This past Sunday, Fantom Comics on Dupont Circle had Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin's in to sign their book on civil rights, March vol. 2. This recording is of their introductory remarks.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin's remarks on March vol. 2 at Fantom Comics
This past Sunday, Fantom Comics on Dupont Circle had Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin's in to sign their book on civil rights, March vol. 2. This recording is of their introductory remarks.
Prickly City draws the Prophet in today's Washington Post
I was surprised to see Scott Stantis' strip Prickly City drawing the Prophet in today's Post. You can see it yourself here.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Fantom Comics profiled last fall
We really need to do a series like this....
Local Comic Shop Spotlight: Fantom Comics
Hondros' Hometown of the 50 Foot Woman
Allison Hayes: The actress who got the FDA's attention … too late
A graphic tale of how Allison Hayes, star of the 1950s B-movie "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," created a legacy with the FDA. Text and graphics by Art Hondros.
Washington Post Magazine (January 25 2015).http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/allison-hayes-the-actress-who-got-the-fdas-attention--too-late/2015/01/14/17324012-9b60-11e4-a7ee-526210d665b4_graphic.html
Comic Riffs talks to Roz Chast
ROZ CHAST: Eldercare graphic-novel author embraces an audience whose appreciation is as profound as she is
By Michael CavnaWashington Post Comic Riffs blog January 26 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/01/26/roz-chast-eldercare-graphic-novel-author-embraces-an-audience-whose-appreciation-is-as-profound-as-she-is/
The Hill on caricature
The dangers of caricaturing caricature
By Sharon Marcus, contributor
The Hill's Pundits blog (January 26, 2015)
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/media/230610-the-dangers-of-caricaturing-caricatureComic Riffs talks to Justice League writer
JUSTICE LEAGUE: Scripting a villain? Geoff Johns is basking in the joy of Lex
By David BetancourtWashington Post Comic Riffs blog January 23 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/01/23/justice-league-scripting-a-villain-geoff-johns-is-basking-in-the-joy-of-lex/
Comic Riffs explains yesterday's Pearls Before Swine
'Pearls Before Swine': Why Stephan Pastis decided to play 'inside baseball' today with the syndication business
By Michael CavnaWashington Post Comic Riffs blog January 25 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/01/25/pearls-before-swine-why-pastis-decided-to-play-inside-baseball-today-with-the-syndication-business/
Sunday, January 25, 2015
The Post opinion section on Charlie Hebdo
Let's not overreact to these terrorist attacks [online as Europe has survived terrorist attacks before]
By Anne Applebaum
Washington Post January 25 2015
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on the U.S., Syria and the Islamic State
By Lally Weymouth
Washington Post January 25 2015
Saturday, January 24, 2015
March vol. 2 reviewed by Cavna in the Post
Cavna, Michael. 2015.
A second look at '60s civil rights.Washington Post (January 25): E13
Q&A: Jared Smith of Big Planet Comics/Retrofit Comics
Jared Smith is one of the owning partners of Big Planet Comics, which almost two years ago dipped its toes into publishing by taking on some of the duties of Retrofit Comics. We thought it'd be interesting to check in with Jared on how that partnership with Philadelphia-based comics creator Box Brown is going.
Big Planet Comics has been publishing and distributing Retrofit Comics since about mid-2013. How have things been going?
Smith: I think really well. Box Brown, the founder of Retrofit Comics, has a great artistic vision, so working with him as editor and with Big Planet covering the rest of the publishing has been a good team.
What has been the biggest challenge so far? How are you tackling that challenge?
Smith: Distribution is tricky. It is very depressing to see the same few stores that are interested in carrying small press comic books (I'd say only about 20 in all of the US.) And some areas of the country are well served, like the major cities, but whole other areas have no stores that are interested. We've been reaching out to stores directly and trying to get more reviews and general awareness. We also distributed our first big graphic novel, FUNGUS: The Unbearable Rot of Being, through Diamond Comic Distributors, which has the best reach into comic stores here and internationally.
Big Planet Comics has several shops and locations, each with a different owner, correct? Was everyone initially on board with starting a publishing/distribution venture?
Smith: There are four stores, and there are four co-owners. We work together on most things though. Everyone was interested and supportive, but it was my idea and passion so I handle most of it, with help from various members of the Big Planet team like Kelly and Kevin and Peter.
How have you been getting the word out about Retrofit Comics?
Smith: We send out a lot of copies to reviewers, and of course the internet is huge for letting people know about your work. But we also go to a lot of conventions to reach people directly. It helps we publish such a wide range of artists of different styles and nationalities. I think it makes us a more appealing package, and when fans of one of our artists are directed to us, we have a lot of other things to appeal to them.
Several other retail shops around the country have also dipped their toes into publishing — such as Bergen Street Comics with Copra and Desert Island with Smoke Signal — though on a smaller scale. Do you think this is the start of trend? What makes publishing appealing to some retailers?
Smith: Yes, there are about 10 retail stores who are publishing as well, such as Floating World, Locust Moon, Kilgore, and Secret Headquarters. I don't know if it's a trend, but it is just relatively easy for retail stores to support some of their favorite artists in a new way, by publishing their work. Most artists who are just starting out do it for the love of creation, and aren't making much money (if any). Plus many prefer to focus on the artistic side, the business side is a distraction from creating more comics! So if we can handle some of that, it works out well for everyone. Publishing also distinguishes your store and it helps gets better comics out into the world.
Obituary for anti-Saturday morning cartoon crusader in the Post
Peggy Charren, 86: Longtime advocate for better children's TV [online as Peggy Charren, advocate for improving children's TV programming, dies at 86]
Washington Post January 24 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/peggy-charren-advocate-for-improving-childrens-tv-programming-dies-at-86/2015/01/23/e5085916-a323-11e4-903f-9f2faf7cd9fe_story.html
"Why can't children's television be more like a good children's library, with lots of diversity," she said in 1983, "and less like the comic-book rack in the local drugstore?"
Comic Riffs on the Eisner hall of fame
EISNER AWARDS: 'Marge' Buell, Bill Woggon inducted into Hall of Fame; voting open for 4 more inductees
By Michael CavnaWashington Post Comic Riffs blog (January 23):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/01/23/eisner-awards-buell-woggon-inducted-into-hall-of-fame-voting-open-for-4-more-inductees/
Tom Tomorrow's ephemera donated to OSU
Tom Tomorrow's 'accidental' alt-press collection is donated to OSU's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
By Michael CavnaWashington Post Comic Riffs blog January 24 2014
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/01/24/tom-tomorrows-accidental-collection-is-donated-to-osus-billy-ireland-cartoon-library-museum/
Friday, January 23, 2015
'Magic Bullet' No. 10 cover
Here's the cover for the D.C. Conspiracy's Magic Bullet No. 10. The free 48-page comics newspaper is scheduled to hit the streets Jan. 30. Cover by yours truly (Matt Dembicki).
Review of Provocative, Uncensored Art book collection also recommends The Art of Richard Thompson
The Importance of Creating Provocative, Uncensored Art
By: Michael Dooley | January 22, 2015
http://www.printmag.com/michael-dooley/graphic-content-creating-provocative-uncensored-art/
After a review of WARNING! Graphic Content: Political Cartoons, Comix and the Uncensored Artistic Mind http://www.printmag.com/michael-dooley/graphic-content-creating-provocative-uncensored-art/
Newsarama interview on March vol. 2
JOHN LEWIS Calls MARCH 'Road Map' to Civil Rights Movement
by Zack Smith, Newsarama : 21 January 2015http://www.newsarama.com/23289-john-lewis-talks-march-book-two-and-the-civil-rights-movement.html
Post blogger on women, webcomics and booze
How webcomics gave us a fresh take on women and alcohol [Questionable Content; Girls with Slingshots].
By Alyssa Rosenberg
Washington Post Act Four blog January 22 2015
Jan 25: Congressman John Lewis at Fantom on Sunday
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Meet the creators of the zombie punx comic TOE TAG RIOT this Saturday
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R.W. Alley interview reveals comic book work
PADDINGTON: How a Maryland-sprung artist inherited a royal line of work: Rendering the beloved Brit-immigrant bear
By Michael CavnaWashington Post Comic Riffs January 22 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/01/22/paddington-how-a-maryland-sprung-artist-inherited-a-royal-line-of-work-rendering-the-beloved-brit-immigrant-bear/
Jan. 25: Lewis & Aydin at Fantom Comics
Rep. John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, co-authors of the March graphic novel series based on Lewis' experiences as a leader in the early days of the civil rights movement, will be signing the just-released second volume of the book at Fantom Comics (Dupont Circle) Jan. 25 from 1-3 p.m. Visit the Facebook event page for more info.
Newsarama did a Q&A with Lewis earlier this week.
Newsarama did a Q&A with Lewis earlier this week.
Animation studio moving to D.C.'s Capitol Riverfront
By Rachel Kaufman/ElevationDC
An animation studio moving from Los Angeles to the District is in negotiations to lease space at the Boilermaker building in Capitol Riverfront for its new headquarters, according to Elevation DC.
An animation studio moving from Los Angeles to the District is in negotiations to lease space at the Boilermaker building in Capitol Riverfront for its new headquarters, according to Elevation DC.
Jan 23: Tom Toles in Georgetown TONIGHT
Friday, January 23 - 5th Annual Political Cartoon Exhibit
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Grab Your Ticket
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "So Sue Me"
"So Sue Me"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1654
Long story short: DC Mayor Bowser and the City Council plan to defy Congress and honor the will of the voters and implement Initiative 71. A gaggle of GOP clowns in the House are threatening litigation to prevent it. The response of Mayor Bowser and the Council is, in so many words, "so, sue me."
Long story:
"DC Marijuana Initiative Transmitted To Congress", Roll Call, 01.13.15:
http://tinyurl.com/nxwbzku
___________________________________________________________
Mike Flugennock, flugennock at sinkers dot org
Political Cartoons: dubya dubya dubya dot sinkers dot org
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1654
Long story short: DC Mayor Bowser and the City Council plan to defy Congress and honor the will of the voters and implement Initiative 71. A gaggle of GOP clowns in the House are threatening litigation to prevent it. The response of Mayor Bowser and the Council is, in so many words, "so, sue me."
Long story:
"DC Marijuana Initiative Transmitted To Congress", Roll Call, 01.13.15:
http://tinyurl.com/nxwbzku
___________________________________________________________
Mike Flugennock, flugennock at sinkers dot org
Political Cartoons: dubya dubya dubya dot sinkers dot org
Underwire on March vol. 2
The Civil Rights Legend Who's Inspiring a New Generation With Comic Books
By Laura Hudson
Wired's Underwire blog 01.21.15
Big Planet Comics co-publisher Box Brown interviewed
Questions for Cartoonists: Box Brown
Jesse R. Lucas
Darling Sleeper blog Jan 19 2015
https://medium.com/darling-sleeper/questions-for-cartoonists-box-brown-6be9e1dd6ca4
Comic Riffs reviews March vol. 2
REVIEW: As a must-read monument, Rep. John Lewis's 'March: Book Two' illuminates the harrowing crucible of civil-rights heroism [+VIDEO]
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog January 21 2015
John Lewis Q/A Awesome Con 2014 DC
John Lewis Q/A Awesome Con 2014 DC
Q/A with Congressperson John Lewis at our DC show in April of 2014!
Who knew this was online until Cavna linked to it earlier this week? Not us.
Comic Riffs on Milestone's rebirth
EXCLUSIVE: Milestone Media rises again. Hudlin, Cowan and Dingle will revive company with eye toward characters of color
By David BetancourtWashington Post Comic Riffs blog January 21 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/01/21/exclusive-milestone-media-rises-again-hudlin-cowan-and-dingle-will-revive-company-with-eye-toward-characters-of-color/
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Comic Riffs on March and Oatmeal games
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY: Civil-rights icon Rep. John Lewis offers stirring advice to a young activist [ILLUSTRATED]
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog January 19 2015
KICKSTARTER OF THE WEEK: 'The Oatmeal' creator crowd-funds 'insanely fun' card game, 'Exploding Kittens'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs January 20 2014
Feb 21: Animated shorts at National Archives
http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/events/february.html
Animated Short Film Nominees
Saturday, February 21, 3:30 p.m.
The Bigger Picture
Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees
(8 minutes; unrated)
The Dam Keeper
Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi
(18 minutes; unrated)
Feast
Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed
(6 minutes; unrated)
Me and My Moulton
Torill Kove
(14 minutes; unrated)
A Single Life
Joris Oprins
(3 minutes; unrated)
Total Running Time: 49 minutes.
Charlie Hebdo & DC - 2 more links
Exclusive: Full Interview with Charlie Hebdo's Editor-in-Chief
Chuck Todd
Meet the Press January 18th 2015
http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/exclusive-full-interview-charlie-hebdos-editor-chief-n288521
Free speech fuzziness [online as In France, fuzziness on free speech]
Ruth Marcus
Washington Post January 18 2014
Talburt in 1952
We've been poking around a bit lately, figuring out who Harold Talburt was. Here's the final piece we could find, courtesy of Randy Scott and Michigan State's Comic Art Collection. It's a 1952 article, reprinted in Cartoonews #15 (1977).
Jan 26: Roz Chast tickets almost sold out
Roz Chast—Priority Seating & Signing Tickets Added!Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir
Monday, January 26, 7:30 pm
Famed New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast does such a comical, fluent job of conveying the things that keep her up at night that many readers are convinced she is somehow mapping their own inner lives. Her latest book, which tackles the subject of growing up in Brooklyn as an only child and of her efforts, decades later, to help her parents navigate the jagged shoals of old age, is by turns grim and absurd, deeply poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. Winner of the inaugural Kirkus Prize for Non-Fiction and finalist for the National Book Award in Non-Fiction.
Come for the chance to bid on a signed, original drawing by Roz!
Purchase Tickets
Monday, January 19, 2015
Face to Face - Illustrations and prose by Martin Graff (the Face Zone) and Laura McClure (Animals for Sam), at the Griffin Art Center through 1/31/2015
Last Saturday evening I had the pleasure of attending the opening artists' reception for Martin Graff (The Face Zone) and Laura McClure (Animals for Sam), entitled Face To Face. The reception was held at a fantastic space in the heart of downtown Frederick, Maryland, known as The Griffin Art Center. Laura and Martin had their work on exhibit together, in the middle gallery (I believe there were three galleries altogether at the center). I met Marty (as he likes to be called) at another, comics-themed art opening in Frederick last year, and through him, Laura, who also had some of her art at the show. I've been gladly following their work via Facebook and blog posts ever since. While the two have a very different approach to their work, stylistically, what their art has in common is a symbiotic relationship with words.
Animals for Sam was started by Laura as a way to keep her young, animal-loving godson Sam informed about a wide variety of animal species - kind of like a weekly digital postcard. Laura hand-draws the animals on her computer, using a mouse, usually dressing them in human attire that relates to a certain aspect of a particular species, mostly having to do with their environment or geographic location. She also merges photographic imagery in the background, adding a sense of depth and dimension to her work. A verbal description, both highly factual and informative, while told in the artist's own conversational style, discusses everything from eating habits, to odd and unique physical and behavioral characteristics. Finally, a small graph is at the bottom of each blog post, illustrating the animal species' level of vulnerability to extinction. I could imagine myself thoroughly enjoying something like this as a boy, who like Sam, held a keen interest in wildlife and the natural world. At the show, the framed digital print pieces were quite popular, as many of them were sold. Looking forward to a book compiling these works, hopefully in the near future!
As with many artists and creative types, music plays a big role in Martin Graff's Face Zone works, which employ a cartoon-inspired minimalist approach visually. The influence of punk rock lyricism is evident in the clever verbal wordplay of the sometimes darkly humorous poetry and prose that accompanies The Face Zone illustrations. Martin's blog posts can range from contemplative to laugh-out-loud hilarious, but they always make excellent food-for-thought, which is probably where his influence as a public school teacher comes in as well. Along with his work hanging on the walls of the gallery, Martin had a newly published book compiling his Face Zone material available, a good many of which sold at the show. I highly recommend grabbing one for yourself HERE. In the meantime, don't hesitate to read more about Martin and The Face Zone in this recent article from The Frederick News-Post!
Be sure to check out Face to Face in person, at the Griffin Art Center, which runs through January 31st, 2015!
Politico's Matt Wuerker speaks
Podcast: Matt Wuerker on the art of political cartoons & Jake Tapper on U.S. absence
By POLITICO 1/16/15
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