Hagen paintings at Cafe Nola

David Hagen says, "Hagen paintings are on display at Cafe Nola...

....for the whole month of December!  Only problem is you have to hike up to Frederick.

The info is here."

I personally am giving a Hagen original as a gift this Christmas.

Nov 22: Nightmare The Rat Signing with Rafer Roberts and John Shine

Rafer Roberts invited you to Beyond Comics 's event   Nightmare The Rat Signing with Rafer Roberts and John Shine Saturday, November 22 at 12:00pm Beyond Comics in Gaithersburg, Maryland   Join     Maybe     Decline   Rafer Roberts will be meeting fans and signing his new Nightmare The Rat collection, from 12 to 4, along with Beyond Comics' own John Shine, Nightmare pin-up contributor. Barbara Dale and 26 others are also in the guest list.             Pending Invites (3) Block invites from Rafer?                 Nightmare The Rat Signing with Rafer Roberts and John Shine Saturday, November 22 at 12:00pm Beyond Comics in Gaithersburg, Maryland Rafer Roberts will be meeting fans and signing his new Nightmare The Rat collection, from 12 to 4, along with Beyond Comics' own John Shine, Nightmare pin-up contributor.

The Post reviews ‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya’

Not a Disney princess story

[in print in the Express as "A fairy tale made for grown ups"; 'The Tale of the Princess Kaguya' movie review]

By Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post October 31, 2014, p. EZ 34 and Express, p. 22
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/the-tale-of-the-princess-kaguya-movie-review/2014/10/29/bd63986c-5e1d-11e4-8b9e-2ccdac31a031_story.html

Chloë Grace Moretz gives voice to the title character in the dubbed version of the animated "The Tale of Princess Kaguya." (Hatake Jimusho/GKids)

Oct 21: Art Spiegelman's Wordless at GWU

Art Spiegelman's WORDLESS! with music by Phillip Johnston

Presented by GW Lisner as part of the Washington DCJCC's Hyman S. & Freda Bernstein Jewish Literary Festival

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - 8:00pm

Tickets: $35, $40, $45

Art Spiegelman and Phillip Johnston unite in WORDLESS! --  a new and stimulating hybrid of slides, talk and musical performance. With original music by Phillip Johnston and live narration and text by Art Spiegelman, this live performance delves into Art's premise around comics, their history, and their capacity for images to go right to the brain as wordless messages. Experience the art of comics as Spiegelman probes further into the nature and possibilities of his medium. 

15% discount for Students/Alumni/Faculty/Staff with GWID and Seniors/Military with ID at the Lisner Box Office.

Sept 12 (tomorrow!): Box Brown speaks at Library of Congress at noon

Sept 12: Box Brown speaks at Library of Congress at noon

8/30: Cartoonists at the National Book Festival

Cartoonists' schedules at the National Book Festival 

10:00 am-10:30 am

Jeffrey Brown

11:00 am-noon

11:20 am-11:50 am

Dav Pilkey

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

12:45 pm-1:30 pm	Andrew Aydin	2:00 pm-3:00 pm
12:45 pm-1:30 pm	Rep. John Lewis	2:00 pm-3:00 pm

2:00 pm-2:30 pm

Brian Biggs

3:00 pm-4:00 pm

2:40 pm-3:10 pm

Bob Staake

3:30 pm-4:30 pm

4:40 pm-5:10 pm

Jules Feiffer

3:30 pm-4:30 pm

4:40 pm-5:10 pm

Gene Luen Yang

3:30 pm-4:30 pm

Graphic Novels Super Session

Time	Author	Signing
6:00 pm-6:35 pm	Raina Telgemeier	7:00 pm-8:00 pm
6:45 pm-7:20 pm	Bryan Lee O'Malley	8:00 pm-9:00 pm
7:30 pm-8:05 pm	Vivek Tiwary	8:30 pm-9:30 pm
7:30 pm-8:05 pm	Kyle Baker	8:30 pm-9:30 pm
8:15 pm-8:50 pm	Liza Donnelly	9:00 pm-10:00 pm
9:00 pm-9:45 pm	Jeff Smith	7:30 pm-8:30 pm

There will be a raffle during the Graphic Novel super session in the evening. Jeff Smith and Vivek Tiwary have donated signed items, with promises from some of the others. You must be present to win.

August 14: Civil War veterans Swann Lecture at Library of Congress

Free   and   Open   to   the   Public

Empty Sleeves and Bloody Shirts: Disabled Civil War Veterans and Presidential Campaigns, 1864-1880

An Illustrated Lecture by  Erin Corrales-Diaz

Swann Foundation Fellow, 2013-2014

Thursday, August 14, 2014, at 12 noon

In West Dining Room, Madison Building, 6^th Floor

Sponsored by the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon

and the Prints & Photographs Division

Request ADA accommodation five days in advance at 202.707.6362 or ADA@loc.gov;  for additional information

Contact Martha Kennedy at mkenn@loc.gov or 202.707-9115

2014 National Book Festival comics guests

Comic bookers who will be guests at the 2014 Library of Congress National Book Festival on Aug. 30 include: Bryan Lee O'Malley, Jeff Smith, Raina Telegemeier, Gene Luen Yang, Jeffrey Brown, Jules Feiffer, Kyle Baker, Brian Biggs, Andrew Aydin and Rep. John Lewis.

Tonight: David Lasky at Big Planet Comics Bethesda

The Post reviews The Lion King play

'The Lion King,' exuberant as ever, takes pride of place at the Kennedy Center [in print as Lion King: A Sensory Feast].

• 
  

Nia Holloway as Nala in "The Lion King," playing at Kennedy Center. (Joan Marcus)

By Nelson Pressley June 23 2014
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/the-lion-king-roars-at-the-kennedy-center/2014/06/22/730324ae-fa27-11e3-8176-f2c941cf35f1_story.html

June 25: David Lasky at Big Planet Comics Bethesda

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.