Cul de Sac play returns to Encore Stage tonight

Cul de Sac

Encore Stage & Studio 

Thomas Jefferson Theatre

 Thru Sun, June 12
$10-$15 buy tickets
Call 703-548-1154 to order

 official website

Four-year-old Alice Otterloop and her older brother, Petey, learn about friendship and the importance of being yourself in this world premier play adaptation of Richard Thompson’s nationally syndicated Cul De Sac comic strip. When Alice decides to help Petey become more exciting she risks sending Petey further into his shell. With the help other their parents, teachers, and new and old friends the Otterloop children just might be able to learn something from each other. We recommend this production for ages 4 and older.
Dates:

• Fri, June 10, 2016 @ 7:30 pm   buy tickets
• Sat, June 11, 2016 @ 11:00 am   buy tickets
• Sat, June 11, 2016 @ 3:00 pm   buy tickets
• Sun, June 12, 2016 @ 3:00 pm   buy tickets

And here's my pictures from the lobby display:

Teresa Roberts Logan's eulogy for her father

Our local cartoonist lost her dad a few weeks ago, and has written a nice memorial for him.

Cartoons and Crying

by The Laughing Redhead
https://laughingredhead.me/2016/06/09/cartoons-and-crying/#comment-2656

PR: March: Book Three - John Lewis's award-winning trilogy concludes in August!

MARCH: BOOK THREE is coming! This August, Congressman John Lewis collaborates again with Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell for the searing conclusion of the award-winning graphic novel trilogy MARCH. Through an unforgettable literary and artistic narrative, MARCH portrays the surpassing courage, sacrifice, and revolutionary nonviolence that transformed American society in the 1960s, narrated firsthand by one of the key figures of the Civil Rights Movement. March: Book Three — in stores August 2, 2016! "March is one of the most important graphic novels ever created — an extraordinary presentation of an extraordinary life, and proof that young people can change the world. I'm stunned by the power of these comics, and grateful that Congressman Lewis's story will enlighten and inspire future generations of readers and leaders." — Raina Telgemeier By the fall of 1963, the Civil Rights Movement has penetrated deep into the American consciousness, and as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, John Lewis is guiding the tip of the spear. Through relentless direct action, SNCC continues to force the nation to confront its own blatant injustice, but for every step forward, the danger grows more intense: Jim Crow strikes back through legal tricks, intimidation, violence, and death. The only hope for lasting change is to give voice to the millions of Americans silenced by voter suppression: "One Man, One Vote." To carry out their nonviolent revolution, Lewis and an army of young activists launch a series of innovative campaigns, including the Freedom Vote, Mississippi Freedom Summer, and an all-out battle for the soul of the Democratic Party waged live on national television. With these new struggles come new allies, new opponents, and an unpredictable new president who might be both at once. But fractures within the movement are deepening ... even as 25-year-old John Lewis prepares to risk everything in a historic showdown high above the Alabama river, in a town called Selma. March: Book Three by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell A 256-page graphic novel with French flaps, 6.5" x 9.5" $19.99 (US) ISBN 978-1-60309-402-3 Diamond order code: JUN16-0408 Click here for details and an 8-page preview! In stores August 2nd, 2016 Don't miss this milestone of comics history: pre-order now. #1 New York Times and Washington Post Bestseller Coretta Scott King Book Award—Author Honor Robert F. Kennedy Book Award—Special Recognition Street Literature Book Award Medal Added to New York City Schools curriculum and assigned in over 40 states Selected for college & university reading programs across America "There is perhaps no more important modern book to be stocked in American school libraries than March." — The Washington Post "Essential reading... March is a moving and important achievement." — USA Today "Riveting." — O, The Oprah Magazine "An astonishingly accomplished graphic memoir." — NPR "March offers a poignant portrait of an iconic figure that both entertains and edifies, and deserves to be placed alongside other historical graphic memoirs like Persepolis and Maus." —Entertainment Weekly "Superbly told history." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Full of nuance and personal struggle, both of which impart an empowering human element to an often mythologized period of history... this is a must-read." — Booklist (starred review) On August 2, the trilogy will finally be complete. Join the MARCH! Your friend thru comics, Chris Staros Top Shelf Productions PO Box 1282 Marietta GA 30061-1282 USA chris@topshelfcomix.com www.topshelfcomix.com

Cosplayers at Awesome Con at Washingtonian

PHOTOS: The Beautiful, Magical, Incredible Characters at this Year's Awesome Con

Two-Face, Khal Drogo, Elvira, Shadow Link, and Harley Quinn all made appearances.

By Hayley Garrison Phillips on June 8, 2016
https://www.washingtonian.com/2016/06/08/meet-characters-awesome-con/

Cul de Sac play reviewed

I saw it and enjoyed it, but I'm friends with the principals, so won't be reviewing it - Mike

Review: 'Cul de Sac' at Encore Stage & Studio

By Kendall Mostafavi on June 8, 2016
http://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2016/06/08/cul-de-sac-encore-stage/

Ann Telnaes' cartoons picked up by French site

Ann Telnaes in French Biggest Newspaper, Ouest-France.

It's a little hard to tell how to read this but it looks like they've just signed up to use Anne's cartoons like a syndicate would.

Comic Riffs' Michael Cavna gets twice awarded and mentioned, honorably

Here's parts of the press release.

The Society for Features Journalism has honored three Pulitzer Prize winners and a host of other journalists as part of its 2016 Excellence-in-Features Awards contest.

Three newspapers also were recognized with the inaugural Finest in Features Sweepstakes Awards, which goes to those publications that received the most honors in the annual contest. The first-ever Best College Features Journalist in the Country also was named. Winners in the 19 categories were announced today.

More than 700 entries were judged in the contest, which honors the craft of feature storytelling and the people who do it for a living at news organizations in the United States and Canada. Winners will be recognized at SFJ's national conference Aug. 10-13 in Austin, Texas.

SFJ President Lisa Glowinski said, "I am beyond impressed with the variety of winners this year. Excellent features journalism is truly alive and well – in print, online, on social media and in our readers' lives."

"Michael Cavna of the Washington Post, who received a first place and honorable mention in Digital Innovation and a second place in Feature Writing Specialty Portfolio."

Here's the specifics:

Feature Speciality Writing Portfolio

Three stories by the same writer on one features specialty topic, such as arts and entertainment, fashion, food, health, religion, technology or travel.

First place: Ben Terris, The Washington Post

Judge's comments: Snazzy, free-flowing writing. Ben Terris proved that the 2016 campaign has been a gift not only to late-night comedians but also to political reporters. The Trump golf story was a hoot – maybe something that will prove to be much less funny down the road. In the meantime, we can take pleasure in sentences like this one, from his piece on tiny Dixville Notch, N.H.: "On a visit in late July, it was a humid and musty place, like walking through a recent sneeze." Bless you, Ben Terris.

Second place: Michael Cavna, The Washington Post

Judge's comments: The alternative storytelling was wonderful, but the conventional storytelling was spectacular. The "Peanuts" piece was brilliant, with life imitating art.

Digital Innovation

New or improved online ventures, including websites, apps, social-media experiments or other ways to share information in the digital world.

First place: Michael Cavna, "#Draw4Atena: The Social-Media Experiment That Went Global," The Washington Post

Judge's comments: Beautiful in its simplicity. The community impact couldn't be denied either. Loved this.

Second place: John Sutter, "You're Making This Island Disappear," CNN.com

Judge's comments: Particularly good use of video to discuss the problem, but the Snapchat video gave a more casual look at the people. Photos were gorgeous. (The editorial tone at the end of the main video could have been edited to let the research and body of work make that point rather than the reporter.)

Third place: Alex Baldinger, Kennedy Elliott, "Holiday Cookie Generator," The Washington Post

Judge's comments: Great idea and wonderful execution. I will be using this during the holidays.

Honorable mention: Michael Cavna, "Experiments in Instagram Short-Lived Art," The Washington Post

Chuck Jones sculpture at National Portrait Gallery

A guest post by Bruce Guthrie

 

The National Portrait Gallery had recently updated its exhibits in the Bravo! and Champions sections.  These are the galleries that are kind of on the third-and-a-half floor.  It had been awhile since I went up there but had some time Monday sooo...

I was happy to see that one of the pieces they had rotated into the Bravo! gallery was a sculpture of Chuck Jones done by Paul Moore in 1994.  It shows a bust of the then-82-year-old Chuck being constructed by many of the Warner Brothers cartoon characters to which he was associated.  Chuck even signed the piece.

I love the museum (Donald Reynolds Center = NPG and the Smithsonian American Art Museum) anyway and encourage all to visit.  They also just put up an "In Memoriam" photo of Mohammad Ali.

The Chuck Jones piece is hard to photograph because of the case it's in but the following pictures give you the idea. 








​

--

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

.

__,_._,___

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Surge!"

From Mike Flugennock, DC's anarchist cartoonist -

"Surge!"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1974

This week begins WMATA's SafeTrack "surge" of massive, long-overdue repairs and rebuilding on the Metro subway, plagued over the past year or so with a rash of fires, derailings, and other accidents.

This parody is a "truth in labeling" version of the current WMATA subway map poster seen in rail stations and train cars.

Washington's Commercial Comics

Stuart McIntyre suggested that we link to information about Commercial Comics, which had been based at 1507 M St NW, Washington DC. (That building appears to be gone).

So, here's an interesting story about comics in DC:

Malcolm Ater and the Commercial Comics Company

by Tom Christopher

New book from Juana Medina

1 Big Salad: A Delicious Counting Book Hardcover – June 7, 2016

by Juana Medina

June 15: World War I: American Artists View the Great War talk

Gallery Talk
World War I: American Artists View the Great War

Wednesday, June 15, 2016, at Noon

Co-Curators Katherine Blood and Sara W. Duke,
Prints and Photographs Division,
Present Selected Highlights in the Exhibition

Graphic Arts Galleries, Ground Level
Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street, S.E., Library of Congress

Sponsored by the Interpretive Programs Office, Stacie Moats, 202-707-0185
ADA ACCESSIBILITY: Request ADA accommodations
5 business days in advance 202-707-6362 or ada@loc.gov

June 8: Brad Meltzer at Tysons

His new book is a novel, not a comic book, but he's glad to sign the ones he's written.

http://bradmeltzer.com/appearances/
MCLEAN, VA
Wednesday, June 8th – 7:00 pm
BARNES & NOBLE
Tysons Corner
7851 Tysons Corner Center

Michael Cavna's Awesome Con impressions

The throngs of Awesome Con DC, from the Joker to Harley Quinn

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog June 6 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/06/06/cosplayers-of-awesome-con-dc-from-the-joker-to-harley-quinn/

Robin Ha's new book reviewed in the NY Times

Cooking: Gwyneth Paltrow's 'It's All Easy,' and More

By JENNY ROSENSTRACH 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/books/review/cooking-gwyneth-paltrows-its-all-easy-and-more.html

A version of this review appears in print on June 5, 2016, on page BR30 of the Sunday Book Review with the headline: Cooking.


COOK KOREAN! A Comic Book With Recipes (Ten Speed, paper, $19.99; available in early July), by Robin Ha,

Ben Hatke's upcoming book tour

Note he's at Takoma Park Library, but  he's also at Politics and Prose.

Art and Adventure

---

Goblin Summer Mini-Tour Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:22 AM PDT Here is where you can find me this summer!

OT: Peter Kuper exhibit in NYC

Friend of ComicsDC (and Herblock judge) Peter Kuper has an exhibit opening soon.

"Outside the Box" A career retrospective opens on Thursday, June 16th, with an artist reception from 6-9 PM.

The exhibition continues through August 17th.

http://www.scottedergallery.com/PeterKuper.pdf

Scott Eder gallery is located at:

18 Bridge St., 2nd Floor

Brooklyn, NY 11201 (Dumbo)

Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 1-6

718-797-1100

Ann Telnaes profiles Pat Oliphant

Mooning the Pulitzer board

By Ann Telnaes

Columbia Journalism Review Spring 2016 1454 words
http://www.cjr.org/the_feature/mooning_the_pulitzer_board.php

David Lamb has passed away

Mr. Lamb was not involved in the world of cartooning, except for escorting his wife, editorial cartoon scholar Sandy Northrup, at local events. It was always a pleasure to speak with him. I've been on several juries with Sandy, and ComicsDC extends our condolences to her.

More information is at

David Lamb, longtime L.A. Times correspondent who covered Vietnam War, dies at 76

Josh Kramer covers D&d in the Post

An illustrated guide to why grown-ups are playing Dungeons & Dragons again

The role-playing game is having a new adventure.

By Josh Kramer June 1 2016 [in print as Why grown-ups are playing D&D, June 5, 2016, p. B2, with 25% edited out]

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/06/01/why-dungeons-dragons-is-popular-again-in-one-comic/

That darn Mark Trail (continued)

Letters to the Editor

Some people don't appreciate 'Mark Trail.' Making it is a childhood dream come true. [in print as Drawing 'Mark Trail' is a childhood dream come true].

James Allen, Gainesville, Ga.

Washington Post (June 4 2016), p. A11

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/some-people-dont-appreciate-mark-trail-making-it-is-a-childhood-dream-come-true/2016/06/03/1625a07e-2755-11e6-8329-6104954928d2_story.html

Library of Congress' Edward Gorey collection

The D.C. Conspiracy today had a private viewing of an Edward Gorey collection donated by collector Glen Emil (who runs Goreyography.com) to the Library of Congress. Emil visited the LOC to talk about his collection. Below are some photos from today:

X-Men on NPR's Monkey See blog

Monkey See

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'X-Men' And Supervillains

This week's show takes us back to a franchise we've neglected and into the heart of villainy. And as always, we tell you what's making us happy this week.

Read this story

The Post reviews Kirkman's Outcast tv show

Hardly heaven, West Virginia: Demons lurk in 'Outcast [online as In 'Outcast,' the creator of 'Walking Dead' finds demons in downtrodden America]

By Hank Stuever TV critic
Washington Post June 3 2016, p. C3
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/in-outcast-the-creator-of-walking-dead-finds-demons-in-downtrodden-america/2016/06/02/a1aaf998-2839-11e6-b989-4e5479715b54_story.html

The Post reviews TMNT

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' franchise finds a sense of fun again

By Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post.com (June 2 2016):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-franchise-finds-a-sense-of-fun-again/2016/06/02/9c5678e6-28de-11e6-b989-4e5479715b54_story.html

Leonardo, Michelangelo and Donatello are back, along with Raphael and some fun new villains, in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows." (Lula Carvalho/Paramount Pictures)

Feeling the Bern: Grassroots Artists Capture Bernie Sanders

By Matt Wuerker and Brianna Gurciullo

06/02/16

http://www.politico.com/magazine/gallery/2016/06/feeling-the-bern-grassroots-artists-capture-bernie-sanders-000639?slide=0

Cul de Sac play premieres tonight in Arlington

Cul de Sac

Play by Amy Thompson
Adapted from the Comic Strip, Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson

Four-year-old Alice Otterloop and her older brother, Petey, learn about friendship and the importance of being yourself in this world premiere play adaptation of Richard Thompson's nationally syndicated Cul De Sac comic strip. When Alice decides to help Petey become more exciting she risks sending Petey further into his shell. With the help other their parents, teachers, and new and old friends the Otterloop children just might be able to learn something from each other. We recommend this production for ages 4 and older.

Performance Dates and Times:
Friday, June 3, 2016 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 4, 2016 at 11am and 3pm
Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 3pm
Friday, June 10, 2016 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 11am and 3pm
Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 3pm

About the comic strip and artist: "He never wanted to be anything other than a cartoonist," says playwright Amy Thompson in describing her husband Richard Thompson. Richard, a long-time Arlington resident, had created thousands of illustrations and cartoons for dozens of magazines and newspapers before Cul de Sac debuted in The Washington Post Magazine in 2007. Thompson drew on incidents from his own childhood ("there's a lot of him in Petey, the withdrawn artist" says Amy), and the lives of his family, including two daughters, Emma and Charlotte. Everything from Charlotte's unbounded exuberance, to Emma's discovery that a manhole cover made a great stage, to the reluctant introduction of a guinea pig in their home was fodder for Thompson's re-imagined suburban Washington. Thompson's Cul de Sac drew the attention of comic fans worldwide including some very famous fans.

"[The comic strip] is one of those rare visions that shows how surprising the ordinary world really is. Richard Thompson's wonderfully peculiar Otterloop family is closely observed with deep sympathy and rings absolutely true, I'm a huge fan." – Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson stated Watterson

"If Cul de Sac isn't French for 'wonderfully loopily sincerely life-affirmingly stupendously hilarious' then there is something wrong with the French language." -Children's book author Mo Willems (Knuffle Bunny, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Elephant & Piggie series)

"Cul de Sac is the funniest strip to appear in decades. Inside Out. It's full of great characters, well-observed truths that most of us have forgotten about, and is so beautifully and funnily drawn that it is an absolute joy to look at even if you can't read. (Of course, if you can't read, then you'd better stop right now.)" -Pixar director and Oscar-winner Pete Docter (Films include Inside Out, Monsters, Inc. and Up.)
Click here for full press release.

Location:
All performances are held at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22204)