Catching up with The Post on Zorro, Annie, and The Little Mermaid

Johnston McCulley dreamed up Zorro 100 years ago. The masked avenger is still a thrill. [in print as 100 years on, Zorro still rides for justice].

By Michael Dirda

Critic

Washington Post July 11 2019, p C1, 4

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/johnston-mcculley-dreamed-up-zorro-100-years-ago-the-masked-avenger-is-still-a-thrill/2019/07/10/1eea47d4-a1ad-11e9-b8c8-75dae2607e60_story.html

Africa celebrated black mermaids long before Disney and #NotMyAriel [in print as African mermaids existed long before Disney]

By Danielle Paquette

Washington Post July 10 2019

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/notmyariel-african-mermaids-existed-long-before-disney/2019/07/09/25efe4b6-a23f-11e9-b7b4-95e30869bd15_story.html

'Ariel...is a mermaid': Disney network defends casting black actress in live-action remake of classic film

By Allyson Chiu

 Washington Post Morning Mix blog July 9 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/07/09/ariel-little-mermaid-halle-bailey-disney-backlash/

The white nostalgia fueling the 'Little Mermaid' backlash

The uproar over a black Ariel shows how important representation in children's entertainment is

By Brooke Newman

Made by History blog July 9 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/07/09/white-nostalgia-fueling-little-mermaid-backlash/

Martin Charnin, director and lyricist who brought 'Annie' to Broadway, dies at 84 [in print as Martin Charnin, 84; Turned 'Annie' into a Broadway musical legend]

By Harrison Smith

Washington Post July 9 2019

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/martin-charnin-director-and-lyricist-who-brought-annie-to-broadway-dies-at-84/2019/07/07/2528fe2c-a0c4-11e9-bd56-eac6bb02d01d_story.html

The Post's opinion on The Lion King and fascism

'The Lion King' is a fascistic story. No remake can change that [in print as 'The Lion King' teaches the weak to bow down to the strong. Just like fascism].

By Dan Hassler-Forest

Washington Post July 14 2019, p. B4

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/07/10/lion-king-is-fascistic-story-no-remake-can-change-that/?utm_term=.740f1e255b79

Ann Patchett on Snoopy in The Post

Snoopy taught me how to be a writer

He let his imagination run wild, and then he sat down to type — with mixed results. [in print as Learning how to write - from Snoopy].

By Ann Patchett

Washington Post July 14 2019 p. B1, 2

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/snoopy-taught-me-how-to-be-a-writer/2019/07/12/8db3ce3c-a31b-11e9-b7b4-95e30869bd15_story.html

The Post on George Takei's WW2 internment graphic history (updated)

George Takei has talked about his family's internment before. But never quite like this.
By Michael Cavna
Writer/critic
Washington Post July 12 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/george-takei-has-talked-about-his-familys-internment-before-but-never-quite-like-this/2019/07/11/f3320c6e-a3fd-11e9-b732-41a79c2551bf_story.html

The extraordinary trek of George Takei

The cult icon is on a mission to make sure America doesn’t forget a shameful legacy

By Karen Heller

July 16, 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/07/16/extraordinary-trek-george-takei/

George Takei doesn't want us to forget the last time the U.S. put people in detention camps

Erin Patrick O'Connor/The Washington Post

July 16, 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/entertainment/george-takei-doesnt-want-us-to-forget-the-last-time-the-us-put-people-in-detention-camps/2019/07/16/a310821f-5631-4f8a-b7fe-4923a06723c9_video.html

"Star Trek" icon George Takei is on a mission to ensure America doesn't forget its shameful legacy of internment camps.

Ben Garrison dis-invited to White House

POLITICO Playbook: NEW: W.H. says cartoonist is no longer attending social media summit

By ANNA PALMER, JAKE SHERMAN and DANIEL LIPPMAN 

07/10/2019

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2019/07/10/new-wh-says-cartoonist-is-no-longer-attending-social-media-summit-455141

Raven creators at Big Planet Vienna shown at Publishers Weekly Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz8IoLaHGuo/

Tonight: Simpsons' writer at The Wharf

Mike Reiss - Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons — at Politics and Prose at The Wharf, presented with Capital Fringe

Monday, July 15, 2019 - 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

https://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/mike-reiss-springfield-confidential-jokes-secrets-and-outright-lies-lifetime-writing

Former showrunner and longest-serving writer for The Simpsons, Reiss started working on the show with its first episode, and stayed with it for 28 years, winning four Emmys and a Peabody. His funny and informative memoir takes fans behind-the-scenes of this beloved Fox series, showing how the episodes were created, explaining enduring mysteries such as why Matt Groening made all the characters yellow, profiling the animators, writers, actors, and guests, and reminiscing about his favorite moments. Springfield Confidential is full of great stories, plenty of jokes, photos, and interviews with Conan O'Brien, Al Jean, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and more. In partnership with Capital Fringe.

 

This event is free to attend with no reservation required. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis.
Click here for more information.

Politics and Prose at the Wharf   70 District Square SW   Washington   DC    20024

July 24: Animezing!: Lu Over the Wall

Enjoy a FREE anime film at the JICC!

Animezing!: Lu Over the Wall From visionary anime auteur Masaaki Yuasa (Mind Game, Ping Pong, Adventure Time) comes a joyously hallucinogenic but family-friendly take on the classic fairy tale about a little mermaid who comes ashore to join a middle-school rock band and propel them to fame. Kai is talented but adrift, spending his days sulking in a small fishing village after his family moves from Tokyo. His only joy is uploading songs he writes to the internet. When his classmates invite him to play keyboard in their band, their practice sessions bring an unexpected guest: Lu, a young mermaid whose fins turn to feet when she hears the beats, and whose singing causes humans to compulsively dance – whether they want to or not. Winner of the Grand Prize at the prestigious Annecy Animation Festival and an official selection of Sundance 2018, Lu Over the Wall is a toe-tapping, feel-good demonstration of Yuasa's genre-mixing mastery that will leave you humming long after you leave the theater.  In Japanese with English subtitles | Rated PG | 2017 | 112 min | Directed by Masaaki Yuasa Registration required Images: © 2017 "Lu Film" partners You are invited to Animezing!: Lu Over the Wall Wednesday, July 24th, 2019 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (EDT) Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan 1150 18th Street Northwest Suite 100 Washington DC 20036 US CLICK HERE TO REGISTER This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. In the event of a cancellation, please contact us at jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp. Program begins at 6:30PM. Doors open 30 minutes before the program. No admittance after 7:00PM or once seating is full. Registered guests will be seated on a first come, first served basis. Please note that seating is limited and registration does not guarantee a seat. The JICC reserves the right to use any photograph/video taken at any event sponsored by JICC without the expressed written permission of those included within the photograph/video. 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 100 | Washington, D.C. 20036-3838 TEL: 202-238-6900 | FAX: 202-822-6524 | jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp © 1981-2019 Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan

ComicsDC service interruption

My basement took in 8.5 inches of water last Monday, essentially ruining it as well as a lot of my books. I'm spending most of my time working on that and will return to this project when I can.

Mother May I? at Politics & Prose!!! Today, 1 pm!

From Sarah Boxer 

I'll be presenting my two psycho-comics at Politics & Prose today, Saturday, July 13 at 1 pm. Start your engines! See you there!

Sarah

https://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/sarah-boxer-in-floyd-archives-psycho-bestiary-and-mother-may-i-post-floydian-folly 

If you can't come, I will still sign your books!  

https://www.politics-prose.com/book/9781949093186 (Floyd Archives)

https://www.politics-prose.com/book/9781949093179 (Mother May I?) 

Editorial Cartoon by Steve Artley

Recent Cartoon (click on Images for larger view)

"I've Had Worse"
with apologies to Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

The Post's Von Drehle on Mad Magazine

Mad magazine's demise is part of the ending of a world

By David Von Drehle

Columnist

Washington Post July 5 2015

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mad-magazines-demise-is-part-of-the-ending-of-a-world/2019/07/05/5b3b49ec-9f49-11e9-b27f-ed2942f73d70_story.html

The Post obituary for animation voice Arte Johnson

Arte Johnson, 'verry interesting' comedian on 'Laugh-In,' dies at 90

By Harrison Smith

Washington Post July 3 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/arte-johnson-verry-interesting-comedian-on-laugh-in-dies-at-90/2019/07/03/077710ea-9dcb-11e9-85d6-5211733f92c7_story.html

Dana Maier returns to New Yorker

Little Lending Libraries

By Dana Maier

July 6, 2019

https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/little-lending-libraries

NPR and The Post on Spider-Man

'Spider-Man: Far From Home,' But Still On Familiar Ground

Chris Klimek

NPR June 27, 2019

https://www.npr.org/2019/06/27/734810718/spider-man-far-from-home-but-still-on-familiar-ground

Spider-Man's 'Far From Home,' But The MCU Is Far From Over.

Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, Mallory Yu, Chris Klimek

Pop Culture Happy Hour

July 5, 2019

https://www.npr.org/2019/07/02/738020288/spider-mans-far-from-home-but-the-mcu-is-far-from-over

https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510282/edge1.pod.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/pchh/2019/07/20190705_pchh_pchh_566_spider_man_far_from_home__-_final.mp3

'Spider-Man: Far From Home' is the best kind of superhero film: Playful and self-effacing [in print as Spider-Man returns with a homey feel]

By Ann Hornaday

Washington Post July 5 2019, p. Weekend 22

online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/spider-man-far-from-home-is-the-best-kind-of-superhero-film-playful-and-self-effacing/2019/06/28/5aa5e024-98ef-11e9-8d0a-5edd7e2025b1_story.html

Big Planet Comics July 4th SALE

July 4: Third Eye Comics sales

City Paper on the new Spider-Man movie

Spider-Man: Far From Home Is a Perfectly Average Chapter for the Webslinger [in print as In the Swing].

The latest Spider-Man feature is adequate, but doesn't reach the heights of the Spider-Verse.

Alan Zilberman

Washington City Paper July 5, 2019 , p. 18

online at https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/film-tv/article/21076076/spiderman-far-from-home-reviewed

Betancourt on Spider-Man movies

All eight Spider-Man movies, ranked from worst to best

By David Betancourt

Washington Post July 3 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/07/03/all-eight-spider-man-movies-ranked-best-worst/  

Library of Congress blog on comic book librarians

Let's Talk Comics: Librarians

Library of Congress' Headlines & Heroes blog July 3, 2019 by Megan Halsband

https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2019/07/lets-talk-comics-librarians/

New book Baaad Muthaz from Rosarium

from their newsletter:

Baaad Muthaz Land in Diamond Previews

 

These women are truly baaaad!!!

They're rough. They're ready. They're space pirates. They're a James Brown revival band. They are the Baaaad Muthaz!!!

Follow Afro Desia, Cali Vera, Alley Bastard, Candy Ass, Katana Jade, and Snake on their madcap cosmic adventures as they funk up the galaxy and face off against alligator women, space mandrills, and a reindeer who looks like Prince all in search of the almighty booty!!!


We're looking to hit 2,500 pre-orders through Diamond. If you're interested, please consider ordering it soon through them. You have until July 19!

https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL192152?fbclid=IwAR26MuK4dISopAWN84rT3OkXtjv78lUEBzWtYB3q3v6Z3CM-NTKiLpxTdn0

Kim Garcia's Raven GN has DC roots

"Though Garcia grew up in DC, and thus doesn't consider herself an "authentic" Southerner..."

TEEN TITANS: RAVEN Casts the Spell of New Orleans on Readers

S.W. Sondheimer 07-02-19

https://bookriot.com/2019/07/02/teen-titans-raven/