Our Town, #3

The third Our Town appeared in the Washington Post Magazine yesterday. This piece of cartoon journalism is by Michael Cavna on the C&O Canal Boat Ride. Like the first one, I like the selection of the place, and the idea, but the strip is hampered by its small size. A half-page of a small magazine is not enough room to put in commentary and a drawing.

Washington Examiner editorial on Danish Islam Cartoons and Yale

I wouldn't have remotely written a column such as this one, but I am appalled by Yale's actions, inactions and stance regarding their Press' refusal to publish the Danish Islam Cartoons in a book about them, and then the over-reaction to Westergaard's visit. See "Yale chose Shariah over U.S. Constitution," by Diana West, Washington Examiner Columnist, October 11, 2009. I will note snarkily that the Constitution's guarantee of free speech doesn't mean that one has to take advantage of it.

Ann Telnaes has a new blog

Ann Telnaes writes in, "I'm doing a blog- not much writing, but reposting past print editorial cartoons which are still relevant today and linking to interesting news items: http://anntelnaes.blogspot.com/ "

Anyone interested in editorial cartooning should definitely check this out. Ann's one of the best cartoonists around, and her line is lovely.

Her animations are still appearing regularly on the Washington Post website.

Baltimore Comic Con photos continued

Baltimore Comic Con. Don Rosa correcting Scrooge's eyeglasses. He said he draws the view through the lenses but European publishers blank them out.


Baltimore Comic Con. Robert Montgomery and Don Rosa.


Rob Ullman. Rob said that he did well at the show, although Sunday was slower.


Frank Cho.


Image Comics booth.


Dark Horse Comics booth.


Tim Sale, racing the hourglass for some reason.


George Perez.


Scott Kurtz, with Greg Horn's booth signs showing oddly behind him.

Quick Reviews for Comics Due 10-14-09

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-14-09

By John Judy

 

ABSOLUTE DEATH HC by Neil Gaiman and Various Really Talented Artists.  If you are a Goth and a Neil Gaiman fan (but I repeat myself) you need to have this for your coffee table.  Or for that place on the floor where a coffee table one day will be.  Recommended.

 

MARVELS PROJECT #3 of 8 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting.  The Super-Soldier gets infiltrated, the Torch becomes a hero and Namor shows up looking for a fight!  A big one!  Recommended!

 

PUNISHER: FRANK CASTLE MAX #75 by Various Creators.  An anniversary issue containing five stories about the day Frank Castle lost it all and the world gained the Punisher.  And best of all, an eight page preview of the new Punsher series by Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon.  Recommended.  Not for kids.

 

SCALPED #32 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera.  Another mind-roasting issue of Indian Reservation Noir as Dash Bad Horse finds himself the object of attention of a jailed murderer and a drunk mystic (who is also a murderer).  And you think your Facebook stalkers are bad!  Highly recommended.  Not for kids.

 

UNCANNY X-MEN #516 by Matt Fraction and Greg Land.  Magneto!

 

UNWRITTEN #6 by Mike Carey and Peter Gross.  Tommy Taylor, having barely escaped the horror story murders last issue, must now get himself in tune with the Song of Roland.  And he's better be on tempo or else!  Recommended.

 

WALKING DEAD #66 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard.  Last issue Rick and the gang got the jump on the cannibals who ate Dale's leg.  This issue, are they really gonna do what Rick said?  Just when you think Kirkman can't twist the emotional knife any deeper….  Recommended.  Not. For.  Kids.

 

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #1 by Various Creators.  It's a new Spidey number one!

 

YOU ARE THERE HC by Jean-Claude Forest and Jacques Tardi.  A classic little something from Fantagraphics: An English language release of a key French book from the eighties, sort of a weird riff on Chekhov's "Cherry Orchard" about a once well-off landowner who loses the family plot to new money. High-brow comics that look good.  Recommended.

 

And finally, perhaps the best geek news of the week:  More DC Promo Green Lantern rings!  But not just in Green!  This week, in honor of the wildly successful and exciting "War of Light" storyline in the Green Lantern books, your finer retailers across the land will finally have Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet power rings!

 

I'm not saying that one out of every hundred of them really work, but I'm not denying it either…

 

www.johnjudy.net

 

Zadzooks on Marvel Ultimate Alliance videogame.

"Zadzooks: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 review," Joseph Szadkowski, Washington Times October 8, 2009.

Stitches reviewed in today's Post

It can take a while to find a book review since they're now hidden in the opinion (ie Outlook) section so I finally got to this review of David Small's Stitches - "Silenced Voice, Searing Pen," By Michael Sims, Washington Post October 11, 2009.

There's also an interview with Small on their website - "How Cinema Influences the Memoir "Stitches"," By Steven E. Levingston, Washington Post's Short Stack blog October 9, 2009.

Baltimore Comic Con photos

Dean Haspiel defacing a copy of The Act-i-vate Primer.

Here's my photographs from Sunday at the Baltimore Comic Con. Labels to follow, and more pictures will be put up here too. Most of the photographs were taken by Claire. (If you click through the link, several people are unidentified in the photo names, and if you know who they are, please comment).

Steve Conley original art

Here's a couple of pieces of Socks and Barney art I bought from Steve Conley at SPX. He ran out of them at Baltimore Comic Con or I probably would have bought some more. As you can see, you should definitely seek him out and buy some.



Steve Conley original strip art from Socks and Barney - ahh, that Mark Trail.



History judges George W. Bush.



'History' closeup - click through to note the blue line sketch behind the inks.

Jeff Kinney interview in Balitmore Sun

See "'Wimpy Kid' is becoming a popular kid: Part novel, part comic, the series by a Maryland alum is being turned into a film," By Mark Gross, Baltimore Sun October 11, 2009.

Whoops - happy birthday to Richard Thompson

Our Man Thompson turned 52 a couple of days ago, and I spaced out and missed it. So here's an 'artistic' picture for him too.

My Baltimore Comic Con plans

I'll be going up on Sunday, as early as I can get there. I just heard from Richard and he's not feeling well enough to go. Anyone who wants to try to reach me on the floor can probably find me on the artist's side most of the day, but my cell is 703-623-66-84.

Mike

The Jet Age - a comic? No, a band

Big Planet Comics owner Greg Bennett plays in a local band - The Jet Age. They've got a new album coming out on October 27th, and you can hear snippets online now. It sounds good - check it out.

Harvey's Heads, an amusing conceit

Jeff Newelt of Smith Magazine's invited artists to draw Harvey Pekar for his 70th birthday, and the results are on their Harvey's Heads page.

I'm no artist, but I think I'll try my hand, using the magic of digital cameras and Photoshop.

Post Magazine follows up on legally-blind cartoonist

See "Whatever Happened To .... Andre Campbell?: The art of kindness," By David Rowell, Washington Post Magazine Sunday, October 11, 2009.

To refresh your memory, I quote the first line, "Last December, the Magazine published an article about legally blind artist Andre Campbell and his determination to make it as a comic book author and illustrator."

Comic Riffs interviews Luckovich on Obama

They did it before the Nobel announcement though, which probably would have recast the whole conversation - "'Riffs Interview: As 'SNL' Satirizes Nobel-Winning Obama, Is Mike Luckovich Ready to Go Down That Same Road?" By Michael Cavna, Washington Post Comic Riffs blog October 9, 2009.

Oct 18: Paul Karasik at Politics and Prose

Paul Karasik writes in

Just a head's-up that I will be coming to Politics & Prose on Sunday, October 18th to present "The Fletcher Hanks Experience". My first collection of stories by Maryland homeboy, Fletcher Hanks, netted an Eisner Award, and the second book, "You Shall Die By Your Own Evil Creation!" has been recently released. Together the two volumes comprise the Complete Works of the long forgotten cartoonist whom R. Crumb, himself, called, "a twisted dude"!
--
www.fletcherhanks.com

I've bought both volumes already.

Oct 17: Poe comic signing in Baltimore

Colin S writes in:

 

The creators of Boom Studios' Poe comic are signing at GEM on Oct 17th.

 

http://www.conventionscene.com/2009/10/09/md-poe-signing/

Weldon on comics fashion

Superhero Meets Supermodel: A Short History of Comics' Weirdest Crossover

By Glen Weldon

National Public Radio's Monkey See Blog October 7, 2009

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/10/superhero_meets_supermodel_a_s.html?sc=nl&cc=msb-20091008

Yes, that's Iron Man. Yes, that's Tim Gunn. We can explain. (Marvel Entertainment)

I enjoyed his post quite a bit, and just shot him a note saying so and adding a few bits as he requested:

He missed Mizrahi's Sandee the Supermodel and there's a bunch of swimsuit issues.  MSU's Comic Art Collection lists 2, but there are more -

Amazing Heroes Swimsuit Special. -- Seattle, WA :
Fantagraphics Books, 1990- . -- ill. ; 26 cm. -- Began with
no. 1 (June 1990) -- HOLDINGS: no. 1-3.
1. Pinup art. I. Swimsuit Special. II. Fantagraphics Books.

Call no.: PN6725.A47S9
-----------------------------------------------------
Marvel Swimsuit Special. -- New York : Marvel Comics, . --
col. ill. ; 28 cm. -- HOLDINGS: no. 2-3 (1993-1994)

1. Superheroine comics--Miscellanea. 2. Superhero
comics--Miscellanea. 3. Pinup art. I. Marvel Comics. I.
Swimsuit Special. Call no.: PN6728.6.M3M35In other comic art media,

Marisa Acocella did cartoon journalism for the NY Times Style section in 2000-2001 until she was fired when one of the subjects of the strip wasn't happy with her. Others have done some cartoon journalism too -

Burns, Charles. 1998. Clothes Encounters [cartoonist illustrates fashion show]. Details (August): 128-133.

and

Crumb, Robert and Aline.  2003. Fashion Week in New York OR Glamour and Free Lint Removers, September 12-19, 2003 [cartoon journalism]. New Yorker (October 13): 75-77

Oct 9: Chabon at GWU tomorrow

Comics-friendly authors Jonathan Lethem and Michael Chabon will be in town, reading from new books this fall.

Oct. 9; Chabon is at Lisner Auditorium, at 7:00, free.

Nov. 2: Lethem is at Folger Elizabethan Theatre, at 7:30, $15.