Friday, September 05, 2008
Local cartoonist John Gallagher on podcast
Buzz Boy John Gallagher's on Indie Spinner Rack from Heroes Con.
Harvey Pekar book is in my hand
Metaphorically at least. A box of them - 10 author copies - showed up in the mail today. It finally exists and I can move on. Well, I have to move some of them too - buy it here. But secondly....!
Thanks to the generosity of the Press, which donated two copies, Harvey's going to sign both copies and mail them back to me and I'll sign and bring them to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund table for auction at the Small Press Expo in North (hah!) Besthesda this fall. This whole project started when Harvey was at the SPX and they needed someone to interview him, and that person turned out to be me. So I'll pay the CBLDF back a little bit with these books.
That'll be the super-collectible edition, limited to two.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Student cartoonist featured in Post
A student cartoonist featured in Post, but seventh-grader Crystal Wormack is only in the Prince William section. Fortunately, the article is online - "Middle-School Cartoonist Draws on Animal Insight," By Ian Shapira, Washington Post Staff Writer, Thursday, September 4, 2008; VA03.
Small Press Expo Announces Ben Katchor As A Guest For SPX 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Warren Bernard
Phone: 301-537-4615
E-Mail: webernard@spxpo.com
Bethesda, Maryland; September 4, 2008 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comic books, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, is proud to announce Ben Katchor as a guest for SPX 2008.
Fresh from his appearance at the international comics exposition, Stripdaagen, held in Haarlem, The Netherlands, Mr. Katchor is making his first appearance at SPX. Mr. Katchor is known for his books "Julius Knippel, Real Estate Photographer", "The Jew Of New York", and "Beauty The Supply District". He is a contributor of comics to both The New Yorker and the New York Times, and has a regular strip that is printed in Metropolitan Magazine. Mr. Katchor has turned his talents to the stage, writing the libretto and creating the backgrounds for the plays "The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island" and "The Rosenbach Company".
SPX is proud to add Ben Katchor to the other guests appearing at this years SPX, Joost Swarte, Bryan Lee O'Malley, Hope Larson, Tom Tomorrow and Lloyd Dangle.
Additional guests will be added over the next few weeks, please stay tuned for those announcements.
This year, SPX will be held Saturday, October 4 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, October 5 noon-6PM at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admission is $8 for a single day and $15 for both days.
For further information on the artists or to request an interview, please contact Warren Bernard at webernard@spxpo.com.
SPX, a non-profit organization, brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, political cartoon books and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. A series of panel discussions will also be held of interest to readers, academicians and creators of graphic novels and political cartoons.
SPX culminates with the presentation of the 12th Annual Ignatz Awards for outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning that will occur Saturday night, October 4. The Ignatz is the first Festival Prize in the US comic book industry, with winners chosen by balloting during the SPX.
As in previous years, all profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, go to their website at http://www.cbldf.org/.
Founded in 1994, SPX is North America's premier alternative comic-book and graphic novel festival. This annual event brings together comic creators, publishers and fans together to celebrate the art of visual storytelling.
Contact: Warren Bernard
Phone: 301-537-4615
E-Mail: webernard@spxpo.com
Bethesda, Maryland; September 4, 2008 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comic books, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, is proud to announce Ben Katchor as a guest for SPX 2008.
Fresh from his appearance at the international comics exposition, Stripdaagen, held in Haarlem, The Netherlands, Mr. Katchor is making his first appearance at SPX. Mr. Katchor is known for his books "Julius Knippel, Real Estate Photographer", "The Jew Of New York", and "Beauty The Supply District". He is a contributor of comics to both The New Yorker and the New York Times, and has a regular strip that is printed in Metropolitan Magazine. Mr. Katchor has turned his talents to the stage, writing the libretto and creating the backgrounds for the plays "The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island" and "The Rosenbach Company".
SPX is proud to add Ben Katchor to the other guests appearing at this years SPX, Joost Swarte, Bryan Lee O'Malley, Hope Larson, Tom Tomorrow and Lloyd Dangle.
Additional guests will be added over the next few weeks, please stay tuned for those announcements.
This year, SPX will be held Saturday, October 4 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, October 5 noon-6PM at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admission is $8 for a single day and $15 for both days.
For further information on the artists or to request an interview, please contact Warren Bernard at webernard@spxpo.com.
SPX, a non-profit organization, brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, political cartoon books and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. A series of panel discussions will also be held of interest to readers, academicians and creators of graphic novels and political cartoons.
SPX culminates with the presentation of the 12th Annual Ignatz Awards for outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning that will occur Saturday night, October 4. The Ignatz is the first Festival Prize in the US comic book industry, with winners chosen by balloting during the SPX.
As in previous years, all profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, go to their website at http://www.cbldf.org/.
Founded in 1994, SPX is North America's premier alternative comic-book and graphic novel festival. This annual event brings together comic creators, publishers and fans together to celebrate the art of visual storytelling.
Peanuts Animator Obituary
Bill Melendez, 91; Award-Winning 'Peanuts' Animator
By Matt Schudel
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 4, 2008; B07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/03/AR2008090303840.html
The Peanuts Gang
By Matt Schudel Washington Post's Post Mortem blog September 4, 2008; http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postmortem/2008/09/the_peanuts_gang.html?sid=ST2008090401641&s_pos=list
By Matt Schudel
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 4, 2008; B07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/03/AR2008090303840.html
The Peanuts Gang
By Matt Schudel Washington Post's Post Mortem blog September 4, 2008; http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postmortem/2008/09/the_peanuts_gang.html?sid=ST2008090401641&s_pos=list
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
3rd Harvey Pekar article on his life, and the movie thereof
Here's the 3rd piece that got dropped from Harvey Pekar: Conversations for not being a conversation, except for between Harvey and his readers. The book's available now at UPM's site, even if Amazon's saying it's not ready.
My Film Future: Movie producers are not flooding me with projects
Harvey Pekar / 2004
From Cleveland Free Times, January 21, 2004. Reprinted with permission of Harvey Pekar.
I'm getting kind of tired of writing about my movie experiences, but if that's what the editors want from me, I don't see how I can refuse them. Now I'm told a lot of people want to know what it's like going from a nobody to the protagonist of a successful film. It's happened to others before me, I guess, but I would think each would've reacted differently. For me the movies were basically a one-shot opportunity to make some extra money.
I'm pleased that American Splendor turned out as well as it did, but I would've gladly signed up with filmmakers I did not believe were particularly competent if the monetary compensation was right. See, I'm not a moviemaker. Yes, the American Splendor film was based on my comic book stories and dialogue, and to that extent I guess my American Splendor comics had something to do with the film's success.
But I had very little to do with coming up with the style that directors Bob Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman created to make the film. No one was consulting with me about how to cast American Splendor, or which stories to base it on. And with good reason — I had virtually no experience in the film business on the one hand, and, on the other, producer Ted Hope put together a cast and crew that were highly competent — a group of all-stars. I was gonna tell them their business? Forget it! They knew what they were doing already.
Now that the movie's been made, I don't find a bunch of producers flocking to me to try to involve me in this or that film project. What would I have to offer them? My wife kidded me about being a has-been as far as movies are concerned, and I guess she's right. There's no place for me to go in the film business. American Splendor covered my life from when I was a little kid 'til I reached the age of 62. There's not much left to make a sequel about.
I never got too excited about the success of American Splendor because I figured it was, as I mentioned earlier, a one-shot deal. It'd be different if I had a bunch of film scripts lying around to produce after American Splendor , but I don't. I'm very grateful to be the object of praise and flattery, even if I don't really deserve it, but I'm not going to get my head turned by it so that I'll be riding for a fall.
I do face a daunting challenge, though, and that's how to increase the sales of my books, which I intend to continue to write. For one thing, the comic book industry is in terrible shape right now. Sales are down and they've been heading in that direction for some time.
For another, although I'm proud of my work in the comic-book area, and have been called an innovative and influential writer, sales of my own books have never been that hot, even when the rest of the industry was in fine condition. I was paid $17 a page for the last three comics I had published before the movie came out, to give you an idea of the amount of commercial success I'd attained.
Now I go back to my publisher after American Splendor has gotten awards at Sundance, Cannes and other places, and won the top prize for best film of 2003 by the National Society of Film Critics, to see what I'm offered for my next book. It turns out I'm offered $44 a page, or less than I received for the first book I did for him. So how much good did the American Splendor movie do me in my chosen profession — comic book writing? Not a lot, in view of the lack of interest that comic book producers are currently showing in my works.
There may be some signs of hope for me in the comic book biz, however. For one thing, my next comic stories are going to be printed in trade paperback, not the old pamphlet form. People who like my work best seem to be general readers who, unlike comic book fans, can't find my stuff in comic book stores or, in fact, don't even know such stores exist. Traditional comic book (super hero) fans have never had much enthusiasm for my work. They like escapist stuff. So if my books are released in trade paperback form, they may appear in places like Barnes & Noble and Borders, where general readers could find them.
I've already written a number of new stories for my new book and have lined up several top-notch artists to illustrate them. They're willing to do so even though they're not going to get much money either. It's nice to know that there are some talented people out there who're willing to work with me even though there's not much money in it for them.
So I'm busily preparing my next comic book opus, with some pleasure and plenty of apprehension. We'll see how things progress.
My Film Future: Movie producers are not flooding me with projects
Harvey Pekar / 2004
From Cleveland Free Times, January 21, 2004. Reprinted with permission of Harvey Pekar.
I'm getting kind of tired of writing about my movie experiences, but if that's what the editors want from me, I don't see how I can refuse them. Now I'm told a lot of people want to know what it's like going from a nobody to the protagonist of a successful film. It's happened to others before me, I guess, but I would think each would've reacted differently. For me the movies were basically a one-shot opportunity to make some extra money.
I'm pleased that American Splendor turned out as well as it did, but I would've gladly signed up with filmmakers I did not believe were particularly competent if the monetary compensation was right. See, I'm not a moviemaker. Yes, the American Splendor film was based on my comic book stories and dialogue, and to that extent I guess my American Splendor comics had something to do with the film's success.
But I had very little to do with coming up with the style that directors Bob Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman created to make the film. No one was consulting with me about how to cast American Splendor, or which stories to base it on. And with good reason — I had virtually no experience in the film business on the one hand, and, on the other, producer Ted Hope put together a cast and crew that were highly competent — a group of all-stars. I was gonna tell them their business? Forget it! They knew what they were doing already.
Now that the movie's been made, I don't find a bunch of producers flocking to me to try to involve me in this or that film project. What would I have to offer them? My wife kidded me about being a has-been as far as movies are concerned, and I guess she's right. There's no place for me to go in the film business. American Splendor covered my life from when I was a little kid 'til I reached the age of 62. There's not much left to make a sequel about.
I never got too excited about the success of American Splendor because I figured it was, as I mentioned earlier, a one-shot deal. It'd be different if I had a bunch of film scripts lying around to produce after American Splendor , but I don't. I'm very grateful to be the object of praise and flattery, even if I don't really deserve it, but I'm not going to get my head turned by it so that I'll be riding for a fall.
I do face a daunting challenge, though, and that's how to increase the sales of my books, which I intend to continue to write. For one thing, the comic book industry is in terrible shape right now. Sales are down and they've been heading in that direction for some time.
For another, although I'm proud of my work in the comic-book area, and have been called an innovative and influential writer, sales of my own books have never been that hot, even when the rest of the industry was in fine condition. I was paid $17 a page for the last three comics I had published before the movie came out, to give you an idea of the amount of commercial success I'd attained.
Now I go back to my publisher after American Splendor has gotten awards at Sundance, Cannes and other places, and won the top prize for best film of 2003 by the National Society of Film Critics, to see what I'm offered for my next book. It turns out I'm offered $44 a page, or less than I received for the first book I did for him. So how much good did the American Splendor movie do me in my chosen profession — comic book writing? Not a lot, in view of the lack of interest that comic book producers are currently showing in my works.
There may be some signs of hope for me in the comic book biz, however. For one thing, my next comic stories are going to be printed in trade paperback, not the old pamphlet form. People who like my work best seem to be general readers who, unlike comic book fans, can't find my stuff in comic book stores or, in fact, don't even know such stores exist. Traditional comic book (super hero) fans have never had much enthusiasm for my work. They like escapist stuff. So if my books are released in trade paperback form, they may appear in places like Barnes & Noble and Borders, where general readers could find them.
I've already written a number of new stories for my new book and have lined up several top-notch artists to illustrate them. They're willing to do so even though they're not going to get much money either. It's nice to know that there are some talented people out there who're willing to work with me even though there's not much money in it for them.
So I'm busily preparing my next comic book opus, with some pleasure and plenty of apprehension. We'll see how things progress.
Comic Riffs interviews Hulk writer
See "Interview With the Cartoonist: "Hulk" Writer Jeph Loeb" By Michael Cavna, September 3, 2008. I'm not quite sure how Cavna is picking his interviewees, but more power to him.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
OT: Deitch exhibit in NYC
Here's a posting for Bill K, who's handling the programming for SPX as well. This should be an excellent exhibit:
For immediate release
CONTACT: Bill Kartalopoulos
kartalopoulos@gmail.com
Major Retrospective of Work by Legendary Underground Cartoonist Kim Deitch Opens at MoCCA on September 9
• Exhibition dates: September 9 – December 5, 2008
• Opening Reception: September 12, 2008, 6 – 9 pm
The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) is pleased to announce a major retrospective of work by underground cartoonist and graphic novelist Kim Deitch (b. 1944), opening September 9th and running through December 5th, 2008.
Kim Deitch: A Retrospective will display original comics pages and other work covering the artist's entire career to date, beginning with full-page comic strips drawn for the East Village Other in the sixties up to recent graphic novels including The Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Alias the Cat, Shadowland, and Deitch's Pictorama. The exhibit will also feature rarely seen work including elaborate preparatory
drawings, hand-colored originals, animation cel set-ups and lithographs.
Kim Deitch was born in Los Angeles in 1944, the eldest son of Oscar-wining animator Gene Deitch (Tom Terrific, Munro). Deitch studied at the Pratt Institute, traveled with the Norwegian Merchant Marines and worked at a mental institution before joining the burgeoning underground press in 1967. As an early contributor to the East Village Other and the editor of Gothic Blimp Works, Kim Deitch was a charter member of the underground comix scene that exploded with the 1968 publication of Robert Crumb's Zap #1. Forty years later, he stands alongside Crumb, Bill Griffith, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, and Art Spiegelman as one the most notable and prolific artists to emerge from that milieu. In addition to his comic books and graphic novels, Deitch's work has appeared in venues including RAW, Weirdo, Arcade, Details, the L.A. Weekly, McSweeney's, Nickelodeon Magazine, and The New Yorker.
"Kim Deitch's career spans the entire post-war history of avant-garde comics, from the underground to the literary mainstream," said exhibit curator Bill Kartalopoulos. "Deitch brilliantly weaves vast intergenerational narratives that enfold a deep history of American popular entertainment. Distinctions between fiction and reality blur in his meta-fictional world just as real madness bleeds into the visions and schemes of the artists, entertainers, and hustlers who populate his stories. The result is a rich narrative tapestry as compelling and as breathtaking as Deitch's densely layered, tightly woven, and intricately detailed black and white comics pages."
Deitch's body of work stretches outward from comics to embrace a spectrum of visual-narrative modes, including extra-textual single images and illustrated prose modeled after Victorian illustrated fiction. His most recent book is Deitch's Pictorama, a collection of illustrated fiction produced in collaboration with brothers Seth and Simon Deitch. The exhibit includes several examples of Deitch's
career-long experimentation with text/image modes.
MoCCA will publish an original poster and 1" button featuring the "Sunshine Girl" character who stars both in Deitch's earliest and most recent work. The Museum will also host a series of talks and events related to the exhibit.
MoCCA is located at 594 Broadway, Suite 401, between Houston and Prince. New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212 254-3511
MoCCA is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 12 – 5 pm, Sundays 12 – 3 pm.
Suggested Donation: $5
The opening reception is free and open to the public.
For more information please visit: http://www.moccany.org
For immediate release
CONTACT: Bill Kartalopoulos
kartalopoulos@gmail.com
Major Retrospective of Work by Legendary Underground Cartoonist Kim Deitch Opens at MoCCA on September 9
• Exhibition dates: September 9 – December 5, 2008
• Opening Reception: September 12, 2008, 6 – 9 pm
The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) is pleased to announce a major retrospective of work by underground cartoonist and graphic novelist Kim Deitch (b. 1944), opening September 9th and running through December 5th, 2008.
Kim Deitch: A Retrospective will display original comics pages and other work covering the artist's entire career to date, beginning with full-page comic strips drawn for the East Village Other in the sixties up to recent graphic novels including The Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Alias the Cat, Shadowland, and Deitch's Pictorama. The exhibit will also feature rarely seen work including elaborate preparatory
drawings, hand-colored originals, animation cel set-ups and lithographs.
Kim Deitch was born in Los Angeles in 1944, the eldest son of Oscar-wining animator Gene Deitch (Tom Terrific, Munro). Deitch studied at the Pratt Institute, traveled with the Norwegian Merchant Marines and worked at a mental institution before joining the burgeoning underground press in 1967. As an early contributor to the East Village Other and the editor of Gothic Blimp Works, Kim Deitch was a charter member of the underground comix scene that exploded with the 1968 publication of Robert Crumb's Zap #1. Forty years later, he stands alongside Crumb, Bill Griffith, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, and Art Spiegelman as one the most notable and prolific artists to emerge from that milieu. In addition to his comic books and graphic novels, Deitch's work has appeared in venues including RAW, Weirdo, Arcade, Details, the L.A. Weekly, McSweeney's, Nickelodeon Magazine, and The New Yorker.
"Kim Deitch's career spans the entire post-war history of avant-garde comics, from the underground to the literary mainstream," said exhibit curator Bill Kartalopoulos. "Deitch brilliantly weaves vast intergenerational narratives that enfold a deep history of American popular entertainment. Distinctions between fiction and reality blur in his meta-fictional world just as real madness bleeds into the visions and schemes of the artists, entertainers, and hustlers who populate his stories. The result is a rich narrative tapestry as compelling and as breathtaking as Deitch's densely layered, tightly woven, and intricately detailed black and white comics pages."
Deitch's body of work stretches outward from comics to embrace a spectrum of visual-narrative modes, including extra-textual single images and illustrated prose modeled after Victorian illustrated fiction. His most recent book is Deitch's Pictorama, a collection of illustrated fiction produced in collaboration with brothers Seth and Simon Deitch. The exhibit includes several examples of Deitch's
career-long experimentation with text/image modes.
MoCCA will publish an original poster and 1" button featuring the "Sunshine Girl" character who stars both in Deitch's earliest and most recent work. The Museum will also host a series of talks and events related to the exhibit.
MoCCA is located at 594 Broadway, Suite 401, between Houston and Prince. New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212 254-3511
MoCCA is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 12 – 5 pm, Sundays 12 – 3 pm.
Suggested Donation: $5
The opening reception is free and open to the public.
For more information please visit: http://www.moccany.org
Pekar-saturated book now available!
Harvey Pekar: Conversations LIVES!
I got a laconic email from the master of marketing at the University Press of Mississippi today:
Books are in the warehouse and shipping.
The link to purchase is now live on our website.
So, go buy twenty-five years of Harvey Pekar reflecting on his life and career. Read about his triumph and tragedy. Marvel at his fortitude. 'Nuff said (for now).
Melter's Superman-tinged book released today
His wife sends out the PR! I love that! Here's the email, which since it was labelled "Brad’s new book -- pass it on..." I am posting here. Again, I'm going to the Thursday night signing at Politics and Prose.
Here it is -- Brad's new thriller, The Book of Lies, is published today, and as you'll see below, he's been waiting his whole life to write this one (which is why it's my true favorite). It's filled with his usual obsessive research, but this is the one that will make your Mom (and Dad) cry. So what's it about?
In Chapter 4 of the Bible, Cain kills Abel. But the Bible is silent about the weapon Cain used to kill his brother. That weapon is still lost to history.
In 1932, Mitchell Siegel was killed by three gunshots to his chest.While mourning, his son created the world's greatest hero: Superman. And like Cain's murder weapon, the gun used in this unsolved murder has never been found. Until now.
What do these two murders, committed thousands of years apart, have in common? The
answer is in The Book of Lies.
To buy the book, you can click here:
http://www.bradmeltzer.com/novels/book-of-lies/buy.php
To read the first chapter, click here:
http://www.bradmeltzer.com/novels/book-of-lies/first-chapter.php
To hear the soundtrack (oh, yes -- a real soundtrack from Victor Records, plus REM and the new Book of Lies song) is here:
http://www.bradmeltzer.com/soundtracks.php
To see the video Brad made with Joss Whedon, Christopher Hitchens and Damon Lindelof, click here: http://www.bradmeltzer.com/novels/book-of-lies/movie-trailer.php
And finally, to see the most important thing we've done with any of the books -- and what we're doing to save the house where Superman was created, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25R2kcJxQuc
And of course he's on facebook, myspace, and all that other stuff I refuse to acknowledge exists.
Let me just say one last thing: I hope you know how much your love and support of Brad and the rest of us has meant over the past few months. In many ways, I was afraid that him seeing everyone on tour would turn into something sad, but it's clear it's truly a celebration. So please do go find Brad on one of the tour stops and give him a hug for me.
(that last is definitely from Brad's wife, not me.)
Here it is -- Brad's new thriller, The Book of Lies, is published today, and as you'll see below, he's been waiting his whole life to write this one (which is why it's my true favorite). It's filled with his usual obsessive research, but this is the one that will make your Mom (and Dad) cry. So what's it about?
In Chapter 4 of the Bible, Cain kills Abel. But the Bible is silent about the weapon Cain used to kill his brother. That weapon is still lost to history.
In 1932, Mitchell Siegel was killed by three gunshots to his chest.While mourning, his son created the world's greatest hero: Superman. And like Cain's murder weapon, the gun used in this unsolved murder has never been found. Until now.
What do these two murders, committed thousands of years apart, have in common? The
answer is in The Book of Lies.
To buy the book, you can click here:
http://www.bradmeltzer.com/novels/book-of-lies/buy.php
To read the first chapter, click here:
http://www.bradmeltzer.com/novels/book-of-lies/first-chapter.php
To hear the soundtrack (oh, yes -- a real soundtrack from Victor Records, plus REM and the new Book of Lies song) is here:
http://www.bradmeltzer.com/soundtracks.php
To see the video Brad made with Joss Whedon, Christopher Hitchens and Damon Lindelof, click here: http://www.bradmeltzer.com/novels/book-of-lies/movie-trailer.php
And finally, to see the most important thing we've done with any of the books -- and what we're doing to save the house where Superman was created, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25R2kcJxQuc
And of course he's on facebook, myspace, and all that other stuff I refuse to acknowledge exists.
Let me just say one last thing: I hope you know how much your love and support of Brad and the rest of us has meant over the past few months. In many ways, I was afraid that him seeing everyone on tour would turn into something sad, but it's clear it's truly a celebration. So please do go find Brad on one of the tour stops and give him a hug for me.
(that last is definitely from Brad's wife, not me.)
Terry Brooks signing in Bailey's Crossroads
Terry Brooks, an author whose Dark Wraith of Shannara title has been adapted as a Graphic Novel, will be signing this week:
September 3, 7:30pm
Borders Books & Music
5871 Crossroads Center Way
Baileys Crossroads, VA 22041
Reading, Q&A, Signing
The title is from Del Rey books, is adapted by Robert Napton, and has art by Edwin David.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Meltzer and Superman's house
"Repairing a House With Superman Ties," By GEORGE GENE GUSTINES, New York Times September 2, 2008
Dustin Harbin on Watchmen and beyond
I met Dustin at HeroesCon this year, and liked him immensely. Here's a link to something he's written - "Okay, I've Read Watchmen. What's Next?" By Dustin Harbin,
Newsarama 2008-08-28.
Newsarama 2008-08-28.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Another Meltzer bit or two
Here's a review of his new comic book "DC Universe: Last Will and Testament": John Hardick: "Kuberts create a surprising new tale," Lehigh Valley Express Times Saturday, August 30, 2008.
And here's a blog post: "Brad Meltzer: Faster than a speeding bullet," by Chauncey Mabe, South Florida Sun Sentinel's Off the Page blog August 31, 2008.
And here's a blog post: "Brad Meltzer: Faster than a speeding bullet," by Chauncey Mabe, South Florida Sun Sentinel's Off the Page blog August 31, 2008.
Give me that ol' time Bat-religion, and other news
R. Kikuo Johnson's illustrated today's New York Times magazine story on President Bush. Rutu Modan's comic story is continuing too, although it hasn't really captured my imagination.
"Must-See Sermons: Va. Pastor Culls Lessons From Silver Screen to Pull In Larger Audience," By Ben Hubbard, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, August 31, 2008; C01 is about a minister who's preached dressed as both the Batman and the Joker during sermons.
Also, the last completely new For Better or For Worse strip appeared in the Sunday Post comics section. Ms. Johnston extrapolates what happens to the characters in the future, much as the last Harry Potter book did.
In the "Lord, what fools these mortals be" column we find "Studio War Involving ‘Watchmen’ Heats Up," By MICHAEL CIEPLY, New York Times August 30, 2008.
This piece explained a James Gillray cartoon, which can be incomprehensible at a remove of 200 years - "Be an Old Master, for 10 Guineas," By J. D. BIERSDORFER, New York Times August 31, 2008
In the Sunday Examiner's inserts - "Why I love Superman: A best-selling novelist on why he adores the Man of Steel," By Brad Meltzer, USA Weekend August 29 2008.
Jen Sorenson blogged from the DNC and we missed it
Jen's based in Charlottesville, and a regular attendee of SPX. She's also got a new book out. You can still see her blog on the DNC even if the event's over.
Family Circus has left Washington
The Family Circus flew out of DC yesterday, leaving via Dulles Airport (in a fine rendering of the architecturally significant airport). With four children and two adults, they significantly added to the local tourism economy in spite of sticking to free monuments and museums. We hope they enjoyed their visit.
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE THURSDAY 09-04-08
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE THURSDAY 09-04-08
By John Judy
(Note: Long weekends mean late comics but only by a day.)
AL JAFFE TALL TALES HC by Al Jaffe. Collecting 120 installments of the world’s first and last vertical newspaper comic-strip from the veteran MAD artist who gave us “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions” and the folding back-cover gags of about a million issues of MAD. Very cool stuff. Recommended.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #570 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. Big fights between Spidey, Venom and “Anti-Venom” so help me. Where’s a Skrull when you need one? But it’s Dan Slott so of course he makes it all sing.
ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL #12 by Brian Lynch and Nick Runge. The incomprehensibility continues! Contains vaguely humanoid shapes and words!
BOYS #22 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The Legend wraps it up, the Homelander throws a hissy, and Butcher learns something. Featuring a variant glow-in-the-dark cover and lots of perversion. Not for kids. Recommended.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #18 by Joss Whedon and Karl Moline. Buffy’s in the future and Dawn’s a centaur. A really hot centaur… Hey Michelle Trachtenberg’s like 32 years old now so it’s okay! Oh man, it’s never gonna be okay….
GREEN LANTERN #34 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. Hal Jordan and Sinestro take on Abin Sur’s killer. It’s like Anakin and Obi-Wan if George Lucas knew how to write. Recommended.
MARVEL APES #1 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. An alternate universe where the Marvel heroes are all monkeys. Hey, it was this or more zombies… Oh wait, they’re doing that too. I don’t care! It’s monkeys as heroes! I’m reading it! Ook-ook!
SECRET SIX #1 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. The always awesome Gail Simone returns to chronicle the on-going adventures of DC’s favorite anti-heroes. Strong, character-driven stories of triple-crosses, desperation, out-and-out psychosis and other stuff straight out of the GOP National Convention! Highly recommended.
STORMING PARADISE #3 of 6 by Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice. It’s game-on as the allies invade the Japanese mainland in this alternate-world history in which there was no Fat Man or Little Boy to end WWII. Weird, wild stuff. Recommended.
SUB-MARINER: DEPTHS #1 of 5 by Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic. The Marvel Knights version of Namor the Sub-Mariner which means it’s out of continuity and probably incredibly sexy, vulgar and violent. And other stuff straight out of the GOP National Convention! (Call-back! Yes!) Gotta look. Unless you’re a kid.
TWELVE ½ by Various Creators, including Stan Lee, Joe Simon and Basil Wolverton. Collecting early golden-age appearances of the stars of the hit series THE TWELVE. This issue includes the Fiery Mask, Rockman and Mister E. For those of us who love such stuff but can’t afford the big-buck back issue prices. Cool.
X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY #1 of 4 by Mike Carey, Michael Ryan and Others. A series of stories laying out the latest status quo of all things “X.”
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
(Note: Long weekends mean late comics but only by a day.)
AL JAFFE TALL TALES HC by Al Jaffe. Collecting 120 installments of the world’s first and last vertical newspaper comic-strip from the veteran MAD artist who gave us “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions” and the folding back-cover gags of about a million issues of MAD. Very cool stuff. Recommended.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #570 by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. Big fights between Spidey, Venom and “Anti-Venom” so help me. Where’s a Skrull when you need one? But it’s Dan Slott so of course he makes it all sing.
ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL #12 by Brian Lynch and Nick Runge. The incomprehensibility continues! Contains vaguely humanoid shapes and words!
BOYS #22 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The Legend wraps it up, the Homelander throws a hissy, and Butcher learns something. Featuring a variant glow-in-the-dark cover and lots of perversion. Not for kids. Recommended.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #18 by Joss Whedon and Karl Moline. Buffy’s in the future and Dawn’s a centaur. A really hot centaur… Hey Michelle Trachtenberg’s like 32 years old now so it’s okay! Oh man, it’s never gonna be okay….
GREEN LANTERN #34 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. Hal Jordan and Sinestro take on Abin Sur’s killer. It’s like Anakin and Obi-Wan if George Lucas knew how to write. Recommended.
MARVEL APES #1 of 4 by Karl Kesel and Ramon Bachs. An alternate universe where the Marvel heroes are all monkeys. Hey, it was this or more zombies… Oh wait, they’re doing that too. I don’t care! It’s monkeys as heroes! I’m reading it! Ook-ook!
SECRET SIX #1 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. The always awesome Gail Simone returns to chronicle the on-going adventures of DC’s favorite anti-heroes. Strong, character-driven stories of triple-crosses, desperation, out-and-out psychosis and other stuff straight out of the GOP National Convention! Highly recommended.
STORMING PARADISE #3 of 6 by Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice. It’s game-on as the allies invade the Japanese mainland in this alternate-world history in which there was no Fat Man or Little Boy to end WWII. Weird, wild stuff. Recommended.
SUB-MARINER: DEPTHS #1 of 5 by Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic. The Marvel Knights version of Namor the Sub-Mariner which means it’s out of continuity and probably incredibly sexy, vulgar and violent. And other stuff straight out of the GOP National Convention! (Call-back! Yes!) Gotta look. Unless you’re a kid.
TWELVE ½ by Various Creators, including Stan Lee, Joe Simon and Basil Wolverton. Collecting early golden-age appearances of the stars of the hit series THE TWELVE. This issue includes the Fiery Mask, Rockman and Mister E. For those of us who love such stuff but can’t afford the big-buck back issue prices. Cool.
X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY #1 of 4 by Mike Carey, Michael Ryan and Others. A series of stories laying out the latest status quo of all things “X.”
www.johnjudy.net
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Diary of a Wimpy Kid's Jeff Kinney at Baltimore Comic-Con!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid's Jeff Kinney at Baltimore Comic-Con!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Baltimore, Maryland - August 23, 2008 - Jeff Kinney, author of the #1 New York Times best-selling title Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and nominee in 8 Harvey Award categories this year, will be making his Baltimore Comic-Con debut on Saturday, September 27th!
"Jeff Kinney's been picking up accolades left and right with his series, and really draws a different demographic to the show," said show promoter Marc Nathan. "We're really excited to have him and think his appearance is going to be a huge hit."
Jeff is appearing courtesy of Amulet Books, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc., and will be signing in their booth on Saturday at 3pm.
A full list of retailers can now be found on our website.
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, Michael Bair (Identity Crisis, 52), Kyle Baker (Nat Turner, The Bakers), Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, Secret Invasion), Ivan Brandon (NYC Mech, Marvel Comics Presents), Buzz (JSA), Jim Calafiore (Exiles, Countdown), Dennis Calero (X-Factor, Countdown), Nick Cardy (Aquaman, Teen Titans), Tommy Castillo (Grimm Fairy Tales, Kong: King of Skull Island), Howard Chaykin (Wolverine, American Flagg), Cliff Chiang (Green Arrow & Black Canary), Gene Colan (Daredevil, Tomb of Dracula), 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), Guy Davis (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson), Todd Dezago (Perhapanauts, Tellos), Steve Dillon (Punisher, Preacher), 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), Bryan J.L. Glass (Mice Templar), 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), Chris Ivy (Beast Boy, Marc Spector: Moon Knight), Geoff Johns (Green Lantern, Action Comics), J.G. Jones (52, Wonder Woman), Robert Kirkman (Invincible, Ultimate X-Men), Barry Kitson (Amazing Spider-Man, Empire), Rich Koslowski (Marvel Comics Presents, Sonic the Hedgehog), Scott Kurtz (PvP), Erik Larsen (Savage Dragon, Image EIC), Jim Lee (All Star Batman & Robin, Wildcats), Norman Lee (Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane), the Luna Brothers (The Sword, Girls), David Mack (Kabuki, Daredevil), Sean McKeever (Teen Titans, Countdown), Mark McKenna (Banana-Tail, Annihilation: Conquest), Bob McLeod (New Mutants, Spider-Man), Pop Mhan (Blank, Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Mike Mignola (Hellboy, Disney's Atlantis), Mark Morales (Civil War, Secret Invasion), Rags Morales (Identity Crisis, Batman Confidential), Phil Noto (Danger Girl, Jonah Hex), Michael Avon Oeming (Mice Templar, Powers), Mike Okamoto (Hellraiser, Chaos! Quarterly), Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Jonah Hex), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Ultimate X-Men, Strange), Eric Powell (The Goon), Tom Raney (Annihilation: Conquest, Ultimate Secrets), Alex Robinson (Too Cool to be Forgotten, Box Office Poison), James Robinson (Superman, JSA), John Romita Sr. (Amazing Spider-Man), Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge), Craig Rousseau (Perhapanauts, X-Men: First Class), Andy Runton (Owly), Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween, Heroes), Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man, Feast of the Seven Fishes), Tony Shasteen (O.C.T.: Occult Crimes Taskforce), Jim Shooter (Legion of Super-Heroes), John K. Snyder III (Grendel), Taki Soma (Silent Forest, You'll Never Die), Mark Sparacio (Heroes for Hire, Captain Action), Brian Stelfreeze (Midnighter, The Ride), Karl Story (Black Canary Wedding Planner, Number of the Beast), Robert Tinnell (EZ Street), Peter Tomasi (Nightwing, Green Lantern Corps), Herb Trimpe (Incredible Hulk), Timothy Truman (Conan, Grimjack), Billy Tucci (Shi, Sgt. Rock - The Lost Battalion), Neil Vokes (The Black Forest, The Wicked West), Doug Wagner (The Ride, Gun Candy), Matt Wagner (Zorro, Grendel), Mark Waid (Flash, Boom! Studios), Mark Wheatley (Frankenstein Mobster, Mighty Motor Sapiens), Ron Wilson (The Thing), and Thom Zahler (Love and Capes).
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. Final ballots are presently online at www.harveyawards.org. Kyle Baker will return as Master of Ceremonies for the evening's events.
Tickets are now available for sale. For more information about the Baltimore Comic-Con, email cardscomicscollectilbes@yahoo.com or call (410) 526-7410. The guest list, ticket information, directions, 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.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Baltimore, Maryland - August 23, 2008 - Jeff Kinney, author of the #1 New York Times best-selling title Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and nominee in 8 Harvey Award categories this year, will be making his Baltimore Comic-Con debut on Saturday, September 27th!
"Jeff Kinney's been picking up accolades left and right with his series, and really draws a different demographic to the show," said show promoter Marc Nathan. "We're really excited to have him and think his appearance is going to be a huge hit."
Jeff is appearing courtesy of Amulet Books, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc., and will be signing in their booth on Saturday at 3pm.
A full list of retailers can now be found on our website.
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, Michael Bair (Identity Crisis, 52), Kyle Baker (Nat Turner, The Bakers), Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, Secret Invasion), Ivan Brandon (NYC Mech, Marvel Comics Presents), Buzz (JSA), Jim Calafiore (Exiles, Countdown), Dennis Calero (X-Factor, Countdown), Nick Cardy (Aquaman, Teen Titans), Tommy Castillo (Grimm Fairy Tales, Kong: King of Skull Island), Howard Chaykin (Wolverine, American Flagg), Cliff Chiang (Green Arrow & Black Canary), Gene Colan (Daredevil, Tomb of Dracula), 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), Guy Davis (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson), Todd Dezago (Perhapanauts, Tellos), Steve Dillon (Punisher, Preacher), 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), Bryan J.L. Glass (Mice Templar), 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), Chris Ivy (Beast Boy, Marc Spector: Moon Knight), Geoff Johns (Green Lantern, Action Comics), J.G. Jones (52, Wonder Woman), Robert Kirkman (Invincible, Ultimate X-Men), Barry Kitson (Amazing Spider-Man, Empire), Rich Koslowski (Marvel Comics Presents, Sonic the Hedgehog), Scott Kurtz (PvP), Erik Larsen (Savage Dragon, Image EIC), Jim Lee (All Star Batman & Robin, Wildcats), Norman Lee (Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane), the Luna Brothers (The Sword, Girls), David Mack (Kabuki, Daredevil), Sean McKeever (Teen Titans, Countdown), Mark McKenna (Banana-Tail, Annihilation: Conquest), Bob McLeod (New Mutants, Spider-Man), Pop Mhan (Blank, Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Mike Mignola (Hellboy, Disney's Atlantis), Mark Morales (Civil War, Secret Invasion), Rags Morales (Identity Crisis, Batman Confidential), Phil Noto (Danger Girl, Jonah Hex), Michael Avon Oeming (Mice Templar, Powers), Mike Okamoto (Hellraiser, Chaos! Quarterly), Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Jonah Hex), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Ultimate X-Men, Strange), Eric Powell (The Goon), Tom Raney (Annihilation: Conquest, Ultimate Secrets), Alex Robinson (Too Cool to be Forgotten, Box Office Poison), James Robinson (Superman, JSA), John Romita Sr. (Amazing Spider-Man), Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge), Craig Rousseau (Perhapanauts, X-Men: First Class), Andy Runton (Owly), Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween, Heroes), Alex Saviuk (Web of Spider-Man, Feast of the Seven Fishes), Tony Shasteen (O.C.T.: Occult Crimes Taskforce), Jim Shooter (Legion of Super-Heroes), John K. Snyder III (Grendel), Taki Soma (Silent Forest, You'll Never Die), Mark Sparacio (Heroes for Hire, Captain Action), Brian Stelfreeze (Midnighter, The Ride), Karl Story (Black Canary Wedding Planner, Number of the Beast), Robert Tinnell (EZ Street), Peter Tomasi (Nightwing, Green Lantern Corps), Herb Trimpe (Incredible Hulk), Timothy Truman (Conan, Grimjack), Billy Tucci (Shi, Sgt. Rock - The Lost Battalion), Neil Vokes (The Black Forest, The Wicked West), Doug Wagner (The Ride, Gun Candy), Matt Wagner (Zorro, Grendel), Mark Waid (Flash, Boom! Studios), Mark Wheatley (Frankenstein Mobster, Mighty Motor Sapiens), Ron Wilson (The Thing), and Thom Zahler (Love and Capes).
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. Final ballots are presently online at www.harveyawards.org. Kyle Baker will return as Master of Ceremonies for the evening's events.
Tickets are now available for sale. For more information about the Baltimore Comic-Con, email cardscomicscollectilbes@yahoo.com or call (410) 526-7410. The guest list, ticket information, directions, 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.
Upcoming Anime Con
The Anime USA convention, "For Otaku, By Otaku", is coming up at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA over the Columbus Day Weekend (October 10-12, 2008).
http://www.animeusa.org/
Guests include Robert DeJesus, a pretty big name in manga circles, and local yokel Jo Chen, who does covers for Runaways at Marvel and the vast majority of the Joss Whedon-verse titles at Dark Horse, among other things, plus Allison Strom, who does manga work at Seven Seas Entertainment, Matt Herms, who works at Archie, and webcomics artsts of Paradox Lost and Applegeeks.
As with all of these Anime conventions, the price of admission is steep -- $40 through the end of September, and then I assume it goes up. I guess if you're going for the whole experience, that might be more reasonable than if you're me and just want to see the folks I just mentioned above!
http://www.animeusa.org/
Guests include Robert DeJesus, a pretty big name in manga circles, and local yokel Jo Chen, who does covers for Runaways at Marvel and the vast majority of the Joss Whedon-verse titles at Dark Horse, among other things, plus Allison Strom, who does manga work at Seven Seas Entertainment, Matt Herms, who works at Archie, and webcomics artsts of Paradox Lost and Applegeeks.
As with all of these Anime conventions, the price of admission is steep -- $40 through the end of September, and then I assume it goes up. I guess if you're going for the whole experience, that might be more reasonable than if you're me and just want to see the folks I just mentioned above!
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