My Uncle."

http://www.antoinedode.com/

José Villarrubia was born in Madrid, Spain, but is a long time Baltimore resident. A professor of the Illustration Department at MICA, José is best known for his coloring work in comics for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and other companies and for his collaborations with author Alan Moore.

Domitille Collardey (born 1981) is best known for founding the Chicou-Chicou comics collective with Aude Picault. She currently lives in Paris and Brooklyn, NY. Domitille graduated from les Arts Decoratifs de Paris in 2004.

She is currently working on an adaptation of Jean Teulé's novel "The Suicide Shop" for French publisher Delcourt, with Olivier Ka.

She also works for various press publications, such as Technikart, Beaux Arts Magazine, and Double.

http://www.domitille-collardey.com/ink.html

Pascal Fioretto Although he was a math whiz early on, having majored in chemistry at the Ecole normale supérieure of Chemistry, he also displayed a strong interest in literature and writing, which he finally gave in to. Catching the attention of cartoonist Marcel Gotlib, Fioretto then lent his wit to Fluide Glacial, a French monthly publication appealing to any and all lovers of truly tasteless jokes and irreverent humor.

Cyril Pedrosa began his career in animation, working on the Disney films "Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Hercules." He has since become a rising star in a new kind of graphic storytelling, combining the influences of animation and the literary traditions of Borges, Garcia Marquez, and Tolkien to create a unique visual signature.

http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/threeShadows.html

Nicolas Nemiri is a French comics author and illustrator who has always been very much inspired by Japanese manga. His artistic style is unique in that it blends manga with French esthetics. Nicolas is actually working on the 3rd album of his series "Je suis morte" created with writer Jean-David Morvan, a sci-fi story where teenagers are dealing with life, death and eternity.

http://www.nemiri.com/

Alain Corbel. With comic creator Eric Lambe, he produced Mokka and Pelure Amere, two modern comic strip magazines that influenced many authors and publishers in France and Belgium like Amok, Freon and La Cinquieme Couche. He works as an illustrator, comic strip artist, and storywriter. He is also teacher at MICA, Illustration Department. He did many books published in France and Portugal. He has a passion for Africa where he organizes regularly with the Portuguese NGO ACEP illustration/writing workshops. http://www.alaincorbel.in-netz.com/ http://obaraleixo.blogspot.com/

Laurence Arcadias teaches animation at MICA and is the Co- chair of the Animation department.

She started her career in Paris as an illustrator and animator. She directed a TV show: "Alex", best animated TV series in Annecy festival and spent 3 years as Animator in Residence at Apple. She also worked for several companies such as hotwired, Kodak, Leapfrog…Her films have been screened internationally.

http://www.arcadias.tv


Located in the north of France, SUPINFOCOM is a unique school, made of passionate people for passionate students, armed with an educational experience and managed by a united team, a demanding school, which innovates, supports the students towards their professional future by developing their artistic sensitivity, and opens unclear ways. After 20 years of existence and 1246 graduates, SUPINFOCOM is still filled with the enthusiasm of pioneers and enriched with collective experience. http://www.supinfocom.org/


With the support of the Maryland Institute College of Art's Office of Academic Services, the office of Research and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Faculty.

Please include Festival Imagé, from April 16 to 24 in your cultural events listing. Do not hesitate to contact me directly if you want to attend or cover this event.

WHAT: Festival Imagé French Comics and Animation Festival

WHEN: From April 16 to 24, 2010

WHERE: At the Alliance Française 2142 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20008

MICA 1300 W. Mount Royal Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21217

And Letelier Theater 3251 Prospect Street, NW Upper Courtyard Washington DC 20007

COST: All of the events are free for MICA students and Alliance Française members

Events at the Alliance Française and Letelier Theater: free for MICA students and AF members - General Admission $8

Information/reservation: Alliance Française 202-234-7911 - MICA 410-225-2300

The Alliance Française is the largest network of French language and cultural centers in the world. Founded in 1949, the Alliance Française de Washington offers French classes for all levels, numerous cultural events throughout the year, and a multi-media library open to all members. For more information visit www.francedc.org

You can download our press kit here: http://www.francedc.org/en/Article.aspx?id=460

L'Alliance Française de Washington is on Facebook! Join our group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4811854756

We are also on Twitter! http://twitter.com/FranceDC

Sonia Lahcene
Cultural Assistant
_______________________________________
Alliance Française de Washington
2142 Wyoming Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
tel: (202) 234-7911 ext 16
fax: (202) 234-0125
www.francedc.org

To subscribe to our email list and receive our messages on cultural activities, please go to www.francedc.org then "sign up for our e-newsletter".

You can also join our Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4811854756


Thursday, April 15, 2010

French comics and animation festival starts tomorrow

Quick details here -

Accent on Art: Alliance Francaise's and MICA's Festival Image
Written by Express contributor Ryan Little
Express April 15, 2010

I'm off to see Matt Wuerker get the Herblock award.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

PR: Festival Image (French Comics and Animation Festival)- Alliance Francaise de Washington


This looks good!


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

The Alliance Française de Washington, MICA's Illustration and Experimental Animation Departments present

 

From April 16 to 24, 2010

 

Festival Imagé

French Comics and Animation Festival

Baltimore-Washington DC (USA)


The Alliance Française de Washington and The Maryland Institute College of Arts (MICA) are inaugurating their partnership with the Festival Imagé, first festival in the USA, which promotes the new generation of French artists working in comics and animated films.

 

From April 16 to 24, meetings, author-led workshops, and screenings of animated films will stress the similarities and differences which exist in "bande dessinée" and animated film between both sides of the Atlantic.

 

Five comics artists, four comic book publishers from both France and the US, as well as various comics connoisseurs and a series of events prepared by DC-based comics artists and students of MICA – America's oldest art school– will help animate this exceptional 10-day festival dedicated to sequential art.

 

The festival will engage a wide audience of amateurs, children, art students, Francophiles, and comic's aficionados of the "9ème Art" through the creativity and vitality of this made-in-France artistic format where more than 5000 titles are published each year.

 

Having been involved in the Festival Imagé since its inception, MICA's animation students will also have the chance to introduce their view of French culture through their own animated shorts, to be shown at two successive screenings.

During these two consecutive days, animated films from both MICA students and students from one of the most famous French schools, SUPINFOCOM, will be showcased in Baltimore and Washington.

 

A French author will also be visiting one of DC's underprivileged elementary schools through the Alliance Française's Outreach Program to share his passion with children.

 

On their side, students from MICA and local illustrators will meet French and US publishers and present their work through exhibitions during the professional forum.

This forum will offer a chance to create artistic ties and professional opportunities to be published in the USA but also in France.

 

Last but not least, French and American illustrators will launch a creative dialogue during the entire Festival Imagé with an interactive and collective production to be revealed during the festival's closing party.

 

Prepare to be overwhelmed by a new generation of talented and productive artists who interpret the daily complexities of modern society through an incredible variety of styles and artistic universes.

 

"Strike your imagination!"

 

Festival Imagé Program

 

 -Friday April 16 at MICA:

 

7:30 pm: Opening reception

8 pm: Panel discussion with Nicolas Nemiri, Antoine Dodé, Alain Corbel, and Laurence Arcadias. Moderated by José Villarrubia.

Beginning of the contest

At MICA/ Free

 

-Saturday April 17 at AFDC, 2 pm

Workshop with Antoine Dodé

http://www.antoinedode.com/

At the Alliance Française/ Free

 

 

-Monday April 19 at MICA, 8 pm

 

Lecture by José Villarrubia: "Colors in Comics"

 At MICA/ Free

 

 

-Tuesday April 20 at AFDC, 6:30 pm

 

Opening reception of the exhibition Les Trois Ombres by Cyril Pedrosa

Workshop with Domitille Collardey

http://www.domitille-collardey.com/ink.html

 At the Alliance Française/ Free for MICA students and AF members - General Admission $8

 

-Wednesday April 21st at MICA, 7 pm

Presentation: Laurence Arcadias

Short Films from SUPINFOCOM and MICA students

 At MICA/ Free

 

 

-Thursday April 22nd at Letelier Theater, 7 pm

Short Films from SUPINFOCOM and MICA students

At Letelier Theater 3251 Prospect Street, NW, Upper Courtyard, Washington DC

Free for MICA students and AF members - General Admission $8

 

-Friday April 23rd at AFDC, 6:30 pm

Lecture by Pascal Fioretto: "Humor in comics"

 At the Alliance Française/ free for MICA students and AF members - General admission: $8

 

-Saturday April 24th at MICA:

2:00 Alain Corbel presents his students work:

Exhibition "Gargantua"

2:30 pm: Workshop with Cyril Pedrosa http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/threeShadows.html

4 pm: Professional Forum with publishers from France and the US

Contest Results

6:30 pm: Closing Party

At MICA/ Free

 

 


Artists and speakers 

 

 

Antoine Dodé was born in Amiens and lived there until he moved to Belgium to study illustration at the Saint Luc School of Art. He is best known in the French and Belgian market for his character Armelle, who has been featured in two graphic novels published under Carabas Revolution (Semic): "Armelle and the Bird" and "Armelle and My Uncle."

 http://www.antoinedode.com/

 

José Villarrubia was born in Madrid, Spain, but is a long time Baltimore resident. A professor of the Illustration Department at MICA, José is best known for his coloring work in comics for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and other companies and for his collaborations with author Alan Moore.

Domitille Collardey (born 1981) is best known for founding the Chicou-Chicou comics collective with Aude Picault. She currently lives in Paris and Brooklyn, NY. Domitille graduated from les Arts Decoratifs de Paris in 2004.  

She is currently working on an adaptation of Jean Teulé's novel "The Suicide Shop" for French publisher Delcourt, with Olivier Ka.

She also works for various press publications, such as Technikart, Beaux Arts Magazine, and Double.

 http://www.domitille-collardey.com/ink.html

 Pascal Fioretto Although he was a math whiz early on, having majored in chemistry at the Ecole normale supérieure of Chemistry, he also displayed a strong interest in literature and writing, which he finally gave in to. Catching the attention of cartoonist Marcel Gotlib, Fioretto then lent his wit to Fluide Glacial, a French monthly publication appealing to any and all lovers of truly tasteless jokes and irreverent humor.

Cyril Pedrosa began his career in animation, working on the Disney films "Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Hercules." He has since become a rising star in a new kind of graphic storytelling, combining the influences of animation and the literary traditions of Borges, Garcia Marquez, and Tolkien to create a unique visual signature. 

http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/threeShadows.html

Nicolas Nemiri is a French comics author and illustrator who has always been very much inspired by Japanese manga. His artistic style is unique in that it blends manga with French esthetics. Nicolas is actually working on the 3rd album of his series "Je suis morte" created with writer Jean-David Morvan, a sci-fi story where teenagers are dealing with life, death and eternity.

http://www.nemiri.com/

 

Alain Corbel. With comic creator Eric Lambe, he produced Mokka and Pelure Amere, two modern comic strip magazines that influenced many authors and publishers in France and Belgium like Amok, Freon and La Cinquieme Couche. He works as an illustrator, comic strip artist, and storywriter. He is also teacher at MICA, Illustration Department. He did many books published in France and Portugal. He has a passion for Africa where he organizes regularly with the Portuguese NGO ACEP  illustration/writing workshops.   http://www.alaincorbel.in-netz.com/  http://obaraleixo.blogspot.com/

 Laurence Arcadias teaches animation at MICA and is the Co- chair of the Animation department.

She started her career in Paris as an illustrator and animator. She directed a TV show: "Alex", best animated TV series in Annecy festival and spent 3 years as Animator in Residence at Apple. She also worked for several companies such as hotwired, Kodak, Leapfrog…Her films have been screened internationally.

http://www.arcadias.tv


Located in the north of France, SUPINFOCOM is a unique school, made of passionate people for passionate students, armed with an educational experience and managed by a united team, a demanding school, which innovates, supports the students towards their professional future by developing their artistic sensitivity, and opens unclear ways. After 20 years of existence and 1246 graduates, SUPINFOCOM is still filled with the enthusiasm of pioneers and enriched with collective experience. http://www.supinfocom.org/

 


With the support of the Maryland Institute College of Art's Office of Academic Services, the office of Research and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Faculty.             

 

 

Please include Festival Imagé, from April 16 to 24 in your cultural events listing. Do not hesitate to contact me directly if you want to attend or cover this event.

 

WHAT: Festival Imagé  French Comics and Animation Festival

 

WHEN: From April 16 to 24, 2010

 

WHERE: At the Alliance Française 2142 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20008

                 MICA 1300 W. Mount Royal Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21217

And Letelier Theater 3251 Prospect Street, NW Upper Courtyard Washington DC 20007

 

 COST: All of the events are free for MICA students and Alliance Française members 

Events at the Alliance Française and Letelier Theater: free for MICA students and AF members - General Admission $8

 

 Information/reservation:  Alliance Française 202-234-7911 - MICA 410-225-2300

 

 

The Alliance Française is the largest network of French language and cultural centers in the world. Founded in 1949, the Alliance Française de Washington offers French classes for all levels, numerous cultural events throughout the year, and a multi-media library open to all members.  For more information visit www.francedc.org

You can download our press kit here: http://www.francedc.org/en/Article.aspx?id=460

 

L'Alliance Française de Washington is on Facebook! Join our group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4811854756

 

We are also on Twitter! http://twitter.com/FranceDC

 

Sonia Lahcene
Cultural Assistant
_______________________________________
Alliance Française de Washington
2142 Wyoming Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
tel: (202) 234-7911 ext 16
fax: (202) 234-0125
www.francedc.org
 
To subscribe to our email list and receive our messages on cultural activities, please go to  www.francedc.org then "sign up for our e-newsletter".

You can also join our Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4811854756
 

 

 


Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Post's Blake Gopnik on Daumier

I missed this one due to travelling, but I'm catching up. I don't recall this painting, but one of the best exhibits I've ever seen was on Daumier at the Phillips. Daumier's sculptures of the French Assembly, caricatures in bronze, are in the National Gallery of Art, displayed in the sculpture halls.
 

Saturday, May 30, 2009

'The Photographer' reviewed in Sunday's Post by Wolk

See "Memories of a Long War," By Douglas Wolk, Washington Post, Sunday, May 31, 2009 for his review of THE PHOTOGRAPHER, By Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre and Frédéric Lemercier, translated from the French by Alexis Siegel, First Second, 267 pp. $29.95.

I've got the book, but haven't read it yet. It's been getting very good reviews.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

French comic artist glanced at in Post

A French cartoonist, Viravong has space in Centquatre – he isn’t mentioned in the Travel section article, but the accompanying illustrations showed a panel of his work. See "A Brush With The Paris Art Scene: Out-of-the-Way Sites Show Off The Avant-Garde Side of the City," By Blake Gopnik, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, March 8, 2009; F01.

Gopnik describes the studio space as a "sprawling complex, covering almost half a million square feet, does date to 1873. Until just a decade ago, it housed the city's funeral works, once home to 1,400 hearse grooms, coffinmakers, shroud-sewers and everyone else involved in burying the dead. (In typically French fashion, until very recently the government even had a monopoly on death.) But now the abandoned site has been emptied out to a loft-ish shell of masonry and skylights and poured-concrete floors, which reopened in the fall as a giant container for art and creativity." He also noted, "The Centquatre has a full program of exhibitions, but it still feels less like a place to look at finished art, on the classic model of the Musee d'Orsay, than somewhere to witness art in the making."

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

OT: What about this year's Angouleme festival anyway?

My buddy's got all the details on his blog - "Comix Influx Blog: Angoulême 2009" by Stephen Betts on 11th February 2009. Check it out, and then stay to note the Comix Influx project. Stephen and co. are translating European graphic novels into English, and then providing the text for you to read along with your copy. These aren't scanlations and you have to have the original comic already, but this is a neat way you can get ahead of Fantagraphics, Drawn and Quarterly or NBM and be the hippest person on your block.

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

A new favorite small publisher - Fanfare / Ponent Mon

Deb Aoki was manning (womanning?) Fanfare / Ponent Mon's booth at SPX this year and I recognized her from her photo on About.com. Since I really enjoy her writing and interviews, I stopped to talk. The company sells manga, frequently created with Franco-Belgian collaborators, and I'm coming a bit late to them, I think. She recommended some titles to me and I bought a few more so over the next week I'll feature reviews of five of the company's books:

TÔKYÔ IS MY GARDEN
Boilet - Peeters
Translation: Vanessa Champion and Elizabeth Tiernan
Pages: 152
US Price: $18.99

Disappearance diary
Hideo Azuma
Translation: Kumar Sivasubramanian & Elizabeth Tiernan
Pages: 200
US Price: $22.99

The Ice Wanderer and other stories
Jiro Taniguchi
Translation: Elizabeth Tiernan and Shizuka Shimoyama
Pages: 240
US Price: $21.99

The Walking Man
Jiro Taniguchi
Translation: Stephen Albert
Pages: 152
US Price: $16.99

Japan
various authors
Translation: Vanessa Champion, Elizabeth Tierman and Shizuka Shimoyama
Pages: 256
US Price: $25.00

I've finished 3 of the 5 so far, and I liked these so much that I'm going to add the entire company line to my pull list at Big Planet Comics - something I've done in recent years with First Second (still going ok) and Toon Books (eh). I like a lot of what Top Shelf and Drawn and Quarterly publish and you should definitely check out their lines if you're not already, but not everything they publish works for me. On reflection, I think I'm getting most of what Cinebook is putting out too.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

History and Politics in French-Language Comics and Graphic Novels press release

Here's some PR from my, uh-hmm, publisher. I know Mark and a lot of the authors in this book and I'm sure it's a good one. I'll be buying a copy when it's in paper.

History and Politics in French-Language Comics and Graphic Novels
Edited by Mark McKinney
University Press of Mississippi
ISBN 978-1-60473-004-3, hardback, $50

Book News for Immediate Release

French, Belgian comics have long been outlets of historical, political expression

Cartoonists have long created graphic narratives that provide engaging perspectives on the world’s historical and political events. In France and Belgium in particular, many well-known comics artists have focused their attention–explicitly and implicitly–on events that have affected these countries.

History and Politics in French-Language Comics and Graphic Novels (University Press of Mississippi) collects new essays that address French-language comics from a variety of theoretical perspectives. This anthology edited by Mark McKinney establishes the French comics tradition as one rich with historical and political inquiry and is one of the first English-language collections to explore this subject

In works ranging from comic books and graphic novels to newspaper strips and editorial cartoons, French-language cartoonists have addressed such controversial topics as French and Belgian collaboration and resistance during World War II; European colonialism and U.S. imperialism; anti-Semitism in France; the integration of African immigrant groups in Europe; May 1968 in France; and the ecology and feminist movements.

The essays range from discussion of the canonical (Hergé’s Tintin series, Rodolphe Töpffer’s picture-stories) to the contemporary (Jean-Philippe Stassen’s Déogratias, about the 1994 Rwandan genocide).

Several essays are close readings of specific comics series and graphic novels, such as Cécile Danehy’s examination of Cosey’s Saigon-Hanoi, about French involvement in Vietnam during the 1950s.

With essays by Baru, Bart Beaty, Cécile Vernier, Danehy, Hugo Frey, Pascal LefPvre, Fabrice Leroy, Amanda Macdonald, Mark McKinney, Ann Miller, and Clare Tufts.

History and Politics in French-Language Comics and Graphic Novels is one of the first English-language works to address history and politics in French-language comics and graphic novels and features over 60 illustrations of the works being discussed

Mark McKinney is associate professor of French at Miami University, Ohio. With Alec G. Hargreaves, he edited Post-Colonial Cultures in France.

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For more information contact Clint Kimberling, Publicist, ckimberling@mississippi.edu

Read more about History and Politics in French-Language Comics and Graphic Novels at http://www.upress.state.ms.us/books/1111

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

NY Times on French cartoonist Sine's resignation UPDATEd

A Scooter, a Sarkozy and Rancor Collide
By STEVEN ERLANGER
Published: August 5, 2008
A scandal has emerged in France involving the president’s son, his wealthy fiancée, a much-beloved and scabrous magazine, a crusty cartoonist and humid charges of anti-Semitism.

I don't have a deep interest in this, but I've run across a few more articles for my Comics Research Bibliography, so here's links:

Satirical jab at Sarkozy's son sparks cries of anti-Semitism
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies August 4 2008

Cartoonist gets death threats over Sarkozy 'Jew' quip
Adam Sage in Paris
The Times August 6, 2008

Muslims, Jews and the free speech debate
By Sarah El Sirgany
Daily News Egypt August 5, 2008

French satirist sparks uproar with Sarkozy son Jewish jibe
by: Emma Charlton
05/Aug/2008 16:58 (AFP)

'Anti-Semitic' satire divides liberal Paris
Controversial columnist's aside about Sarkozy's son and a Jewish heiress reignites old embers
Jason Burke in Paris
The Observer, Sunday August 3 2008

French cartoonist fired for anti-Semitic remarks towards Sarkozy's son
EJP 29/Jul/2008

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Weingarten and the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and FBOFW

In his June 17th chat, GW amped his coolness factor considerably when he wrote,

One of my prize possessions is an autographed copy of a Furry Freak Bros. book. Gilbert Shelton signed it to me from where he lives, in self-imposed exile, in France. The French still love him. The book is in French.

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers were a great 1960s era comic for stoners. The brothers were Fat Freddie Freak, Freewheelin' Frank Freak, and Phineas Freak. Probably their best known line was: "Dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope." They also had a version of that quote where "sex" was substituted for "money." They both rang true back in 1969 or so.


and later, he wrote, He was a terrific cartoonist.

and a question about For Better or For Worse arose:

Elizabeth and Anthony: Re today's FBOFW: Is Lizzie (dare I suggest) knocked up? Is she fishing for a babysitter for Anthony's daughter, or her own bun in the oven?

washingtonpost.com: For Better or For Worse, (June 17)

Gene Weingarten: It's hard to be sure; we'll know tomorrow, won't we? My guess is that this is not a Major Announcement, for three reasons. First, I don't think Johnston would go there. Second,they've been talking a while about moving up the date of the wedding so Gramps can be there before he corks. If there were another pressing reason, I think this would indicate a degree of disingenuity about Elizabeth that Johnston wouldn't do. Elizabeth is perfect; the Madonna.

On the other side, look at how shocked Dee is in that final frame. Also, why would they suddenly be borrowing the babysitter? They've had Anthony's girl all along.

I vote no, tho.

Gene Weingarten: Okay, I meant two reasons, not three.


and a comment about Doonesbury:

Kensington, Md: I am slower than molasses in January. It just hit me that Doonesbury is back. Is there anyone else cartooning right now who could take 12 weeks off and expect to get his/her spot back in seemingly every newspaper in the country?

Gene Weingarten: Unfortunately, yes. Garfield, Beetle Bailey, etc.

Though, hm. Maybe not. Maybe sanity would prevail. Maybe that's why those strips never take a vacation.


but For Better issues are raised again...

FBOFW: Oh, Liz is clearly pregnant. "I already feel like a parent" is clue #1, Dee's face is #2, and the fact that Lynn Johnston ain't subtle is #3.

washingtonpost.com: Don't scare me like that.

Gene Weingarten: We'll see tomorrow. It's possible. So we have out of wedlock sex! But we also have that weird thing about advancing the wedding so grandpa can go...

I still think no.


and then again...

Washington, D.C.: I'm with Gene. Elizabeth is not pregnant. She feels like a parent b/c of Anthony's already existing child. They will be stealing the babysitter b/c they have been taking it slow, etc., not dating a lot. The wedding was pushed up in direct response to April's comment to move it up so Gramps could go. If she were going to be pregnant out of wedlock, they'd of kept her with the pilot dude

Gene Weingarten: Well, I just think she was ever going to be preggers out of wedlock.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: Despite your cogent, detailed analysis of today's For Bettor or for Worse, you are a moron. The sudden ending makes little or no sense unless there's a pending/immediate NEED for a babysitter.

Lynn Johnston has used setups like this for other developments in the strip. Watch that space. And we'll see you in a few weeks at the baby shower.

Gene Weingarten: This is interesting.

I like that we'll know tomorrow. A real-time debate.


and the debate continues...

FOOB: Isn't it obvious? Dee's just horrified that she won't be able to escape from her twee little brats as often as she'd like.

Gene Weingarten: Yeah, I think you're right.


...this obviously struck a nerve...

Seattle: In Re: FBOFW's Elizabeth The Pure -- Remember, she lived with her boyfriend when she was in college; she dumped him after he cheated on her.

Gene Weingarten: Yes, but getting knocked up is different.


So, tune in tomorrow or later this week to see if Elizabeth is knocked up AS THE WORLD TURNS.