QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 04-01-09
By John Judy
AGENTS OF ATLAS #3 by Jeff Parker, Clayton Henry and Gabriel Hardman. Fighting commies back in The Day and everyone else in the Here and Now, these vintage super-folk just don’t know when to quit! A must for all aficionados of robots and talking gorillas!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #590 by Dan Slott and Barry Kitson. Lots of doings in the Spider-verse, with a guest appearance by the Fantastic Four!
ANGEL: BLOOD AND TRENCHES #2 written and drawn by John Byrne. Oddly enough, both the best Angel story and best work from John Byrne in quite a while. Reminiscent of the TV show in all the ways his latest series isn’t. Good stuff.
AVENGERS/INVADERS #9 of 12 Alex Ross, Jim Kreuger and Steve Sadowski. Still coming out.
BATMAN: BATTLE FOR THE COWL: MAN-BAT #1 by Joe Harris and Jim Calafiore. Between you and me, that cowl ain’t gonna fit.
BLACK PANTHER #3 by Reginald Hudlin and Ken Lashley. While T’Challa heals the mysterious new lady Panther continues her quest to even some scores.
THE BOYS #29 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The dark secret of the G-Men is exposed at last! Not for kids.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #24 by Jim Krueger and Cliff Richards. A Faith/Giles titanic team-up! Here’s hoping they take down the Dollhouse!
CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS 70th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1 by Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, James Robinson and Marcos Martin. A look back to Steve Rogers’ pre-Super Soldier days and a classic tale from Cap’s legendary creators. Recommended!
THE DESTROYER #1 of 5 by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker. Legendary WWII hero Keen Marlowe (swear to god) is dying and with a name like “The Destroyer” he’s kind of obliged to take as many nefarious nogoodniks with him as he can. From the creator of WALKING DEAD and MARVEL ZOMBIES so you know it’s gonna be a twisty ride. Gotta look!
FLASH: REBIRTH #1 of 5 by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver. Barry’s back. Must Have!
GLAMOURPUSS #6 written and drawn by Dave Sim. For anyone interested in tracking CEREBUS creator Dave Sim’s inexorable path to the rubber room.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #25 by Geoff Johns and Jerry Ordway. At last! The big smack-down with Black Adam and Mighty Isis!
MY MOMMY IS IN AMERICA AND SHE MET BUFFALO BILL HC by Jean Regnaud and Emile Bravo. The English translation of the award-winning French graphic novel about the postcards a young French boy receives from his mother who’s off “traveling the world.” Recommended for readers age ten and up.
PREVIEWS by Diamond and Marvel Comics. To help you plan what to do with your bail-out money!
SCALPED #27 by Jason Aaron and Francesco Francavilla. Ladies and Gentlemen: FBI Agent Baylis Earl Nitz! May want to wear a rain poncho because this one’s gonna get wet! Highly recommended. Not for kids.
SEAGUY: THE SLAVES OF MICKEY EYE #1 of 3 by Grant Morrison and Cameron Stewart. And speaking of “wet” here’s more of the cartoon madness that is Grant Morrison. Hey, it’s only three issues. I mean, “Darn it!”
www.johnjudy.net
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Newseum offering news?
Bruce Guthrie sent in this link to a story about Brenda Starr on the Newseum's website - "A Starr Is Mourned," By Sharon Shahid, senior Web editor, Newseum March 26, 2009.
While the comics are certainly part of a newspaper (take that, Washington Post), I have no idea why the Newseum would be devoting a writer to this given that they probably don't have anything about Brenda Starr on display.
While the comics are certainly part of a newspaper (take that, Washington Post), I have no idea why the Newseum would be devoting a writer to this given that they probably don't have anything about Brenda Starr on display.
Zadzooks on Resident Evil vidoegame, Bennet on Ambush Bug
"Zadzooks: Resident Evil 5 review," Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times Wednesday, March 25, 2009 and "Bennett's Best for the week of March 22," By Greg Bennett, Zadzooks Blog March 26 2009. Greg recommends Ambush Bug, a comic I love.
OT: Ellen Lindner's new book
My friend Stephen Betts married a cartoonist - Ellen Lindner - and her new book Undertow is out.
You can buy a copy at Lulu.com for less than $12. Ellen describes it as:
Undertow by Ellen Lindner gives us a close-up view through the back door of Brooklyn in the sixties—with all the delinquency, drugs, and trips to Coney Island that implies. Beautifully drawn in sinuous, sharp style, Lindner's characters, and their fight to do more than survive, are unforgettable.
Although she's too young to remember Brooklyn in the 1960s. Actually, so am I. I just ordered mine to see what I missed.
You can buy a copy at Lulu.com for less than $12. Ellen describes it as:
Undertow by Ellen Lindner gives us a close-up view through the back door of Brooklyn in the sixties—with all the delinquency, drugs, and trips to Coney Island that implies. Beautifully drawn in sinuous, sharp style, Lindner's characters, and their fight to do more than survive, are unforgettable.
Although she's too young to remember Brooklyn in the 1960s. Actually, so am I. I just ordered mine to see what I missed.
March 30: Kal on Maryland public television
Kal's sent a note in...
On March 30, Maryland Public television will air the terrific documentary "Citizen Schaefer". The show follows the formidable career of the colorful Maryland politician William Donald Schaefer. For 50 years Schaefer reigned as a larger than life character in Maryland politics serving as Baltimore city councilman, President of the city Council, Baltimore city Mayor, state Governor and Comptroller.
Schaefer's flamboyant style and paper thin skin also made him a gift for cartoonists and caricaturists. During the course of my 17 year stint as editorial cartoonist for the Baltimore Sun, I had ample opportunity to lampoon Hizzoner in pen and ink... much to his chagrin.
For the MPT documentary, I was approached to share some cartoons and stories about the Schaefer years. I was also commissioned to create a selection of short animations to act as chapter headings for the documentary. The clips were designed to look as if they were my black and white cartoons on the page of the newspaper coming alive.
The animations are assembled together in the short film that you can view here: http://www.youtube.com/politicalcartoons
On March 30, Maryland Public television will air the terrific documentary "Citizen Schaefer". The show follows the formidable career of the colorful Maryland politician William Donald Schaefer. For 50 years Schaefer reigned as a larger than life character in Maryland politics serving as Baltimore city councilman, President of the city Council, Baltimore city Mayor, state Governor and Comptroller.
Schaefer's flamboyant style and paper thin skin also made him a gift for cartoonists and caricaturists. During the course of my 17 year stint as editorial cartoonist for the Baltimore Sun, I had ample opportunity to lampoon Hizzoner in pen and ink... much to his chagrin.
For the MPT documentary, I was approached to share some cartoons and stories about the Schaefer years. I was also commissioned to create a selection of short animations to act as chapter headings for the documentary. The clips were designed to look as if they were my black and white cartoons on the page of the newspaper coming alive.
The animations are assembled together in the short film that you can view here: http://www.youtube.com/politicalcartoons
Hagen exhibit
I went last night and met David and his family including his wife and inlaws who were all from England and fun to talk with. The exhibit is in 2 rooms of a real-estate firm, but that works surprisingly well. There's a variety of works including paintings of robots, odd animals and baseball players from a 1966 card set as well as some prints. I bought a cartoony portrait of S*p*rm*n. Go check it out!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
David Hagen visits his exhibit tomorrow night...
...and you can too!
The show will be from the beginning of March through the end of April with a reception on Friday, March 27 from 6pm to 9pm. All invited. Refreshments served! Century21 gallery space, 1711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209.
I'll be there tomorrow, fairly close to 6. And I hear a cartoonist known as RT will be making an appearance.
Express recommends Cherry Blossom Festival Anime tomorrow
Manga Manga Manga! Cherry Blossom Festival Anime Marathon
Vexille SATURDAY: Washington is so weird. We welcome in spring with a kite festival and an anime marathon. Next you'll be telling us about some giant rabbit that lays eggs and might have pastel-colored fur.
The Freer Gallery will show four anime films on Saturday, including "Vexille," about a futuristic Japan that has cut itself off from the world. Tickets are free, and the films are short, fun and lovely. If you can get over the guilt of spending a beautiful spring Saturday inside.
» Freer Gallery of Art, Jefferson Drive and 12th St. NW; Sat., March 28, 11 a.m., free; 202-633-1000. (Smithsonian)
Posted By Fiona Zublin at 7:00 AM on March 27, 2009
Vexille SATURDAY: Washington is so weird. We welcome in spring with a kite festival and an anime marathon. Next you'll be telling us about some giant rabbit that lays eggs and might have pastel-colored fur.
The Freer Gallery will show four anime films on Saturday, including "Vexille," about a futuristic Japan that has cut itself off from the world. Tickets are free, and the films are short, fun and lovely. If you can get over the guilt of spending a beautiful spring Saturday inside.
» Freer Gallery of Art, Jefferson Drive and 12th St. NW; Sat., March 28, 11 a.m., free; 202-633-1000. (Smithsonian)
Posted By Fiona Zublin at 7:00 AM on March 27, 2009
Kal at Walters in Baltimore
Cub reporter Rick Banning tells us about a Walters exhibit, "In the 3rd floor of the old building, a map of Word history, 12 feet wide x 6 feet high, has 8 cartoon features by Kal such as the inventions of printing and paper."
Groening and Simpsons in the Onion
Groening and Simpsons are in the paper Onion, but the online versions are longer - see "In a way, they're all winners: 10 Simpsons episodes from the past 5 seasons that stand among the series' best." by Genevieve Koski, Kyle Ryan, and Steve Heisler, Onion AV Club March 23, 2009 and an excellent interview, "Matt Groening," by Kyle Ryan, Onion AV Club March 25, 2009.
In the Examiner, Comic Art Indigene was selected as the Best Gallery Show of the weekend.
In the Examiner, Comic Art Indigene was selected as the Best Gallery Show of the weekend.
City Paper Best of DC 2009 out; Comics News fails to place
The City Paper Best of DC 2009 is out, but Comics News failed to place this year. However, they didn't have a Best (Comic) Art Blogger, and Wonkette won the best blogger, so I guess I'll survive. So much for the hat trick though...
Waltz with Bashir animator at Hirshhorn Museum tonight!
Hirshhorn Films: An evening with David Polonsky
8 pm, March 26 in the Ring Auditorium. Free
Craig Yoe Appearance at Politics & Prose
Craig Yoe, author of Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-Creator Joe Shuster, will be doing a discussion and book signing at Politics and Prose on April 24, 2009 at 7pm.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Kal cartoons in Maryland Public TV documentary
They appear in Citizen Schaefer , a film about the former governor, according to this article.
Another award for Nate Beeler
Examiner cartoonist Nate Beeler apparently won first place for editorial cartooning in the Virginia Press Association awards - if this is the proper citation:
D3: Editorial cartoons
Place: 1
Name: Nate Beeler
Publication: The Washington Examiner
City: Washington
Subject: 20/20 Insight
Comments: Beautiful artwork, humor and message. Nate's cartoons are among the best in the nation.
D3: Editorial cartoons
Place: 1
Name: Nate Beeler
Publication: The Washington Examiner
City: Washington
Subject: 20/20 Insight
Comments: Beautiful artwork, humor and message. Nate's cartoons are among the best in the nation.
May 4: Art Spiegelman at the Corcoran
I've seen him give this talk before and it's good.
May 4, Monday 7 p.m. at the Corcoran
Art Spiegelman: Comix 101
Members $20; Public $25
Art Spiegelman has almost single-handedly brought comic books out of the toy closet and onto the literature shelves. His comics are best known for their shifting graphic style, their formal complexity, and controversial content. In 1992, his masterful Holocaust narrative Maus won the Pulitzer Prize, and Maus II continued the remarkable story of his parents' survival of the Nazi regime. The New York Times Book
Review listed Spiegelman's In the Shadow of No Towers among the most Notable Books of 2004. On this evening, Spiegelman takes the audience on a chronological tour of the evolution of comics all the while explaining the value of this medium and why it should not be ignored.
The Argentina Copello Dudley Memorial Lecture, established in 1984, supported by the Dudley Endowment Fund, presents distinguished speakers who have contributed significantly to our understanding of the arts.
May 4, Monday 7 p.m. at the Corcoran
Art Spiegelman: Comix 101
Members $20; Public $25
Art Spiegelman has almost single-handedly brought comic books out of the toy closet and onto the literature shelves. His comics are best known for their shifting graphic style, their formal complexity, and controversial content. In 1992, his masterful Holocaust narrative Maus won the Pulitzer Prize, and Maus II continued the remarkable story of his parents' survival of the Nazi regime. The New York Times Book
Review listed Spiegelman's In the Shadow of No Towers among the most Notable Books of 2004. On this evening, Spiegelman takes the audience on a chronological tour of the evolution of comics all the while explaining the value of this medium and why it should not be ignored.
The Argentina Copello Dudley Memorial Lecture, established in 1984, supported by the Dudley Endowment Fund, presents distinguished speakers who have contributed significantly to our understanding of the arts.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
OT: Call for Papers--Graphic Novels in Libraries and Archives: Ideas and Issues.
Posted at Rob's request.
Call for Papers--Graphic Novels in Libraries and Archives: Ideas and Issues.
Graphic Novel publishing has exploded in the last decade. While, during the mid-1990s, it might have been possible for even a modestly budgeted library to acquire much of the published Graphic Novel output, now it is almost impossible even for libraries with big budgets to afford EVERYTHING published in this format. What was once considered a “cult” of devoted Graphic Novel readers and fans is now a part of the mainstream of readers. Graphic Novels is the one area of publishing that continues to grow year by year.
I am looking for essays that deal specifically with how libraries and archives have dealt with and are dealing with Graphic Novels in their collections. What are the various issues that have come up in regard to carrying Graphic Novels? What solutions, if any, did your library find?
Some of the topics that could be addressed in this book might include:
· Comics in Archives
· Real world issues in censorship of Graphic Novels - a case study on how a particular library or libraries dealt with challenged books
· How are academic libraries dealing with Graphic Novels?
· Promoting Graphic Novels collections in public libraries - Graphic Novel book clubs
· Problems collecting floppy comics in libraries and archives
· History of collecting comics and Graphic Novels in libraries
· Reaching out to Young Adults with Graphic Novels
· Senior library patrons and Graphic Novels - nobody has ever addressed this issue
· Graphic Novel - the term itself - problems with semantics for librarians?????
· Faculty who teach comics/Graphic Novels in other departments (say English/Sociology) and their relationship to their liaison librarian
· Graphic Novels in Libraries: Philosophical Issues
· Problems related to shelving Graphic Novels! Young Adult – Teen - Non Fiction - All Together?
· Manga/Anime vs. Superhero books in Libraries - Which is most popular?
· How to preserve Graphic Novels and comics in archives?
· Extending the shelve life of Graphic Novels in public libraries?
· How the boom of Hollywood movies, based upon graphic literature, affected library use.
· Metadata and Graphic Novels
· Web comics: implications for the library.
· History of comics in libraries
· The story of those Mexican/Spanish Photo novellas in libraries
· Any other topic related to Graphic Novels and libraries will be considered.
· META-DATA and Graphic Novels
Please send a 200 word abstract by April 31, 2009. Final due date for essays is June 31, 2009.
Final essays should be between 3,000-9,000 words long, including endnotes and bibliography, and should be done in Chicago Manuel of Style parenthetical with endnotes. Please keep in mind that these essays will be Peer Reviewed, and any essay that is not up to standard may not see final publication.
Please email me if you have any questions.
Rob Weiner
Humanities Librarian
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
Rob.Weiner@ttu.edu
Rweiner5@sbcglobal.net
Call for Papers--Graphic Novels in Libraries and Archives: Ideas and Issues.
Graphic Novel publishing has exploded in the last decade. While, during the mid-1990s, it might have been possible for even a modestly budgeted library to acquire much of the published Graphic Novel output, now it is almost impossible even for libraries with big budgets to afford EVERYTHING published in this format. What was once considered a “cult” of devoted Graphic Novel readers and fans is now a part of the mainstream of readers. Graphic Novels is the one area of publishing that continues to grow year by year.
I am looking for essays that deal specifically with how libraries and archives have dealt with and are dealing with Graphic Novels in their collections. What are the various issues that have come up in regard to carrying Graphic Novels? What solutions, if any, did your library find?
Some of the topics that could be addressed in this book might include:
· Comics in Archives
· Real world issues in censorship of Graphic Novels - a case study on how a particular library or libraries dealt with challenged books
· How are academic libraries dealing with Graphic Novels?
· Promoting Graphic Novels collections in public libraries - Graphic Novel book clubs
· Problems collecting floppy comics in libraries and archives
· History of collecting comics and Graphic Novels in libraries
· Reaching out to Young Adults with Graphic Novels
· Senior library patrons and Graphic Novels - nobody has ever addressed this issue
· Graphic Novel - the term itself - problems with semantics for librarians?????
· Faculty who teach comics/Graphic Novels in other departments (say English/Sociology) and their relationship to their liaison librarian
· Graphic Novels in Libraries: Philosophical Issues
· Problems related to shelving Graphic Novels! Young Adult – Teen - Non Fiction - All Together?
· Manga/Anime vs. Superhero books in Libraries - Which is most popular?
· How to preserve Graphic Novels and comics in archives?
· Extending the shelve life of Graphic Novels in public libraries?
· How the boom of Hollywood movies, based upon graphic literature, affected library use.
· Metadata and Graphic Novels
· Web comics: implications for the library.
· History of comics in libraries
· The story of those Mexican/Spanish Photo novellas in libraries
· Any other topic related to Graphic Novels and libraries will be considered.
· META-DATA and Graphic Novels
Please send a 200 word abstract by April 31, 2009. Final due date for essays is June 31, 2009.
Final essays should be between 3,000-9,000 words long, including endnotes and bibliography, and should be done in Chicago Manuel of Style parenthetical with endnotes. Please keep in mind that these essays will be Peer Reviewed, and any essay that is not up to standard may not see final publication.
Please email me if you have any questions.
Rob Weiner
Humanities Librarian
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
Rob.Weiner@ttu.edu
Rweiner5@sbcglobal.net
April 25: Library Workshop: Creating Graphic Novels
Aaarghh! Within blocks of me and I'll be at the History of Medicine meetings in Cleveland. I'll have to send the kid.
Workshop: Creating Graphic Novels
Sat Apr 25, 2009 1pm
Columbia Pike Branch Library, 816 S. Walter Reed Dr., Arlington, Va.
Learn the basic and finer points of creating graphic novels from Josh Elder, a graphic novelist and author of "Mail Order Ninja." Appropriate for students ages 10 and up. Contact mmiller@arlingtonva.us or call 703-228-5261 for more details.
And I'm missing the Library sale.
Workshop: Creating Graphic Novels
Sat Apr 25, 2009 1pm
Columbia Pike Branch Library, 816 S. Walter Reed Dr., Arlington, Va.
Learn the basic and finer points of creating graphic novels from Josh Elder, a graphic novelist and author of "Mail Order Ninja." Appropriate for students ages 10 and up. Contact mmiller@arlingtonva.us or call 703-228-5261 for more details.
And I'm missing the Library sale.
Matt Wuerker wants you to remember the Exxon Valdez oil spill 20 years later...
...and that seems reasonable to me. He says, "take two minutes to remember with John Nielsen's WWF piece, posted here on youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbjC9SMKClE - and pass it on...
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