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Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sept 15: Beyond Comics signing - Sean Anderson (Skyscraper)
Bruce Guthrie's Small Press Expo photos
Bruce has two pages of pictures up - one from panels and one from the floor. When you go to one of his pages, the little pencil icon under the picture lets you create a caption for the image. Some caption fairies would be helpful, because Bruce doesn't do that - he's too busy taking more pictures.
That's is the great New Zealand expat Roger Langridge being interviewed.
And this is Kate Beaton and Julia Wertz on Dustin Harbin's panel blowing attendance for my counter-programmed one out of the water.
But we looked gooood.
Me, Richard Thompson, Marguerite Dabaie and Keith Knight.
Oooh, and Spurgeon linked to a video of Dean Haspiel's shirtless SPX moment.
And Dirk Deppey pointed out Brian Heater's con report. I love the Daily Cross Hatch and have never managed to run into Brian at the show.
Thompson and Rhode outed by Devlin
Seriously, James Sturm's talk was really interesting and I was glad to pick up his new book Market Day. Dinner with James, Tom and Kevin Huizenga as well as a local poetess was a lot of fun too. Thanks to Thad at Politics and Prose for the restaurant recommendation. And thanks to D&Q for putting out such a great line of books - I already had most everything they had on their table, but bought Kevin's new book as well as Vanessa Davis'.
Truitt on Spider-Man video game
By Brian Truitt
USA Today's Game Hunters blog Sep 14, 2010
It's an interview of Dan Slott.
Amazing Fantasy 15 original art going on the road
September 13, 2010
Library of Congress Takes to the Road, Bringing Rolling Exhibition to the Heartland
The Library of Congress will launch a new traveling exhibition late in September that will bring facsimiles of many of its top treasures and information about the millions of resources in its unparalleled collections to the heartland of America. "Gateway to Knowledge," an exhibition that will travel in a specially fitted-out 18-wheel truck, will launch from the site of the National Book Festival on the National Mall late in September, and will initially travel to sites in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.
Ultimately, "Gateway to Knowledge" is expected to visit up to 60 sites in states across the Midwest and South over the next year.
The exhibition was the idea of philanthropists Abby and Emily Rapoport, the granddaughters of Audre and Bernie Rapoport, founding members of the Library's private-sector support organization, The James Madison Council. The young Rapoports have donated $1 million to the Library to make the "Gateway to Knowledge" exhibition possible and bring the Library's riches to areas of the nation – particularly rural areas – that may not be aware of their access to the wealth of information in this publicly funded institution.
"As both a storehouse of world knowledge and primary resource for the U.S. Congress, the Library is energized by the prospects of the Abby and Emily Rapoport Traveling Exhibition playing an important role in sharing the national collection with the people to whom it belongs," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.
The exhibit will include programming especially for teachers and students and provide relevant and engaging learning experiences for lifelong learners. The truck, which will be staffed and driven by two docents well-versed in the Library and its collections, will be parked at various schools, libraries, community centers and other public venues.
The trailer expands to twice its road width, and visitors will enter from a central staircase to find several areas of museum-style exhibits including a welcoming multimedia display, computer terminals displaying Library of Congress websites including the main site, www.loc.gov and other library websites including the Center for the Book/ Literacy Programs site www.read.gov and sites pertaining to U.S. collections, exhibitions and a special site for use by teachers.
The exhibition will also outline the history of the Library, including Thomas Jefferson's role in allowing its re-establishment following the burning of the U.S. Capitol in 1814 by providing his personal book collection to the nation. Jefferson's organization of his books by "Memory, Reason and Imagination" will inform the organization of the exhibition, which will feature facsimiles of such treasures as the 1507 Waldseemüller Map (the first document to use the word "America"); the 1455 Gutenberg Bible; the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, in Thomas Jefferson's hand with edits by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams; the original 1962 drawings for the comic book that introduced Spiderman to the world; the handwritten manuscript to jazz pioneer Jelly Roll Morton's "Frog-i-More Rag"; and Walt Whitman's poem "Leaves of Grass."
Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions.
Tour Stops for the Library of Congress "Gateway to Knowledge"
Traveling Exhibition
• Sept. 25, 2010, Library of Congress National Book Festival, National Mall, Washington, D.C.
• Sept. 27-28, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, Va.
• Sept. 30, Canal Place, Cumberland, Md.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Brave New Comic Strips panel at SPX audio is online
Brave New Comic Strips (September 12, 2010)
Small Press Expo panel from September 12, 2010.
The newspaper industry, long the home of American comics first popular dedicated format, faces an existential crisis presented by the emergence and proliferation of digital media. Against all odds, artists interested in the daily strip format continue to produce work with an eye for print. Mike Rhode will discuss the present and the future of the newspaper comic strip with Marguerite Dabaie, Keith Knight, and Richard Thompson.
Patriot-News comics poll considers adding Cul de Sac
CHRIS MAUTNER, The Patriot-News September 12, 2010.
No ballot stuffing now. My friend Chris is undoubtedly technically savvy enough to detect that, and the fact that he undoubtedly spent time in Richard's vicinity at SPX this weekend doesn't mean anything.
A couple of SPX links and a Politics and Prose set
Bruce Guthrie thinks his will be online tomorrow, but in the meantime has 2 sets (set 1, set 2) of pictures from Richard Thompson and Keith Knight's appearances at Politics and Prose bookstore.
Animator Marc Crisafulli, Politics & Prose's Adam Waterreus, SPX's Warren Bernard, Keith Knight, Politics & Prose's Mike G, Richard Thompson and Mike Rhode.
And here's my friend, and crack cartoonist, Ben Towle on his experiences. I talked to him on Saturday night, around the time that last picture was being taken and followed up on his recs on Sunday.
New comics publisher starts in DC

Oddly enough, it's the Government Printing Office:
GPO PUBLISHES ITS FIRST COMIC BOOK
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) builds on its storied history by publishing the agency’s first comic book. GPO employees created the comic book Squeaks Discovers Type! as a teaching tool for children of all ages. As the agency celebrates its 150-year anniversary, the comic book takes a unique approach to educate readers on the important role printing has played from the beginnings of civilization to today’s digital world. The comic book’s concept, story and illustrations were created at GPO. Jim Cameron wrote the story and Creative Services’ Graphic Designer Nick Crawford provided the illustrations. Squeaks Discovers Type! is available at GPO’s newly designed and renovated bookstore in Washington, DC or available online at:
http://bookstore.gpo.gov/collections/squeaks-discovers-type.jsp
“GPO serves the communication needs of the federal government, and a comic book is a great way to communicate with young people,” said Public Printer Bob Tapella. “Through the talents of Jim Cameron and Nick Crawford, GPO is able to create a publication that conveys the message that printing is an important component to the history of the world and to our nation.”
The GPO is the federal government’s primary centralized resource for gathering, cataloging, producing, providing, authenticating, and preserving published U.S. government information in all its forms. GPO is responsible for the production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of the federal government. In addition to publication sales, GPO makes government information available at no cost to the public through GPO’s Federal Digital System (www.fdsys.gov) and through partnerships with approximately 1,220 libraries nationwide participating in the Federal Depository Library Program. For more information, please visit www.gpo.gov. Follow GPO on Twitter http://twitter.com/USGPO and on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/gpoprinter.
Cavna on Peanuts and with Ted Rall
'Peanuts' comics strip will leave syndicate in February for Universal Uclick
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 11, 2010; C02
and then he ran an interview with Ted Rall today -
The 'Riffs Interview: TED RALL returns from Afghanistan, ready to draw upon his up-close encounters
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 13, 2010
ComicsDC (ie me) helped fund Ted's trip through Kickstarter, so I'm glad it worked out well. I don't need any guilt about prematurely dead cartoonists.
PR and OT: Top Shelf comics sale
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For the next ten days -- thru Friday September 24th -- Top Shelf is having a giant $3 graphic novel web sale. When you visit the site, you'll find over 100 graphic novels and comics on sale -- with over 70 titles marked down to just $3 & $1!
To go directly to the list of items on sale at the Top Shelf website, just click here:
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals
But here are a few sample sale items:
-- Slashed Prices: Lost Girls, Alec: The Years Have Pants!
-- Slashed Prices: Essex County, Moving Pictures, BB Wolf!
-- Slashed Prices: Owly Hardcovers and Plushy, Undeleted Scenes!
-- Slashed Prices: Dodgem Logic, The Surrogates Owner's Manual!
-- Slashed Prices: The 120 Days of Simon, Far Arden, and more!
-- $3 Titles: Voice of the Fire, The Surrogates (Vols 1 & 2)!
-- $3 Titles: Sulk (Vols 1, 2, & 3), I Am Going To Be Small!
-- $3 Titles: SuperF*ckers #1-#4, Lower Regions, Please Release!
-- $3 Titles: Regards from Serbia, Delayed Replays, and more!
-- $1 Titles: The Surrogates #1-#5, Black Ghost Apple Factory!
-- $1 Titles: The Man Who Loved Breasts, Comic Diorama, 24x2!
-- $1 Titles: Jack's Luck Runs Out, Tales/Great Unspoken, & more!
Please note that Top Shelf accepts PayPal (as well as Visa, MasterCard, Amex, and Discover -- all secure), and that this
sale is good for retailers as well (and comic book shops will get their wholesale discount on top of these sale prices).
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/specialdeals
Your friend thru comics,
Chris Staros
Top Shelf Productions
PO Box 1282
Marietta GA 30061-1282
USA
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Another Gallant sketch
- and he didn't even have a table. This is a Searle tribute, of course.
Another reason to buy sketches from Shannon (SL) Gallant at cons
Jerzy Drozd's arrival at SPX on his Comics Are Great podcast
http://comicsaregreat.com/?p=790
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Off to SPX and Intervention
Kleefeld visits Big Planet
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
"The inside of the store was almost surprisingly clean." Who needs a better recommendation than that?
Friday, September 10, 2010
Niffenegger and Feiffer also at Politics and Prose
Hansen, Liane. 2010.
'Phantom Tollbooth' Creators Reunited By An 'Ogre'.
National Public Radio's Weekend Edition Sunday (September 5).
online at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129608795
http://public.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/wesun/2010/09/20100905_wesun_08.mp3
and http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=129608795
Sturm at Politics and Prose tonight
James Sturm - Market Day
8 p.m. Co-founder of the Center for Cartoon Studies, Sturm has set this beautifully crafted historical fiction in the Eastern European countryside of the 1900s. His day in the life of Mendleman, a carpet peddler, uses spare narrative and finely-honed images to achieve a powerful emotional resonance.
Geppi Museum curator Arnold Blumberg featured in Post
Washington Post September 10, 2010; B01
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Weldon on Cruse's Stuck Rubber Baby
Back in Print: In 'Stuck Rubber Baby,' Civil Rights In Black & White & Gray
by Glen Weldon
September 8, 2010
Comic Riffs on Peanuts syndication move
Good grief: 'PEANUTS' will leave syndicate in February for Universal [UPDATED]
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 9, 2010
Tonight! Keith Knight and Richard Thompson duet
Thursday September 9
Richard Thompson & Keith Knight
7 p.m. In conjunction with the Small Press Expo (September 11-12 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center), we're delighted to host two artists who excel at contemplating the minutiae of everyday life and making it hilarious. Thompson's strip is focused on a loveable family in a suburban development, while Knight's is told through the eyes of a city dweller.
and the following evening-
Friday September 10
James Sturm - Market Day
8 p.m. Co-founder of the Center for Cartoon Studies, Sturm has set this beautifully crafted historical fiction in the Eastern European countryside of the 1900s. His day in the life of Mendleman, a carpet peddler, uses spare narrative and finely-honed images to achieve a powerful emotional resonance.
New local comics publisher Lost Art Books launches at SPX
Meet a Local Comics Publisher: A Chat with Joe Procopio
Posted by Mike Rhode on Sep. 9, 2010 at 11:06 am
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
3 - count 'em - 3 links to local writers' stories
Requiem for an Overweight
by Tim Kreider on September 7th, 2010
Caro looks glancingly at the great Radebaugh -
Too Much is Never Enough: Morris Lapidus’ Postmodern Curves
by Caroline Small on September 8th, 2010
and Weldon sneaks in a Kevin Huizenga review -
A Funny, Fractured Field Guide To A 'Wild Kingdom'
by Glen Weldon
National Public Radio's Books We Like September 4, 2010
PR: Bamn at SPX This Weekend
Don't tell the other cons this...but the Small Press Expo is my favorite.
Created with the purpose of showcasing the brightest in indie comics (and letting them pimp thier books to you), SPX takes place every year in my home state of Maryland. But that's not why she's my prize stallion. Nope, the reason is that SPX is where Bamn, Jay, and I introduced ourselves to the comic industry. It's the moment of realization that we weren't the fans anymore, we were the professionals. For that reason, --- for the nostalgic electricy in the air at SPX --- she's my favorite.
Like previous years, SPX will be held at the Marriott in North Bethesda and, once again, she seems primed to disrupt the quiet "city" of Rockville for 2 nights.
You should be there this weekend. Buy some stuff and discover some new art. I'm certain it will be as memorable for you.
The Official SPX Website
We Are At Table W6b!
The DC Conspiracy Will Be There With Fresh Copies Of The Magic Bullet!
Greg McElhatton's Read About Comics website
Welcome to Read About Comics! Read About Comics’s goal is to help keep you informed and updated on comics of all shapes, styles, sizes, and genres. Hopefully there will be a little something for everyone here, no matter what sort of comics you enjoy reading. Read About Comics is written and produced by Greg McElhatton.
Greg McElhatton was a founding contributing writer to Wizard: The Guide to Comics, providing interviews and articles on a regular basis between issues #1 and 58. He has served on the Small Press Expo Steering Committee since 1997, and was Executive Director for the 2002 and 2003 shows. Between 1999 and 2006 he wrote 1000 reviews for iComics.com. He has served as a judge for the Eisner Awards, wrote the monthly “Things to Come” column for just over two years at Ninth Art, and contributed an essay to St. Martin’s Press’ The Year’s Best Graphic Novels, Comics & Manga in 2005. Outside of comics his fiction has been published by Penguin Putnam and Barnes & Noble. In his spare time he runs marathons.
Since he's taking a break, that gives you all a chance to go through and read everything he's posted so far.
I've also added some links to local sites, including Greg's to the far right list.
October 17: "Max and Moritz: A Cartoon Opera in Seven Pranks" at National Gallery of Art
"Max and Moritz: A Cartoon Opera in Seven Pranks" by Gisle Kverndokk
Presented in honor of Edvard Munch: Master Prints and in conjunction with Norway Comes to Washington
PR: Fanfare Ponent Mon at SPX 2010!
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FANFARE/PONENT MON AT SPX 2010 THIS WEEKEND Indie UK Publisher honored with North America's premiere independent cartooning and comics arts festival, SPX, is underway this weekend—Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 11–12, at the Bethesda North Marriot Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland—and Fanfare/Ponent Mon is pleased to announce its participation in this venerable event. This will be the independent UK publisher's second year as an exhibitor and to celebrate, the company is offering attendees the chance to win four Fanfare/ Ponent Mon titles. There is no purchase necessary and you do not have to be present when the winning entry is drawn. Just stop by booth F7 and fill out a form. Saying "Hi" doesn't hurt either! Double-Dose of Ignatz Fanfare/Ponent Mon is also proud to announce that it has received three nominations for the prestigious Ignatz Awards, SPX's yearly distinction for the best in graphic literature and cartooning. Jiro Taniguchi's mountain-climbing epic, The Summit of the Gods, Vol. 1, was honored with a Receiving a single nod is an incredible honor, never mind three, and Fanfare/Ponent Mon would like to thank everyone involved in the selection process. East Coast Premiere SPX 2010 will also feature the East Coast debut of Korea as Viewed by 12 Creators, the long-anticipated follow-up to the company's 2007 Eisner Award nominated Japan as Viewed by 17 Creators. The anthology features work by such graphic art luminaries as Choi Kyu-sok, Mathieu Sapin and Lee Doo-hoo. A limited number of the book will be available for purchase at a special show price. Hope to see you there! A limited number of the book will be available at the show for only $16, a savings of four dollars off the retail price. |
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PR: ICAF 2011 at the Center for Cartoon Studies
The International Comic Arts Forum to hold 15th Anniversary Academic Conference at The Center for Cartoon Studies in 2011
The International Comic Arts Forum (ICAF) is very pleased to announce that The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) will host the forum's next academic conference from September 29 - October 1, 2011 in White River Junction, Vermont. A call for conference papers and panels will be forthcoming this fall.
Since 1995, ICAF has been dedicated to promoting the scholarly study and appreciation of comic art, including comic strips, comic books, comics albums and graphic novels, magazine and newspaper cartooning, caricature, and comics in electronic media. This new partnership with the Center for Cartoon Studies - one of the nation's most highly-respected institutions dedicated to the training of cartoonists, writers, and designers - promises to further the mission of both units in providing a supportive, collegial environment to showcase innovative comics scholarship and comic art for critics, historians, teachers, and comics professionals from around the world. Previous forums have been held at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Georgetown University, and the Small Press Expo in Maryland.
For more information on ICAF's previous programs, scholarships, and our new Executive Committee members (Casey Brienza, Bill Kartalopoulos, Toph Marshall, Mark Heimermann and Qiana Whitted) visit: http://www.internationalcomicartsforum.org/. Additional information about The Center for Cartoon Studies can be found by visiting: http://www.cartoonstudies.org/.
A Pre-SPX Chat with R.M. Rhodes up at City Paper
Meet a Local Sequential Artist: A Chat with R.M. Rhodes
Posted by Mike Rhode on Sep. 8, 2010
A few SPX items from Matt Dembicki
-The D.C. Conspiracy (www.dcconspiracy.com) will have tables W3-W9
-We'll have FREE copies of our latest project, the 'Magic Bullet' comics newspaper
-Native American storyteller and 'Trickster' contributing writer Joseph Stands With Many will be a guest at my table at W9 on Sat., from 3-5
p.m.
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
A Chat with Carolyn Belefski online at City Paper
Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Carolyn Belefski
Another Intervention convention interview
Posted on Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
http://charmcitycurrent.com/bmorenerdy/2010/08/17/giving-the-internet-an-intervention-a-qa-with-onezumi/
Sept 9: One Night Only! Richard Thompson + Keith Knight LIVE
Thursday September 9
Richard Thompson & Keith Knight
7 p.m. In conjunction with the Small Press Expo (September 11-12 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center), we're delighted to host two artists who excel at contemplating the minutiae of everyday life and making it hilarious. Thompson's strip is focused on a loveable family in a suburban development, while Knight's is told through the eyes of a city dweller.
and the following evening-
Friday September 10
James Sturm - Market Day
8 p.m. Co-founder of the Center for Cartoon Studies, Sturm has set this beautifully crafted historical fiction in the Eastern European countryside of the 1900s. His day in the life of Mendleman, a carpet peddler, uses spare narrative and finely-honed images to achieve a powerful emotional resonance.
Small Press Expo This Weekend with Jaime Hernandez, James Sturm, Dean Haspiel, Raina Telgemeier, Richard Thompson and A Cast of Thousands
Small Press Expo This Weekend with Jaime Hernandez, James Sturm, Dean Haspiel, Raina Telgemeier, Richard Thompson and A Cast of Thousands
Bethesda, Maryland, September 7, 2010 - The Small Press Expo will be held this weekend, Saturday September 11 and Sunday September 12. This year we are featuring the First Annual SPX Animation Showcase along with showings of Nina Paley's full length movie Sita Sings The Blues. This is in addition to the Ignatz Awards presentation Saturday night, September 11 at 9PM, which is open to all SPX attendees.There will be a programming slate running both days that includes one on one interviews with James Sturm and Jaime Hernandez, as well as a dialogue on cartooning between Julia Wertz and Kate Beaton. There will be the ever present exhibitors hall with over 350 exhibitors selling the best in graphic novels, as well as self published comics and mini-comics.
Here is the complete list of special guests:
Richard Thompson writes and draws the successful syndicated comic strip Cul de Sac and drew the weekly Washington Post cartoon Richard's Poor Almanac, best known for the George W. Bush parody "Make the Pie Higher." Thompson was nominated for the National Cartoonist Society's Reuben award in 2009, and his illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker and the Atlantic Monthly. Jaime Hernandez is the Harvey Award winning and critically acclaimed creator behind the long running LOCA series from Love and Rockets. He has also done work for The New Yorker, as well as album covers for such bands as Los Lobos and Michelle Shocked. He drew the cover for Strange Tales Vol.2 #2 from Marvel, due in November and there will be a new installment of Loca in Love and Rockets: New Stories #3, to be released in September from Fantagraphics. James Sturm is an Eisner and Xeric Award winner as well as being a co-founder of The Center for Cartoon Studies. His latest graphic novel, Market Day, published by Drawn and Quarterly, drew critical acclaim from such media outlets as The New York Times and NPR. James is the creator of the equally well received The Golem's Mighty Swing, as well as co-authoring Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow. He just completed a long stint off the Internet and e-mail, which was documented in a series he did on the subject for Slate. Kate Beaton is the winner of the 2009 Doug Wright Award for Best Emerging Talent. She recently had her first cartoon published in The New Yorker, and drew a poster for Janus Films. She will be part of the next issue of Marvel Strange Tales, due out in October. Her History Comics takes an irreverent and comical view of history and historical figures, this leading to coverage in Wired Magazine, Bitch and Macleans. Kate is responsible for a number of the banners on the SPX site, for which SPX has received rave reviews. Kate's work can be viewed at her web site http://harkavagrant.com/. Dean Haspiel won the Emmy Award for Best Title design for his work on the show Bored to Death for which he also did a comic available on the shows web site. He is the one of the founders of the renown web comic cooperative ACT-I-VATE , as well as a having collaborated with the late, great, Harvey Pekar on The Quitter and American Splendor. He has worked for such outlets as New York Times, Marvel, DC/Vertigo as well as Dark Horse, where he illustrated Michael Chabon's The Escapist. See Dean's work on the ACT-I-VATE web site at http://act-i-vate.com/. Nate Powell is a novelist, publisher and musician who owns the DIY record label Harlan records. He received the 2009 Eisner Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel for his work Swallow Me Whole and also received the 2009 Ignatz Award for Best Artist. Visit his web site at http://www.seemybrotherdance.org. R. Sikoryak has been producing comics adaptations of literary classics, turning familiar cartoon imagery and tropes into quirky and insightful parodies, starting with his early appearances in the groundbreaking series RAW. He has published drawings in The New Yorker and Esquire among others, including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He currently teaches illustration at Parsons in New York City Vanessa Davis is known for her work for such magazines/web sites as BItch, Vice, Tablet and Bust. Her latest book, Make Me A Woman from Drawn and Quarterly, is premiering at SPX. Make Me A Woman is a collection of her diary series that spans her life from her Bat Mitzvah to the current day. Check out her website at http://www.spanielrage.com/. Keith Knight is the creator of the hit newspaper strip The Knight Life and will be on hand at SPX to sign the first compilation of that series, entitled The Knight Life: Chivalry Ain't Dead from Grand Central Publishing. Keith is a multiple Glyph Award winner and has drawn for such publications as Mad and ESPN Magazine. His (TH)ink and K Chronicles series have been critically acclaimed and may be found on his web site at http://www.kchronicles.com/. Raina Telgemeier's latest work, Smile (A Dental Drama) published by Scholastic Press, led to excellent reviews by both Publishers Weekly and the New York Times. She drew four graphic novels for Scholastic based on the best seller series by Ann M. Martin, The Baby-sitters Club. Raina has won the Eisner, Ignatz and Kimberly Yale Awards and is the artist for this years SPX poster. Raina's website is http://goraina.com/. Jim Rugg is an illustrator and cartoonist from Pittsburgh. His graphic novels and comic collections include Afrodisiac (Adhouse Books), Street Angel (SLG Publishing), The PLAIN Janes and Janes in Love (DC Comics), One Model Nation (Image Comics) and The Guild (Dark Horse Comics). He has also produced short comics for VH1, New York Magazine, True Porn, Meathaus, Cinema Sewer and Project Superior. SPX is a registered 501(c)3 which brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, go to their website at http://www.cbldf.org/.
Monday, September 06, 2010
Paul Conrad's obit in Washington Post
By Matt Schudel
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, September 6, 2010; B04
Grand Comics Database expanding
Sunday, September 05, 2010
Cavna on Paul Conrad
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 5, 2010;
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2010/09/in_memoriam_paul_conrad.html
Today in The New York (Comics) Times
The Unfinished Tale of an Unlikely Hero
By DAVE ITZKOFF
Harvey Pekar, the obsessive chronicler of everyday lives, was collaborating at the end of his life on a Web project whose fate in print remains uncertain.
Paul Conrad, Cartoonist, Dies at 86
By ROBERT D. McFADDEN
Mr. Conrad’s editorial cartoons in The Los Angeles Times and other papers slashed presidents, skewered pomposity and exposed what he saw as injustice for six decades.
And Rutu Modan illustrated the review of Skippy Dies in the Book Review.
Comics in today's Washington Examiner
Saturday, September 04, 2010
"Superheroes in Court: Lawyers, Law and Comic Books" exhibit done by local collector/lawyer

Local lawyer and big-time comic book collector Mark Zaid has got an exhibit of legal-related comic book covers up in a Yale law library. That's a neat idea for a theme. Here's 3 links about the show that Mark sent me:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/graphic-books-best-sellers-throwing-the-book-at-them/
http://advocatesstudio.com/2010/09/03/art-imitating-law-comic-style/
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/holy_smokes_batman_law_in_comics_featured_in_new_exhibit/?from=widget
Penny Arcade interview at Post
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 3, 2010
That darn Cho!
You should have named Le Pont des Arts in Paris
Washington Post September 4, 2010
Judith Judson, Arlington
...at least they reran Cho's picture.
Post runs book review by graphic novelist
Review of Anne Fortier's novel "Juliet," a riff on "Romeo and Juliet"
By Diana Gabaldon
Washington Post September 4, 2010; C03
Friday, September 03, 2010
John K Snyder III and Matt Wagner visit Library of Congress
Truitt on Wolverine
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY September 2 2010
Mark Ruffin's take on Baltimore Comic Con
Hundreds of talents, patrons and vendors commenced valuable identity for Baltimore Comic Con As a specialty reference comic-con may be an accustomed jargon nation-wide, driven by online frequency, over the last three years to be institutionally known as a variable of descriptors in the capacity of a household term. Infuse comic-con into any... Read more » Thursday, September 2, 2010
DC Comic Books Examiner, Mark Ruffin Mark Ruffin, a freelance writer and story editor, recalls a first read of Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man #8 and a collection of comic books from that point. Following honorable service in the military, he has contributed and edited articles on subjects political, sports car related, and of murder mystery dinner games. Grouped with his enthusiasm for culinary arts and sports, he enjoys discussions on the various perspectives of the comics medium. Contact Mark here. | |
PR: Fifth Annual Washington DC Comics Conspiracy Counter Culture Festival
The Washington DC Comics Conspiracy is proud to announce that the Fifth Annual Counter Culture Festival will be held on October 24th, from 12-8pm. The event will be held at RFD's, with an entrance on 8th street NW, between H and I streets - just one block from the Gallery Place-Chinatown metro station. Admission is free.
The event will feature vending by local comics creators and artists, as well as music and entertainment. For more information, including how to reserve a vending space, please visit:
http://www.dcconspiracy.com/blog/2010/09/counter-culture-festival-5.html
Please contact RM Rhodes at rhodes@oletheros.com with any questions.
Class of '63 Oceanus Procellarum Book Two the new webcomic
by R. M. Rhodes
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/oletheros/op
A Chat with Onezumi Hartstein of Intervention at the City Paper
Posted by Mike Rhode on Sep. 3, 2010 at 9:57 am
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2010/09/03/meet-a-local-con-organizer-a-chat-with-onezumi-hartstein-of-intervention/
Thursday, September 02, 2010
PR: SPX Announces A Fort Thunder/Monster Debut Event with Brian Ralph and Paul Lyons
Fort's closing, a new issue of Monster will debut at this year's SPX.
The oversized (10" x 14") book, featuring offset-printed interiors and a silkscreened cover, will include new and previously unpublished work by Fort Thunder alumni including Mat Brinkman, Brian Chippendale, Jim Drain, Paul Lyons and Brian Ralph, as well as work by friends and colleagues including Keith Jones, Michael DeForge, and Chuck Forsman.
To mark the occasion, SPX Programming coordinator and Parsons faculty member Bill Kartalopoulos will moderate a special panel event titled "Return of the Monster: The Fort Thunder Legacy" on Saturday, September 11 at 5:30 as part of the festival's larger schedule of
programming events. The panel will feature artists and former Fort Thunder residents Brian Ralph and Paul Lyons. The discussion will also include Tom Devlin, who has published work by Fort Thunder artists both through his own former publishing company Highwater Books and now as creative director of Drawn and Quarterly, and PictureBox publisher Dan Nadel, who has extensively interviewed Fort Thunder artists and currently publishes work by Fort co-founders Brinkman and Chippendale.
Please join us for this special consideration of a landmark contribution to recent comics history.
SPX is a registered 501(c)3 which brings together more than 300
artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators.
As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, go to their website at http://www.cbldf.org/.
The hours for SPX 2010 are 11AM-7PM Saturday, September 11, and noon-6PM Sunday, September 12. Admission is $10 for a single day and $15 for both days.
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Smithsonian inspires lad to be comic book writer
By David Pepose, Newsarama 27 August 2010
Caro on Lilli Carré’s minicomic “The Thing about Madeline”
Nevin Martell's expanded Calvin and Hobbes book featured
Expanded Book Chronicles Search for Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes Creator
D.X. Ferris
Cleveland Scene Aug 31, 2010
Searching for Watterson: The confounding creator of Calvin & Hobbes
By Raymond Cummings
San Antonio Current September 1 2010
Here's my take on the original edition from a year ago.
Baltimore City Paper reviews graphic novels.
By Andrea Appleton
Baltimore City Paper September 1, 2010
Reviews War is Boring, By David Axe and Matt Bors (NAL) and Greendale, By Joshua Dysart, Cliff Chiang, Dave Stewart, and Todd Klein (Vertigo).
Meet a Local Con Organizer: A Chat with Small Press Expo’s Jeff Alexander
Meet a Local Con Organizer: A Chat with Small Press Expo's Jeff Alexander
Posted by Mike Rhode on Sep. 1, 2010 at 9:27 am
Weldon's suggested comics links
Weldon, Glen. 2010.
An End-of-Summer Comics Linkdump. Um, 'Roundup.' Meant to Say Roundup.
National Public Radio's Monkey See blog (September 1): http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2010/08/31/129563688/an-end-of-summer-comics-linkdump-um-roundup-meant-to-say-roundup
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Jim Dougan's Sam & Lilah webcomic updated
SAM & LILAH Updated Today!
We're back! Here's two more pages from Chapter 3....
http://www.activatecomix.com/42-3-28.comic
Need to catch up first? Start here:
Chapter 1: http://www.activatecomix.com/42-1-1.comic
Chapter 2: http://www.activatecomix.com/42-2-1.comic
Chapter 3: http://www.activatecomix.com/42-3-1.comic
We'll be back with more in just two weeks! See you September 13!
Frank Cho's Zatanna painting featured on Comic Riffs

FRANK CHO UPDATE: Oil painting sells at Comic-Con auction for $10K
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Zadzooks interviews George Romero
A visit with zombie-film king Romero
By Joseph Szadkowski
The Washington Times August 26, 2010
Bruce Guthrie's Baltimore Comic-Con photos
Bruce Guthrie has put his Baltimore Comic-Con photos online, in spite of an illegal towing of his car. Bruce is a long-time friend of Richard Thompson, and a maniac photographer who puts his material online through essentially a Creative Commons, attribution, non-commercial use license. Be sure to check out this crazy Little Nemo commission that Jeremy Bastian did.
MD -- Baltimore Comic-Con (2010) -- Day 2 (of 2) -- Miscellaneous (Partially reviewed)
MD -- Baltimore Comic-Con (2010) -- Day 2 (of 2) -- Artists
Artists in sequence: Marv Wolfman, Jim Shooter, Jim Calafiore, Barry Kitson, Jerry Robinson, Paul Pope, Howard Chaykin, Tom Raney, Jim Starlin, Ron Marz. Brian Pulido, Bob McLeod, Antonio Clark, Brad Samuelson, ???, Jose Garcia-Lopez, Matt Wagner, John K. Snyder III, Walter Simonson, Louise Simonson,... (Partially reviewed)
MD -- Baltimore Comic-Con (2010) -- Day 2 (of 2) -- Greg LaRocque and friends (Partially reviewed)
MD -- Baltimore Comic-Con (2010) -- Day 2 (of 2) -- Richard Thompson and friends (Partially reviewed)
MD -- Baltimore Comic-Con (2010) -- Day 1 (of 2) -- Miscellaneous (Partially reviewed)
MD -- Baltimore Comic-Con (2010) -- Day 1 (of 2) -- Artists
Artists in sequence: Dennis O'Neil, Jerry Robinson, Matt Wagner, John Snyder III, Marv Wolfman, Jim Shooter, Michael Golden, Joe Jusko, Mark Wheatley, Denis Kitchen, Steve Conley, Tim Truman, Todd McFarlane, Timothy Lantz, Bryan Brown, Terry Moore, Bill Tucci, Walt Simonson, Paul Pope, Don Rosa, Sergio... (Partially reviewed)
MD -- Baltimore Comic-Con (2010) -- Day 1 (of 2) -- Greg LaRocque and friends
Artists here: Greg LaRocque, Julie (Ms Marvel), and Cesar Castillo Jr. (Partially reviewed)
MD -- Baltimore Comic-Con (2010) -- Day 1 (of 2) -- Richard Thompson and friends
Artists: Richard Thompson and Shannon Gallant. (Partially reviewed)
Mark Waid says copyright is too long at Harvey Awards speech
Rina Piccolo interview at Comic Riffs
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 30, 2010
Wertham papers at LoC article
Papers of anti-comic book crusader now open to scholars
By Matthew Lasar
August 30 2010
Oh, and he's got a link to an internal LoC article -
Papers of Comic-Book ‘Villain’ Open at Library
August 27th, 2010 by Matt Raymond
My colleague Erin Allen wrote the following for the Library’s in-house letter, The Gazette, and I thought it worth sharing with a wider audience:
Ask Stan Lee a question, on CNN
Ask Stan Lee
Got a question about "The Hulk," "X-Men" or "Spider-Man" that's eating at you? Want to pick the brains of one of the Marvel revolution's key masterminds?
Iconic comic book creator and writer Stan Lee will be stopping by CNN HQ on Thursday to sit down with us and take your questions.
Put yourself on camera and ask a concise question for Lee. Get it to us by Tuesday, August 30 at 5 p.m. and your video just might be chosen.
Guidelines:
Video questions please
Try to keep them under 30 seconds
Have fun
Jerry Beck on History Detectives in 1/2 hour
Monday, August 30 -- 9:00pm
26 - WETA
WB Cartoons, Galvez Papers, Mussolini Dagger
A box of cartoon drawings and cels reveals information about the early days of animation and the people behind it; emancipation papers for a female slave that were signed by a regional governor; a dagger that may have belonged to Benito Mussolini.
A reason to buy a sketch from SL Gallant at a Con

At Baltimore Comic-Con my buddy Shannon Gallant gave me a sketch he did of "Real Leela," based on the Futurama character. You too can commission him to draw one of these (actually I asked for the Shadow, but he stayed busy all weekend doing G.I. Joe and other characters). Link is NQ SFW cheesecake.
America's Next Great Cartoonist begins running in Post
Rafer Roberts interview on Magic Bullet up at City Paper
Meet a Local Cartoonist: Rafer Roberts of Plastic Farm and Magic Bullet
Posted by Mike Rhode on Aug. 30, 2010 at 11:01 am
PR: Small Press Expo Announces Richard Thompson, Nate Powell and R. Sikoryak as guests for SPX 2010.
Small Press Expo Announces Richard Thompson, Nate Powell and R. Sikoryak as guests for SPX 2010.
Bethesda, Maryland; August 30, 2010 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons is pleased to announce that Richard Thompson, Nate Powell and R. Sikoryak will be guests for SPX 2010, to be held September 11 and September 12 at the Marriott North Bethesda Hotel and Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland, across from the White Flint Metro stop. These guests are in addition to the previously announced Jamie Hernandez, Vanessa Davis, Keith Knight, James Sturm, Raina Telgemeier, Jim Rugg, Kate Beaton and Emmy Award Winner Dean Haspiel.
Richard Thompson writes and draws the successful syndicated comic strip Cul de Sac and drew the weekly Washington Post cartoon Richard's Poor Almanac, best known for the George W. Bush parody "Make the Pie Higher." Thompson was nominated for the National Cartoonist Society's Reuben award in 2009, and his illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker and the Atlantic Monthly.
Nate Powell is a novelist, publisher and musician who owns the DIY record label Harlan records. He received the 2009 Eisner Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel for his work Swallow Me Whole and also received the 2009 Ignatz Award for Best Artist. Visit his web site at
R. Sikoryak has been producing comics adaptations of literary classics, turning familiar cartoon imagery and tropes into quirky and insightful parodies, starting with his early appearances in the groundbreaking series RAW. He has published drawings in The New Yorker and Esquire among others, including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He currently teaches illustration at Parsons in New York City.
For detailed information about guests, panels and the Ignatz Awards, visit the SPX web site at www.spxpo.com.
SPX is a registered 501(c)3 which brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators.
As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, go to their website at http://www.cbldf.org/.
Cliff Chiang interviewed at Comic Riffs
The 'Riffs Interview: Comic artist CLIFF CHIANG offers an insider's tour of Neil Young's 'Greendale'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 29, 2010.







