Monday, June 02, 2008

Washington Times redesign shrinks Mallard Fillmore

The Washington Times shrunk Mallard Fillmore to about half the size it had been so it's about the same size as other strips, although it's holding it's place of pride on page 2 of the paper. The other comics are unchanged and they're still running a large number of syndicated editorial cartoons.

In other Times news, as I was leaving an Arlington movie theater last night, a man identified himself as homeless and asked for money. As I gave him some change, he asked if I read Bizarro and said that it was really good in the Times on Sunday. Here's the strip; I'm not sure why it appealed to him.

Finally, the Times published its last Saturday edition and is switching to an e-version for subscribers. I imagine they'll move the Sunday color comics section that they formerly published on Saturday back to Sunday but that people will miss out on the actual Saturday strips.

This Sun, Jun 8 - CapiCons.com Comic Con – Gas Cards for Door Prizes!

From Robert M. and Matt D. (who noted the gas card... gas card!!!!??) I don't need the gas card (nor the comics actually, but I'll probably go.

This Sun, Jun 8 - CapiCons.com Comic Con – Gas Cards for Door Prizes!

*******************************************************************
- This show features two special door prize drawings at 12 pm and 1 pm. We will be giving away two $50 GAS cards. Yes, that’s right, we are giving away FREE GAS to two lucky people.

- If you receive a postcard in the mail before the show, PLEASE BRING POSTCARD TO THE SHOW...this will automatically enter you in the Door Prize Drawing.

*******************************************************************

Our next Tysons Corner Monthly Comic & Pop Culture Show will be on Sun, June 8, 2008 at the Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department. The show is open to the public from 10 am - 3 pm.

Buy, sell and trade: gold, silver age and new comics; Magic and other gaming cards; non sport cards; videos and DVDs; anime; Horror; Sci-Fi; figures, toys; Star Wars and Star Trek memorabilia; original artwork, posters, T-shirts and various other comic related items.

Vendors confirmed for this show include:

> All-American Comics
> Brett's Comic Pile
> Cards Comics & Collectibles
> Doug Cheshire
> Michael Creager
> Everyday Comics
> FANDATA
> Steve Frederick
> John Garner
> Jamie Hicks
> Patrick Kim
> Jim Montgomery
> Outpost Station
> Silver Fox Comics
> TNT Comics
> Wandering Rebel Prod
> Welcome Back Comics.
> Zeno's Books
> …and more!


The Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department (directions – please see below) has a 70-space parking lot. Plus, there is a school behind the fire department with hundreds of parking spaces that are rarely used on the weekends.

To get to the Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department (located about 20 minutes west of Washington, D.C.). Take I-495 (DC/Capital Beltway) to Exit 47A (Rt 7 West). Go 1/2 mile, Take a Left on Gallows Rd and proceed 1 mile to 2148 Gallows Rd.

Or visit our website for detailed directions and Mapquest directions:
http://www.capicons.com/directions_dlvfd.htm

Venue Address:
Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department
2148 Gallows Road
Dunn Loring, VA 22027

We no longer require the Door Prize winner to be present to claim their prize. The door prize winner will be drawn after the show and the prize will be sent to the winner and announced in the next show’s email.

Also, if you receive a postcard reminder for the event, PLEASE BRING THE POSTCARD TO THE SHOW. This will allow you to enter the door prize drawing without taking the time to fill out a new form.

If you do not receive a postcard before the show and would like this reminder, please visit our website and sign up for our mailing list: http://www.capicons.com/contact_customer.htm

Or print out the following form, complete it and bring it to the next show:
http://www.capicons.com/door_prize_entry_form.htm

If you have any other questions, please visit our website:
http://www.CapiCons.com

New York Times Book Review on Comics

In "Comics," By JOHN HODGMAN, New York Times Book Review June 1, 2008, Hodgeman looks at Kirby and Evanier's new biography of him, Shanower's Age of Bronze and Y the Last Man.

In today's Times, Garfield Minus Garfield is again featured, this time in "Is the Main Character Missing? Maybe Not," By CATE DOTY, New York Times June 2, 2008.

Also in Business, M. Night Shyamalan said "He wanted to market “Unbreakable” as a comic-book movie — the tale of an unlikely superhero — but Disney executives insisted on portraying it as a spooky thriller, like “The Sixth Sense.”" For more of the story, see "Shyamalan’s Hollywood Horror Story, With Twist," By ALLISON HOPE WEINER.

Finally, tomorrow's paper features the return of the animated clay character Mr. Bill. See "Mr. Bill Returns (in One Piece) to Pitch a Debit Card," By WENDY A. LEE, New York Times June 3, 2008.

Nominate yourself for the Lent Scholarship (students only)

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

THE JOHN A. LENT SCHOLARSHIP IN COMICS STUDIES,
INTERNATIONAL COMICS ARTS FORUM (http://www.internationalcomicartsforum.org)

The International Comic Arts Forum (ICAF) is proud to announce once again the annual John A. Lent Scholarship competition. 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 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 is subject to the condition that the recipient present a half-hour talk, based on their research, during ICAF. The award will consist of hotel accommodations for the duration of ICAF (that is, three nights’ hotel) at ICAF’s expense, or the equivalent in reimbursement for travel. 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 2008 must show proof of student status for the academic year 2007-2008, or proof that they have been accepted into an academic program for the academic year 2008-2009.

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.

Applicants for the 2008 Lent Scholarship should send their application materials by JUNE 13, 2008 to Dr. Cécile Danehy, ICAF Academic Coordinator at:

Dr. Cecile Daney
Department of French Studies
Wheaton College
26 East Main Street
Norton, Massachusetts 02766-2322

Email inquiries should be sent to Dr. Danehy at cdanehy@wheatoncollege.edu.

Applicants should expect to receive confirmation of the competition results by Friday, June 27, 2008.

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 06-04-08

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 06-04-08
By John Judy


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #561 by Dan Slott and Marcos Martin. The “Peter Parker, Paparazzi” story-line wraps up with lots of tantalizing bits about how much MJ remembers from before “Deus Ex Mephisto” knocked a million years of Spidey continuity into a cocked hat. Nice artwork by Martin, reminiscent of Tim Sale.

AMERICAN SPLENDOR SEASON TWO #3 of 4 by Harvey Pekar and Various Collaborators. “How much pain is too much?” Let’s ask Harvey! He’ll know fer sure! Great cover. Recommended.

AVENGERS/INVADERS #2 of 12 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Steve Sadowski. Already looking like a long haul as Team Ross reveals Bucky to have been a “cutter.” But a cutter with a purpose! An insane purpose, but still a purpose! Grit your teeth.

BOYS #19 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Dark secrets of The Seven are revealed in the beginning of the four-part “I Tell You No Lie, G.I.” It’s Ennis so you know it’ll get darker. Recommended, not for kids.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #15 by Drew Goddard and Georges Jeanty. Buffy’s in Japan with Dracula and a slayer squad to take down some Yakuza vamps. It could happen…

CRIMINAL 2 #3 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Seventies noir from the Femme Fatale POV! Anyone above the age of 18 who’s not reading CRIMINAL should not be allowed to vote. For anything. Ever. Highly recommended times infinity.

DUO STARS #1 written and illustrated by Ashley Wood. In the words of the writer/artist himself: “underground mech racing pretty much sums it up.” Good enough for me!

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #2 by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca. Stane’s kid wants to get back at Tony. And from there all stories flow…

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #16 by Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham. “Gog” starts here. Hey, he’s a grey, wrinkly giant with gold horns. What could go wrong?

KICK-ASS #3 by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. It’s like WATCHMEN except only the 40s origin flashbacks and imagine Hooded Justice as a pimply YouTube stunt moron. Like that.

MONSTER ZOO GN written and illustrated by Doug Tennapel. The story of a young boy who discovers that his local zoo may be home to… Oh, right, like I’m gonna give it away! From the creator of Earthworm Jim and Cat Scratch.

NUMBER 73304-23-4153-6-96-8 HC by Thomas Ott. A suspense story without words from Swiss artist Thomas Ott. Very creepy and very worth a look.

SECRET INVASION #3 of 8 by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu. Lotsa fights between people in spandex being provoked by dirty aliens. Sounds like the FoxNews green room…

SHOWCASE PRESENTS HAUNTED TANK VOL. 2 SC by Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert, and Other Deities. It’s 500 pages of a WWII tank with a dead Confederate General in it. How can this not be great?

TRINITY #1 by Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza and Many, Many Arists. Superman. Batman. Wonder Woman. All other trinities need not apply.

ULTIMATE ORIGINS #1 of 5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Butch Guice. The Ultimate Universe: “It’s all connected!” Whether it needs to be or not…

www.johnjudy.net

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Comics in Crystal Flight

Claire and I checked out Crystal City's answer to DC's pandas, donkeys and elephants today. Crystal Flight's a show of painted airplanes. Here's some more shots of Politico cartoonist Matt Wuerker's plane.

100_5404
100_5405
100_5406
100_5407
100_5408
100_5410

PBS had one that highlighted their animated kids shows.

100_5379
100_5380

The Times, The New York Times

The Times continues to have more on comic art than many other newspapers, oddly enough.

On their website, they've got Meatpacking District: Animator Gary Leib's short history of Manhattan's Meatpacking District.

Whilst illustrator David Chelsea is missing from Sunday Style's Modern Love column today, my favorite illustrator Guy Billout has illustrated an editorial.

In Business, we find Disney and Pixar: The Power of the Prenup By BROOKS BARNES, June 1, 2008. Two years in, the merger of Disney and Pixar is notable for how well the two companies have made it work.

And in the Magazine, Jason's Low Moon appears to be wrapping up as "Checkmate" is heard.

And in Travel, Fantagraphics gets a photo in "Surfacing | Georgetown, Seattle - From Brewers to Baristas in Seattle," By MATTHEW PREUSCH, New York Times June 1, 2008.

How many years ago was Calvin and Hobbes?

100_5430

How many years ago did Calvin and Hobbes end? It doesn't seem to matter. Here are 3 bootleg t-shirts purchased in Arlington today. This was on my mind lately because I heard from someone writing a book about C&H. A bargain too - $7.50 for the three!

June 8: Philip Pullman book signing

Philip Pullman, best known for "His Dark Materials" trilogy will be signing his new book at Barnes & Noble - Tysons Corner, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 703-506-2937 at 2 pm on Sunday June 8th. Why mention it here?

He's writing for a new British comic book, The DFC. Check out these links for more information:

Panel Borders: The DFC part 1 (Pullman / Abadzis / Fickling), by Alex Fitch, 29/05/08 as part of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

Letter from London, By Julia Eccleshare, Children's Bookshelf -- Publishers Weekly, 5/22/2008

Pullman supports first new children's comic in 25 years; IoS submits star author's cartoon-strip adventure to trial by 10 year old, Independent Sunday, 18 May 2008

Interview with David Fickling, saviour of the great British comic. For those of a certain age, comics are but a fond childhood memory, irrelevant to today's generation - until now. Tom Gatti meets the man behind the movement. Times of London May 10, 2008

Jeffrey Thompson's Hiawatha originals

100_5285

Jeff Thompson who works at Big Planet Bethesda on Wednesdays is a Baltimore artist who's done children's books. He gave me a couple of pieces of artwork. Here you can see his Hiawatha children's book - scratchboard originals mounted with the finished book cover.

100_5284

Jeff can be found online at

deviant art page
http://xochicalco.deviantart.com/

web site
http://mysite.verizon.net/jeffrey71o/

flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9440125@N07/

Animaniacs unleashed in Arlington

100_5310

Has anyone noticed that fire departments generally feel, and seem to be, immune from copyright or trademark considerations? Personally I agree with them, but I'm not a large soulless corporation. Here's a picture of a Warner Bros. Animaniacs billboard that suggests you practice your fire escape plan at a fire department in Arlington, VA.

Post interviews Kung Fu Panda's Black for kids section

Scott Moore interviewed Jack Black of the new animated movie "Kung Fu Panda" for "Dude, That's So Skidoosh: Behind the Microphone, an Inner Voice -- and Barrel Kicks," Washington Post Sunday, June 1, 2008; M14 and "Getting to Know Jack Black."

And here's an article on the movie's background - "Call them martial artists: The directors of the ambitious "Kung Fu Panda" break animation boundaries," by COLIN COVERT, Minneapolis Star Tribune May 31, 2008.

Stantis offends people too

Yesterday's letter to the editor - "A Cartoon That Fell Flat," by Richard E. Hurst, Washington Post Saturday, May 31, 2008; Page A11.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Illustrators Club exhibit reviewed in Post

See "Who Needs Words? The Pictures Say It All," By Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, May 30, 2008; WE31.

The exhibit info is:

On the Wall: 14th Juried Exhibition of the Illustrators Club of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia Through June 27 at Edison Place Gallery, 702 Eighth St. NW (Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown) Info:202-872-3396. Hours: Open Tuesday-Friday noon to 4. Admission: Free.

NY Times (and New Yorker) on Iranian cartoonist

I must confess that I was completely unfamiliar with Mohassess's work, but there's an exhibit of it in New York city. See Life in Iran, Etched With Suspicion and Humor By KAREN ROSENBERG, New York Times May 30, 2008. In Ardeshir Mohassess’s drawings, the coded beauty of traditional Persian art comes face to face with the ugliness of successive autocratic regimes.

and "Satire, Iranian," by Ben McGrath, New Yorker June 2, 2008

Baltimore area county intros comics to elementary classes

Actually, Hartford County's school system comes off rather sadly as the report implies that the students can only read at a comic book level (whatever that might mean), "School has been so traditional for so long. This is providing an outlet for a different kind of learner," said teacher Alana Cassedy. Read it yourself at "Comics Add Excitement To Classroom Reading," Gigi Barnett, WJZ May 30 2008.

Richmond's AdHouse Books publisher Chris Pitzer

See Indie Spinner Rack Issue #125 from Monday, May 26, 2008 for Part One of our look at the state of comics distribution! Retailer Andrew Neal, owner of Chapel Hill Comics and publisher Chris Pitzer of AdHouse Books join us to discuss Diamond Comic Distributors - how the system works, what works well, what doesn't, and how can it be improved?

OT: Warren Ellis' FREAKANGELS comes out each Friday

I've been enjoying Warren Ellis' webcomic FREAKANGELS, so when he asked bloggers today to mention it ... well, I just did.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

June 21: Pixar book author at Politics and Prose

Bruce Guthrie sent in this tip. At the moment I'm planning on going.

Saturday, June 21, 6 p.m.

DAVID A. PRICE, author of THE PIXAR TOUCH (Knopf, $27.95)

Before the success of Toy Story, Pixar Animation Studios was a struggling computer company. What happened to turn computer animation from an unprofitable fringe industry into the entertainment dynamo it is now? Price has interviewed dozens of company insiders, from executives to animators.

May 31 update - Here's a review of the book by a noted animation historian: "How Pixar got to be the best in the business," Charles Solomon, page M - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle, Friday, May 30, 2008.