The Secret History of Comics: Carl Rose

My friend Warren has a theory that there's the popular history of comics - the Yellow Kid, newspaper funnies, Superman, Seduction of the Innocent, Batman tv show etc, etc and then there's another parallel history that's rarely glimpsed. Here's a look at that history.





Carl Rose did quite a few illustrations for this book - presumably it exists in hardcover so I'm only presenting a couple rather than destroying my copy. Nice work through, huh? And how many readers of this blog (all 10 of you) know anything about Rose? Obviously, he was big in his time, but now sadly forgotten.

Oct 11: Wagner and Abadzis comic signings

Big Planet owner Joel Pollack was complaining today that this blog's been too academic lately so I challenged him to give me some news. Here it is:

Matt Wagner will be at a 25th Anniversary of Grendel signing at Big Planet Bethesda on October 11, probably from 5-7 pm.

Nick Abadzis will be signing his new book, Laika, on the Russian space dog at Big Planet College Park on the same day. He'll also be making two appearances at the Air & Space Museum at some point.

More stories about comics and music

Meanwhile, over at the Express' website, an interview with author Rick
Spears and artist Chuck BB on Black Metal, or underground heavy metal music popular in Scandanavia, has been posted as "Cartoon Mayhem: 'Black Metal'", posted by Christopher Porter on September 12, 2007. The story is online only.

The comic has actually, no kidding, been read and approved of by a metal journalist from Oslo who happened to be hanging around Big Planet Bethesda today.

UVA political cartoonist canned, departure covered by Post

The Post has picked up the story of the UVA cartoonist who drew a joke about Ethiopian famine victims and lost his job after a week or so of spiraling complaints. See "Cartoonist Forced Out Over Image of African Famine" by Ian Shapira, Washington Post Staff Writer, Wednesday, September 12, 2007; B05.

Jim Lee NOT bought at auction for DC comics store

Jim Lee auctioned himself off for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at the Baltimore Comic-Con. According to Russ Toney, "The winning bid was $7,500.00 from a shop in Washington D.C." So who was the lucky winner? And is it a business expense?

Late-breaking comments (see below) reveal that Jim Lee was actually bought by Minnesota, a much colder place than Washington. Newsarama has a line on the story. We regret the error, although understand the story much better now, as I couldn't believe any DC store that I knew of would actually do that.

Local Arlington paper notes Zippy's visits

We had it first, thanks to my civic association's keen eyes, but here's the bigger picture, or at least more background - "Arlington Gets Zippy: A strange comic strip character has been making appearances in the diners of our fine county" by David Schultz, The Connection September 11, 2007.

Sept 11: Daniel Krall in today's NY Times

Daniel Krall, who's local insofar as he appears to be in Baltimore, has a drawing in today's NY Times on 9-11 and the Pentagon. His website says he does comics, and his work looks familiar, but I can't recollect why. Anyone?

Thompson actually swoops down on large part of US, but not DC

Although I thought the Post was carrying it, Richard's strip launched in 70 papers today according to the Daily Cartoonist, but not the Post, his home paper. As my friend Robert says, "You know, you have several dead guys there..." The scum.

They've still got the Sunday strip only online. You can see the first strip at Go Comics.

Thompson, no longer content with ruling Post, expands

Richard Thompson's now moved in on the Chippewa Valley - wherever that is - he's like a one-man Tony Soprano. "'Cul de Sac’ comes around to Herald comics page" screams The Chippewa Herald.

He also had an amusing cartoon in today's Health section as he limbers back up from vacation.

Post runs Associated Press cellphone article

This has appeared a bunch of places, including in the Examiner last week, iirc, but "The Call of Comic Books Reaches a New Level -- Cellphones," by David Twiddy, Associated Press, Washington Post (September 11, 2007)

Oct 3: Cartoons and Cocktails annual auction

Tickets are $50 each, the events at the National Press Club and here's the link. Unless someone takes me as their date, which happened once before (thanks Elena Steier!) I won't be attending... although I did win some need Garincha Cuban cartoons...

Baltimore Comic-Con UPDATE 2 - now with more pictures

Because YOU (well, Richard Thompson at least) demanded it, here's some pics with commentary to follow later. I will say this is the busiest I've seen the con.

Greg LaRocque was sitting, possibly with his son, sketching. I always liked LaRocque's smooth style in the 1980s on the Legion of Super-Heroes and the Flash. I bought some DC tryout pages he'd done of Batman facing down Darkseid - lovely work. He should be still getting all the work he can handle. He's working on a new book for a small company - when I find the ad again, I'll mention it as he's a Northern Baltimore creator.


Me with Al Feldstein, EC artist, and Mad editor in chief during the glory days.



Jim Shooter, former Legion of Superheroes writer, Marvel Editor-in-Chief and Valiant EiC.


Jim Shooter was quite friendly - one of the guys in front of me had a pile of Avengers comics to be signed. Shooter told an anecdote about 3 of them. In one, artist George Perez added in art that wasn't in the script, like a nun answering the door when the Avengers were in hot pursuit. So Shooter called someone at the local Berlitz and had the Beast speaking correct Latin to the nun. He said they were planning to pay, but the translator was so tickled to be in a comic, he didn't want it. The issue of the Avengers with Ant-Man shooting up full-size and hitting other Avengers? Rob Liefeld told Shooter it was the best comic ever. Finally, in the first What If series - What if the Avengers Never Existed? - Archie Goodwin provided the main plot for the story by telling Shooter, "You have to kill Iron Man." Shooter spoke briefly about the fun times the old Marvel Bullpen was, and then signed my Avengers: The Korvac Saga and the DC Legion of Superhero Archives 6-7 - without mentioning this! "OFFICIAL: JIM SHOOTER RETURNS TO DC'S LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES"
by Matt Brady, Newsarama (September 6, 2007).

Don Rosa, heir to Carl Barks on the Disney Ducks.


Herb Trimpe drawing Wolverine.

John Romita Sr. and Herb Trimpe getting together.

The line for Herb Trimpe was always long, which I was pleased to see. He had written an article for the NY Times a year or so ago about being forgotten by comic book companies, but people reading comics in the 1960s and 70s saw his work all the time, especially on the Hulk. When John Romita Sr., the former Marvel art director stopped by, they hugged and then kept giving each other credit for creating Wolverine. Apparently Trimpe came up with the character and Romita the costume. Trimpe's got a book out - The Power of Angels: Reflections from a Ground Zero Chaplain. I had him sign that and a copy of Origins of Marvel Comics that my wife had signed for me by Stan Lee in 1991. Trimpe took a great pleasure in asking if he could sign the page over the top (ie higher) than Stan Lee. Fine with me.

Joe Kubert, caught at his Kubert School table, signs a few comics, but not for me, sigh.

Claire was quite taken with the Girls with Slingshots table decor.

More photographs, courtesy of Joel Pollack of Big Planet Comics:

Arnold Blumberg, curator of Geppi's Entertainment Museum
Sergio Aragones
Kyle Baker
Joe Kubert
James Jean
Frank Cho

And here's a press show interview, "Catching Up with Baltimore Comic-Con's Marc Nathan," by Tim O'Shea, September 5, 2007.

Nov 9: PenFaulkner on comics

Lynda Barry, Alison Bechdel and Chris Ware - Nov. 9, 2007
PenFaulkner Reading series

Tickets are $15.00.

Graphic Novels
Lynda Barry, Chris Ware
Daniel Raeburn, Moderator
Friday, November 9, 8 p.m.

Held at the Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater of the Washington, DC Jewish Community Center

Lynda Barry

Lynda Barry is a writer and cartoonist whose comic strip “Ernie Pook’s Comeek” celebrates its 30th year in print in 2007. She is the author of The Good Times are Killing Me, which she adapted into a long-running off-Broadway play. The New York Times called her second novel, Cruddy, “a work of terrible beauty.” She received the 2003 William Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album and an American Library Association Alex Award for her book One! Hundred! Demons! She lives and works in southern Wisconsin.
Alison Bechdel

Alison Bechdel’s comic strip Dykes To Watch Out For has become a countercultural institution since it began in 1983. The strip is syndicated in dozens of newspapers, translated into several languages and collected in a series of award-winning books. Utne magazine has listed DTWOF as “one of the greatest hits of the twentieth century.” And Comics Journal says, “Bechdel's art distills the pleasures of Friends and The Nation; we recognize our world in it, with its sorrows and ironies.”
Chris Ware

Chris Ware is the writer and cartoonist of the periodical The ACME Novelty Library. His other works include Jimmy Corrigan — the Smartest Kid on Earth, recipient of an American Book Award, the Guardian First Book Award, and L’Alph Art; The ACME Novelty Datebook Volumes 1 and 2; and Quimby the Mouse. His work has appeared in many national and international art exhibits, including the Whitney Biennial exhibit in 2002. He was recently awarded the Hoi Fellowship by the newly-formed United States Artists. A regular contributor to The New Yorker, Ware is currently at work on two longform graphic novels, Rusty Brown and Building Stories.


Daniel Raeburn is the author of the book Chris Ware. His essays have appeared in The Baffler, Tin House, and The New Yorker. His book about comic books, The Imp of the Perverse, is forthcoming. He teaches creative writing at the University of Chicago.

Steve Conley on Star Trek

Arlington's Steve Conley did the art for the first issue of Star Trek: Year 4 #1 - I bought a copy from him at the Baltimore Comic-Con and recommend it. More info later.

International Comic Arts Forum hotel reservations

Chair Marc Singer wants comics scholars to know:

If you're planning to attend the International Comic Arts Forum in Washington, DC this October 18-20, you should reserve your hotel rooms at the Capitol Hill Suites soon. The cutoff date for reserving rooms at the conference rate is September 17 (next Monday).

The Capitol Hill Suites is located next to ICAF's meeting place at the Library of Congress Madison Building. To receive the ICAF group rate, please call the Capitol Hill Suites at 1-800-619-9468 or 1-202-543-6000 and be sure to reference the International Comic Arts Forum while making your reservations.

For more information, you can visit ICAF's lodging page:

http://www.internationalcomicartsforum.org/icaf/lodging.html

the Capitol Hill Suites page:

http://www.capitolhillsuites.com/index.html

or the main ICAF site:

http://www.internationalcomicartsforum.org/icaf/

(A full schedule of panels and events will be posted soon.)

2 articles in today's Express

Twiddy, David / Associated Press. 2007.
Comics heed the call: Comic books find new audience when released first on mobile phones.
[Washington Post] Express (September 10): 8

Williams, Darona. 2007.
The Grimm reaper: Entrepeneur, rapper and graphic novelist Carey knows pain.
[Washington Post] Express (September 10): 19

The second is an interview with Percy Carey on his Vertigo autobio.

cIndy podcasts updates

Since I last posted, Chris has added a bunch of cartoonist interview podcasts to his site http://www.cindycenter.com/ - the link's permanently on the right over there.

September 5th, 2007
Colin Panetta, X-Heroes creator

X-Heroes creator, Colin Panetta joins us here at cIndyCenter.com and talks about his work. He also talks about SUNY New Paltz and the wonders of the Utica Zoo. Listen to the interview with Colin Panetta.

August 29th, 2007
Tom Pinchuk, Writer on Alterna's Ruin

Tom is currently attending Boston University, Tom Pinchuk has lived in Singapore, upstate New York and Chicagoland. In addition to RUIN and the short story "What I Am" in ALTERNA COMICS #1, he is writing HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia Studio Press. Listen to the interview with Tom Pinchuk.

August 21st, 2007
Deserving an Honorable Mention... Tom Stillwell

Tom Stillwell was hooked with that first Superman comic book off the spinner rack at 7-11. Since then writing comics has been a lifelong dream. Honor Brigade is that dream come true. His comic influences are Marv Wolfman, Kurt Busiek, and Geoff Johns. Listen to him talk about Honor Bridade, Gail Simone, and his take on comics today, interview with Tom Stillwell.

August 14th, 2007
Interview with Chris Verene is an American fine arts, documentary photographer and performance artist.

Chris' work has been published in the NYTimes, and his work has been collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ; The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; The Jewish Museum, New York; The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago; The High Museum of Art, Atlanta; The Cheekwood Museum, Nashville. Listen to the classic interview with Chris Verene.

August 7th, 2007
Interview with Colleen Coover.
Of Montreal, said it best... "Everyday is like Sunday", Banana Sunday that is....
Everybody loves Colleen Coover... the Illustrator, and comic creator. Colleen talks about Banana Sunday, X-men, and Small Favors. Listen to the interview with Colleen Coover. Listen to her talk about her working style, secrets that she doesn't want to share with Editors, and hear her grill me about why I didn't go to SDCC

August 2nd, 2007
SDCC Report, from our favorite Deltiologist
Jason Rodriguez, editor and writer for Random House's [POSTCARD] Anthology. Listen to the interview with Jason Rodriguez. He talks about the Random House/Villard Panel, the signings, his postcard promotion, and meeting Frank Miller.


July 31st, 2007
ONI PRESS' "NORTHWEST PASSAGE" BY SCOTT CHANTLER
I am back from Canada and I thought this would be a perfect time to release the interview with Scott Chantler. He talks about Days Like this, Colbert, and NorthWest Passage. Listen to the interview with Scott Chantler

Sept 13 - OT: David Lozell Martin reading

My friend, novelist David Lozell Martin, has a new book out and is reading from it at Olssen's Dupont Circle on Thursday.

Here's Olsson's blurb:

David Lozell Martin - Our American King, A Novel
Thursday, September 13, 2007 at 07:00 PM at Olsson's Books & Records-Dupont Circle, 1307 19th St. NW, (202) 785-1133
Dupont Circle Metro

When America fell, she fell hard. Now chaos and calamity fill the vacuum left by a collapsing federal government. Charismatic, royal, and alpha, Tazza is adored by the American people. He converts marauders to his cause, organizes scavengers to feed the hungry, and seems destined to establish a beloved and benevolent American monarchy. But Tazza cannot escape the inevitability of history, and when the federal government returns, a war ensues that sweeps across America and lasts for decades. David Martin is also the author of Lie to Me and The Crying Heart Tattoo.

The Post reviewed it recently and the review ends with, "By contrast, "Our American King" is a circus, complete with hippies, groupies, brutal Canadians, cannibalism, the decapitation of countless plutocrats and near the end, reflections on the proper relationship between people and government. Unless you object to its politics, it's a blast."

How can you pass that up? I'll be there.

Peter Bagge spoke at Reason Magazine UPDATED

Peter Bagge spoke at Reason Magazine on September 5th, and it was a very enjoyable evening. Here's some pictures of him being interviewed by Nick Gillespie. Tomorrow I hope to have some quotes from the evening up.

Sept 7: Junot Diaz booksigning in Bailey's Crossroads

According to an article in today's Express, Junot Diaz is signing his novel Oscar Wao on Friday. Why should we care? Because Diaz actually quotes Galactus in it. He's at the Bailey's Crossroads Borders at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Route 7 at 7:30 pm. Call 703-998-0404 for more info.

And here's an interview with him - 'An Interview with Junot Diaz' by John Zuarino, Bookslut September 2007