Comics Examiner.com's 2nd DC-area comics club feature

This one's in Frederick, MD - "Comics 101: What comic book meetups are in the DC area? Part 2," DC Comic Books Examiner Mark Ruffin, September 6, 2009.

Zadzooks likes new Batman videogame

See "Zadzooks: Batman: Arkham Asylum review," Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times September 5, 2009 in which he concludes "Batman: Arkham Asylum is the best licensed comic-book video game ever made. Read that and weep, my friends, as it will take a lot for me ever to write that again."

Post on Scooby-Doo's 40th, NY Times on comics

Hank Steuver thinks the 40th anniversary of Scooby-Doo doesn't deserve a press release - "Enough Already! All '69 Anniversaries Should Be 86ed," By Hank Stuever, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, September 6, 2009, and honestly, it's hard to disagree with him.

Also in the Style & Arts section is a caricature of Jay Leno by Hanoch Piven.

The NY Times, having apparently decided that comic art is just another form of culture had a bunch of articles today besides Ms. Gerberg's marriage.

Two articles on animation -

A Tribute to the Man, Beyond Just the Mouse, By CAROL KINO, September 6, 2009 on the Walt Disney Family Museum -

- and an interview on 9 - "Scrap-Heap Heroes for a Digital Age," By MEKADO MURPHY, September 6, 2009 -

- one on the Berndt Toast Gang, a group of Long Island gag cartoonists that didn't make it into the Washington print edition - "Pen Strokes and Gag Lines, a Stimulus Package for All," By JAMES KINDALL, New York Times September 6, 2009-

- one on a musician comic book writer whose new comic is Fall Out Toy Works- "A Night Out With | Pete Wentz; Song-and-Spoof Man," By TRICIA ROMANO -

- and Jason Lutes illustrated Paul Krugman's article on economics in the Magazine.

Mort Gerberg's daughter marries

The daughter of cartoonist Mort Gerberg, of the New Yorker, Huffington Post, and several recent anthologies, married this weekend. We mention this here because Ms. Gerberg works in Arlington, VA. We wish her the best in her new life.

For more details, see Lilia Gerberg and Matthew McCaffree, New York Times September 6, 2009.

Newport's Batman 2 at Renwick featured in Examiner

Today's Examiner's got a few comics things -

The Eye: Mark Newport's 'Batman 2'
By: Chris Klimek
Washington Examiner September 6, 2009): 31

and an AP story on Marvel's Tim Gunn fashion comic, a cover caricature by Nate Beeler, and a page of political cartoons including Dry Bones from Israel and a reprise of Beeler's Marvel-Disney cartoon from earlier this week.

Quick Reviews for Comics Due THURSDAY (not Wednesday) 09-10-09

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE THURSDAY (not Wednesday) 09-10-09

By John Judy

 

ADVENTURE COMICS #2 by Geoff Johns, Michael Shoemaker, Francis Manapul and Clayton Henry.  Superboy and Wonder Girl have "the talk."  So do Lightning Lad and his evil brother Lightning Lord, after a fashion.  Hijinks ensue.

 

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #604 by Fred Van Lente and Barry Kitson.  In which we learn how wrapping yourself in web fluid can keep you alive and breathing for days in a vat of flesh and bone disintegrating acid while the Chameleon assumes your identity.  Also the Black Cat maybe shows up and acts all flirty.

 

DARK AVENGERS / UNCANNY X-MEN: EXODUS #1 by Matt Fraction and Mike Deodato. Big fight containing nuggets of plot and character.  Because you demanded it or something!

 

DARK REIGN: THE LIST AVENGERS ONE-SHOT by Brian Michael Bendis and Marko Djurdjevic.  "Clint Barton fans… you are not going to want to miss this one!"

 

DOOM PATROL #2 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Matthew Clark and Kevin Maguire.  The DP fight a black hole and the Metal Men go into space.  That's right: Space!

 

KICK-ASS #7 by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.  Four months after the last issue came out we finally learn what hideous fate awaits Big Daddy, Hit-Girl and that dirty traitor Red Mist.  You do remember Big Daddy, Hit-Girl and that dirty traitor Red Mist, don't you?  Come on, it's only been four months!  Quality takes time and so does KICK-ASS!  Stop whispering how the last time an issue of KICK-ASS came out Michael Jackson still had two months to live!  Just stop it, I say!

 

MARVELS PROJECT #2 of 8 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting.  The best thing to happen to Marvel/Timely's golden age since THE TWELVE.  See how it all came to be with a little retroactive continuity polish.  Highly recommended.

 

PUNISHER FRANK: CASTLE MAX #74 by Vic Gischler and Goran Parlov.  It's a sign of just how low Frank has fallen when his survival depends on the punk he had doped up and stuffed in his trunk.  Featuring hulking hillbilly swamp cannibals.  Recommended.

 

SECRET SIX #13 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott.  After last issue's brutal take-down of Wonder Woman you probably didn't think the Six could get darker.  Guess again.  The closest the DCU has to an old-school EC crime/horror comic.  Recommended.

 

STITCHES HC written and drawn by David Small.  The autobiographical story of how a young boy woke from a "harmless operation" to discover a major and unpleasant surprise.  No capes, but lots of action.  Highly recommended.

 

SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #7 of 12 by James Robinson, Greg Rucka and Pete Woods. What alien race would be dumb enough to declare war on a planet full of super-powered Kryptonians?  Other than humans?  The answer may surprise you.  Or not.  Either way this thing is playing out much stronger than expected.  Recommended.

 

THUNDERBOLTS #135 by Andy Diggle and Miguel Angel Sepulveda.  The T-Bolts were backstabbing, corrupt and psychotic before DARK REIGN made it cool.  Let's see who ends up with the most steel between their ribs, shall we?  Recommended.

 

ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #2 by Mark Millar and Carlos Pacheco.  So Ultimate Red Skull is Ultimate Captain America's son and Ultimate Tony Stark now has an "older, richer, smarter brother" who we somehow never saw in his own series.  Oh, Millar…!

 

UNWRITTEN #5 by Mike Carey and Peter Gross.  A little stand-alone tale of Rudyard Kipling and how he fits in with Tommy Taylor's rapidly collapsing ficto-verse.  Highly recommended.

 

WEDNESDAY COMICS #10 of 12 by Various Creators.  Lots going on as the end draws nigh but seeing Superman and Hawkman getting ready to stomp alien monsters and dinosaurs respectively promises great fun still to be had.  Recommended.

 

www.johnjudy.net

Tamaki in Style

Jillian Tamaki, one of the cousins behind Skim, illustrated the Post's Style section story on swine flu. It's an abstract watercolor, which I don't think is her typical style.

Tom Toles back when he was a Buffalonian

Here's some 1973 art by Toles - scott edelman, "Tom Toles and the Cosmos," Failing Better blog 03 September 2009.

Kevin Rechin on Extreme Makeover in Hyattsville

Kevin just sent this note in about a really cool project he just worked on -

Well, last week I did something totally different for me. I designed and painted a mural with the help of a couple assistants for a kids room for Extreme Makeover, Home Edition in Hyattsville, MD. Basically I had a few days to come up with the color sketch and characters. As for the execution, we finally got into the room at 3:30 p.m. last Friday and worked non-stop until about 2 p.m. the next day. Literally about an hour before the final reveal to the family.

All I can say is that it was one of the most surreal, amazing things I ever been involved with. 

The show will probably air sometime in late October.

Here's a link to the Post story on the family. I'm sure it's a really sweet piece of art.

Weldon on Masterpiece Comics By R. Sikoryak

I haven't read the book yet, buy Sikoryak is a master of mimicking styles.

Weldon, Glen.  2009.
Classics, Comics In Masterful Mashups.
National Public Radio's Books We Like (September 3):
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112510733&ps=cprs

Georgetown U paper reviews Ponyo

Miyazaki and the animated bowl of delights
Jeff Reger
Georgetown Voice September 3 2009

PR: Small Press Expo Announces John Porcellino and Willy Linthout as Guests

Small Press Expo Announces John Porcellino and Willy Linthout as Guests for SPX 2009

 

For Immediate Release                              

Contact: Warren Bernard

E-Mail: warren@spxpo.com

 

Bethesda, Maryland; September 3, 2009 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, is pleased to announce John Porcellino and Willy Linthout as guests for SPX 2009.

John Porcellino is the creator of the mini-comix series King-Kat Comics, that began in 1989 that has spanned 69 issues of some of the best and most influential mini-comix around today. His autobiographical Diary of a Mosquito Abatement Man, a collection of stories from King-Kat Comics, won the Ignatz Award in 2005.  Porcellino's work has been translated into French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Italian, and Korean and has contributed to McSweeney's Quarterly, Kramer's Ergot and Comics Journal Special. SPX is honored to have John join SPX 2009

Willy Linthout saw his first published comics in the Dutch edition of (À Suivre) magazine. In 1983 he began a collaboration with the Dutch comic actor Urbanus,  producing more than 130 enormously popular albums with Urbanus that has sold millions of copies. In 2004 Linthout's son took his own life. Linthout processed his reactions to that experience in the graphic novel Years of the Elephant, published in Dutch by Bries and published this year in an English-language edition by Fanfare/Ponent Mon. The book won the Dutch Stripschapspenning award for best literary graphic novel (2007), the Flemish Community Cultural Award (2008), the Bronzen Adhemar (2009) and the Carolus Quintus Prize(2009). Willy appears at SPX with the generous support of the Flemish Literature Fund.

John Porcellino and Willy Linthout are in addition to the previously announced guests Gahan Wilson, Paul Karasik, Carol Tyler and Josh Neufeld.

SPX will be held Saturday, September 26 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, September 27, noon-6PM at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admission is $10 for a single day and $15 for both days.

 

For further information on the Ignatz Awards, the nominees or to request an interview, please contact Warren Bernard at warren@spxpo.com.

 

For more information on the Small Press Expo and the Ignatz Awards, please visit http://www.spxpo.com.

Batman videogame reviewed in Express

A Video Game Fit for a Hero: Being Batman is a joy at the art controls of 'Arkham Asylum' [videogame; online title: Fit for a Hero: 'Batman: Arkham Asylum'].

Posted By Micah Pearson

Express September 2, 2009

Online at http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2009/09/batman-arkham-asylum.php

Alliance Comics expands into Baltimore

Baltimore Books Examiner A. Jarrell Hayes reports that the Silver Spring store Alliance Comics opened a new store in Baltimore today.

PR: Joe Kubert Comes to the 2009 Baltimore Comic-Con!

Joe Kubert Comes to the 2009 Baltimore Comic-Con! Baltimore, Maryland - August 19, 2009 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to announce the addition of Joe Kubert as a guest at our 10th Anniversary show on Saturday, October 10th and Sunday, October 11th, 2009.   A returning guest, Joe Kubert is one of the living legends in the comics field today.  With over 60 years of experience working in the industry, Joe has seen it all!  He been a writer, artist, editor, and teacher, working in both comics and comic strip syndication.  His work is well-regarded and noteworthy both in and outside of comic book circles, having worked on everything from DC Comics' Sgt. Rock and Hawkman to Dark Horse's Fax from Sarajevo and iBooks' Yossel:  April 19, 1943.  You can currently find his art in DC Comics' weekly Wednesday Comics project, where he is drawing the Sgt. Rock strip.  His school, The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, has produced and continues to teach a new generation of comics professionals.   "We are thrilled and honored that Joe is coming back to our show," said Baltimore Comic-Con promoter Marc Nathan.  "He represents everything that's right about comics, having spent a lifetime both working at his own career and helping others to be the future of comics with his school." Other Guests In addition to Joe Kubert, the Baltimore Comic-Con is pleased to announce the following guests:  Tommy Castillo (Kong:  King of Skull Island), Chris Ivy (Beast Boy), Jack Purcell (Gotham Underground), and Brian Reber (Captain Britain and MI13). Already announced guests, new and returning, include:  Jason Aaron (Wolverine), Mike and Laura Allred (Madman), Dick Ayers (Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos), Paul Azaceta (Amazing Spider-Man), Brian Michael Bendis (Avengers), Ryan Bodenheim (Red Mass for Mars), Doug Braithwaite (Wolverine: Origins), Pat Broderick (Vincent Price Presents), Buzz (Atomika), Jim Calafiore (Batgirl), Eric Canete (Iron Man:  Enter the Mandarin), Nick Cardy (Aquaman), Jerry Carr (Cryptozoo Crew), Mike Cavallaro (ACT-I-VATE)Bernard Chang (Wonder Woman), Jo Chen (New Avengers:  The Reunion), Sean Chen (Dark Reign:  Fantastic Four), Jimmy Cheung (New Avengers: Illuminati), Cliff Chiang (Green Arrow & Black Canary), Frank Cho (Ultimates 4), Chris Claremont (X-Men Forever), Steve Conley (Star Trek:  Year Four), Amanda Conner (Power Girl), J.M. DeMatteis (Metal Men), Todd Dezago (Marvel Adventures:  Spider-Man), Michael Dolce (Descendant), Evan Dorkin (Beasts of Burden), Jim Dougan (ACT-I-VATE), Jan Duursema (Star Wars:  Legacy), Sarah Dyer (Superman Adventures), Steve Englehart (Avengers), Jay Faerber (Noble Causes), Michel Fiffe (ACT-I-VATE), David Finch (Ultimatum), Bob Fingerman (Recess Pieces), Matt Fraction (Uncanny X-Men), Simon Fraser (ACT-I-VATE), John Gallagher (Buzzboy), Ron Garney (Wolverine:  Weapon X), Bryan J.L. Glass (Mice Templar), Michael Golden (Spider-Man 1602), Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules), Sanford Greene (Marvel Adventures Spider-Man), Tim Hamilton (ACT-I-VATE), Cully Hamner (Detective Comics), Tony Harris (Ex Machina), Dean Haspiel (ACT-I-VATE), Jennifer Hayden (ACT-I-VATE), Mark Hempel (Absolute Sandman), Greg Horn (Cover Stories:  The Art of Greg Horn), Adam Hughes (Power Girl), Jamal Igle (Supergirl), Kathryn Immonen (Runaways), Stuart Immonen (New Avengers), Joe Infurnari (ACT-I-VATE), Georges Jeanty (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Van Jensen (Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer), J.G. Jones (Final Crisis), Joe Jusko (Kolchak:  Tales of the Night Stalker), Karl Kesel (Marvel Apes), Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), Barry Kitson (Amazing Spider-Man), Scott Koblish (Final Crisis:  Legion of Three Worlds), Scott Kurtz (PvP), Michael Lark (Daredevil), Erik Larsen (Savage Dragon), Greg LaRocque (Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man), Jerry "The King" Lawler(Headlocked), Norman Lee (GeNext), Steve Lieber (Underground), Luna Brothers (The Sword), Andy MacDonald (NYC Mech), David Mack (Kabuki), Tom Mandrake (The Outsiders), Larry Marder (Beanworld), Laura Martin (Thor), Ron Marz (Witchblade), Sean McKeever (Teen Titans), Mark McKenna (BananaTail), Mike McKone (Amazing Spider-Man), Bob McLeod (New Mutants), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Pop Mhan (World of Warcraft), Mark Morales (Secret Invasion), Doug Murray (Jungle Girl Season 2), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), Phil Noto (Batgirl), Kevin Nowlan (The Spirit), Mike Oeming (Mice Templar), Ryan Ottley (Invincible), Jimmy Palmiotti (Jonah Hex), Jeff Parker (Agents of ATLAS), Dan Parsons (Star Wars:  The Clone Wars), Guest of Honor George Perez (Final Crisis:  Legion of Three Worlds), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Ultimate Comics Armor Wars), Khoi Pham (Mighty Avengers), Whilce Portacio (Spawn), Eric Powell (The Goon), Buddy Prince (Night), Brian Pulido (Lady Death), Mike Raicht (Army of Darkness), Tom Raney (Dark Reign:  Hawkeye), Kat Roberts (ACT-I-VATE), Alex Robinson (Too Cool to be Forgotten), James Robinson (Superman), Budd Root (Cavewoman), Don Rosa (Uncle Scrooge), Craig Rousseau (Iron Man & The Armor Wars), Stephane Roux (Amazing Spider-Man), Andy Runton (Owly), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Tim Sale (Heroes), Ian Sattler (Final Crisis:  Aftermath), Scott Christian Sava (Dreamland Chronicles), Alex Saviuk (The Phantom Generations), Marc Silvestri (Witchblade), Walt Simonson (Thor), Andy Smith (Dean Koontz's Nevermore), John K. Snyder III (Doctor Mid-Nite), Allison Sohn (Star Wars trading card artist), Taki Soma (Rapture), Richard Starkings (Elephentmen), Jim Starlin (Strange Adventures), Brian Stelfreeze (Final Crisis Aftermath:  Ink), Paul Storrie (Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons), Karl Story (Batman:  Streets of Gotham), Mark Texeira (Punisher), Robert Tinnell (EZ Street), Peter Tomasi (Blackest Night:  Batman), Herb Trimpe (Hulk), Billy Tucci (Sgt. Rock:  The Lost Battalion), Jim Valentino (Shadowline Comics), Rob Venditti (The Surrogates), Dexter Vines (Wolverine), Neil Vokes (The Black Forest), Doug Wagner (The Ride), Matt Wagner (Grendel), Mark Waid (The Incredibles), Len Wein (Justice League of America), Mark Whealey (Lone Justice), Renee Witterstaetter (Tex:  The Art of Mark Texeira -- The Artist's Great Escape), Brian Wood (sponsored by Laughing Ogre Comics, Northlanders), Bernie Wrightson (Swamp Thing), Kelly Yates (Amber Atoms), and Thom Zahler (Love & Capes). Tickets As a reminder, we encourage you to buy your ticket in advance via http://www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets.htm to avoid the ticket line at the show.   Hotel Room Deadline September 9, 2009 is the final day of the discount hotel room guarantee via http://www.baltimorecomiccon.com/hotels.htm.  The show has negotiated special, limited-time rates on a limited number of rooms at hotels around the Baltimore Convention Center -- please take advantage of this opportunity while it exists! In coming weeks, look for ongoing announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con.  We are looking forward to adding yet more guests and providing details on the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming.  The latest developments can always be found at our website, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and ComicSpace pages. This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held October 10-11, 2009. Convention hours are Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, October 10th. As we continue to get ready for this year's show, we would like to remind you to mark your calendar for next year's Baltimore Comic-Con dates: August 28-29, 2010. About The Baltimore Comic-Con The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 10th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held Oct 10-11, 2009. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.   About The Harvey Awards The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 4 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

PR: The ACT-I-VATE PRIMER Debuts at Baltimore Comic-Con

Note DC writer Jim Dougan's in this, as well as other exciting cartoonists.

The ACT-I-VATE PRIMER Debuts at Baltimore Comic-Con Baltimore, Maryland - August 30, 2009 - Members of the premier webcomix collective, ACT-I-VATE, will debut their very first print anthology THE ACT-I-VATE PRIMER, at the Baltimore Comic-Con, October 10th & 11th.     There will be an ACT-I-VATE panel discussion featuring Dean Haspiel, Mike Cavallaro, Tim Hamilton, Joe Infurnari, Simon Fraser, Michel Fiffe, Kat Roberts, Jim Dougan, and Jennifer Hayden.  For more information on ACT-I-VATE, please visit:   http://www.act-i-vate.com/   "I'm excited that the ACT-I-VATE crew chose our show to debut their book," said Baltimore Comic-Con promoter, Marc Nathan. "Their web-comics have garnered a great deal of attention, so I am anxious to get to see fans' first look at the printed works." This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held October 10-11, 2009. Convention hours are Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. The ceremony and banquet for the Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, October 10th. As we continue to get ready for this year's show, we would like to remind you to mark your calendar for next year's Baltimore Comic-Con dates: August 28-29, 2010. About The Baltimore Comic-Con The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 10th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held Oct 10-11, 2009. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.   About The Harvey Awards The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 4 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

NPR's Weldon on Disney-Marvel media agglomeration

Weldon, Glen.  2009.

Why Disney's Delicious Snack Cakes Don't Threaten Marvel's Golden Eggs

National Public Radio's Monkey See blog (September 2):

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/09/disney_marvel_and_the_tortured.html?sc=nl&cc=msb-20090902

Conversations with ADD free ebook!A

Alan David Doane kindly gave me permission to use his interview with Harvey in the Conversations book, and now he's put all of his comics interviews into one free e-book! He writes:

Conversations with ADD Now Available -- My third eBook is now available for download here on Comic Book Galaxy.

Nearly 300 pages in length, Conversations with ADD compiles almost all of the interviews I have conducted with writers, artists, editors and publishers since I started writing about comics ten years ago. The Foreword is by writer Christopher Allen, and the Afterword is by autobiographical cartoonist Jason Marcy.

Isn't that neat? Although to be honest, I'd buy a print copy. There's something about paper...

Harvey Pekar: Conversations - a true collector's item!

Apparently the University Press of Mississippi has sold around 600 copies of my Harvey Pekar: Conversations book which is filled with fine interviews with Harvey, covering a 25-year period. If every copy sold in the US, that's 1 copy per every half million people. And actually apparently 2 sold overseas! We're talking real scarcity here. If you want to get in before they're all gone, the Press will be glad to sell you a copy. Or two.

Big Planet Bethesda's still got a couple on the rack too...

...not that I'm begging or anything.

Nate Beeler's excellent cartoon Disney and Marvel

follow the link...

When Superhero Mutants Go Disney
By: Nate Beeler
Examiner Staff Writer
9/1/09http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/NateBeelerToons/When-Superhero-Mutants-Go-Disney-56425677.html