Politics and Prose bookstore noted in Doonesbury

Rick Redfern was visiting Washington's Politics and Prose bookstore in the January 9th Doonesbury for his son's booksigning. Unfortunately I missed that one, although I believe it would have been conflicting with William Gibson's appearance.

PR: Fantom Comics January newsletter

connect with us: SURPLUS COMICS AT AMAZING DISCOUNTS!!! visit FANTOM'S EBAY STORE Fantom's COMIC BOOK RESERVATION SERVICE now at pulllist.comixology.com   reserve your comics,          never miss an issue! Buying digital comics? Buy once, read anywhere!   Support Fantom by: 1) Skipping in-app purchases 2) Purchase on the web using our exclusive link, also available on our home page. 3) Download your purchased comics to any device using your comiXology account.     LIVE ON TWITTER Each New Comic Book Day From 1-2pm #ShopTalk Catch the pulse of your favorite comic book shop at the height of the weekly rush!   Not local to Washington DC? No problem! Sign up for the Fantom Comics Mail Order Service and we'll ship to you!!!   Ready to explore comics beyond superheroes?? Follow The Comics Journeyman on Twitter and via his e-newsletter   Each Sunday night, @CmxJourneyman calls out the best in non-superhero comics.   Twitter hashtag: #PrimeTimeCmx (8:00 pm EST)   Twitter account not required   Jonesing For The new January Previews? Fantom Comics is here to help!   Oh. Is it January, already?   (See what I did there?)   Join me in checking out the January Previews Available via FC Comic Book Reservation Service, powered by comiXology!   Now, on to the highlights...   DARK HORSE COMICS B.P.R.D HELL ON EARTH: THE PICKENS COUNTY HORROR #1 The ranks of The B.P.R.D. continue to be stretched even thinner as they're called to investigate the goings-on of a reclusive Southern vampire clan who simply want nothing more than to keep their secrets. Secrets covered in decades of death and blood. B.P.R.D. HELL ON EARTH: THE PICKENS COUNTY HORROR #1 (OF 2) is co-written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and B.P.R.D. regular Scott Allie and drawn beautifully by Loose Ends creator Jason Latour!   San Francisco is overrun with zombie/vampire hybrids so what's a vampire slayer to do? Regroup? Rest? Re-think this whole Slayer thing? Marry Spike? Yeah, read BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 9 #7!   DMZ and Wolverine & The X-Men: Alpha & Omega writer Brian Wood's seminal work CHANNEL ZERO returns to print! Released in 1997 and drawn by his frequent collaborator Becky Cloonan (Demo, Conan The Barbarian), Channel Zero touches on themes such as mass media control and freedom of speech and remains more relevant than ever before. Featuring an introduction by Warren Ellis and loads of sketches, short stories and an all-new cover by Brian Wood.     DC COMICS SUPERMAN #7 Something big is happening in the DC Universe. Grifter and Voodoo continue to fight the Daemonite menace while Stormwatch and Demon Knights do so as well. In SUPERMAN #7, the series not only welcomes the new writing team of Keith Giffen (Justice League) and Dan Jurgens (The Death of Superman) but the return of one of the former Wildstorm Universe's greatest threats, Helspont!    Another DC title sees a new creative team come into the fold with GREEN ARROW #7! Writer Ann Nocenti (Daredevil) and Harvel Talibao (Psylocke) get together to put The Emerald Archer through the ringer having him face off against his one weakness: not one, not two but three deadly, intelligent blondes!   One of graphic designs greatest, Chip Kidd brings his considerable talents to Batman, writing the all-new hardcover graphic novel, BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN. Gotham City is going through an epic rejuvenation. Bright, new buildings are in various stages of completion, spurred on by the efforts of one Bruce Wayne. Suddenly, buildings are being torn apart and Bruce Wayne as Batman, of course, suspects foul play. Beautifully drawn by former Batman : Shadow Of The Bat artist Dave Taylor.   VERTIGO COMICS FAIREST #1 The universe of Fables expands with the new ongoing series FAIREST #1! Focusing on the secret tales of the women of Fables, Fairest will feature stories by some of comics best and greatest. First up, a tale of Briar Rose, not seen since her abduction by the Goblin Army in Fables #107. Written by Fables series creator Bill Willingham and masterfully drawn by Phil Jimenez with covers by Adam Hughes!   The United States of America is primed for a change. Arcadia Alvarado, the Mexican-American governor of New Mexico meets the challenge and emerges as the Democratic candidate for POTUS. On the eve of her accepting the nomination, in order to become President and possibly save the world, she decides she must make an announcement. She was abducted by aliens. SAUCER COUNTRY #1 is an all-new ongoing series written by the ever-brilliant Paul Cornell (Stormwatch, Doctor Who), featuring art by a personal favorite Ryan Kelly (New York Five).   Uppercrust Victorians have voluntarily turned themselves into vampires in order to escape the fates of the lower class; who've all been turned into zombies.When a young aristocrat's body is found dead upon the banks of the Thames, Detective George Suttle finds himself having to solve the murder of one who should already be dead in THE NEW DEADWARDIANS #1 (of 8) written by Annihilation and Resurrection Man's Dan Abnett!   In the wake of Katrina, many find hope in their faith. The Voodoo Queen has been found dead and all signs point to a young unsuspecting grad student as the sole suspect. Alliances will be made, faith will be crushed and truths exposed as lies in this all-new series, DOMINIQUE LAVEAU: VOODOO CHILD #1 written by comics newcomer Selwyn Sefu Hinds with art by The Question artist Denys Cowan.     IMAGE COMICS SAGA#1   One of comics' best writers, Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man) makes his long-awaited return to comics with the creator owned series, SAGA #1! In the middle of a war a child is born and two new parents will put their lives on the line to ensure this child's future.   Einstein utters the words, "Do you have any idea what we've done here?" The Manhattan Project was a front. Other deadly programs were in play and the world doesn't know just how much more it has to fear. That is THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS #1, a new series by FF and Fantastic Four writer Jonathan Hickman!   A generation ago, the first superheroes were born and the generation beind them fight to remake a world they had no hand in building and can barely understand in this all-new series HELL YEAH #1 by Eisner Award winning writer Joe Keatinge (Glory).   DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT   THE BIONIC WOMAN #1 From the pages of Kevin Smith's The Bionic Man comes the all-new ongoing BIONIC WOMAN #1 by writer Paul Tobin (Spider-Man)! OSI agent Jaime Summers is in pursuit of The Mission, a collective of surgeons who kill OSI agents to harvest their bionic prosthetics for billionaire patients and fetishists. Sounds crazy. I'm in.   BOOM! STUDIOS   What happens in a world of young superheroes are more aware of the cameras than self-aware? Find out in the new series, SUPURBIA #1 (of 4), written by rising star talent Grace Randolph.   IDW PUBLISHING   The Rocketeer is back in ROCKETEER ADVENTURES 2 #1 (of 4) and flying higher than ever! The second volume of the late Dave Stevens' greatest creation features all-new stories from the industry's best!   MARVEL COMICS AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 Writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mark Bagley, the team behind the epic Ultimate Spider-Man run reunite to bring you the new ongoing series AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1! The Avengers of the upcoming movie come together in The Marvel Universe come together to do battle with one of their greatest villains!    One of Spider-Man's oldest villains, Doctor Octopus is near death and nearly in control of the entire world. Near death, Ock may finally have given Spider-Man the fight of his life in Part One of the new epic "Ends Of The Earth" storyline beginning in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #682!   In America, supervillainy is a dime a dozen. All of the good spoils are taken and your every move is watched so you do what any good entrepeneurs would and diversify. Spain's about to get its own supervillains. Poor Spain. SUPER CROOKS #1 is brought to you by the superstar team who brought you Superior, writer Mark Millar (Kick-Ass) and drawn by Leinil Yu!   Scarlet Witch, the Avenger responsible for the genocide of the mutant race with the utterance of "No more mutants" is back and fully aware of the new mutant messiah and Uncanny X-Men member, Hope Summers. AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #0 written by Brian Michael Bendis & Jason Aaron and drawn by Frank Cho is the prelude to the BLOCKBUSTER COMICS EVENT, Avengers Vs. X-Men!   As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Have a great one and...   BEST! Union Station - 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE | Washington, DC 20002 | 202-241-6498 www.fantomcomics.com

Truitt on Superboy

Superboy straddles line between right and wrong in DC series
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 9 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-09/Superboy-comic-book-series/52468274/1

When Groth met Hitch in DC

My Dinner with Hitch
BY Gary Groth Jan 9, 2012
http://www.tcj.com/my-dinner-with-hitch/

San Diego Comic-Con cofounder obituary

This appeared in the print version of the Post on January 8th:

San Diego's Richard Alf, Comic-Con co-founder, dead at 59
By Associated Press,
Washington Post.com January 6 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/san-diegos-richard-alf-comic-con-co-founder-dead-at-59/2012/01/06/gIQAMW2EeP_story.html

The Doonesbury strips we didn't see last month

The Washington Post repeated two Doonesbury strips in the print newspaper last month (see above) - skipping the actual strips for December 15th and 16th, which can instead be seen at the Doonesbury archives. The Post didn't mention it, but the Toledo Blade explained why the strips were substituted for certain sensitive newspapers. My neighbor Bill. C came through with the print edition so I was finally able to confirm that the Post hadn't run them.

Jef Thompson originals on Etsy

Big Planet Comics clerk, and children's book artist, and sometimes comic book artist Jeffrey Thompson is selling the original scratchboards to his illustration work on Etsy now.

Mark Burrier on drawing an ad for Big Planet Comics

Process: Drawing a One Page Comic for Big Planet Comics

 By Mark Burrier

January 8, 2012

 http://www.markburrier.com/blog/process-drawing-a-one-page-comic-for-big-planet-comics/

 

I've got an interview with Mark that's been hanging out on my harddrive for months (sorry Mark!) that I'll try to get onto the City Paper site this week.

PR: John Fantucchio at Apocalyptic Adventure

You are cordially invited to the most controversial art exhibit in the metropolitan area!  The theme this month is "Artist Warriors Post Apocalyptic Adventure."  Artists imagine themselves surviving in the landscape of a post Apocalyptic world.  John G. Fantucchio has three paintings which have the art community stirring.  This veteran artist of Arlington will be at the Del Ray Artisans Gallery Sunday, January 22,  from 12 noon to 3 p.m.   The address is 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA, 22301-1124.  John found paintings by his fellow artists thought provoking and of such intense quality that he bought one himself for his personal collection.  If you are a Sci-Fi fan, a mystery lover, a graphic novel enthusiast, and an EC connoisseur, you dare not miss this exhibit.  Each work of art will grab you by the throat, and you'll try to say 'I want to see more!'  John will be there to answer your questions.  Each of his paintings is rendered in a different medium: pastel, thick and juicy acrylic, and marvelous mixed media.  Collectable post cards are also available while they last.  Save them, and after Doomsday they'll be worth a small fortune.  Looking forward to seeing you, and please bring a friend.  

USA Today's comics stories

'Fatale' creeps out with a mix of noir, horror
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 4 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-04/fatale-comic-book-series/52369082/1

Brian K. Vaughan returns to comics with 'Saga'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 9 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-09/Saga-sci-fi-comic-book-series/52457718/1

Fight club: 'Versus' series ties into 'Avengers vs. X-Men'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 6 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-06/Avengers-X-Men-Versus-miniseries/52419466/1

Mowgli gets a makeover in Zenescope's 'Jungle Book'
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 6 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-06/Jungle-Book-comic-series/52415834/1

'The Annotated Sandman' gives new insight into Gaiman series
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY January 4 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-01-04/Annotated-Sandman-hardcover-book/52374846/1

Laura Hudson recommends Finder

Spurgeon, Tom.  2012.
CR Holiday Interview #17 -- Laura Hudson.
Comics Reporter (January 6): http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/cr_holiday_interview_10_laura_hudson/

- at the very end...

Comic Riffs on latest Bluewater political comics

MITT ROMNEY GETS OWN COMIC: Bachmann, Paul & Perry also get new bio-books
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog January 5 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/mitt-romney-gets-own-comic-bachmann-paul-and-perry-also-get-new-bio-books/2012/01/05/gIQAA7w2dP_blog.html

Post's Searle obituary

British illustrator Ronald Searle dies at 91

By Emily Langer, Washington Post January 6 2012

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/british-illustrator-ronald-searle-dies-at-91/2012/01/04/gIQAAzIkdP_story.html

Call for Submissions: 2012 Robert F. Kennedy Book & Journalism Awards

January 6, 2012 Call for Submissions:   2012 Robert F. Kennedy Book & Journalism Awards   Dear Friends, The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights is currently accepting submissions the 2012 RFK Book and Journalism Awards. The deadline for submissions is February 1, 2012. Read more about the Book and Journalism Awards below or online at www.rfkcenter.org. Sincerely, Lynn Delaney Executive Director, RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights THE ROBERT F. KENNEDY BOOK AWARD The Robert F. Kennedy Book Award was founded in 1980 with the proceeds from Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.'s best-selling biography, "Robert Kennedy and His Times." Each year, the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights presents an award to the book which "most faithfully and forcefully reflects Robert Kennedy's purposes – his concern for the poor and the powerless, his struggle for honest and even-handed justice, his conviction that a decent society must assure all young people a fair chance, and his faith that a free democracy can act to remedy disparities of power and opportunity." The RFK Book Award has been recognized as one of the most prestigious honors an author can receive. THE ROBERT F. KENNEDY JOURNALISM AWARDS The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards honor outstanding reporting on issues that reflect Robert Kennedy's concerns, including human rights, social justice, and the power of individual action in the United States and around the world. Winning entries provide insights into the causes, conditions, and remedies of injustice and human rights violations, and critical analyses of relevant policies, programs, individual actions, and private endeavors that foster positive change. The RFK Journalism Awards are among the few in which winners are determined by their peers. Past winners include The Washington Post, National Public Radio, CBS's 60 Minutes, ABC's 20/20, and Home Box Office. Deadline: Entries must be received no later than February 1, 2012. Rules for entry: For the rules for entry please visit www.rfkcenter.org. For more information, please contact RFK Book & Journalism Award Manager Christina Taylor, at ctaylor@rfkcenter.org. Through its annual awards, the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights amplifies the work of activists, authors, journalists, and students to a global audience. Follow us on: Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 1367 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 200 | Washington, DC 20036

Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights

Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
1367 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036

Examiner on Madagascar ice sculpture creating

THE 3-MINUTE INTERVIEW: Larry Walter
- Ben Giles
Washington Examiner (January 5 2012): 5.
online at http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/people/2012/01/3-minute-interview-larry-walter/2065306

As the assistant show producer at ICE!, the Gaylord National hotel's chilly holiday attraction that runs through Sunday, Walter helped oversee the sculpting of more than 2 million pounds of ice into characters from DreamWorks' Christmas special "Merry Madagascar." ..

Death in an allied field

Winifred Milius Lubell, political graphic artist and book illustrator, dies
By David Brown,
Washington Post January 5 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/winifred-milius-lubell-political-graphic-artist-and-book-illustrator-dies/2012/01/05/gIQAmHSmdP_story.html

Warren Bernard on Ronald Searle

Ronald Searle: 1920-2011

BY Warren Bernard Jan 6, 2012

http://www.tcj.com/ronald-searle-1920-2011/

Big Planet Comics Orbit Newsletter - January 5, 2012

January 5, 2012

Time to hit the polls Not THOSE polls - our Best of 2011 polls! We'll be taking votes on 9 categories for the best of 2011: Best New Series Best Reprint Best Artist Best Miniseries Best for Kids Best Single Issue Best Writer Best Ongoing Series Best Graphic Novel Here's a link to the first poll for Best New Series of 2011: https://www.facebook.com/questions/318716288168786/?qa_ref=qts In each category there will be 10 nominees, so vote for your favorite and we'll see who the winner for each is! (You can do a write-in comment if you think we forgot the real best one.) A new poll will be added to our Facebook page every 2 or 3 days, so check back for the next ones too. We will also be doing a monster, super-long podcast where we hash out our favorites so you can disagree with us! It will be up later this week. Happy New Year everyone! Feel free to forward on our newsletter, and please send us any comments or mailing list requests to vienna@bigplanetcomics.com Thanks!   - the Big Planet Comics kids Fatale #1 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips Another crime thriller from the superb Brubaker/Phillips team takes a new direction as they mix in horror influences. A modern reporter discovers an early unknown book manuscript by his famous godfather, and is soon caught up with a mysterious woman and a strange series of cultish murders, as well as the history of the mob and Nazis back in the purplish 1930s! Plus there may be actual monsters running around. Fear Itself HC by Matt Fraction/Ed Brubaker and Stuart Immonen/Scot Eaton Sin, the daughter of the Red Skull, discovers an ancient secret hidden by the Asgardians that she resurrects - the Serpent, whose power of fear divides the Marvel Universe. And then the Serpent brings down hammers like Thor's, but for the bad guys! Seven characters are turned into avatars of destruction in this huge Marvel crossover event, starring everybody! Billy Fog 1: The Gift of Trouble Sight HC by Guillaume Bianco Billy Fog is a kid who can see ghosts and monsters whenever he takes off his glasses! Including death. This allows Billy to have a huge amount of adventures, which are presented here as comics, poems, bestiaries of monsters, and newspaper articles proving the existence of Santa! Plus Bianco's art is a mix of Courtney Crumrin and Calvin & Hobbes. Amazing! Uncanny X-Force #19.1 by Rick Remender and Jerome Opena The insane culmination of the Dark Angel Saga that led Uncanny X-Force into the Age of Apocalypse universe saw a bunch of familiar characters from that timeline. Now, an entire issue focuses on their world, as a prequel to the upcoming Age of Apocalypse series! Weapon X has replaced Apocalypse as the mutants hunt down the last of humanity. Big Planet Comics Podcast #28 We're back! In this week's podcast Kevin, Nick and Jared review all the new stuff from the last 2 weeks. Download this week's now or subscribe on iTunes! Send us questions to podcast@bigplanetcomics.com Annotated Sandman 1 HC by Neil Gaiman/Leslie Klinger and Keith/Dringenberg/Vess A panel by panel look at the first 20 issues of Sandman! Asterix Omnibus 3 HC by Goscinny and Uderzo Three more adventures including going to Britain and vs. Vikings! (all ages) Avengers Academy 2: Real World SC by Christos Gage and Tom Raney Korvac returns, and the students take revenge on their teacher. Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne SC by Grant Morrison and Chris Sprouse Batman travels through time, from cavemen to the Old West! Black Fire HC by Hernan Rodriguez Two soldiers in Napoleon's army find a cursed village in Russia. Brody's Ghost one-shot by Mark Crilley Brody investigates a serial killer with his ghost friend. Curse of the Wendigo SC by Matthieu Missoffe and Charlie Adlard A horror story in the midst of the World War One trenches. Fearless SC by Mark Sable/David Roth and P.J. Holden A reckless superhero who needs anti-anxiety drugs to function. Ferals #1 by David Lapham and Gabriel Andrade A cop investigates a series of werewolf murders in a small town. Inner Sanctum HC by Ernie Colon Short tales of horror inspired by the old radio show. Keep Our Secrets HC by Jordan Crane Heat-sensitive ink allows you to reveal the hidden secrets! (all ages) The Lone Ranger #1 by Ande Parks and Esteve Polls The Lone Ranger helps victims of frontier injustice. Nowhere Man #1 (of 4) by Marc Guggenheim and Jeevan Kang A man is the only one not tracked by the central computer of the future. Screamland: Death of the Party SC by Harold Sipe/Christopher Sebela and Lee Leslie A group of monsters attends a horror convention. Witchfinder 2: Lost and Gone Forever SC by Mike Mignola/John Arcudi and John Severin British occult investigator Edward Grey journeys to the Old West.

like us on Facebook | follow us on Twitter | subscribe on iTunes | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2012 Big Planet Comics, All rights reserved.   Big Planet Comics  -  426 Maple Ave. East, Vienna, Virginia 22180  -  703.242.9412 Big Planet Comics  -  7315 Baltimore Ave., College Park, Maryland 20740  -  301.699.0498 Big Planet Comics  -  4908 Fairmont Ave., Bethesda, Maryland 20814  -  301.654.6856 Big Planet Comics  -  1520 U St. NW, Washington, DC 20009  -  202.342.1961

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PR: Meet IMAGE COMICS "27" writer CHARLES SOULE this Saturday 1/7/12

Meet Charles Soule, writer of the IMAGE COMICS hit series "27" - A saga of mad science, rock n roll death cults, and more! First 15 Heads In Line Get a FREE Limited Edition "27" Mix Tape, featuring bands and songs featured in the 27 Graphic Novel. Charles Soule will be signing at Third Eye in Annapolis THIS SATURDAY 1/7/12 from 11AM-2PM   We're kicking off 2012 with a bang, Third Eye Faithful, with a HUGE in-store signing event featuring rising star CHARLES SOULE, writer of last year's IMAGE COMICS surprise hit "27". Charles is definitely a name to watch, as he has some soon-to-be-announced big projects coming down the pipeline in 2012, along with the already major success that was last year's 27 and 27: SECOND SET.   27 was one of the biggest IMAGE debuts of 2011, as it delivered the kind of innovative IMAGE COMICS storytelling that we've grown accustomed to with books like CHEW and MORNING GLORIES. The story focuses on a rising star musician named Will Garland, who after coming down with a neurological disorder that could ruin his career, trades his very soul to keep playing guitar. And, in exchange... he soon learns that he may not live to see 28, as visions of the legendary members of the 27 CLUB, a gathering of musicians who've all died unfortunately at the age of 27 (ranging from Kurt Cobain to Amy Winehouse to Jimi Hendrix and more) begin to haunt him. An implant in his chest gives him 27 chances at redemption, but will he take them?    We'll have plenty of the first graphic novel, 27: FIRST SET, available for the signing this Saturday, and if you're a fan of recent IMAGE hits like MORNING GLORIES, or CHEW, or if you're as big of a music fan as you are a comic fan, we highly recommend it.   Click here for the event info on FACEBOOK.    ALSO, CHECK OUT CHARLES SOULE'S NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL THIS WEEKEND, STRONG MAN, A TALE OF LUCHA LIBRE AWESOMENESS!    Also, on hand, Charles will be debuting his brand new graphic novel, STRONGMAN, at Third Eye! A tale of crazy Lucha Libre madness, STRONGMAN looks incredible!    First 15 People In Line Receive a FREE limited edition "27" CD featuring bands and songs featured in the "27" Graphic Novel   For the first 15 people in line for the signing, we'll be giving out a very special "27" mix tape CD that features bands and songs from the "27" graphic novel. This is a very cool little promo item that is strictly limited to this event, and features a ton of great tracks, that your's truly, had a big hand in picking out. We're talking deep cuts here, Third Eye Faithful.   Charles Soule Talks About Breaking Into the Comic Industry!    For many of you who're working on your own comics, or trying to break into the industry, Charles will also be taking some time during his signing to talk about the steps needed to get into the industry, how he broke in, and some pointers on where to start.   We always love starting the New Year off with a bang, Third Eye Faithful, and we love having you guys out to join us for when we bring creators in from other areas, to spotlight their work. If you haven't yet checked out 27, then definitely snag a copy between now and Saturday, or when you come by on Saturday, 'cause we really think you'll dig it, and lets give Charles a big warm Third Eye reception!

PR: New Book - Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics

a new book from our local professor...

Grant Morrison
Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics
By Marc Singer
University Press of Mississippi
ISBN 978-1-61703-136-6, paperback, $25
ISBN 978-1-6170-135-9, hardback, $65

For Immediate Release

A critical study of a postmodern comics writer who flaunts superhero conventions

One of the most eclectic and distinctive writers currently working in comics, Grant Morrison (b. 1960) brings the auteurist sensibility of alternative comics and graphic novels to the popular genres—superhero, science fiction, and fantasy—that dominate the American and British comics industries. His comics range from best-sellers featuring the most universally recognized superhero franchises (such as All-Star Superman, Seven Soldiers) to more independent, creator-owned work (The Invisibles, The Filth, Animal Man, Vimanarama) that defies any generic classification.

In Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics (University Press of Mississippi), author Marc Singer examines how Morrison uses this fusion of styles to intervene in major political, aesthetic, and intellectual challenges of our time. His comics blur the boundaries between fantasy and realism, mixing autobiographical representation and cultural critique with heroic adventure. They offer self-reflexive appraisals of their own genres while they experiment with the formal elements of comics. Perhaps most ambitiously, they challenge contemporary themes of language and signification, seeking to develop new modes of representation grounded in comics' capacity for visual narrative and the fantasy genres' ability to make figurative meanings more literal.

This is the first book to focus on Morrison's entire career, offering a survey of all his works from Near Myths to present. Singer's study analyzes the ways in which Morrison's comics are married both to pop convention and to literary experimentation. As such, Grant Morrison: Combining the World of Contemporary Comics establishes him as an exemplar of postmodernism in contemporary comics.

 Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics is the first scholarly study of Grant Morrison's work. Although the book is aimed primarily at an academic audience it is more than accessible by a general readership. Morrison fans will delight in the 50 illustrations that are also included in this volume.

Marc Singer, Hyattsville, Maryland, is assistant professor of English at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He is the coeditor of Detective Fiction in a Postcolonial and Transnational World.

—30—

Read more about Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics at http://www.upress.state.ms.us/books/1426