Friday, November 30, 2012

Mal Jones intervew at City Paper

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Mal Jones
by Mike Rhode on Nov. 30, 2012

Truitt on Bastian's 'Cursed Pirate Girl'

Bastian sails the detailed seas of 'Cursed Pirate Girl'; Writer/artist used Dorothy and Alice as role models for a buccaneer lass seeking her dad

Katie Coleman covers today's Express

Illustrator Katie Coleman (of Atlanta, GA, not our area) did the cover and a lot of illustrations for today's Express.

Dec 15: Jonathan Luna signing

Jonathan Luna is signing 12-3 pm on December 15th at Laughing Ogre Comics – Fairfax, 10647 Braddock Road, Fairfax, VA 22032

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Submissions open for DC Conspiracy's Magic Bullet newspaper

Submissions are open for DC Conspiracy's Magic Bullet #6 newspaper. Carolyn Belefski is editing this issue which full of one-page comic stories and is free.

The Post reviews Seussical


'Seussical': Very busy having fun [online as Easy to get lost in lively, crowded 'Seussical'].
By Celia Wren,
Washington Post November 28 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/easy-to-get-lost-in-lively-crowded-seussical/2012/11/27/e382820e-38c4-11e2-9258-ac7c78d5c680_story.html

Comic Riffs on crowdfunding Bill Day

CROWDFUNDING AN ARTIST'S 'SALARY': Pink-slipped political cartoonist is 'overwhelmed' by Indiegogo campaign
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog (November 27 2012)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/crowdfunding-an-artists-salary-pink-slipped-political-cartoonist-is-overwhelmed-by-indiegogo-campaign/2012/11/27/f0dd073e-390b-11e2-a263-f0ebffed2f15_blog.html#pagebreak

Editorial cartoonist Nina Allender needs you


This past weekend, I met a woman Washington political cartoonist I hadn't known before. Not in person - Nina Allender died in 1957 - but her drawings live on in the Sewall-Belmont House & Museum on Capitol Hill. The Museum has about 20 of her cartoons on display - but houses over 100 more. You can see them online. Allender's sex is important because she was a single theme cartoonist on suffrage and the vote for American women.

The Museum is holding a fundraising drive to conserve Allender's cartoons. They're asking people to sponsor a drawing at $250. Their website lists the reasons why and the benefits to you: Many of these cartoons, sketches on paper, are critically in need of conservation. Conservation includes cleaning, repairing any losses of the paper, and stabilization of the original drawings. Your contribution to our Allender fund can help underwrite the cost of conserving the cartoons to preserve these images for future generations to view. The benefits of sponsorship include: Recognition of your adoption displayed alongside the cartoon in the Museum and if the original is lent out for exhibit; An 8 x 10 print of the adopted Allender; An adoption certificate.


Who was Nina Allender? According to the Museum website:
Nina Allender was the official cartoonist for the National Woman’s Party. She contributed over 150 cartoons to the suffrage campaign, mostly original drawings created for The Suffragist, the weekly publication of the National Woman’s Party from 1913 until 1921, and later its successor, Equal Rights, published from 1923 until 1954.

Allender’s cartoons were instrumental in changing the mainstream image of the suffragist as unattractive, selfish and rowdy to one who was young, slender and energetic – a capable woman with an intense commitment to the cause. This suffragist image, titled the “Allender Girl”, appeared in many of Allender’s cartoons. Today she is considered one of the most significant political artists of the era, capturing the spirited struggle for women’s rights as it happened and providing a unique window into this intense chapter in women’s history.

Allender gave the majority of the cartoons she drew during this time to the National Woman’s Party; at this point it is believed that the Sewall-Belmont House & Museum houses the only collection of Nina Allender cartoons.


The Museum's biography probably overstates her importance as a cartoonist, but last year Slate Magazine had a small feature on her - Nina Allender's Suffrage Cartoons by Elizabeth Weingarten. Overall, I think Allender could use some wider recognition.

The Museum itself is having some financial difficulties and after December 31, 2012, will close for the winter except by appointment. They hope to reopen for regular hours in the spring, but as of now, if you're interested in seeing her work in person, you've got a month left to visit. If sponsoring a cartoon is a financial stretch for you, the gift shop sells 9 postcards and 2 magnets of her cartoons. I've got one of each now.

101_4751
Some more pictures of the Sewall-Belmont House can be seen here.

Jason Rodriguez and Andrew Cohen have new works out

Andrew Cohen has a non-fiction shipwreck story in The Appendix, a new history journal.
 
Jason Rodriguez wrote a story for the comics/fairy tales anthology, Once Upon A Time Machine. He's also been releasing short prose science fiction stories through Amazon.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Truitt on Talon

'Talon' claws into Gotham City lore with Calvin Rose: The escape artist and former assassin now fights the good fight in the land of Batman.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY November 26. 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2012/11/26/talon-batman-comic-book-series/1726339/

Nick Galifianakis print sale (from the Washington Post relationship cartoonist)

  • Hello Everyone! Check out my Holiday SALE for Signed Prints!     Perfect gifts that reflect your Love Life (or someone else's, if you're really judgmental), Family (dysfunctional or not), Friends (if we could read minds there wouldn't be two pals in the world) and the Animals that are our reason for getting out of bed in the morning!     Enjoy!    http://nickandzuzu.com/
    Hello Everyone! Check out my Holiday SALE for Signed Prints!

    Perfect gifts that reflect your Love Life (or someone else's, if you're really judgmental), Family (dysfunctional or not), Friends (if we could read minds there wouldn't be two pals in the world) and the Animals that are our reason for getting out of bed in the morning!

International Ink book reviews part deux

International Ink: Gift Ideas for Comics Nerds (Part 2 of 2)
by Mike Rhode on Nov. 27, 2012
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/visual-arts/2012/11/27/international-ink-gift-ideas-for-comics-nerds-part-2-of-2/
 
And remember, these are not necessarily my holiday recommendations, but rather books that I was sent for review.

Feb 16-17: Success in the World of Comics Seminar

David Paccia, the man behind the excellent David-Wasting-Paper interview blog, pointed me to The Third Annual Success in the World of Comics Seminar that will be held in Annapolis, MD. It's run by Chad Carpenter and Bill Kellogg who've made a success of the self-syndicated Tundra comic strip. Amy Lago of the Washington Post syndicate will be there as will other cartoonists such as Tom Richmond, MAD caricaturist and head of the National Cartoonists Society. The seminar is Feburary 16-17th and costs $375 - register for it on the site which also has hotel information.

Truitt on Retrovirus

'Retrovirus' an infectious mix of pandemics and cavemen; An interest in science and a run-in with H1N1 influenced Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti's new graphic novel.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Project Update #3: The Super-Shakespeare Series by David Miller

Ryan North's Shakespeare project is wildly over-funded - consider a local cartoonist's project!

Project Update #3: A Rose by Any Other Name

by David Miller Like

Greetings, Culture Vultures,
I hope this update finds everyone well and enjoying the holiday spirit. Today's update is a preview of some of the characters that will be performing the immortal words of the Bard. Courtesy of my sketchbook.

 I've included some bios so that you can see how I've put some thought to matching up these characters to their Shakespearean counterparts. I know it's a bit obsessive to cast the appropriate super-person to the appropriated cast member. Especially since none of the super-folks' personality will come through. But I just thought it would be more fun this way.

So feel free to scroll down and meet the visual cast of Much Ado About Nothing:


 

Marc Tyler Nobleman says "Book signing THIS Wednesday evening - 40 authors"


From: Marc Tyler Nobleman:

Because you probably thrive on the challenge of getting a sitter on short notice, I hereby invite you to the annual University Club Book Fair this Wednesday. I'm honored to be one of the 40 authors who will sign books; personalized books, I'm told, make thoughtful holiday gifts. (No one's yet asked but I will also sign Kindles/Nooks/iPads.) At least two of my titles will be there, including my latest, which has been seen/heard on outlets including NPR, MTV, and TED (see below). The event is free and open to the public and here's all else you need to know:

The University Club of Washington DC
1135 16th Street, N.W.

Wednesday 11/28
5:30-8 p.m.

Hope to see you there; truly no pressure to buy one of my books. It looks like a classy event. Oh, and come to think of it, it does start early enough that you actually don't need a sitter...

Thank you,
Marc Tyler Nobleman
noblemania.blogspot.com
twitter.com/MarcTNobleman

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


My TED talk about Bill Finger and the tragedy of creators' rights


My interview on NPR's All Things Considered


Why we bid - Cartoons & Cocktails results

101_4643 - Barbara Dale

A few days ago, we linked to Michael Cavna's article on the upcoming Cartoons & Cocktails charity editorial cartoon auction. (Their site is here).

In case anyone was wondering, here's a link to the art I won - all in the silent auctions where I bid first on people I know, then on local cartoonists, then on cartoons I like. I usually make about 50 bids (at a minimum of $25) so I wander around feeling nervous. And don't bid much on the live auction. But you can talk to cartoonists like Matt Wuerker and KAL who were running parts of the show this year. And Lynn Johnston stopped in briefly and signed my Team Cul de Sac book.

The art I won was:

It's Time We Clean House! Artley, Steven G
These People Here For The "Kiss Protest" Are Really Freaking Me Out… Jones, Clay
Norbert: I Never Noticed the Size of His Teeth Before Fett, George
Can You Please Play Ruffles and Flourishes Just for Me, and Does Anyone Know the Words? Ganz, Anne
Mitt's Way On The Highway Dale, Barbara
Wee Pals: What's Your View On Euthanasia, Guys? Turner, Morrie
Don't Blame Me… My Gun Only Bops People On the Schnoz! Jackson, Tim
Free Speech, Free Speech, Free Speech, Reason To Boycott Sutliff, Joe

Joe, Steve, Barbara, Clay and Anne are local to DC/Baltimore.The Fett and Turner pieces are comic strips - I didn't know Fett's work, but it was nice (he was big in Australia) and Morrie Turner's an early African-American cartoonist in the strip world, influenced and helped by Charles Schulz. Tim Jackson's take on a comic book villain was appealing.