The Post on Annie; Weldon on Modan; CBR on March; and Fantagraphic's early U of MD years

Engaging documentaries offer glimpses of life’s ‘Homegoings’ and ‘Hard-Knocks’ [in print as On PBS, death has a whole lot of life]
By Hank Stuever,
Washington Post June 24 2013

and note Annie: It's the Hard-Knock Life, From Script to Stage (one hour) airs Friday at 9 p.m. on WETA.

Weldon, Glen. 2013.
Women Find More Than They Bargained For In 'The Property' [Rutu Modan].
NPR.org (June 25)


Congressman John Lewis Recalls the Civil Rights Movement in "March".
Alex Dueben,
Comic Book Resources June 18th, 2013, updated: June 21st, 2013


Panel on the Origin of Fantagraphics: Excerpt
Comics Journal (June 24 2013): http://vimeo.com/69051716

Kim Thompson, Gary Groth and Mike Catron discuss the earliest days of Fantagraphics and The Comics Journal at the 2001 Comic-Con International: San Diego.

Art Hondros' Song of Sandy Hook part 1

Art Hondros, a local cartoonist based in Takoma Park, has just finished "Song of Sandy Hook," a comic strip on gun control. You may have seen his story "Fox Guy" in the Washing Post Magazine this March. He also did the cover to the latest free Magic Bullet comic.

When asked why he's done a comic book about gun control, Art says, "During the holidays last winter, I tried to keep my focus on comics projects I had currently in the works, but my mind kept going back to what it must've been like in the halls and classrooms at Sandy Hook Elementary School on that wretched day. Finally I realized I couldn't work on anything else but what follows here. Call it a process of dealing with the collective grief of that news. But I also felt that, as an illustrative storyteller, I could attempt something, just one more thing besides voting to keep someone in or out of office, or donating money to a cause one might think useful. No matter how feeble it may turn out, "Song of Sandy Hook" is that attempt."

An interview with Art should be up later this week at the City Paper. He's also agreed to let ComicsDC run his strip as a webcomic, although you can buy a hard copy at the DC Conspiracy store, and the money will be donated to the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation.

Here's the cover and page 1 of Song of Sandy Hook

International Ink extra: The She-Hulk Diaries

Along with Rogue Touch, The She-Hulk Diaries by Marta Acosta (Hyperion, $15) is Marvel Comics' latest experiment in reaching a new audience. The books are superhero romance novels. As a superhero fan, I'm perhaps 1/2 of the audience they're aiming at; I'm certainly not a woman who reads romance novels. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this novel.

I'm not currently keeping up with Marvel's ever-expanding Avengers line, so I'm not sure how the book fits into continuity. In Acosta's story, Jennifer Walters and her alter-ego She-Hulk (annoyingly aka Shulky) have a Jekyll and Hyde relationship with one personality displacing the other rather than the comic book's original version of She-Hulk as a more confident, less uptight and fun-loving version of Jennifer. John Byrne even had She-Hulk practicing law (which is referenced in this novel, but not in a believable fashion). Like Byrne, Acosta has a light humorous hand with the character, and refreshingly doesn't take superheroism too seriously.

As with Hyde, She-Hulk is a released Id and has been tossed out of Avengers Mansion for being too destructive and disruptive. Jennifer, narrating the story via her diary, is living in a borrowed apartment and looking for a new life - a new job, a new apartment and a new boyfriend. Her secret identity as She-Hulk is making all of these objectives difficult.

In coincidences that could only happen in a comic book, or a romance novel, Jennifer gets a job at a law firm that is suing over failing artificial organ transplants, and her former lover Ellis Tesla is the son of the firm;s owner, engaged to its hot-shot lead attorney AND being sued by the firm in the organ case. Tesla is a former musician whose most famous song "Flesh-Eating Bacteria Girl" is about Jennifer, although she continually denies it. Acosta keeps a lot of balls in the air as Jennifer works all of these things out, as well as random attacks by a minor league supervillains, while trying to keep a lid on She-Hulk.

The story is full of lines such as "In order to get Ellis out of my head, which is already crowded by Shulky sprawling all over the place, I decided to participate in something outside my comfort zone" (which is a Game of Thrones party at a bar). After a few minutes of reading, one gets used to them and begins looking forward to the next escapade. This novel won't be for everyone, but if you're a fan of strong female superhero characters, give it a try.

Next up: Tommysaurus Rex by Doug Tennapel

Matt Wuerker interview from March

Roth, Gil. 
Podcast: Cartoon Character
Virtual Memories – season 3 episode 6 –
Mar 18, '13
http://chimeraobscura.com/vm/podcast-cartoon-character
http://traffic.libsyn.com/virtualmemories/Season_3_Episode_6_-_Cartoon_Character.mp3

Dembicki at ALA this weekend

I'll be at the annual American Library Association convention this weekend in Chicago. I'll have a table in Artist Alley (booth 2356), along with free promo posters for the comics anthology Wild Ocean, due out in spring 2014 from Fulcrum Publishing. Plus, the original art for the promotional poster (below) will be in a silent auction as an ALA scholarship fundraiser!

I'll also be a one-man panel to talk about District Comics and what's coming down the pike for the project!

Other comics-related events at ALA: Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) will be one of the featured speakers, promoting the first book of his three-volume graphic novel March (Top Shelf Productions).
There's also a slew of events centered around comics all weekend, with panels featuring Gail Simone, Paul Pope and Jeffrey Brown, among others.

New local webcomic: 'Zodiac Starforce'

Local comics writer/podcaster Kevin Panetta is launching a new webcomic today with art by Paulina Ganucheau. 'Zodiac Starforce' is scheduled to premiere today at 8 p.m. (Last month, Panetta launched another webcomic, 'Kidd Cobbler', with artist Coleman Engle.)

Cavna on Herblock documentary film

SALUTING HERBLOCK: An open note to 'The Black and the White'
filmmakers: Send in the satirists

By Michael Cavna


Washington Post Comic Riffs blog June 24 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/saluting-herblock-an-open-note-to-the-black-and-the-white-filmmakers-send-in-the-satirists/2013/06/24/4d398536-dd33-11e2-85de-c03ca84cb4ef_blog.html?wprss=rss_comic-riffs

June 29: Herblock documentary to be screened at AAEC convention

On June 29th, the new Herblock documentary is to be screened at AAEC convention. Alan Gardener has the details.

Nobleman talked to Jerry Robinson

Jerry Robinson previously unpublished interview, 6/9/06
by Marc Tyler Nobleman
Noblemania blog June 17-19 2013
http://noblemania.blogspot.com/2013/06/jerry-robinson-previously-unpublished.html
http://noblemania.blogspot.com/2013/06/jerry-robinson-previously-unpublished_18.html
http://noblemania.blogspot.com/2013/06/jerry-robinson-previously-unpublished_19.html

Michael O'Connell talks to Josh Kramer too

Josh Kramer takes journalistic approach to creating comics
By Michael O'Connell
It's All Journalism Podcast: June 22, 2013
http://itsalljournalism.com/josh-kramer-takes-journalistic-approach-to-creating-comics/
http://media.blubrry.com/itsalljournalism/p/content.blubrry.com/itsalljournalism/IAJ-2013-06-22-055.mp3
http://itsalljournalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Josh-Kramer-transcript.pdf

Truitt's latest articles

Pak debuts 'Batman/Superman,' takes over 'Action Comics': Writer pens the first meeting of two superhero greats this week, and in the fall he starts on the iconic Man of Steel title.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 24, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2013/06/24/greg-pak-batman-superman-action-comics/2451219/

Lois Lane plays important role in 75 years of Superman: For many fans, the Daily Planet reporter is just as important as the Man (of Steel) in her life.
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY June 22, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2013/06/21/lois-lane-superman-75th-anniversary/2444395/

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