Comic Riffs on the end of Gaiman's booksignings and Time.com's cartoons

TIME.com e-mail: Cartoons of the Week feature discontinued
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog June 24 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/timecom-e-mail-cartoons-of-the-week-feature-discontinued/2013/06/24/9fa5e230-dceb-11e2-9218-bc2ac7cd44e2_blog.html#pagebreak

NEIL GAIMAN's FAREWELL SIGNING TOUR: In D.C., it's 'The Emotion at the End of the Line'
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog June 23 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/neil-gaimans-farewell-signing-tour-in-dc-its-the-emotion-at-the-end-of-the-line/2013/06/23/50aef8ce-dc5f-11e2-85de-c03ca84cb4ef_blog.html#pagebreak

Live now: Editorial cartoon chat

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56493854-78/editorial-cartoonists-chat-lake.html.csp

Trib Talk: Chat with some of the nation's top editorial cartoonists

June 29: Annapolis Comic-Con

Annapolis Comic-Con is on Saturday!  Two Walking Dead Actors Coming To Annapolis! Big News, guys! AMC's Walking Dead is the biggest thing going on TV right now, so we know you'll be excited to hear that Daniel Thomas May and Travis Love will both be at the Annapolis Comic-Con THIS SATURDAY! Yes, that's only a few days away!! Without giving away any spoilers, Daniel Thomas May plays Allen, and Travis Love plays Shumpert, they were both important members of the Governor's crew in Woodbury in Season 3. If you love watching Walking Dead, you'll love hanging out with these guys. They'll be signing autographs and taking pictures all day, and at 2pm they'll do a Q&A session.  AWESOME CON KICKSTARTER BACKERS GET IN FREE TO ANNAPOLIS COMIC-CON That's right, if you back Awesome Con DC's Kickstarter Campaign (for as little as $25), you get a free pass to the Annapolis Comic-Con this Saturday, plus you'll already have your pass for Awesome Con next year (April 2014) and some other cool exclusive freebies and rewards. Just bring your pledge confirmation email to the Annapolis Comic-Con and that will work as your ticket! Back the Kickstarter at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1611556041/awesome-con-dc Annapolis Comic-Con Important Info Date: Saturday, June 29 Time: 10am-6pm Address: 273 Hilltop Ln, Annapolis, Md 21403 Admission: $10 cash or credit, kids 10 & under FREE Over 30 Vendors, 50 Artists, TARDIS Photo Booth, Kids' art area ALL DAY, and a full day of special events!   Events Schedule Starting at 11:30, we will be doing drawings every hour on the half hour (11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30), giving away prizes and Awesome Cash. Awesome Cash is like a gift card you can use at the con!! 10am – Show open 12pm – Doctor Who Going On Fifty: Past, Present, Future Ben Taylor and a few other expert Doctor Who fans will lead a discussion on all aspects of Doctor Who! Also, don't forget we'll have the TARDIS Photo Booth at the con ALL DAY!! 12:30 – Injustice: Gods Among Us Tournament presented by Press Play Entertainment. THIS WILL BE AMAZING. If you've never seen PressPlay Entertainment's setup before, you will be blown away. You've got to sign up in advance or at the con, $20 tournament entrance fee. 1pm – Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse Advanced Course Local zombie expert Daniel Palmer discusses the dangers that go beyond flesh eating undead. How do you deal with humanity when civilization has crumbled? 2pm – Travis Love and Daniel Thomas May Q&A What was it like on set of AMC's Walking Dead? Daniel Thomas May and Travis Love are here to answer your questions. 3pm – Pro Wrestling Today Joe Carabeo & crew are back to talk wrestling! The audience will DEFINITELY be part of the discussion, so check it out if you love to talk WWE, TNA, ROH, old school wrestling, etc! 4pm – Doodle! Scribble! Draw! KIDS ART GAME SHOW! The interactive art game show for kids of all ages (mostly the young kind), it's a combination of Jeopardy!, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Pictionary, and the doodles that you draw in your notebook when you're bored! 5pm – Costume Contests! Kids' Costume Contest immediately followed by the adults Costume Contest! Winners get trophies, gift cards, and other prizes!  We hope you'll join us in Annapolis this weekend!

Today: Wuerker & KAL video chat from Editorial Cartoon Conference

Cartoonists on Trib Talk

Jennifer Napier-Pearce on Monday at 12:30 p.m. will moderate a live video chat at sltrib.com on the art of editorial cartooning featuring Pat Bagley of The Salt Lake Tribune; Jack Ohman of the Sacramento Bee; Kal Kallaugher of The Economist/Baltimore Sun; and Matt Wuerker of Politico.

 

(this is Salt Lake so it should be 2:30 pm EDT)

International Ink extra: Zits: Chillax

For several years, I've written International Ink, an infrequent column on the City Paper's website, with reviews of comics-related books. I plan on continuing it, but I've fallen way behind on reading the books I'm being sent or have bought, so I'll be posting single book reviews here over the summer. When I get caught-up, I'll try to get back to the multi-book columns in the CP.

First up is Zits: Chillax (Harper, $9.99) by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman. It's an illustrated novel, a form that's made a popular comeback in the comics world with the success of Wimpy Kid. The genre is old though - I've got a copy of Skippy by Percy Crosby from 1929 sitting next to my computer as I type this. Borgman's illustrations are integral to the story, as the text quits and let the picture carry the story at times.

I had no idea that a Zits young adult novel was coming out, and was rather surprised to get a copy. For any fan of the strip, it's definitely worth  reading. Since the press release says the comic is in 1,700 papers, that's probably a  respectable number of people. The novel features all the main characters and reads much like a comic strip continuity. Strip star Jeremy and his best friend Hector have tickets to a Gingivitis concert. The band "has a reputationf or some pretty insane stage behavior. Sure, there has been the occasional wardrobe slippage, virgin sacrifice, and live animal ingestion, but it's not like these guys use that to get attention. They are first and foremost musicians." In between ignoring homework about Richard Nixon and Watergate, the two boys need to figure out how to get permission to go to the concert. When they find out that their garage band's guitar-player Tim sold them his tickets because his mother has cancer (a revelation done solely as a splash page illustration), they decide to go to concert and  buy something memorable there for Tim (with a bit of prodding from Jeremy's girlfriend Sara).

The novel slips into slapstick when they get to the concert, but even with the cancer subtext it's a light fun read. Borgman's cartoons definitely add to the story, and while Scott's language is probably not that of a real teen, he has a way with a phrase. If you or your children enjoy a drawing with an accompanying sentence such as "There's something beautiful about causing somebody to spew a mouthful of soda just by saying something hilarious (unless, you know, you're in the row in front of that person)"  give this novel a try. A second  book, Shredded, is previewed at the end. I'll be looking for it.

Next up - another comics-related novel: She-Hulk Diaries, a romance story.

The Post on Disney and The Rite of Spring in Fantasia

How Walt Disney got 'Rite of Spring' right
By Sarah Kaufman,
Washington Post (June 23 2013).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/how-walt-disney-got-rite-of-spring-right/2013/06/19/8d008e78-d895-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html

Bruce Guthrie's Pictures from Neil Gaiman event

From: Bruce Guthrie:

I went to the Neil Gaiman event last night as Politics and Prose's photographer.  (Yep, as a volunteer.)   It was a sold-out event with lots and lots of young folks -- it was at George Washington University which didn't hurt -- including a woman who makes puppets of people.  She brought her Neil Gaiman puppet.  Her manager said it takes her 40-80 hours to do each of the puppets and apparently they're pricey, but Gaiman's one was a big hit.  Neil mentioned the puppet and Michael Cavna's Washington Post piece in his opening comments. 

Pics are up on http://www.bguthriephotos.com/graphlib.nsf/keys/2013_06_21F_Gaiman

--
Bruce Guthrie
Photo obsessive
http://www.bguthriephotos.com

__._,_.___

Cavna on Gaiman

Gaiman sold out George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium tonight. As number 1231, I didn't stay to get any books signed, but he was entertaining as usual. Cavna's got the background to the new novel in today's paper:

Neil Gaiman's new novel sprang from an ocean of lonely distance
By Michael Cavna,
Washington Post June 21 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/neil-gaimans-new-novel-sprung-from-loneliness/2013/06/20/9f3848e8-d9ed-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html

Comic Riffs on Wonder Woman

Q&A: Get Him to the Greek mythology: Brian Azzarello takes on Wonder Woman
By David Betancourt
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog June 21 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/qanda-get-him-to-the-greek-mythology-brian-azzarello-takes-on-wonder-woman/2013/06/21/7d30f64a-d958-11e2-9df4-895344c13c30_blog.html#pagebreak

June 22: Joe Harris at Third Eye Comics

THIS SATURDAY 6/22/13 SIGNING FROM 11AM to 1PM  at THIRD EYE ANNAPOLIS SIGNING FROM 4PM to 6PM at THIRD EYE ST. MARY'S First 25 in Line Receive a Very Special FREE Gift Created Especially For This Event!
	Hello Third Eye Faithful! We're really pumped for this weekend's special event with writer JOE HARRIS, author of X-FILES SEASON 10 and the IMAGE hit GREAT PACIFIC.  We know that you guys are too, and with the rave reviews X-FILES is receiving, we're really happy to have Joe launching the book here at Third Eye this Saturday! We're big fans of Joe's work on books like Great Pacific, and if you haven't checked out his sci-fi-charged environmental thriller, we highly recommend giving it a look as well this weekend.  As for X-FILES SEASON 10 -- it's the X-FILES comic you've been waiting for, Third Eye Faithful!  Picking up after the events of the final televised season, X-FILES SEASON 10 is overseen by series creator CHRIS CARTER himself, and is an official, canon continuation of the adventures of Mulder and Scully.  So, break out your Special Agent cosplays, and let's give Joe a big Third Eye turnout!
What's the Scoop on X-Files Season 10?     As die-hard X-FILES fans ourselves, we devoured nearly every shred of X-FILES awesomeness that came out, and then the series ended, and we got one pretty decent movie, and one awful movie.. and well, that was that. No closure. No resolution. No more awesome X-FILES goodness.    Well, X-FILES: SEASON 10, in the vein of series like BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8, is the official continuation of the cult favorite television series.   Picking up where the final season left off, ushering in a new era of technological paranoia, multinational concerns, and otherworldly threats.    We're in a world that's changed drastically since Mulder and Scully were on the case, and it's going to take more than a desire 'to believe' to make it out alive.    Writer Joe Harris makes this book practically explode with atmosphere, and brings such strong accuracy and characterization to the characters we all know and love, that you can almost hear that legendary opening title music in your head while reading it.    We don't want to ruin too many surprises, but, there's so many cool references back to the series, as well as returning characters, that anyone who was even remotely an X-FILES fan is going to love this book. Buy the X-FILES SEASON 10 #1 Third Eye Variant for Only $3.99 and Get It Signed by Joe Harris This Saturday!   We're so excited about the new X-FILES series, that we had one of our favorite artists, CHARLES PAUL WILSON III (of STUFF OF LEGEND fame) work up an INCREDIBLE Third Eye variant cover for issue #1.    You can pick up this exclusive cover, which is only available from our stores, for just $3.99 this Saturday and get it signed by Joe!      BE ONE OF THE FIRST 25 IN LINE & RECEIVE A SPECIAL FREE GIFT! We know there's a ton of anticipation for this event, and we know that a lot of you guys plan on getting here early to make sure you're one of the first to get your X-FILES #1 signed.  And, you guys know how much we love seeing a crowd of stoked Third Eye Faithful hanging out and having fun before an event, right?  So, we're going to have a very special exclusive item that we'll be giving away to the first 25 folks in line at this event!  So, make sure you line up early, and get hooked up with something fun!
Make Sure to Check out JOE HARRIS'S Incredible GREAT PACIFIC This Saturday As Well! We're mega fans of Joe Harris's creator-owned IMAGE series, GREAT PACIFIC, and are totally stoked to be able to give it some love this weekend with the X-FILES signing!    One part Y: THE LAST MAN, one part THE MASSIVE, GREAT PACIFIC Vol.1 TRASHED is the story of fugitive oil heir Chas Worthington and his quest to declare the infamous Great Pacific Garbage Patch his own sovereign nation.    Of course, the reality of environmental catastrophe is only the beginning of his odyssey.   We'll have plenty of copies of both the single issues of GREAT PACIFIC (1-7) and the graphic novel (collecting issues 1-6), which is only $9.99!    We might even have a few of the elusive GREAT PACIFIC phantom variants still.. and be featuring those as available for purchase as well!
Okay, Third Eye Faithful! We're really excited about this one, and we hope to see a lot of you guys here and having a ton of fun this Saturday! We'll see you then!

PR: Rutu Modan and Michael Kupperman Guests for SPX 2013

Small Press Expo Announces Rutu Modan and Michael Kupperman as Featured Guests at SPX 2013 For Immediate Release                 Contact: Warren Bernard                                                         E-Mail: warren@spxpo.com Bethesda, Maryland; June 21, 2013 – Small Press Expo is pleased to announce Rutu Modan and Michael Kupperman as featured guests to SPX 2013, to be held September 14 and 15. Rutu and Michael will be in addition to previously announced guests Seth, Lisa Hanawalt, Gary Panter, Frank Santoro, Gene Yang and Congressman John Lewis. Israeli cartoonist Rutu Modan returns to SPX for the first time since 2007 to promote her latest book and only second full length graphic novel from Drawn & Quarterly, The Property. A founding member of the Actus Tragicus comics collective, Rutu's Exit Wounds won the 2008 Eisner Award for Best New Graphic Novel. More information on The Property can be found at www.drawnandquarterly.com. Michael Kupperman has earned 2013 Eisner Award nominations for both Best Short Story and Best Single Issue for Tales Designed to Thrizzle #8 from Fantagraphics Books. His stories have been selected for no less than four editions of the annual Best American Comics, including the 2013 edition for which Jeff Smith selected Quinception from Tales Designed to Thrizzle #7. In 2012, Time Out New York voted Michael one of the 50 funniest New Yorkers. More information on his books can be found at http://www.fantagraphics.com. About SPX Small Press Expo (SPX) is the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels, and alternative political cartoons. SPX is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit that brings together more than 400 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers, and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics, and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators, as well as a series of panel discussions and interviews with this year's guests. The Ignatz Award is a festival prize held every year at SPX, with the winners chosen by attendees at the show. As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program, which funds graphic novel purchases for public and academic libraries, as well as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), which protects the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, visit their website at http://www.cbldf.org. SPX also supports the Small Press Expo Collection at the Library of Congress, which preserves the history of both the artistic output of the creators who come to SPX, as well as the art that SPX itself generates as part of its yearly festival. It the first program of its type by a major institution in the United States to preserve the works of the indie comics community. For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.spxpo.com. Our mailing address is: Small Press Expo P.O. Box 447 McLean, Virginia 22101

Catching up with Brian Truitt's columns

Why Superman is the greatest American hero;
The Man of Steel, in movies and comic books, has reflected us during the past 75 years.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY  June 14, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/06/13/superman-75th-anniversary/2368055/

Michael Shannon shares 'Man of Steel' armor secrets;
Oscar-nominated actor can thank special-effects crew for making him look awesome as General Zod.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY  June 15, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/06/15/michael-shannon-man-of-steel-movie/2418153/


Superman debut comic found in wall sells for $175,000, A rare copy of
'Action Comics' No. 1 was discovered in insulation of Minnesota house.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 13, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2013/06/13/superman-action-comics-issue-found-in-wall/2419837/

'Man of Steel' finds success - is 'Justice League' next?
A cinematic superhero team-up a la 'The Avengers' could benefit from Superman's success.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY  June 19, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/06/19/justice-league-movie-possibilities/2438681/

Personal moments are key for 'Man of Steel' composer
Hans Zimmer avoided John Williams music for a year to make sure he crafted an original Superman movie score.
 Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 14, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/06/14/hans-zimmer-man-of-steel-score/2418159/

'Beware the Batman' animated series premieres in July;
New Cartoon Network show offers classic touches and a change in villainous scenery.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 19, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2013/06/19/beware-the-batman-animated-series/2438285/

Robert Downey Jr. inks Marvel deal for more Iron Man;
Actor signs up for "The Avengers 2," out in 2015, as well as "The Avengers 3."
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 20, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/06/20/robert-downey-jr-iron-man-avengers-movies/2442301/

'Man of Steel' Comic-Con set features Superman vs. Zod
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 17, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/06/17/man-of-steel-comic-con-exclusive-superman-figures/2431377/


Spider-Man gets a sister in 2014's 'Family Business';
Superhero spy story is part of a new line of Marvel Comics graphic novels.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 17, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2013/06/17/amazing-spider-man-family-business-graphic-novel/2429793/

Library of Congress' plan threatens access to its comic books

ComicsDC has learned that the Library of Congress Associate Librarian Roberta I. Shaffer has proposed closing several reading rooms, and consolidating their functions in the main Jefferson building. For some departments, this would make sense, but for the Newspapers, Government Documents & Current Periodicals (aka 'Serials') department, it would seem to cause more problems than it would solve.

 

The current pull time for a comic book is slightly over 15 minutes - this would undoubtedly go at least to an hour. That would mean a significant loss of a researcher's time, spent wasted in waiting. Also, the main reading room has no real security, or ways to oversee a user. When a damaged Action Comics #1 sells for $175,000, that's a concern.

 

The Library has come late to the world of comic book studies, and it would be a shame to see them implementing a plan like this.

The Post's Monsters University review

Scaring School's Back in Session: 'Monsters University' movie review

 

By Michael O'Sullivan,

 

Washington Post June 21 2013

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/monsters-university-movie-review/2013/06/20/3acd44ec-d459-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

Letter on Herblock in NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/books/review/cartoon-character.html is a letter to the New York Times Book Review in praise of Herblock.

Cartoon Character

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/books/review/cartoon-character.html

 

Cartoon Character

To the Editor:

Deborah Solomon, reviewing Victor S. Navasky's "Art of Controversy: Political Cartoons and Their Enduring Power" (June 2), mentions Herbert Block (better known as Herblock) without emphasizing that he was considered, in his heyday, the king of newspaper cartoonists, not excluding Thomas Nast. Moreover, Block could write as well as draw. In his book of cartoons about President Nixon, he wrote: "It was not Nixon who had been assaulted by government, but the government that had been assaulted by Nixon."

GEORGE Z. BANKS
San Leandro, Calif.

Troy Allen on MAN OF STEEL and Julian Assange

From Troy-Jeffrey Allen :

Over the weekend I found myself caught off-guard by the political subtext (or just straight-up text) in MAN OF STEEL. The concerns that that film conjured up inspired me to complete what I can only describe as an op-ed piece on the movie and how that relates to our current political climate.  Please check it out at http://graphicpolicy.com/2013/06/20/julian-assange-and-man-of-steel-why-the-hero-we-need-is-more-important-than-the-hero-we-deserve/

Josh Kramer interview in City Paper

Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat With Josh Kramer

by Mike Rhode on Jun. 20, 2013

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/visual-arts/2013/06/20/meet-a-local-cartoonist-a-chat-with-josh-kramer/

 

 - and he's having an open house tonight to launch the latest Cartoon Picayune anthology.

Kim Thompson obituary from the Post

Obituaries of note: Kim Thompson, Dave Jennings
Thursday, June 20, 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/obituaries-of-note-kim-thompson-dave-jennings/2013/06/20/22321026-d9c1-11e2-a016-92547bf094cc_story.html

I guess this might run on the 21st.

Marc Tyler Nobleman on putting words in Superman's creators' mouths

Danger! Dialogue Ahead
April 23, 2013 By Marc Tyler Nobleman
From the May/June 2013 issue of The Horn Book Magazine
http://www.hbook.com/2013/04/choosing-books/horn-book-magazine/danger-dialogue-ahead/