Matt Bors interviewed by Comic Riffs

WHITHER POLITICAL CARTOONING? A Conversation with tonight's Herblock Prize winner, MATT BORS

By Michael Cavna

CRNI Courage Award Press Release

May 9, 2012, Burke, Virginia - Today Dr. Robert Russell, the Executive Director of the Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI), announced the winners of the 2012 Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award as decided by a unanimous vote of the CRNI Board of Directors.  The winners are Ali Ferzat, from Syria, and Aseem Trivedi, from India.  CRNI, the only international organization exclusively devoted to defending the human rights of cartoonists imperiled because of their work, will hold the award ceremony during the annual convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) on September 15.  The ceremony is currently scheduled to take place at George Washington University's Jack Morton Auditorium in Washington, DC. Every year, CRNI recognizes a cartoonist who has shown exemplary courage in the face of unrelenting threat, legal action or other pressure as punishment or disincentive for cartoons that are too powerful for some officials, sects, terrorists or demagogues.  This year CRNI recognizes two such cartoonists.    To quote CRNI Board Member Matt Wuerker, the editorial cartoonist for Politico.com, from Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, "Ali Ferzat, 60, spent years drawing insightful cartoons, mostly staying between the prescribed lines of Syria's state-sanctioned media.  But confronted with the regime's increasing brutality, he embraced the democracy movement and turned his lampoons on President Bashar Assad directly."  For this, thugs were ordered to send Ali a message.  They brutally beat him up, intentionally breaking both his hands.  After the attack, Ali made a second courageous and potentially life-threatening decision.  He decided to make public what the Assad Regime had done to him.  The work of this brave and talented artist can be seen online at http://www.ali-ferzat.com/ar/comics.html and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ali.frzat. Aseem Trivedi, a young cartoonist from India, like Ali Ferzat, made two courageous decisions.  First, in an atmosphere of increasing censorship and repression in the world's largest democracy, Aseem launched the Cartoons Against Corruption website.  In an effort to mobilize his fellow citizens against India's pervasive political corruption, Aseem filled this site with his anti-corruption cartoons.  After being charged with treason and insulting national symbols, Aseem made his second courageous act.  Despite the charges and threats of additional charges, he has taken a leadership role in India's emerging free speech movement.  Joining forces with other free speech activists, Aseem has launched an online freedom of expression campaign called Save Your Voice: A Movement Against Web Censorship. CRNI, a free speech and human rights organization with affiliate organizations around the world, conducts workshops on emerging freedom of expression issues.  Our programs include actions to reduce violence against cartoon journalists, and, workshops to educate the public about the essential role of editorial cartoonists in the democratic process.  CRNI is a member of IFEX and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Please contact CRNI for more information about Ali Ferzat and Aseem Trivedi as well as former awardees, such as Malaysia's Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, aka Zunar, and South Africa's Jonathan Shapiro, aka Zapiro, who are still facing court actions aimed at silencing their speech.  Zunar was a CRNI honoree in 2011 and Zapiro was an honoree in 2007.  Since the founding of CRNI twenty-one years ago, the staff, volunteers and friends of our organization have witnessed an alarming rise in reprisals directed at editorial cartoonists due to the power and influence of their work.  Drew Rougier-Chapman Deputy Director Cartoonists Rights Network International Protecting your Free Speech, one cartoonist at a time. Email: drew@cartoonistsrights.org Website: http://www.cartoonistsrights.org/ P.O. Box 7272 Fairfax Station, VA 22039 USA

Free Comic Book Day photos

Joel Pollack celebrating his birthday at Big Planet Comics Bethesda.


Here's my Free Comic Book Day photos at local shops. It seemed to be successful - Big Planet Comics in Bethesda had a line out the door at opening and ran out of comics by mid-afternoon. All 4 stores I swung by were very well stocked and family friendly.

And here's a few pictures of Alison Bechdel at Politics and Prose.

Mark Wheatley interview

Written in Blood: A Conversation with Comics Artist/Writer Mark Wheatley
Mark Wheatley on the Lez Vamps contest, Bride of the Forest, Spectrum Live! and more.
By Bill Baker, Columnist
May 4, 2012
http://www.themortonreport.com/books/news/comics-written-in-blood/

Iranian cartoonist Nik Kowsar living in DC?

Iranian Cartoonist Sentenced to 25 Lashings - according to this article by Daryl Cagle he is:

"For more insight, I turned to my good friend Nik Kowsar, an Iranian cartoonist now living in Washington, D.C. who was imprisoned for depicting Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi as a crocodile:"

 

I've heard that Cagle is living around here now too.

Wash Post on Maurice Sendak

Author of beloved 'Wild Things': Maurice Senak 1928-2012 [online at Maurice Sendak dies; author and illustrator wrote about children's survival
By Becky Krystal, Washington Post May 9 2012 http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/maurice-sendak-author-and-illustrator-of-works-about-childrens-survival-dies/2012/05/08/gIQA8lXMAU_story.html

Maurice Sendak's imagination took him into the wild, and beyond
By Michael Dirda, Washington Post May 9 2012 http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/maurice-sendaks-imagination-took-him-into-the-wild-and-beyond/2012/05/08/gIQA4iHXBU_story.html

Children see themselves in late author Maurice Sendak's 'Wild Things' characters
By — Tracy Grant, Washington Post May 9 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/children-see-themselves-in-late-author-maurice-sendaks-wild-things-characters/2012/05/08/gIQAt9u1AU_story.html

SALUTING MAURICE SENDAK: A visual tribute to a rumpus-loving legend
By Michael Cavna

I don't consider Sendak a cartoonist, but many do, so I'll link to coverage highlights here.

Publisher's Weekly Xoc review

Matt Dembicki's new book is reviewed here  -

 

Comics Reviews May 2012

By PW Staff

May 07, 2012

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/comics/article/51870-comics-reviews-may-2012.html

Comic Riffs interviews RFK awardee Stephanie McMillan

STEPHANIE McMILLAN wins RFK Journalism Award for social-justice cartoons
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog May 8 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/stephanie-mcmillan-wins-rfk-journalism-award-for-social-justice-cartoons/2012/05/08/gIQAXxTvBU_blog.html

PRESS RELEASE: RFK Center Announces 2012 Book & Journalism Awards Winners

Stephanie McMillan has won this Washington-based award (for which I was one of the judges).

Robert F. Kennedy Center Announces 2012 Book & Journalism Award Winners  May 8, 2012
Author Kathryn Sikkink receives 2012 Book Award for analysis of international justice's impact on world politics Washington, DC -- The RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights announced the winners of its annual book and journalism award winners.    Kathryn Sikkink will receive the 2012 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award for The Justice Cascade: How Human Rights Prosecutions Are Changing World Politics. In the book, University of Minnesota Political Science Professor Sikkink makes a case for the systemic and long-term impacts of holding world leaders accountable for human rights abuses. She offers readers a history of human rights prosecution through three decades of steady acceleration, and presents a new understanding of the way these cases build upon one another to create a "cascade" effect with far-reaching influence on future human rights outcomes.   This year's Book Award attracted more than 90 nominations. The judges selected Sikkink's work, Ariel Dorfman's autobiography, Feeding on Dreams, and Richard Thompson Ford's Rights Gone Wrong as the top three finalists.   "Kathryn Sikkink, in The Justice Cascade, has provided readers with compelling evidence that the cause of human rights finally is taking hold in the international community. She documents a trend clearly demonstrating that tyrannical dictators who, in the past, murdered, brutalized, and imprisoned citizen-dissidents and political opponents with impunity, now more frequently face criminal prosecutions and punishment. The result: Justice, once routinely vagrant and still often delayed now finds both traction and viability," said John Seigenthaler, Chair of the 2012 Judges Panel. "The judges of the RFK Book Award unanimously found Sikkink's work is highly deserving of the award that bears the name of Robert F. Kennedy."   The 32nd annual RFK Book Award will be presented by Ethel Kennedy at a ceremony at The United States Institute of Peace, in Washington, DC, on Thursday, May 24, 2012, at 6:00 PM.   The ceremony will also feature the presentation of the 2012 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, which include prizes in student and professional categories. All honorees will receive a bust of Robert F. Kennedy and a cash stipend in recognition of their award. Over 250 entries were submitted and judged by over 50 media professionals.   This year's winning journalists, in eight professional and three student categories, are: Domestic TV Winner: Crime After Crime by Yoav Potash from the OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network International TV Winner: Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark by May Welsh, Hassan Mahfood & Jon Blair, Al Jazeera English Radio Winner: Native Foster Care: Lost Children, Shattered Families by Laura Sullivan and Amy Walters, NPR International Photography: Broken Promise: Gold Mining in Peru's High Andes, The Los Angeles Times Magazine by Michael Robinson Chavez Domestic Photography: A Lasting Toll by Katie Falkenberg, The Los Angeles Times International Print Winner: China: Living Under the Yoke, by Tom Lasseter, McClatchy Newspapers Domestic Print Winner: Imminent Danger by Meg Kissinger, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Cartoon Winner: The Beginning of the American Fall and Code Green, by Stephanie McMillan, South Florida Sun-Sentinel College Print/Broadcast:  Arizona State University, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication, Stateless in the Dominican Republic, by the Cronkite Borderlands Initiative  High School Broadcast:  Cody High School, Jared Iler and Anna Reed High School Print:  Davis Senior High School, A Light on Latinos, by Anna Sturla and Daniel Tutt The distinguished panel of judges for the Book Award included chair John Seigenthaler, acclaimed journalist, editor, publisher, and former aide to Robert Kennedy, as well as Michele Norris, radio journalist, NPR host of All Things Considered, author Amanda Smith, Stetson Law School Professor, Robert D. Bickel and author, Senior Correspondent for ABC News and 2005 RFK book award winner, Jim Wooten.   A panel of 60 judges, all prominent media professionals, selected the winning Journalism Award entries.  The Grand Prize winner will be chosen from among the winners in each category by the RFK Journalism Committee, chaired by Margaret Engel, director of the Alicia Patterson Journalism Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports investigative journalists and photojournalists worldwide.   About The Robert F. Kennedy Book Award The RFK Center presents an annual award to the book that, in the words of Award Founder Arthur Schlesinger, "faithfully and forcefully reflects Robert Kennedy, his concern for the poor and 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." Past winners of the RFK Book Award include Vice President Al Gore, Congressman John Lewis, Taylor Branch, Toni Morrison, Jonathon Kozol, and Michael Lewis.   About The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards The RFK Journalism Awards recognize outstanding reporting on issues that reflect Robert Kennedy's dedication to human rights and social justice, and his belief in the power of individual action. Winning entries provide insights into the causes, conditions, and remedies of human rights violations and injustice, and critical analyses of the movements that foster positive global change. Don't forget! The RFK Center's Annual Spring Online Auction runs through May 17! Proceeds benefit our human rights work.

---

Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights 1300 19th Street NW Suite 750 Washington, District of Columbia 20036 US

OT: Brian Biggs on Maurice Sendak

My friend, the cartoonist and children's book author Brian Biggs has a lovely piece on his blog about what Maurice Sendak has meant to him. Sendak passed away today at age 83.

Comics bits in today's Post

Page A5 sees a full page ad, "It's Time to Quit the Catholic Church," illustrated with a cartoon by Don Addis. The same ad is on the back page of today's Express.

 

 

Using comic books (like 'The Avengers') to get kids to read, by Valerie Strauss is in print in today's paper as "Can comic books get kids to read?"

Cartoon Picayune Spring 2012 Issue

Each copy is only $4 plus shipping. Buy one today or subscribe for a year. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. The Spring Issue Is Here!  Welcome readers, to the newly combined Josh Kramer and Cartoon Picayune Emails. The reason I've gathered you here today is that I have a new issue of The Cartoon Picayune. It is forty pages of excellent non-fiction comic stories. I can brag like that mostly because I've really approached this issue as Editor more than main artist — I'm only in it for two pages. However, these guys are great. Andy Warner is the featured artist this issue, with his 16-page story The Man Who Built Beirut. It's an incredible look into the story of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. This issue like the others, is only $4 (plus another dollar for shipping) and available for sale on the site. Thanks, -JPK Subs! Subscribe today starting with the new issue or the next one (to be released in September). Subscriptions are only $10 for two issues or $20 for four issues. Don't worry about missing a new issue as it is released, and enjoy the satisfaction that your subscription gives me the capital up front to be able to do this. Plus there are cool freebies that I send to you along with your issues.  Letters! I would love, no seriously, I would love it to no end, if you were to send me a letter. Here's the thing though, this is a handwritten zine, and I don't want your tweets, emails, etc. Write or draw me something using this template, and I'll print it or post it on the site! sshhhh... So I'm not gonna be sharing this much around the usual social networks, but I had to tell somewhere: I'm starting a new tumblr. As often as I can bear, I'm gonna adapt articles and other works of non-fiction into short little comics like this. It's called Sequential News, and it's a way to force myself to draw more. We'll see how it goes. It doesn't explicitily relate to The CP, but who knows how it might in the future, especially for subscribers (wink, wink). "A growing number of artists and writers are creating reported, researched, factual work these days, and a doing brilliant, memorable job of it. They're also finding an audience, and that audience wants more! So Josh Kramer has tapped into something significant by making The Cartoon Picayune a new home for this vibrant subgenre, and he keeps proving it with each issue."   -Rob Walker, The New York Times Magazine, Design Observer The CP On Tour TCAF, Toronto, May 5th and 6th ISSUE 3 DEBUT CAKE, Chicago, June 16th and 17th D.C. Zine Fest, Washington, D.C., July 28th SPX, Bethesda, September 15th and 16th Stores that sell The CP Quimby's Bookstore - Chicago, IL Chicago Comics - Chicago, IL Jim Hanley's Universe - New York, NY Forbidden Planet - New York, NY Fat Jack's Comics Crypt - Philadelphia, PA Atomic Books - Baltimore, MD Politics & Prose - Washington, D.C. SMASH! - Washington, D.C.   Copyright © 2012 The Cartoon Picayune, All rights reserved. You're getting this because you signed up at the website to get the latest about us in your inbox. Our mailing address is: The Cartoon Picayune 2032 Belmont Road NW Unit 632 Washington, DC 20009

Cosplay Parade Participants Sought

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Chris Wanamaker, (202) 262 2083 president@dcanimeclub.org

 

DC Anime Club Presents

2012 Cosplay Parade

 

     We DC Anime Club are looking for Cosplay volunteers to participate in our 2012 Cosplay Parade, which will be a part of Fiesta Asia Parade. Volunteers are  welcome to Cosplay any character they wish as long as it is family friendly. We will march in the Fiesta Asia Parade Saturday May 19,2012 Pennsylvania Avenuebetween Third and Sixth Streets NW, Washington, DC Nearest Subway Station: Archives Navy Memorial Green line.

All cosplay volunteers are to arrive at Archives Navy Memorial Subway Station at 10am  and we will proceed to the parade route.  

THE PARADE ITSELF STARTS AT 2PM. THIS GIVES PARTICIPANTS ENOUGH TIME TO ENJOY FIESTA ASIA UNTIL IT  IS TIME FOR US TO LINE UP FOR THE PARADE.

 In order to rsvp you must click on the following link:  https://www.facebook.com/events/199955826736431/

For more Information please contact: president@dcanimeclub.org or call 202 262 2083.

This event is free and open to the public.

Ages 13 and up.

For more information please visit the DC Anime Club website at http://dcanimeclub.org .

About DC Anime Club:

DCAC was established in 2003 to introduce and educate people in the Washington,DCarea about East Asian culture, through viewing and discussion ofJapanese animation (also known as anime) and Japanese comics (manga). DCAC is a 501(c) (3) not for profit organization, contributions to DC Anime Club are taxed deductible to the extent allowable under the law. The club also works to provide a positive, alternative activity to the youth in the area by exposing them to foreign culture, encouraging artistic expression and creativity, and providing opportunities for participation in community activities and leadership.

In addition to our bi-weekly meetings, the club holds an Annual Art Show, an Annual Costume fundraising event, and visits local schools to do presentations on anime. The club also works with the Smithsonian Freer Gallery and DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival on their anime screenings, and has helped locally promote performances for Japanese bands such as Puffy Ami Yumi and Pine am. DC Anime Club was founded by Chris Wanamaker (President), Jules Chang (Former Vice President) and Craig Vaughn (Vice President) on Saturday June 5, 2003. We have a strong membership that continues to grow -- most of which are teenagers.

Post reviews Soglow

"Cartoon Monarch: Otto Soglow & The Little King"
By Michael Taube,
Washington Post May 6 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/cartoon-monarch-otto-soglow-and-the-little-king/2012/05/03/gIQAKN5S1T_story.html

-- I'm not sure why they needed a Canadian reviewer though.

This blog post is printed in today's paper as well --

'AVENGERS': 7 Reasons it will be a hit
By David Betancourt and Michael Cavna
Washington Post May 6 2012

Toronto comics fest interviews DC creator Dechanique

This is a completely new-to-me local creator -

Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2012 Questionnaire: Deanna Echanique
Mark Medley  May 5, 2012
http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/05/05/toronto-comic-arts-festival-2012-questionnaire-deanna-echanique/

Q: Who are you?

A: I'm Dechanique (Deanna Echanique), an American comic artist residing in Washington, D.C.  I draw an LGBTIQ Neo-Victorian webcomic, La Macchina Bellica and am illustrating a new comic project with writer Jason Nerad, Kindling — a post-apocalyptic tale of survival, which will begin regular postings in June (the prologue is already online). I've been drawing comics since 2000.

Also, friend of ComicsDC and former City Paper illustrator Rob Ullman is there too -

Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2012 Questionnaire: Robert Ullman

Mark Medley  May 5, 2012

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/05/05/toronto-comic-arts-festival-2012-questionnaire-robert-ullman/

Truitt and USA Today on comic books

Geoff Johns gives out good vibes for Free Comic Book Day
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY May 4 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-05-05/DC-Comics-Free-Comic-Book-Day-issue/54730640/1

'Earth 2' builds a new world, one alternate hero at a time
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY April 30 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2012-04-30/Earth-2-comic-book-series/54642260/1

Iron Man leads the core four of 'The Avengers'
By Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY May 4 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/story/2012-05-04/marvel-the-avengers-robert-downey-jr-mark-ruffalo-chris-evans-chris-hemsworth/54738726/1

'Avengers' cast shoots for superhero spectacle
By Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY 4/24/2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/story/2012-04-23/on-set-behind-the-scenes-with-the-avengers/54494532/1

On 'Avengers' set, laughter is a powerful weapon

By Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY 4/23/2012

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/story/2012-04-23/laughs-abound-on-the-avengers-set/54494566/1

'Marvel's The Avengers' is marvelous fun
By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY May 3 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/story/2012-05-03/marvel-the-avengers/54705328/1

Smithsonian mag blog on comic book movies

Why Hollywood Loves Comic Books
Daniel Eagan
Smithsonian Magazine's Reel Culture blog May 4, 2012
http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/movies/2012/05/why-hollywood-loves-comic-books/

Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman

From: Joel Pollack

Marc Nobleman is a friend of Big Planet Comics and an archeologist of comic book history. He has authored a new book on the secret intelligence behind the creation of much of the Batman mythos. In July (exact date TBA), Marc will be signing his latest creation, Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman. As a longtime Batman fan, and charter subscriber to Biljo White's Batmania, I know that I am very excited to learn the secrets that Marc has unearthed.

Here's a note from Marc:

The Avengers is not the only superhero movie opening today. I am excited to unveil the trailer for Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sf6_lyahRk

If you are able to take a moment to watch it, please stay till the end (through the credits)...

And if you like, please spread the word!

--
Marc Tyler Nobleman
http://noblemania.blogspot.com - The stories behind the stories I write

Yesterday's live Avengers chat with Marvel editors

Whoops. Well, you can still read it here:

The Avengers: Chat with Marvel editors
Axel Alonso and Tom Brevoort
May 4, 2012
http://live.washingtonpost.com/the-avengers-050412.html

Big Planet Comics FCBD - Jeremy Whitley interview

If this interview appeals to you, Whitley is still signing his comic for 2 hours (as of now) at Big Planet College Park.

Five Questions with Jeremy Whitley
Eden Miller
Comicsgirl blog Apr 30, 2012
http://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/04/30/five-questions-with-jeremy-whitley/