SPX's Jeff Alexander's memorial service schedule

Convenant Funeral Service has an online obituary for SPX's Jeff Alexander stating that the funeral will be Saturday, February 5th in Fredericksburg, MD.

Truitt on Super Dinosaur

'Super Dinosaur' ready for a dino-mite debut
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY February 3 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-02-03-SuperDinosaur_N.htm

Ben Claasen III paper dolls in today's Express

Ben Claasen III drew paper dolls to illustrate the Weekend Pass system in today's Express. They're young hipsters, of course.

Feb 3-5: NSO Pops: Disney in Concert at the Kennedy Center

NSO Pops: Disney in Concert

Enjoy the magic of Disney with the NSO Pops. Memorable scenes and melodies you know by heart, from Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, The Lion King and more, will transform anyone into a Mouseketeer.

• Feb 3 - 5, 2011
• Concert Hall
• Approx. 2 hours
• $20.00 - $85.00

About the Program

Artists:

• Michael Krajewski , conductor
• Candice Nicole , vocalist
• Whitney Kaufman , vocalist
• Aaron Phillips , vocalist
• Andrew Johnson , vocalist

Enjoy the magic music of Disney in Concert with the NSO Pops and guest conductor Michael Krajewski. Every new generation has a favorite Disney musical, whether it's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Aladdin, or The Lion King. And then there are the classics, from a Mary Poppins medley to the "Yo ho" of Pirates of the Caribbean. When everyone joins together for memorable moments and sing-along melodies that Mouseketeers of all ages know by heart, it feels like a small world, after all.

 

Program:

VARIOUS - Disney Classics Overture
	arr. Healey
MENKEN - The Little Mermaid Orchestral Suite
MENKEN - Pocahontas:"Colors of the Wind"
MENKEN - Beauty and the Beast Suite
	arr. Troob
SHERMAN - The Jungle Book: "I Wanna Be Like You"
	arr. van der Heijden
SHERMAN - Mary Poppins Medley
MENKEN - The Hunchback of Notre Dame Suite
	arr. Staroboin
MENKEN - Aladdin Medley
	arr. Troob
BADELT - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
	arr. Ricketts
JOHN - The Lion King Suite
	arr. Kelley
SHERMAN - "It's a Small World"
	arr. Whitcomb

Weldon on bedbugs, ATC on Sendak

The Week In Comics: Bedbugs, Change-Bots And Tijuana Bibles
by Glen Weldon
National Public Radio's Monkey See blog (February 2, 2011)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/02/02/133416000/the-week-in-comics-bedbugs-change-bots-and-tijuana-bibles


A Parade, Restored: A Maurice Sendak Mural Goes From Bedroom To Gallery.
Robert Siegel and Linda Holmes
National Public Radio's All Things Considered February 1, 2011
http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/02/02/133404891/a-parade-restored-a-maurice-sendak-mural-goes-from-bedroom-to-gallery
http://pd.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/atc/2011/02/20110201_atc_08.mp3
http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=133404891

Truitt on Archie's new gay character

Kevin Keller proves a diverse and popular asset for Archie Comics
By Brian Truitt, USA Today February 2 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-02-02-KevinKeller_N.htm

Bill McKay interview coming soon

Bill McKay, who is currently working on Zombies Vs. Cheerleaders has done a Washington City Paper interview with me that's coming soon.

OT: Guy Billout interviewed by David Paccia

Guy Billout, one of my favorite magazine illustrator/cartoonists is interviewed -

Guy Billout - Cartoonist/Artist Survey #208
David Paccia
David-Wasting-Paper blog February 2, 2011

- check him out. I read the Atlantic JUST to see his work.

Nick Galifianakis book tour reports

Nick Galifianakis (whom I interviewed for the City Paper) is reporting about the West Coast leg of his book tour in tiny increments on Facebook. With his permission, here's some of his photographs and comments from the tour. But first, here's a video from a book launch party.

Kate Michael, aka kstreetkate has a YouTube interview with him up, of which she says, "Nick Galifianakis' funniest topics to cartoon and comment upon are human relationships. At a book launch party for his latest "If You Loved Me, You'd Think This Was Cute," hosted at the home of the Washington Post's Katherine Weymouth, Galifiankis dishes on what interactions he finds the most humorous - and why men might want to read up on his subjects!" She's got an earlier interview video with him online in The District Dish too.

And now, here's Nick!


"Seattle! Open, warm and wet - JUST the way I like my book signings!"


"Powell's rocked! Great crowd. Thank you Portland - I was even inspired get a tattoo. And pierced."


"Thank you, San Fran! I got some practice in."


"In honor of my Book Signing in LA, I present the first cartoon I drew when I moved there."


"LA highlights (in any order): meeting devoted fans, hanging with my cuz...and Helena Bonham Carter helping me set up."

Former local comics scholar A David Lewis interviewed

Fanboy Radio #578 - Religion in Comics with A. David Lewis & G. Willow Wilson
31 January 2011
http://fanboyradio.libsyn.com/fanboy-radio-578-religion-in-comics-with-a-david-lewis-g-willow-wilson
http://traffic.libsyn.com/fanboyradio/fbr578.mp3

Politics and Prose rescheduled book group meeting

From: Adam Waterreus

Due to the snow interfering with our meeting last week, I think we'll postpone our discussion of City of Glass to the 4^th Wednesday of this month (February 23^rd). I think it's a book worth chatting about, and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to do so. Stay warm, and see you all in a few weeks!

Adam

SOMEBODY in DC owns a Peanuts sketch and is nervous about it

Treasures: Should this sketch by Charles M. Schulz be insured?
 By HELAINE FENDELMAN and JOE ROSSON, Scripps Howard News Service 01/31/2011
http://www.scrippsnews.com/content/treasures-should-sketch-charles-m-schulz-be-insured

PR: Art Whino's LIVE FAST

Cartoonists in here -

	PRESS RELEASE: "LIVE FAST" Harley Davidson Inspired Art Group Show Harley-Davidsons evoke different emotions for different people. That's because Harleys are the snowflakes of self-expression; no two Harleys are alike because no two riders are the same. From custom paint to chrome and exhaust, Harleys express their owners' personalities. More than any other mechanical object, Harleys are moving art. "Live Fast" is an exhibit that will take this idea one step further by displaying art which is inspired by the gasoline, oil, and freedom that power these uniquely American machines. Pieces will include custom Harley tanks painted especially for this show as well as other pieces this hand-picked stable of artists created for this one-of-a-kind event.   The artist Dave "Letterfly" will also show us a traditional form of motorcycle expression- pinstriping.  This art form was made popular in the 50's Custom Culture and its influence on contemporary customs is still observed today.  Please join us as we celebrate Harleys through the eyes of these artists and show you many different takes on what makes these motorcycles great.   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Opening Reception Saturday, February 26th, from 5pm – 8pm With special guest appearance by the infamous artist "Letterfly" who will demonstrate traditional "old school" pinstriping. The event is FREE but RSVP required for entrance RSVP to Livefast@artwhino.com Open to the public exhibit Sunday, February 27th, from 11am – 5pm Patriot University Seminar "Rolling Art-tips and tricks from the artist himself" with Letterfly Sunday, February 27th, at 1 PM at Patriot H-D This seminar is free but limited space is available.  Please sign up by emailing university@patriothd.com Location: Patriot Harley-Davidson 9739 Fairfax Blvd Fairfax VA 22031 Show end date: February 27th Alan Defibaugh Born in Washington D.C., Alan has spent a majority of his life living in the outlying metropolitan area. With the exception of school (4 years in mysterious Savannah Georgia), and his brand new home in Austin, Texas! Alan has been drawing since 1984 and has been getting paid for it since 2005. His personal style focuses on bold colors, 2-dimensional design, and a sense of humor that's perhaps a little off. He specializes in artwork suitable for digital media, print and any other surface you can think of! He loves David Bowie and the color pink. Caia Koopman From the land of surf and sea, Caia Koopman has emerged as one of lowbrow's preeminent female artists. With a well-rounded background from her years spent obtaining her BA in Fine arts from UC Santa Cruz, to her time spent in the skateboarding and snowboarding scenes, Caia's environment has both molded and provided an eclectic background that makes her paintings come to life. With her fine detail for beauty, inclinations toward nature, and collectiveness of the female spirit, Caia has quickly become one of the quintessential artists fully encompassing the elegance, strengths, and vulnerabilities of femininity. Casey Weldon From the land of surf and sea, Caia Koopman has emerged as one of lowbrow's preeminent female artists. With a well-rounded background from her years spent obtaining her BA in Fine arts from UC Santa Cruz, to her time spent in the skateboarding and snowboarding scenes, Caia's environment has both molded and provided an eclectic background that makes her paintings come to life. With her fine detail for beauty, inclinations toward nature, and collectiveness of the female spirit, Caia has quickly become one of the quintessential artists fully encompassing the elegance, strengths, and vulnerabilities of femininity. Drew Storm Graham When I was 11 years old I moved to Madrid where I immediately fell in love with graffiti visually and conceptually. Graffiti embodies a bold, impetuous attitude rooted in controversy and rebellion. This spark of controversy that lies at the very soul of graffiti is what attracted my attention to the art form. It demands a reaction whether of affirmation or rejection because the viewer is an inescapable victim of its presence. Conflict is a necessary element that enhances the meaning of graffiti. A majority of this message rests solely in the action of creating it, defying the constraints imposed by society. JeanPaul Mallozzi JeanPaul Mallozzi was born and raised in Queens NYC, and received a scholarship to attend the Rhode Island School Of Design (RISD). He graduated with B.F.A in Illustration and Fine Arts. He currently resides in Miami FL, trying daily to avoid the sun and stay pastey white. I like to combine urban scenery with old world story telling. A city is a fun stage to play out fantastical scenarios with spirits and humans, weather phenomena and love. The world looks mundane at certain times of the day, but there are other times where magic can happen in a split second. The eternal kid in me believes that". Jim Mahfood Jim Mahfood aka Food One is an illustrator/comic book artist/ muralist/ live art rocker residing in LA. He is the creator of the art style known as Visual Funk: a hybrid mix of comix art, graffiti, manga, street art, and funk culture. Jim single-handedly introduced Live Art to the American comic book scene. Food has worked for every major comic book publisher and his list of comics credits include Clerks (with filmmaker Kevin Smith), Grrl Scouts, Stupid Comics, Felt, Bad Ideas, various Spider-Man books for Marvel, One Page Filler Man, Kick Drum Comix, Carl -The Cat That Makes Peanut Butter Sandwiches, and more. His illustrations have appeared in magazines like Playboy, MAD Magazine, Star Wars Gamer, URB, BadAzz Mofo, BPM, the Hollywood Reporter, and so on. Mr. Christopher Born and bred in the Midwest, Mr. Christopher has developed a unique style and ethic for someone residing in the Bible Belt. Dropping out of artschool at the age of 19, he decided that the academic world did not have much to offer him. At that time he was still a very active graffiti writer and preferred developing painting techniques on his own. Film, sexuality, politics and street art were all key in what was to become Mr. Christopher's style and content. Although he says he is retired from graffiti, he still manages to catch a few tags and paint a few trains. The allure of painting whatever you want, wherever you want is an addictive quality and that addiction has carried over into his other work as well. He can't go a day without painting, drawing, taking pictures, making music or shooting 8mm film. If creating were cocaine or heroin, then he'd be River Phoenix. Nick Morris I was born in Ballarat, just over an hour out of Melbourne. At the age of six I knew I wanted to be an artist and, at a similar time, discovered surfing and my passion for the coast had begun. When I was at secondary school, one of my teachers had said only two per cent of living artists make a living off their art, so I decided to become a graphic designer. In many ways it was a positive result for eventually becoming an artist. I went to Chisholm Institute in Caufield where I met fellow designer Dave Bowers and, over time, we hit it off. After working in Melbourne for a few years after college I moved to the west coast of Victoria and, in 1990, Dave and I started a clothing label called Umgawa. It was incredibly successful but our inexperience caught up with us and from there I went on to become the art director at Quiksiver in Torquay, which had been something I had always aspired to. To be living down the coast working in an industry that moulded in around surfing was a dream come true. A few years later I bean my own freelance graphics company called Anyhow, servicing the surf streetwear industry working for the biggest labels in the world. The business peaked around 2004 when we were invited to speak at Semi Permanent graphics conference in Sydney and then later at Agideas with a host of international designers. Nils Westergard Nils Westergard started stenciling at age 13 when a friend introduced him to the world of street art. Now 18, he is a high school senior with plans to attend VCUarts to study film in the fall. His work with stencils and sculpture focuses on the conflict and legitimacy of street art as well as the nature of authority and rebellion. Aside from painting Nils works with film, sculpture, and set design where he takes his influence from a variety of sources ranging from Carl Sagan to the Cold War. When he's not creating art Nils enjoys nature, film, friends, history and science. Patrick Haemerlein A native of Kinderhook, NY, Patrick Haemmerlein is a freelance designer and artist living in Los Angeles. After receiving his BFA from Savanna College of Art and Design in 2000, Patrick took the long road trip across country and settled down in LA. Here he began to obsessively photograph the city and its components. This gradually moved into new art form as he started to combine and create with images he was collecting. Reflecting on the issues of the day, Patrick explores themes of nature Vs. industry and how they can coexist of clash. The buildings and cityscapes are from Los Angeles while the animal and farm photos were mostly taken around his hometown area in upstate NY. They are not only a juxtaposition of nature and industry, but a combination of imagery from his two homes- one rural and one urban. Ruben Ubiera Ruben Ubiera is a Dominican neo figurative artist, known for his strong use of the line, who has been drawing and painting ever since he had use of reason. Ruben paints and draws in a style considered by many as Pop-surrealism, but he prefers to call it urban-pop, since he has lived most of his life in the urban, populated areas and most of his inspiration is derived from the interactivity  between man and his urban environment. Scotch! SCOTCH! is a stencil artist. Definition:noun;to cut. He is known for knee slapping memorable street art such as tricycle girl, the crotch-grabbing famous trooper, & the pantless laurel & hardy. The stencilist had a huge success with his first solo show, leading to other gallery showings from New York to L.A., Portland thru Miami to name a few. San Antonios Current paper gave Scotch! credit for Best Anonymous Public Art 2 years in a row. He utilized a questionable-legal public art installation coordinated and executed by a group calling itself Uniting Artists through Crime. the project quickly caught the eyes of lowbrow/street art magazine called juxtapoz. Scotch!continues to push for new  stencil techniques/ideas that people of all ages & genres can enjoy. Thom Glick Thom Glick floated up from the bottom of the sea. After scientists cleaned the barnacles and seaweed from his sponge-like body, and equipped him with a magic salt water chest cavity breathing implant, he was secretly allowed to join the population of land dwelling humans. Now living among us, Thom is slowly documenting life on the surface with his abstracted visual interpretations and nonsensical babble writing. To maintain an appearance of normalness, Thom lives with his cute surface dweller girlfriend, Zuz, and their fuzzy teeth monster, Pilot. Also on exhibit will be 13 Full size Harley gas tanks that local artists were given to create unique 3 Dimensional Artistic Expressions. The artist coming from all walks of lives and genres will work with the iconic element of the bike and the lifestyles associate with them to create their interpretations of "Living Fast" Gas Tank Artists Brandon Hill Daniel Barojas Decoy Don Patron Elstabo James Walker Jazirock Jessica Zadlo Juan Pineda Keith Brooks Mike O'Brien Peter Krsko Rodger Schultz Tim Conlon Ultra Asad Walker Special Guest Appearance, Demonstration, and Patriot University Seminar by "Letterfly"  Dave "Letterfly" Knoderer is an honored guest each year at our Ride of the Patriots event every Memorial Day Weekend. He sets up shop and creates countless works of art on bikes, helmets, and anything else with a surface that needs personalization. We are thrilled to have him join us February 26 & 27 to be part of our "Live Fast" Art Exhibit and to host his own Seminar, "Rolling Art- tips and tricks from the artist himself" "The smartest thing I ever did was join the circus!" states the clearly unique "Letterfly". This decision launched a teenager into an unusual career, first as a show drummer accenting the efforts of the aerialists and artistes as well as plying his skill with paint and brush to decorate the circus fleet using his emerging style. Being part of this distinct entertainment experience provided skills that he says "have morphed into the relentless venture of creativity" that clearly continues to this day. Letterfly is an old school/renaissance man. As an apprentice in the sign painting trade, he learned design layout formulas, letterforms, pinstriping and wet-blended pictorial painting as his skills with the brush developed. With a penchant for adventure, the young artist soon began painting theatrical sets, amusement park and fairground décor, antique fire engine gilding, along with creating conventional, hand lettered signage and award winning storefront décor. Today "Letterfly" travels the country visiting Harley-Davidson dealerships as well as Biker and RV events to create quality artwork on motorcycles, motor homes, hot rods and other modes of go-fast. Traditional brush painted pinstripe designs, pin-up girls, pictorials, inscriptions, pets, portraits and custom images of all kinds are produced on the spot in various locations across the nation and at his home/studio in Florida. Letterfly now joins Patriot Harley-Davidson for an exhibition that goes beyond the bikes! A collection of hand painted artwork, photographs, posters, signs, cartoons and painted panels with intricate pinline designs showcase the varied and interesting career of the artist/entertainer and will be on display during our first ever "Live Fast" art exhibit. We will also be treated to a demonstration of his traditional "old school" pinstriping. The delicate nature of the hand painted pinline design is the result of years of practice and developed finesse with the ungainly, specialized brush. Come see how it is really done at the opening on the 26th. Patriot University Seminar: Sunday, February 27 at 1pm PHD is proud to host another in our series of Unique seminars: "Rolling Art- tips and tricks from the artist himself" This seminar is free but limited space is available.  Please sign up by emailing university@patriothd.com You will see many examples of Old School pinstripe work and see how it is done and learn many of the artists tricks. No one should expect to leave this seminar with the ability to "Von Dutch" their Harley but you will see how a pro does it- the types of brushes required, ways to maintain symmetry, color selection and more. "Letterfly" will discuss his background and his experience in the industry, the history of pinstriping, and how a simple hand lettered inscription can communicate a statement and provoke an emotion. Letterfly will also discuss his process of creating a custom image for an individual bike starting with the interview, exploring concepts, initial sketches, image development, and finally the paint medium. An especially informative portion of the talk will involve discussing the steps, materials and components that go into the creation of spectacular custom paint jobs with an opportunity for questions from any one interested in the technical aspects of this interesting facet of the biker culture.

---

Comic Riffs checks in with Spiegelman

ART SPIEGELMAN reacts to winning grand prize at Angoulême
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog January 31 2011

Julian "Ants" Lytle interview online at City Paper

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Julian Lytle
by Mike Rhode on Jan. 31, 2011
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/general/2011/01/31/meet-a-local-cartoonist-a-chat-with-julian-lytle/

 

Greg McElhatton remembers SPX's Jeff Alexander

Greg McElhatton remembers SPX's Jeff Alexander

Spurgeon interviews Baltimore's Tim Kreider

Kreider has a new book coming out! Until last year, his cartoons appeared regularly in the Baltimore City Paper.

CR Sunday Interview: Tim Kreider
Tom Spurgeon
Comics Reporter January 30, 2011

Zadzooks on Red movie adaptation

Zadzooks: Red on Blu-ray
Action is fast and funny in Willis' 'Red'
By Joseph Szadkowski
The Washington Times January 23, 2011
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jan/23/zadzooks-red-blu-ray/

Jeff Alexander, Small Press Expo organizer, has died

Reports are appearing on Facebook that Jeff Alexander, past Small Press Expo organizer, has died overnight, apparently of a heart attack. The information has been confirmed by Warren Bernard, this year's Executive Director (and SPX now has an online memorial). I didn't know Jeff very well, but we were friendly when we ran into each other, and I'm very sorry to hear this news. Jeff spoke to me last year about SPX before show, and I found another interview with him on Readers Voice as well. Like many comic cons, SPX is reliant on volunteers to make everything happen, and Jeff made much of the success of recent years happen.

I had planned to do a followup article at the City Paper after 2010's SPX, but time got away from me and it would have been stale. Here's the questions that Jeff answered about the con, in memory of Jeff and for history's sake.

Mike Rhode: How successful was your convention this year (2010)?

Jeff Alexander: I would say it was very successful.

Our attendance was up 10% for the third year in a row despite the sluggish economy.

Also, the inaugural year of the Animation Showcase exceeded our expectations and regularly had to turn people away when the room was full.

Mike Rhode: What will be changing for next year? Staying the same?

Jeff Alexander: I can't say for sure. I am stepping down as the Executive Director to have time to pursue other interests.

I am sure there will be some tweaking of the Animation Showcase based on what we learned this year, but fundamentally the show will remain the same.

Warren Bernard will be taking over next year and I'm sure he has a few plans up his sleeve for the future of SPX.

Mike Rhode: Do you have a favorite moment? Least favorite?

Jeff Alexander: My favorite moment came shortly after the show when local filmmaker Steven Greenstreet uploaded a two minute video from footage he shot at SPX.

It's hard to believe that SPX has the power to inspire such creativity.

The least favorite moment was not having a sign language interpreter available for two attendees.

This was their first SPX and were very excited about coming to the show. Having an interpreter there would have made their experience just that much more enjoyable.

Mike Rhode: What could have been done better? What did you 'hit out of the park'?

Jeff Alexander: If we had the time and resources to dedicate to it, I would have preferred to have done some cross-over events with Intervention.

We are competing conventions, but we share similar goals for promoting comics.

What we "hit out of the park" was in asking Paul Nadjmabadi and Angela Ottinger to head the Animation Showcase.

They assembled a first class committee and put on a phenomenal show.

Mike Rhode: Did you buy anything or meet anyone that's special for you personally?

Jeff Alexander: It was great to finally meet Kate Beaton and to see James Sturm, Keith Knight, and John & Sandra from Metaphrog again. Unfortunately, the job of Executive Director didn't leave me as much time to chat with them as I'd have liked.

I did find the time to pick up a copy of "Tigerbuttah" by Becky Dreistadt & Frank Gibson. It's an all ages book done in the style of the Golden Books from the 1950s and 1960s, but it's Becky's illustrations that make "Tigerbuttah" a must have book!

Eric Shansby covers Post Magazine

Eric Shansby usually draws cartoons for Gene Weingarten's column in the Post. Today his art covers the Post Magazine for Weingarten's story on the Volt car, with another large piece inside at the beginning of the story.