Big Planet Comics Orbit Newsletter - January 5, 2012

January 5, 2012

Time to hit the polls Not THOSE polls - our Best of 2011 polls! We'll be taking votes on 9 categories for the best of 2011: Best New Series Best Reprint Best Artist Best Miniseries Best for Kids Best Single Issue Best Writer Best Ongoing Series Best Graphic Novel Here's a link to the first poll for Best New Series of 2011: https://www.facebook.com/questions/318716288168786/?qa_ref=qts In each category there will be 10 nominees, so vote for your favorite and we'll see who the winner for each is! (You can do a write-in comment if you think we forgot the real best one.) A new poll will be added to our Facebook page every 2 or 3 days, so check back for the next ones too. We will also be doing a monster, super-long podcast where we hash out our favorites so you can disagree with us! It will be up later this week. Happy New Year everyone! 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 Fatale #1 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips Another crime thriller from the superb Brubaker/Phillips team takes a new direction as they mix in horror influences. A modern reporter discovers an early unknown book manuscript by his famous godfather, and is soon caught up with a mysterious woman and a strange series of cultish murders, as well as the history of the mob and Nazis back in the purplish 1930s! Plus there may be actual monsters running around. Fear Itself HC by Matt Fraction/Ed Brubaker and Stuart Immonen/Scot Eaton Sin, the daughter of the Red Skull, discovers an ancient secret hidden by the Asgardians that she resurrects - the Serpent, whose power of fear divides the Marvel Universe. And then the Serpent brings down hammers like Thor's, but for the bad guys! Seven characters are turned into avatars of destruction in this huge Marvel crossover event, starring everybody! Billy Fog 1: The Gift of Trouble Sight HC by Guillaume Bianco Billy Fog is a kid who can see ghosts and monsters whenever he takes off his glasses! Including death. This allows Billy to have a huge amount of adventures, which are presented here as comics, poems, bestiaries of monsters, and newspaper articles proving the existence of Santa! Plus Bianco's art is a mix of Courtney Crumrin and Calvin & Hobbes. Amazing! Uncanny X-Force #19.1 by Rick Remender and Jerome Opena The insane culmination of the Dark Angel Saga that led Uncanny X-Force into the Age of Apocalypse universe saw a bunch of familiar characters from that timeline. Now, an entire issue focuses on their world, as a prequel to the upcoming Age of Apocalypse series! Weapon X has replaced Apocalypse as the mutants hunt down the last of humanity. Big Planet Comics Podcast #28 We're back! In this week's podcast Kevin, Nick and Jared review all the new stuff from the last 2 weeks. Download this week's now or subscribe on iTunes! Send us questions to podcast@bigplanetcomics.com Annotated Sandman 1 HC by Neil Gaiman/Leslie Klinger and Keith/Dringenberg/Vess A panel by panel look at the first 20 issues of Sandman! Asterix Omnibus 3 HC by Goscinny and Uderzo Three more adventures including going to Britain and vs. Vikings! (all ages) Avengers Academy 2: Real World SC by Christos Gage and Tom Raney Korvac returns, and the students take revenge on their teacher. Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne SC by Grant Morrison and Chris Sprouse Batman travels through time, from cavemen to the Old West! Black Fire HC by Hernan Rodriguez Two soldiers in Napoleon's army find a cursed village in Russia. Brody's Ghost one-shot by Mark Crilley Brody investigates a serial killer with his ghost friend. Curse of the Wendigo SC by Matthieu Missoffe and Charlie Adlard A horror story in the midst of the World War One trenches. Fearless SC by Mark Sable/David Roth and P.J. Holden A reckless superhero who needs anti-anxiety drugs to function. Ferals #1 by David Lapham and Gabriel Andrade A cop investigates a series of werewolf murders in a small town. Inner Sanctum HC by Ernie Colon Short tales of horror inspired by the old radio show. Keep Our Secrets HC by Jordan Crane Heat-sensitive ink allows you to reveal the hidden secrets! (all ages) The Lone Ranger #1 by Ande Parks and Esteve Polls The Lone Ranger helps victims of frontier injustice. Nowhere Man #1 (of 4) by Marc Guggenheim and Jeevan Kang A man is the only one not tracked by the central computer of the future. Screamland: Death of the Party SC by Harold Sipe/Christopher Sebela and Lee Leslie A group of monsters attends a horror convention. Witchfinder 2: Lost and Gone Forever SC by Mike Mignola/John Arcudi and John Severin British occult investigator Edward Grey journeys to the Old West.

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PR: Meet IMAGE COMICS "27" writer CHARLES SOULE this Saturday 1/7/12

Meet Charles Soule, writer of the IMAGE COMICS hit series "27" - A saga of mad science, rock n roll death cults, and more! First 15 Heads In Line Get a FREE Limited Edition "27" Mix Tape, featuring bands and songs featured in the 27 Graphic Novel. Charles Soule will be signing at Third Eye in Annapolis THIS SATURDAY 1/7/12 from 11AM-2PM   We're kicking off 2012 with a bang, Third Eye Faithful, with a HUGE in-store signing event featuring rising star CHARLES SOULE, writer of last year's IMAGE COMICS surprise hit "27". Charles is definitely a name to watch, as he has some soon-to-be-announced big projects coming down the pipeline in 2012, along with the already major success that was last year's 27 and 27: SECOND SET.   27 was one of the biggest IMAGE debuts of 2011, as it delivered the kind of innovative IMAGE COMICS storytelling that we've grown accustomed to with books like CHEW and MORNING GLORIES. The story focuses on a rising star musician named Will Garland, who after coming down with a neurological disorder that could ruin his career, trades his very soul to keep playing guitar. And, in exchange... he soon learns that he may not live to see 28, as visions of the legendary members of the 27 CLUB, a gathering of musicians who've all died unfortunately at the age of 27 (ranging from Kurt Cobain to Amy Winehouse to Jimi Hendrix and more) begin to haunt him. An implant in his chest gives him 27 chances at redemption, but will he take them?    We'll have plenty of the first graphic novel, 27: FIRST SET, available for the signing this Saturday, and if you're a fan of recent IMAGE hits like MORNING GLORIES, or CHEW, or if you're as big of a music fan as you are a comic fan, we highly recommend it.   Click here for the event info on FACEBOOK.    ALSO, CHECK OUT CHARLES SOULE'S NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL THIS WEEKEND, STRONG MAN, A TALE OF LUCHA LIBRE AWESOMENESS!    Also, on hand, Charles will be debuting his brand new graphic novel, STRONGMAN, at Third Eye! A tale of crazy Lucha Libre madness, STRONGMAN looks incredible!    First 15 People In Line Receive a FREE limited edition "27" CD featuring bands and songs featured in the "27" Graphic Novel   For the first 15 people in line for the signing, we'll be giving out a very special "27" mix tape CD that features bands and songs from the "27" graphic novel. This is a very cool little promo item that is strictly limited to this event, and features a ton of great tracks, that your's truly, had a big hand in picking out. We're talking deep cuts here, Third Eye Faithful.   Charles Soule Talks About Breaking Into the Comic Industry!    For many of you who're working on your own comics, or trying to break into the industry, Charles will also be taking some time during his signing to talk about the steps needed to get into the industry, how he broke in, and some pointers on where to start.   We always love starting the New Year off with a bang, Third Eye Faithful, and we love having you guys out to join us for when we bring creators in from other areas, to spotlight their work. If you haven't yet checked out 27, then definitely snag a copy between now and Saturday, or when you come by on Saturday, 'cause we really think you'll dig it, and lets give Charles a big warm Third Eye reception!

PR: New Book - Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics

a new book from our local professor...

Grant Morrison
Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics
By Marc Singer
University Press of Mississippi
ISBN 978-1-61703-136-6, paperback, $25
ISBN 978-1-6170-135-9, hardback, $65

For Immediate Release

A critical study of a postmodern comics writer who flaunts superhero conventions

One of the most eclectic and distinctive writers currently working in comics, Grant Morrison (b. 1960) brings the auteurist sensibility of alternative comics and graphic novels to the popular genres—superhero, science fiction, and fantasy—that dominate the American and British comics industries. His comics range from best-sellers featuring the most universally recognized superhero franchises (such as All-Star Superman, Seven Soldiers) to more independent, creator-owned work (The Invisibles, The Filth, Animal Man, Vimanarama) that defies any generic classification.

In Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics (University Press of Mississippi), author Marc Singer examines how Morrison uses this fusion of styles to intervene in major political, aesthetic, and intellectual challenges of our time. His comics blur the boundaries between fantasy and realism, mixing autobiographical representation and cultural critique with heroic adventure. They offer self-reflexive appraisals of their own genres while they experiment with the formal elements of comics. Perhaps most ambitiously, they challenge contemporary themes of language and signification, seeking to develop new modes of representation grounded in comics' capacity for visual narrative and the fantasy genres' ability to make figurative meanings more literal.

This is the first book to focus on Morrison's entire career, offering a survey of all his works from Near Myths to present. Singer's study analyzes the ways in which Morrison's comics are married both to pop convention and to literary experimentation. As such, Grant Morrison: Combining the World of Contemporary Comics establishes him as an exemplar of postmodernism in contemporary comics.

 Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics is the first scholarly study of Grant Morrison's work. Although the book is aimed primarily at an academic audience it is more than accessible by a general readership. Morrison fans will delight in the 50 illustrations that are also included in this volume.

Marc Singer, Hyattsville, Maryland, is assistant professor of English at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He is the coeditor of Detective Fiction in a Postcolonial and Transnational World.

—30—

Read more about Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics at http://www.upress.state.ms.us/books/1426

Ruffin on the past year's comic creator losses

He's got a good start here. I'll append a few more tonight:

2011 In Memoriam: Comics creator remembrances

Mark Ruffin, DC Comic Books Examiner

January 2, 2012

http://www.examiner.com/comic-books-in-washington-dc/in-memoriam

UPDATE: Mark's list had nine people that I don't have below!

As I noted in my new edition of the Comics Research Bibliography, deaths in 2011 included editorial cartoonist Bob Artley, Uruguayan cartoonist Eduardo Barretto, Croatian cartoonist Ivica Bednjanec, Italian comic-book publisher Sergio Bonelli, avant-garde animator Robert Breer, Charles Brooks, Archie Comics artist John "Jon" D'agostino, Spanish artist Victor de la Fuente, sports cartoonist Bill Gallo, Belgian cartoonist Andre Geerts, French artist Paul Gillon, Belgian comics writer Francine Graton, Jeffrey Jones, Family Circus creator Bil Keane, British cartoonist David Langdon, German cartoonist Loriot, Spirou editor Thierry Martens, Indian cartoonist Mario Miranda, caricaturist Sam Norkin, Slovenian artist Jelko Peternelj, Serbian inker Branko http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifPlavsic, Jerry Robinson, Albany Times Union editorial cartoonist Hy Rosen, DC Comics http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifwriter Alvin Schwartz, Captain America co-creator Joe Simon, French cartoonist Jean Tabary, Argentinian comics writer Carlos Trillo, Belgian cartoonist Albert Weinberg, Irish editorial cartoonist Terry Willers, and Ziggy creator Tom Wilson.

We both missed advertising animators Don Pegler and Vincent Cafarelli.

Jan 8: John Gallagher's Buzzboy signing in Delaware

John Gallagher writes:

Rich and Jamar and I are getting together this Sunday to sign and prep for shipping the first 2 books, and decided to make an event out of it! In our first appearance of 2012, Jamar, Rich, and John will be on hand at Delaware's Coolest Comics Shop, Captain Bluehen Comics! We'll have all our latest books on hand to sell and sign, and welcome our KICKSTARTER supporters to come on by! For directions head over to the Captain Bluehen site, and maybe we'll see you there!

Spider-Man musical article in today's Post

Kennedy, Mark / Associated Press.  2012.
'Spider-Man' snares record: Stunt-driven show has Broadway's highest-grossing week.
Washington Post (January 4)

You can read it here if you didn't get the paper today.

January 14: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 videogame tournament

DC Anime Club

Presents

 Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3

 

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 Tournament will take place January 14, 2012 in room A5

on the A Level of the Library from 2pm-5pm at Martin Luthur King,Jr Memorial Library

901 G St NW

Washington, DC 20001.

For more Information please contact:
president@dcanimeclub.org. (202) 262-2083 (phone)

Please follow us on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/groups/DCAnimeClub/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/DCAnimeClub).

 About DC Anime Club:

 DC Anime Club was established in 2003 to introduce and educate people in the Washington, DCarea about East Asian culture, through viewing and discussion of Japanese animation (also known as anime) and Japanese comics (manga).

We also work to provide a positive, alternative activity to the youth in the area by exposing them to foreign culture, encouraging artistic expression and creativity, and providing opportunities for participation in community activities and leadership.

DC Anime Club is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. Contributions to DC Anime Club are tax deductible to the extent allowable under the law.

DC Anime Club has been featured in many newspapers and publications .

In addition to our bi-weekly meetings, the club holds an Art Show, a Cosplay Party fundraising event, and anime lectures at local schools . Our club works with the Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan, Smithsonian Freer Gallery and DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival on their anime screenings. Our Marketing Team has helped promote performances for several Japanese bands such as Puffy Ami Yumi, Pine am, The Slants, The Captains and Ayabie.

DC Anime Club was founded by Chris Wanamaker (President), Jules Chang (former Vice President) and Craig Vaughn (Vice President) on Saturday June 5, 2003. We have a strong membership that continues to grow. 

DC Anime Club's Christopher Wanamaker profiled

The Very Best: TOKYOPOP's Interview With America's Greatest Otaku, Christopher Wanamaker
GeekChicDaily January 4 2012
http://www.geekchicdaily.com/region/tokyopop/the-very-best-tokyopop-interviews-americas-greatest-otaku-christopher-wanamaker-full-interview

PR: FUBAR 2 booksigning at Beyond Comics

B E Y O N D      C O M I C S Greetings Items to Ship Wednesday January 4, 2012   QUICK LINKS Books Contacts Graphic Novels Variant Covers Magazines Action Figures DBZ SUPER SAIYAN VEGETA S.H.FIGUARTS AF HW ELITE 1/43 GHOSTBUSTERS ECTO-1 MARVEL UNIVERSE AF ASST 201108 (RESTOCK) MECHAGODZILLA S.H.MONSTER ARTS AF WALKING DEAD TV SER 1 AF Books BETTY PAGES ANNUAL VOL 2 SC DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 54 METAMAUS LOOK INSIDE MAUS HC LTD SGN BOOKPLATE ED MODERN MASTERS VOL 27 RON GARNEY SC    Miscellaneous BATMAN SIGNET RING Manga LOVE HINA OMNIBUS VOL 2 KODANSHA ED TP NARUTO VOL 54 TP NEGIMA OMNIBUS VOL 3 GN ONE PIECE VOL 60 TP YU GI OH GX VOL 8 GN   Second Prints JUSTICE LEAGUE 5TH PTG #1 UNCANNY X-FORCE #18  Online Store! SAVE 25% OFF  All Online  Purchases! HERE!  Next Week Shipping Next Week On Sale Date   Wednesday January 11th WEB SITE    We have updated our website. Check Out These Cool Pages   New Arrivals     Catalog: Books, Movies, Music   Email Contacts Gaithersburg John Shine   Frederick Jon Cohen Newsletter Signup   INFO   Facebook     Website   eBay Store       Youtube Sign up for our eBay Newsletter   Amazon Store    Twitter   Fubar 2 GN    Creator Signing     Saturday January 7th     Gaithersburg: 10am to 3pm     Frederick: 4pm to 9pm       Rafer Roberts & Mike Imboden      Check Out Game Tournament Dates Here!  Now Available Digital Comics & Digital Upgrades Available in each store! See stores for details!  Don't Miss:     Fatale #1, Ferals #1, Goon #37, Nowhere man #1, Peanuts #1, Robocop Road Trip #1, The lone Ranger #1, Uncanny X-Force #19.1, Vampirella Vs. Dracula #1, Wolverine and X-men Alpha and Omega #1 Annotated Sandman Vol. 1 HC, Batman the Dark Knight Vol. 1 Golden Dawn HC, Batman the Return of Bruce Wayne TP, Fear Itself HC, Seven Soldiers of Victory Vol. 1 TP, Stand Vol. 2 American Nightmares TP, Witchfinder Vol. 2 Lost and Gone Forever Tp  Now Offering Digital Comics  Day & Date Releases on DC Comics Follow this link on our website!    HERE! New Comics           ACTION COMICS #5   ACTION COMICS COMBO PACK #5   ANIMAL MAN #5   ARTIFACTS #13   ATLAS UNIFIED #1   AVENGERS ACADEMY #24   AVENGERS ANNUAL #1   AVENGERS X-SANCTION #2   BATWING #5   BETRAYAL O/T PLANET O/T APES #3   BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #197   BLOOD RED DRAGON #3   BOYS #62   BRODYS GHOST ONE SHOT   COLD WAR #4   CYCLOPS #8   DC COMICS PRESENTS THE NEW 52 #1   DEFENDERS #2   DETECTIVE COMICS #5   ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST #7   FATALE #1   FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #6   FERALS #1   FLASH GORDON ZEITGEIST #2   GI JOE VOL 2 #9   GODZILLA LEGENDS #3   GOLD DIGGER #134   GOLD DIGGER HOLIDAYS SPECIAL #1   GOON #37   GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES #3   GREEN ARROW #5   HAWK AND DOVE #5   HELLRAISER #9   HELLRAISER MASTERPIECES #5   HULK #47   HUNTRESS #4   I ZOMBIE #21   IRREDEEMABLE #33   JURASSIC PARK DANGEROUS GAMES #5   JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #5   LADY DEATH (ONGOING) #13   LIFE WITH ARCHIE #16   LIVING CORPSE EXHUMED #5   MEN OF WAR #5   MUDMAN #2   NOWHERE MAN #1   OMAC #5   OUTCAST #2   PEANUTS #1   PENGUIN PAIN AND PREJUDICE #4   PRICE ONE SHOT   PUNISHER VOL 2 #7   RACHEL RISING #4   RED LANTERNS #5   ROBOCOP ROAD TRIP #1   SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #17   SCOURGE #6   SHINKU #4   SOULFIRE VOL 3 #6   STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #4   STATIC SHOCK #5   STORMWATCH #5   STRIKEFORCE MORITURI WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE #1   SUPER DINOSAUR #7   SUPERNATURAL #4   SWAMP THING #5   SWEET TOOTH #29   TANK GIRL CARIOCA #3   THE LONE RANGER #1   THOR DEVIANTS SAGA #3   THUNDERBOLTS #168   TRUE BLOOD FRENCH QUARTER #5   UNCANNY X-FORCE #19.1   UNCANNY X-MEN VOL 2 #4   VAMPIRELLA VS DRACULA #1   VESCELL #5   VILLAINS FOR HIRE #2   WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS #9   WITCHBLADE #151   WOLVERINE AND X-MEN ALPHA AND OMEGA #1   X-23 #20   X-CLUB #2   X-MEN #23   ZORRO RIDES AGAIN #7 Graphic Novels     ANNOTATED SANDMAN VOL 1 HC   AVENGERS ACADEMY VOL 2 REAL WORLD TP   AVENGERS X-MEN BLOODTIES HC   BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT VOL 1 GOLDEN DAWN HC   BATMAN THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE TP   BPRD HELL ON EARTH VOL 2 GODS AND MONSTERS TP   CARTOON GUIDE TO CALCULUS TP   CHARLIE ADLARD CURSE O/T WENDIGO TP   CRYSIS TP   DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS VOL 3 DOUBLE DUCK SC   DUKE NUKEM GLORIOUS BASTARD TP   ENDERS GAME ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP   ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR VOL 4 TP NEW ED   FEAR ITSELF PREM HC   GODZILLA KINGDOM OF MONSTERS VOL 2 TP   HABIBI GN SGN BOOKPLATE ED   HULK WORLD WAR HULKS HC   KATO ORIGINS VOL 2 HELLFIRE CLUB TP   SCREAMLAND DEATH O/T PARTY TP   SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY VOL 1 TP   SPIDER-MAN MASQUES PREM HC   STAND VOL 2 AMERICAN NIGHTMARES TP   TANK GIRL BAD WIND RISING HC   WITCHFINDER VOL 2 LOST AND GONE FOREVER TP     Can't find it in our store? We have over 700,000 Items available Online   GET 25% OFF Books, Movies, Music HERE! Variant Covers  ACTION COMICS BLACK & WHITE VAR ED #5  ACTION COMICS VAR ED #5  AVENGERS X-SANCTION PLATT VAR #2  AVENGERS X-SANCTION YU VAR #2  DEFENDERS I AM A DEFENDER VAR #2  DEFENDERS BAGLEY VAR #2  DEFENDERS STEVENS VENOM VAR #2  DETECTIVE COMICS VAR ED #5  FLASH GORDON ZEITGEIST 10 COPY VIRGIN ROSS INCV #2  GI JOE VOL 2 ONGOING 10 COPY INCV #9  HELLRAISER 10 COPY INCV #9  PEANUTS 30 COPY FIRST APP #1  STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPERHEROES 10 COPY INCV #4  STORMWATCH VAR ED #5  SWAMP THING VAR ED #5  THE LONE RANGER 10 COPY ROSS NEG VAR #1  THE LONE RANGER 15 COPY FRANCAVILLA VIRGIN INCV #1  TRUE BLOOD FRENCH QUARTER 10 COPY INCV #5  TRUE BLOOD FRENCH QUARTER 20 COPY INCV #5  VAMPIRELLA VS DRACULA 10 COPY LINSNER SKECTH INCV #1  WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS 10 COPY RENAUD RED #9  WARLORD OF MARS DEJAH THORIS 20 COPY GARZA RISQUE #9  X-MEN VENOM VAR XREGB #23    Magazines     ALTER EGO #106 DC SUPERHERO FIG COLL MAG SPEC CLAYFACE DC SUPERHERO FIGURINE COLL MAGAZINE #97 DOCTOR WHO INSIDER MAGAZINE #9 MARVEL PREVIEWS #101 STAR WARS INSIDER #130 D      Gaming Events  Heroclix Tournaments Saturday Dec. 17 -  1:00pm to 5:00pm - Frederick -   HULK!   Magic the Gathering Tournaments Gaithersburg   Friday Night Magic (FNM) Fri Dec 2      6pm - 11pm -   Standard Constructed Fri Dec 9      6pm - 11pm -   Innistrad Booster Draft   Fri Dec 16    6pm - 11pm -   Standard Constructed Fri Dec 23    6pm - 11pm -   Innistrad Two-Headed Giant Sealed Fri Dec 30    6pm - 11pm -   Standard Constructed       Tournaments     Frederick Sat  Dec 3     6pm - 11pm -   EDH Commander     Sat  Dec 13   12n -     4pm -   Modern Constructed      Please Note, some items are not available at all store locations. For more information please speak with any store representative. Some items may also be allocated by the manufacturer and may not be available. Beyond Comics does not guarantee items being in stock; however we will do our best to keep them available. Email: Gaithersburg John Shine Mgr or Frederick Jon Cohen Mgr Gaithersburg Store 536 North Frederick Ave Gaithersburg, MD (301) 216-0007 Hours: M,Tu 11-8; W-Sat 10-9; Sun 12-6 Frederick Store 5632 Route 85 Frederick, MD (301) 668-8202 Hours: M,Tu 10-8; W-Sat 10-9; Sun 12-6

Miyazaki film fest coming to DC

According to ICv2, we'll be getting a Miyazaki anime film festival in April and May.  This is some of the very best anime ever done.

Richard Thompson on Ronald Searle's influence

RIP, RONALD SEARLE: A cartooning star pays tribute to the 'tidal pull' of a British genius

By Michael Cavna

Washington Post Comic Riffs blog January 3 2012

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/rip-ronald-searle-a-cartooning-star-pays-tribute-to-the-tidal-pull-of-a-british-genius/2012/01/03/gIQAtQjRZP_blog.html

Truitt on Animal Man

'Animal Man' mixes family matters and horrifying imagery
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 3 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-03/Animal-Man-comic-book-series/52357564/1

Truitt on Grist's Mudman

A seaside English town inspires the hero of 'Mudman'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 3 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-03/Mudman-comic-series/52362086/1

USA Today on new strip Gil by Norm Feuti

Meet Gil, just another child of divorce, in comic strip
By David Colton, USA TODAY January 2 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-02/gil-comic-strip/52345670/1

Beeler's best of 2011?

It was in the paper a couple of days ago -

Beeler, Nate.  2011.

Nate Beeler's Best of 2011.

Washington Examiner (December 30): 26

-yea! but isn't online yet.

NPR on 2012's superhero movies

Sheir, Rebecca and Neda Ulaby.  2012.
2012: The Year Of The Smart Superhero Movie.
National Public Radio's All Things Considered (January 1).
online at
http://www.npr.org/2012/01/01/144547712/2012-the-year-of-the-smart-superhero-movie and http://pd.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/atc/2012/01/20120101_atc_03.mp3 and http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=144547712

Dirda review of Gothic Imagination book

One should read Dirda anyway, but apparently Tibbett interviewed Gahan Wilson and Bob Kane for his book -


Where Fear and Wonder Meet
John C. Tibbetts's 'The Gothic Imagination,' reviewed by Michael Dirda
By Michael Dirda, Washington Post December 29 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/john-c-tibbettss-the-gothic-imagination-reviewed-by-michael-dirda/2011/12/22/gIQAOvoDNP_story.html

Drew Friedman's illustrations in today' Post magazine

See Dave Barry's Year in Review: The 2011 Festival of Sleaze for Drew Friedman's illustrations.

Morning Call picks up Our Man Thompson

New Sunday comic 'Cul de Sac'
By Mike Hirsch, Of The Morning Call December 31, 2011
http://www.mcall.com/features/family/mc-new-comic-cul-de-sac-20111231,0,4855415.story