Friday, December 23, 2011

Politico notes another Bluewater biography

Ron Paul gets his own comic book
By PATRICK GAVIN
Politico 12/22/11
 http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70783.html

PR: Happy Holidays - Our Christmas & New Years Hours










header
 
Happy Holidays, Third Eye Faithful!

 

Happy holidays, Third Eye Faithful! We just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for your loyalty, support, and for making Third Eye one of the premiere comic book stores in the country. You guys are like family to us, and we hope you all enjoy your holidays. 
 
Got some last minute shopping to do? We're here today 11AM-9PM, and we are OPEN on Christmas Eve as well! 
 
Below, we've listed our holiday hours for both Christmas and New Year's for both locations:
 
 
HOLIDAY HOURS
CHRISTMAS EVE ( SATURDAY 12/24) - 11AM-5PM
CHRISTMAS DAY ( SUNDAY 12/25) - CLOSED
NEW YEARS EVE (SATURDAY 12/31) - 11AM-8PM
NEW YEAR'S DAY (SUNDAY 1/1) - 11AM-6PM
 
**Open NORMAL HOURS (M-F 11AM-9PM, SAT: 11AM-8PM, SUN:11AM-6PM) on ALL other days)**

 
Third Eye Comics | 45 Old Solomons Island Rd | Suite 102 | Annapolis | MD | 21401

PR: Big Planet Comics Orbit Newsletter - December 22, 2011




Big Planet Comics


December 22, 2011

Holiday Time

So we will be closed on Sunday for Christmas, but we are open Saturday from noon to 5, if you need some last minute comics. And then NEXT Sunday, January 1st is our 20% Off Everything Annual New Year's Day Sale (whew!). More info on that is below, I hope everyone is enjoying the end of the year with the manic overly busy schedule!
 
If you haven't seen it yet, we put together some of the year's best graphic novels for our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: http://www.bigplanetcomics.com/2011-holiday-gift-guide
We will have our voting polls on best of the year starting after new years.

Feel free to forward on our newsletter, and please send us any comments or mailing list requests to vienna@bigplanetcomics.com

Thanks!
 
- the Big Planet Comics kids


New Year's Day Sale

20% Off Everything

All 4 stores!
Everything in the stores 20% off! Toys, games, t-shirts, supplies, comic books, graphic novels, everything!
Noon to 5 pm on January 1, 2012!

Tina's Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary HC

by Keshni Kashyap and Mari Araki

Tina is a young teenager dealing with being an Indian in California, her best friend leaving her to hang out with a new boyfriend, family problems, confusing boys, and an assignment to write a diary about her life. Her self-analysis leads to a great commentary as her lives changes.

Memorial #1 (Of 6)

by Chris Roberson and Rich Ellis

A woman who lost her memory finds a strange magical shop and realizes that in another world there is something stealing memories from everyone, but a stringless puppet and mechanical man have been sent to capture her. Magical realism in the style of Gaiman and Fables, with great art.

The Last Battle SC

by Tito Faraci and Dan Brereton

As Julius Caesar attempts to pacify the warriors of Gaul in their last stronghold of Alesia, he calls on his greatest general Rodius to track down the rebel Cammius. But Rodius and Cammius have a prior history together, and even Rodius's band of elite soldiers may not be enough. Historical action!


The Activity #1

by Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerads

When the CIA messes up, they send in this group to fix their problems. Team Omaha are the elite team whose mission is flexible but their tech and skills are cutting edge. In their last mission, they lost a member, and now must accept a new woman. More espionage thrillers by the writer of Who Is Jake Ellis?

Big Planet Comics Podcast #27

In this week's podcast Kevin, Nick and Jared plug a lot of stuff, talk about the world's best comic stores, and review all the new stuff. Download this week's now or subscribe on iTunes! Send us questions to podcast@bigplanetcomics.com

Baltimore 1: The Plague Ships SC
by Mike Mignola/Christopher Golden and Ben Stenbeck

After a plague ends WWI, Lord Baltimore must fight off a vampire attack!

Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes #1
by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham/Cameron Stewart

Grant Morrison ties up his Batman Inc. storyline with a double issue of awesomeness!

The Immortal: Demon In The Blood #1
by Ian Edginton and Vicens Villagrasa

In medieval Japan, magical tattoos can let demons possess the owner.

Infinite 1 SC
by Robert Kirkman and Rob Liefeld

Bowen must travel back in time to find his younger self to stop The Infinite!

Jason Conquers America
by Jason

An overview and interview with Jason's work and some new short strips.

Jubilee SC
by Robert Kirkman and Derek Donovan/Michael O'Hare/Casey Jones

Kirkman's great high school thriller as Jubilee moves in with her mysterious aunt.

Ratfist SC
by Doug TenNapel

TenNapel's online comic experiment of the surreal adventures of Ratfist!

Tales Designed to Thrizzle #7
by Michael Kupperman

A new and hilarious issue dealing with Reservoir Dogs 2 and the adventures of Saint Peter.

Uncanny X-Force #19
by Rick Remender and Robbi Rodriguez

The epilogue to the Dark Angel saga starts off a new direction and team for X-Force!
 







PR: Beyond Comics Christmas Eve Coupon Specials!









Beyond Comics
CHRISTMAS EVE SPECIALS!
Greetings!

One Day Only!

Saturday,  December 24th

9am to 6pm
 
Must bring in your Coupon.
Graphic Novels

Get Any One
Graphic Novel


30% OFF

Excludes December Arrivals
New Comics

Buy One
New Comic
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50% OFF
(No Limit)  
Excludes December Arrivals
Apparel

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50% OFF 

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Action Figures

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50% OFF 
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Posters

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Heroclix
 
All Pre-2011
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Beyond Comics
536 North Frederick Ave.
Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Beyond Comics
5632 Buckeystown Pike
Frederick, MD 21704


Weldon's 2011 best comics


The Best Comics of 2011. Yep.
by Glen Weldon
National Public Radio's Monkey See blog (December 22, 2011)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/12/22/144068495/the-best-comics-of-2011-yep

and a bonus list -

Kois, Dan.  2011.
Best Books Of 2011: Six Graphic Novels That Will Draw You In.
NPR.org (December 21): http://www.npr.org/2011/12/21/142899602/six-graphic-novels-that-will-draw-you-in


Wimpy Kid lawsuit wire article in yesterday's Post

'Wimpy Kid' Battles Trademark-Eating Zombies in Court

By Tim Kenneally at TheWrap

Reuters Dec 21, 2011

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/22/idUS205992784420111222

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Truitt on Batman and Memorial

The Court of Owls takes wing vs. the Dark Knight in 'Batman'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 19 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-19/Batman-comic-series/52061716/1

Chris Roberson builds a fantasy world for IDW's 'Memorial'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 21 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-21/Memorial-fantasy-comic-series/52141052/1

Post on GE's 1950s science comics

Teaching STEM: The GE Comics series
General Electric faced the challenge of getting young people interested in the sciences back in 1953. Its solution? Comic books.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-innovations/teaching-stem-the-ge-comics-series/2011/12/20/gIQAFDNF9O_gallery.html#photo=1

Magic Bullet #3 reviewed

Here at Panel Patter.

Carla McNeil's artwork on Dark Horse Christmas card

See it here.

Local papers on Tintin movie

'Tintin' character has a head full of it
By: Kelly Jane Torrance  Washington Examiner December 21 2011
http://washingtonexaminer.com/entertainment/movies/2011/12/tintin-has-head-full-it/2020021

So-So 'Tintin': Spielberg film's charm is all on the surface.
By Ann Hornaday
Washington Post Dec 21, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/movies/the-adventures-of-tintin,1161918/critic-review.html

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

KAL profile online

Kal [Cartoonist]
Malibu Magazine December 15, 2011
http://www.malibumag.com/site/article/kal_cartoonist/

Jiminy Cricket poster in National Library of Medicine

I found this tonight while looking up safety posters for another reason. The National Library of Medicine, just north of the city in Bethesda, has a massive poster collection with a lot of cartoons and cartoonists represented, but I haven't seen this one before.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Publishers Weekly on Buzz Boy

New Buzz Boy Graphic Novel Out in Print, the Web, on iPad
By Calvin Reid
Dec 18, 2011
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/49926-new-buzz-boy-graphic-novel-out-in-print-the-web-on-ipad.html

Franklin Booth bookplate

Illustrator Franklin Booth's bookplate "This Book Is A Part Of The Library Of =" printed in "Textbook of General Zoology", 3rd ed. by Curtis And Guthrie, New York: John Wiley, 1938.

Somewhat off-topic, but I ran across a book with a bookplate by the great American illustrator Franklin Booth, a favorite artist of Joel at Big Planet Comics, so I threw it on the scanner. You can find a high-resolution color image here and a b&w one here if you'd like to print them out for use in your own books.

Cable ad campaign becomes a comic strip

This week's Washington City Paper had a surprising two-page comics insert. It's an ad for Comcasts xfinity service done in comic strip format, and based on their Slowskys turtle tv campaign. Here's the strip - the back was just advertising verbiage.

Truitt on Batgirl

Batgirl rebounds from controversy to newfound popularity
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 12 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-12/Batgirl-comics-story/51830078/1

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Friday, December 16, 2011

Post on Mo Willems play

'Bunny' audience doesn't hold back
By Stephanie Merry
Washington Post Dec. 16, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/knuffle-bunny-a-cautionary-musical,1220015/critic-review.html

Mo Willems is a children's book author in this case, but he's also a cartoonist.



Comic Riffs on Eduardo Barreto's death and Anderson's Berryman Award

EDUARDO BARRETO, RIP: Remembering the beauty and boldness of the great 'Teen Titans' & 'Judge Parker' artist
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 16 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/eduardo-barreto-rip-remembering-the-panache-of-the-brilliant-teen-titans-and-judge-parker-artist/2011/12/16/gIQAnNEKyO_blog.html

2011 BERRYMAN AWARD: Houston Chronicle's Nick Anderson 'humbled' by win
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 16 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/2011-berryman-award-houston-chronicles-nick-anderson-humbled-by-win/2011/12/16/gIQA6gQUyO_blog.html#pagebreak

Tintin merchandising invasion begins

Here's 3 pictures from the Bailey's Crossroads' World Market. I was hoping for more traditional Tintin stuff.


The Hill talks to political cartoonists about Presidential candidates

Political cartoonists rooting for Gingrich

By Judy Kurtz - 12/15/11

 http://thehill.com/capital-living/in-the-know/199561-political-cartoonists-root-for-a-gingrich-white-house

 

Post on Alvin and the Chipmunks movie

 These rodents won't go away
By Sean O'Connell
Washington Post Dec. 16, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/movies/alvin-and-the-chipmunks-chipwrecked,1161884/critic-review.html

New animation from Joe Sutlff

Joe Sutliff writes in,
 
"I have  been a fan of live action and animation since I was a kid, and recently I got a chance to create some of my own. Working with Big Picture, Inc., I was the "star" (from the elbow out) of six animations on that most entertaining of topics, "80 Day Hiring Practices for the Air Force Civilian Service." I've posted the first one for your entertainment pleasure (be sure to get popcorn) at http://joesutliff.com/ACSvideos.html.

 

Flight anthology contributor from Woodbridge, VA

Randy Tischler's pointed out Reagan Lodge's Ars Militaria blog at http://reaganlodge.blogspot.com/ Lodge describes himself as being from "Woodbridge, VA, United States, "and his blog as "Imagery and words by a former comic book artist and illustrator, currently serving in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Combat Photographer."


Berryman award goes to Nick Anderson

The 2011 Clifford K. & James T. Berryman Award for Editorial Cartoons Winner: Nick Anderson, The Houston Chronicle 
 
Clifford Berryman was the dean of Washington cartoonists, and worked for the Washington Star for many years. The award named for him and his son is given annually in Washington.

Post obituary for Joe Simon appears

Joe Simon, co-creator of the Captain America comics, dies at 98
By T. Rees Shapiro,
Washington Post December 16, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/joe-simon-co-creator-of-the-captain-america-comics-dies-at-98/2011/12/15/gIQADjarwO_story.html

 

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Truitt on Wolverine

'Wolverine' 300 begins end of Jason Aaron's run next month
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 15 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-15/Wolverine-issue-300/51982392/1

Comic Riffs on Joe Simon's death and Big Nate's expansion

JOE SIMON, RIP: Remembering the legendary 'Captain America' co-creator, who has died at 98
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 15 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/joe-simon-rip-remembering-the-legendary-captain-america-co-creator-who-has-died-at-98/2011/12/15/gIQAWTvMwO_blog.html#pagebreak

'BIG NATE's' BIG NEWS: Best-selling kids' feature launches its first app [Exclusive]
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 15 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/big-nates-big-news-best-selling-kids-feature-launches-its-first-app-today-exclusive/2011/12/14/gIQAYN8tvO_blog.html#pagebreak

Truitt on Spider-Man's next story arc

Spider-Man goes to the 'Ends of the Earth' in March
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 14 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-14/Amazing-Spider-Man-comic-news/51911282/1

Post blog on early Jim Henson animation

Early Jim Henson cut-paper animation found
By Maura Judkis
Washington Post Arts Post blog December 14 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/early-jim-henson-cut-paper-animation-found/2011/12/14/gIQAONtwtO_blog.html

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Zadzooks' holiday gift guide

Zadzooks' Gift Guide: Comic book- and cartoon-themed gift ideas
By Joseph Szadkowski
The Washington Times December 14, 2011
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/dec/14/zadzooks-gift-guide-comic-book-cartoon-gifts/

Team Cul de Sac stamp #4 now available

Joe Sutliff's special Hanukah drawing of the Otterloop children and friend scan now be purchased at Zazzle, as of just a few minutes ago. Joe says, "I was baking dreidles for the Sunday school when I had this idea, so I just drew it."

Barbara Dale's TCDS stamp #2 went out on my Christmas cards today.

Truitt on Archie & Cable

Archie rekindles a former romance beginning in March
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 12 2011http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-12/Archie-comics-story/51827338/1

Cable targets the Avengers in Marvel's 'X-Sanction' series
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 14 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-14/Avengers-X-Sanction-comic-series/51908496/1

Comic Riffs on IDW and comiXology's digital deal

IDW's NEXT BIG STEP: comiXology-powered apps and 'same day digital'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog (December 14 2011)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/idws-next-big-step-comixology-powered-apps-and-same-day-digital/2011/12/13/gIQAavV6tO_blog.html

Steve Jobs comic biography illo'd by Washingtonians

Although it sounds like a Frankentstein-type job as it is "...illustrated by a team of designer/illustrators from JESS3, a Washington DC Design, illustrations and data visualization firm..."
 
For more details:
 
John Wiley to Publish Graphic Biography of Steve Jobs

By Calvin Reid

Dec 02, 2011

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/49720-john-wiley-to-publish--the-zen-of-steve-jobs---a-graphic-biography-.html

 

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Truitt on Star Wars

The Empire gets a secret agent in new 'Star Wars' series
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 13 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-13/Star-Wars-secret-agent-comic-series/51880832/1

Results of Tom Toles cartoon contest

Click through to GOP Frankenstein Cartoon Caption Contest for the Toles cartoon contest results.

Meanwhile, Frank Cho is doing the cover for Avengers vs X-Men #0.

Comic Riffs follows up on plagiarism chat

MY BIAS: Is a newsroom's political cartoonist a 'journalist'? A Poynter chat sheds light

'Finding Nemo' cartoon slides into real-life

For species in 'Nemo,' real risks [online title: The reality of 'Finding Nemo's' marine life]
By Juliet Eilperin,
Washington Post December 13, 2011, pA2
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-reality-of-finding-nemos-marine-life/2011/12/12/gIQAw0QYqO_story.html

Hagen's Duckpin of Excellence

I am now the proud owner of Fat Bat by David Hagen - see it here at http://hagenillustration.blogspot.com/2010/05/fat-bat.html
 
As David wrote to me when he once again reminded me that I had said I wanted to buy it, "The organizer said I had the most public votes for favorite artist from Artomatic@Frederick which meant a lot to me. I love my public!" See David and the award at http://hagenillustration.blogspot.com/
I've got 2 Hagen originals now.  I wonder if I can get his Team Cul de Sac original at auction next summer for a trifecta.

Monday, December 12, 2011

CARTOONS & PLAGIARISM: Live chat today @ 3 pm

Chat today at 3 with @washingtonpost Comic Riffs blogger Michael Cavna & Poynter's @kellymcb on cartoon plagiarism: http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/top-stories/155774/live-chat-today-should-editorial-cartoonists-follow-same-ethical-guidelines-as-journalists/

Michael Cavna
Style Section & "Comic Riffs"
The Washington Post
Washingtonpost.com/comicriffs
Facebook.com/comicriffs
Twitter.com/comicriffs

Dec 15: Al Jaffee in town

Authors Out Loud: Mary-Lou Weisman & Al Jaffee
Washington DCJCC

Mary-Lou Weissman - author, Al Jaffee- illustrator
Al Jaffee's Mad Life: A Biography
Thursday, December 15, 7:30 pm
$10, $8 Members/Seniors/Students

At 89, iconic American cartoonist Al Jaffee remains MAD magazine's oldest and most prolific contributor. Behind Jaffee's trademark dark humor lurks an even darker story of a childhood spent between two alien worlds, Lithuania and America. Mary-Lou Weisman tells the off-kilter life story of the man who countless fans know and love as the inventor of MAD's "fold-ins" and "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions."
Al Jaffee's Mad Life is illustrated by more than 65 original four-color original drawing by the master himself.
Mary-Lou Weisman is a journalist and author whose books include My Baby Boomer Baby Book, Traveling While Married, and Intensive Care: A Family Love Story.

Al Jaffee is an award-winning cartoonist whose work has appeared in more 440 issues of MAD magazine.

"Al Jaffee's Mad Life lays bare in harrowing yet often riotous detail how a Southern boy, twice uprooted by his mother to Lithuanian shtetls on the eve of World War II, grew up to become a tireless satirist for some of America's cheekier magazines."
-The New York Times

"It's an unnerving biography with a moving graphic novel hidden inside it."
-Art Spiegelman, author of MAUS

Partner: 16th Street J's Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery Off the Wall series

Date:
Time: 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Address:
1529 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
United States
If you'd like to attend this event you can purchase tickets online.


Sunday, December 11, 2011

Post runs Robinson obituary

Jerry Robinson, co-creator of the Joker, Batman's nemesis, dies at 89
By Michael Cavna,
Washington Post December 12 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/jerry-robinson-co-creator-of-the-joker-batmans-nemesis-dies-at-89/2011/12/09/gIQAe9A0lO_story.html

Truitt on Jerry Robinson, Artifacts and GI Joe

Comics historian Jerry Robinson, creator of the Joker, dies
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 8 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-08/jerry-robinson/51745168/1

'Artifacts' aims to build Top Cow's readership
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 5 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-05/artifacts-top-cow/51662486/1

IDW reveals a new and 'utterly ruthless' Cobra Commander
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 6 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-06/GI-Joe-comics-Cobra-Commander/51679676/1

Habibi is Washington Examiner's best graphic novel

The best books of 2011

 The Washington Examiner December 11 2011

Marcela Valdes picks the top 10 books of 2011 for The Washington Examiner.

"Habibi"

Craig Thompson. Pantheon, $35 (672p)

Humorous, heart-breaking, and visually stunning, Thompson's graphic novel tells the epic love story of two Middle Eastern slaves. Intended for grown-ups, this book contains some nudity, but it's real daring lies in the way it braids together the religious tales of both Islam and Christianity.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

That darn Toles redux


Violence on the editorial page

Washington Post December 9 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/violence-on-the-editorial-page/2011/12/04/gIQAEbX9iO_story.html

Is there to be no end to Post editorial cartoonist Tom Toles's use of violence in an attempt to make political points? In recent days, I have seen the Republican elephant with a shovel about to murder the Democratic donkey looking stupidly into a grave (dug by whom?) [Nov. 28], a European beer drinker committing suicide (maybe) as he falls unaware to his certain death [Dec. 1] and finally Newt Gingrich getting ready to blow himself up as would a suicide bomber [Dec. 4]. Isn't there a less violent, more positive way to express political points?

As I get older (I'm 67) and turn away from violence and created drama and toward God and brotherly love, I am looking elsewhere than The Post for inspiration.

Mike Thompson, Hollywood, Md.


Truitt on Everlast

Chad Michael Murray ventures from Hollywood to 'Everlast'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 9 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-09/chad-michael-murray-everlast/51767038/1

Dec 11: KAL at the Walters in Baltimore

Details here at Kal's blog. He's a great public speaker, and will also be signing books and his new calendar.

Friday, December 09, 2011

Big Planet's Greg Bennett's band Jet Age plays tonight

Here's the Post review of the new cd (save me one, Greg) and they're playing in Northwest DC tonight (Dec 9) at 10 pm at the Comet Ping Pong restaurant (next door to Politics and Prose):

Information:202-364-0404

Price:$10

Comet Ping Pong

5037 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC


Cavna on editorial cartoonist plagiarism

NEWSROOM PLAGIARISM: Why are cartoonists treated so differently from their journalistic brethren?
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs December 9 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/newsroom-plagiarism-why-are-cartoonists-treated-so-differently-from-their-journalistic-brethren/2011/12/09/gIQA8pBHiO_blog.html

Weldon on the genius of Carl Barks

The Derring-Do of Donald Duck: Recolored. Restored. Really Great.

by Glen Weldon

National Public Radio's Monkey See blog December 9, 2011

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/12/09/143340903/the-derring-do-of-donald-duck-recolored-restored-really-great

Today: Kal on the radio


From: kevin Kallaugher

I thought I'd let you know I am going to be featured on WYPR's The Signal this Friday/Saturday.

http://www.kaltoons.com/wordpress/2011/12/kal-on-npr/


Best

Kal
Kevin Kallaugher
www.Kaltoons,com

The KAL iPhone App is now available at the iTunes store.





Thursday, December 08, 2011

Comic Riffs on the death of Jerry Robinson

JERRY ROBINSON, RIP: Pioneering Batman artist and comics ambassador dies at 89
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 8 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/jerry-robinson-rip-batman-artist-and-comics-ambassador-dies-at-89/2011/12/08/gIQACP4efO_blog.html#pagebreak

Team Cul de Sac Zazzle stamps for sale

Barbara Dale's stamp has been revised to lighten it up so you can see Alice better, and David Hagen volunteered his artwork for stamp #3. Collect them all! It's for charity!

 

Truitt on Batwing and Defenders

Judd Winick's 'Batwing' explores the Batman of Africa
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 5 2011

Matt Fraction embraces the weirdness of 'The Defenders'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY December 7 2011

Dean Haspiel's minicomic collection

Here's photos of Dean Haspiel's minicomic collection being sorted through before going to the Library of Congress for the new SPX collection.

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Why I don't read superhero comics anymore

I was looking at this article tonight:

Remender Prepares "Venom" for "Circle of Four", by Dave Richards, December 6th, 2011

and took a closer look at the image promoting it:



Every one of these characters is derivative of a pre-existing and still existing character, and to top it off, these are less pleasant versions. Marvel is now like 1955 DC which had a Superman, Supergirl, Batman, Batdog, Batwoman, Batgirl, Superhorse (Comet), Supercat (Streaky), etc, etc, except they might be murderers or psychopaths.

In this picture is Red Hulk - one of five current Hulks, I think (if you count Hulk's son Skaar) - two male and two female. Given that I thought it was the GREEN gamma radiation that gave the Hulk, She-Hulk, Leader, Abomination etc their powers, I have no idea what Red means.

Venom, was derived from Spider-Man, albeit around two looong decades ago. Spider-Man got a symbiotic black suit that had the same powers he had, and could look like any type of clothes he wanted. It turned evil of course. Venom's the one with the guns, because you know, a suit that can mimic Spider-Man's powers isn't enough. Recently every other person on Manhattan supposedly had Spider-Man's powers. Uh-huh -- they're that special. And another Spider-Man clone is about to be running around as the second Scarlet Spider.

X-23 is the third Wolverine derivative, although her own comic just got cancelled.

And Ghost Rider is a woman now? Who knows, but there's two predecessors there as well, and Johnny Blaze the first one of them is still floating around the Marvel universe. Perhaps like the new female Red Skull (the first one's daughter), someone finds something sexy about a faceless skull-headed woman? If so, I don't want to think about that any more.

DC's not any better either. Harking back to the 1950s, in Grant Morrison's Batman Inc. each country has a Batman, there's no longer just a Green Lantern Corps, but also a Red, Black, Indigo, Orange and Pink set, a multitude of Firestorms, and who knows how many relatives that Superman "the last son of Krypton" has floating around now... Unmentioned so far are Marvel's multiple versions of the Avengers (four teams I think) and the X-Men (also four maybe?).

I'm hearing The Who's New Song as a comic book soundtrack much too often these days.


This post from yesterday touches on another aspect of derivative superhero stories. I track these articles for my Comics Research Bibliography.

Long interview with Batman producer Michael Uslan at City Paper

 
As a reminder, he'll be appearing in Silver Spring tomorrow - the contact information is at the bottom of the interview, or elsewhere on ComicsDC.