EXHIBITION OPENING: Moving Perspectives: Shahzia Sikander/ Sun Xun, Saturday, July 18, Sackler Gallery

This sounds like animation to me, albeit a fine art sort. I'd be interested in a report if anyone sees it before I do.

Moving Perspectives: Shahzia Sikander/ Sun Xun Video Art at the Sackler Gallery July 18 - November 8 Trained in Pakistan and in the United States, Shahzia Sikander (b. 1969, Lahore, Pakistan) deftly reinterprets miniature painting by isolating and abstracting formal compositional elements often found in this densely layered and intricate art form. The dynamism of her paintings is set in motion in her video works, where the repetition of abstract forms becomes a buzzing hive, calligraphy whirls in and out of view, and imaginary curves morph into vivid landscapes. Similarly, Sun Xun (b. 1980, Fuxin, China) creates hundreds of paintings and drawings by using old newspapers or entire blank walls. Filming his hand-drawn images, he transforms clocks, magicians, words, and insects into animated symbols that flicker across the screen in dark allegories on the nature of historical consciousness and the passage of time. Visit www.asia.si.edu for information on all our events, exhibitions, and public programs. Image Credit: Shock of time, 2006. video stills by Sun Xun.

1050 Independence Ave. SW 202.633.1000 Metro: Smithsonian www.asia.si.edu publicaffairsAsia@si.edu films | performances | talks | ImaginAsia | membership | shops

Weldon on Thor movie

I can't say I agree... the poor God's 3000 years old at least. I think he's pretty laid back for that.

The Upcoming Thor Movie: Tho What? He's Still A Jerk.

by Glen Weldon

National Public Radio's Monkey See blog July 15 2009

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/07/the_upcoming_thor_movie_tho_wh_1.html?sc=nl&cc=msb-20090715

Cavna on SpongeBob in the Post

Absorbent And Yellow And Beloved At 10 Is He

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 14, 2009

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/13/AR2009071303240.html

Although the article that the Post's Arts & Living website links to is Reuters, not their own.

SpongeBob creator interviewed at Comic Riffs

The Interview: 'SpongeBob' Creator Stephen Hillenburg
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog July 14, 2009
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/07/_tom_kenny_who_voices.html#more

Comic Riffs blog turns 1 today

I'm lousy at tracking dates, but Michael Cavna says his excellent Washington Post Comic Riffs blog is 1 year old today - http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/07/_it_only_fully_dawned.html

Congratulations, Michael!

July 13: X-Men in Crystal City

Crystal Screen - Superheroes

Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities.

Date(s):
May 4, 2009 - September 21, 2009

Location:
18th and Bell Street - Courtyard Across from Crystal City Metro Station & Marriott Hotel

Event Fee:
Free

Hours:
Movies begin at sundown

Description:
Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities. Check back here for more information.

CRYSTAL KID BONUS: Since it gets dark later in the summer and movies often start past bedtime, the BID has partnered with Crystal City Sports Pub to rebroadcast each movie at 3:30 PM on the 3rd Floor of CCSP on the Wednesday following the outdoor showing, starting May 6. Bring your kids and a blanket and enjoy the fabulous surround network of TVs.

Festival Rules: Patrons can bring their own picnics as long as they abide by city and festival rules. Low-backed chairs and blankets are allowed, but grills, umbrellas, and pets are prohibited.


Schedule

July 13, 2009 - X-Men
July 15, 2009 - X-Men - at CCSP
July 20, 2009 - X2
July 22, 2009 - X2 - at CCSP
July 27, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand
July 29, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand - at CCSP
August 3, 2009 - Fantastic Four
August 5, 2009 - Fantastic Four - at CCSP
August 10, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
August 12, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - at CCSP
August 17, 2009 - Batman
August 19, 2009 - Batman - at CCSP
August 24, 2009 - Batman Returns
August 26, 2009 - Batman Returns - at CCSP
August 31, 2009 - Batman Forever
September 2, 2009 - Batman Forever - at CCSP
September 7, 2009 - Batman & Robin
September 9, 2009 - Batman & Robin - at CCSP
September 14, 2009 - Batman Begins
September 16, 2009 - Batman Begins - at CCSP
September 21, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight
September 23, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight - at CCSP

Iranian cartoonists article in Wash Post

I think I slipped up yesterday and forgot to mention this -

Behind Iranian Lines, Cartoonists Come Under Fire
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 12, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/09/AR2009070903216.html

And don't forget the longer interview with Nik Kowsar is here - http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/07/the_interview_exiled_iranian_c.html#more

Bennett's best is back

Bennett's Best for the week of June 28, By Greg Bennett, July 5, 2009 Washington Times' Zadzooks blog - Justice League and Captain America.

Geppi's Museum's Barks Exhibit

Scoop has more information on Geppi's Museum's Carl Barks exhibit which opens on July 17th in Baltimore. This is one not to miss.

Peter Bagge strips from DC's Reason magazine collected

Peter Bagge's strips from DC's Reason magazine have been collected, I like these strips a lot - they're mostly cartoon journalism. Bagge spoke at Reason about 2 years ago and I went to their Dupont Circle location and enjoyed the talk.

The book, which I bought this week, is: Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me and Other Astute Observations, Peter Bagge, Fantagraphics, softcover, 120 pages, 9781606991589 (ISBN13), 2009, $16.99.

For a good interview, see Tom Spurgeon, "CR Sunday Interview: Peter Bagge," Comics Reporter (July 12 2009)

Sept 10: "New Yorker" Cartoonist will Address Seniors at N. Va. Aging Fair

LIVING LONG AND LAUGHING MUCH

NEW YORKER CARTOONIST WILL KEYNOTE
AT NOVA POSITIVE AGING FAIR SEPTEMBER 10
 


(Fairfax, VA – July x, 2009) –The New Yorker magazine cartoonist Mort Gerberg has lived long and laughed much.  Gerberg will share his knack for finding humor in aging as the keynote speaker at the "Third Annual Positive Aging Fair:  Tools for Creative Aging" on Sept. 10 at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia (JCCNV), 8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Gerberg edited the book Last Laughs: Cartoons About Aging, Retirement…and the Great Beyond, in 2007, and will sign copies of it at the fair. The All-Jewish Cartoon Collection is another of the nearly 40 other books Gerberg has written, illustrated or edited.  

The aging fair provides information and resources that promote active aging through healthy lifestyles that help seniors live longer, more independently and more positively.
Participants in the fair may choose among six interactive small-group workshops on healthy aging topics:
·        Writing Your Memoirs led by George Mason University associate professor of English Don Gallehr.  Preserve memories and experiences in writing for yourself and your children.
·        Wills, Trusts and Creative Estate Planning  (Or Must I Leave Everything to My Children?) led by Helen Cohn Needham and Susan Pollack of the law firm Needham, Mitnick & Pollack.  Learn about financial options for the future.
·        Sexuality After 50 led by Ruth Kershner, a social worker in JSSA's Aging Services Department. Gain insights into the impact of physical changes on sexuality, dating for people over 60, and coping with widowhood.
·        Gardening with Healing Plants led by environmental educator Karen Buchsbaum. Learn about plants with healing properties, then bring home a fledging plant you start in a pot yourself.
·        Take Charge of Your Health in Retirement led by Virginia Inglese, registered dietician and social worker.  Discover strategies to keep you healthy and energized.
·        Healthy Brains led by social worker Nancy Dezan, presenting puzzles and other mental challenges to keep your mind strong.

The day's events will also include a raffle and information booths on subjects such as senior housing options, the arts, county services and health and fitness.
 
The Positive Aging Fair welcomes Northern Virginians over 50 from all faiths and backgrounds.  The fair is sponsored by the Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA), JCCNV, JConnect, and the Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA).  Major business sponsors from the community include NurtureCare, Inc., and Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States.
 
General admission to the fair is $8, or $10 if a kosher lunch is requested in advance.  Registration may be done by phone at 703-323-0880 or online at www.jccnv.org <http://www.jccnv.org/> .

 
About JSSA



____________________________________________________________________________

JSSA has been helping people across the Washington metropolitan area meet emotional, social, and physical challenges for more than 115 years. A nonsectarian provider, we serve people of all religious backgrounds, races and ethnicities, helping the youngest child to the most fragile senior, from individuals to entire families. Our wide range of counseling, educational, employment, in-home support, hospice and nursing care and social services assist over 22,000 people per year.
 

Rockville (Fallsgrove), 301.838.4200 • Rockville (Montrose Road), 301.881.3700 •  Fairfax, 703.204.9100  •  www.jssa.org
Jewish Social Service Agency

DCist on Super-Mayor

Glen Weldon wrote in recommending DCist's column, "Voting for Super Mayor Ends Tonight," By Kriston Capps on July 10, 2009 so there's the link.

Otakon

I forgot this was coming up, but Marc Nathan (promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con) mentioned to me yesterday that Otakon, one of the major anime/manga conventions, is coming up on July 17th through the 19th at the Baltimore Convention Center. I have never attended, but am told it is something to behold! Comic-oriented guests include some of the UDON crew (I know Jo Chen, Jeffrey "Chamba" Cruz, and Jamie Noguchi will be at that booth, though that's just from Googling) and Yamila Abraham, publisher at Yaoi Press.

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-15-09

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-15-09
By John Judy

ACTION COMICS #879 by Greg Rucka, James Robinson, Fernando Dagnino and Cafu. Nightwing! Flamebird! Captain Atom! The reasons one buys ACTION COMICS!

AGENTS OF ATLAS #8 by Jeff Parker and Carlo Pagulayan. The AoAs meet the Hulk. Smashing ensues.

ALL-SELECT COMICS #1: 70th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL by Marc Guggenheim and Javier Pulido. The Blonde Phantom is “gorgeous, quick-witted and hard-boiled!” I think I used to date her. Nefarious schemes will be foiled, believe you me! Plus a golden-age reprint and Marvex the Super-Robot! Recommended.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #599 by Joe Kelly and Marco Checchetto. For some reason this has Richard Nixon on the cover. Hey, the last time Spidey had a President on the cover it went to seven printings or something. Marvel ain’t no dummy.

BATMAN: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CAPED CRUSADER HC by Neil Gaiman, Andy Kubert and Others. “Ummm, he got kilt?” It’s Neil doing his dreamy funeral thing. Looks good too. Plus other Gaiman Bat-tales. All good.

BLACKEST NIGHT #1 of 8 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. “The dead shall rise!” Or as we say here in Comics-Land: “It’s Wednesday!” If your favorite hero snuffed it in the past few years they’re probably here looking corpsey. Gotta look!

CAPTAIN AMERICA #601 by Ed Brubaker and Gene “The Dean” Colan. Those two names in the credits should tell you how good this book is. Highly recommended.

CREEPY COMICS #1 by Many Talented Horror-Meisters, including Angelo Torres and Bernie Wrightson. It’s back from the publishing graveyard and ready to eat your brains in glorious black and white! For fans of the original mag and those who weren’t even born back then. Featuring two painted covers by Eric Powell. Yum!

DAN DARE OMNIBUS VOL. 1 TP by Garth Ennis and Gary Erskine. Collecting the cult favorite mini-series that brought the British space hero out of retirement in every possible way. Good stuff.

DARK AVENGERS #7 by Matt Fraction and Simone Bianchi. The DAs throw down with the X-gang in San Francisco. Big fight.

INCOGNITO #5 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. The penultimate issue of this beautiful anti-heroic ditty. Too good to wait for the trade. Highly recommended.

LITTLE MOUSE GETS READY HC written and drawn by Jeff Smith. A children’s book from the creator of BONE, RASL and SHAZAM: MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL about a little mouse who gets ready. Tell yourself you’re getting it for your kid. Recommended.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #27 by Dan Slott and Khoi Pham. A new story of a king so vile he had to be written out of history, but only after he screwed up traffic all over LA with his memorial service. Dan Slott is rocking this title. Highly Recommended.

RASL #5 written and drawn by Jeff Smith. Our dimension-hopping science thief gets in even more trouble. This one keeps getting better. Recommended.

SCALPED #30 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera. Red Crow learns there’s an FBI agent on The Rez as Dash Bad Horse begins the countdown to Totally Screwed. Not for kids. Highly Recommended. Read it.

UNWRITTEN #3 by Mike Carey and Peter Gross. Tommy Taylor meets Frankenstein! How great is this book? Very-very! Highly recommended.

WALKING DEAD #63 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard. The scary non-zombies are hunting our intrepid band. Let’s hope Michonne chops ‘em up good. Not for kids. Recommended.

WEDNESDAY COMICS #2 of 12 by A Pantheon of Comics Dieties. Tabloid-sized awesomeness every week to remind you of how great a newspaper comics section could be. No lie, this stuff could save newspapers if they picked up on it. Highly recommended!

X-FACTOR #46 by Peter David and Valentine DeLandro. Time travel and girl-fights, but the big news is that Rictor and Shatterstar are gay. In other news, water is wet.

www.johnjudy.net

July 11: Bugs Bunny On Broadway - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Bugs Bunny On Broadway - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Columbia, MD
Sat, Jul 11, 2009 08:30 PM

DC Comic Books Examiner: Sky Dog Comics, Scene of the Crime and the SPX

Sky Dog Comics, Scene of the Crime and the SPX Friday, July 10, 2009 Trade Paperback / Vertigo   Sky Dog Comics, a publisher from the DC Metro area, gained multiple nominations for Oct.'s 2009 Harvey Awards. Sky Dog's Buzzboy: Sidekicks Rule is nominated for Best Writer, Best Cartoonist, ... Read more » DC Comic Books Examiner, Mark Ruffin Mark Ruffin, a reader of comics for over twenty years, is a freelance writer who tirelessly generates awareness for the Non-Fraternity Conversation and Write-up on Comic Books. Contact Mark here.

DC's mayoral superhero announced

Judith Freeman says

And the winner is...

Wonder Woman!   

The race was down to the wire, but we are prepared to announce that Wonder Woman will be the next Superhero Mayor of DC!

This has been an amazing race. The campaign teams of eight superhero candidates built interactive websites and dynamic graphics, wrote engaging emails that turned out a huge supporter base, created entertaining videos, and wrote successful field plans from scratch in five hours.  Our 53 BootCampers, from across the country, have met and surpassed our expectations.

We are thrilled to announce that over 6,000 people voted for their favorite Superhero. The BootCampers picked up blog coverage from NPR, Daily Kos, Huffington Post, Roll Call and nearly 30 other blogs, and garnered endorsements from a wide support base across the country.

This BootCamp was a success of the larger progressive movement, one that should make us all proud of the next generation of progressive organizers.

The race was neck-in-neck. The second-place finisher was The Atom and third place candidate was the Green Lantern. 

Thank you for your support!

  -- Judith, Heather, Zack, Anne Marie, Joy, Olivia, Lola, Santiago, James, Shayne, Nick and Kyra

Superheroes for DC mayor?

Apparently the indestructible Marion Barry is not the only superpowered being to be mayor of DC. This report - "In 'D.C.,' A Mayoral Race That's Every Bit As Tight As Spandex," by Glen Weldon, National Public Radio's Monkey See blog July 10 2009 - says that a faux election wrapped up today and you needed to get your vote in earlier today. Weldon came out for Batwoman (based purely in my opinion on the way the lesbian heroine looks in her costume), but I'm backing Spider-Man who understands 'With great power, comes great responsibility."

The announcement of the winner comes at 8 pm tonight. The site will email you the winner if you sign up.

Post on Blood: The Last Vampire anime spin-ff

Not-So-Fresh 'Blood'
-- Dan Zak
Washington Post Friday, July 10, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/09/AR2009070901469.html

Iranian cartoonist interviewed at Comic Riffs

The Interview: Exiled Iranian Cartoonist Nik Kowsar
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog July 10, 2009;
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/07/the_interview_exiled_iranian_c.html#more

Anime turned live action movie "Blood: The Last Vampire" reviewed in City Paper

Reviewed: Blood: The Last Vampire
Schoolgirls and ninjas jockey for screen time in this gory filmic retread.
By Tricia Olszewski
Washington City Paper July 9, 2009

OT: Sergio Aragones podcast interview online

He's one of the greats.

Fanboy Radio #516 - Sergio Aragones LIVE
KCTU 7 July 2009

DC Comic Books Examiner: SLJ's summer reading comics list for kids

I've signed up for Mark Ruffin's email list for his comics columns and I'll pass them along here as I get them.

In the interests of diversity, I will note that the School Library Journal has run a couple of other bibliographies lately:

The Library Don't Have a Closet: 19 Graphic Novels for Gay & Lesbian Pride Month
By Martha Cornog, Philadelphia -- Library Journal, 5/27/2009.

Black, White, Red, Brown, and Yellow: America's Growing Pains in Graphic Novels
Celebrate the Fourth of July with 14 Titles.
By Martha Cornog, Philadelphia -- Library Journal, 6/23/2009.

SLJ's summer reading comics list for kids Thursday, July 9, 2009             This week, the School Library Journal posted a second list of comic books for summer reading. The sequel article continues from the initial ... Read more » DC Comic Books Examiner, Mark Ruffin Mark Ruffin, a reader of comics for over twenty years, is a freelance writer who tirelessly generates awareness for the Non-Fraternity Conversation and Write-up on Comic Books. Contact Mark here.

Politics and Prose featured children's book is by an animator

BOOK OF THE WEEK
(20% off through 7/15)
If you've played all your board games, read all your comic books, painted pictures, baked cookies, and played every sport invented, you'll know how Frankie and Sal feel when they proclaim, "LET'S DO NOTHING!" (Candlewick, $16.99).  But doing nothing—not moving—isn't as easy as the boys thought.  Frankie's imagination always seems to get the better of him: pigeons land on Frankie when he's a statue in the park; when Frankie is a redwood, Sal's dog comes by and relieves himself.  Frankie just can't keep still.  Then Sal realizes something about the nature of doing nothing.  Feature film animator Tony Fucile captures the essence of childhood boredom and creativity in this entertaining first picture book.  Ages 4-7 • Heidi Powell

For more recommendations for kids from our staff, pick up a copy of the Children and Teens' Summer Summer 2009 in the store or browse our summer selections for children and teens on the website by clicking here.

Jen Sorenson interviewed by Daryl Cagle

Jen's sort of local, being currently based in Charlottesville...

Daryl Cagle interviews cartoonists Mikhaela Reid and Jen Sorenson, part 1-2
CagleCartoons
July 07, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zJm7XZYLAY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTCh12ulKpQ

Here is another interview from this year's AAEC Convention. This time, I sit down with Mikhaela Reid and Jen Sorenson, two successful female alternative cartoonists, and discuss the state of the industry and the uphill battle female cartoonists face.

Comic Riffs reports on censored Candorville Michael Jackson cartoons

See Would You Censor This 'Candorville' Cartoon? by Michael Cavna, Washington Post Comic Riffs blog (July 8 2009): http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/07/wednesdays_riffs.html#more
for the story and the Michael Jackson comic strip the Washington Post Writers Group didn't want to distribute.

DC Conspiracy's Chris Piers interviewed

See "Comic book writing - a perspective from Chris Piers," Mark Ruffin, July 7, 2009.

July 6: Superman Returns in Crystal City

Crystal Screen - Superheroes

Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities.

Date(s):
May 4, 2009 - September 21, 2009

Location:
18th and Bell Street - Courtyard Across from Crystal City Metro Station & Marriott Hotel

Event Fee:
Free

Hours:
Movies begin at sundown

Description:
Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities. Check back here for more information.

CRYSTAL KID BONUS: Since it gets dark later in the summer and movies often start past bedtime, the BID has partnered with Crystal City Sports Pub to rebroadcast each movie at 3:30 PM on the 3rd Floor of CCSP on the Wednesday following the outdoor showing, starting May 6. Bring your kids and a blanket and enjoy the fabulous surround network of TVs.

Festival Rules: Patrons can bring their own picnics as long as they abide by city and festival rules. Low-backed chairs and blankets are allowed, but grills, umbrellas, and pets are prohibited.


Schedule

July 6, 2009 - Superman 5: Superman Returns
July 8, 2009 - Superman 5: Superman Returns - at CCSP
July 13, 2009 - X-Men
July 15, 2009 - X-Men - at CCSP
July 20, 2009 - X2
July 22, 2009 - X2 - at CCSP
July 27, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand
July 29, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand - at CCSP
August 3, 2009 - Fantastic Four
August 5, 2009 - Fantastic Four - at CCSP
August 10, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
August 12, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - at CCSP
August 17, 2009 - Batman
August 19, 2009 - Batman - at CCSP
August 24, 2009 - Batman Returns
August 26, 2009 - Batman Returns - at CCSP
August 31, 2009 - Batman Forever
September 2, 2009 - Batman Forever - at CCSP
September 7, 2009 - Batman & Robin
September 9, 2009 - Batman & Robin - at CCSP
September 14, 2009 - Batman Begins
September 16, 2009 - Batman Begins - at CCSP
September 21, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight
September 23, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight - at CCSP

The Pure and Hidden Truth Comic Press Release

The following is a press release for a web comic called "The Pure and Hidden Truth,"produced in Maryland and can be viewed at www.pureandhiddentruth.com.  

"THE PURE AND HIDDEN TRUTH" REVEALED

 

Cisco Davis Jr. is a 23 year old, alien fearing, creator of a science-fiction/ fantasy comic with vampires, werewolves, Men in Black, ghosts, and genetic mutants galore.   Based in Glen Burnie, MD, a movie is also in the works.

 

Glen Burnie, MD  June 30, 2009-- Launched in October of 2008, Cisco Davis Jr. is on a mission to reveal The Pure and Hidden Truth to the masses.  The Pure and Hidden Truth is a science-fiction photographic web comic (www.pureandhiddentruth.com) that follows Art Friedman and Jillian Murphy, two down on their luck paranormal  investigators with supernatural powers of their own.  The duo's adventures are chronicled every week as they are thrown into a series of calculated coincidences leading to the greatest discovery in human history:  The Truth.

 

The Truth involves a wacky list of characters including crash-prone aliens, a sexy vampire slayer, a pessimistic werewolf, and evil-morphing Men in Black agents.  There are only a handful of  photo-comics  in the world that use actual actors  to play  the characters of the story.  The Pure and Hidden Truth is a true pioneer in the photo-comic genre.

 

The Pure and Hidden Truth is produced in Glen Burnie, MD and features a traditional long-form and full-page comic style , using actual photographs that have been stylistically altered to give the comic a distinctive look and feel.  The online comic is broken down into a basic three act structure and is updated every Friday and the first Monday of the month to keep readers on their toes. 

 

While growing up, Cisco Davis Jr. was deathly afraid of aliens and the paranormal.  After his mother's death last year and an alleged alien sighting near his home, Cisco was prompted to start a project that would help overcome his fearful emotions and create a free, fun, entertaining experience for anyone with access to the internet.  With a vivid imagination and a flair for writing, Cisco wrote a script and gathered a cast of local actors to bring his epic adventure to life.  The Pure and Hidden Truth Radio Show was also created to tie-in with the story.

 

To celebrate The Pure and Hidden Truth's one year anniversary, a movie basic on the comic will be released this October.  The movie is currently in production in Maryland.

 

 

 

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release , contact Diana King.

 

Contact Info:

 

Diana King

The Pure and Hidden Truth

King at pureandhiddentruth dot com

Richard Thompson at Central Library pics

Here's a few shots of Richard Thompson's booksigning at Central Library last week. After some powerpoint hassles, he spoke for about 30 minutes, showing some of his caricature work and how his Cul de Sac family evolved. After that he had a line of about 30 people for book signings. The people from Arlington County took a lot of pictures so hopefully they'll show up online.

Secret Identities and Larry Hama at Geppi's museum, July 18th

Colin Solan's got the info on a booksigning at Geppi's Entertainment Museum for Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology.

Big Planet Comics 23rd birthday

Today is Big Planet Comics 23rd birthday so shoot off an extra firework for them. I will.

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-08-09

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-08-09
By John Judy

100 BULLETS, VOL. 13: WILT SC by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso. Collecting the final issues of the series, 89-100, in which questions get answered and secrets get turned over in their graves.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #36 by Marc Guggenheim and Patrick Oliffe. It’s a wedding in Spideyland and don’t those always go well? But who will catch the webby bouquet?

BATMAN #688 by Judd Winick and Mark Bagley. Judging by the cover of this book the new Batman appears to have been shot in the face with… something… And that’s really all I think I’m going to say about that.

BPRD 1947 #1 of 5 by Mike Mignola, Joshua Dysart, Fabio Moon, and Gabriel Ba. So, BPRD 1946 wasn’t enough for ya, Fanboy?! Well, how about THIS?!?! Featuring Nazis and other monsters.

DARK X-MEN: BEGINNING #1 of 3 by James Asmus, Paul Cornel and Humberto Ramos. Y’know, I hate to say it but the Dark X-gang sound like the most intriguing line-up of mutants I’ve seen in a long time. Except for Wolver-Lad, but few comics are perfect. Gotta Look!

GREEN LANTERN #43 by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke. The Black Hand is raising the dead to form his Black Lantern Corps. Guess who’s first? Recommended.

NO HERO #6 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. The continuing adventures of our tragic, castrated, largely psychotic super-chap from that nice Mister Ellis.

THE NOBODY HC written and drawn by Jeff Lemire. The Xeric Award-winning creator of THE ESSEX COUNTY TRILOGY re-imagines H.G. Wells’ story of “The Invisible Man” in graphic novel form. Recommended, especially if you miss the old rascal from LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN.

NORTH 40 #1 of 6 by Aaron Williams and Fiona Staples. An interesting look into what happens when some dummy uses a magic book without knowing what he’s doing and turns a Midwestern American county into Hell on Earth. It’s a lot like when Texas first elected Governor Bush.

PUNISHER: FRANK CASTLE MAX #72 by Victor Gischler and Goran Parlov. Frank vs. cannibal rednecks in the Bayou. The wild card appears to be a huge freakin’ alligator who eats frat boys on command. Anyone else wanna see the gator get his own book? Recommended. Not for kids.

THE STAND: AMERICAN NIGHTMARES #4 of 5 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins. This “End of the World by Super-Flu” story remains top-notch morbid entertainment. Stephen King should be writing this creative team a sincere thank-you note because they’re handling his novel better than any of the TV movies ever did. Recommended.

SUPERMAN: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW HC by Alan Moore, Curt Swan, Murphy Anderson and Others. Don’t let the title fool you. This is not merely another re-printing of the title story, but also a deluxe hardcover including Moore’s other two Superman classics “For the Man Who Has Everything” from ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #11 and “The Jungle Line” from DC COMICS PRESENTS #85. Highly Recommended.

SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #5 of 12 by James Robinson, Greg Rucka and Pete Woods. You would think a world as advanced as New Krypton would have moved beyond caste systems and the death penalty. But you would be wrong. Typical behavior from people too dumb to listen to their leading scientist when he tells them the world’s going to end… Recommended.

UNWRITTEN #3 by Mike Carey and Peter Gross. Wow, is this a great book, mixing the best traits of the Harry Potter novels, Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman with a twist of mystery and illustrated to the nines by Peter Gross. Read it! Recommended.

WEDNESDAY COMICS #1 of 12 by Many, Many Amazing Writers and Artists. This one is too big to sum up in a Quick Review. Just trust me that this is the most awesome thing on the stands this week and you need to sell a kidney if that’s what it takes to add it to your stack. Highly Recommended Times a Million.

X-MEN LEGACY #226 by Mike Carey and Dustin Weaver. Some old X-Men return to San Francisco only to encounter the new Dark X-Men. You would think that a group calling itself “The Dark X-Men” would stir some measure of mistrust, but you would be wrong. Because this is America and we watch a lot of TV.

www.johnjudy.net

Government Printing Office employee works on animation, comic books

See "Designer works on the creative side of government," By Adam Behsudi, Frederick News-Post Staff, July 03, 2009 for John Tobiason’s story.

Washington Times on animation

'Disney's 'hetero' bias,' Amanda Carpenter, Washington Post Friday, July 3, 2009 is a not-particularly-interesting, nor shocking article, but there's an excellent article on animation voice Jim Cummings - "The 'stealth celebrity': Cummings' voice is famous, but his face is not," By Kelly Jane Torrance,
Washington Times Friday, July 3, 2009.

Read "A Bad Egg: Joseph Patrick Larkin" and make up your own mind

I have nothing to say about this (except that it's Joe Matt not Max)

A Bad Egg: Joseph Patrick Larkin
Posted By Arion Berger
Express June 30, 2009

Zadzooks on comics, this week

Zadzooks: Comic book reviews, Batman, Aliens and more
Magneto's origins revealed
By Joseph Szadkowski
Washington Times July 1, 2009

Tezuka book out by Georgetown U author

I picked up my copy a couple of weeks ago, and this looks good. Big Planet Bethesda has another copy on the racks as of yesterday.

http://www.upress.state.ms.us/books/1160

God of Comics
Osamu Tezuka and the Creation of Post-World War II Manga

By Natsu Onoda Power

208 pages (approx.), 6 x 9 inches, 53 b&w illustrations, filmography, bibliography, index

978-1-60473-220-7 Unjacketed cloth $50.00S

978-1-60473-221-4 Paper $25.00T

Unjacketed cloth, $50.00

Paper, $25.00

Looking for Calvin and Hobbes - Sample Chapter

Local author Nevin Martell has written a new book, an appreciation of Bill Watterson's comic strip, entitled "Looking for Calvin and Hobbes." I've read the first chapter, about Nevin's motivations, and enjoyed it. The book will be out soon, and Nevin has an offer for you:

Just thought I'd send you a potential news item for your blog, which I've become a dedicated follower of since stumbling across it over a year ago. 

To drum up interest in Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and his Revolutionary Comic Strip, I am offering interested readers a sample chapter from the book, which comes out on October 1 via Continuum Press. Send an email to lookingforcalvinandhobbes@gmail.com to request your very own free copy. Give me their email address (I promise I won't sell it or spam it incessantly) and I'll give you some quality summertime beach reading.

Here's a brief overview of the book:

For ten years, between 1985 and 1995, Calvin and Hobbes was one the world's most beloved comic strips. And then, on the last day of 1995, the strip ended. Its mercurial and reclusive creator, Bill Watterson, not only finished the strip but withdrew entirely from public life. There is no merchandising associated with Calvin and Hobbes: no movie franchise; no plush toys; no coffee mugs; no t-shirts (except a handful of illegal ones). There is only the strip itself, and the books in which it has been compiled - including The Complete Calvin and Hobbes: the heaviest book ever to hit the New York Times bestseller list.

In Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip, writer Nevin Martell traces the life and career of the extraordinary, influential, and intensely private man behind Calvin and Hobbes. With input from a wide range of artists and writers (including Dave Barry, Harvey Pekar, Jonathan Lethem, and Brad Bird) as well as some of Watterson's closest friends and professional colleagues, this is as close as we're ever likely to get to one of America's most ingenious and intriguing figures - and a fascinating detective story, at the same time.

Only 3,160 Calvin and Hobbes strips were ever produced, but Watterson has left behind an impressive legacy. Calvin and Hobbes references litter the pop culture landscape and his fans are as varied as they are numerable. Looking for Calvin and Hobbes is an affectionate and revealing book about uncovering the story behind this most uncommon trio – a man, a boy, and his tiger.

I interviewed almost 50 cartoonists for the project, including Berke Breathed (Bloom County/Opus/Outland), Jim Davis (Garfield), Lynn Johnston (For Better or For Worse), Nicholas Gurewitch (The Perry Bible Fellowship), Keith Knight (The Knight Life/K Chronicles), Bill Amend (Foxtrot), Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey), Stephan Pastis (Pearls Before Swine), Michael Jantze (The Norm), Mark Parisi (Off The Mark), Hilary Price (Rhymes With Orange), Dave Coverly (Speed Bump), Jan Eliot (Stone Soup), Jeff Smith (Bone), Brad Anderson (Marmaduke), Jef Mallett (Frazz), Mike Peters (Mother Goose & Grimm), Steve Troop (Mayberry Melonpool), Craig Thompson (Blankets), Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Patrick Oliphant, Jim Borgman (Zits), Mark Tatulli (Lio) and Jim Meddick (Monty).  

The book can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com by following this link:
http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Calvin-Hobbes-Unconventional-Revolutionary/dp/082642984X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246553902&sr=1-1

Readers can also follow me on Twitter at:
http://www.twitter.com/looking4calvin

Express on Charlie Brown play

Very Good Grief: 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'
Written by Express contributor Adaora Otiji
[Washington Post] Express July 2 2009 E6
http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2009/07/very_good_grief_youre_a_good_man_charlie.php

Ice Age 3 interview and review at Post

The Interview: 'Ice Age' Director Carlos Saldanha
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog July 1, 2009

and

3rd 'Ice Age' Isn't Worth Discovering
By Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Here's the paper of record too -

Notes From the Prehistoric Underground
By A. O. SCOTT
Published: July 1, 2009

Glen Weldon covers another comic book controversy for NPR

Weldon, Glen.  2009.

Let There Be Bike Shorts: A Profile In Comics-Geek Courage [Supergirl].

National Public Radio's Monkey See blog (July 1): http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/07/let_there_be_bike_shorts_a_gee_1.html?sc=nl&cc=msb-20090701

Big Planet 4th of July Sale

This Saturday is our annual July 4 th sale at all Big Planet stores. 20% of everything in the store is a great deal, and we only do it twice a year.  We are open 12pm- 5pm.  Its a great time to get those trade books you've been putting off. Hope to see you on Saturday. Also please note that new comics will not be delayed this week or next week because of the holiday.

--

BIG PLANET COMICS
4908 Fairmont Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-654-6856

Also affiliated with:

BIG PLANET COMICS
3145 Dumbarton St. NW
Washington, DC 20007
202-342-1961

BIG PLANET COMICS
426 Maple Ave. East
Vienna, VA 22180
703-242-9412

BIG PLANET COMICS
7315 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
301-699-0498

2009 Harvey Award Nominees Announced!

The Harvey Awards & The Baltimore Comic-Con  Press Release 2009 Harvey Awards Nominees Announced! Visit www.harveyawards.org for Ballots &  Submission Details!     BALTIMORE, MD (June 29, 2009) -- The 2009 Harvey Awards Nominees have been announced with the release of the final ballot, presented by the Executive Committees of the Harvey Awards and the Baltimore Comic-Con.  Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the industry's most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. They will be presented October 10, 2009 in Baltimore, MD, in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con.   Nominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators - those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, edit or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field.  They are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals.  Professionals who participate will be joining nearly 2,000 other comics professionals in honoring the outstanding comics achievements of 2008.  Thank you to all that have already participated by submitting a nomination ballot. Final ballots are due to the Harvey Awards by Friday, August 28, 2009.  Full details for submission of completed ballots can be found on the final ballot.  Voting is open to anyone professionally involved in a creative capacity within the comics field.  Final ballots are available for download at www.harveyawards.org.  Those without Internet access may request that paper ballots be sent to them via mail or fax by calling the Baltimore Comic-Con (410-526-7410) or e-mailing baltimorecomicccon@yahoo.com. This will be the fourth year for the Harvey Awards in Baltimore, MD.  Our Master of Ceremonies this year will be Scott Kurtz (www.pvponline.com).  Look for more details soon on how you can attend the Harvey Awards dinner. This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held October 10-11, 2009.  The ceremony and banquet for the 2008 Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, October 10.   Without further delay, the 2008 Harvey Award Nominees:             BEST WRITER   Kyle Baker, NAT TURNER, Abrams books   Ed Brubaker, CAPTAIN AMERICA, Marvel Comics   John Gallagher, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics   Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books   Grant Morrison, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics BEST ARTIST   Gabriel Ba, UMBRELLA ACADEMY, Dark Horse Comics   Kyle Baker, NAT TURNER, Abrams Books   Jimmy Gownley, AMELIA RULES, Renaissance Press   Jason Kruse, WORLD OF QUEST, Yen Press   Frank Quitely, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics BEST CARTOONIST   Lar deSouza, LEAST I COULD DO, www.leasticoulddo.com   John Gallagher, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics   Al Jaffee, TALL TALES, Abrams Books   Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books   Thom Zahler, LOVE & CAPES, Maerkle Press BEST LETTERER   Jimmy Gownley, AMELIA RULES, Renaissance Press   Rob Leigh, THE SPIRIT, DC Comics   Doug Sherwood, LOCAL, Oni Press   John Workman, MARVEL 1985, Marvel Comics   Thom Zahler, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics BEST  INKER   Rich Faber, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics   Jamie Grant, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics   Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books   Mark Morales, THOR, Marvel Comics   Ryan Winn, THE DARKNESS, Image Comics BEST COLORIST   Frank Cammuso, OTTO'S ORANGE DAY, Raw Junior, LLC   Jamie Grant, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics   Laura Martin, THOR, Marvel Comics   Wil Quintana, THE MICE TEMPLAR, Image Comics   Dave Stewart, UMBRELLA ACADEMY, Dark Horse Comics BEST COVER ARTIST   Frank Cho, BUZZBOY: SIDEKICKS RULE!#3, Sky Dog Press   James Jean, FABLES, Vertigo Comics   Jay Lynch, MINDSHAFT #23, Mindshaft Publishing   Ken Rocafort, PILOT SEASON: CORE #1, Top Cow   Alex Ross, JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA, DC Comics BEST NEW SERIES   THE DREAMER, IDW   ECHO, Abstract Studios   HIGH MOON, www.zudacomics.com   NIGHT OWLS, www.zudacomics.com   SUPERTRON, www.zudacomics.com BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES   ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics   CAPTAIN AMERICA, Marvel Comics   DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books   MICE TEMPLAR, Image Comics   UMBRELLA ACADEMY, Dark Horse Comics BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL OR JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION   DRAW!, edited by Mike Manley, Twomorrows Publishing   HOW TO MAKE WEBCOMICS, Brad Guigar, Dave Kellett,             Scott Kurtz, and Kris Straub, Image Comics   KIRBY: KING OF COMICS, Mark Evanier, Abrams Books   SCORCHY SMITH AND THE ART OF NOEL SICKLES,             edited by Dean Mullaney, IDW   WORDLESS BOOKS: THE ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVELS,             edited by David A. Berona, Abrams Books BEST SYNDICATED STRIP OR PANEL   BREWSTER ROCKIT: SPACE GUY!, Tim Rickard, Tribune Media Services   GET FUZZY, Darby Conley, United Features Syndicate   MUTTS, Patrick McDonnell, King Features Syndicate   THE NORM, Michael Jantze, Uclick Gocomics   PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, Stephan Pastis, United Features Syndicate BEST ANTHOLOGY   COMIC BOOK TATTOO, edited by Rantz Hoseley, Image Comics   FLIGHT VOLUME 5, edited by Kazu Kibuishi, Villard   MOME VOLUME 10, edited by Eric Reynolds, Fantagraphics Books   PIXU #1, edited by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon, Self-Published   POPGUN VOLUME 2, edited by Joe Keatinge and Mark Andrew Smith,              Image Comics BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM - ORIGINAL    BOTTOMLESS BELLY BUTTON, Fantagraphics Books   DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES, Amulet Books   ESSEX COUNTY: THE COUNTRY NURSE, Top Shelf   SKIM, Groundwood Books   TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN, Top Shelf   WORLD OF QUEST: VOL. 2, Yen Press BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM - PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED   AMELIA RULES!: FUNNY STORIES, Renaissance Press   M, Abrams Books   NAT TURNER, Abrams Books   THE MICE TEMPLAR: VOL. 1, Image Comics   QUEEN AND COUNTRY: VOLUME 3, Oni Press   SKYSCRAPERS OF THE MIDWEST (HARDCOVER), Adhouse Books BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY   ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY #19, Self-Published   FIRST BORN: AFTERMATH #1, Top Cow   LOVE AND ROCKETS, VOL. 3 #1, Fantagraphics Books   M, Abrams Books   NASCAR HEROES #5, NASCAR Comics   NAT TURNER, Abrams Books   THE AMAZING REMARKABLE MONSIEUR LEOTARD, First Second   Y: THE LAST MAN #60, Vertigo Comics BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT   ASTOUNDING SPACE THRILLS, IDW   COMPLETE PEANUTS, Fantagraphics Books   COMPLETE TERRY AND THE PIRATES, IDW   SCORCHY SMITH AND THE ART OF NOEL SICKLES, IDW   WACKY PACKAGES, Abrams Books BEST AMERICAN EDITION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL     GUS AND HIS GANG, First Second   POCKET FULL OF RAIN, Fantagraphics Books   RED COLORED ELEGY, Drawn and Quarterly   SOLANIN, Viz   WITCHBLADE TAKERU MANGA #'s 11 & 12, Top Cow BEST ON-LINE COMICS WORK   BLACK CHERRY BOMBSHELLS, Tony Trovarello and                 John Zito, www.zudacomics.com   HIGH MOON, Scott O. Brown, www.zudacomics.com   LEAST I COULD DO, Lar deSouza and Ryan Sohmer, www.leasticoulddo.com   NIGHT OWLS, Bobby & Peter Timony, www.zudacomics.com   PVP, Scott Kurtz, www.pvponline.com SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS   Lar deSouza, LEAST I COULD DO, www.leasticoulddo.com   John Gallagher, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics   Al Jaffee, TALL TALES, Abrams Books   Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books   David Malki, WONDERMARK, www.wondermark.com SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION   COMPLETE LOCAL: HARDCOVER EDITION, Ryan Kelly and              Brian Wood, Oni Press   KIRBY: KING OF COMICS, Mark Evanier, Abrams Books   QUEEN AND COUNTRY: VOLUME 3, Greg Rucka, Mike Norton,              Steve Rolston, and Chris Samnee, Oni Press   TALL TALES, Al Jaffee, Abrams Books   WONDERMARK, VOL. 1: BEARDS OF OUR FOREFATHERS,               David Malki, Dark Horse Comics BEST NEW TALENT   Matt Cassan, NASCAR: HEROES, nascar comics   Bryan J.L. Glass, THE MICE TEMPLAR, image books   Laura Innes, THE DREAMER, Idw   Tim Sievert, THAT SALTY AIR, top shelf   Bobby Timony, NIGHT OWLS, www.zudacomics.com   Congratulations to all the nominees!  If you know a nominee, please pass on the good news!               The Harvey committee and the Baltimore Comic-Con will make every effort to contact all nominees.  If you are a nominee and do not hear from us by the end of June, please contact us at baltimorecomiccon@yahoo.com.  We would love to discuss your involvement in the ceremony and the Baltimore Comic-Con.   For additional information about the Harvey Kurtzman and the Harvey Awards, visit www.harveyawards.org. For additional information about the Baltimore Comic-Con, visit www.comicon.com/baltimore.   For additional information about the Harvey Awards Master of Ceremonies Scott Kurtz, visit www.pvponline.com.

Jaffe likes Beeler on Jackson

Nate Beeler's been tugging the heartstrings lately. Sarah Jaffee of Newsarama picked his Michael Jackson cartoon as her favorite. Last week, Michael Cavna picked Nate's Metro accident cartoon as his favorite.

Barney & Clyde will be Weingarten's new strip

In his lastly weekly chat (monthly is the new schedule), the only comics news was -

Gene Weingarten: The comic strip is Barney & Clyde. We hope it will debut before the first of the year.

June 29: Superman 4: The Quest for Peace in Crystal City

Crystal Screen - Superheroes

Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities.

Date(s):
May 4, 2009 - September 21, 2009

Location:
18th and Bell Street - Courtyard Across from Crystal City Metro Station & Marriott Hotel

Event Fee:
Free

Hours:
Movies begin at sundown

Description:
Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities. Check back here for more information.

CRYSTAL KID BONUS: Since it gets dark later in the summer and movies often start past bedtime, the BID has partnered with Crystal City Sports Pub to rebroadcast each movie at 3:30 PM on the 3rd Floor of CCSP on the Wednesday following the outdoor showing, starting May 6. Bring your kids and a blanket and enjoy the fabulous surround network of TVs.

Festival Rules: Patrons can bring their own picnics as long as they abide by city and festival rules. Low-backed chairs and blankets are allowed, but grills, umbrellas, and pets are prohibited.


Schedule

June 29, 2009 - Superman 4: The Quest for Peace
June 31, 2009 - Superman 4: The Quest for Peace - at CCSP
July 6, 2009 - Superman 5: Superman Returns
July 8, 2009 - Superman 5: Superman Returns - at CCSP
July 13, 2009 - X-Men
July 15, 2009 - X-Men - at CCSP
July 20, 2009 - X2
July 22, 2009 - X2 - at CCSP
July 27, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand
July 29, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand - at CCSP
August 3, 2009 - Fantastic Four
August 5, 2009 - Fantastic Four - at CCSP
August 10, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
August 12, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - at CCSP
August 17, 2009 - Batman
August 19, 2009 - Batman - at CCSP
August 24, 2009 - Batman Returns
August 26, 2009 - Batman Returns - at CCSP
August 31, 2009 - Batman Forever
September 2, 2009 - Batman Forever - at CCSP
September 7, 2009 - Batman & Robin
September 9, 2009 - Batman & Robin - at CCSP
September 14, 2009 - Batman Begins
September 16, 2009 - Batman Begins - at CCSP
September 21, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight
September 23, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight - at CCSP

Tonight! Richard Thompson at Arlington's Central Library

Author Event: Cartoonist Richard Thompson
Mon Jun 29, 7pm
Arlington Central Library Auditorium
Hear from the man behind the syndicated daily comic strip "Cul de Sac," and who's unique style and humor have graced the various parts of the Washington Post ("Richard's Poor Almanack"), National Geographic, The Atlantic and the New Yorker--Arlington's own Richard Thompson. No, not the musician by the same name. The cartoonist Richard Thompson.

Welsh animators at Smithsonian Folklife Festival

I was completely surprised to find a tent labeled 'Animation' at the Smithsonian's annual Folklife Festival down on the Mall.



The animators will be there from Wednesday until Sunday of this upcoming week.

The two animators (only one of whom was there when I walked by) both appear to work in stop-motion. Annoyingly, I can't find any information about them on the Folklife website - if anyone runs across it, post it in the comments and I'll update this.

Gerald Conn's workspace, where he appears to have been doing stop-motion animation with paper cutouts.

The other animator explains his work to a young boy.



An animation camera and people viewing a finished work.

A couple, or four, of Bennett's Best

Bennett's Best for the week of June 14
June 24, 2009 Zadzooks blog

Bennett's Best for the week of June 21, 2009
June 25, 2009 Zadzooks blog

Both by Greg Bennett of course.

Luna Brothers interview

See "5 Quick Questions With the Luna Brothers," by Brian Isaacs, Pendragon Post blog Thursday, June 25, 2009.

Politics and Prose featured in Post

See "Bookish Doyennes Nurture D.C. Landmark," By Thomas Heath, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, June 28, 2009.

Did anyone attend the first Graphic Novel bookclub meeting and want to tell us about it? What's the book for the next one?

Feiffer exhibit at American University

Here's the description from their website:


My Fellow Americans: 40 Years of Political Cartoons by Jules Feiffer

June 27–August 16

Pulitzer Prize–winning New York cartoonist, author, playwright, and artist, Jules Feiffer's political cartoons are sharp in their wit and piercing in their criticism. His cartoons ran for more than forty years in the Village Voice, and were syndicated nationally, and are a testament to his unique insight into the social and political upheavals around him. Their messages maintain their relevancy in contemporary society. In form, his cartoons are distinguished in their simplicity. His often text-heavy panels are balanced by simple, but whimsically drawn figures. While his punch lines are often caustic, he still frequently manages to imbue political figures with humanity.

Feiffer has received critical acclaim for his work in various media. He won an Academy Award in 1961 for his animated short Monroe and the Pulitzer Prize in 1986 for editorial cartooning. He has also received Lifetime Achievement awards from both the Writer's Guild of America East and the National Cartoonist Society, as well as the Harold Washington Literary Award (2004) for his creative uses of the written word to address issues of contemporary life.

Visiting

Hours (Admission is free):
11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tue–Sun
And 1 hour before Katzen Events
Closed July 3–4

Location/Parking: See Katzen Visiting
Contact Us

Ph: 202-885-1300
Fax: 202-885-1140
E-mail: museum@american.edu

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-01-09

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 07-01-09
By John Judy

AGENTS OF ATLAS #7 by Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman and Carlo Pagulayan. Namor and Namora bring a bit of West Virginia to Atlantis. Eeewww!!! Recommended anyway.

ASTRO CITY: THE DARK AGE BOOK THREE #3 of 4 by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson. Oh, it’s getting busy in the Astro. Lots of stuff coming to a boil. Not to be missed.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #2 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The Dynamic Duo faces off against the Circus of Strange. Old school. Highly recommended.

THE BOYS #32 by Garth Ennis and Carlos Ezquerra. The Female is down and the rest of the Boys have to choose fight or flight in the face of suddenly aggressive supes. Hey, they’re the Boys… Not for kids.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #26 by Jane Espenson and Georges Jeanty. “Jane. Espenson.” If these words don’t make you buy this comic there’s really no hope for you. Just sayin’. Highly recommended.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #1 of 5 by Ed Brubaker and Bryan Hitch. Is Steve Rogers finally coming back? In the hands of anyone but Brubaker this would be pedestrian super-hero stuff. But Bru makes that pedestrian run! Gotta look!

DESTROYER #4 of 5 by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker. The final adventures of a dying violent super-guy. It’s great. Recommended.

FANTASTIC FOUR #568 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. The new Doctor Doom a.k.a. The Marquis of Death brings it to Reed Richards. “Doctor Richards? It’s on !@#$” He gets that a lot now….

FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: RUN #3 of 6 by Mathew Sturges and Freddie E. Williams II. The hateful Human Flame gets himself a new girl. No doubt she’s a real catch. Fun stuff.

THE GOON, VOL. 8: THOSE THAT IS DAMNED SC written and drawn by Eric Powell. The Goon versus Labrazio on the edge of Horse-Eater’s Woods. Must Have.

GREEK STREET #1 by Peter Milligan and Davide Gianfelice. The lads re-imagine the tragedies of ancient Greece set in the streets of modern London. Outrageous and no doubt deeply disturbing and absolutely highly recommended.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE #1 of 7 by James Robinson and Mauro Cascioli. Hal Jordan’s splinter JLA group gets medieval on the bad guys. Awesome wish fulfillment, but will there be consequences? One can certainly hope.

MARVEL DIVAS #1 of 4 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Tonci Zonjic. Hellcat, Black Cat, Firestar and Photon go all “Sex and the City.” And just like that show, you have to look even though you hate it.

SECRET SIX #11 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. The Six are in way over their heads and it’s time to swim for it. Count on waves. Recommended.

UNCANNY X-MEN #513 by Matt Fraction and Terry & Rachel Dodson. The X-Men become the O-Men as Norman Osborn takes over. That guy’s got his fingers in everybody’s pie! And it tastes good! Recommended.

USA COMICS 70th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1 by John Arcudi and Steve Ellis. The meanest hero of WWII cuts his way through Nazis, saboteurs and assorted no-goodniks with no pause for niceties. Yes. Also featuring a golden-age reprint from Back in The Day. Recommended.

WAS SUPERMAN A SPY AND OTHER LEGENDS REVEALED SC by Brian Cronin. A fine bit of sleuthing around the rumors and legends that have cropped up among Fandom in the last 70 years. A great gift for the geek who has everything!

www.johnjudy.net

Shore Leave 31: July 10-12, 2009 at the Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn, Baltimore, MD

Sub-titled "A Fan Run Science Fiction Convention", Shore Leave in Baltimore largely features guests from TV and movies, such as the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises, Stargate, Xena, and this year, Dollhouse, among others. They also feature authors, some of whom happen to work in the comics field, including the following:

Mike W. Barr
Greg Cox
Peter A David
Keith DeCandido
Michael Jan Friedman
Robert Greenberger
Glen Haumann
David Mack (the less-famous one who has worked at Image)

...and perhaps some of the other authors whose names didn't ring a bell right off the bat for me. Check out the bios and homepage links from the Guests section of the show's website.

The show is July 10th-July 12th at the Marriot's Hunt Valley Inn.

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is educational, too

See "Theater Uses 'Charlie Brown' to Spur Reading," By Bennett Sumner, Special to The Washington Post, Friday, June 26, 2009.

Israeli-Austrialian claymation $9.99 opens in DC; City Paper underwhelmed

See "Reviewed: $9.99; In claymation, the meaning of life doesn't come cheap," By Tricia Olszewski, Washington City Paper June 25, 2009 or pick up the print edition.

New book on history of medicine as seen in cartoons and comic books

My friend Bert Hansen's got an excellent new book out, PICTURING MEDICAL PROGRESS FROM PASTEUR TO POLIO: A History of Mass Media Images and Popular Attitudes in America that includes a minuscule amount of research from the Medical Museum (and cites me in the acknowledgments, but don't buy it just because of that). I'm about 1/3 of the way through and learning about the history of both medicine and cartoons.

I'm really enjoying his look at the graphic history (including editorial cartoons and comic books) of medicine. Bert's explanations of the shifting cultural view of medicine resulting from mass media, especially regarding both the transmittal of knowledge to a wider audience than ever before, and, as he points out most convincingly in this book, for the public support of science and medicine, is wildly overlooked in the field at large. His website has reproductions of some of the cartoons and he's planning on adding to it. One of Burt's articles on comic books, "True-Adventure Comic Books and American Popular Culture in the 1940s: An Annotated Research Bibliography of the Medical Heroes," ran a few years back in the International Journal of Comic Art, Vol. 6, No. 1, Spring 2004 and you can still buy the back issue.

Here's the official PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PICTURING MEDICAL PROGRESS FROM PASTEUR TO POLIO
A History of Mass Media Images and Popular Attitudes in America
Bert Hansen

“Bert Hansen’s rich exploration of the intersection of popular culture and the history of medicine opens wide a window on a time between the 1880s and the 1950s when physicians, nurses, and scientists were highly regarded warriors against disease and human suffering. It is a major contribution to our understanding of how medicine’s cultural authority was established and expanded in the United States, vital to scholars and valuable to those who hope to spark a renewed enthusiasm among Americans for the study of science and medicine.”
—Alan Kraut, professor of history, American University

Today, pharmaceutical companies, HMOs, insurance carriers, and the health care system in general may often puzzle and frustrate the general public—and even physicians and researchers. By contrast, from the 1880s through the 1950s Americans enthusiastically embraced medicine and its practitioners. PICTURING MEDICAL PROGRESS FROM PASTEUR TO POLIO (Paper $37.95, ISBN: 978-0-8135-4576-9, July 2009), by Bert Hansen, offers a refreshing portrait of an era when the public excitedly anticipated medical progress and research breakthroughs.

PICTURING MEDICAL PROGRESS FROM PASTEUR TO POLIO is a unique study with 130 archival illustrations drawn from newspaper sketches, caricatures, comic books, Hollywood films, and LIFE magazine photography. This book analyzes the relationship between mass media images and popular attitudes. Bert Hansen considers the impact these representations had on public attitudes and shows how media portrayal and popular support for medical research grew together and reinforced each other.

“This book is analytical, nostalgic, sensitive, and just plain fun. Bert Hansen's meticulous privileging of the visual is a pathbreaking achievement for methods in the social and cultural history of medicine. You can be rewarded simply by looking at the wonderful pictures, but you will ‘see’ so much more in his lively prose.”
—Jacalyn Duffin, Hannah Professor, Queen's University, and former
president of the American Association for the History of Medicine

“Even as a long-time collector of medical prints, I learned a lot from this extraordinary book. Hansen's digging has turned up many discoveries, providing a new perspective on graphic art in popular culture. The images are wonderful, but this is not just a picture book; it's a great read as well, filled with remarkable insights.”
—William Helfand, trustee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

“PICTURING MEDICAL PROGRESS FROM PASTEUR TO POLIO is an authoritative, well-written account that will be a significant contribution not only to the history of American medicine, but to the history of American popular culture.”
—Elizabeth Toon, Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Manchester


BERT HANSEN, a professor of history at Baruch College, has published a book on medieval science and many articles on the history of modern medicine and public health.

PICTURING MEDICAL PROGRESS FROM PASTEUR TO POLIO
A History of Mass Media Images and Popular Attitudes in America
Bert Hansen

Paper $37.95 | ISBN 978-0-8135-4576-9
Cloth $75.00 | ISBN 978-0-8135-4526-4 | 350 pages | 7 x 10

Publication Date: July 2009