Caro on Basil Wolverton

Caroline Small compares Basil Wolverton to outsider artists at the Hooded Utilitarian blog.

Comics at Brickfest 2010

I was hanging around with Ryan Claytor (more to come on that) so I couldn't make LEGO's Brickfest this year, but my neighbor Chris Ingram, the real LEGO fan, shot a couple of pictures for me:

The Green Lantern -


Asterix the Gaul and his village -




and Matt Dembicki just sent in this Bill the Cat from Bloom County / Outland / Opus -

That Darn Luckovich

Arlington cemetery is no laughing matter
Charlotte Johnson Jones
Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star 8/8/2010

Comic Riffs on Rall and Bors in Afghanistan.

'No filter': Cartoonists MATT BORS & TED RALL depart for Afghanistan eager to tell 'the people's story'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 9, 2010;

Comics picture from National Museum of Health & Medicine

MIS 09-5048-36

Headed for home - Commander Frank E. Ehrlich, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy, chief of pediatric surgery at Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Virginia, finds Brian LeBlanc reading a comic book a few hours after surgery. Brian was hospitalized less than 24 hours for his operation.[Pediatrics.][Hospitals, wards.] 4/1974.

U.S. Navy Medicine; U.S. Navy BUMED Library and Archives via the National Museum of Health and Medicine

Note that the comic book is Little Dot from Harvey Comics.

PRESS RELEASE: “Daddy’s Home” Canadian Sales Boom

Anthony Rubino sent this in, noting "I lived in Bethesda for 15 years before moving to NYC 3 years ago."  That's on-topic enough for me.

In Addition To Steadily Increasing Sales In The US, "Daddy's Home" Continues To Sell Briskly In Canada Where The Comic Breaks Ground With New Paid Internet Sales

 

 

In addition to steady sales and growing popularity in The US, it seems our friends to the North have taken a liking to Peter and the "Daddy's Home" gang. This month, Creator's Syndicate's national sales director, Margo Sugrue sold "Daddy's Home" (By Anthony Rubino, Jr. and Gary Markstein) to a consortium of websites there, under the umbrella; canoe.ca and its 28 subsidiary sites. This translates to 56 new sales in 28 markets (28 daily accounts and 28 Sunday accounts). The canoe.ca sales come in the wake of Creator's Sun Media deal, earlier this year, in which "Daddy's Home" picked up six new, major daily and Sunday Canadian markets (Calgary Sun, Edmonton Sun, Toronto Sun, Ottawa Sun, Winnipeg Sun and The Branford Expositor). "DH" is also in several smaller Canadian papers.

 

Among the 28 "paid-subscription-only" sites under the canoe.ca umbrella are:  London Free Press, Brockville Record and Times, Chattam Daily News,  Bellville Intelligencer,  The Barrie Examiner, Peterborough Examiner, The Sault Star, Northumberland Today, North Bay Nugget, Cornwall Standard Freeholder, and more.

 

"Daddy's Home" US print newspaper clients include "The Chicago Sun-Times," The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Lexington Herald Leader, The Bismarck Tribune, The Duluth News-Tribune, Arizona Central and The Amarillo Globe-News to name a few. These coupled with the Canadian accounts puts "Daddy's Home's" total newspaper client list at more than 100 papers. In addition, "DH" currently boasts just over 200 newspaper and "other" websites contracts. bringing the combined print and online total to approximately 300.

 

In other news, "DH" is currently in the midst of a wildly successful Caption contest, which closes on 8/20. We currently have more than 1000 entries. Readers will cast their votes on the finalists starting on 8/23.

 

And in breaking news…

Earlier today, Creators Syndicate announced that "Daddy's Home" will be tested in "Newsday," starting this Sunday, August 15.

 

"Daddy's Home" was launched in 2008.

 

Relevant links:

www.gocomics.com/daddyshome

www.canoe.ca

http://www.creators.com/comics/daddys-home.html

http://blogs.gocomics.com/2010/07/daddys-home-caption-contest.html

http://www.newsday.com/

www.daddyshomepage.com

 

###

ANTHONY RUBINO, JR.
Rubino Creative Solutions (RCS)
Daddy's Home Comics
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Why Didn't I Think of That?
101 Inventions That Changed The World By Hardly Trying

Bennett's Best on Zadzooks

Bennett's Best: Four Eyes, Rasl and Life with Archie: The Married Life
By Greg Bennett, Special to Zadzooks
Zadzooks  Wednesday, August 4, 2010

That Darn Toles (continued yet again)

An Irony Too Far [online title: Cartoon of Middle East peace principals went too far]

Washington Post August 7, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/06/AR2010080606088.html

Political cartoons are, by definition, ironic, but Tom Toles's Aug. 2 cartoon went beyond irony into falsehood. Contrary to the illustrated scene, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has, in fact, been calling on the Palestinians to join in direct talks, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has adamantly refused. Most recently, President Obama and the Arab League have joined Israel's call, but Mr. Abbas has yet to respond.

Israel, in contrast to Mr. Toles's depiction, is ready for direct peace talks now -- with all issues on the table -- and is hopeful that when the Palestinians return to the negotiating table, a peace agreement can be reached swiftly and definitively.

Jonathan Peled, Washington

The writer is spokesman for the Embassy of Israel.

Ryan Claytor in the area signing comics this weekend

He's at Laughing Ogre right now.

Ryan Claytor will be at Laughing Ogre Comics, Lansdowne Shopping Center, 19340 Promenade Dr., Lansdowne, Va., on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., then at Fantom Comics in Union Station from 4 to 7 p.m. On Sunday, he’ll be at Beyond Comics at 536 North Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, Md., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.



The autobio minicomics creator is in town this weekend for his US tour. Union Station is the most central location -

Ryan Claytor In-Store Signing
August 7th, 2010 from 4-7pm
at Fantom Comics
50 Mass Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20002

I've bought all of Ryan's minicomics and recommend them.

Bugs Bunny at Wolftrap featured in today's Examiner

Looney Tunes light up the outdoors at Wolf Trap
 Marie Gullard
 Washington Examiner August 6, 2010 : 20

PR: Lone Justice Graphic Novel Exclusive at Baltimore Comic-Con

Generally, I won't be forwarding all of these - however this one is of note because our area's Mark Wheatley is doing this comic.

Lone Justice Graphic Novel Exclusive at Baltimore Comic-Con IDW Publishing, ComicMix and Insight Studios Team-Up for Signed, Numbered Edition Baltimore, Maryland - August 6, 2010 - He's been the city's greatest champion, battling tirelessly to keep us safe from harm. But what could spell the end for Lone Justice? What could destroy the hero of the century? Does it take losing everything to a horrific economy to make a man see what he really stands for? With the regular edition of IDW Publishing and ComicMix's Lone Justice - Volume 1 not due in comic shops until September, a select few fans will be able to get a signed, limited convention exclusive edition at the August 28-29, 2010 Baltimore Comic-Con. Writer-artist Mark Wheatley, writer Robert Tinnell, and editor Mike Gold will all be on hand to celebrate this sneak peek edition, which is limited to only 50 copies. This edition includes a special illustrated signature plate. "The Baltimore Comic-Con is one of my all-time favorite conventions every year. I love comics and this show is intensely about comics: old comics, new comics, the people who love to make them, and the people who love to read them," said Mark Wheatley. "It doesn't get any more comic-centric than that, which is why we're having these special copies shipped in directly from the printer." The standard edition of Lone Justice - Volume 1 is featured on Page 157 of the July edition of Previews from Diamond Comic Distributors [item #JUL10 0357]. The full-color trade paperback carries a retail price of just $19.99 for 132 pages almost entirely crammed with incredible pulp-flavored action. Lone Justice was originally serialized online on ComicMix. This collection, the first of two volumes that will tell the complete tale, marks its first appearance in print. Volume 2 in this series is scheduled for February 2011, also from IDW Publishing. The Baltimore Comic-Con will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 28-29, 2010 at the Baltimore Convention Center. In addition to Mark Wheatley, Robert Tinnell, and Mike Gold, guests include Sergio Aragones, Howard Chaykin, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Michael Golden, Marc Hempel, Klaus Janson, J.G. Jones, Denis Kitchen, Rich Koslowski, Steve Lieber, Todd McFarlane, Terry Moore, Paul Pope, Eric Powell, Jim Shooter, Billy Tucci, Mark Waid, Bernie Wrightson, and many others. The Baltimore Convention Center is located just a few short blocks from the family-friendly and world famous Inner Harbor, and immediately across the street from the historic Camden Yards sports complex (home of the Baltimore Orioles and Geppi's Entertainment Museum). For additional information, contact Mark Wheatley at insight@insightstudiosgroup.com.       Contact Information Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:   press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com - for communications regarding the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet general@baltimorecomiccon.com - for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries   About The Baltimore Comic-Con The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 11th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area.  With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 28-29, 2010.  For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com. About The Harvey Awards The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards.  With a history of over 20 years, the last 5 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories.  They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals.  For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

Ryan Claytor interview at City Paper

Meet a Visiting Cartoonist: Ryan Claytor, the Man Behind Elephant Eater Comics

Posted by Mike Rhode on Aug. 5, 2010 at 2:48 pm

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2010/08/05/meet-a-visiting-cartoonist-ryan-claytor-the-man-behind-elephant-eater-comics/

Stan Lee's Superhumans premieres on History Channel tonight

Stan Lee's tv show Superhumans premieres on the History Channel tonight. If you've got FIOS in Arlington, you'll be able to see it.

Their website says:

About Stan Lee's Superhumans
Throughout history, the forces of evolution and genetic mutation have endowed humans with astonishing new abilities and features. It's a process that continues to this day, and nowhere is it more evident than in the fascinating world of Stan Lee's "Superhumans."

Co-hosted by Stan Lee, the legendary creator of the X-Men, the series scours the globe for the real-life counterparts of Lee's characters–people with unique genetic traits that translate into remarkable powers. These include a man whose body is powerfully magnetic, another who can withstand deadly levels of cold and yet another whose brain performs complex calculations at staggering speeds.

In each episode, these "superhumans" undergo tests that may help explain their amazing gifts, while viewers discover the long history of people with extraordinary powers. Daniel Browning Smith, who's been dubbed the most flexible man in the world, hosts this thrilling journey into the farthest reaches of humankind.

Express has 2 pieces on Kick-Ass dvd release

In the print paper for August 5th is a review of the DVD by Jen Chaney from the Post's website -

'Kick-Ass' does just that on DVD and Blu-rayBy Jen Chaney
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 3, 2010; 12:00 AM

Online a couple of days ago was this interview -

Ordinary People: 'Kick-Ass' Producer Tarquin Pack, on DVDWritten by Express contributor Stephen M. Deusner
Express at 9:45 AM on August 3, 2010

Aug 6-7: Bugs Bunny At The Symphony at Wolftrap

Friday, August 6 and Saturday, August 7 at 8:30 pm at the Filene Center
Ticket Price: $20 - $52
Bugs Bunny At The Symphony
Created and conducted by George Daugherty

Bugs Bunny at the Symphony website

That "Wascally Wabbit" returns for two fabulous nights of film and music! The NSO provides live accompaniment as everyone’s favorite bunny brings new cartoons and music to life on large screens in-house and on the lawn.

Warner Bros.’ Bugs Bunny On Broadway reinvented a new genre of symphony concerts with its premiere in 1990 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary with this newly created concert sequel.

Among the timeless cartoons shown are “The Rabbit of Seville” (1950) and “What’s Opera, Doc?” (1957), as well as cartoons set to the overtures to William Tell and Die Fledermaus.

A number of new cartoons from the Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes vaults will be added, including the debut of Tweety Bird and Sylvester into the concert with “Tweety's Circus,” the misguided romantic musings of Pepe Le Pew in “A Scent of The Matterhorn,” and the concert debut of special guest artists Tom and Jerry in one of their most celebrated face-offs, "Tom and Jerry In The Hollywood Bowl."

PR: Mark Waid to Keynote 2010 Harvey Awards! Tickets Now Available!

Mark Waid to Keynote 2010 Harvey Awards!  Tickets Now Available! Final Ballots Due by Saturday, Aug. 7! Baltimore, Maryland - August 4, 2010 - The Harvey Awards dinner and presentation ceremony, featuring emcee Scott Kurtz and Keynote speaker Mark Waid, will be held on Saturday, August 28th at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore.   Harvey Awards tickets are on sale now.  Tickets to the event, which includes full cocktail hour (cash bar), full service dinner, awards ceremony, and gift bag are now available for $100.  Tickets are available by calling Cards, Comics & Collectibles in Reisterstown, Maryland at (410) 526-7410.  Major Credit Cards will be accepted for payment.  Dinner tickets must be purchased by Wednesday, August 25th and will not be available at the door.   The Harveys, named after the legendary MAD Magazine founding editor and master storyteller Harvey Kurtzman, recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories.  They are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals.   Guests for dinner and the awards ceremony will enjoy a full banquet dinner and a lively show hosted once again by Scott Kurtz as our Master of Ceremonies.  All 22 Harvey Awards will be announced, as well the Keynote Presentation by Mark Waid.   Over the past 25 years, Mark Waid has been involved in every aspect of comics publishing, from writing to editing to production to retail--everything short of inserting the staples in the actual comic books.  He has written some of the best-selling American graphic novels of all time, including KINGDOM COME with artist and co-plotter Alex Ross, and currently serves as the Chief Creative Officer for BOOM! Studios Comics in Los Angeles.   "I'm humbled and intimidated to be asked to give this year's keynote address at the Harveys," said Waid. "I may have been chosen because, given my long history and my current position, I have a unique perspective on the accomplishments this medium has made and the challenges it still faces.  Either that, or the organizers have laid bets on whether or not I'm capable of talking about anything but myself for more than two minutes at a stretch. We'll see."   Scott Kurtz, returning Master of Ceremonies, quipped:  "Last year, I gambled that the comics industry was willing to laugh at itself and MCed the Harveys like they were a roast. The experience lead to my working with Neal Adams by year's end. My hope this year is that I can angle a Kurtz/Waid/Sale team up. So it's gloves off for sure."   Continuing the guest-pleasing promotion from years past, a gift bag will be available to all dinner guests.  The first 250 attendees will receive a gift bag containing a variety of gifts from event sponsors, which will named soon!  Without these sponsors, the event would not be possible and the Baltimore Comic-Con Staff expresses their gratitude.  Look to our website for details as they become available.   For those who wish to attend the ceremony only, tickets are available for $15, or free for those with a two-day pass to the convention.  The hall will be opened for those ticket holders at approximately 9:15pm.  Attendees who purchase a ceremony-only ticket are not eligible to receive the gift bag.  The two day convention tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster, accessible from http://www.baltimorecomiccon.com/index.php/tickets/.  Harvey Ceremony tickets may be purchased via phone at 410-526-7410.   Voting professionals, please remember to submit your ballots by Saturday, August 7, 2010!  For ballots and voting instructions, please see our website, http://www.harveyawards.org/.   About The Baltimore Comic-Con The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 11th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 28-29, 2010. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com. About The Harvey Awards The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 4 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

Weldon on Fogtown

'Fogtown'. Seamy in the City. Pulpy Comic Book That's Dirty and Gritty.
by Glen Weldon
August 4, 2010

Night of the Living Dead is animated?

The 'Living Dead' Rise, Again [online title: Grave Awakening: 'Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated,' on DVD]

Written by Express contributor Stephen M. Deusner

Express (August 4 2010): 24

http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2010/08/night-of-the-living-dead-reanimated-dvd-review.php

Comic Book reviews column up at City Paper

International Ink: Brody's Ghost, Wolverine, Usagi Yojimbo

Posted by Mike Rhode on Aug. 3, 2010 at 2:54 pm

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2010/08/03/international-ink-brodys-ghost-book-wolverine-usagi-yojimbo/

Comic Riffs on Oh Brother and Chew interview

I paid some attention to this because my daughter's addicted to Poptropica -

New 'OH, BROTHER!' website hopes to follow in 'Big Nate's' big steps
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 3, 2010

-and in spite of myself I liked the Free Comic Book Day issue of this -

The 'Riffs Interview: New Eisner winner JOHN LAYMAN relishes the success of 'CHEW'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 3, 2010