Bernie Wrightson has passed away

The great comic book artist Bernie Wrightson passed away on Saturday night from cancer. I had only met him at cons, but my friend and Big Planet Comics store owner Joel Pollack was a good friend of his, and in the past has had some articles here about the two of them.

The links are:

An Interview with Berni Wrightson
Originally published in CFA-APA #5 (June 30, 1986)
http://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2007/02/interview-with-berni-wrightson-part-1.html
http://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2007/03/interview-with-berni-wrightson-part-2.html
http://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2007/03/interview-with-bernie-wrightson-3-and.html

posted on ComicsDC ten years ago in 2007

Joel Pollack on 30 years of Big Planet Comics stores

http://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2016/07/joel-pollack-on-30-years-of-big-planet.html


Here's some photographs I've taken of Mr. Wrightson and his work:

Cole Goco and other Arlington students win comic art awards UPDATED

This just came in from Cole's PR staff (wink, aka Mom, wink):

Cole Goco was just awarded a national gold medal for Comic Art from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.  In Arlington, 3 students got national medals this year in the category of Comic Art.  Cole has received a national medal 4 years in a row, but to my knowledge this is the first year there has been more than one medalist in Arlington in the Comic Art category (so that's must mean comic art is thriving here!)  Also, all the work is on display right now at the central library through March 28.  Cole's (a size-reduced version) is on the first floor near the children's section, Kate Felsenheld's is on the 2^nd floor facing the quiet room, and I'm not sure where the 3^rd one is.

Winners were:

Gold medal:
H-B Woodlawn 10th grader Cole Goco: Planets (Comic Art)

Silver medal:
Washington-Lee High School senior Kate Felsenheld: So You Wanna Be a Punk (Comic Art)
Swanson Middle School 8th grader Natalie Moreno: August (Comic Art)

More details are here - https://www.apsva.us/post/aps-students-earn-30-national-scholastic-art-writing-awards/

Now with Cole's cartoon.

Kennicott on cartoon-influenced fine artist

George Condo is not as complicated as he thinks he is

By Philip Kennicott Art and architecture critic
Washington Post March 16 2017
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/george-condo-is-not-as-complicated-as-he-thinks-he-is/2017/03/16/de171928-0828-11e7-b77c-0047d15a24e0_story.html

NPR on Beauty and the Beast

Tale As Old As Time — And It Shows: 'Beauty And The Beast'

Andrew Lapin

March 16, 2017
http://www.npr.org/2017/03/16/519638130/tale-as-old-as-time-and-it-shows-beauty-and-the-beast

Belle (Emma Watson) and the Beast (Dan Stevens) in Beauty and the Beast

--
Composer Alan Menken On His Disney Tunes: 'I Prefer Them To Be Hum-able'

Susan Stamberg
Morning Edition
March 16, 2017
http://www.npr.org/2017/03/16/520291393/composer-alan-menken-on-his-disney-tunes-i-prefer-them-to-be-hum-able
https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/me/2017/03/20170316_me_composer_alan_menken_on_his_disney_tunes_i_prefer_them_to_be_hum-able.mp3
http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=520291393

Gaiman interview on Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Memes, Fads And A Chat With Neil Gaiman

Linda Holmes and Petra Maye March 17, 2017
http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2017/03/17/520294122/pop-culture-happy-hour-memes-fads-and-a-chat-with-neil-gaiman and
https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510282/npr.mc.tritondigital.com/PCHH_PODCAST/media/anon.npr-mp3/npr/pchh/2017/03/20170317_pchh_pchh_ep339_20160317_final.mp3

Kickstarter project by Anthony Dortch

Anthony Dortch works in Arlington, and self-publishes comic books. We're trying to get our standard interview set up with him, but I didn't want to wait to note his Kickstarter project:

PURE - the feature length movie

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dortchdesigns/pure-the-feature-length-movie

We are working on PURE - a project where models get body painted to become the the characters of the graphic novel and film.

We want to make PURE into a live action movie. PURE is an epic tale of engrained racism and the evils of inequality - a project where models get body painted to become the characters of a graphic novel and a feature length movie.

The movie is based on a fumetti style graphic novel named PURE. A story built around the small nation of Seyns. It's governed by 7 feuding Western defined families (Baum, Cassidy, Dolle', Kindris, Rome, Mundi and Slaven); each with unique characteristics (heritage, social norms, cloning, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, artifacts and technologies). They don the ornate clothing and jewelry of money, beauty, and corruption. Their golden exterior and sky blue eyes belie any preoccupation with altruism, for the commoners serve as mere stepping-stones to money, power and useless things. 

The Others do not fit in to society due to a substantial shortage of earthly possessions, sex, race or class. The Others cannot camouflage their destitution. They live out side of Seyns and can only enter the nations walls to serve.

PR: Beyond Comics 20th Anniversary Sales Continue!

March - 20% Off All Graphic Novels!

Beyond Comics 20th Anniversary Sales! March - 20% Off Graphic Novels Beyond Comics Opened Its First Store in 1997! Celebrate Our Anniversary with year long sales!     All Graphic Novels 20% OFF! Includes New Arrivals   Does not apply to Special Orders.  www.beyondcomics.com

Beyond Comics, 18749 B North Frederick Avenue, 5632 Buckeystown Pike Frederick, MD, 207 S. Princess Street - Shepherdstown, WV, Gaithersburg, MD 20879

Shrek, the Musical returns to Arlington

A tad long, but 'Shrek, the Musical' still charms [in print as Young-at-Heart Targets of New Shows].

by MATT REVILLE, Staff Writer

Arlington Sun Gazette Mar 16, 2017

online at http://www.insidenova.com/news/a-tad-long-but-shrek-the-musical-still-charms/article_462e885e-08ae-11e7-976b-d30279216ead.html

The Post on Beauty and the Beast, Disney's latest de-animation

Remake of 'Beauty and the Beast' convincingly springs to life [in print as A textural human touch for this classic].

By Ann Hornaday
Washington Post March 17 2017, Weekend p. 27
online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/remake-of-beauty-and-the-beast-convincingly-springs-to-life/2017/03/16/9022737c-05bf-11e7-ad5b-d22680e18d10_story.html

LeFou's 'Beauty' secret revealed! [in print as LeFou in love: A 'Beauty' secret? It's not anymore].

By Kristen Page-Kirby
Express March 17 2017, p. 23

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2017/03/17/lefous-beauty-secret-revealed/

New ReDistricted story on the history of cherry trees in DC

New 'ReDistricted' story: "The Cherished Cherry Blossoms and Other Tales" By Michael Brace! https://www.redistrictedcomics.com/cherryblossoms

Earlier stories can be seen here.

The Post talks to The Oatmeal's Matthew Inman about bears

A proposal to bring back grizzlies just got a funny boost [in print as Web comic artist gives grizzly campaign a massive boost].

By Karin Brulliard
Washington Post March 16 2017, p. A3
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2017/03/15/a-proposal-to-bring-back-grizzlies-just-got-a-funny-boost/

Comic Riffs reviews Iron Fist

'Iron Fist' packs a punch that occasionally misses

By David Betancourt
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog March 14 2017
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2017/03/14/iron-fist-packs-a-punch-that-occasionally-misses/

The Post with AP stories on editorial cartoons

Trump administration actions inspire editorial cartoonists

By Associated Press March 12 2017
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/trump-administration-actions-inspire-editorial-cartoonists/2017/03/10/0f8812ae-05a0-11e7-9d14-9724d48f5666_story.html

and illustrated with a cartoon by formerly local Nate Beeler is

Teaching Trump: Should teachers offer up their own politics? in print as Teaching about Trump].

By Carolyn Thompson | AP
Express March 15 2016, p. 11

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/teaching-trump-should-teachers-offer-up-their-own-politics/2017/03/12/e8d9c30e-0726-11e7-bd19-fd3afa0f7e2a_story.html

Steve Loya interviewed

Cartoonist, fine artist and ComicsDC contributor - read more about him -

A Conversation with Artist Steve Loya by Lisa Strout

Tryst Gallery March 9, 2017
http://www.trystgallery.com/tryst-blog/2017/3/9/a-conversation-with-artist-steve-loya-by-lisa-strout

Pennsylvania Turnpike superheroes?

I was on the Pennsylvania Turnpike last weekend, and stopped in the (going west) rest stop outside of Breezewood. There's a nice exhibit on PA Turnpike tchockes which includes this Turnpike Man cup and inaction figure, which I believe has artwork by the late Paul Ryan, a longtime Fantastic Four and Phantom artist. Can anyone confirm that?







Anyone want to sell me a cup? I just bought the inaction figure on ebay, where 8 of them are being sold as cake toppers.

March 15: Jeff Day talk

GNSI-DC: From Comics to Medical Art

Event Date:
March 15, 2017 -
5:30pm to 7:30pm

Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, Greater DC Chapter Meeting

Date:  Wednesday, March 15, 2017 - 5:30pm to 7:30pm

From Comics to Medical Art, a presentation by Jeff Day
Bam! Kapow! Scalpel! Jeff Day never outgrew his love of cartooning even after becoming a medical illustrator. Jeff shares comics lessons that can be applied to science art, and how he continues to use cartoons to communicate health and medical messages. Jeff is now an informatics fellow at the National Library of Medicine and draws deeply from his varied background as a medical student, pediatrics intern, natural history museum educator, and training in medical illustration. Yes it was a windy path, but that's what you get for a guy who never outgrew cartoons...

Some of his medical art can be seen at http://www.daybiomed.com.

More Details Here.

​

LOCATION:
Smithsonian Natural History Museum
10th St. & Constitution Ave., Washington, DC.
Room WG-33 (1st Floor, West Wing)

All visitors must wait for an escort in the Constitution Avenue lobby between 5:30 and 6:10 p.m. (about every 15 minutes)

EVENING'S SCHEDULE:
— 5:30 p.m. for snacks and socializing (Please bring a food item to share, or $3.00 for the donation jar.)
— 6:00 p.m. Business and announcements
— 6:10 p.m. (approx.) Presentation begins

Spurgeon interviews former DC resident Wimberly

CR Monday Conversation: Ronald Wimberly
by Tom Spurgeon
Comics Reporter March 13, 2017
http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/cr_sunday_conversation_ronald_wimberly/

The Post on Gaiman and Zelda

Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods,' newly illustrated by Dave McKean [in print as 'American Gods,' heading for television, gets reverential reissue].

By Ron Charles
Washington Post March 12 2017,

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/neil-gaimans-american-gods-newly-illustrated-by-dave-mckean/2017/03/08/04d35c2c-01c9-11e7-b9fa-ed727b644a0b_story.html

'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' review: Unusually, hauntingly engrossing [in print as This 'Zelda' will take your breath away].

By Harold Goldberg
Washington Post March 12 2017, p. E18

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2017/03/06/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-review-unusually-hauntingly-engrossing/

Mutts in Arlington

Petco Unleashed on Wilson Blvd at Patrick st. is selling tote bags with Patrick McDonnell's Mutts characters for charity. It's a ten dollar minimum donation.

Will Eisner Week exhibit at the Library of Congress

Last week, the departments of Serials (ie comic books) and Prints & Photographs (ie original art and posters) put on small exhibit for a couple of hours in recognition of Will Eisner's 100th birthday. In addition to Spirit comic books, there was original art by Eisner, as well as other comics and comic book pages.



 

  



More pictures are on Flickr.

NPR on Samurai Jack

Jack Is Back: After A 13-Year Hiatus, 'Samurai Jack' Returns For A Final Season

Marc Rivers

NPR's Monkey See blog March 8, 2017
http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2017/03/08/519031110/jack-is-back-after-a-13-year-hiatus-samurai-jack-returns-for-a-final-season

PR: Meet Quantum Teens are Go creators Magdalene Visaggio & Eryk Donovan at Third Eye Annapolis Tomorrow

at THIRD EYE ANNAPOLIS Click here for the event info on FACEBOOK Signing from 11am-1pm Hey Third Eye Faithful! We've got a super cool signing coming up for you tomorrow, and would be absolutely honored if you'd come out and join us for the fun! We're huge fans of BLACK MASK COMICS, and pretty much everything they put out - we usually find ourselves totally loving. One of our favorite new series of 2016 was the incredible KIM & KIM, and when we saw that KIM & KIM writer Magdalene Visaggio had a brand new series on the way from BLACK MASK with QUANTUM TEENS ARE GO, we wanted to really kick it off big! So, that's exactly why we're doing a totally rock-n-roll signing event for the debut issue on 3/11/17 with Magdalene and Quantum Teens artist Eryk Donovan (who's wowed us on books like MEMETIC / COGNETIC and CONSTANTINE!)! Read on, and find out why QUANTUM TEENS ARE GO is one of the new series we're looking forward to the most in 2017, and mark your calendars for 3/11 to come out & get your copies signed!   WHAT'S THE SCOOP ON QUANTUM TEENS ARE GO? Mad science meets punk rock in QUANTUM TEENS ARE GO, and we're loving every second of it! Teenage sweethearts Nat & Sumesh spend their nights breaking into abandoned superlabs to steal the parts they need to build a time machine - and they've just found the most important part. But mysterious entities keep trying to stop them turning it on. If the FANTASTIC FOUR were sktae punks, they'd be QUANTUM TEENS ARE GO! Super fun, super fast high-octane action loaded with in-your-face sci-fi, killer robots, and more! OTHER GREAT PROJECTS MAGDALENE & ERYK From the publishers who brought you WE CAN NEVER GO HOME, SPACE RIDERS and 4 KIDS WALK INTO A BANK, KIM AND KIM is the tale of two twentysomething besties out to make a name for themselves in the wild world of interdimensional cowboy law enforcement! In a massive SCREW YOU to their parents, and the authorities, they decide to hijack some high stakes bounty - and end up in way over their heads. Kim & Kim is a day-glo action adventure that's crackling with raw comic book fun, and pure unbridled energy and enthusiasm. Imagine the raw energy and fun of old school TANK GIRL comics with a mixtape soundtrack featuring M.I.A and every Kathleen Hanna band you ever loved! Be One Of The First 20 In Line & Get A FREE Gift Limited To This Event! We know you guys and gals love lining up early, and having fun waiting to meet your favorite creators, and we like encouraging the totally fun and totally rad community vibe it brings. So, we've put together a really cool free giveaway for the first 20 of you who line up for our big signing with Magdalene & Eryk! We can't wait to see you all tomorrow! We're pumped for the excitement you bring to signings like these, and it continues to motivate us to keep bringing out some of the fastest rising stars in comics to Third Eye! Click here for the event info on FACEBOOK!

Third Eye Comics, 2027A WEST ST., Annapolis, MD 21401