My David Hagen painting

Earlier this week, I picked up my painting from David Hagen's successful show, where he sold 3/4 of the art he had up. David will be selling more of his art at Art-O-Matic later this month.


Supes, David Hagen, 2009

Of which, he explained, "I used acrylic paint. Black outlines are painted with acrylic paint pens or with brushes. About three coats of paint to get the even solid color look. Then a gloss spray varnish to protect the painting."

This was the only one he did of this type of subject, but you can see more of his work on his blog and Zazzle site. He's painting a lot of baseball players lately.

The wife and I are in negotiations over where to hang it.

AcaciaO reports on Spiegelman at Corcoran

See "Art Spiegelman: Comics From Mickey Mouse to Manga," By AcaciaO, We Love DC blog May 6th, 2009 for her report on his Corcoran lecture.

The unanswered question - did he smoke?

Maryland cartoonist Carla Speed McNeil lost in Canada

Fortunately, she's retained her wit for this interview - "Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2009: Q&A with Carla Speed McNeil," Posted: May 06, 2009, 9:15 PM by Mark Medley.

At the end, Carla's pick for a cartoonist she'd like to draw like was a real surprise to me. I didn't see that one coming.

And for the real cartooning geeks, she actually answers this question:

What do you draw with?

Pentel mechanical pencil stocked with 2B lead, Zebra 303 brush pens, Pigma Microns for lettering and crosshatching. I do all my pencilling on sheets of legal-size typing paper. My image size is a good bit smaller than the standard 10" X 15" to fit into that size paper. I arrived at this size over years of experimentation, and found that it really clicked-- my line weight and my lettering just looked the right proportions at that size. So I do all my drawing on the cheap stuff, then use the lightbox to ink directly onto thin Bristol.

Dustin Harbin, friend of ComicsDC, interviewed

See "Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2009: Q&A with Dustin Harbin," Posted: May 07, 2009, 8:10 PM by Mark Medley as Medley continues his astonishing interview series.

Jim Ottaviani, friend of ComicsDC, interviewed

See "Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2009: Q&A with Jim Ottaviani," Posted: May 06, 2009, 5:55 PM by Mark Medley. Medley's put a fantastic amount of interviews up on the National Post's Afterwords blog this week.

John Dimes gets animated

You can see The Rites of Pretending Tribes online now.

Featuring the Illustrations of: Erin Wells, Rick Hnat
& JOHN DIMES!!!! (he tells me).

He's also on paper, but I've been carrying those around for weeks and still owe him a review of the two minis he's sent me. Mea culpa.

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection's April 2009 additions

We're in the home stretch and April started with Zapiro and Gorey - poles apart on the comics spectrum.

Bushwhacked : Cartoons from Sowetan, Mail & Guardian, and
Sunday Times / Zapiro. -- Cape Town, South Africa : Double
Storey, 2002. -- 160 p. : ill. ; 20 x 24 cm. -- Editorial
cartoons about South African politics and George W. Bush.
-- Call no.: DT1975.Z365 2002
-----------------------------------------------------
Ettie Lou Stooper Does a Tinsel Dance at a Tree-Trimming Party
in Gumsville, Nebraska, Christmas Eve, 1923. -- Printed by
William Ferguson for Albondocani Press, 1981. -- 1 folded
sheet (4 p.) : ill. ; 18 cm. -- "Copyright 1981 by Edward
Gorey." -- " Published in December 1981, this card is
limited to four hundred and fifty copies to be used as a
holiday greeting by the artist publisher. None are for
sale." -- Call no.: PS3513 .O614E8 1981
-----------------------------------------------------
Pirates of Polokwane : Cartoons from Mail & Guardian, Sunday
Times and Independent Newspapers / Zapiro. -- Auckland
Park, South Africa : Jacana Media, 2008. -- 134 p. : ill. ;
20 x 25 cm. -- Editorial cartoons. -- Call no.:
DT1975.Z37P5 2008
-----------------------------------------------------
The Eleventh Episode / by Raddory Gewe, drawings by Om. -- New
York Fantod Press, 1971. -- By Edward Gorey. -- 32 p. :
ill. ; 13 x 16 cm. -- Call no.: PS3513 .O614E4 1971
-----------------------------------------------------
The Eclectic Abecedarium / by Edward Gorey. -- Boston : Anne &
David Bromer, 1983. -- 61 p. : ill. ; 28 x 33 mm. -- Call
no.: PS3513 .O614E2 1983
-----------------------------------------------------
The Chinese Obelisks : Fourth Alphabet / Edward Gorey. -- New
York : Fantod Press, 1970. -- 56 p. : ill. ; 13 x 16 cm. --
(Fantod ; 2) -- Call no.: PS3513 .O614C4 1970
-----------------------------------------------------
Categor y : Fifty Drawings / by Edward Gorey. -- New York :
Gotham Book Mart, 1973. -- Title might also be: Category or
Categorey or Cat Gorey (a cat may be moving the letter 'E'
from early in the word, to the blank space before the 'Y').
-- 54 leaves : ill. ; 14 cm. -- Call no.: PS3513 .O614C3
-----------------------------------------------------
The Fatal Lozenge : an Alphabet / by Edward Gorey. -- New York
: Astor-Honor, 1960. -- 30 leaves : ill. ; 15 cm. -- Verse.
-- Call no.: PS3513 .O614F3 1960

Here's something I sent in - France's Lucky Luke in Vietnamese...

Ngoai Vong Phap Luat / kich ban & ve tranh, Morris ; dich loi,
Tu Hoa ; viet chu, Phan Le. -- Ho Chi Minh City : Nha Xuat
Ban Tre, 1999? -- 46 p. : col. ill. ; 29 cm. -- (Lucky Luke
; 33) -- Translation of: Hors la Loi. -- Western genre. --
Call no.: PN6747.M64 L80619 1999

I missed this next one completely. Is this a series? Are these really erotic comics artists (except for Gilbert, that is)?

Best Erotic Comics 2008 / edited by Greta Christina; with work
by Daniel Clowes, Phoebe Gloeckner, Gilbert Hernandez, &
more. -- San Francisco, Calif. : Last Gasp, 2007. -- 203 p.
: ill. ; 28 cm. -- Call no.: PN6726.B343 2007

The collection of syndicate proofs is being catalogued - here's one example of a strip by Blondie's Young...

"Extreme Table Tennis"* (Colonel Potterby and the Duchess,
Jan. 17, 1937) / by Chic Young. -- Silent strip. -- Call
no.: oversize PN6726.K52A22 1972

...actually it looks like April is mostly syndicate proofs and Treasure Chest. Oh well...

"The Largest Flock of Wild Flamingos in the Bahamas"* (Chuck
White and His Friends) / by Max Pine and Fran Matera. p.
18-23 in Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact, v. 20, no. 13
(Feb. 25, 1965). -- "To be continued." -- Call no.:
PN6728.1.P43T7v.20no.13

...if you need stories like that, now you can find them. Let's see if May, not even half over yet, brings any surprises tomorrow.

Comic Riffs talks to Spiegelman too, and he too likes Cul de Sac

Completing the Trifecta, Comic Riffs has "Mr. Spiegelman Goes to Washington," Michael Cavna, May 4, 2009 and "The Interview: "Maus's" Art Spiegelman" By Michael Cavna, May 5, 2009 in which he says, I like Richard Thompson's work ["Cul de Sac"]. They're good gags, and graphically it's on a very high level. ... It really seems like the inheritor to the "Calvin and Hobbes" [mantle]. It's amazing when any strip can electrify and bring life to a form [the comic strip] that is on life support.

OT: Toronto Comic Arts Festival academic panels

My friends Barbara and Bart are presenting papers.

Another New Narrative: Comics in Literature, Film, and Art
An interdisciplinary conference 9-10 May 2009

Sponsored by the Department of English at the University of Toronto and in association with the Toronto Comic Arts Festival


Saturday 9 May

All panels will take place within the Metro Central Reference Library, in the “learning centre.” There will be signage!

9:00 onward: pick-up your name tag and a program
Need help? Andrew Lesk andrew.lesk@utoronto.ca 416-841-8985

Panel 1 Contextual Shifts 9:15 – 10:30
Chair: Andrew Lesk (Toronto)

Beaty, Bart (Calgary)
“Comics Off the Page: Towards a Theory of Performance in the Comics World”

Shaviro, Steven (Wayne State)
“Iron Man as Corporate Fantasy”

Willmott, Glenn (Queen’s)
“Comics, Economy, Ecology: Winsor McCay and Junko Mizuno.”


Panel 2 The Media is the Message 10:30 – 12:15
Chair: Marni Stanley (Vancouver Island)

Coppin, Peter (Toronto)
“What Comics and Geometric Proofs have in Common”

Hains, David (Toronto)
“Fractal Literature: What Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home has in Common with Broccoli and Stock Charts”

O’Flynn, Siobhan (Toronto)
“Interactive Graphic Novels: Redefining the Form (again!)”

Postema, Barbara (Michigan State)
“Mind the Gap: Absence as Narrative Function in Comics”


Panel 3 Closer Looks 12:15 – 1:30
Chair: Glenn Willmott (Queen’s)

Hornick, Edward (Kenyon – New Orleans)
“Little Otter Lost: Understanding Achewood through its Kid”

Stanley, Marni (Vancouver Island)
“Out of Line: Closets and Consequences in Cruse's Stuck Rubber Baby”

Ziegler, Kevin (Waterloo)
“‘Piece It All Together and It’s Barely a Quarter of the Puzzle’: Seth’s It’s a Good Life, If You Don’t Weaken and Alternative Autobiographical Comics”


Panel 4 Presenting…. 1:30 – 2:30

An informal hour with authors and their works.

Jeet Heer & Ken Worcester on A Comics Studies Reader

and

David Collier & Robert Hamilton on David Collier


Panel 5 Confluence and Confusion 2:30 – 3:45

Chair: Siobahan O’Flynn (Toronto)
Cedeira Serantes, Lucia (Western)
“‘I am only really looking for a story’: Selection Practices of Four Comic Book Readers”

Rogers, Sean (York)
“‘Out of the Wild Blue Yellow Yonder’: Comic Books and Confusion in Artists and Models”

Sinervo, Kalervo (Simon Fraser)
“Gods with Teeth: Grant Morrison and the God/Author/Author/God Complex



Panel 6 Creative Bursts 3:45 – 5
Chair: Steven Shaviro (Wayne State)

Jeffries, Dru (Concordia)
“Things Ain’t Gonna Be De Same From Now On”: Dime Novels, Dick Tracy and the Emergence of the Avenger Detective.”

Sakkos, Vasileios (London)
“Transubstantiation on The Comic Book Page: Image made Flesh, Sanctified and Defiled in Ink and Pulp.”

Yao, Christine (Dalhousie)
“Ethical Questions and Literary Merit: Reverse Discourses in Fredric Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent”

OT: new Finnish fantasy novel by my friend Kate

Fledgling comic book author and buddy Kate Laity has a new novel out. Here's the PR:

Unikirja: Dream Book
By K. A. Laity
ISBN 978-0-9821725-0-6
169 pages, 6” x 9” paperback, $16.00
Published April 2009 by Aino Press


The schemes of witches and sages and giants.
Doomed marriages and supernatural bargains.
The magic of music, of the sauna, of family.
A fish who’s a girl, a girl who’s a wolf.
The creation of the world.

K. A. Laity weaves timeless magic in UNIKIRJA: DREAM BOOK. Tales from the Kalevala and Kanteletar, the ancient myths and folktales of Finland, receive new life and meaning in these imaginative retellings. Mixing the realistic with the fantastic, the mythic with the modern, the dream-tales of UNIKIRJA reinterpret the beauty of the original, time-honored Finnish stories for contemporary readers.

Laity’s work on this collection won her the 2005 Eureka Short Story Fellowship and a grant from the Finlandia Foundation in 2006. Some of these stories have previously appeared in New World Finn, Mythic Passages, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword and Sorceress XXI, The Beltane Papers, and Kippis! Literary Journal. UNIKIRJA also includes four never-before published pieces, including “Lumottu,” an innovative and deeply moving new play.


About the Author:
K. A. Laity is the award-winning author of PELZMANTEL: A MEDIEVAL TALE (nominated for the Aesop Award and the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award) as well as many short stories, plays, and essays. As Assistant Professor of English at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, she specializes in medieval literature and also teaches popular culture, film, and New Media. Visit her website at kalaity.com

For more information, including author interview requests, contact:
Gene Kannenberg, Jr.
Publisher, Aino Press
ainopress@gmail.com
518-268-8041
http://www.aino-press.com

OT: The Book of Marvels (no, not those Marvels)

(Not those Marvels either)

This week, Barnes & Noble is featuring The Book of Marvels by Mark Collins Jenkins.

This is Mark's 4th book on the history of exploring and National Geographic and they're all worth checking out.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/bn-review/spotlight.asp?PID=28231&cds2Pid=22560&linkid=1389261

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection's March 2009 additions

The first book indexed in March that I find is...

Oliver Twist / by Charles Dickens ; adapted by Marian Leighton
; illustrations by Ric Estrada. -- New York : Playmore,
Publishers under arrangement with I. Waldman & Son, 1979.
-- 238 p. : ill. ; 14 cm. -- (Illustrated Classic Editions
; 4517) -- (Moby Books) -- Summary (from OCLC): Deals with
the adventures of a young orphan boy trying to survive amid
greed and poverty in 19th-century London. -- Call no.:
PR4574.L45 1979


...and Ric Estrada just died this week.

Well, moving on...

Love & Dating and Other Natural Disasters! / Ron Wheeler. --
Kansas City, Mo. : Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1993.
-- 1 v. : ill. ; 14 x 21 cm. -- At head of title: Jeremiah.
-- Collects the Christian comic strip The Adventures of
Jeremiah. -- Romance and teen humor genres. -- Call no.:
PN6727.W435L6 1993

...I think this could have used a 'religion' tag...

...there can't be too many copies of this in America...

Insubstantial Pageant / by George Molnar. -- Sydney : Angus
and Robertson, 1959. -- 1 v. : ill. ; 26 cm. -- Australian
cartoons. -- Call no.: NC1759.M6 I5 1959
Molnar, George, 1910-


Somebody needs to donate some Iron Man...

The Invincible Iron Man. -- New York : Marvel Publishing,
2005- . -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Began with no. 1 (Jan.
2005), cf. Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. --
Superhero genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 26 (2008). -- Call
no.: PN6728.7.M3 I56

Has anyone read this yet? I still haven't picked up a copy in spite of my best intentions...

Jackie Ormes : the First African American Woman Cartoonist /
Nancy Goldstein. -- Ann Arbor : University of Michigan
Press, 2008. -- 225 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm. --
Includes bibliographical references (p. 205-213) and index.
-- Call no.: PN6727 .O74G65 2008


Anybody remember Flint Henry's work on Grimjack? Great stuff...

Todd Toys presents No Rest for the Wicked : the Clown / story,
Eldon Asp ; pencils, Flint Henry ; inks, Flint Henry, Troy
Hubbs ; letters, Lois Buhalis ; color, Todd Broeker. --
Livonia, Mich. : Todd Toys, 1994. -- 16 p. : col. ill. ; 26
cm. -- Cover title: Todd McFarlane's Spawn. -- "The Clown
figure #1". -- "Item # 10105". -- Comic book intended to
accompany a toy. -- Superhero genre. -- Call no.:
PN6728.25.T6N6 1994

I think we can safely assume that the only time these three items will ever appear together is in this Log entry...

Little Caesar's Pizza! Pizza! Flip Book. Little Caesar's
Cheeser! Cheeser! Flip Book. -- Little Caesar's, 1994. --
80 p. : all ill. ; 64 mm. -- Flip animation beginning from
each cover. -- Advertising genre. -- Call no.:
PN6728.25.L55F55 1994
-----------------------------------------------------
Hanna-Barbera's Hong Kong Phooey and the Bird Nest Snatchers /
by Jean Lewis ; illustrated by Phil Ostapczuk. -- Chicago :
Rand McNally & Company, 1976. -- 21 p. : col. ill. ; 21 cm.
-- Funny animal fiction. -- Call no.: PN1992.77.H63L4 1976
-----------------------------------------------------
Froissart's Modern Chronicles / told & pictured by F.
Carruthers Gould. -- London : T. F. Unwin, 1902. -- 108 p.
: ill. ; 22 cm. -- Cartoons about 18th century British
history. -- Call no.: DA561.G7 1902
Gould, F. Carruthers (Francis Carruthers), 1844-1925.

Whoops, missed this one whilst doing the Pekar book...

"Splendid Misery : an Interview with Robert Pulcini and Shari
Springer Berman" / by Dennis West and Joan M. West with
Anne Gilbert. p. 40-43 in Cineaste, v. 28, no. 4 (Sept.
2003). -- Topic is making the film American Splendor. --
Call no.: PN6710.S35 2003


There's a bunch of citations from the Advocate of which this is a typical example...

"Groening Against the Grain : Maverick Cartoonist Matt
Groening Draws in Readers with Gay Characters Akbar and
Jeff" / by Doug Sadownick. p. 30-35 in The Advocate, no.
571 (Feb. 26, 1991). -- Includes sample cartoons and
photograph of Groening. -- Cover title: "A Life in Hell
Valentine: Cartoonist Matt Groening Outs Akbar and Jeff."
-- Call no.: PN6710.S35 1991
RECLASS


I've got a review copy of this waiting around (sorry, Rob!)...

Captain America and the Struggle of the Superhero : Critical
Essays / edited by Robert G. Weiner ; foreword by John
Shelton Lawrence ; afterword by J.M. DeMatteis. --
Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co., 2009. -- 255 p. : ill. ;
26 cm. -- Includes bibliographical references and index. --
Includes filmography: p. 218-226. -- "The topics discussed
include the ways Nazi Germany was represented in Captain
America Comics from the 1940s to the 1960s; the creation of
Captain America in the Jewish American experience; the
relationship between Captain America and Captain Britain;
the partnership between Captain America and The Falcon; and
various attempts to kill Captain America before his "real"
death"--Provided by publisher. -- Call no.: PN6725.W427C3
2009

...and this is Out of Print due to Candyland's objections (it's damned funny though)...

The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories : a Collection
of the Comic Strips of the Perry Bible Fellowship / by
Nicholas Gurewitch. -- Milwaukie, Or. : Dark Horse Books,
2007. -- 96 p. : col. ill. ; 21 cm. -- Alternative genre.
-- Call no.: PN6728.P437G97 2007

Superhero and funny animal fiction ... you don't get that in just any publication... although you can in Garfield's Pet Force...

Daring Dog and Captain Cat / by Arnold Adoff ; illustrated by
Joe Cepeda. -- New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young
Readers, 2001. -- 1 v. : col. ill. ; 28 cm. -- Summary
(from OCLC): Although they are normal and obedient pets
during the day, at night Irving Dog and Ermine Cat rise and
shake and roam as Daring Dog and Captain Cat, twirling
capes and flashing swords and chasing crooks. -- Superhero
and funny animal fiction. -- Call no.: folio PS3551.D66D3
2001

I just bought a bunch of these comics at Fantom's 50% off sale - they seem to have hired some of the stalwarts of the 1980s to work on them...

Robin Hood : Outlaw of Sherwood Forest : an English Legend /
story by Paul D. Storrie ; pencils and inks by Thomas
Yeates. -- Minneapolis, MN : Graphic Universe, 2007. -- 48
p. : col. ill. ; 25 cm. -- (Graphic Myths and Legends) --
Summary (from OCLC): In comics format, recounts the life
and adventures of Robin Hood, who, with his band of
followers, lived in Sherwood Forest as an outlaw dedicated
to fighting tyranny. -- Includes bibliographical references
(p. 47) and index. -- Call no.: PN6727.Y37R6 2007

Tomorrow - April means Zapiro!

Dougan and Lawless on SMITH Magazine and beyond

I'm poking around SMITH Magazines webcomics after being friended by Jeff Newelt and just ran across Next Door Neighbor: Return to Sender by Jim Dougan and Molly Lawless, seen earlier this evening in the Free Comic Book Day post.

And heck, at the end of the story, which is quite entertaining mind you, we can steal this biographical information to post here:

Jim Dougan is a comic writer hailing from the Hudson Valley hamlet of Millbrook, NY, and currently living in Washington, DC. His debut work in comics was the comedy graphic novella CRAZY PAPERS, drawn by Danielle Corsetto. Jim is a founding member of the comics collective The Chemistry Set, and the editor of the first ChemSet anthology collection NO FORMULA, available from Desperado Publishing. SAM & LILAH, his romance-adventure collaboration with Hyeondo Park, was featured in the March 2008 Zuda competition and has continued at ACT-I-VATE since May 2008.

Molly Lawless is a native Bostonian and current Arlington, VA-based comic artist, illustrator, wannabe-marathoner and deadball-era baseball enthusiast. Her first four mini-comics -- including the ongoing series "Great Moments in Baseball", "Rules of Romance", "My Health Regimen" and "The Turning of the Worm" have been collected in Infandum!...Ad Infinitum, now available via her website, http://tyrnyx.wordpress.com/.

Deadball? Really?

Free Comic Book Day in Washington

The crowd at Big Planet Comics Bethesda.

FCBD seemed to be a success in the area. I went to three stores, along with my daughter, a neighbor, and his daughter.


Big Planet Comics Bethsda, with Lee screaming behind the counter (I guess someone started changing without using the phone booth).

We began with Big Planet Comics Bethesda which was as crowded as I'd ever seen it. Already by 11:30 they had run out of adult packs of comics, even though they only opened at 11. Many of the people coming in had children with them and appeared to be coming in solely due to FCBD.



Jim Dougan and Molly Lawless and their comics.

We next went to Fantom Comics in Tenleytown which had three cartoonists appearing - writer Jim Dougan (see his new strip on Act-I-Vate), Molly Lawless and Arvid "Rex Mundi" Nelson. Molly had 3 comics books for sale, 2 of which were minis. I bought a complete set (and one for Michigan State's Comic Art Collection). Jim had 4 comics, all of which I had already. You should buy them though, right Jim? Arvid Nelson had a stack of his 5 Rex Mundi collections so I bought one of each and hope to start reading them this week (along with the preview comic Jim gave me). I wasn't wearing my reporter hat, so all I can report is that Hollywood's interested in a Rex Mundi movie (duh) and he's happy with his publisher, Dark Horse. Actually I cut in front of a guy with dozens of comics he was having signed (with his permission) and then some other people were buying trades so I didn't linger at the table.


Unfortunately, Fantom is having a 50%-off moving sale so I also bought a stack of comics 3 feet high so... However, my friend Chris has already started on his stack of five AND has been able to tell a co-worker that he saw her spouse's favorite comic book writer while he had to stay home to try to sell his house - a ridiculous excuse (my wife has been harping on seeing Stan Lee when I didn't for over 20 years now).


Arvid Nelson and Rex Mundi.

We ended up checking in with Big Planet Comics Georgetown where they said they'd had steady foot traffic, although not as crazy as Bethesda. They still had a few packs of children's comics and gladly contributed one set for the Library of Congress (although Sara Duke may have gotten her own set in which case another library will get them).


Discerning consumers.

There are more pictures in this photo set on Flickr.


The band at Fantom Comics.

The Best of Simon & Kirby (Titan Books) received for review

Today's mail brought The Best of Simon & Kirby (Titan Books) for review and I hope to have something up here soon.

They also sent me some Terminator movie books, and we may have a guest reviewer since these aren't comic-book based. Purist, I know, but one must draw the line at some point especially since I've got a lot of comics material that I've told people that I'd be reviewing (apologies if you're still waiting - I haven't forgotten).

Spiegelman interview online at Express

Here's another interview with Spiegelman - "Graphic Art: Art Spiegelman," by Express contributor Tim Follos, Express May 4, 2009.

Remember he's at the Corcoran tonight.

John Judy MAKES Star Trek

John Judy, who lets us run his Quick Reviews and was one of the key components of the early years of Big Planet Comics, would like you to know that he is now immortal.



That's him, the good-looking one, on the far left. Carrying Spock's bag.

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 05-06-09

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 05-06-09
By John Judy

AGENTS OF ATLAS #4 by Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman. A tale of two times: 1958 and the present day with the Agents throwing down hard in both eras. And one of them’s starting to lose his calm center. Recommended.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #593 by Mark Waid and Mark McKone. Okay, so last issue’s last panel probably had you scrubbing your eyes with lye. Now we find out how Spidey deals with the fact that Aunt May still has “a woman’s needs.” This never happened in the Lee-Ditko Era. Back then it was all wheat cakes and heart attacks…

ANGEL: BLOOD AND TRENCHES #3 written and drawn by John Byrne. An entertaining romp that succeeds in capturing the spirit of the much-missed TV show. It also begs the question of whether vampires ever fought on behalf of non-Germans in either World War. Y’know, except for good vampires…

ASTRO CITY: THE DARK AGE BOOK THREE #1 of 4 by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson. Kurt and Brent continue their epic saga of the Williams brothers, one a thug with a good heart, the other a conflicted cop. Oh, and there’s superheroes too. Recommended.

THE BEATS: A GRAPHIC HISTORY HC edited by Paul Buhle. What it sounds like: A history of the beat poets told in graphic form. Contributors include Harvey Pekar, Joyce Brabner, Peter Kuper and Trina Robbins among many others. Recommended, daddy-o!

BLAZING COMBAT HC by Archie Goodwin and a Pantheon of Sixties Art Gods. Collecting all four issues of the war comic that was so good it got put out of business by people who were afraid it would end the Vietnam War. Kudos to Fantagraphics for putting this together. Highly, highly recommended.

BOYS #30 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. A bonus cover by Jim Lee marks the Big Three-Oh for our heroes as they each regroup in their way after the apocalyptic events of last issue. Not for kids. Recommended.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #25 by Doug Petrie and Georges Jeanty. This story is titled “Living Doll” but don’t worry. It focuses on Buffy’s sister Dawn and is NOT an awkward promotional tie-in with A Certain TV Show of Which We Do Not Speak.

CREEPY ARCHIVES VOL. 3 HC by Various Creators, including Frazetta Toth, Orlando, Morrow and Torres. The third in this series of superb horror reprints from Dark Horse Comics. Recommended.

DESTROYER #2 of 5 by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker. Destroyer destroys stuff before he is destroyed. Hey, it’s still got more heft than the Wolverine movie! Give ‘er a look!

FIN FANG FOUR RETURN #1 by Scott Gray and Roger Langridge. Admit it, you’d want to know what Triple-F, Elektro, Googam and Gorgilla were up to even if it wasn’t hysterically funny. Me too. Recommended.

FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: RUN #1 of 6 by Matthew Sturges and Freddie E. Williams II. The story of the costumed moron who taped the murder of the Martian Manhunter on his cell phone. Meet the Red Flame. Everyone hates him so now he’s got to RUN!

FLASH PRESENTS REBIRTH #2 of 5 by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver. Barry Allen! Still fast and still not dead! Gotta look!

HUMAN TORCH COMICS 70th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL by Scott Snyder and Scott Wegener. My heroes have always been flaming Golden-Age androids so I kind of have to have this. Comes with a new story and a classic reprint. And two covers to signify twice the awesomeness.

LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN CENTURY #1 (1910) by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. The lads are at it again. Hopefully they got their game back after BLACK DOSSIER. Significantly, this is the first LOEG from Top Shelf Productions, with Moore having now completely divorced himself from DC/Wildstorm/ABC. Gotta look.

MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 #2 of 4 by Fred Van Lente and Kev Walker. The Hood’s gonna make everyone zombies unless the Marvel monsters can stop him. There. A story. Nice and straightforward. Respect.

NEW MUTANTS #1 by Zeb Wells and Diogenes Neves. It’s a reunion of the old crew as done by people whose names make me suspect that they too are mutants. Zeb and Diogenes? Right, suit up and to the Danger Room with you! PS- Four covers!

POWER GIRL #1 by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray and Amanda Conner. Um, I read it for the articles….

SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #3 of 12 by James Robinson, Greg Rucka and Pete Woods. Superman’s a grunt in the Kryptonian Army, but he’s a sassy one! Expect to see Private El peeling a lot of potatoes. Hoo-yah!

Y: THE LAST MAN: DELUXE EDITION VOL. 2 HC by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra and Others. Collecting issues #11-23 of this groundbreaking series in a beautiful oversized format. Recommended.

www.johnjudy.net

May 4: Spider-Man movie in Crystal City

Crystal Screen - Superheroes

Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities.

Date(s):
May 4, 2009 - September 21, 2009

Location:
18th and Bell Street - Courtyard Across from Crystal City Metro Station & Marriott Hotel

Event Fee:
Free

Hours:
Movies begin at sundown

Description:
Join the Crystal City BID for 21 weeks of Superheros! On Monday nights from May 4, 2009-September 21, 2009, Crystal City will be protected by Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and many others. Each night will also have special giveaways, sponsors, and other activities. Check back here for more information.

CRYSTAL KID BONUS: Since it gets dark later in the summer and movies often start past bedtime, the BID has partnered with Crystal City Sports Pub to rebroadcast each movie at 3:30 PM on the 3rd Floor of CCSP on the Wednesday following the outdoor showing, starting May 6. Bring your kids and a blanket and enjoy the fabulous surround network of TVs.

OPENING NIGHT SPECIAL: On Opening Night, May 4th, swing by the Noodles & Company at 2011 Crystal Drive and get a FREE soup, salad, or noodles from 5-7PM when you mention Crystal Screen.

Festival Rules: Patrons can bring their own picnics as long as they abide by city and festival rules. Low-backed chairs and blankets are allowed, but grills, umbrellas, and pets are prohibited.


Schedule

May 4th 2009 - Spider-Man
May 6th 2009 - Spider-Man - at CCSP
May 11, 2009 - Spider-Man 2
May 13, 2009 - Spider-Man 2 - at CCSP
May 18, 2009 - Spider-Man 3
May 20, 2009 - Spider-Man 3 - at CCSP
May 25, 2009 - The Hulk
May 27, 2009 - The Hulk - at CCSP
June 1, 2009 - Hulk 2: The Incredible Hulk
June 3, 2009 - Hulk 2: The Incredible Hulk - at CCSP
June 8, 2009 - Superman: The Superman Movie
June 10, 2009 - Superman: The Superman Movie - at CCSP
June 15, 2009 - Superman 2
June 17, 2009 - Superman 2 - at CCSP
June 22, 2009 - Superman 3: Superman vs. Superman
June 24, 2009 - Superman 3: Superman vs. Superman - at CCSP
June 29, 2009 - Superman 4: The Quest for Peace
June 31, 2009 - Superman 4: The Quest for Peace - at CCSP
July 6, 2009 - Superman 5: Superman Returns
July 8, 2009 - Superman 5: Superman Returns - at CCSP
July 13, 2009 - X-Men
July 15, 2009 - X-Men - at CCSP
July 20, 2009 - X2
July 22, 2009 - X2 - at CCSP
July 27, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand
July 29, 2009 - X-Men: The Last Stand - at CCSP
August 3, 2009 - Fantastic Four
August 5, 2009 - Fantastic Four - at CCSP
August 10, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
August 12, 2009 - Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - at CCSP
August 17, 2009 - Batman
August 19, 2009 - Batman - at CCSP
August 24, 2009 - Batman Returns
August 26, 2009 - Batman Returns - at CCSP
August 31, 2009 - Batman Forever
September 2, 2009 - Batman Forever - at CCSP
September 7, 2009 - Batman & Robin
September 9, 2009 - Batman & Robin - at CCSP
September 14, 2009 - Batman Begins
September 16, 2009 - Batman Begins - at CCSP
September 21, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight
September 23, 2009 - Batman: The Dark Knight - at CCSP

Art Spiegelman at the Corcoran tonight

Tonight at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St, NW at 7 pm. It's his Comix 101 lecture, and is $25.

An interview by Chris Kilmer is in the physical Washington Examiner today, but not apparently online.