Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Sevara issue #0 Kickstarter campaign still running

Project Update #13: Artwork for Page 14 done!

Posted by Damian Wampler

I just want to show you the beautiful artwork that Andre Siregar is doing as we speak. The Sevara campaign has only 9 days to go. Please tweet and Facebook share this link http://kck.st/19VqpXX so we can have a strong finish!

Page 14, top half.

Andre just uploaded page 14 and is moving on to page 15. I'll send you more and more art as it comes off the press!

Page 14, bottom half.

Thanks again for your pledges, and thanks for your support. Please continue to tweet and Facebook share this link until the end of the campaign: http://kck.st/19VqpXX

Monday, February 17, 2014

Jimmy Gownley at Beyond Comics! This Week

Meet Amelia Rules Creator

JIMMY GOWNLEY!

Thursday, February 20th - 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Gaithersburg

Friday, February 21st - 7:00pm to 8:30pm

FREDERICK

Autographs are FREE!

We are proud to host a national book release of the brand new book from Scholastic Books - The Dumbest Idea Ever! by the acclaimed creator of the best selling Ameila Rules series of books. Jimmy Gownley will be making special appearances at each of the Beyond Comics locations. Copies of his book will be available at these events one week before it is available nationally. You can also order copies from us ahead of time.

Learn More

Autographs are FREE!

In 2008, Gownley was nominated for four Eisner Awards, the comic book industry's highest honor, which tied him for most nominations by an individual that year. The nominations were for "Best kid's comic", "Best Single Issue" (#18), Best Lettering, Best Coloring. Gownley has also been nominated for five Harvey Awards in the categories of Best Artist, Best Graphic album reprint, and Best Humor Publication. Amelia Rules!: Superheroes won the Cybil Award for Best Graphic Novel for ages 12 and under. In 2008, Gownley was a winner of the Pennsylvania Library Associations One Book Award.

Beyond Comics
18749 North Frederick Rd.
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
(301) 216-0007

Beyond Comics
5632 Buckeystown Pike
Frederick, MD 21704
301-668-8202

Let all your
friends know!

STAY CONNECTED

Now online - Smudge JR Interview #2: Michael Auger

Henry, Tina.
Smudge JR Interview #2: Michael Auger
February 18, 2014
http://www.smudgexpo.com/2014/02/18/smudge-jr-interview-2-michael-auger/

Meet a Local Comics Writer and Filmmaker: A Chat With Joe Carabeo

by Mike Rhode on Feb. 17, 2014
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/visual-arts/2014/02/17/meet-a-local-comics-writer-and-filmmaker-a-chat-with-joe-carabeo/

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Gregory Benton at Big Planet Comics Bethesda

Greg Benton was signing his new book, B+F (Adhouse Books) at Big Plant Comics in Bethesda. As you can see from the photo, he's doing a full-color two-page drawing in each book you buy. More pictures here.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Comic Riffs and Galifianakis' Valentine Day caption contest

VALENTINE’S DAY CAPTION CONTEST: Enter now by writing this Nick Galifianakis cartoon (*and win the signed art)

By Michael Cavna Washington Post Comic Riffs blog February 14 2014

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/valentines-day-caption-contest-enter-now-by-writing-this-nick-galifianakis-cartoon-and-win-the-signed-art/2014/02/14/4af70efa-953a-11e3-84e1-27626c5ef5fb_blog.html

Feb 19: Jimmy Gownley at Hooray for Books in Alexandria

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH 7:00 PM-8:30 PM
Author and acclaimed comics creator Jimmy Gownley will be presenting and signing his new graphic novel, The Dumbest Idea Ever!

http://www.hooray4books.com/events.htm

Feb 15 (Tomorrow!): Gregory Benton at Big Planet Comics in Bethesda

Big Planet Comics Bethesda
Saturday, February 15, 2014
4:00pm until 6:00pm

It's with excitement and pleasure that we announce the B+F Tour to promote Gregory Benton's latest creative endeavor.

"B+F," Gregory Benton's MoCCA Award of Excellence-winning fable, explores an otherworldly forest with a woman and a dog as they encounter its denizens, both benevolent and malicious. A wordless meditation on goodwill, hostility, and isolation

Fantom's Ladies Night in Washington Times

Fantom Comics has a write up in the Washington Times for it’s Ladies Night program.

It’s Ladies Night for comics: Fans of superpower break down walls

By Emily Hoosier/Washington Times

It’s Ladies Night in Washington, D.C. — but it’s not being held at a bar or at a concert club. It’s at a comic book store in Union Station, and the women in attendance on a recent weekend night indulge in a shared enthusiasm for one of the last markets that typically excludes them. (Read the article)

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Collecting Retrofit Comics co-published with Big Planet Comics

I picked up these three recently. Two more come out in a few weeks.

Shen, Zejian. 2013.

Keep Fresh.

Philadelphia: Retrofit Comics / Washington: Big Planet Comics

Muradov, Roman. 2013.

Picnic Ruined.

Philadelphia: Retrofit Comics / Washington: Big Planet Comics

Brown, Box. 2013.

Beach Girls [Inc. Dweeb by James Kochalka].

Philadelphia: Retrofit Comics / Washington: Big Planet Comics

Yumi Sakugawa at Big Planet Comics DC

Yumi Sakugawa read from her new book, I Think I Am In Friend-Love With You, at Big Planet Comics DC.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman animation movie posters in DC

These are at the bus stops at 16th and U Sts., NW, and 19th and K, NW. It's nice to see that Jay Ward still has cultural traction.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

ArtShow 05: The Pizza Factory

The D.C. arts collective Hole in the Sky is preparing for its fifth art show in ongoing series. The theme for the Feb. 22 show: Pizza! The group says its will “cook a 6ft pizza and surround it with pizza-themed artworks of the visual, installation and performance persuasion.” There’s a slew of local artists participating, include Mike O’Brien, Anthony Dihle and Kelly Towles. Check out O'Brien's nifty video (below) of him making the promotional poster.

Casares animation

Local graphic designer and illustrator Santiago Casares shares a pretty cool bit of animation he did for a client last year.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Neil Cohn's Online video presentation/chat at Fantom Comics

From Neil Cohn:

I just wanted to let people know that this coming Sunday I’ll be doing a live video chat through the Fantom Comics store in Washington DC that will be video-cast via Google Air. I’ll be giving a short presentation about my “visual language" research and then answering questions from in-store guests as well as those posted online via a Facebook event page.

The event will be this Sunday (2/16) at 6:30pm East Coast time. If you’re interested in participating or watching, here are the links:

1) The webpage post: http://www.fantomcomics.com/blog/2014/02/10/visual-language-of-comics/

2) The Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/356566004481760/

3) The Google Air Link where the show will be: https://plus.google.com/u/1/events/cth4rbpbfdo10erovbrtsafknlc?authkey=CIHI-evSjKSRxwE

Neil Cohn

Postdoctoral Fellow
Center for Research in Language
University of California at San Diego
neilcohn@emaki.net
www.visuallanguagelab.com

My new book:

The Visual Language of Comics: Introduction to the Structure and Cognition of Sequential Images

PR: Fist of Justice Returns via Kickstarter campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Fist of Justice Returns!

Critical hit "Fist of Justice" from Digital Webbing Press is making a return to comics and your help is needed.

Methuen, MA, February 10, 2014

What began as a one-off, seven page story with a twist ending in the anthology series Digital Webbing Presents generated such positive reader response that creators Mike Imboden and Ed Dukeshire made the decision to undo that twist ending and revive Fist of Justice as an ongoing feature. Over the course of 10 issues (five lead stories in DWP and five in his own self-titled book), they created the world of Fist of Justice. After taking a few years off from publishing, the creative team felt the time was right to continue what they started and bring Fist of Justice back to the loyal fans who have longed for his return.

A Kickstarter campaign is underway to fund publication of a full-color trade paperback collecting Fist's earliest adventures. Some of the comic industry's hottest talents got their start illustrating Fist of Justice including Chad Hardin (Harley Quinn), Yildiray Cinar (Supergirl), Anthony Castrillo (X-Men), Dario Carrasco, Jr. (Star Wars), and Andre Coelho (Ms. Marvel).

So who is the Fist of Justice? Fist of Justice is a man out of time, a cat with his heart in the right place-- a true hero from the 70s awakened in our time. He was the super-heroic defender of Charm City until he made a fatal mistake that ended his career. He threw in the towel and was locked away and soon forgotten. But his power-- though dormant-- did not leave him. Now it has returned and resurrected FOJ-- restoring him as defender of a city dealing with the new villains of the 21st century. Villains who are tougher, stronger, and meaner than ever.

Creators Mike Imboden and Ed Dukeshire have taken to crowd-funding site, Kickstarter, to raise the money needed to collect the first five issues of the comic into a trade paperback. In addition, plans call for publication of an all-new issue 6 of Fist of Justice. Says Dukeshire, "Kickstarter has shown that projects that couldn't originally happen, are now possible. While the costs to produce the book are too high for us alone, support via Kickstarter can change that. The campaign will help pay for the printing of the trade paperback, comic book, all the rewards, shipping supplies, and shipping. We'd love to get Fist of Justice out there on a regular basis once again, but need the help of our readers and fans."

A number of comics' most talented artists got their start illustrating Fist of Justice. Chad Hardin, artist of the super-hot Harley Quinn from DC, was first published in the pages of Fist of Justice. Yildiray Cinar, who currently draws Supergirl for DC, also began his career penciling FOJ. Now fans will be able to see their early work in a newly published trade paperback."These guys were extreme talents right out of the gate," said Dukeshire, who spotted samples of their drawings on the Digital Webbing Forums and offered them their first chance to be published.

Supporters can choose from a handful of incentives. "We've got plenty of incentives to contribute to the Kickstarter campaign", adds Imboden. "Not only can people get the trade paperback, we have pledge levels that include art by past FOJ artists. We've got t-shirts, prints and stickers and, what might be the coolest thing of all, the opportunity to have yourself drawn into an original Fist of Justice short story!"

Web address for Kickstarter is:

http://kck.st/1bnOoxp

For more information about Fist of Justice, visit www.fistofjustice.org or www.facebook.com/fistofjustice or contact Imboden (mike@imboden.org) or Dukeshire (eduke@digitalwebbing.com)

Doonesbury in reruns again - boo!

THIS JUST IN--Trudeau puts daily ‘Doonesbury’ on long-term hiatus to work on renewed ‘Alpha House’: ‘I’m ready for an extended break’

By Michael Cavna

Washington Post Comic Riffs blog February 11 2014

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/this-just-in--trudeau-puts-daily-doonesbury-on-long-term-hiatus-to-work-on-renewed-alpha-house-im-ready-for-an-extended-break/2014/02/11/e22bebbe-92d4-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_blog.html

Hondros changes career for comics

Local cartoonist Art Hondros is making a career change, ditching his job of more than 15 years at an iconic nonprofit scientific and educational institution in D.C. to focus more on making comics (He'll also work part time at a local hardware store). It's particularly gutsy for a 53-year-old man with a family. At the same time, Art's been garnering kudos for his work on various mini comics and submissions to the likes of Magic Bullet and the Washington Post. He's working with former Maryland writer/cartoonist Scott Mills on a webcomic/minicomic about Ivan the Terrible, and Art has also teamed with a local journalist on another project they are preparing to pitch to a publisher. Still, Art says he knows it won't necessarily be an easy transition. "I'll be living leaner by doing so. In other words, I don't expect my income to go back up right away by doing this," he tells ComicsDC.

In case you missed it, here's an interview with Art by ComicsDC editor Mike Rhode in the Washington City Paper last summer.

Courtesy of Art Honduras

Monday, February 10, 2014

Awesome Con 2014 commercial

Awesome Con commercial directed by Joe Carabeo, a frequent contributing writer to the Magic Bullet comics newspaper and collaborator with Carolyn Belefski. It premiered in certain markets during last night's Walking Dead episode on AMC. (Visit the Tumblr of Joe's Astray Productions for an extended version of the commercial.)