Al Hirschfeld artwork on new stamp

Today's Washington Post reports that Al Hirschfeld's artwork will be featured on a stamp again - "First- Class Act: The Postal Service Puts Black Film History In a Starring Role," Sunday, July 20, 2008; Page M06. The article says:

The last stamp is the work of the famed Al Hirschfeld for "Hallelujah," a 1929 film made by MGM with an all-black cast and directed by King Vidor. Nina Mae McKinney, another talented beauty who was known as "the Black Garbo," was a co-star. The film itself has been debated for years for including both the reality of rural life and stereotypes. The poster shows a stylized flapper raising her yellow-gloved arms.

The Spirit of Eisner, and Miller, and Neil Young's Vertigo

Frank Miller is interviewed for his adaptation of Will Eisner's The Spirit comic into a movie at "Artist-Director Seeks the Spirit of ‘The Spirit’," By ANDY WEBSTER, New York Times July 20, 2008. The Times also put audio files up on challenging scenes and movies from comics.

An article on Neil Young reveals that the rock musician's work is being adapted into both an opera and a comic book from DC's Vertigo imprint. In "Morphing Neil Young for the Stage and Page," By TOM SELLAR, New York Times July 20, 2008, Sellar wrote:

...Vertigo, the art-house arm of DC Comics, is turning Mr. Young’s material into a graphic novel. Karen Berger, the imprint’s executive editor, said the idea came from Mr. Young... Ms. Berger assigned the project to the artist Cliff Chiang, and the writer Joshua Dysart. “Josh established this wonderful, modern Southern Gothic approach to the tone of his writing,” Ms. Berger said. “He looked at a lot of Neil’s lyrics and tried to find ways to utilize them where it worked.” And, she added, Mr. Dysart was sympathetic to the work’s underlying vision of social redemption.

Like the Undermain stage collaborators, Vertigo’s team is digging deep into mythologies that Mr. Young has created about the fictitious town. So “Greendale” the graphic novel will feature concepts and characters beyond those introduced in the original recording. The 160-page volume will likely be released in fall 2009.

New York Times columnist on Blitt's Obama

The Times has run an op-ed piece which finally puts the Blitt caricature in the context of Daumier and George Grosz - see "We’re Not Laughing at You, or With You," By LEE SIEGEL, New York Times July 20, 2008.

Amusingly enough, Blitt regularly illustrates Frank Rich's column and today about two pages later, he had a nice caricature of McCain for an article about his economic ineptness.

Finally, the Business section has a good article on Conde Nast, the New Yorker's corporate parent.

Back to the future in Disney's Tomorrowland

I've seen a couple of articles before this on Disney's reworking of Tomorrowland, but this is the first I've thought worth pointing out - "The Future Is So Yesterday: In the World of Tomorrow, There's a Very Familiar Feeling," by Joel Garreau, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, July 20, 2008; M01. Garreau's got some interesting points to make and has thought about these issues before as he was an early writer (and coined the term I believe) about 'edge cities' -- the conglomerations of places like Tysons Corner or Bethesda -- not classic suburbs, but not cities either.

Complete K Chronicles gets A- from Post

The Source section had a little bit on Keith Knight's Complete K Chronicles book in which Evan Narcisse gave it an A- grade.

Kung Fu Panda's reception in China, part 2

The NY Times follows the wires and the Post and runs a story about China's conflicted views on Kung Fu Panda - "The Panda That Roared," By RICHARD BERNSTEIN, New York Times July 20, 2008. Click the label under this post to see the earlier bits I've put up on it.

Space Chimps and Airbenders

The Post didn't like Space Chimps - "'Space Chimps': Your Inner Child Won't Go Ape for This One," By John Anderson, Washington Post Friday, July 18, 2008; C06.

But the NY Times did saying, " This movie has been designated a Critic's Pick by the film reviewers of The Times." See "Plucky Apes Help to Save the Planet of the Humans," By NEIL GENZLINGER, New York Times July 18, 2008.

And the Times also liked the new Avatar movie - "Television Review | 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' - Though Raised by Pacifists, Destined to Battle for Peace," By SUSAN STEWART, New York Times July 19, 2008.

Batman reviews and what-have-youse in the DC papers

Couldn't get into the 8 pm showing, so we went to a bar instead. The NY Times's extremely favorable review is added to the bottom of this post.

Nate Beeler had a funny Batman editorial cartoon in Friday's Examiner.

Now showing: Batmania as 'The Dark Knight' opens
MEGAN K. SCOTT, ASSOCIATED PRESS, July 17, 2008.

"The Dark Knight Owns Midnight,", by JULIE BLOOM, New York Times July 19, 2008.

"Gotham City's war on terror: Christopher Nolan takes Batman in a darker direction," by Sonny Bunch, Washington Times Friday, July 18, 2008

"This Joker Holds All the Cards; Heath Ledger's Clown Gives 'The Dark Knight' Its Power," By Stephen Hunter, Washington Post Staff Writer, Thursday, July 17, 2008; C01.


And, like Space Chimp, "This movie has been designated a Critic's Pick by the film reviewers of The Times." "Showdown in Gotham Town," By MANOHLA DARGIS, New York Times July 18, 2008.

Zadzooks on Batman movie toys

"ZADZOOKS: Batman goes after the Joker," Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times Thursday, July 17, 2008.

Links to reviews from the DC papers to follow soon.

Blitt's Obama caricature - more Post commentators

I guess the Obama caricature by Blitt is a Washington story by virtue of Obama's position, so the Post covered it pretty hard at least in their blogs. Here's more:

An article in the Post:

It's Funny How Humor Is So Ticklish
By Philip Kennicott
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 15, 2008; C01

and the following chat:

The New Yorker Cover and the Challenge of Satire
Philip Kennicott
Washington Post Culture Critic
Tuesday, July 15, 2008; 2:00 PM

A blog post by one of their 'futurist' type writers:

Achenbach, Joel. 2008.
New Yorker Cover Not So Funny
Washington Post's Achenblog (July 14):

- note Our Man Thompson's drawing for the blog header.

and their Media correspondent's chat (there are three relevant posts here):

Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Columnist
Media Backtalk blog Monday, July 14, 2008;

and Dave Horsey did a really funny cartoon that someone linked to in Weingarten's chat.

Weingarten opines on Blitt's Obama

Gene Weingarten, in his Tuesday chat, addressed the breaking 'story' of Barry Blitt's caricature of Obama for the New Yorker:

New Yorker: Isn't it disingenuous (at best) for the editor to say his mag is NOT written for the upper-west side? I love the mag and still feel at least that that socio-economic group is its target. Sure, WE don't need an explanation; plenty of others might.

Thoughts, o' arbiter o' humor?

Gene Weingarten: Yeah, I don't want to speak at enormous length about this, because you've already heard from Kurtz and Achenbach and today, a very thoughtful piece from Kennicott.

To be brief: Of course it was a mistake. A minor mistake, but a mistake nontheless. The New Yorker has no words on its cover, meaning the cover art alone must carry its message. Obviously, the devoted reader of this particular magazine is going to understand this is satire; but this is a magazine sold on newsstands, and a lot of eyes might look at it without the benefit of background.

I disagree with Achenbach on one point: I think the image is pretty funny, particularly the depiction of Michelle Obama as though she were Angela Davis. It actually took me a second to get that joke, and then I laughed.

Those who are trying to make this out as a big deal, a gigantic blunder, are political zealots trying to make a point. Once explained, The New Yorker's intent was clear, and benign.

and the new Comic Riffs blog was noticed:

Springfield, Va.: Have you "had your way" with the Comics Riff blog meister yet?

washingtonpost.com: Comic Riffs

Gene Weingarten: I am watching with interest. He has my support. I thought his first post, expressing exhaustion with meta-gats in strips, was a smart idea.

And Cavna's new Comics Riff blog got some notice:

_______________________

McLean, Va.: Gene, Did you have any role in the creation of the Comic Riffs blog?

Gene Weingarten: Nope. Not even a heads up. So I can't answer for it, but I'm happy it's there. Can't overcover the comics.

July 18 at 1: DC Comics publisher Paul Levitz on Post chat

DC Comic's Paul Levitz Talks 'Dark Knight'
Paul Levitz
President and Publisher, DC Comics
Friday, July 18, 2008; 1:00 PM

Paul Levitz, president and publisher of DC Comics, will be online Friday, July 18 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the latest Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," the cultural role and impact of the hero and his archenemy, the Joker, and the current boom in movies based around superheroes.

Hero Initiative Presents Steve Dillon at the Baltimore Comic-Con!

The whole of their latest press release...

Hero Initiative Presents Steve Dillon at the Baltimore Comic-Con!

BALTIMORE, MD - July 17, 2008 - Steve Dillon, the British star artist of Marvel's Punisher and Wolverine: Origins titles, as well as DC's Hellblazer and Preacher comics under their Vertigo imprint is making his way to the Baltimore Convention Center on September 27-28, 2008, courtesy of the Hero Initiative.

"Steve Dillon has created such a significant body of work," said show promoter Marc Nathan, "especially his work on Preacher for Vertigo at DC. He's left such a high watermark on everything he does, and we are excited to have him at the show for the Hero Initiative!"

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation, dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment. For more information, call 310-909-7809 or visit www.HeroInitiative.org.

The Baltimore Comic-Con is also pleased to announce the return of past guests Michael Bair (Identity Crisis, 52), Ivan Brandon (NYC Mech, Marvel Comics Presents), Buzz (JSA), Tommy Castillo (Grimm Fairy Tales, Kong: King of Skull Island), Dennis Calero (X-Factor, Countdown), Bryan J.L. Glass (Mice Templar), Rich Koslowski (Marvel Comics Presents, Sonic the Hedgehog), Norman Lee (Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane), Mark McKenna (Banana-Tail, Annihilation: Conquest), Bob McLeod (New Mutants, Spider-Man), Pop Mhan (Blank, Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Mark Morales (Civil War, Secret Invasion), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Andy Runton (Owly), John K. Snyder III (Grendel), Mark Sparacio (Heroes for Hire, Captain Action), Billy Tucci (Shi, Sgt. Rock - The Lost Battalion), and Thom Zahler (Love and Capes).

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 (Nat Turner, The Bakers), Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, Secret Invasion), Jim Calafiore (Exiles, Countdown), Howard Chaykin (Wolverine, 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 (Green Arrow/Black Canary, JSA Classified), Todd Dezago (Perhapanauts, Tellos), David Finch (World War Hulk, New Avengers), Ramona Fradon (Aquaman, Mermaidman and Barnacleboy), John Gallagher (Buzzboy, Roboy Red), Ron Garney (Wolverine, Skaar: Son of Hulk), Michael Golden (Micronauts, The 'Nam), Mike Grell (John Sable, Iron Man), Cully Hamner (Blue Beetle, Black Lightning), Dean Haspiel (American Splendor, 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 (Amazing Spider-Man, Empire), Scott Kurtz (PvP), Erik Larsen (Savage Dragon, Image EIC), Jim Lee (All Star Batman & Robin, 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), Mike Okamoto (Hellraiser, Chaos! Quarterly), Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Jonah Hex), Brandon Peterson (Ultimate X-Men, Strange), Eric Powell (The Goon), Tom Raney (Annihilation: Conquest, Ultimate Secrets), James Robinson (Superman, JSA), 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), Peter Tomasi (Nightwing, Green Lantern Corps), 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, Mighty Motor Sapiens), 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.

Cavna's Wednesday blog, quickly

Celebrates Batman: The Killing Joke, one of my least favorite Alan Moore stories. I left a snarky comment.

Takes a shot at Sally Forth's artwork.

And asks "The E-Mailbag: When to Hold a Feature's Funeral?" Or should a comic strip die with its creator?, which has 43 comments as of this writing.

Olsson's bankruptcy press release

They sent this along to their newsletter subscribers today. I spent $55 in the Clarendon one last night! Unfortunately, it's much diminished with a bakery taking 2/3 of the space and the shelves looked a bit picked over too. Not much comics stuff, although they had plenty of copies of Wolk's book.

Olsson Enterprises Inc. T/A Olsson's Books & Records files for Chapter 11 Protection.

Olsson Enterprises Inc., trading as Olsson's Books & Records, Record & Tape Limited and Olsson's Books, announced it has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in order to reorganize the company and return to profitability. Olsson's filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Maryland.

The reasons given for filing were a combination of the continuing weak retail economy, rising rents and property taxes, competition from large box stores and the Internet, and an accelerated drop in the music CD business.

Olsson's was established in 1972 and grew to as many as nine retail stores in the Washington DC metro area with sales over $16 million a year and as many as 200 employees. Currently there are five retail stores: Reagan National Airport, Alexandria, two in Arlington, and one in Northwest Washington DC. Olsson's earned a reputation as a locally-owned community-oriented retailer with a knowledgeable staff selling a good selection of books, music, video and gifts.

John Olsson, the principal owner, a Washington native and graduate of Catholic University, stated, "Olsson's could not have made it past 35 years without the great work of many employees, the loyalty of wonderful customers and the many friends of Olsson's who saw a value in the business and helped it along the way. Although the company has attempted to manage the situation to remain solvent, regrettably after considering all available alternatives, the company determined Chapter 11 was the best way to maintain operations while implementing a plan for successful restructuring."

Terence McCann, Controller since 1989 and a graduate of the University of Maryland, stated, "There is a plan for Olsson's to continue. It involves raising working capital, seeking investors, reducing overhead costs, adding new merchandise, refurbishing stores, retaining leases where achievable or relocating to communities that will support the concept of an independent bookstore. We still think that Olsson's has something to offer and can do business in this market."

Steal This Job: Premier Careers

Today's Express has a profile of Politico cartoonist Matt Wuerker.

July 20: Steve Niles and Gary Panter at Big Planet Comics

This press release just rolled in. Note the book is FREE, FREE, FREE.

CELEBRATED AUTHOR STEVE NILES & ARTIST GARY PANTER HIT WASHINGTON DC FOR RARE APPEARANCE AND SIGNING OF “THE LOST ONES”

Select City National Tour To Promote Graphic Novel Produced By Zune Arts

In anticipation of the upcoming Zune Arts graphic novel, author Steve Niles and illustrator Gary Panter will be making an appearance and signing of their latest collaboration, The Lost Ones at Big Planet Comics (Bethesda, MD) July 20th from 2PM – 4PM.


WHO: Steve Niles and Gary Panter

WHAT: Appearance and signing of Zune Art’s graphic novel The Lost Ones



WHEN: Sunday July 20, 2008, 2pm – 4pm

WHERE: Big Planet Comics, 4908 Fairmont Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814


Steve Niles teams up with four visual artists to bring you a graphic novel that will challenge what you think about time and space travel. DR. REVOLT, an original member of the historic New York City graffiti crew The Rolling Thunder Writers, Gary Panter, an illustrator known for his surreal and raw style, Morning Breath, Brooklyn-based art and design duo, and emerging painter/fashion designer Kime Buzzelli - each bring a remarkable and unique drawing style to the project.

“The Lost Ones” tells the story of Duncan, Roxy, Rasheed and Cynthia, who leave their Earth and get swept up in an epic intergalactic adventure. What starts out as a harmless day of extreme planet jumping turns into a mind-blowing, white-knuckle race for their lives to get back home.

The Zune Arts program brings the best creative minds together to collaborate on inspiring works of art. With “The Lost Ones,” Zune Arts expands beyond videos and posters and makes it first foray into this art medium featuring a writer as the lead artist. Collector’s and paperback editions of “The Lost Ones” will be available for free in early July 2008 at select comic book stores nationwide.

About Zune Arts:

Zune Arts is a program that offers emerging and established artists a unique collaboration opportunity and platform to share their work with a broader audience. At the heart of Zune Arts are ideas about friendship, sharing, connecting and discovery that serve as both a guide for artists’ work and an ethic for the art that’s produced through this program.
--

BIG PLANET COMICS
4908 Fairmont Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-654-6856

Also affiliated with:

BIG PLANET COMICS
3145 Dumbarton St. NW
Washington, DC 20007
202-342-1961

BIG PLANET COMICS
426 Maple Ave. East
Vienna, VA 22180
703-242-9412

BIG PLANET COMICS
7315 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
301-699-0498

Cavna blogs Trudeau, Joker, rise-and-shine comic strips

That new Comic Riffs blog at the Post is busy, might busy today, July 15 2008.

Today's stories:

Garry Trudeau: The Interview, by Michael Cavna.

The Countdown: The Joker Gets The Last Laugh - about Frank Miller's bringing an aging Joker back and having him kill David Letterman's entire audience. Boy, was that refreshing in its day (1986) and tiresome now.

The Morning Line: The Cat Also Rises compares storylines from Zits to Garfield.

Blitt-zing Obama

Hah! Nice headline, heh?

I'm bored with this non-story about Barry Blitt's caricature of Obama and his wife, but here's the Post and NY Times on it.

"It's Funny How Humor Is So Ticklish," By Philip Kennicott, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, July 15, 2008; C01.

"Want Obama in a Punch Line? First, Find a Joke," By BILL CARTER, New York Times July 15, 2008.

I will say that I would think a lot more of Obama if he had looked at it and said, "hey, that's funny!"

Echos of comics past

Another ad from the bottom of the Examiner brings to mind... Anyone? You in the back?

How about John Held, Jr's cartoons?