E-transom news from Kal:
I would like to invite you to visit a unique new Kal exhibition. The Show takes place entirely ONLINE at the virtual Forward Thinking Museum. The FTM is an online venture of Joy of Giving Something, Inc. (JGS), a not-for-profit philanthropic corporation dedicated to encouraging aesthetic reflection about present realities and future possibilities.
Visit the show here: http://www.forwardthinkingmuseum.com/index.php?gallery=141
The Forward Thinking museum houses multiple floors of artist’s works (primarily photograhers). The Kal exhibition currently contains 18 cartoons that will be changed and updated on a monthly basis. The exhibition will expand in the future to include animation. Admission is free!
Thursday, February 05, 2009
February 6: Oscar animated shorts in town
See "The Oscars' Brief Lives: Nominated Short Films," By Arion Berger, Express February 5, 2009 for information on the films shown tomorrow at E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW, live action, 12:50 &5:20 p.m.; animated, 3:10 & 7:45 p.m.; 202-452-7672. (Metro Center)
Play based on romance comics opens
My Comic Valentine is the play - here's the Post story about it - "Romance Ripped From The Comics," By Raymond M. Lane, Washington Post, Friday, February 6, 2009; Page WE41.
And here's the play's info: My Comic Valentine: A Comic Book for the Stage Fort Fringe 610 L St. NW. 443-803-1163. http://www.banishedproductions.org/productions.html. Wednesday through Feb. 15. $15, pay-what-you-can preview Wednesday.
And here's the play's info: My Comic Valentine: A Comic Book for the Stage Fort Fringe 610 L St. NW. 443-803-1163. http://www.banishedproductions.org/productions.html. Wednesday through Feb. 15. $15, pay-what-you-can preview Wednesday.
Coraline reviews begin appearing in DC papers
I liked the book which my daughter hasn't read yet, my daughter likes the graphic novel which I haven't read yet, and we'll see where we stand on the movie.
Monsters, Ink: The 3-D Movie 'Coraline' uses scare tactics children know well.
Written by Express contributor Chris Klimek
Express (February 5): E6.
Adventures in Blunderland: Coraline's heroine gets duped by fantasy; Pink Panther 2 is as bumbling as its protagonist.
By Tricia Olszewski
Washington City Paper Feb. 5 - 11, 2009.
Frame by Frame
A visual wonder, Coraline is narratively sluggish
by Randy Shulman
Metro Weekly February 5, 2009.
and there's a shorter version of this in the hardcopy Onion (which has another truly great headline about Dick Cheney in a dunk tank):
Henry Selick
by Tasha Robinson, February 3, 200
Monsters, Ink: The 3-D Movie 'Coraline' uses scare tactics children know well.
Written by Express contributor Chris Klimek
Express (February 5): E6.
Adventures in Blunderland: Coraline's heroine gets duped by fantasy; Pink Panther 2 is as bumbling as its protagonist.
By Tricia Olszewski
Washington City Paper Feb. 5 - 11, 2009.
Frame by Frame
A visual wonder, Coraline is narratively sluggish
by Randy Shulman
Metro Weekly February 5, 2009.
and there's a shorter version of this in the hardcopy Onion (which has another truly great headline about Dick Cheney in a dunk tank):
Henry Selick
by Tasha Robinson, February 3, 200
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
OT: On Spiegelman's Maus and ... hmmm .... what works there...?
My friend Rusty Witek, who's written a book or two about Art Spiegelman sent me an email yesterday with the subject line "If you ever"
. . .find yourself writing anything—anything at all—on Art Spiegelman’s best-known work, do NOT title it “Of Mice and [Something].” Please.
So, just to be sure, I asked him if he meant something like this:
OF 'MAUS' AND MAN: Two decades after his Holocaust memoir gained him a Pulitzer Prize and comics cultural acceptance, Art Spiegelman still struggles and strives to break the medium wide open, By Kiel Phegley, 2/3/2009.
To which he responded:
Very much so. And like this:
Of Maus and More
Of Mice and Memory
Of Maus and Memory
Of Mice and Vermin
Of Mice and Mimesis
Of Maus and Men
Of Mice and Menschen (this one also worked in “Comics Come of Age” in the title.)
Of Men and Mice
Of Mice and Supermen
Of Mice and Jews
These are almost all from peer-reviewed journals—don’t even think about the reviews and feature articles.
So yeah, like that.
That makes “The Maus That Roared” seem charmingly inventive. And after a certain point it means one of two disturbing things: either they aren’t reading the critical literature on Maus before submitting their own stuff, or they know it and use the title anyway. And either way an editor lets them do it.
You've been warned.
. . .find yourself writing anything—anything at all—on Art Spiegelman’s best-known work, do NOT title it “Of Mice and [Something].” Please.
So, just to be sure, I asked him if he meant something like this:
OF 'MAUS' AND MAN: Two decades after his Holocaust memoir gained him a Pulitzer Prize and comics cultural acceptance, Art Spiegelman still struggles and strives to break the medium wide open, By Kiel Phegley, 2/3/2009.
To which he responded:
Very much so. And like this:
Of Maus and More
Of Mice and Memory
Of Maus and Memory
Of Mice and Vermin
Of Mice and Mimesis
Of Maus and Men
Of Mice and Menschen (this one also worked in “Comics Come of Age” in the title.)
Of Men and Mice
Of Mice and Supermen
Of Mice and Jews
These are almost all from peer-reviewed journals—don’t even think about the reviews and feature articles.
So yeah, like that.
That makes “The Maus That Roared” seem charmingly inventive. And after a certain point it means one of two disturbing things: either they aren’t reading the critical literature on Maus before submitting their own stuff, or they know it and use the title anyway. And either way an editor lets them do it.
You've been warned.
G. Weingarten's chat - opinions on Sally Forth
From Tuesday, February 3rd's chat:
Baltimore, Md.: Re the divorce of comics from the real world: I may be overly sensitive, having spent my working life in advertising, PR and marketing, but the re[ce]nt plot development in Sally Forth has me blind, or least nearsighted, with rage. For those not regular readers, Sally was moved from being co-manager of her company's HR Dept. to being marketing manager. What?!?! No wonder American business is in such trouble -- people with no previous demonstrable experience in a pretty complex line of work are suddenly put in charge of it.
Seriously, does the guy now drawing strip know nothing about how the real world works? I swear a couple of years ago there was a storyline about HR being unprofitable. If it were profitable, that would be a miracle.
Gene Weingarten: Wow. Well, I admit this line of thinking had not occurred to me. I like the storyline, as a storyline; the dysfunctional marketers are funny.
Baltimore, Md.: Re the divorce of comics from the real world: I may be overly sensitive, having spent my working life in advertising, PR and marketing, but the re[ce]nt plot development in Sally Forth has me blind, or least nearsighted, with rage. For those not regular readers, Sally was moved from being co-manager of her company's HR Dept. to being marketing manager. What?!?! No wonder American business is in such trouble -- people with no previous demonstrable experience in a pretty complex line of work are suddenly put in charge of it.
Seriously, does the guy now drawing strip know nothing about how the real world works? I swear a couple of years ago there was a storyline about HR being unprofitable. If it were profitable, that would be a miracle.
Gene Weingarten: Wow. Well, I admit this line of thinking had not occurred to me. I like the storyline, as a storyline; the dysfunctional marketers are funny.
March 21: Animated Environmental Film Features
National Geographic is showing two films - at noon, Spirit of the Forest with film maker Lucas Mackey of Spain in attendance.
At 2pm, Wall-E with Burt Berry, Shading Art Director for Wall-E.
Both are $5 tickets at http://www.nglive.org or 202-857-7700.
At 2pm, Wall-E with Burt Berry, Shading Art Director for Wall-E.
Both are $5 tickets at http://www.nglive.org or 202-857-7700.
OT: Ooh, Bloom County collected
Here's another PR that came through today - and this one's another totally cool collection, too. IDW and Dean Mullaney are doing fantastic jobs with their Library of American Comics. I've bought them all including vol. 6 of Dick Tracy today. We're in another golden age of comic strip reprints - buy them now!
BLOOM COUNTY LIBRARY TO COLLECT ENTIRE RUN OF CLASSIC AMERICAN COMIC STRIP
(San Diego, February 6, 2009) IDW Publishing is pleased to announce the forthcoming release of The Bloom County Library. Beginning in October 2009, each of the five volumes will collect nearly two years worth of daily and Sunday strips, in chronological order. This will be the very first time that many of these comic strips have been collected, and the first time in a beautifully designed, hardcover format. The books will be part of IDW’s Library of American Comics imprint, and designed by Eisner Award-winner Dean Mullaney.
"Fans have pestered me for years,” said Berkeley Breathed, “for this ultimate Bloom County collection in that polite, respectful badgering way that only fans can manage. Thank God I can now tell them something better than just 'please remove your tent from my lawn.' I can say, 'It's coming!"
Berkeley Breathed’s Bloom County is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed newspaper strips of modern times. Premiering on December 8th, 1980 — a month after the election of Ronald Reagan as President — the strip brought to the comics pages a unique amalgam of contemporary politics and fantasy, all told with hilarious humor and wit.
The beloved and quirky denizens of Bloom County include Opus, Steve Dallas, Bill the Cat, Milo Bloom, Michael Binkley, and Cutter John. Breathed was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1987 for his work on Bloom County. The strip was published in an astounding 1200 newspapers.
The phenomenon that was Bloom County spawned a merchandizing bonanza, as well as two spin-off strips, Outland and Opus. The first paperback collection of the strip, Loose Tails, sold over one million copies. Bloom County paperbacks cumulatively sold over six million copies. At the height of the strip’s popularity, Breathed walked away on August 6th, 1989.
IDW Publishing Special Projects Editor Scott Dunbier conceived the series. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be editing the Bloom County Library,” said Dunbier. “This is a series that I can’t wait to hold in my hands.”
The Bloom County Library will also contain a series of “Context Pages” sprinkled throughout the volumes. These pages will provide perspective for the reader, presenting a variety of real-life events and personalities that were contemporary at the time of original publication.
About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. As a leader in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry including: television's #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Paramount's Star Trek; Fox's Angel; Hasbro's The Transformers, and the BBC's Doctor Who. IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. In April 2008, IDW released Michael Recycle, the first title from its new children’s book imprint, Worthwhile Books. More information about the company can be found at http://www.idwpublishing.com.
(this is the image IDW sent out, but it's also the cover of the original Bloom County collection and I'm not sure if it represents what the book will look like)
OT: Preliminary PR for The Best of Simon & Kirby
I was talking to Titan Books' US rep about their new Watchmen books (the Dave Gibbons' Watching the Watchmen is out already and is very interesting) when she mentioned a Simon & Kirby book. I was curious and she shot me the info. This should be good; I've seen much of these stories before, but I really like the idea of this book especially Evanier's essays and being able to see work for multiple companies in one place.
First is the PR on the whole series, and it's followed by specifics on the first volume due in May.
THE OFFICIAL SIMON AND KIRBY
Titan to Collect the Works of Two Comic Book Legends
Titan Books Signs Exclusive Agreement to Publish Works by Comics’ Greatest Creative Team, with Full Involvement of Living Legend Joe Simon and the Jack Kirby Estate
Titan Books has expanded its publishing agreement with comic book pioneer Joe Simon, co-creator of Captain America, to launch The Official Simon and Kirby Library beginning in 2009. In addition to the previously announced volumes The Best of Simon and Kirby and The Simon and Kirby Superheroes, the library will include volumes collecting the greatest horror, detective, and romance stories ever produced by the legendary Dream Team of comics.
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby first joined forces on the superhero character Blue Bolt in 1940, and later that year created the seminal hero Captain America (soon to be featured in a major motion picture by Marvel Studios). “When Jack and I created Captain America, it sent a shock across the nation even before America had entered World War II,” Simon noted. “But that was only the beginning, and we followed it up with titles like Boy Commandos and Young Romance. They weren’t superhero books, but each one sold millions of copies.”
Beginning in summer 2009 with The Best of Simon and Kirby, Titan Books will release full-color hardcover editions featuring some of the greatest stories ever told in the graphic medium, painstakingly restored by Simon and Kirby historian Harry Mendryk. Simon himself will oversee the process, and will offer original insights and secrets from behind the scenes.
The volume will feature the team’s most famous characters, including Fighting American, Stuntman, and The Fly, as well as genre adventures from such legendary titles as Black Magic, Justice Traps the Guilty, and the industry’s first romance title, Young Romance. Through the generous support of Marvel Comics and DC Comics, The Best of Simon and Kirby will include stories featuring Captain America, The Vision, Sandman, and The Boy Commandos.
“It’s simply astonishing, the materials Joe has kept over the years,” Titan owner and publisher Nick Landau said. “It shows uncanny foresight that he retained so many rights, and preserved those wonderful stories so that today’s readers will be able to enjoy some of the finest comics ever produced.” Details on the contents and format of the books are still being determined, as Landau added, “We want to come up with editions that are as perfect as they can be.”
Simon will attend the February 2009 New York ComicCon to celebrate the launch of The Official Simon and Kirby Library, and will sign exclusive limited edition lithographs. Titan plans to release two books a year, and these will be the only editions authorized by both Joe Simon and the estate of Jack Kirby. In addition to The Official Simon and Kirby Library, Titan will publish the autobiography of Joe Simon in 2010.
Titan Books is a leading publisher of licensed entertainment. The UK’s top publisher of graphic novels and World renowned for television and film companions, including Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd, Frank Miller and Will Eisner’s The Spirit, Watching the Watchmen by Dave Gibbons, plus the official Watchmen and Terminator: Salvation movie tie-ins. Titan Books also publishes a series of high-end art books, and biographies such as the New York Times bestselling My Boring-Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith.
-----
THE BEST OF SIMON AND KIRBY (ISBN-13: 978-1845769314, May 2009, 240 pages, 9” x 12¼”, $39.95).
THE BEST OF SIMON AND KIRBY is the first volume in the official Simon and Kirby Library, the only editions authorized by Joe Simon and the estate of Jack Kirby. This oversized, deluxe hardcover will be 9” x 12-1/4”, and in addition to the content that was previously announced, it will feature:
· Two stories from the team’s years at Timely Comics: “Captain America and the Riddle of the Red Skull” (from Captain America Comics #1, March 1941) and “The Vision” (from Marvel Mystery Comics #14, December 1940)
· Two stories from their move to DC Comics: Sandman in “The Villain from Valhalla” (from Adventure Comics #75, June 1942) and “Satan Wears a Swastika” (from Boy Commandos #1, Winter 1942)
· All-new, profusely illustrated essays by Mark Evanier, author of Kirby: The King of Comics, introducing each section of the book
DC Comics and Marvel Comics generously provided their support to Joe Simon in making these adventures available. The Joe Simon-Jack Kirby stories in this book feature the team’s groundbreaking work in superheroes, science fiction, war and adventure, romance, crime drama, westerns, horror, and humor. They have all been painstakingly restored by Simon and Kirby historian Harry Mendryk.
The dust jacket will feature quotes by Michael Chabon, Stan Lee, Will Eisner, Harlan Ellison, and Mark Evanier. Underneath the dust jacket the book cover itself will feature a huge reproduction of the double-page spread from Stuntman #2, and in his introduction Simon himself discusses the secrets behind that spread.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
New International Journal of Comic Art blog
It's not as scintillating as some posts here, but there's a list of the book reviews coming up in the Spring issue in this new blog I've started.
Afro Samurai reviewed online in Express
"A Cut Above: 'Afro Samurai: Resurrection'," by Express contributor Roxana Hadadi, Express February 3, 2009.
Marc "Not Beastmaster" Singer ends his blog
Marc, who teaches at Howard U here in town, has decided to stop blogging, after a really nice piece on the problem of DC and Grant Morrison's Final Crisis. Sigh.
Perhaps we'll get that Morrison book out of him now though.
Perhaps we'll get that Morrison book out of him now though.
Bendis interviewer hat-tips Big Planet
Paul Morton, in 'An Interview with Brian Michael Bendis,' Bookslut February 2009 concludes with "Special thanks to Big Planet Comics in Bethesda, MD for assisting in this interview’s preparation."
BASH! Magazine #7 -- Final Paper Issue
I saw it yesterday, but didn't get to grab a copy until this morning at the Vienna Metro station on the way into work (the kiosks downtown were removed just prior to the Inauguration, and seemingly never made their way back) -- BASH! Magazine #7's cover says:
The back cover says:
In between the covers, expect the usual collection of eclectic content, ranging from the political to the bizarre and everything in between. This issue also has a color center page, "Tragic Relief presents 'The Bridge of Magpies'" by Colleen Frakes.
While I'll miss picking up the new issue at the beginning of the month, I'm not at all surprised to see it go the way of the dodo. Whereas the first issue or two had some very limited (to my recollection) ad content, the last few have been totally bereft, and if there's a business model that exists where this approach makes financial sense, I'm unaware of it.
So tune into www.bashmagazine.com in March I guess, or just seek out the cartoonists' web sites who probably already feature much of this material!
final
paper
issue
but, don't worry,
everything you
love and more
will be at...
www.bashmagazine.com
The back cover says:
BASH Magazine
experience
bash online.
www.bashmagazine.com
website relaunches March '09
In between the covers, expect the usual collection of eclectic content, ranging from the political to the bizarre and everything in between. This issue also has a color center page, "Tragic Relief presents 'The Bridge of Magpies'" by Colleen Frakes.
While I'll miss picking up the new issue at the beginning of the month, I'm not at all surprised to see it go the way of the dodo. Whereas the first issue or two had some very limited (to my recollection) ad content, the last few have been totally bereft, and if there's a business model that exists where this approach makes financial sense, I'm unaware of it.
So tune into www.bashmagazine.com in March I guess, or just seek out the cartoonists' web sites who probably already feature much of this material!
Monday, February 02, 2009
Oscar Howard?
A friend of mine has written in asking, "I am posting to ask if anyone can give me any information on the artist/illustrator Oscar Howard. I have a large,11x14 drawing made with what appears to be black litho pencil on couquille board."
If anyone knows something about this artist, please drop me a line.
If anyone knows something about this artist, please drop me a line.
Final Crisis - a quick review
My buddy Robert Montgomery and I have been buying comics in DC since 1989 when we started working together and fell back into the hobby hard. Here's his thoughts on Final Crisis (which I have not read):
OK. I bought all 7 issues of Final Crisis and all I get at the end is a big HUH? Typical Morrison surrealism. Judy's right when he says DC should have gotten Geoff Johns to write it. What I think happened is: the Multiverse was re-established thanks to Superman; also, the New Gods are back. Is Darkseid? Dunno. Is the Martian Manhunter? I'd bet he is. Looks like we now will get a series of stories explaining how things have changed. Eh. It looks as if Morrison brought in a bit of stuff from the cross-overs. I know he brought in characters from the Superman cross-over (which must have been terribly confusing to those readers who didn't pick up that story and who were wondering where the vampire came from). All-in-all -- what a mess.
OK. I bought all 7 issues of Final Crisis and all I get at the end is a big HUH? Typical Morrison surrealism. Judy's right when he says DC should have gotten Geoff Johns to write it. What I think happened is: the Multiverse was re-established thanks to Superman; also, the New Gods are back. Is Darkseid? Dunno. Is the Martian Manhunter? I'd bet he is. Looks like we now will get a series of stories explaining how things have changed. Eh. It looks as if Morrison brought in a bit of stuff from the cross-overs. I know he brought in characters from the Superman cross-over (which must have been terribly confusing to those readers who didn't pick up that story and who were wondering where the vampire came from). All-in-all -- what a mess.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Bennett's Best and Zadzooks
The Big Planet owner's picks at Bennett's Best for the week of January 18, By Greg Bennett, Zadzooks Blog January 25 2009 and a column on a Tomb Raider videogame from Zadzooks
ICAF CFP
Sure, they left DC, but I can be a big man about this:
CALL FOR PROPOSALS:
The 14th Annual International Comic Arts Forum: ICAF 2009
October 15-17, 2009
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
<http://www.internationalcomicartsforum.org>
ICAF, the International Comic Arts Forum, invites scholarly paper proposals for its fourteenth annual meeting, to be held at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, from Thursday, October 9, through Saturday, October 11, 2008.
The deadline to submit proposals is March 20, 2009. (Scroll down for proposal guidelines and submission information.) Proposals will be refereed via blind review.
ICAF welcomes original proposals from diverse disciplines and theoretical perspectives on any aspect of comics or cartooning, including comic strips, comic books, albums, graphic novels, manga, webcomics, political cartoons, gag cartoons, and caricature. Studies of aesthetics, production, distribution, reception, and social, ideological, and historical significance are all equally welcome, as are studies that address larger theoretical issues linked to comics or cartooning, for example in image/text studies or new media theory. In keeping with its mission, ICAF is particularly interested in studies that reflect an international perspective.
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES:
For its refereed presentations, ICAF prefers argumentative, thesis-driven papers that are clearly linked to larger critical, artistic, or cultural issues; we strive to avoid presentations that are merely summative or survey-like in character. We can accept only original papers that have not been presented or accepted for publication elsewhere. Presenters should assume an audience versed in comics and the fundamentals of comics studies. Where possible, papers should be illustrated by relevant images. In all cases, presentations should be timed to finish within the strict limit of twenty (20) minutes (that is, roughly eight to nine typed, double-spaced pages). Proposals should not exceed 300 words.
AUDIOVISUAL EQUIPMENT:
ICAF's preferred format for the display of images is MS PowerPoint. Regretfully, we cannot accommodate non-digital media such as transparencies, slides, or VHS tapes. Presenters should bring their PowerPoint or other electronic files on a USB key or CD, not just on the hard drive of a portable computer. We cannot guarantee the compatibility of our equipment with presenters' individual laptops.
REVIEW PROCESS:
All proposals will be subject to blind review by the ICAF Executive Committee, with preference given to proposals that observe the above standards. The final number of papers accepted will depend on the needs of the conference program. Due to high interest in the conference, in recent years ICAF has typically been able to accept only one third to one half of the proposals it has received.
SEND ABSTRACTS (with complete contact information) by March 20, 2009, to Prof. Cécile Danehy, ICAF Academic Director, via email at:
cdanehy@wheatoncollege.edu
Receipt of proposals will be acknowledged immediately; if you do not receive acknowledgment within three days of sending your proposal, please resubmit. Applicants should expect to receive confirmation of acceptance or rejection by April 17, 2009.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS:
The 14th Annual International Comic Arts Forum: ICAF 2009
October 15-17, 2009
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
<http://www.internationalcomicartsforum.org>
ICAF, the International Comic Arts Forum, invites scholarly paper proposals for its fourteenth annual meeting, to be held at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, from Thursday, October 9, through Saturday, October 11, 2008.
The deadline to submit proposals is March 20, 2009. (Scroll down for proposal guidelines and submission information.) Proposals will be refereed via blind review.
ICAF welcomes original proposals from diverse disciplines and theoretical perspectives on any aspect of comics or cartooning, including comic strips, comic books, albums, graphic novels, manga, webcomics, political cartoons, gag cartoons, and caricature. Studies of aesthetics, production, distribution, reception, and social, ideological, and historical significance are all equally welcome, as are studies that address larger theoretical issues linked to comics or cartooning, for example in image/text studies or new media theory. In keeping with its mission, ICAF is particularly interested in studies that reflect an international perspective.
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES:
For its refereed presentations, ICAF prefers argumentative, thesis-driven papers that are clearly linked to larger critical, artistic, or cultural issues; we strive to avoid presentations that are merely summative or survey-like in character. We can accept only original papers that have not been presented or accepted for publication elsewhere. Presenters should assume an audience versed in comics and the fundamentals of comics studies. Where possible, papers should be illustrated by relevant images. In all cases, presentations should be timed to finish within the strict limit of twenty (20) minutes (that is, roughly eight to nine typed, double-spaced pages). Proposals should not exceed 300 words.
AUDIOVISUAL EQUIPMENT:
ICAF's preferred format for the display of images is MS PowerPoint. Regretfully, we cannot accommodate non-digital media such as transparencies, slides, or VHS tapes. Presenters should bring their PowerPoint or other electronic files on a USB key or CD, not just on the hard drive of a portable computer. We cannot guarantee the compatibility of our equipment with presenters' individual laptops.
REVIEW PROCESS:
All proposals will be subject to blind review by the ICAF Executive Committee, with preference given to proposals that observe the above standards. The final number of papers accepted will depend on the needs of the conference program. Due to high interest in the conference, in recent years ICAF has typically been able to accept only one third to one half of the proposals it has received.
SEND ABSTRACTS (with complete contact information) by March 20, 2009, to Prof. Cécile Danehy, ICAF Academic Director, via email at:
cdanehy@wheatoncollege.edu
Receipt of proposals will be acknowledged immediately; if you do not receive acknowledgment within three days of sending your proposal, please resubmit. Applicants should expect to receive confirmation of acceptance or rejection by April 17, 2009.
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 02-04-09
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 02-04-09
By John Judy
30 DAYS OF NIGHT: TIL DEATH #3 written and drawn by David Lapham. Will Rufus the vampire finally be forced out of his carefully constructed closet? The best work Lapham’s done in quite a while. Recommended.
ADVENTURE COMICS #0 by Otto Binder and Al Plastino. Wanna read the very first appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes for only a buck? Yes, you do. Here it is.
AGENTS OF ATLAS #1 by Jeff Parker and Carlo Pagulayan. Jimmy Woo’s heroes of the fifties are fighting Norman Osborn in the present and Wolverine back in the day. Two stories for the price of one! Hoo-hah! A title that keeps on being much better than you’d think. Recommended.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #585 by Marc Guggenheim and John Romita Jr. “Menace, Osborns, Spider-Tracer Killer, blah, blah, blah, wrap it up already!” BTW, do you know the Spidey/Obama issue (#583) is now on its fourth printing and still selling like hotcakes? That’s right, President Obama has made comics the only American industry currently showing a profit! “Yes we can!”
ASTONISHING TALES #1 by Lotsa People. It’s Marvel’s latest anthology book. This month it has two Iron Men, Wolverine, Punisher, and a couple of old New Mutants.
BANG TANGO #1 of 6 by Joe Kelly and Adrian Sibar. An ex-gangster tries to find peace as a tango dancer in this six-issue mini that just cries out for Antonio Banderas to make it into a movie.
BLACK PANTHER 2 #1 by Reginald Hudlin and Ken Lashley. Black Panther’s a girl now. Hubba-hubba.
THE BOYS #27 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Things keep getting progressively more uncomfortable for Wee Hughie. And the G-Men aren’t the worst of it. Not for kids.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #22 by Steven S. DeKnight and Georges Jeanty. How can you not love a comic book that opens with two lesbian slayers beating up a monster together? Recommended, teens and up.
FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #3 of 5 by Geoff Johns and George Perez. Two more issues until FC is truly behind us. Could this be the final FINAL CRISIS? Let’s hope so. Actually, this spin-off is Johns/Perez so it’s quite good. No more Big Events though, DC, unless Geoff Johns writes every word. Mean it.
I AM LEGION #1 of 8 by Fabien Nury and John Cassaday. A new American release of a European graphic novel series from 2003. Nazis, vampires and spies all done up in that elegant Cassaday style. Hard to resist a look...
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #22 by Duane Swierczynski and Travel Foreman. Next stop: The Eighth City of Heaven. Please move to the center of the car.
MIGHTY AVENGERS #21 by Dan Slott and Khoi Pham. The latest Avengers team is built around Hank Pym. Tick, tick, tick, tick…
SANDMAN: DREAM HUNTERS #4 of 4 by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell. The final issue in which we learn never to give a fox reason for revenge. Recommended.
SECRET SIX #6 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. Y’know, as creepy as the whole Rag Doll mythos has become since James Robinson made him a Manson-like serial killer back in STARMAN, there’s something about it that just works. Kudos to Gail Simone for keeping the sick magic alive.
SECRET WARRIORS #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Stefano Caselli. It’s the newest Nick Fury super-spy book with a twist of Bendis.
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK #1 by Damon Lindelof and Leinil Francis Yu. This is a new printing of a comic that shipped its most recent issue three years ago. Marvel is hinting they may be ready to publish the remaining four issues this year, but only if you send Nigerian Prince Joe Quesada your PIN number. Too violent for the little ones.
X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT #5 of 5 by Greg Pak and Carmine DiGiandomenico. The final chapter of how the holocaust turned a young boy into the single-minded mutant revolutionary, Magneto. The best Greg Pak story I’ve ever read. Seriously. Kudos.
X-MEN: NOIR #3 of 4 by Fred Van Lente and Dennis Calero. In a place called Chinatown, Slim Summers stares down the little brute with his fists full of knives. These are your great-grand-daddy’s X-Men. Highly recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
By John Judy
30 DAYS OF NIGHT: TIL DEATH #3 written and drawn by David Lapham. Will Rufus the vampire finally be forced out of his carefully constructed closet? The best work Lapham’s done in quite a while. Recommended.
ADVENTURE COMICS #0 by Otto Binder and Al Plastino. Wanna read the very first appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes for only a buck? Yes, you do. Here it is.
AGENTS OF ATLAS #1 by Jeff Parker and Carlo Pagulayan. Jimmy Woo’s heroes of the fifties are fighting Norman Osborn in the present and Wolverine back in the day. Two stories for the price of one! Hoo-hah! A title that keeps on being much better than you’d think. Recommended.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #585 by Marc Guggenheim and John Romita Jr. “Menace, Osborns, Spider-Tracer Killer, blah, blah, blah, wrap it up already!” BTW, do you know the Spidey/Obama issue (#583) is now on its fourth printing and still selling like hotcakes? That’s right, President Obama has made comics the only American industry currently showing a profit! “Yes we can!”
ASTONISHING TALES #1 by Lotsa People. It’s Marvel’s latest anthology book. This month it has two Iron Men, Wolverine, Punisher, and a couple of old New Mutants.
BANG TANGO #1 of 6 by Joe Kelly and Adrian Sibar. An ex-gangster tries to find peace as a tango dancer in this six-issue mini that just cries out for Antonio Banderas to make it into a movie.
BLACK PANTHER 2 #1 by Reginald Hudlin and Ken Lashley. Black Panther’s a girl now. Hubba-hubba.
THE BOYS #27 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Things keep getting progressively more uncomfortable for Wee Hughie. And the G-Men aren’t the worst of it. Not for kids.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #22 by Steven S. DeKnight and Georges Jeanty. How can you not love a comic book that opens with two lesbian slayers beating up a monster together? Recommended, teens and up.
FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #3 of 5 by Geoff Johns and George Perez. Two more issues until FC is truly behind us. Could this be the final FINAL CRISIS? Let’s hope so. Actually, this spin-off is Johns/Perez so it’s quite good. No more Big Events though, DC, unless Geoff Johns writes every word. Mean it.
I AM LEGION #1 of 8 by Fabien Nury and John Cassaday. A new American release of a European graphic novel series from 2003. Nazis, vampires and spies all done up in that elegant Cassaday style. Hard to resist a look...
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #22 by Duane Swierczynski and Travel Foreman. Next stop: The Eighth City of Heaven. Please move to the center of the car.
MIGHTY AVENGERS #21 by Dan Slott and Khoi Pham. The latest Avengers team is built around Hank Pym. Tick, tick, tick, tick…
SANDMAN: DREAM HUNTERS #4 of 4 by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell. The final issue in which we learn never to give a fox reason for revenge. Recommended.
SECRET SIX #6 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. Y’know, as creepy as the whole Rag Doll mythos has become since James Robinson made him a Manson-like serial killer back in STARMAN, there’s something about it that just works. Kudos to Gail Simone for keeping the sick magic alive.
SECRET WARRIORS #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Stefano Caselli. It’s the newest Nick Fury super-spy book with a twist of Bendis.
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK #1 by Damon Lindelof and Leinil Francis Yu. This is a new printing of a comic that shipped its most recent issue three years ago. Marvel is hinting they may be ready to publish the remaining four issues this year, but only if you send Nigerian Prince Joe Quesada your PIN number. Too violent for the little ones.
X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT #5 of 5 by Greg Pak and Carmine DiGiandomenico. The final chapter of how the holocaust turned a young boy into the single-minded mutant revolutionary, Magneto. The best Greg Pak story I’ve ever read. Seriously. Kudos.
X-MEN: NOIR #3 of 4 by Fred Van Lente and Dennis Calero. In a place called Chinatown, Slim Summers stares down the little brute with his fists full of knives. These are your great-grand-daddy’s X-Men. Highly recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Whoops, I'm probably not buying all of Cinebooks titles this year
More PR over the e-transom based on previous posts. Cinebook publishes good stuff and is worth checking out...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Cinebook to publish 8 new series, 46 titles by Mediatoon in English in 2009
Canterbury, Kent, 26 January, 2009 – For many English-speaking readers, knowledge of European comic books is limited to the popular characters Tintin and Asterix.
Since the end of 2005, Cinebook has worked to become the premier publisher of the Franco-Belgian Ninth Art in English in markets dominated by American superhero comics and Japanese manga.
Olivier Cadic, editor and creator of the publishing house based in Canterbury, England and in Northern California, has announced that it will further develop the Cinebook catalogue in 2009 with the addition of eight new series: “Billy and Buddy,” “Buck Danny,” “The Chimpanzee Complex,” “Insiders,” “The Bellybuttons,” “Orbital,” “Pandora’s Box” and “Spirou & Fantasio.”
They join the series “Lucky Luke,” “Iznogoud,” “Blake & Mortimer,” “Thorgal,” “Largo Winch,” “Aldebaran,” “Alpha,” “IR$,” “Lady S,” “Scorpion,” “Biggles,” “Cedric,” “Clifton,” “Ducoboo,” “Melusine,” “Papyrus,” “The Bluecoats,” “Yakari” and “Yoko Tsuno,” already being published by Cinebook.
All of the series, 46 Dargaud-Dupuis-Lombard titles and one Casterman title, will be published in new English editions in 2009 by Cinebook.
“We’re investing to introduce to the Anglo-Saxon world the numerous European talents of the Ninth Art,” declares Cadic. In 2008, almost half of Cinebook’s album sales were in Europe (46%) and one-third in North America (31%). Cinebook, which is present throughout the world, also sells in the South Sea Islands (10%), Asia (10%) and Africa/the Middle East (3%).
The foreign rights of publishers Dargaud-Dupuis-Lombard are marketed by Mediatoon Distribution. At the beginning of January 2009, Mediatoon and Cinebook signed a new five-year contract for each of the 27 anticipated series, providing for publication of one to six albums per year by series.
For Sophie Castille, director of Mediatoon’s Foreign rights, this agreement constitutes the most important partnership between a publisher of Franco-Belgian bandes dessinées (BD) and an English-language publisher: “In three years, Cinebook has emerged as the premier worldwide publisher of Franco-Belgian BD in the English language. Mediatoon is delighted to be associated with the emergence of a big, new international name in BD.”
These and other Cinebook titles are distributed:
In North America, by National Book Network Distribution, Inc. (NBN), www.nbnbooks.com.
In Europe (except France & Benelux), by Turnaround Publisher Services, www.turnaround-psl.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Cinebook to publish 8 new series, 46 titles by Mediatoon in English in 2009
Canterbury, Kent, 26 January, 2009 – For many English-speaking readers, knowledge of European comic books is limited to the popular characters Tintin and Asterix.
Since the end of 2005, Cinebook has worked to become the premier publisher of the Franco-Belgian Ninth Art in English in markets dominated by American superhero comics and Japanese manga.
Olivier Cadic, editor and creator of the publishing house based in Canterbury, England and in Northern California, has announced that it will further develop the Cinebook catalogue in 2009 with the addition of eight new series: “Billy and Buddy,” “Buck Danny,” “The Chimpanzee Complex,” “Insiders,” “The Bellybuttons,” “Orbital,” “Pandora’s Box” and “Spirou & Fantasio.”
They join the series “Lucky Luke,” “Iznogoud,” “Blake & Mortimer,” “Thorgal,” “Largo Winch,” “Aldebaran,” “Alpha,” “IR$,” “Lady S,” “Scorpion,” “Biggles,” “Cedric,” “Clifton,” “Ducoboo,” “Melusine,” “Papyrus,” “The Bluecoats,” “Yakari” and “Yoko Tsuno,” already being published by Cinebook.
All of the series, 46 Dargaud-Dupuis-Lombard titles and one Casterman title, will be published in new English editions in 2009 by Cinebook.
“We’re investing to introduce to the Anglo-Saxon world the numerous European talents of the Ninth Art,” declares Cadic. In 2008, almost half of Cinebook’s album sales were in Europe (46%) and one-third in North America (31%). Cinebook, which is present throughout the world, also sells in the South Sea Islands (10%), Asia (10%) and Africa/the Middle East (3%).
The foreign rights of publishers Dargaud-Dupuis-Lombard are marketed by Mediatoon Distribution. At the beginning of January 2009, Mediatoon and Cinebook signed a new five-year contract for each of the 27 anticipated series, providing for publication of one to six albums per year by series.
For Sophie Castille, director of Mediatoon’s Foreign rights, this agreement constitutes the most important partnership between a publisher of Franco-Belgian bandes dessinées (BD) and an English-language publisher: “In three years, Cinebook has emerged as the premier worldwide publisher of Franco-Belgian BD in the English language. Mediatoon is delighted to be associated with the emergence of a big, new international name in BD.”
These and other Cinebook titles are distributed:
In North America, by National Book Network Distribution, Inc. (NBN), www.nbnbooks.com.
In Europe (except France & Benelux), by Turnaround Publisher Services, www.turnaround-psl.com
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