PR: Southern Maryland Comic-Con is THIS SATURDAY!

Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend Card Gaming at Southern Maryland Comic-Con! High Tide Games will be hosting Magic The Gathering & Fluxx Tournaments through out the day at Southern Maryland Comic-Con! Check out the event page for more details right here! Important Info Southern Maryland Comic-Con THIS SATURDAY, Nov. 9 10 am - 6 pm Capital Clubhouse 3033 Waldorf Market Pl Waldorf, Md 20603 Admission is $10 at the door or online at: www.somdcon.com/tickets Kids 10 & Under FREE Our Friends' Upcoming Events: "I Know That Voice" with John DiMaggio Friday, November 8 http://press.org/events/voice Washington, DC Shoff Comics & Sports Card Show! Saturday, December 7th http://shoffpromotions.com Tysons Corner VA Dead Body Road #1 Release Signing with Justin Jordan Saturday, December 14th http://www.thirdeyecomics.com Annapolis, Maryland Awesome Con 2014 April 18-20, 2014 http://awesomecondc.com Washington, DC

Southern Maryland Comic-Con is THIS SATURDAY!  Guest Update Unfortunately, Olivia Olson had to cancel her appearance at the Southern Maryland Comic-Con. So, we called up our friend, voice acting legend Jim Cummings, and he agreed to come to Waldorf on short notice! Jim has appeared in almost 400 roles, and is often associated with Disney. He is best known for voicing Darkwing Duck, Tigger, Pooh, the Tasmanian Devil, Urdnot Wreav from Mass Effect, and Dr. Robotnik from Sonic the Hedgehog. He has performed in numerous animated Disney and DreamWorks movies including Aladdin, The Lion King, Antz, The Road to El Dorado, Shrek, and The Princess and the Frog. He has also provided voice-over work for video games, such as Kingdom Hearts, Icewind Dale, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Baldur’s Gate, Mass Effect 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, and Splatterhouse. Jim is one of the most talented voice actors in the world. Schedule 10am - Doors Open 11am - Fluxx & Magic: The Gathering Tournaments (run all day) 12pm - TBA 1pm - Q&A with Jim Zub, writer of Samurai Jack and Skullkickers 2pm - Q&A with Jim Cummings, legendary voice actor 3pm - Carolyn & Joe Show Podcast 3pm - Kids Costume Contest 4pm - Insane Ian Concert 4:30 - Costume Contest Kids Remember, kids 10 and under get in FREE! We will also have all-day kids art stations, kids superhero training obstacle course, a kids costume contest, and more!! Tickets are on sale now at somdcon.com/tickets. Jim Zub! Jim Zub is also coming to Southern Maryland Comic-Con! We are so psyched about our Samurai Jack exclusive, we were (somehow) able to talk the writer of the Samurai Jack comic book, Jim Zub, into coming to the con! This is huge! You may also know Jim from his Image Comic, Skullkickers. We will also have Samurai Jack cover artist Bryan Turner from Identity Comics Studio at the con, they will both sign your bo

Lou Scheimer's obituary in The Post

Filmation animation studio founder Lou Scheimer's obituary ran today in The Post.   It's a wirestory.

Peter Beagle's appearance at AFI

From guest blogger Bruce Guthrie

Peter Beagle's appearance at AFI/Silver last night went well.  He did Q&A and signing after a screening of "The Last Unicorn".

The audience, which had been raised on the book and/or cartoon, saw beyond those and loved every minute of the movie.

Unusual for a film screening, almost everyone at the sold-out 7:15 screening stuck around for the Q&A.  (This was in Theatre II which holds about 250 people.)  The audience was mostly adult although an earlier 4 pm screening had been added and that was apparently more kid-centric.  A lot of questions were about the story or the subsequent pieces in the same universe, but there were also a large number dealing with the other things he had written.  He was enjoyable to listen to and his publishing partner, Connor Cochran, filled in details and interesting subtexts.

The line of fans when I left during the signing around 10 looked like it would go on for at least an hour.  I found both Peter and Connor to be very personable and approachable and enjoyed myself considerably despite my lack of familiarity. 

Pictures are up on http://www.bguthriephotos.com/graphlib.nsf/keys/2013_08_12A_Beagle

--
Bruce Guthrie
Photo obsessive
http://www.bguthriephotos.com

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1976 Dental Health campaign

In 1976, the American Dental Association sponsored a National Children's Dental Health Week. This advertisement shows a cartoon done by animation shop Rick Reinert Productions and is from U.S. Navy Medicine (February 1976).

Awesome Con - a couple or three Sunday pictures

Phil LaMarr, Carolyn Belefski and Joe Carabeo.



Cuddles and Rage webcomickers, aka Liz and Jimmy Reed.



Animation voice actor Phil LaMarr talking to Carolyn Belefski.

Seth MacFarlane in today's Examiner

In today's Washington Examiner (February 22, p. 20), there's an Associated Press interview by Sandy Cohen, in which Seth MacFarlane is asked about doing both his animation voice work and his Academy Award presenter jobs.

The article is also excerpted in the Express, which leaves out the animation question.

Superhero contest answers, Escape from Planet Earth, and the Walking Dead in today's Post

Style Invitational Week 1009: What's in a name, plus the winning super- (and not-so-super-) heroes.
By Pat Myers, Washington Post February 17 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/style-invitational-week-1009-whats-in-a-name-plus-the-winning-super--and-not-so-super--heroes/2013/02/14/98cf38d0-7413-11e2-aa12-e6cf1d31106b_story.html - and don't forget that Bob Staake has done the illustrations for this contest for around a decade. The honorable mentions seem to only be in the print edition, and include my neighbor Larry Yungk's Bleeperman.

'Escape From Planet Earth' movie review
By Michael O'Sullivan, February 15 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/escape-from-planet-earth-movie-review/2013/02/15/a8079568-779c-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html

and for the record:

McIntyre, Gina / Los Angeles Times.  2013.
Steven Yeun 'the heart' of 'The Walking Dead'.
Washington Post (February 17)

Bambi wants YOU

Disney's Bambi "Protect Our Forest Friends" by preventing wildfire poster, in Skyline, Falls Church, VA.

Feb 13-18: Disney on Ice returns

Disney on Ice: Treasure Trove - A Live Celebration of Disney's Animated Gems! will be at the Verizon Center from February 13-18th. $20-$75 for tickets. Save $5 with "Examiner" offer code.

Madagascar 3 voice actor article in today's Express

Page-Kirby, Kristen.  2012.

The Man Behind Melman: Schwimmer adds life to the giraffe in the third 'Madagascar.'

Express (June 8): 27

online at http://www.expressnightout.com/

Meet a Local Animator: Neil Dittbenner

Neil Dittbenner was one of the local animators* at Gigacon at the Art Institute of Washington (which is actually in a lovely facility in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington) this past January who kindly answered my usual questions.

Mike Rhode: What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

Neil Dittbenner: I am a Flash animator at Latman Interactive. I also do freelance work for animation studios in the D.C Metro area.

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

I enjoy experimenting with different mediums but, my tool of choice is Flash.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

I was born in Kansas City on May 31, 1986

Why are you in the Washington sphere now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

I moved to the area as a teenager and then attended The Art Institute of Washington. After school I stayed in the area working  as a subcontractor and freelance artist.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

Lots of television as a child and BFA from The Art Institute of Washington in Media Arts and Animation.

Who are your influences?

I'm a huge fan of Jim Smith and John K. They had a pretty big influence on my style and taste in humor.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

I'm happy with where my life is heading right now. The path I choose may have been bumpy but it lead me to the right place in the end so, I don't think I would do-over or change anything.

What work are you best-known for?

I did some freelance work for PBS Kids through a local studio called Karptoons. It was a great project and the end results were really creative and fun.

What work are you most proud of?

I have a side project about carnivals, magic, and love that I'm working on that I'm pretty excited about. My personal projects give me a great sense of accomplishment.

What would you like to do  or work on in the future?

I'm really happy with the jobs I'm working currently but, I'm hoping to work on children's books or web comics in the future.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

I find that just taking a break from art for a couple minutes lets your brain relax. Once I'm relaxed ideas seem to come more easily because I'm not forcing creativity.

What do you think will be the future of your field?

The Internet is becoming the center of entertainment for a lot of people. It's cheaper and easier to watch things on Netflix and Youtube than it is on cable and with a lot of newer televisions becoming Internet capable online content is growing more important. I think short online animations are a good bet for the future.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

I think my favorite thing about DC has to be the National Zoo. It is a great place to sketch and people watch. Plus it's totally free which is a major plus.

Least favorite?

High cost of living and traffic are really awful here. I could easily live without either of those.

What monument or museum do you take most out-of-town guests to?

The Natural History Museum is always a big hit with out-of-town guests. The dinosaurs and animals never get old.

Favorite restaurant?

The Burger Joint chain is fantastic.

Do you have a website or blog?

www.dittbenner.com and these are some other goodies to check out www.latman.com, and www.Karptoons.com

 *Since he's an animator, you should definitely check out his website to view his cartoon work.

Meet a Local Animator: Todd Churn

Todd Churn was one of the local animators* at Gigacon at the Art Institute of Washington (which is actually in a lovely facility in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington) this past January who kindly answered my usual questions

Mike Rhode: What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

Todd Churn: I am an animator that makes cartoons move.

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

On my free time... a little bit of both depending what mood I'm in.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

I was born as a mid-late 80's baby in Richmond VA.

Why are you in the Washington sphere now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

Currently I live in Arlington but my current job is a commute over in Maryland. I am the lead animator for Latman Interactive, a mobile gaming company.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

The Art Institute of Washington.

Who are your influences?

I really enjoy a lot of the work Chuck Jones produced from Looney Tunes to The Dot and the Line. He could make some of the funniest facial expressions on a cartoon character.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

If I could, I would jump back in time to tell my younger self in kindergarten to start on art... right away.

What work are you best-known for?

I have been given the great privilege to animate a duck for my current job at Latman Interactive. Basically, in our past games the duck runs into massive conflictions with a meddling goose.

What work are you most proud of?

Not too long ago I did a really fun gig through a sub contractor, Karptoons. We made these awesome music videos for PBS Kids and it was really cool to see it broadcasted on tv when we finished.

What would you like to do  or work on in the future?

I know a great group of animators around the area and I hope that one day, we can start create fun short films for people to see.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

If I feel like I've been burnt out on my daily schedule, I try to watch real low budget films on Netflix. They may not have the awesome effects, but they manage to be incredibly imaginative with some of their stuff. Whether it's believable or not is another case, but it seems to free up my art block pretty well.

What do you think will be the future of your field?

Well drawn 2D animation is something I believe will stick around until the end of time, no matter what other new dimension people manage to bring into the market.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

If I ever want some reference or information about something I want to illustrate, I just hop onto the metro rail to the National Mall and I'm set.

Least favorite?

Traffic.

Favorite restaurant?

Dunkin' Donuts.

Do you have a website or blog?

You can see the work I post on my blog at: http://dotanimations.blogspot.com/

*Since he's an animator, you should definitely check out his website to view his cartoon work.

Local papers split on "Chico & Rita" animation

Oscar-nominated jazz cartoon is too hot for kids
Kelly Jane Torrance
Washington Examiner March 16 2012
http://washingtonexaminer.com/entertainment/movies/2012/03/oscar-nominated-jazz-cartoon-too-hot-kids/375321

Full-grown animation
By Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post Mar. 16, 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/movies/chico-and-rita,1215692/critic-review.html

Truitt on Spider-Man clones, DC Comics launches, and Blade anime

A study in 'Scarlet': Spider-Man clone stars in new series
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 11 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-11/Scarlet-Spider-comic-series/52496322/1

DC Comics explores new worlds, old favorites with six titles
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 12 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-12/dc-comics-unveils-six-new-series/52504982/1

Seven things to know about DC Comics' new wave of books
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 12 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-12/Seven-facts-about-six-new-DC-Comics-series/52510592/1

Harold Perrineau bites into G4's 'Blade' anime series
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 12 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-12/Harold-Perrineau-stars-in-Blade-anime-series/52519544/1

Chuck Jones in the area

Sadly, this was last night:

Top Ten Creations of Master Animator Chuck Jones
The work of Chuck Jones will be featured at the Washington West Film Festival in Herndon and Reston
    By Leslie Combemale
Herndon Patch November 4, 2011
http://herndon.patch.com/articles/top-ten-creations-of-master-animator-chuck-jones

...at least the film part of it. However, some of Jones' artwork is on display in the Art Insights gallery in Reston.

Post likes new Pooh movie

This Pooh is worth a bother
By Sandie Angulo Chen
Washington Post July 15, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/movies/winnie-the-pooh,1104787/critic-review.html

Flintstones article in today's Express

Yabba Dabba Do!: Flintstones Getting Modern Reboot
 by Marc Silver
Express May 26 2011 p. 29
http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2011/05/flintstones-reboot-fox-seth-macfarlane.php

 

Tiawanese 'news' animations cover Dan Snyder

The Score discovers that Taiwan's Next Media Animation has done a 'news' animation, apparently titled "Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder is an asshole" which ends with his lawsuit against the (unnamed in the cartoon) Washington City Paper.

Bethesda animation studio Pixeldust profiled

Animation is a career and a lifestyle for Andrade
Owner of Bethesda studio has won 15 Emmys
by Lindsey Robbins
The Gazette Feb. 18, 2011

Kung Fu Panda II, for the record UPDATED

In today's Express, on page 2, there's a picture of Jack Black and children in panda costumes, naming the Atlanta Zoo's new panda "Po" after Black's animated character in the Kung Fu Panda movies. I don't know why the Zoo is doing that.

Here's a press release about it, but it still doesn't explain what the Romans phrased as "who profits?"