Sunday, October 25, 2009
Zadzooks reviews comic books again this week
Joseph Szadkowski
Washington Times October 22, 2009
Post's Astro Boy review
AAEC's Cartoons for the Classroom features Herblock
Comic Riffs greets returning USO cartoonists
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog October 24, 2009
QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 10-28-09
By John Judy
ABE SAPIEN ONE-SHOT by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi and Patric Reynolds. A story from Abe's early days with the BPRD that is haunting in all senses of the word. Recommended.
ARKHAM REBORN #1 of 3 by David Hine and Jeremy Haun. Arkham Asylum is being rebuilt to its original specs. This cannot possibly bode well for anyone…
ASTRO CITY: ASTRA SPECIAL #2 of 2 by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson. Not-so-little Astra and her beau have a bit of a to-do at an extra-dimensional watering hole. Fun stuff and a nice reprieve from the grimness of "The Dark Age" epic in the regular title. Recommended.
BLACKEST NIGHT #4 of 8 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. Earth is evacuated as the dead continue to rise. Can even Hal Jordan discover the secret behind the Black Lanterns? Well, one would hope… Recommended.
DARK REIGN: THE LIST – WOLVERINE #1 by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic. It's Jason Aaron writing Wolverine and he's one of the only guys on the planet who can do that and not suck. For this reason alone we must read this comic. Oh, and Ribic's art is choice as always. Recommended.
FANTASTIC FOUR #572 by Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham. Things were going so well for the Justice League of Reed Richardses. But then they stopped going well and started getting very problematic. Can even the JLoRRs solve this one? Big Brains and Big Fights galore! Excelsior!
FREAKANGELS VOL.3 SC by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield. The third collection of the adventures of "twelve strange children." Featuring a serial killer and a breaking of a rule. Recommended.
GREEN LANTERN #47 by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke. Lantern fight! Blue Lanterns mix it up with Orange Lanterns and things are looking… Brown? Seriously, that's what you get when you mix blue with orange. A Brown Lantern would just be… kind of disturbing…
HULK #16 by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill. "Red She-Hulk." There, I said it. A She-Hulk who's red. This issue: Streaky the Hulk Cat. I mean, why not at this point?
IGNITION CITY #5 of 5 by Warren Ellis and Gianluca Pagliarani. The grand finale in which we finally stop hearing how crappy Ignition City is and find out why it's so crappy! Plus, jet packs, zap guns and explodey stuff! Recommended.
MAP OF MY HEART GN written and drawn by John Porcellino. A little something from Porcellino celebrating the 20th anniversary of his zine KING CAT COMICS and mourning his divorce. From Drawn and Quarterly.
NEW AVENGERS #58 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. The Hood, guest-starring some Avengers! Ya remember Korvac? Thanos? Those were guys ya felt deserved to fight Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The Hood? Not so much. Just sayin'…
NORTHLANDERS #21 by Brian Wood and Leandro Fernandez. The new story-arc begins here! "The Plague Widow" follows the troubles of a Russian Viking village in the year 1020. A contagion afflicts them, as does an enemy within. Recommended.
PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. The Future of Comics! Literally!
SUPERMAN #693 by James Robinson and Fernando Dagnino. Lois Lane's evil military dad is torturing the super-people again. Also Bizarro.
SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #2 of 6 by Geoff Johns and Mike McKone. Superboy meets the Legion of Super-Heroes for the first time! Again! Recommended!
ULTIMATE COMICS: ARMOR WARS #2 of 4 by Warren Ellis and Steve Kurth. Ultimate Tony Stark fights a bunch of people over his stolen technology. Ellis on the scripting so it will involve lots of "bleeding edge" references and violence. Recommended.
ULTIMATE COMICS: AVENGERS #3 by Mark Millar and Carlos Pacheco. Ultimate Captain America has gone rogue hunting down his son, the Ultimate Red Skull. Seriously. The Skull is Cap's son. And let's not even get into the whole "cutting his own face off" thing. Maybe not the title to give to the "Super Hero Squad" fan on your list.
WOLVERINE: WEAPON X #6 by Jason Aaron and Yanick Paquette. Wolverine's in a nut-house with a doctor who wants to cut his brain out. And this is why Jason Aaron is the best writer ever. Recommended.
WONDER WOMAN #37 by Gail Simone and Bernard Chang. There's a rash among the Amazons! Of pregnancies! Why couldn't they have called it a spate? Go figure…
X-FACTOR #50 by Peter David and Valentine De Landro. Big wrap-up to a year's worth of story-lines! Or else! Recommended.
www.johnjudy.net
Saturday, October 24, 2009
PR: Fellowship applications being accepted by Swann Foundation
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swann-fellow.html
Thank you for the opportunity to post this notice. My apologies for cross listing.
Martha H. Kennedy
Curator, Popular & Applied Graphic Art
Prints and Photographs Division
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20540-4730
Ph.: 202/707-9115 Fax: 202/707-6647
Friday, October 23, 2009
Nov 2: Geppi's Entertainment Museum teacher's night
Crumb's appearance in Richmond
Based on David Hagen's comment earlier this week (boy I hope I remembered that right), and a ridiculous discount on Amazon, I've ordered the book.
Martell's Calvin and Hobbes in NY Times blog
Comic Riffs looks at the 'Incredible Shrinking Comic' in the Washington Post
By the way, there was a 'stamp-sized comic' done on purpose - Shannon Wheeler's Postage Stamp Funnies that used to run in the Onion before they axed their comics. There's a collection one can buy.
Cartoons & Cocktails high seller NOT from DC (corrected)
There seemed to be a pretty good crowd there last night. I went as Nate Beeler's date* and saw Justin Dembicki (formerly of the NY Observer) whose work sold well, and Steve Breen -- the three did a jam cartoon of Obama holding a pit bull on one leash and Cheney on another. Matt Wuerker's pieces went for more than I could afford. David Hagen was there too with his wife, but they had to leave early for the long drive home. The mysterious #123 bought by far the most cartoons - I'm guessing at least 1/3 of what was offered. I'm missing other people, but I'm still pretty tired. I got 4 pieces of art in the silent auctions, so I appreciate Nate's kindness** at asking me to go along.
*He's not a great date folks. First he was at least 1/2 hour late; then he kept rushing away and leaving me standing alone on the dance floor, and then I did cadge a ride home, but he dropped me off blocks from my house.
**This is the true footnote. Nate's a generous guy and an excellent cartoonist and you should all pick up the Examiner regularly to check out his work. He's got it all on his work blog too.
***my thanks to Clay Jones for the correction from Wuerker to Streeter. I shouldn't write these things when I'm tired. My apologies to anyone I misled.
Dilbert 2.0: News you can use
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Oct 24: Barrio Grrrl!: A New Musical
Barrio Grrrl!: A New Musical opens at the Kennedy Center on Saturday. The 9-year old heroine, "as her alter-ego Barrio Grrrl with her invisible sidekick Amazing Voice, is pretty busy preserving justice in the barrio and protecting her neighborhood." The play is in the Family Theatre, is for ages 9+ and costs $15.
OT: Batmobile replica for charity auction for Africa
I was asked to post about this, and it seems like a good cause. However, you will not see this under the "Mike's new acquisitions" heading.
A working replica of the 1960s Batmobile is being auctioned for The Life Project For Africa, Giving Hope To The Poor. The replica has 705 hp 514 cu in Stroker motor with Billett alum parts, flame thrower, custom transmission, adjustable air suspension, Pioneer AZIC 3 Navigation system, and much more.
You can view the detailed information and bid on the Batmobile here: http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/106401
PBS cartoon on film premieres in DC yesterday
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Lisa Henson, CEO of the Jim Henson Company, will join local DC-area school children for a screening of the new Sid the Science Kid special episode on the flu on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Department of Health and Human Services has teamed up with the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) through a cooperative agreement to work with the Henson Company and its partners to create a special episode of PBS' Sid the Science Kid, in which Sid explores the science behind flu vaccinations. The episode, which is also supported by PBS kids, will premiere on PBS on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. The title is "Getting a Shot: You Can Do It!"
You can view the video at http://www.flu.gov/psa/#sid
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Belgian cartoonist postcards (and a Caribean one)
I didn't recognize the artists behind these first 3 cards at all, but the style looked vaguely familiar - it's that Franco-Belgian look.
Mazel artwork. #22.010-50 Belgian postcard.
Jean-Pol artwork. #22.010-58 Belgian postcard.
Jean-Pol artwork. # 22.010-53 Belgian postcard/
Now I want the rest of the set of course...
Caribbean Classic Series postcard. Pam Kerschner artwork. She's a cartoonist on the Virgin Islands. See "Caribbean Living With a Sense of Humor," By Pam Kerschner.
And here's the great Pat Oliphant, working for the man (or the US Postal Service)...
"This maximum card was issued in connection with the U.S./ Australia commemorative stamp which was jointly issued in Washington, D.C. and Sydney, Australia, on January 26, 1988. The stamps was designed by Roland Harvey of Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia. The art shown on the reverse of this card was designed by the renowned syndicated cartoonist, Pat Oliphant.
No. 88-1
Cartoons and Cocktails tomorrow night
Anyone else going?
Ceaseless self-promotion
I wrote about part of my comic art book collection today at Comic Book Resources for my friend Chris Mautner, who's a real journalist in Pennsylvania. Anyone who'd like to see the original photos can click through to my Flickr site for the closeups that I used to write the captions.
Paul Karasik at Politics and Prose
Paul Karasik spoke last weekend on Fletcher Hanks, the odd comic book artist who worked from 1939-1941. Paul just compiled a second, and final collection of Hanks' works. All the pictures are here. Paul ran a little movie interview with Hanks' son, who certainly did not like his father.
Weldon on Stitches
By Glen Weldon
National Public Radio's Monkey See blog (October 21, 2009)
Glen also goes into one makes a graphic novel vs a memoir. I think this is largely a false dichotomy - as a marketing term, Graphic Novel should just be accepted, just like Movie is.