Conductor's obituary mentions Hungarian comic strip

Maverick Australian conductor Charles Mackerras dies at 84
By Anne Midgette
Washington Post July 16, 2010; B07

The article notes that Leos Janacek's music which Mackerras championed, "includ[ed] one adaptation of a newspaper comic strip, "The Cunning Little Vixen"".

Jeff Smith, Brad Meltzer and Jules Feiffer at National Book Festival

NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
101 INDEPENDENCE AVE. S.E.
WASHINGTON, DC  20540

July 15, 2010

10th Annual National Book Festival to Headline Follett, Glass, Kostova / The President and Mrs. Obama Will Serve as Honorary Chairs

         The stellar lineup for the 10th annual National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, will include international best-selling author Ken Follett; Rae Armantrout, winner of this year's Pulitzer Prize for poetry; National Book Award winner Julia Glass; Pat Mora, one of the nation's most beloved writers for children; and Elizabeth Kostova, author of the worldwide sensations "The Historian" and "The Swan Thieves." They will be among more than 70 authors now slated to appear at the event on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010.  The event, free and open to the public, will run from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. between 3rd and 7th streets on the National Mall.
         President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, the First Lady, will be honorary chairs of the event.
In observance of its 10th anniversary – "A Decade of Words and Wonder" – the festival will feature several special events during the week preceding the festival day.
         The 2010 National Book Festival poster, by renowned illustrator Peter Ferguson, can be downloaded from the festival website at www.loc.gov/bookfest.
         Authors and illustrators scheduled to participate in the National Book Festival will make their presentations in the Children, Teens & Children, Fiction & Mystery, Poetry & Prose, History & Biography and Contemporary Life pavilions.
•       Children: Mary Brigid Barrett, Timothy Basil Ering, Jules Feiffer, Mem Fox, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Norton Juster, Pat Mora, Marilyn Nelson, Linda Sue Park, Jerry Pinkney, James Ransome, Judith Viorst and Rosemary Wells
•       Teens & Children: M.T. Anderson, Michael Buckley, Suzanne Collins, Margarita Engle, Peter Ferguson, Phillip M. Hoose, Brad Meltzer, Katherine Paterson, Jane Smiley, Jeff Smith and Rebecca Stead
•       Fiction & Mystery: Isabel Allende, Ken Follett, Diana Gabaldon, Julia Glass, Martha Grimes, Elizabeth Kostova, Anchee Min, Karin Slaughter, Scott Spencer, Peter Straub and Scott Turow
•       Poetry & Prose: Elizabeth Alexander, Rae Armantrout, Jonathan Franzen, Gail Godwin, Allegra Goodman, Chang-rae Lee, Thomas Mallon, Orhan Pamuk, Jane Smiley and Natasha Trethewey
•       History & Biography: Adele Logan Alexander, Timothy Egan, Jules Feiffer, Wil Haygood, David E. Hoffman, Richard Holmes, James McGrath Morris, Nell Irvin Painter, David Remnick, Steven V. Roberts, Stacy Schiff, Evan Thomas and Gordon S. Wood
•       Contemporary Life: Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, Gurcharan Das, Ree Drummond, Bruce Feiler, Jonathan Safran Foer, Spike Mendelsohn, Michele Norris, Richard Rhodes, Henry Petroski, Craig Robinson, Anita Silvey, Harold Varmus and Edward O. Wilson.

         Festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite authors, get books signed, have photos taken with PBS storybook characters and participate in a variety of learning activities.
         The 2010 National Book Festival is made possible through the generous support of Co-Chairman, National Book Festival Board David M. Rubenstein; Charter Sponsors Target and The Washington Post; Patrons, AT&T, Institute of Museum and Library Services, The James Madison Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and PBS KIDS Raising Readers; Contributors, Borders, Digital Bookmobile powered by OverDrive, Penguin Group (USA), ReadAloud.org, Scholastic Inc., and the Library of Congress Federal Credit Union; and Friends The Hay-Adams and National Endowment for the Humanities.  Thanks also to C-SPAN2's Book TV and The Junior League of Washington.
         The Library of Congress, the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, is the world's preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled collections and integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library's rich resources and treasures may be accessed through the Library's website, www.loc.gov, and via interactive exhibitions on myLOC.gov.

PR 10-162
07/15/10
ISSN 0731-3527

Post reviews Fringe's Superheroes Who Are Super

At Fort Fringe, X-Men mark the spot for 'Superheroes Who Are Super'
By Fiona Zublin
Washington Post July 15, 2010

G. Willow Wilson on Draw Muhammad Day at Post blog

A Muslim cartoonist on "Draw Muhammad Day"
by G. Willow Wilson
Washington Post's On Faith blog July 15, 2010.

Haven't read it yet, myself.

Olivia Walch's paper on her win

Student wins Washington Post comic contest
By Ian Brickey
College of William and Mary's The Flat Hat July 15, 2010

America's Next Great Cartoonist winner profiled in Post

This article talks about the contest, and the other local contestants, including Joe Sutliff who's been noticed by the Washington Post's syndicate editor-

Va. student Olivia Walch named 'America's Next Great Cartoonist' in Post contest
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 15, 2010; 1:51 PM
published as And the winner is... Young Va. woman tops comic contest with triumphant 'Quest' July 16, 2010

This article is a profile of Olivia Walch -

Young 'America's Next Great Cartoonist' winner honed craft at Va. college paper
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 15, 2010; 1:15 PM
in print as And the winner is... Science major delights in rendering a most rewarding sideline, July 16, 2010

And this is a video 'chat' with her in an annoying format -
Live video discussion with Olivia Walch, the winner of the Post's 'America's Next Great Cartoonist' contest

Zadzooks reviews comics

Zadzooks: Superman, Wonder Woman and Wolverine
By Joseph Szadkowski
Washington Times July 15, 2010

PR: Wash Post Announces Winner of Cartoonist Contest!

After some 500 entries and 4,000 first-round votes, The Washington Post today announces the winner of America's Next Great Cartoonist Contest.

Olivia Walch, 20, of Fairfax Station, Va. is the contest winner, impressing the judges with her "Imogen Quest" cartoon and winning over readers. She emerges as America's Next Great Cartoonist after our panelists picked 10 finalists, celebrity judges critiqued entries, then thousands of readers voted in two rounds of challenges to choose the winner. As winner, Walch receives $1,000 and a shot at syndication.

Of Walch's work, Judge Jerry Scott said, "Olivia's panel is really current and smart. Her ideas are fresh and funny, and the drawings are consistent and likable." Gene Weingarten was impressed with her jokes. Richard Thompson also reviewed her work and wrote, "This Sunday is ingenious and funny, and pushes metahumor about as far as it can go."

Walch is studying math and biophysics at The College of William and Mary and is a cartoonist for the student newspaper, 'The Flat Hat.' To  read more about the winner, go here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/15/AR2010071502123.html

To check out her work for the contest: http://views.washingtonpost.com/cartoonist/contestants/OliviaW/2010/07/imogen_quest_winner.html

 

For more about The Washington Post's contest: http://views.washingtonpost.com/cartoonist/

 

 

Kal, speaking in Baltimore July 15, and his new exhibits

Kal writes in, and note that he's speaking in Baltimore TOMORROW,

Friends and colleagues

I wanted to share some recent news that I hope you will find of interest.

A large exhibition of KAL cartoons and animation is currently set to be on display in Seoul, South Korea at SICAF (Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival) July 21-25. The festival is very well attended with over 300,000 cartoon enthusiasts expected to visit over the 5 day event. Photos from the exhibit will be available later this month at www.Kaltoons.com.

Another exhibition of my cartoons is set to open this Fall at the Center for The Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. "Drawn From The Economist: The editorial art of KAL" will run from September 10 to October 24. The show will include more than 40 cartoons, covers and illustrations from my 33 year career with The Economist.

This Thursday, July 15, I will a featured speaker at the opening of "Betascape", Baltimore's newest showcase of technology and Art. This inaugural event will take place at the WindUp Space, 12 West North Avenue, Baltimore. It starts at 7PM and admission is free. For more info go to: http://betascape.org/

Best

Kal

Kevin Kallaugher

kal@kaltoons.com

www.Kaltoons.com

The KAL iPhone App is now available at the iTunes store.

Trickster reviewed by Good Comics for Kids blog

Review: Trickster
by Katherine Dacey
School Library Journal's Good Comics for Kids July 14th, 2010

America's Next Great Cartoonist local paper feature

Zachary Snyder is featured here -

Willowbrook cartoonist needs your vote
Staten Island Advance July 13, 2010

Harvey Pekar on Australian radio

I actually got a phone call from Australia last night - and I'm old enough to find that technologically marvelous and cool - for quotes for this story:

American Splendour's Harvey Pekar dies
Thea Dikeos reported this story on Wednesday, July 14, 2010
ABC News' PM
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2010/s2953704.htm
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/pm/201007/20100714-pm11-splendour.mp3

I'm going to keep mulling over that spontaneous Steinbeck comparison as I think there's something to it. When I mentioned Hemingway and Steinbeck, I initially meant Pekar was a quintessentially American writer, but I think he might have some real thematic links to Steinbeck.

Bob Greenberger on his Baltimore Shore Leave con experience

Bob Greenberger writes about his Baltimore Shore Leave con experience.

Weldon on Pekar

Harvey Pekar Was A Person In Your Neighborhood
by Glen Weldon
July 12, 2010

Washington Post on Harvey Pekar

The official obituary -

Harvey Pekar dead: American Splendor comic writer was 70
By Terence McArdle
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 13, 2010; B05

Comments from other cartoonists -

A PEKAR TRIBUTE: Collaborators & colleagues remember 'sweet, curmudgeonly' Harvey
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog July 13, 2010.

And the NY Times -

Harvey Pekar, ‘American Splendor’ Creator, Dies at 70
By WILLIAM GRIMES
July 13, 2010

Finally, Tom Spurgeon's putting together a compilation page of Internet links.

Cul de Sac and Act-I-Vate up for Harvey Awards

The Harvey Awards have 2 local candidates - Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for best syndicated strip and Act-I-Vate featuring local writer Jim Dougan for best anthology.

More on Harvey Pekar

It sounds like Harvey just wore out last night.

I'm sure tributes and obituaries will be popping up all over this week. I know the Washington Post print edition should have one tomorrow. Today Comic Riffs did two posts on Harvey -

Remembering Harvey Pekar, legendary bard of the 'underground' comic book
By Michael Cavna, July 12, 2010

Michael got my first impressions for this article, almost immediately after I heard the news while on vacation -

Harvey Pekar book editor recalls a 'kind and diffident' man
By Michael Cavna, July 12, 2010.

A longer piece, quoting liberally from a 2005 interview I did with Harvey, should appear on the City Paper's website tomorrow.

Harvey Pekar's passing

I've just heard that Harvey Pekar passed away during the night. Some years ago I was asked to fill in and interview Harvey at SPX. I reluctantly agreed, and went home and brushed up on his career. Day 1 went well, so I did the second session the next day with Harvey and his collaborators Josh Neufeld, Ed Piskor and Dean Haspiel. These two interviews became the genesis of my edited book of interviews, Harvey Pekar: Conversations. Harvey gave me his permission to use anything he had done, but he didn't have a file of interviews to make my life much easier. I got the occasional thrill of picking up the phone and hearing him saying, "Hey Mike, it's Harvey Pekar" as though his gruff voice wasn't immediately recognizable. The book came out about a year later, and Harvey and I stayed loosely in touch. I always found him to be kind and approachable, not a curmudgeon, and will miss our infrequent talks and any new stories from him. Through the force of his intellect and willpower, Harvey made himself a part of the American experience and we've lost something with his death.

Batwoman: Elegy reviewed in Examiner

Today's Examiner had a brief review of Batwoman: Elegy which isn't online. The main takeaway: "The obvious attraction is Williams and colorist Dave Stewart's artwork, whose mutable style and wildly inventive layouts get across the story's twisted chronology and psychological subtleties all by themselves."

Bennett's Best on Zadzooks

A couple of week's of catchup here.

Bennett's Best: Justice League of America and Wonder Woman
By Greg Bennett, Special to Zadzooks Sunday, July 4, 2010.

Bennett's Best: Batman: The Odyssey, Scarlet and more
By Greg Bennett, Special to Zadzooks Friday, July 9, 2010