Good article on Chinese cartoonist in Post

About every five years, the Post runs an article on something to do with comics and China. Today it was Suicide Rabbit by Liu Gang, a vehicle for criticizing the establishment, if not the party. It's a good article by Edward Cody.

Jan 28 - Animation Show 3 at GWU

Both the GW Hatchet and the Express have articles today reporting that the Animation Show 3, a collection of shorts, will be shown at the Lisner Auditorium at 730 21st St, NW at 7 pm on Sunday for $11.

"Rough Magic" is also discussed on page E9 of the Express.

"The Adventures of Carrie Giver" comic book distributed to Congress

The Examiner's political gossip column by Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin reports today that the comic book "The Adventures of Carrie Giver" was distributed on Capitol Hill recently. The comic book deals with the cost to people, mainly women, who become primary care givers to disabled family members. And it has a cover by Neal Adams! You can buy a copy through that link, by the way.

The columnists talked to the group, and reported, "So which politicians like their proposals in comic book form? Social Agenda’s Theresa Funicello tells us the best responses she’s received from Capitol Hill came from the offices of Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio. In addition, Funicello says the real women’s division of the Department of Labor enjoyed the comic and asked for several copies. “Staffers were very amused and kind of stunned when we came around with these,” said Funicello. “They don’t usually get serious issues in comic book form.”"

Roll Call had the story too, but doesn't provide a free online version. The print version is "Adventures in Lobbying: Comic Books Help Put Caregiver Issues in the Spotlight" By Tom Gottlieb, Roll Call Staff, January 23, 2007.

The Onion peels for DC

DC is going to get the satirical parody newspaper, The Onion judging from an ad in today's Express. The ad is for an account manager and says "The Onion is coming to Washington...." blah, blah, blah, and will be published in partnership with the Express and the Washington Post(!). Of interest to us is the fact that the paper runs serious reviews of comics. I think it also runs some harder-to-find comic strips as well. And it's funny.

Nick Galifianakis, Washington Post illustrator

I'm working on a listing of cartoonists who regularly appear in the DC papers, and one of them whose work I especially like is Nick Galifianakis. His work appears bi-weekly or so in the Post, illustrating is ex-wife Carolyn Hax's advice column, "Tell Me About It." The picture here is from the January 12, 2007 column, but he's been doing them for years. He's a local guy, and this 2004 Suzanne Tobin chat is the only biographical bit that I know of. He was supposed to have a book out, but I don't know if that ever happened. I think he's got a very nice line, and hope he eventually does more than just advice column gag cartoons.

Hoopla! - new Arlington VA comic book review blog

Paul Weissburg has restarted his comic book review column as Hoopla! An online comic-book review column. I don't know Paul, and am just passing along the notice I got from the owner of Big Planet Comics.

Zippy around DC

I completely missed this one, but Zippy was at Arlington's Bob and Edith's diner right after Christmas. Cartoonist Brian Biggs has eaten there with me as well. Zippy's also popped into Rock Creek Cemetery in DC; Barry's Magic Shop in Wheaton (on Georgia Avenue, near the shopping mall); Ben's Chili Bowl in DC; the newly-reopened National Portrait Gallery; and the Lincoln Memorial. He's even made it out to Catonsville, MD.

Jan 27-Feb 25 Shakespeare in Washington

I can hear you all wondering, but there's a comics link here that my friend Liz pointed out. Rough Magic, a reworking of The Tempest, is written by Marvel Comics writer, and former area resident (and Big Planet Comics customer) Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. I'm going to try to catch this.

Jan 27 - Alternative comics fest at Dr. Dremo's

Today's Post reported today that Dr. Dremo's Taproom in Arlington will host DC Counter Culture Festival next Saturday that will include alt cartoonists selling their comix. Specifically listed in the Post were Jason Rodriguez, Little Foot and Angry Dog Press. It goes from 4 pm - midnight, and the bar's address is 2100 Clarendon Blvd.

"Chicago 10" animated film in today's Post

Saturday's that is. Here's the article.

March 2-3 - Academic panels on comic books in Baltimore

Vanessa Raney reports two academic panels will be at the 2007 Northeast Modern Language Association (MLA) Convention at the The Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel, Baltimore, MD, March 1-4, 2007.

* Fri. (Mar. 2), 10:00a-11:30a *

2.08 Douglas Room
God and the Graphic Novel
Chair: Kelly S. Meyer, The College of Saint Rose

"Jesus Christ, Drawn and Quartered: The 'Reformed' Stations of the Cross in Fundamentalist Tracts"
Scott Maisano, University of Massachusetts-Boston

"Jesus Christ, Drawn and Quartered: The 'Reformed' Stations of the Cross in Fundamentalist Tracts"
T. Anne Metivier, Indiana University

"This Last Thing Ya Gotta Do Alone: Preacher and Masculinity"
Gordon Sullivan, North Carolina State University

"Alan Moore's Promethea: Comics as Primer and Missionary Tool for Alternative Religion"
Christine Hoff Kraemer, Boston University


* Saturday (Mar. 3), 11:45a-1:00p *

9.07 Pratt A
Picture Books and Children's Comics: Semiotics of Illustration
Chair: Vanessa Raney, Hood College

"Semiotics of the Visual: An Introduction"
Vanessa Raney, Hood College

"Puzzle Panels: The Semiotic Riddles of George Carlson's Comic Art and Children's Media"
Daniel F. Yezbick, Peninsula College WA

"Higglety Pigglety Pop! Or, There Must be a Picture Book for Adults"
Ofra Amihay, Tel Aviv University

Ann Telnaes cartoon chosen as "Cartoon of the Month"

Dave Astor says that Capitol Hill resident and Pulitzer Prize winner Ann Telnaes has a cartoon that's been picked as "Editorial Cartoon of the Month" in Editor&Publisher's upcoming February print issue. He describes the cartoon as "...an anti-"surge" cartoon last week showing George W. Bush at a podium attached to a treadmill. As the fitness-obsessed President ran in place, one could clearly see that the treadmill's treads were flag-draped coffins of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq." Astor then goes onto discuss the current state of editorial cartooning, although he doesn't note that shamefully enough, Telnaes is self-syndicated without a home newspaper.

Cartoon-based videogames reviewed in Friday's Post

The Weekend section had reviews of videogames based on Peanuts and Family Guy. These are syndicated though, and not unique to the Post.

Spider-Man giveway in today's Washington Examiner

The Electro story from 1964 continues, but there's an interesting new cover by Kolins, dated 2006 so it's definitely new. The computerized coloring of the cover contrasts oddly with the flat colors of the original though. Remember - liberate your neighbors' copy! Capitol Hill by Eastern Market is a particularly rich stalking ground, as many people there don't want the paper and actively post signs saying so, but get it delivered anyway. Unlike my less-prosperous South Arlington neighborhood. Personally, I find it a perfectly respectable, although right-wing, free read.

Washington Post editor on language in comics

I'm pretty sure that Dave Astor is no where near DC, but he scooped me again with this one - Syndicate Editor Supports Candid Language in Comics - in which he notes that Washington Post Writers Group comic strip editor Amy Lago has posted a defense of adult language in comics. What's next - sex? Whoops, she defends that too. Seriously, it's about time - far more kids are hearing these terms on tv than reading them.

Tobacco cartoon show extended at Medical Museum

Ok, now this is embarrassing. I work in this place and didn't know the show was extended a month until reading Dave Astor about it. Anyway, the editorial cartoon exhibit, Cartoonists Take Up Smoking has been extended for another month through March 31st. The exhibit is a traveling show and not curated by us (ie me) so I can say that it's a good one with some really good cartoonists included.

If you're on the museum site, you might want to check out my recently-updated finding aid Cartoons and Comics in the National Museum of Health and Medicine, although it's already out of date again. Last week, a researcher came across a Dear Mabel World War 1 knock-off. I'll post more on that when I examine it more closely.

Oct 12 - SPX in Rockville with Jeff Smith

Everyone but me seems to have picked this up earlier today, but the Small Press Expo is returning to Rockville (North Bethesda - hah!) in October and Jeff Smith will be returning after a hiatus of years. Ben Towle has the most details (and an absolutely excellent review of a Peanuts exhibit appearing in the next issue of the International Journal of Comic Art. Buy his comics too.)

Feb 15 - Deadline for Library of Congress Swann Fellowships

I saw the talk by one of this year's Fellows - Katherine Roeder on Winsor McCay earlier this week. She gave a good talk about McCay's influences in circus posters, amusement parks (especially Coney Island) and department store windows (less convincing to my mind). So here's the announcement for next year's award.

Applications for the Swann Foundation Fellowship for the 2007-2008 academic year are due Feb. 15, 2007. Annual award of $15,000 is one of the few that supports scholarly graduate research in caricature and cartoon. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited M.A. or Ph.D program in a university in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. Current guidelines and application at:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html

Contact Martha Kennedy with questions by email at swann@loc.gov or call 202/707-9115.

My apologies for cross listing. Thanks very much for the opportunity to send this.

Martha H. Kennedy
Curatorial Assistant for Caricature and Cartoon
Prints and Photographs Division
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20540-4730
Ph.: 202/707-9115 Fax: 202/707-6647

"New Comic Book Releases" column no more

A week ago I wondered if Brian Truitt's "New Comic Book Releases" column was gone for good from the Wednesday Washington Examiner. Apparently so - I've been informed by a reliable source that he's left the paper. I enjoyed his column, and even bought books just based on his review once in a while, but let's wish him well.

ICAF - THE JOHN A. LENT SCHOLARSHIP

And for poor students reading this blog (are there any of you?) here's a generous chance at a FREE ALL EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO GLAMOROUS WASHINGTON, DC. Yes, you can win a paid accomodation...

... obviously I kind of miss the 1970s gameshows once in a while. Anywhere here's the real gen, a scholarship named after my buddy John.

THE JOHN A. LENT SCHOLARSHIP

The ICAF Executive Committee is pleased to announce its third annual John A. Lent Scholarship competition, to be held in preparation for ICAF 2007. The Lent Scholarship, named for pioneering teacher and researcher Dr. John A. Lent, is offered to encourage student research into comic art. ICAF awards the Lent Scholarship each year to a current student who has authored, or is in the process of authoring, a substantial research-based writing project about comics. (Preference is given to master's theses and doctoral dissertations, but all students of comics are encouraged to apply.)

The Scholarship for 2007 is subject to the condition that the recipient present a half-hour talk, based on their research, during ICAF 2007. The award will consist of hotel accommodations for the duration of ICAF 2007 (that is, three nights' hotel) at ICAF's expense. A commemorative letter and plaque will also be awarded.

Applicants must be students, or must show acceptance into an academic program, at the time of application. For example, applicants for ICAF 2007 must show proof of student status for the academic year 2006-2007, or proof that they have been accepted into an academic program for the academic year 2007-2008.

The Scholarship competition will be adjudicated by a three-person committee chosen from among the members of ICAF's Executive Committee. Applications should consist of:

* A self-contained excerpt from the project in question, not to exceed twenty (20) double-spaced pages of typescript.
* A brief cover letter, introducing the applicant and explaining the nature of the project.
* The applicant's professional resume.
* A letter of reference, on school letterhead, from a teacher or academic advisor (preferably thesis director), establishing the applicant's student status and speaking to her/his qualifications as a researcher and presenter.

Please note that applications for the Lent Scholarship are handled entirely separately from ICAF's general Call for Papers. Students who submit abstracts for the CFP are invited to apply separately for the Lent Award.

Please send applications by March 15, 2007 to

Marc Singer
Department of English
Howard University
Washington, DC 20059

Applicants should expect to be notified of the committee's decision in June 2006, at which point ICAF will begin working with the recipient to arrange her/his itinerary and accommodations.