Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Keith Knight on Post chat last week

Keith Knight did a Washington Post chat last Friday. I missed this as I was deep in the Charlotte Convention Center when it happened, but Ephemerist blogger Wim Lockefeer let me know about it. Check out Wim's blog too - he finds really cool stuff, and he's in Belgium so a lot of it is new to me.

Cartoonists Rights Network award to Palestinian cartoonist

The Northern Virgina-based organization issued the following press release.

Palestinian cartoonist awarded 2008 Courage Award
Friday, 20 June 2008, 10:27 am
Press Release: Cartoonists Rights Network International

PRESS RELEASE - INTERNATIONAL/PALESTINE

19 June 2008

Palestinian cartoonist awarded CRNI's 2008 Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award

SOURCE: Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI), Burke

(CRNI/IFEX) - The following is a CRNI press release:

CRNI announces annual award winner

June 19, 2008, Burke, Virginia - Today, Cartoonists Rights Network International announced the winner of its 2008 Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award: Bahaa Boukhari, a Palestinian. CRNI, the only international organization devoted to defending the human rights of cartoonists imperiled because of their work, will present the award to Boukhari at its annual dinner on June 26. The dinner is to be held at the Hotel Contessa in San Antonio, Texas.

A group of cartoonists deemed the Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award the "Nobel Prize" of the cartooning world several years ago.

Every year, CRNI recognizes a cartoonist who has shown exemplary courage in the face of unrelenting threat, legal action or other pressure as punishment or disincentive for cartoons that were too powerful for some officials, sects, terrorists or demagogues.

Bahaa Boukhari has a long career in political cartooning in the Middle East. Last winter, Gaza authorities arrested him and suspended publication of the newspaper that published a cartoon that ran in November. Boukhari and two colleagues were convicted of insulting the Hamas Parliament on February 3 2008. Although their fines and prison sentences were suspended, an unprecedented series of demonstrations took place in Ramallah on February 27 in defense of Boukhari and the right of Palestinians to express themselves freely without fear of intimidation or reprisal.

CRNI has affiliate organizations in 15 countries throughout the world; it conducts workshops and other training in freedom of expression issues for cartoonists. Its programs include actions to reduce violence with impunity against journalists. CRNI is a member of IFEX and the New York Foundation for the Arts.

Please contact CRNI for more information about Bahaa Boukhari and former awardees who are once again endangered. Algerian Ali Dilem, the most popular cartoonist in North Africa, is facing his third trial since January. In February, Danish security forces thwarted an international plot to kill Kurt Westergaard. Dilem and Westergaard were CRNI honorees in 2006. CRNI has witnessed an alarming rise in reprisals directed at editorial cartoonists due to the power and influence of their work.

For further information on the February 2008 conviction of Boukhari and his colleagues, see: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/91081

For further information on the Dilem case, see: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/94526

For further information on the Westergaard case, see: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/90719

Jimmy Margulies to get award in DC

Jimmy Margulies of the Record, in Northern New Jersey (my Dad's local paper) will be in DC for an award on September 27th. Dave Astor's got the story at "Another Clarion Award for Editorial Cartoonist Jimmy Margulies," E&P June 24, 2008.

Watterson on Cul de Sac

Alan Gardener and Dave Astor noted that Bill Watterson's written an intro to Our Man Thompson's Cul de Sac collection coming out in September. See "Coup for 'Cul de Sac' Book: Reclusive 'Calvin and Hobbes' Creator Writes the Foreword," E&P June 19, 2008.

Richard noted to me that you can read it on Amazon in their look inside the book feature. Personally I'm waiting until I buy a copy. Anti - ci - pa - tion, as they said in Rocky Horror.

Thompson's plot to fill the Post


Here's his illo for today's Health section in the Post. This was done right before we left for Heroes Con, after he was up for about 24 hours, I think. I like it.

June 27: Auth in town at National Portrait Gallery

Bruce Guthrie reports on an event happening this week -

Curator’s Conversation: Herblock, Drawn from Memory
Friday, June 27, 7 p.m.
Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium

The political cartoons of Herbert Lawrence Block (1909–2001), known by the pen name “Herblock,” appeared in American newspapers for more than seventy years. National Portrait Gallery senior historian Sid Hart, Pulitzer prize-winning reporter Haynes Johnson, historian Roger Wilkins together with Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist Tony Auth, will join in a conversation about the life and work of one of the nation’s greatest political cartoonists, Herblock. No reservations required; first come, first served.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Heroes Con pictures

Here's a flickr set of my Heroes Con pics.

And some quick choices before trying to catch up on sleep. More to follow with commentary later this week.

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Irwin Hasen signing Dondi reprint book.

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Our man Thompson.

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Karl Kesel and our man Thompson.

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Richard Thompson and his first customer, Kevin Greenlee. We had a nice breakfast at Lola's, although livermush was an option that we all skipped.

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Chris Grine selling Chickenhare (Dark Horse Comics) at Heroes Con 2008. I bought a robot sketch from him too.

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 06-25-08

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 06-25-08
By John Judy


ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER HC VOL. 01 by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. Collecting the first nine issues of this sporadically-released endeavor in which Batman swears a lot and all the women are either slutty, mean, or Irish. But I repeat myself…

AVENGERS INITIATIVE #14 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage and Stefano Caselli. It’s the return of the new 3-D Man! Only Dan Slott could make this work! Recommended!

BLACK PANTHER #37 by Reginald Hudlin and Francis Portella. T’Challa must take down Killmonger once and for all, if only for having a name like “Killmonger.”

CAPTAIN AMERICA #39 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. Two Caps! No waiting! Recommended!

CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #0 by Tim Truman and Tomas Giorello. An impressive team launches the latest adventures of Robert E. Howard’s most famous creation. And for only ninety-nine cents! Bargain of the week!

DAREDEVIL #108 by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka and Michael Lark. DD faces his most impossible battle yet! A death penalty appeal during an election year!

EX MACHINA DELUXE EDITION HC VOL. 01 by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. Collecting the first eleven issues of Vaughan’s entertaining, thoughtful mix of modern politics and post-modern superhero adventures. Highly recommended.

FANTASTIC FOUR #558 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. Doctor Doom by Millar and Hitch. Nuff said!

FINAL CRISIS #2 of 7 by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones. It’s action in the Mighty Morrison Manner, featuring all kinds of nifty ideas with a possible story thrown into the mix! Gotta look!

GREEN LANTERN #32 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. The Secret Origin of Green Lantern continues!

HULK #4 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Red Hulk vs. Green Hulk. One’s got a gun. The other is the frikkin’ Hulk! Place your bets! (And how about that movie, huh?)

IMMORTAL IRON FIST #16 by Matt Fraction and David Aja. It’s IM’s birthday. So what do you get for the man with a huge ol’ dragon brand on his chest?

MARVEL 1985 #2 of 6 by Mark Millar and Tommy Lee Edwards. In which we explore what happens when old comic book characters invade the Earth.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #15 by Brian Michael Bendis and Khoi Pham. A little back-story on how the Avengers got infiltrated by those dirty, low-down Skrulls!

NEW AVENGERS #42 by Brian Michael Bendis and Jim Cheung. In which we find out who caused the prison break that created the New Avengers! It’s Back-Story Month from the House of Ideas!

NO HERO #0 of 7 by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp. From the team that brought you BLACK SUMMER comes …. Okay, a book that sounds an awful lot like BLACK SUMMER. I was actually hoping BLACK SUMMER would finish before now, but it’s Ellis so we must accept such things. This is from Avatar because material by leading comics creators should never be too easy to find on the web.

PREVIEWS from Marvel and Diamond Comics. Peeking three months into the future has never been so easy!

PROJECT SUPERPOWERS #4 of 7 by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Carlos Paul. The series that exists to make you appreciate Marvel’s THE TWELVE continues!

RUNAWAYS #30 by Joss Whedon and Michael Ryan. Hey, kids! It’s a new issue of RUNAWAYS! This must be 2008! Cool!

SHE-HULK #30 byPeter David and Val Semekis. Hercules fight!

SUPERMAN #677 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. The creator of the modern-age Starman joins up as the new regular Supes writer with changes and guest-stars galore for the Man of Tomorrow! Recommended!

THUNDERBOLTS #121 by Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato. The Green Goblin will see you now…

TRINITY #4 by Kurt Busiek and Everyone! Still weekly! Still non-sucky! How long can this go on?! The adventures of DC’s Big Three continue!

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #123 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. This issue begins the Ultimate version of “War of the Symbiotes” and ties in with the Ult-Spidey video game which Bendis co-wrote. Brace yourselves…

ULTIMATES 3 #4 of 5 by Jeph Loeb and Joe Madureira. This was originally scheduled for March 12th but was delayed for some reason. I’m hoping that reason was that someone at Marvel actually read the first two issues and said “No, we don’t want to publish stories in which iconic superhero brothers and sisters are doing things that are illegal outside of Texas, West Virginia and Utah. Please, sir, write something that explains it all away. We’ll wait.” That’s just a guess though.

UNCANNY X-MEN #499 by Ed Brubaker and Mike Choi. For the X-Men to live San Francisco hippies must die! Okay.

WALKING DEAD SC VOL. 08: MADE TO SUFFER by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. Collecting the apocalyptic issues 43-48 in which we learned “No one is safe.” Traumatic stuff even without the zombies. Recommended. Not for kids.

WOLVERINE ORIGINS #26 by Daniel Way and Stephen Segovia. In which Wolverine learns where babies come from. This issue features new artist Segovia which means Steve Dillon must have chewed off his own leg and escaped.

X-MEN LEGACY #213 by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. Brain-damaged, exiled Professor X continues his search for clues as to why all those Star Trekkies keep staring at him.

YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #6 of 6 by Matt Fraction and Alan Davis. Kate Bishop has to fight Clint Barton for the name “Hawkeye.” Then she has to duke it out with Alan Alda and Daniel Day-Lewis. Maybe she should just be “Bishop.” No one’s using that name are they?

www.johnjudy.net

Craig Fischer on Heroes Con

My friend Craig and I got to hang out a lot over the weekend and it was great. I finally got to meet 2/3 of his family - wife Kathy and son Nate - his younger daughter was playing hookie. Craig's done blog posts on his trip - 1 anda 2 anda 3. I'll try to get my thoughts together and get them up soon. Here's Craig with MAD editor Al Feldstein.
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Thompson transported from Heroes Con directly to Washington Post

Richard and I drove in from a great time at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC (posts and pics to follow) to discover that his strip Cul de Sac has taken the spot of the canceled Single And Looking strip in the Post as of today. Whoo-hoo! He's finally in his hometown paper every day. And now twice on Wednesday and Saturday. Hmmm... Has anyone ever seen him and Donald Graham at the same time?

In the meantime, Tom Spurgeon's coverage of Heroes Con largely mirrors mine, except he knows and interviewed more people. Richard and I had a very pleasant conversation in him at the Westin's bar on Saturday night, and we both agree that Tom's one of the best writers and critics around. We both read his site every day, and you should too. And I'm not just saying that because he likes Cul de Sac - some of the very best years of The Comics Journal (which has had a lot of great material in it) were when he was editing it.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Baltimore Comic-Con Welcomes Robinson & Tomasi!

You get a special sneak preview since I'm privy to this press release before it gets sent out! Not much other DC-oriented comics news has leapt out at me so far this weekend. -Randy


BALTIMORE, MD (June 18, 2008) - A fan-favorite creator marks his stunning return to comics in a first-time appearance at this year's Baltimore Comic-Con, held at the Baltimore Convention Center on September 27-28, 2008. In addition, a long-time industry insider makes his Baltimore debut as a comics writer.

James Robinson, best known for his work on DC Comics' Starman, The Golden Age and JSA, is returning to comics in a big way, taking over Superman in the near future and gearing up for the launch of a new Justice League title.

Peter Tomasi, currently strutting his stuff in Nightwing and Green Lantern Corps, is a former long-time DC Comics editor who has worked with most of DC's major characters, as well as many of the heavy hitter talents in the field (including the aforementioned Mr. Robinson).

"We're extremely happy to welcome these two talented gents to Baltimore," said show promoter Marc Nathan. "We know our fans are going to have a lot of questions for James, and we're hoping they realize what a rising star Pete is. And there'll be plenty of opportunity to talk to both of them!"

Swamp Thing co-creator and Frankenstein artist Bernie Wrightson will be the show's Guest of Honor.

He headlines a guest list that includes, in alphabetical order, Kyle Baker (The Bakers), Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, New Avengers), Jim Calafiore (Exiles, Captain Marvel), Howard Chaykin (American Flagg), Cliff Chiang (Green Arrow & Black Canary), Darwyn Cooke (New Frontier, The Spirit), Frank Cho (Liberty Meadows, Mighty Avengers), Steve Conley (Star Trek, The Escapist), Amanda Conner (JSA Classified, Terra), Todd Dezago (Perhapanauts, Tellos), David Finch (World War Hulk, New Avengers), Ramona Fradon (Aquaman), John Gallagher (Buzzboy, Roboy Red), Ron Garney (Wolverine), Michael Golden (Micronauts, The 'Nam), Mike Grell (John Sable, Iron Man), Cully Hamner (Blue Beetle, Black Lightning), Dean Haspiel (Brawl), Adam Hughes (Catwoman), Stuart Immonen (Ultimate Spider-Man), Geoff Johns (Green Lantern, Action Comics), J.G. Jones (52, Wonder Woman), Robert Kirkman (Invincible, Ultimate X-Men), Barry Kitson (Empire, The Order), Scott Kurtz (PvP), Erik Larsen (Savage Dragon, Image EIC), Jim Lee (Batman: Hush, Wildcats), the Luna Brothers (The Sword, Girls), David Mack (Kabuki, Daredevil), Mike Mignola (Hellboy, Disney's Atlantis), Phil Noto (Danger Girl, Jonah Hex), Michael Avon Oeming (Mice Templar, Powers), Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Jonah Hex), Brandon Peterson (Ultimate X-Men, Strange), Eric Powell (The Goon), Tom Raney (Ultimate X-Men), John Romita Sr. (Amazing Spider-Man), Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge), Craig Rousseau (Perhapanauts, X-Men: First Class), Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween, Heroes), Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man, Feast of the Seven Fishes), Jim Shooter (Legion of Super-Heroes), Robert Tinnell (EZ Street), Herb Trimpe (Incredible Hulk), Timothy Truman (Conan, Grimjack), Neil Vokes (The Black Forest, The Wicked West), Matt Wagner (Zorro, Grendel), Mark Waid (Flash, Boom! Studios), Mark Wheatley (Frankenstein Mobster), and Ron Wilson (The Thing).

The Harvey Awards will return to the Baltimore Comic-Con for the third consecutive year. The awards dinner and ceremony will be held Saturday night, September 27, 2008, following the convention's normal hours. As in 2007, the first 300 paid attendees and honorees at the 2008 Harvey Awards Ceremonies will receive a Hollywood-style bag of swag. Last year's bag included The EC Archives: Two-Fisted Tales - Volume 1 from Gemstone Publishing, a complete base set of the soon-to-be-released Jericho Season One trading cards from Inkworks, an exclusive pin from AdHouse Books, a Comic-Con exclusive edition of 30 Days of Night: Red Snow #1 from IDW Publishing, a Toon Tumbler from Popfun Merchandising, and an exclusive Harvey Awards keychain from LaserMach. Nominating ballots are presently online at www.harveyawards.org. Kyle Baker will return as Master of Ceremonies for the evening's events.

For more information about the Baltimore Comic-Con, e-mail cardscomicscollectilbes@yahoo.com or call (410) 526-7410. The guest list and other information can be found on the convention's website or on its MySpace page. For more information about the Harvey Awards, including sponsorship opportunities, e-mail baltimorecomiccon@yahoo.com.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Have you seen us? Probably not


While ComicsDC is theoretically on break for an extended weekend - we're off to Heroes Con - Richard is still at home rushing to finish some strips and panels so all of his readers enjoy uninterrupted Cul de Sac and Richard's Poor Almanack (and he gets paid). I begin to see why he's using me as a driver, rather than taking a plane. We'll be there though!

And if anyone was wondering - the pictures are bobbleheads that ran in the Post when they were running Almanac in color - before it got the extra 'k'. I photocopied them, laminated them and then folded and spring-mounted and now they look down on me from a windowsill.

Herblock and Oliphant exhibits featured on Voice of America

See "Cartoonists, Lampooning the Political Elite," By George Dwyer, Voice of America 18 June 2008. There's a video report as well as the web text.

June 21: Pixar book author at Politics and Prose

Reminder - June 21 Saturday: 6 p.m. With THE PIXAR TOUCH, David A. Price has written a history of what might have been the most successful movie factory ever.

Takoma Park librarian on Babymouse

See "'Babymouse' a superhero kids can identify with," By KAREN MACPHERSON, Scripps Howard News Service 06/18/2008.

The Amory Wars: The Second Stage Turbine Blade review

From a Maryland high school senior, we get this review "Coheed and Cambria singer should stick to what he knows" BY BEN JENNINGS, Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star 6/19/2008 which opens:

The band Coheed and Cambria has received good reviews, with its soothing alto vocals and progressive rock sound. But maybe it should stick to the music side of its business.

The lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the band, Claudio Sanchez, opened a new front in the comic-book business when he released a series of songs in tandem with a graphic-novel companion, both called "The Amory Wars: The Second Stage Turbine Blade.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Have you seen us?


ComicsDC is on break for an extended weekend - we're off to Heroes Con. Well, Richard and I are. Randy T. may keep posting as we're off to Charlotte, NC. Stop by Richard's table if you want to find me. Or him actually.

By the way, I'll have a few copies of the Interplanetary Journal of Comic Art, and 3 copies of Film & TV Adaptations of Comics for sale (you can tell I didn't plan ahead when Richard asked me to come along) and a dummy of the Harvey Pekar: Conversations book. Richard will have his Richard's Poor Almanac book and original art for sale.

Larry Gonick web strip

Master Ibid writes in to tell us "Larry Gonick has a new strip at the Discovery Channel site."

Calvin returns! In Lio?

This week, Mark Tatulli's Lio, through a Frankenstein-like experiment has featured a familiar boy ... and today, his tiger as well.

Summer anime in DC

DC Anime Club and Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan Present:

Anime Summer Series


The DC Anime Club and the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan Present the Anime Summer Series. An continuation for the monthly Anime/Live
Action screenings held at the Japanese Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan located at Lafayette Center III 1155 21st Street, NW Washington, DC
20036-3308.The following Anime/Live Films will be screened every last Friday of every month starting Friday June 27,2008 at 6:30pm: Dragon Ball Z: Brolly the Super Sayajin (on Friday June 27, 2008 at 6:30pm), Shinobi (on Friday July 25,2008 at 6:30pm) and DeathNote Live Action Movie (on Friday August 29, 2008 at 6:30pm). Other activities that will
be included during the Anime Summer Series will be Cosplay, raffle, free posters
and more.

This program is free and open to the public. For more information please visit the Japanese Information and Culture Center website at http://www.us.embjapan.go.jp/jicc/ or visit the DC Anime Club website at http://dcanimeclub.org.

About DC Anime Club:
DCAC was established in 2003 to introduce and educate people in the Washington,DC area about East Asian culture, through viewing and discussion of Japanese animation (also known as anime) and Japanese comics (manga). DCAC is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, contributions to DC Anime Club are tax deductible to the extent allowable under the law.

The club also works to provide a positive, alternative activity to the youth in the area by exposing them to foreign culture, encouraging artistic expression and creativity, and providing opportunities for participation in community activities and leadership.

In addition to our weekly meetings, the club holds an Annual Art Show, an Annual costume fundraising event, and visits local schools to do presentations on anime. The club also works with the Smithsonian Freer Gallery and DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival on their anime screenings, and has helped locally promote performances for Japanese bands such as Puffy Ami Yumi and Pine am. DC Anime Club was founded by Chris Wanamaker (President), Jules Chang (Vice President) and Craig Vaughn (Sgt in ARMS) on Saturday June 5, 2003. We have a strong membership that continues to grow -- most of which are teenagers.

About Japan Information and Culture Center:
The Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) is the cultural and public affairs section of the Embassy of Japan in Washington D.C. Our primary role is to promote better understanding of Japan and Japanese culture by providing a wide range of
information, educational services and programs to the public. The JICC is located on the lower level of the glass-enclosed Galleria at Lafayette Centre III in downtown Washington, D.C. Its facilities include a research library, a 152-seat auditorium, and a 1,500-square-foot exhibition gallery where a wide variety of events sponsored by the JICC are hosted throughout the year.

--
Christopher Wanamaker
DC Anime Club President
http://www.dcanimeclub.org
202 262 2083