Comic Riffs on San Diego's Kelley-Breen split

The comic strip that ruined a friendship, rankled a newspaper and landed in court. And that was BEFORE being launched.
Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog November 12, 2009

Comic Riffs interviews caricaturist Richmond

A new Congressional 'bobblehead' app for your iPhone? MAD artist says Apple won't bite
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog November 12, 2009

Progress in the Library of Congress' grand scheme of things

On the GN-LIB list for librarians, it's reported As of last month, "Superhero comic books, strips, etc." is now an official LC Subject Heading, and thus is also usable as an LC genre heading.

Unlike Moses, I may get to see the Promised Land.

San Diego Comic-Con founder obit in Post's Metro section

Nelson, Valerie J. / Los Angeles Times.  2009.
Shel Dorf, 78: Artist turned spotlight on cartoonists with Comic-Con.
Washington Post (November 12)

Here's the Times - Sheldon Dorf, Founder of Comic-Con, Dies at 76, By GEORGE GENE GUSTINES, November 12, 2009/

Nov 12: Herblock at Politics and Prose

Haynes Johnson - Herblock
7 p.m. Johnson, who worked with Herblock at The Washington Post, will launch a new anthology celebrating Herblock's life and career. The Post's editorial cartoonist was a protean figure whose career spanned thirteen American Presidents.

Onion interviews Schodt on Tezuka

For the forthcoming set of programs, the Onion talked to Schodt the premier Anglo-speaking manga expert on Tezuka, the 'Walt Disney' of Japan. See The "God of Manga," humanized: Osamu Tezuka scholar Frederik Schodt explains the anime pioneer, by Chelsea Bauch, Onion AV Club November 11, 2009.

Veteran's day

In a few minutes (local time), we'll hit 11/11/11 or, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month when World War 1 ended. This was known as Armistice Day until a second world war led to the change to Veteran's Day in the US. Following the lead of Charles Schulz, who often mentioned Bill Mauldin in Peanuts, we present a sketch the great soldier cartoonist did in a copy of his book The Brass Ring, many years after his World War 2 service.

Anime Retrospective Celebrates the Legendary Osamu Tezuka

A Retrospective of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga, Father of Anime    Begins this weekend on 11/13 (click image for details) Films: Introducing Astro Boy, Marine Express, Prime Rose, Tezuka's Short Films, and The Film is Alive: Osamu Tezuka Filmography   Plus, a panel discussion with authors Frederik Schodt, Helen McCarthy, and Natsu Onoda Power!

1050 Independence Ave. SW 202.633.1000 Metro: Smithsonian www.asia.si.edu publicaffairsAsia@si.edu films | performances | talks | ImaginAsia | membership | shops

Nov 11: Metropolis

Metropolis to be screened at the Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan.

DC Anime Club in collaboration with Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan Present screen Metropolis on
Friday November 13, 2009 6:30 pm at Lafayette Center III (Lower Level) 1155 21st Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 as part of inaugural showing for a new film series based on both Anime (Japanese Animation) and Manga ( Japanese Comics).

Kenichi and his detective uncle, Shunsaku Ban, leave Japan to visit Metropolis, in search of the criminal, Dr. Laughton. However, when they finally find Dr. Laughton, Kenichi and Shunsaku find themselves seperated and plunged into the middle of a larger conspiracy. While Shunsaku searches for his nephew and explanations, Kenichi tries to protect Tima (a mysterious young girl), from Duke Red and his adopted son Rock, both of whom have very different reasons for wanting to find her.
This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required.

RSVP to jiccrsvpfall09@embjapan.org.

Seating is limited and granted on a first come, first served basis.

For more information please visit the Japanese Information and Culture Center website at

http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/index.htm or visit the DC Anime Club website at http://dcanimeclub.org.


CONTACT: Chris Wanamaker, (202) 262 2083 president@dcanimeclub.org

Weingarten on Our Town continued

Better late than never, I suppose...

Chatological Humor (UPDATED 11.10.09)

aka Tuesdays With Moron

Gene Weingarten

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 27, 2009; 12:00 PM

Our To, WN: So have you had any more time to think about the "Our Town" in the Washington Post Magazine, especially with the "reportage graphique" explanation of 18 Oct.?

Am I wrong to be sticking to my initial assessment of "blech." It seems to be trying to hard to be artsy for the sake of being artsy, which is fine and has a place, but I don't think it's in the Washington Post Magazine.

Also, is it churlish of me to note that the National Zoo does not have any llamas at the Kids' Farm (25 Oct. Our Town)? Those guys are alpacas.

Gene Weingarten: Liz, can we link to the mentioned 'toon, which contains, um, me. Michael Cavna was playfully publicly answering my critique from the last chat.

I'm willing to wait n' see. My problem with this feature is not arts-fartsiness; I think it's a good idea to send a cartoonist to try to record a moment in time in an interesting place, coupled with whimsical commentary. I think this is ambitious, and I applaud ambition.

My problem, so far, is that I think we've proven that not all places offer fodder for riveting observational humor. This is hard; the threshold needs to be high. Let's give it a chance. This past Sunday I liked the speechless speech balloons.

washingtonpost.com: Our Town: Oct. 18 | Oct. 25

_______________________

Fairfax, VA: I find "Our Town" intellectually stimulating. It's like "Where's Waldo" for literate people.

Gene Weingarten: Noted!

Comics historian Ron Evry featured in Post

See "A new voice for the humorists buried deep in the newspaper bin," By John Kelly, Washington Post November 9, 2009

That Toles, he's no Herblock

The Buffalo News pays Tom Toles a backwards compliment in this review - How Herblock ruled Washington with a pen, By Mike Vogel, NEWS BOOK REVIEWER, November 08, 2009,

John Kovaleski, FOCDC*, interviewed

Nickel, Scott. 2009.
20 Questions with John Kovaleski.
A Nickel's Worth blog Sunday, November 8, 2009


*Friend Of ComicsDC. I'm thinking about having badges made.

Best Comics Store: Big Planet Comics

Best Comics Store: Big Planet Comics sayeth Rudi Greenberg in last Friday's Express November 6, 2009.

That's four (4!) stores for your browsing pleasure.

BIG PLANET COMICS
4908 Fairmont Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-654-6856

BIG PLANET COMICS
3145 Dumbarton St. NW
Washington, DC 20007
202-342-1961

BIG PLANET COMICS
426 Maple Ave. East
Vienna, VA 22180
703-242-9412

BIG PLANET COMICS
7315 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
301-699-0498

Comic Riffs on Tank McNamara includes short interview

REDSKINS: Ex-'Sports Jerk' Dan Snyder takes a satiric beating -- again

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog November 8, 2009
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/11/redskins_dan_snyder_tank_mcnam.html#comments

Comic Riffs on Shel Dorf

Remembering Comic-Con co-founder Shel Dorf

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog  November 7, 2009;
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2009/11/dorf.html#comments

Quick Reviews for Comics Due 11-11-09

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 11-11-09

By John Judy

 

ABSOLUTE JUSTICE HC by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Doug Braithwaite.  Collecting the 12-issue series in which the JLA fights bad guys and everyone looks like people on TV from the seventies.  Hear your coffee table groan from the strain!

 

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #611 by Joe Kelly and Eric Canete.  Guest-starring Deadpool and Lady Stilt-Man.  Now just calm down, fan-boys…

 

BATMAN AND ROBIN #6 by Grant Morrison and Philip Tan.  It's the big finish for the Red Hood and Scarlet!  Recommended!

 

BATMAN DOC SAVAGE SPECIAL #1 by Brian Azzarello and Phil Noto.  The Man of Bronze and the Dark Knight mix it up good and pulpy!  Gotta look!

 

CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD: LAST BATTLE #2 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Oscar Jimenez.  So should Danny the Anti-Christ be worried when his best friend Jay the Second Coming starts getting his wits back about him?  And what about Jimmy the talking rabbit?  Not for kids.

 

COMIC BOOK COMICS #4 by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey.  The Evil Twin boys are back with their comic about comics!  This issue features stories about the rise of Marvel Comics, Robert Crumb and Tin-Tin!  More fascinating than a lot of imaginary stories being published today!  Highly recommended!

 

DAREDEVIL #502 by Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre.  When dealing with depression and grief some people turn to faith, others to appropriate medication.  Still others take over the leadership of an international guild of ninja assassins.  And this is why Daredevil is way cooler than any of us will ever be.  Recommended.

 

DARK X-MEN #1 of 5 by Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk.  Admit it, you've always wondered what a team of the most depraved second-string mutants working for a government-backed psychopath would be like!  Okay, fine, it's just me then.  This is by the guys who did CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 so it is awesome.  Recommended.

 

GHOUL #1 by Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson.  When things get too weird for the LA cops they gotta call in… The Ghoul.  From two of comics' heaviest hitters!  Recommended!

 

HOT POTATOE HC written and drawn by Marc Bell.  No, it's not a Dan Quayle bio-comic, it's a decade's worth of indy-man Bell's wildest works.  This one's all over the map so you're bound to find something to love and (if you're really lucky) something to hate.

 

INSOMNIA CAFÉ HC written and drawn by M.K. Perker.  A disgraced rare book expert seeks redemption in the only thing he knows.  Neat stuff.  Preview pages available on the Dark Horse website.

 

LUNA PARK HC by Kevin Baker and Danijel Zezalj.  A former Russian soldier turned junkie leg-breaker for the Brooklyn mob and his hooker girlfriend try to find a way out.  Your noir is served.  Recommended.

 

PUNISHERMAX #1 by Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon.  An "explicit" series setting up a battle royale between the Punisher and the man who would be Kingpin!  Recommended.  Not for kids.

 

STRANGE #1 of 4 by Mark Waid and Emma Rios.  A peek into what Doctor Strange is up to since losing the title of Sorcerer Supreme to Brother fricking Voodoo.  I mean seriously, how much must that suck?  Is there enough Ny-Quil in the universe to make that pain go away?  Anyway, Mark Waid is writing it so count on lots of Inside Geekball references and awesomeness.  Recommended.

 

STRANGE SUSPENSE: STEVE DITKO ARCHIVES, VOL. 1 HC edited by Blake Bell.  The complete two-year run of all Ditko's pre-code horror comics from the earliest days of his career.  You must have this.

 

SUPERGOD #1 of 5 by Warren Ellis and Garrie Gastony.  Warren Ellis does terrible things to people in capes and everyone else. Again.  A must for blasphemers.  Recommended.

 

SUPERMEN: FIRST WAVE OF HEROES (1939-1941) GN edited by Greg Sadowski.  A look back at the first batch of characters trying to cash in on the phenomenal success of Superman.  Many of these have not been reprinted since DC sued them out of existence back in the day.  A true gem for golden-age buffs.

 

UNWRITTEN #7 by Mike Carey and Peter Gross.  The mysteries keep unfolding as Tom Taylor makes his way to Donostia Prison.  You can tell the creators are having a ball with this.  Highly recommended.

 

WALKING DEAD #67 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard.  Rick and Carl have some father-son time and Eugene starts talking.  Not for kids, always recommended.

 

Also out this week: Orange and Indigo Lantern rings!

 

www.johnjudy.net

Post reviews Simpsons unauthorized history

Doh! The joke's on us.
Louis Bayard
Washington Post Sunday, November 8, 2009

Local webcomicker Julian Lytle's strip

Julian Lytle writes in...

I live in Capitol Heights, MD in PG county. I've lived in the Washington DC area my entire life.  I have been making my webcomic for about  7 months. It's here: http://ants.julianlytle.com/.

I'm working on this year's special 3rd issue of the International Journal of Comic Art so I'm behind on things, but check out his strip and let him know what you think.

Nov 21: Virginia Comic Con in Richmond

See Inside the Virginia Comic-Con, Scoop November 6 2009 for details and links.