MJ's editorial cartoons get a Washington subscriber

MJ, the mystery cartoonist who donated the logo of the African-American man to ComicsDC, writes in "Finally got a D.C. Bureau to offer my funnies for mobile use. Woo Hoo! They also appear through the online version http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=175421"

 

That's World Net Daily based on Pennsylvania Ave in the District. Congratulations MJ.

Brooke A. Allen at Big Planet Comics Vienna

I hadn't heard of Brooke A. Allen before her appearance at Big Planet Comics Vienna - which turns out to be no surprise because she's still at student at SCAD, even though she's got her first graphic novel coming out now. I talked to her briefly, asking about her influences and was surprised to hear Walt Kelly, followed by Jeff Smith. After reading the book, I can definitely see Bone's influence. I enjoyed the story and will run a brief review at the City Paper soon, but here's some photos.




She made a nice drawing in each book - the people in front of me got the bad magician.


My daughter got Mr. Easter.


And I got a self-portrait.


There was a darn big crowd for both Ms. Allen and the 4th of July sale.


She kept cranking through the drawings for people and I think the store expected to sell out of the book.


BP had these nice posters on sale for $3. I got mine.

DC Conspiracy exhibit at DC's Martin Luther King Library

Andrew Cohen just wrote in to tell us about an upcoming exhibit.

Just wanted to let you know about an event I'm putting together with the DC Conspiracy, called Comic Book Boom, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.

Basically, it's meant to show off some of the comic art that the DCC does in the city, and to put a spotlight on comics more generally. It will consist of an exhibit of comic book art, a comic book reading area, and a couple of how-to workshops for making comics.

There will be more than 20 framed pieces of comic book art that people in the DCC have drawn; spinning racks and shelves filled with books put out by the group and DCC members; and workshops on July 31 and August 21, led by Conspirators.

The facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=133445306667199&ref=mf

And the details of the show...

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
901 G Street, NW
2nd Floor, West lobby
July 12 - August 27

Dragonball: Origins 2 videogame review in today's Examiner

A Dragonball: Origins 2 videogame review by Greg Prince is in today's Examiner, but only the hardcopy.  I enjoyed the manga, but haven't watched the anime.

Chat with Evan Keeling up at City Paper

Online now!

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Evan KeelingPosted by Mike Rhode on Jul. 6, 2010

Evan Keeling is one of the Trickster anthology artists, a founding member of the DC Conspiracy comics co-op, and the person who puts together genre anthologies by the group. The next anthology, the fourth, will focus on romance. He also works for the Smithsonian, a quintessentially cool Washington job.

Graphic Content panel in pictures

As far as I know, the DC Library hasn't posted a podcast of last weekend's panel yet, but here's my photos. To remind all, this was -

"Graphic Content: A Conversation with Five DC Area Graphic Storytellers."
Shannon "G.I. Joe" Gallant, Matt "Politico" Wuerker, Andrew "Trickster" Cohen, Evan "DC Conspiracy" Keeling and Ben "Dirtfarm" Classen at Northwest One Neighborhood Library, June 26, 2010, Washington DC.


Andrew Cohen, Evan Keeling and then Matt Wuerker in far background. The pages Andrew is showing come from the graphic novel he and Matt Dembicki are doing on DC's Huerich mansion, and look lovely.


Matt Wuerker. Nobody asked him about the hat.


Ben Claassen and Shannon Gallant.


Shannon Gallant signing a 'Black Canary' sketch he gave to me.


Evan Keeling, Ben Claassen and Shannon Gallant comparing pencils.


Andrew Cohen, Evan Keeling and Ben Claassen.

Richard Thompson interview by Tom Spurgeon online now

Tom Spurgeon interviewed Richard Thompson at Heroes Con last month, and has transcribed the interview - CR Sunday Interview: Richard Thompson (From Heroes Con 2010), July 4, 2010. Tom's a former editor of the Comics Journal and one of the more knowledgeable people who write about comics. I read his Comics Reporter every day and you should too.

Post and Times on Norman Rockwell exhibit

I'm of two minds about Rockwell, but I think if you approach him as a consummate illustrator, as Solomon does, you can enjoy his work more than if you worry about putting him into an artistic pantheon at the moment.

Norman Rockwell exhibit opens at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, By Blake Gopnik, Washington Post Sunday, July 4, 2010; E01. There are 86 comments now on this one mostly bashing Gopnik.


America, Illustrated, By DEBORAH SOLOMON, New York Times July 4, 2010

Truitt on Batwoman

J.H. Williams breaks boundaries for a modern Batwoman
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY July 2 2010

Brooke A. Allen at Big Planet Comics Vienna on July 4th

I'm heading out to this in 5 minutes.

From: Big Planet Comics

...you are cordially invited to the Big Planet Comics 24th Anniversary Sale! Come by on Sunday, July 4th (Saturday, too, in College Park!) and save 20% off your entire purchase at any of our four locations!

We'll also be having Home For Mr. Easter Signing with Brooke A. Allen on Sunday! Come by the Vienna store between 12PM-2PM on July 4th to meet the author of A Home For Mr. Easter and get a signed copy of the book that the Comics Journal called "a delightful debut from an artist who has a fine grasp of storytelling"!

Washington Times reviews Feiffer autobio

BOOK REVIEW: 'Backing into Forward'
By Marion Elizabeth Rodgers
Washington Times July 2, 2010

It's been out for months, so I'm not quite sure why it took so long, but the Post just got to Clowes' Wilson a couple of days ago too...

Beyond Comics July 4th - 5th Sale!

Beyond Comics SALE! July 4th & July 5th (Sunday & Monday) 25% OFF New Comics and Graphic Novels 25% OFF Toys 25% OFF T-Shirts 25% OFF Supplies 25% OFF Posters 25% OFF Trading Cards Sale Excludes: June & July New Arrivals, Subscriptions, Special Orders, and On Hold Items. New Books Ship Thursday! 25% OFF Star Wars Merchandise 25% OFF DC Direct Merchandise Store Hours: Sunday 12 noon to 5:00 p.m Monday 10 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Beyond Comics reserves the right to not discount any items that may have been mistakenly put on sale. We also reserve the right to limit or restrict individuals from any sale items at any time for any reason.

Weldon on digital comics

Begun, The Digital Age of Comics Has
by Glen Weldon
National Public Radio’s Monkey See blog (July 1, 2010)

Big Planet 4th of July Sale and "Home For Mr. Easter" Book Signing!

From: Big Planet Comics

...you are cordially invited to the Big Planet Comics 24th Anniversary Sale! Come by on Sunday, July 4th (Saturday, too, in College Park!) and save 20% off your entire purchase at any of our four locations!

 We'll also be having Home For Mr. Easter Signing with Brooke A. Allen on Sunday! Come by the Vienna store between 12PM-2PM on July 4th to meet the author of A Home For Mr. Easter and get a signed copy of the book that the Comics Journal called "a delightful debut from an artist who has a fine grasp of storytelling"!

 

Baltimore's Closed Caption member Noel Freibert profiled

NOEL FREIBERT IS AN EXTREME TROGLODYTE
NICK GAZIN
VICELAND TODAY June 28 2010

Big Planet Comics' July 4th sale

20% off everything for the 24th anniversary of the chain.

Morgan Bramlet's graphic novel plans

This story identifies Morgan Bramlet as "McLean author Morgan Bramlet, author of Virtual Death: A Cyber Thriller" which is a bit far afield for us, but at the end he says, "I am also working on three different graphic novel projects, which is a great medium to work in because I am able to write the words and direct the illustrations."

More with author Morgan Bramlet
Avis Thomas-Lester
Washington Post's On Success Rapid Reinvention blog June 30, 2010

and the preceeding day's interview had more details on who he is.

Givhan on Wonder Woman's new fashion

Trading in briefs for pants, she's still a wonder [online title: From star-spangled briefs to skintight pants, Wonder Woman is still a wonder]
By Robin Givhan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 1, 2010; C02

The Post's fashion critic weighs in on DC's latest PR stunt.

Post on The Last Airbender and an interview with the director

This is only online, and it's a very good interview with the director over the 'racial controversy' that's sprung up around the movie adaptation of the cartoon -

Talking with director M. Night Shyamalan about 'Last Airbender,' race and more
By Jen Chaney
Washington Post's Celibritology 2.0 blog July 1, 2010

and here's the paper's review -

It's easy to drift away from 'Last Airbender'
By Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post July 1, 2010: C10

Olivia Walch's paper worries about conflict of interest

A few days ago we linked to an article about America's Next Great Cartoonist contestant Olivia Walch. Now her college paper is worrying about a conflict of interest for doing a story on her -

On conflict of interest
By Mike Crump
College of William and Mary's Flat Hat June 30, 2010

-which seems kind of silly to me since she's become a story in herself.