May 7: Becky Cloonan & Shaun Simon Signing - Killjoys & By Chance Or Providence

• Becky Cloonan & Shaun Simon Signing - Killjoys & By Chance Or Providence 7:00pm - 9:00pm Tomorrow, May 7, 2014

• Big Planet Comics of Vienna 426 Maple Ave. East, Vienna, Virginia 22180

Big Planet Comics is proud to welcome Becky Cloonan and Shaun Simon for a signing of the collection of their series, The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, and Becky's self-published collection, By Chance Or Providence!

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys is a scifi adventure where the Killjoys lost their lives battling against a controlling megacorp, and now their followers carry on the fight.

By Chance or Providence is a compilation of Becky's self-published minicomics of fantastic adventures of magic and horror!

Becky's website: http://beckycloonan.tumblr.com/
Shaun's website: http://shaun-simon.tumblr.com/

May 3: Shrek the Musical

....is brought to you by the students at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington. The last show on May 3rd will have an evening performance at 7pm. Ticket prices for Shrek: $7 in advance and $10 at the door. 

I saw this tonight, and it was really a lot of fun. The kids did a great job! It's the perfect way to end your Free Comic Book Day!

​

Free Comic Book Day pre-planning

1. Here's my City Paper bit with some recommendations.

2. Carolyn Belefski of Curls Studio wants you to know:

In preparation for the "Cartoonists Draw Blood" blood drive we are putting on with the American Red Cross later in the month (May 31 at Seekers Church near Takoma Metro), several of the contributing artists will be making appearances at local comic stores to promote and encourage people to sign up to donate blood.

Visit these fine creators on May 3 for FCBD:

Joe Carabeo and Carolyn Belefski at Big Planet Comics 
426 Maple Avenue E., Vienna, VA
NOON to 2PM

Teresa Roberts Logan at Big Planet Comics 
1520 U Street, NW, Washington, DC
1PM to 3PM

Joe Sutliff  at Big Planet Comics 
4849 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD
1PM to 3PM

Troy-Jeffrey Allen and Matt Rawson at Fantom Comics 
50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, DC

3.	Beyond Comics,18749 B North Frederick Rd, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879 says

Of course...Free comics! Get additional comics with a non-perishable food donation. Meet comic artists Rafer Roberts, Carl Yonder and John Watkins-Chow!

May 1: March book one authors at local school

from Andrew Aydin's website.

Location
The event will be held at the St. Augustine Catholic School, located at 1421 V Street NW, Washington DC 2009.
Time
The event will start at 630p and end at 830p on Thursday May 1st, 2014. Doors will open at 6p.
Target audience
The event is designed for teenagers and young adults. However, the event is open to all, and parents, teachers, and mentors are welcome to come with their children, students, and mentees.
Books
"March: Book One" will be available for sale at the event.
Food
Light refreshments will be provided.
Public Transit
The St. Augustine Catholic School is on V Street NW between 14th St NW and 15th St NW. Nearby bus stops are on 14th and U Sts (52, 54, Circulator) as well 16th and V Sts (S2, S4). The nearest metro station is the U Street station (Yellow/Green lines) at 13th and U Sts NW.
Parking
There is limited free public parking available at the Gingras Center located next to the school, at 1419 V Street NW Washington DC. Street parking is also available, and is free after 6:30 pm.

April 30: Steadman bio movie preview

"For  No  Good  Reason"  DC  Screening

http://flyingdogbrewery.com/ai1ec_event/good-reason-dc-screening/?instance_id=

WHEN:

April 30, 2014 @ 7:00 pm

WHERE:

E Street  Cinema 

555 11th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20004
USA

COST:

$8

May 1-3: Shrek the Musical

....brought to you by the students at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington.  Each show will have an evening performance at 7pm.

Ticket prices for Shrek: $7 in advance and $10 at the door. 

​

Here's the link to order tickets in advance.​

PR: X-Men Burlesque Comes to Washington DC

https://www.facebook.com/events/1408945032705081/

The Cyn Factory Presents: Burl-X-Men

Have you always known that you are different? Feel lost among a society that hates and fears you? Afraid to let anyone know who you really are?

Come to Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted, where you will learn to understand and control your powers to strip to the betterment of mankind. 

Featured professors:
Mary Cyn
Fem Appeal
Lefty Lucy
Charles Stunning
Sarah Tops
Mr. Tops

TWO Chances to matriculate:
7pm for mutants 18+ (doors 6:30)
10pm for mutants 21+ (doors 9:30)

There will be a costume contest so be proud and dress like the mutant you are.

Also, Mary Cyn will be teaching a special nerdlesque class before the show. Space is limited so reserve early!

https://www.facebook.com/events/644912175574612/

Venue Info:

Bier Baron is located at 1523 22nd Street NW
Washington DC 20037.

Tickets $12
http://burl-x-men.brownpapertickets.com/

Bob Mankoff asks, "How About Wednesday - Is Wednesday Good For You?"

Robert Mankoff is the New Yorker's cartoon editor and a very smart man. He'll be at Politics and Prose on Wednesday, April 2, at 7 pm to discuss his new book, How About Never - Is Never Good for You? My Life In Cartoons (Henry Holt, $32.50).

The book is a breezy, extremely well-illustrated autobiography / history of New Yorker cartooning / treatise on gag cartooning that is a quick, but worthwhile read. The style is one that Mankoff perfected on his From the Desk of Bob Mankoff blog: short, pithy, humorous essays well illustrated by cartoons. By this point, in 20 years of being the cartoon editor, he's selected over 14,000 for the magazine, many of which aren't by him. That's actually a sample of the type of humor in the book by the way.

My suspicion is that parts of this book actually appeared there first, which in no way undermines its value. The introduction is actually useful for anyone who picks up the book and is unfamiliar with Mankoff's role in cartooning. He then begins with a superficial look at his early interest in cartooning, relating that to the currently-fashionable theory that Jews produced much of the 20th century's comic art.* And honestly, that is all we really need about his teenage years, and the book picks up steam when he writes about attempting to break into Lee Lorenz's cartoonist stable. His discussion of the need for a distinctive style, and developing his pointillist version, is quite interesting. Mankoff's look at the first cartoons by him, Jack Zeigler, Michael Maslin, Roz Chast and Mick Stevens is clever, and his discussion of the changing nature of New Yorker cartoons is a must-read.

A chapter looks at how he began the Cartoon Bank, an electronic database / syndication service for cartoons the New Yorker rejected, sold that to the magazine which expanded it, and indexed and digitized all the cartoons the magazine had ever run. The way the magazine handled this before was a scrapbook for each cartoonist with clippings pasted in them. One can easily see the possibilities that having a computer-searchable catalog opened up for licensing and reprint books.

Perhaps a little too much space is devoted to the Seinfeld episode which focussed on the New Yorker's cartoon choices, but Mankoff uses that as a stepping off place to write about the nature of cartoon humor. As I said, he's a very smart man. Mankoff also looks at the joys and difficulties of developing his own stable of newer cartoonists, how and why cartoons are selected, editor-in-chief David Remnick's role in the final selection, the cartoon contest is the magazine's back pages, and closes with a look at the newest cartoonists to join the magazine.

Overall, if one is interested in either gag cartooning, the New Yorker, or the nature of humor, this is a must-have book.

*Not that there's anything wrong with that, to quote another comedic Jew, Jerry Seinfeld.

Game On! Comics Graphic Novel Trade-In Day this Saturday

Got some old Graphic Novels sitting around? 

 Trade them in for store credit! 

 Do you have old graphic novels sitting around unread, and you want to clear up some space for new collections? Bring your used graphic novels in this Saturday, April 5, from Noon-4pm, for our new Trade-In Day!

We will give you store credit based on the resale value and condition of your books that you can use immediately, or in the future, on any store product (even books in your subscription box)!

Graphic Novel Trade-In Day! This Saturday April 5th All Day

We will be exchanging store credit for your used trades!   

Here is how it works:

Value of your graphic novel

$1-$20 = $5 store credit token

$21-$40= $10 store credit tokens

$41-$60= $15 store credit tokens

$61-$80= $20 store credit tokens

$81-$100= $25 store credit tokens

That's it!  Just bring them in and trade!

*We do reserve the right to decline graphic novels based on condition, popularity, and current stock.

The Post on Mankoff and Chast

For cartoon editor, a New Yorker state of mind

By Michael Cavna, Washington Post March 29 2014

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/for-cartoon-editor-a-new-yorker-state-of-mind/2014/03/27/a54d2a5c-b5d7-11e3-b899-20667de76985_story.html

In veteran cartoonist Roz Chast’s hands, tale of aging parents is far from the same old story

By Michael Cavna, 

Washington Post March 29 2014

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/in-veteran-cartoonist-roz-chasts-hands-tale-of-aging-parents-is-far-from-the-same-old-story/2014/03/27/dfe7962e-b5ec-11e3-b899-20667de76985_story.html

The Post reviews Big Planet Comics' Greg Bennett's new (music) album

The Jet Age album review: ‘Jukebox Memoir’

D. Wade - The group The Jet Age will be performing in the Washington, DC area. Left to Right: Greg Bennett (bass); Eric Tischler (guitar, vocals); Pete Nuwayser (drums).

By Mark Jenkins, Washington Post March 28 2014

The band is playing in DC tomorrow night at Comet Ping Pong:

Saturday, March 29th
The Jet Age, The Caribbean and Early American 
$10, 10pm and All Ages at Comet Ping Pong 

March 5: Ecuadorian cartoonist Bonilla speaks

Communications Law in Ecuador: 

When Censoring a Cartoon Becomes a 

Presidential Priority

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014

http://cima.ned.org/events/upcoming-events/communications-law-ecuador-when-censoring-cartoon-becomes-presidential-priori

Communications Law in Ecuador:
 When Censoring a Cartoon Becomes a Presidential Priority 

Since his reelection, President Rafael Correa has used a series of laws and decrees to constrain   criticism and dissent. In June 2013, the National Assembly passed a restrictive communications law that designates the media as a public service subject to government regulation. Political cartoonist Xavier Bonilla was the first victim of this law following the publication of a cartoon that depicted the house raid of journalist FernandoVillavicencio. President Correa called Bonilla, among other things, “an assassin with ink.” Bonilla was forced to publish a correction, and El Universo paid a large fine. Join the Center for International Media Assistance and the Latin America and Caribbean program at the National Endowment for Democracy for a discussion on the restrictive nature of the communications law in Ecuador.

Featuring:

Xavier Bonilla
Political Cartoonist at El Universo

Martha Roldós
Fundación Mil Hojas

Carlos Lauría      
Committee to Protect Journalists

Wednesday, March 5
12:00-2:00 p.m.

Lunch will be served from 12:00-12:30

1025 F Street, N.W., Suite 800
Washington, DC 20004

---

---

About the Speakers 

Xavier “Bonil”Bonilla is the daily cartoonist for Ecuador's biggest newspaper, ElUniverso. He also publishes in five other important magazines and is a member of international organization, Cartooning for Peace. He has published eight books and received international recognition for his work from the Inter-American Press Society, World Press Cartoon, and the United Nations Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Award. He was the first journalist to be sanctioned by Ecuador’s new Communications Law.

Martha Roldós is a lifelong political and civil society activist. In 2006, she was elected to Congress representing the province of Guayas, and in 2007 was elected to serve in the Constituent Assembly. After a failed presidential run in 2009, she joined the coalition ‘United for Democracy,’ which advocated for a no vote to the 2011 referendum which sought to give greater control over the media and judiciary to the executive. Throughout her career, she has been a strong advocate for government transparency and accountability, and for freedom of expression and association. She fought against the passage of the communications law, and later joined a group to challenge the law before Ecuador’s Constitutional Court. She now serves as Executive Director ofFundación Mil Hojas, an organization that investigates government corruption. 

Carlos Lauria is the senior Americas program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists where he serves as chief strategist and spokesperson on press freedom issues in the Americas. He monitors and documents press freedom violations in Latin America and has led missions to Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Haiti, Brazil, El Salvador, and Argentina. Lauría began his journalistic career in Buenos Aires in 1986 and settled in New York in 1994 as U.S. bureau chief correspondent for Editorial Perfil, Argentina’s largest magazine publisher. He serves on the board of the Maria Moors Cabot Award for excellence in Latin American journalism, which is sponsored by Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is a graduate of journalism from the Universidad Católica Argentina.

- 

Feb 15 (Tomorrow!): Gregory Benton at Big Planet Comics in Bethesda

• Big Planet Comics Bethesda
  
• Saturday, February 15, 2014
• 
  
  4:00pm until 6:00pm

It's with excitement and pleasure that we announce the B+F Tour to promote Gregory Benton's latest creative endeavor. "B+F," Gregory Benton's MoCCA Award of Excellence-winning fable, explores an otherworldly forest with a woman and a dog as they encounter its denizens, both benevolent and malicious. A wordless meditation on   goodwill, hostility, and isolation

Feb 9: Yumi Sakugawa at Big Planet Comics DC

February 9 – Yumi Sakugawa signing

Big Planet Comics is proud to welcome Yumi Sakugawa for a signing and reading from her brand new graphic novel, I Think I Am in Friend-Love With You!


Yumi Sakugawa is a comic book artist and illustrator based in Southern California and a regular contributor to The Rumpus and Wonderhowto.


“Look around. You won’t find anything sweeter than this lonely little book anywhere in your immediate vicinity. Unless for some reason there’s, like, a bunny knitting a scarf for a puppy. That might be sweeter. Aside from that, this book is definitely your best bet.” –Avery Monsen, coauthor of K is for Knifeball and All My Friends Are Dead


“This is one of my favorite comics ever, a sweet ode to platonic love that will echo through the ages.” –MariNaomi, author of Kiss & Tell


“Funny and beautifully drawn, I Think I Am In Friend-Love With You is the bittersweet tale of friendships in the age of social media in which many can relate.” –Esther Pearl Watson, author of Unlovable


“The warmth of Yumi’s soft brushstrokes and vulnerability of her words make me feel less alone in this weird world. I think I am in book-love.” –Lisa Hanawalt, author of My Dirty Dumb Eyes


Yumi Sakugawa’s website: http://www.yumisakugawa.com


3pm-5pm
Big Planet Comics of Washington DC
1520 U St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-342-1961
dc@bigplanetcomics.com

Jan 22 (Tonight): Trading Blows! at Black Cat in DC

Trading Blows!, billed as a “nerdy swap meet and wrestling watching party,” will be held Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. at the Black Cat on 14th Street in D.C. Here’s what the event’s Facebook page says: 

"If you're like us, your room is overflowing with too many comic books, action figures, and old wrestling tapes. We encourage you bring all your unwanted nerd swag to the Red Room and trade it with other like minded collectors. Also, our friends around the corner at Big Planet Comics will be selling stuff!

We'll also be showing old wrestling matches on our projector screen on the backstage. This month will be the top 8 Japanese wrestling matches of the 90's as chosen by Highspots dot com, featuring the likes of Jushin Liger, Great Sasuke, Ultimo Dragon, Eddie Guerrero, and (gulp) Chris Benoit."

Jan 18-19: Little Mermaid Jr. on stage in Arlington

The Little Mermaid Jr.

Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater
Book by Doug Wright
Based on the Hans Christian Andersen Story and the Disney Film produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written & directed by John Musker and Ron Clements

http://www.encorestageva.org/on-stage/20132014-season/

January 10-19, 2014
Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre
125 S. Old Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22204

Splash into this classic story of Ariel, the mermaid princess, who wishes to live in the world above rather than the ocean floor. To explore life on land, Ariel disobeys her father, King Triton, and makes a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula. Ransoming her singing voice, she must convince Prince Eric that she is indeed the girl who rescued him or risk losing her voice forever. Sing along to your favorite songs and watch as Ariel, with the help of her friends, tries to break Ursula's curse and win the heart of the Prince. Recommended for ages 4 and up.

The Post on superhero-inspired prints

Galleries: At Hillyer Art Space, JD Deardourff's screenprints inspired by superhero comics

(Courtesy JD Deardourff and Hillyer Art Space/ ) - JD Deardourff. \"TimberWolves at Chicago,\" Screen print on paper; on view at Hillyer Art Space.

• 
  

By Mark Jenkins, Friday, January 17,2014

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/galleries-at-hillyer-art-space-jd-deardourffs-screenprints-inspired-by-superhero-comics/2014/01/15/43ecf6a4-7c8c-11e3-97d3-b9925ce2c57b_story.html

Jan 15: Brad Meltzer at Tyson's Corner

Brad Meltzer appears at Barnes &Noble to sign his new children's books I Am Abraham Lincoln and I Am Amelia Earhart on Wednesday January 15, 2014 at 6:30 PM!
Barnes & Noble – Tysons Corner Mall
Tysons Corner Center, 7851 L. Tysons Corner Center, McLean, VA 22102
703-506-2937

Courtesy of Convention Scene. Meltzer has a new Batman story in Detective Comics 27, and Eliopoulos is a comic book artist of course.

The Economist Cartoonist Kevin Kallaugher to Discuss His New Book, Jan. 14

Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE
Washington DC   20540
January 7, 2014

Public contact: Center for the Book (202) 707-5221; cfbook@loc.gov
Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ada@loc.gov

The Economist's Cartoonist, Kevin Kallaugher, to Discuss and Sign His New Book

            "Daggers Drawn" Covers 35 Years of Cartoons in The Economist           

In his celebrated career with The Economist, Kevin "Kal" Kallaugher has created more than 4,000 editorial cartoons and 140 covers. His work has lampooned international leaders across the liberal-to-conservative spectrum, and his distinctive renderings are immediately recognizable as the work of this multitalented artist.
Kallaugher will discuss and sign his new book, "Daggers Drawn: 35 Years of Kal Cartoons in The Economist" (Chatsworth Press, 2013), on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at noon in the Pickford Theater, third floor, Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E. This Books & Beyond event, co-sponsored by the Library's Center for the Book and its Prints and Photographs Division, is free and open to the public; no tickets are required. 
This 196-page large-format book contains more than 300 of Kallaugher's award-winning works along with essays discussing his time with The Economist. In this book, Kallaugher has pointed his keen eye and sharp pen at important world events of the past 35 years. There are cartoons satirizing leaders from Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher to Barack Obama and Angela Merkel.
In addition to his longtime work for The Economist, Kallaugher is also a cartoonist for The Baltimore Sun. He also spent 10 years in London, drawing cartoons for The Observer, The Sunday Telegraph, Today and The Mail on Sunday. His work has been exhibited at the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, The Tate Gallery in London and the Library of Congress.
The Library's Center for the Book, established by Congress in 1977 to "stimulate public interest in books and reading," is a national force for reading and literacy promotion. A public-private partnership, it sponsors educational programs that reach readers of all ages through its affiliated state centers, through collaborations with nonprofit reading-promotion partners and through the Young Readers Center and the Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress. For more information, visit www.read.gov.
The Library of Congress, the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world, holds more than 158 million items in various languages, disciplines and formats.  The Library serves the U.S. Congress and the nation both on-site in its reading rooms on Capitol Hill and through its award-winning website at www.loc.gov.

# # #

PR 14-04
1/7/14
ISSN 0731-3527

Smudge! Expo 2014 Exhibitor Application

Smudge! Expo 2014 Exhibitor Application

https://smudgexpo.wufoo.com/forms/smudge-expo-2014-exhibitor-application/

The Smudge! Expo is taking place on Saturday, March 8, 2014, from noon to 6 p.m. at Artisphere in Arlington, Va. Smudge is a new comics arts expo meant to showcase independent comics and inspire attendees to become storytellers themselves. Smudge will feature exhibitors in the Artisphere Ballroom, presenters in the Black Box Theater and hands-on workshops in the classroom. While the Artisphere Town Hall bar will be open, the event is family friendly and will have plenty of activities for kids, such as drawing and making pin buttons. (Exhibitors will also be designated if their table is all-age appropriate.)

Smudge is a curated show. About 45 exhibitors will be selected to display and sell their work. The fee to exhibit is $55 for space which will include a 6-foot table and 2 chairs (provided by the venue). Exhibitors will be expected to help promote the show via social media.

To apply, fill out the form on the website and submit it by January 15. Selected exhibitors will be notified by January 20. (Payment must be made by January 25 to secure the spot.)

We hope to have a nice mix of comics arts-related exhibitors (minicomics, graphic novels, web comics, editorial cartoonists, print makers, publishers, etc.).

Smudge is the brainchild of local comic booker Matt Dembicki and event manager Tina Henry. Smudge's venue sponsor is the amazing Artisphere in Arlington, Va.

If you have questions, please email smudgexpo@gmail.com.