Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Weldon on Scott Pilgrim movie

Glen Weldon invests more time than I'm willing to in this - Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Scott Pilgrim Movie Trailer. National Public Radio's Monkey See blog (March 31 2010).

It looks like Tom Toles began blogging last week about the issues he did his daily cartoon on. I think this is a new development, but I usually read him in the paper edition. I'm not sure what brought it on either, although I think it's a welcome development.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Anime Festival at Freer and Sackler Galleries, Saturday, April 3

Celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival
at the Freer and Sackler Galleries, Saturday, April 3

Eighth Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Anime Marathon
Meyer Auditorium, 11 AM - 7 PM

Chocolate Underground, 11 AM
The 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival Anime Marathon Cosplay Contest, 1:30 PM
Sword of the Stranger, 4 PM
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, 7 PM

The Art of the Kimono: Trunk Show and Sale
Freer Gallery Shop, 10 PM - 5:30 PM

Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony
Sackler Gallery, Sublevel 2, 1 & 3 PM

"Ideals of Beauty" Text-Message Scavenger Hunt
Freer Gallery, 1 - 3 PM

Curator-Led Tour of "Cornucopia: Ceramics from Southern Japan"
Freer, 1 PM

Curbside Cupcakes
Delicious cherry-blossom inspired cupcakes will be available for purchase, Freer Courtyard, 1 - 4 PM

SAVE THE DATE!
Islamic Art for Christian Patrons: The Painted Ceilings of the Cappella Palatina (Palermo, Sicily), circa 1140
Tuesday, April 13, Meyer Auditorium, 7 PM

Click here to take our survey!

We appreciate your interest in the Freer and Sackler Galleries and hope that you enjoy the exhibitions and programs that we offer. Please take less than five minutes to share more about yourself with us.

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PR: Capicons Show Sun, Apr. 18th

Capicons Comic Book and Pop Culture Con

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Dunn Loring Vol. Fire Dept.
2148 Gallows Road,
Dunn Loring, VA
10 am - 3 pm

Special Guests:
Martin Grams, Jr, Author of The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics and Television
http://www.martingrams.com

Dan Nokes, Artist/Publisher--21 Sandshark Studios
http://21sandshark.com/

Also featuring
Artist Tom Arvis, Sureshot Comics
http://sureshotcomics.com

FREE admission! Door prize drawings!

Open to the public from 10 am - 3 pm. Buy, sell & trade: Gold, Silver, Bronze Age comics; Indie & Modern comics, Publishers & Creators, TV & Movie Collectibles. Non-sport cards; Videos & DVDs; Anime; Manga; Horror/Sci-Fi; figures, toys; Star Wars & Star Trek memorabilia; original artwork, posters and other comic-related collectibles.

For more info, visit www.capicons.com

Become a fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dunn-Loring-VA/Capicons-Comic-Book-Pop-Culture-Con/221236176794

Book reviews on Washington City Paper blog

The idea is to do these regularly...

International Ink: Hagar, Nemi, Little Nothings, and Lenore
Posted by Mike Rhode
Washington City Paper Arts Desk blog Mar. 30, 2010

PR: Submissions for The First Annual Small Press Expo Animation Showcase

More on the SPX animation newness.

Requesting Submissions for The First Annual Small Press Expo Animation Showcase

For Immediate Release

Contact: Warren Bernard

Phone: 301-537-4615

E-Mail: warren@spxpo.com

Bethesda, Maryland; March 30, 2010 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, announces a call for submissions to the First Annual SPX Animation Showcase. This showcase will be presented at this years Small Press Expo, to be held September 11 and 12 at the North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center, in Bethesda, Maryland.

With the proliferation of animation by both traditional animators and comics creators, SPX is providing a venue for SPX attendees to see a wide variety of examples of this craft. There will be a series of set showings of cartoons throughout the two day SPX festival, which will reflect the myriad of different animation styles now dispersed across the Internet.

All submissions will be screened and final selections made by a volunteer committee led by Angie Ottinger and Paul Nadjmabadi. The committee is comprised of the following members of the film and television community,:

CATHERINE TABER, Actress

Cat has lent her talents to numerous films, television shows, and video games including Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Padme), Final Fantasy 12 (Penelo), and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (Cecile).

CHAD STRADERMAN, Animator / Graphic Designer

Chad has worked on a variety of television shows as well as his own independent animation. His short, Pass It On, was shown theatrically at Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation.

MONZUKI, Art Blog Curator

Monzuki is a successful art blog whose mission is to "introduce Art and Design to stimulate your mind and awareness by presenting a platform for creative artists to publicize their talented artwork". (http://blog.monzuki.com)

DANIEL STRANGE, Director

Daniel is the director of the viral video "The Ballad of G.I. Joe" and episodes of the web series "Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis." He currently has an animated show in development with Fox.

ANGIE OTTINGER, Writer / Producer

Angie currently works in short-form and promo for television. Her short film, "The Donut King" screened at a variety of festivals, including the 2002 Sundance Film Festival.

PAUL NADJMABADI, Editor

Paul has worked in post-production for a variety of television shows and promos. He has also worked on numerous projects as a director and cinematographer.

For entering submissions to the First Annual SPX Animation Showcase, just follow a few easy rules:

1. Fill out a submission for at http://www.spxpo.com/spx-animation-showcase-2010.

2. Please limit submission entries to no more than 10 minutes run time.

3. Submissions are due by June 30, 2010.

4. Selections for the showcase will be announced by August 11, 2010, 1 month prior to SPX.

5. If you are interested in attending SPX or have questions about the SPX Animation Showcase, please send inquiries to spxanimation@spxpo.com.

SPX brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini-comix, political cartoon books and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators.

As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, go to their website at http://www.cbldf.org/.

SPX will be held The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland, next to the White Flint Metro stop. Admission is $10 for a single day and $15 for both days.

ICAF postponed until 2011

30 March 2010

Announcement from The International Comic Arts Forum (ICAF)

The International Comic Arts Forum (ICAF), the foremost gathering for international comics studies and scholarship, has decided to postpone its annual conference for 2010 until 2011.

The 2011 conference will observe the 15th Anniversary of ICAF, and the Executive Committee has concluded that postponing for the 2010 calendar year will allow the organization to plan for a large and special 2011 event.

Please stay tuned for more details soon. For interested students and scholars, the CFP will be released later this year, as will more details on the 15th Anniversary Themes, Guests, and Special Events.

Please bookmark our website:
ICAF website: http://internationalcomicartsforum.org

Any inquiries may be directed to Professor Cecile Danehy, Executive Committee Co-Chair, at cdanehy@wheatonma.edu

Tomorrow: Warren Bernard lecture on Herblock at LoC

Independent scholar Warren Bernard returns to the Library of Congress on Wednesday, March 31, to give a talk in conjunction with the Herblock! exhibition, "Declaration of Independence: Herblock: His Foes and His Editors". This event will take place in Dining Room A located on the 6th Floor of the Madison Building at noon.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Comics Riffs on Dick Giordano's death

Giordano was a great penciler and inker for DC Comics, who also became an editor there. Even if you've never read a comic book, you've seen his work because it's used on all kinds of licensed products.

RIP, Dick Giordano: Remembering a comics legend
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog March 29, 2010

Buzzboy’s John Gallagher interview up at City Paper site

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Buzzboy's John Gallagher

Posted by Mike Rhode on Mar. 29, 2010
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2010/03/29/meet-a-local-cartoonist-a-chat-with-buzzboys-john-gallagher/

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Comics on the Rack, Quick Picks for Comics Due 03-31-10

COMICS ON THE RACK

Quick Picks for Comics Due 03-31-10

By John Judy

ASTRO CITY: THE DARK AGE BOOK FOUR #3 of 4 by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson. In the last issue before the big wrap-up The Pale Horseman makes his debut. Imagine if the Ghost Rider were really scary…. Recommended.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #627 by Roger Stern and Lee Weeks. What could possibly pound the bejeebers out of the Juggernaut and why is Spidey sticking around to find out?

BLACKEST NIGHT #8 of 8 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. The double-sized grand finale in which all the colors come together and Sinestro sports a new look! Highly recommended.

THE CREEPER BY STEVE DITKO SC by Ditko and Associates. If you like Ditko and one of his wilder creations, it's all here for you! "Beware the Creeper!"

DETECTIVE COMICS #863 by Greg Rucka, Jock and Cully Hamner. In which "things do not end well." My kinda comic! Recommended.

FANTASTIC FOUR #567 by Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham. The FF's on the moon and the Inhumans are… where?

INCORRUPTIBLE #4 by Mark Waid and Jean Diaz. Will newly reformed Max Damage go back to his evil ways if it's for a good cause? A true head-scratcher. Highly recommended.

IRON MAN: EXTREMIS HC by Warren Ellis and Adi Granov. Collecting that story where Tony Stark caught a virus from that nice Mr. Ellis. Recommended.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #43 by James Robinson and Mark Bagley. When archers go bad…

KEVIN SMITH'S GREEN HORNET #2 by Smith and Jonathan Lau. The old Green Hornet just ain't what he used to be. Fortunately his kid is waiting in the wings. This Kevin Smith comic is coming out on time and is thus highly collectible!

PREVIEWS by Diamond and Marvel Comics. See what your Summer vacation holds in store(s)!

RASL #7 written and drawn by Jeff Smith. It is so hard waiting for the trade collections of this book. That's why I don't even try. Highly recommended.

SHE-HULK: SENSATIONAL #1 by Peter David, Brian Reed , Iban Coello and little John Byrne thrown in for seasoning. Celebrating 30 years of that character who can lift tractor-trailers easier than she can carry her own book. Good times!

TERMINATOR 2029 #1 by Zack Whedon and Andy MacDonald. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Kyle Reese!

WONDER WOMAN #42 by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. A Big Bad from Diana's past rolls in. Fortunately the Green Lantern Corps is already there.

X-MEN: SECOND COMING #1 by Craig Kyle, Chris Yost and David Finch. Cable returns to the present with little Hope.

www.johnjudy.net

This week's Zadzooks and Bennett's Best reviews

Zadzooks: Halo Wars: ODST and Construct-A-Buzz reviews
Joseph Szadkowski
Washington Times March 27, 2010

Bennett's Best: Simpsons/Futurama and The Guild
By Greg Bennett, Special to Zadzooks
Washington Times Zadzooks blog March 27, 2010

Bennett's Best: Bronx Kill and American Vampire
By Greg Bennett
Washington Times Zadzooks blog March 21, 2010

Comic Riffs interview for Dragon Trainers in print too

Reprinted from Comic Riffs -

Cavna, Michael. 2010.
'Dragon' directors are flying in the face of fearsome 3-D technology
Washington Post (March 28): E5.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Comic Riffs interviews Dragon Trainers

The 'Riffs Interview: 'TRAIN YOUR DRAGON' directors enter a new dimension
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog March 26, 2010

Small Press Expo adds animation

The Small Press Expo is showing animation for the first time and the application process is online now.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Podcaster Marc Maron roams DC after talking to Bob Fingerman

I haven't listened to this yet, but I doubt if he found the soul of America in DC - just a feeling I have.

Episode 58 - El Chupacabra / Bob Fingerman. Marc Maron, WTF with Marc Maron Podcast (March 25 2010): http://wtfpod.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=596953 and http://media.libsyn.com/media/wtfpod/WTF_-_EPISODE_58.mp3

By popular demand, Marc welcomes El Chupacabra back to WTF. Plus, artist and writer Bob Fingerman takes a unique look at the end of the world (forward by Marc Maron). And Marc searches for the soul of America as he wanders around Washington, DC.

Whither Thingpart, late of the City Paper

Before the City Paper's great (blood-)shedding of comics a couple of years back, they ran a strip called Thingpart close to the front. Here's an interview with the cartoonist - Joey Alison Sayers Interview, Dan Copulsky, Question Riot blog March 25th, 2010.