Glen Weldon rounds up comics news

Funnybook Round-Up: Of Lawsuits, Ladies And Also, For Some Reason, 'Burn Notice'

by Glen Weldon

National Public Radio's Monkey See blog (June  29, 2011)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/06/29/137469549/funnybook-round-up-of-lawsuits-ladies-and-also-for-some-reason-burn-notice

The odder your comic book idea, the more press you get

Yesterday's Post had a one-paragraph blurb about Discovery's upcoming dinosaur comic book - today this article is online:

 

Comic book version of bin Laden raid to be released
By Jason Ukman
Washington Post Checkpoint Washington blog June 29 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/comic-book-version-of-bin-laden-raid-to-be-released/2011/06/28/AGMnK4pH_blog.html

On reflection, to make myself clear, let me note that I don't think there's anything wrong with a sequential art account of bin Laden's assassination - I'm just kvetching about the amount of pre-publication press something like this gets. And now I'm adding to it, of course.

Annapolis cartoonist Jim Hunt profiled

HIS OWN CAREER: From Braintree High, a cartoonist was born
Lane Lambert
Patriot Ledger June 28, 2011
 http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1305079067/From-Braintree-High-a-cartoonist-was-born

"Today, he's a nationally known cartoonist, whose work has appeared everywhere from Fox Sports' Major League Baseball broadcasts to HBO and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. His editorial cartoons have been included in national collections seven years in a row. Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis has a caricature Hunt drew of him."

Frank Cho's World's Emmy

Daily Cartoonist reports that the Washington Post's video, Creating Frank Cho's World, has won an Emmy award.

Matt Dembicki's photos from the American Library Association

Matt Dembicki took Trickster on the road to the American Library Association and just sent me a link with pictures - http://matt-dembicki.blogspot.com/2011/06/photos-from-ala-2011.html

Glen Burnie comic shop closes

The Empyre strikes out
Local comics shop is shutting down
By THERESA WINSLOW, Staff Writer
The Capital 06/26/11
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/lif/2011/06/26-08/The-Empyre-strikes-out.html

Cul de Sac picks up paper, replacing 9 Chickweed Lane

Culled and sacked
Everett, WA Herald June 27 2011
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110627/BLOG08/706279915

Comic Riffs on NY Times cartoonist McFadden

NEW YORK TIMES DEBUT: Alt-cartoonist Brian McFadden revels in paper's first Sunday Review slot
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comics Riffs blog June 26 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/new-york-times-debut-thrilled-alt-cartoonist-brian-mcfadden-on-landing-the-papers-first-sunday-review-slot/2011/06/27/AGCmWFnH_blog.html#pagebreak

Comic Riffs on Gene Colan's death

RIP, GENE COLAN: Stan Lee joins those memorializing the legendary artist [UPDATED]
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs June 27 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/rip-gene-colan-stan-lee-joins-those-memorializng-the-legendary-artist-updated/2011/06/24/AGif8cnH_blog.html#pagebreak

For the record, the Post ran part of a wire story obit today.

Truitt on Spider-Man, the Thing and Li'l Depressed Boy

Ultimate Spider-Man meets an ultimate fate
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 21 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-06-21-Ultimate-Spider-Man-meets-his-ultimate-fate_n.htm

The Thing turns truly monstrous in 'Fear Itself'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 20 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-06-20-The-Thing-is-truly-monstrous-in-Fear-Itself_n.htm

'Li'l Depressed Boy' finds success in a lovable loner
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2011-06-21-Lil-Depressed-Boy-finds-success-with-a-lovable-loner_n.htm

NY Times editorializes in favor of Jack Kirby

Here's something you don't read every day -

Marvel Superheroes and the Fathers of Invention
By BRENT STAPLES
June 26, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/opinion/sunday/26observer.html

PR: Intervention con on September 16-18

INTERVENTION CONVENTION BRINGS CYBER-LIFE TO REAL LIFE
Event brings creators and fans together for weekend of learning and fun

ROCKVILLE, MD, June 14, 2011: Intervention, taking place at the Hilton Washington DC/Rockville in Rockville, MD, from September 16-18, 2011, is an indie creator and geek culture convention for the Internet generation. One part conference, one part fandom event, Intervention aims to provide both creators and fans a venue to learn, appreciate, and celebrate the opportunities technology provides.

"James [Harknell] and I wanted to put together an event that would complement the existing print-centric conventions – we wanted to showcase the creators who use the Internet as their primary publishing method," says convention founder Onezumi Hartstein. "I went to conventions for years to promote my webcomic, and was always treated well, but felt that web creators needed their own space. We're giving them that with Intervention." After a very successful first run in 2010, this year will mark Hartstein's second time organizing the event.

Over thirty guests are currently scheduled to attend, bringing three days of panels and educational workshops. Fans of all stripes are also encouraged to submit their own cutting-edge programming, showcase their own works, and schedule their own meetups at the event. A special track of children's programming will be overseen by Matt Blum, managing editor of the GeekDad blog on Wired.com.

Sponsored by Think Geek (http://www.thinkgeek.com), Wacom (http://www.wacom.com), Foam Brain Games (http://www.foambrain.com), 4Imprint (http://www.4imprint.com), Squishable (http://www.squishable.com), and Toy Vault (http://www.toyvault.com), the convention will also feature video and board gaming, an extensive Artist Alley, live action roleplay (LARP), musical performances, a Steampunk-themed dance, and plenty of giveaways. A charity auction will benefit the Electronic Frontier Foundation (http://www.eff.org), a civil liberties group that aims to defend freedom on the Internet.

Tickets for Intervention can be bought at http://www.interventioncon.com for $35 for the full weekend (through June 30, 2011). Tickets bought at the door will cost $45, with single-day rates available. More information about guests and events can be found at http://www.interventioncon.com.

Comic Book Fan Culture study at Loyola College Maryland

Family Relationships and Men's Participation in Comic Book Fan Culture
via Comic Book Resources

Annapolis cartoonist Jim Orton dies

Alan Gardner caught the death of Jim Orton at 81. Alan also linked to Roy Delgado's remembrance of Orton's DC years.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Dick Tracy at Nat'l Museum of American History

It's a book in Paper Engineering: Fold, Pull, Pop & Turn - http://www.si.edu/Exhibitions/Details/Paper-Engineering-Fold-Pull-Pop--Turn-896

There were some neat books in this show as you'd expect, including a Dick Tracy pop-up. A Terry and the Pirates book is shown in the free brochure.

There's a blog too.

PR: $1 Comic Book Sale at Beyond Comics

OUR BIGGEST $1 Dollar Comic Book Blowout Ever $1 Dollar COMICS Almost 30,000 Comics $1 Each   Marvels, DC Comics, Image, Dark Horse and others... Titles include: Batman, X-men, Captain America, Justice League, Superman, Spider-man, Wolverine, Daredevil, let's just say...almost every comic book title you can think of.   Sale Starts Sunday June 26th Ends Monday July 4th Pre - Sale Saturay June 25th after 6pm   Hours Sun 12-9 * Mon, Tues 10-8 * Wed - Sat 10-9 * July 4th 10 - 6  Gaithersburg                                       Frederick  Gaithersburg Square                       Route 85 536 North Frederick Ave                  5632 Buckeystown Pike Gaithersburg, MD 20877                  Frederick, MD 21704 301-668-8202                               (301) 6668-8202 All sales subject to availability. Sales do not apply to recent arrivals except where noted. Sale prices not applicable to special orders, on hold items or subscriptions. Discounts may not be combined with any other sales or promotions. Certain exclusions apply, see individual stores for details. Subscriber's not in good standing may be excluded from sales as deemed appropriate. Please visit our stores any time. Gaithersburg                                       Frederick Gaithersburg Square                       Route 85 536 North Frederick Ave                  5632 Buckeystown Pike Gaithersburg, MD 20877                  Frederick, MD 21704 301-668-8202                               (301) 6668-8202

Larry Rodman's Gene Colan interview reprinted online

In the 1990s-early 2000s, Larry Rodman was the Comics Journal's man on the ground in DC and did a lot of stories for them. He's become a school teacher now, and isn't as involved in comics as he was, but you can still spot him lurking at SPX at times.

Here's a piece he did a decade ago, reprinted due to Gene Colan's death this week -

The Gene Colan Interview
BY TCJ.com Jun 24, 2011
From The Comics Journal #231 (March 2001). Conducted by Larry Rodman.
http://www.tcj.com/the-gene-colan-interview/

Comic Riffs interviews Neil Gaiman

NEIL GAIMAN'S TWITTER VISION: Author plans to write about #Twitter in new 'American Gods 2'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog June 24 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/neil-gaimans-twitter-vision-author-plans-to-write-about-twitter-in-new-american-gods-2/2011/06/24/AGgs8PjH_blog.html

Leesburg, VA man outs himself as a furry

Pittsburgh inundated by furries -- fans of animated animals
PITTSBURGH | Fri Jun 24, 2011
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/24/us-convention-furries-idUSTRE75N5JA20110624

Attendee Karl Jorgensen, of Leesburg, Virginia, said being a furry was rooted in his longtime appreciation for Looney Tunes and Warner Bros. cartoons. "I'm interested in animation," he said. "The playfulness ... I mean, who doesn't like watching cartoons, right?"

Uh-huh. And then perhaps dress up as Pepe LePew?

Truitt interviews Transformer voice actor

As Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen brings humanity to 'Transformers' franchise
Brian Truitt
USA Weekend's Who's News blog June 24th, 2011
http://whosnews.usaweekend.com/2011/06/as-optimus-prime-peter-cullen-brings-humanity-to-transformers-franchise/