Neal Adams - Beyond Comics Frederick - Thursday, Sept. 5

Meet Comics Legend NEAL ADAMS! Thursday, September 5th - 4:00pm to 7:00pm                 We are proud to present a rare and unique in store event. On Thursday, September 5th Beyond Comics has gotten the privilege to host comic artist Neal Adams for his only regional store appearance in over 20 years. The appearance will run from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Learn More First Autograph is FREE!  Neal is offering a special for Beyond Comics Customers!   Get 1 Free Autograph Additional Signatures are half the convention price ($10)         Sketches   We are already taking names and payment.   Basic Quick Sketches - $150.00 & Up   Detailed Blank Cover Comic Sketches - $400   Prices vary widely upon amount of detail requested.   Contact Jason Adams at spyda@spydacreations.com for detailed pricing or to pay them directly via PayPal.    CGC Signature Series Available - See store for details and fees               Neal Adams is a towering figure in the world of comic book creation and art. Neal has had legendary 'runs' on Batman, X-Men, Green Lantern-Green Arrow and Deadman. Adams rescued Batman from the campy nostalgia of the television show, and re-fitted him in his present incarnation as an "Avenger of the Night." His run on Batman led directly to the new, more realistic incarnation in "Batman Returns" movie, which featured the character he created, Ras Al Ghul.             Beyond Comics is proud to be hosting an in store appearance by Neal Adams, one of the comic book industries most important and influential artists the day before Baltimore's incredible Comic Book Convention, The Baltimore Comic Con. Mr. Adams will be inaugurating the Baltimore Comic Con by coming to our store and autographing copies of his newest work, Batman Black & White #1, as well as other prints and books. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet one of the most influential comic artists ever. Beyond Comics 5632 Buckeystown Pike Frederick, MD 21704 301-668-8202 Let all your friends know! STAY CONNECTED

The Hooded Utilitarian glances at Zita the Space Girl

Ben Hatke's Zita the Space Girl is looked at from the viewpoint of seeking female characters.

Small Press Expo Announces Programming for SPX 2013

Small Press Expo Announces the SPX 2013 Programming Schedule For Immediate Release            Contact: Warren Bernard                                                                                                    E-Mail: warren@spxpo.com Bethesda, Maryland; August 26, 2013 – The Small Press Expo is pleased to announce the SPX 2013 Programming Schedule.  SPX is proud to continue its established tradition of rich, thought-provoking programming featuring leading comics artists and critics in conversation. As in previous years, the Programming Schedule will feature two simultaneous tracks on both Saturday and Sunday, September 14th and 15th.   SPX 2013 programming highlights include special Q&A sessions with headline guests Seth, Jeff Smith, Gary Panter, Rutu Modan, The New Yorker's Liza Donnelly and Argentinian cartoonist Liniers, many of whom will also join in several other panel discussions.   Highlights of this year's panel discussions will include: • Living civil rights legend Rep. John Lewis, along with co-author Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell will discuss the first volume of Rep. Lewis trilogy, March!, about the civil rights movement of the 1960's. • Conversations between Dash Shaw and Frank Santoro, Raina Telgemeier and Gene Yang, as well as Sam Henderson and Michael Kupperman. • What Makes Drawings Funny? with Peter Bagge, Lisa Hanawalt and Jay Lynch, moderated by Dustin Harbin. • In Kids/Not For Kids, Jeff Smith, Roger Langridge, Rutu Modan and Liniers will discuss how creators deal with producing works for the very different adult and children's audiences. • A discussion about funding comics projects. • Our annual hands-on comics workshop will led this year by Alec Longstreth from the Center for Cartoon Studies and Josh Bayer from the Sequential Artists Workshop. The complete SPX 2013 Programming Schedule with full descriptions and participants may be found at http://www.spxpo.com/spx-2013-programming.   This year is the eighth year that SPX programming has been organized by Programming Coordinator Bill Kartalopoulos. Bill is a comics educator, critic and curator who has taught classes about comics at Parsons The New School for Design. Bill will be the editor for the 2014 installment of the critically acclaimed series, Best American Comics. He is the publisher and editor of Rebus Books, as well as being a Contributing Editor for Print Magazine. Programming on Saturday will run from 11:30AM  until 7PM and Sunday programming will run from 12:30PM until 6PM.

The Express on animation voices

With Stars in Their Throats
By Kristen Page-Kirby
Express August 23, 2013          
http://www.readexpress.com/2013/08/with-stars-in-their-throats/

Comic Riffs on Trinity War

DC's 'Trinity War': Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire, on being in league for epic crossover
By David Betancourt
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 26 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/dcs-trinity-war-geoff-johns-and-jeff-lemire-on-being-in-league-for-epic-crossover/2013/08/26/37d5816a-0dd3-11e3-85b6-d27422650fd5_blog.html#pagebreak

Cavna on Affleck as Batman

This blog post appeared in the print edition today

#BATFLECK BACKLASH: On the Web, does Batman's studio hear you scream?

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post August 24 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/batfleck-backlash-on-the-web-does-batmans-studio-hear-you-scream/2013/08/23/5c7b1d62-0c21-11e3-b87c-476db8ac34cd_blog.html

Cavna does a Mad-style song rewrite

In this article, Michael Cavna does a Mad-style song rewrite, Hooray
for Folly-Wood with illustrations...

Eight lessons from summer movies
by Ann Hornaday
Washington Post August 24 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/eight-lessons-from-summer-movies/2013/08/23/1fd658cc-09ce-11e3-9941-6711ed662e71_story.html

Those darn political cartoonists

Letter to the Editor: What political cartoonists do
Michael G. Bell, Washington
Washington Post August 24 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-political-cartoonists-do/2013/08/23/647f7a1e-080f-11e3-89fe-abb4a5067014_story.html

Local cartoonists at Intervention con today and tomorrow

There's a handful of local cartoonists at Intervention con today - here's some that you can head up to Rockville and meet.

Chris Flick

Chris Flick

Raechel Hixon

Reuel Smith

Simon Ladd and Viga

Megami Jadeheart and Jennifer Zyren Smith

Darren E. Canton

Kathleen Brenowitz

Shawn Padraic Murphy

Novelist Bill Campbell

Shaenon Garrity and Jeffrey Wells (not local)

Death is Good

Cartoon curator Andrew Farago at Intervention

Meet a Visiting Comics Curator: A Chat With Andrew Farago

 by Mike Rhode on Aug. 23, 2013

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2013/08/23/meet-a-visiting-comics-curator-a-chat-with-andrew-farago/

PR: John Lewis' MARCH is the New York Times' #1 Bestseller!

Congratulations to Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell -- their graphic novel March: Book One is on its way to becoming a bona fide phenomenon. John Lewis' MARCH is the New York Times' #1 Bestseller! Since the New York Times introduced its "Graphic Books" bestseller chart four years ago, Top Shelf has had several titles make the list -- but as usual, March: Book One is breaking records! This landmark graphic novel is our first time in the #1 position, all thanks to the powerful storytelling of Congressman Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, and the immense support of readers like you. MARCH on the airwaves! The press response to March has been terrific as well. After the wave of coverage from Comic-Con, we kicked off the book's release with The Colbert Report, then hit public radio! Terrific reports came out of California's KPBS and KCRW, Congressman Lewis was a guest on NPR's "Here and Now," and then he did a full hour on NPR's "On Point" with Tom Ashbrook! That's not all: stay tuned this Sunday, August 25 and Wednesday, August 28, when you can catch Congressman Lewis on (deep breath) CNN's "Newsroom," CNN's "State of the Union" with Candy Crowley, NBC's "Meet the Press" with David Gregory, CBS's "Face the Nation" with Bob Schieffer, BBC's "World News America," PBS's "Charlie Rose," and CNN's "The Lead" with Jake Tapper! As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, it's an honor to know that Congressman Lewis continues to look to the future and reach out to new generations through this book. And it's not just important: it's actually GOOD! Critics agree that March is terrific entertainment, education, and inspiration in one: "A riveting and beautiful civil-rights story… Lewis's gripping memoir should be stocked in every school and shelved at every library." — The Washington Post "Essential reading... March is a moving and important achievement. While it looks a little different than your average comic, it does tell the story of a true American superhero." — USA Today "An astonishingly accomplished graphic memoir that brings to life a vivid portrait of the civil rights era, Lewis' extraordinary history and accomplishments, and the movement he helped lead... its power, accessibility and artistry destine it for awards, and a well-deserved place at the pinnacle of the comics canon." — NPR "March offers a poignant portrait of an iconic figure that both entertains and edifies, and deserves to be placed alongside other historical graphic memoirs like Persepolis and Maus." — Entertainment Weekly "When a graphic novel tries to interest young readers in an important topic, it often feels forced. Not so with the exhilarating March: Book One... Powerful words and pictures." — The Boston Globe Plus starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal, & School Library Journal! Don't miss out on the top graphic novel of the year... Join the MARCH! Your friend thru comics, Chris Staros Top Shelf Productions PO Box 1282 Marietta GA 30061-1282 USA chris@topshelfcomix.com www.topshelfcomix.com

Shaenon Garrity at Intervention - City Paper interview online

Meet a Visiting Cartoonist: A Chat with Shaenon Garrity

by Mike Rhode on Aug. 23, 2013 

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/general/2013/08/23/meet-a-visiting-cartoonist-a-chat-with-shaenon-garrity/

City Paper on DC Conspiracy's Artisphere exhibit

Comics-Making Studio at ArtisphereWednesday, August 28

By Alex Baca •
Washington City Paper August 23, 2013
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/44687/comics-making-studio-at-artisphere-wednesday-august-28/

Dust Elves sneak preview before SPX premiere

From: Gordon Harris

August, 23 2013 Dust Elves Sneak Peek As promised, here's a sneak peek into Gordon's all-new, original, 36-page mini-comic, The Secret Origin of the Dust Elves - premiering at the Small Press Expo September 14 and 15. (click to see more)

Michael Wenthe in Cartozia Tales anthology

Michael's a long-time area teacher about comics. I'm going to pledge to the Kickstarter campaign as soon as I figure out the option I'd prefer. 

From: Michael Wenthe 

 I am pleased to share the news that I am part of a core group of cartoonists who have launched a an all-ages anthology series set in a shared fantasy world. The anthology, called Cartozia Tales after the fictional world where the stories are set, has released its first issue and has been getting good press. The second issue will debut at SPX, where the editor, contributing cartoonist Isaac Cates (who teaches English at the University of Vermont), will be tabling alongside the cover artist for issue #1, Leah Palmer Preiss.

I am the lone DC-based cartoonist in the core group, but my contributions go beyond the pages and stories that I have directly written or drawn because of the highly collaborative nature of the project. For example, the final story in issue #1, by guest artist Dylan Horrocks (of Hicksville fame), uses characters and settings that I suggested--though the final story is all Dylan's (and quite charming).

The URL for the general Cartozia Tales website is pretty straightforward: cartozia.com

We've crossed the 25%-funded threshold on Kickstarter after one week, but still have a way to go to fund the first ten issues fully. (Backers so far include such comics creators as Kurt Busiek, Roberta Gregory, R. Sikoryak, Mike Dawson, Alec Longstreth, K. Thor Jensen, Scott Koblish, and Colleen Frakes, to whom much thanks!). The Kickstarter page may be found here: 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1765342446/cartozia-tales-ten-issues

Matt Rawson drawing at Artisphere for 1 more hour tonight

Here's Matt doing chalk sketches of three silent movie monsters. He'll be there until 9:30 tonight.

More pictures of the exhibit are here.

Reviews of Gaiman's Neverwhere

How the Nether Half Lives
'Neverwhere' descends into Neil Gaiman's mad subterranean London
By Rachel Sadon
[Washington Post] Express August 22, 2013          
http://www.readexpress.com/2013/08/how-the-nether-half-lives/


'Neverwhere' puts Rorschach Theatre's inventiveness on full display [in print as 'Neverwhere' has troupe really going places]
By Nelson Pressley,
Washington Post August 21 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/neverwhere-puts-rorschach-theatres-inventiveness-on-full-display/2013/08/20/2dd340d8-09b1-11e3-89fe-abb4a5067014_story.html

DC Conspiracy members onsite at Artisphere throughout the next month

COMICS MAKING STUDIO WITH MEMBERS OF THE D.C. CONSPIRACY

Meet and Greet: Sat Sep 21, 6-8pm

ON VIEW WED AUG 21 – SUN NOV 3
FREE
Works in Progress Gallery

Meet + greet with artists: Sat Sep 21 / 6-8pm with live music by Triage in the Lower Town Hall at 7pm and 8:15pm
Artists' onsite residency hours: Thursdays 6:30-9:30pm + Saturdays 1-4pm (+ Wednesday September 18)

Members of the DC Conspiracy, a comics-creating collaborative, will be working on their actual page submissions for the Spring 2014 edition of Magic Bullet, a free, semi-annual comics newspaper distributed throughout the greater Washington, DC area. The artists will each have onsite working hours so you can watch the artists draw and see the magic unfold. There will be "blank" comic pages available if you want to try your own hand at making a comic and leave it behind where it will be hung in the Gallery and posted by Artisphere to a Facebook album you can tag and share.

Residency dates:
Thu Aug 22 & Sat Aug 24: Matt Rawson
Thu Aug 29 & Sat Aug 31: Matt Dembicki
Thu Sep 5 & Sat Sep 7: Rafer Roberts
Thu Sep 12 & Sat Sep 14: Steve Loya
Wed Sep 18 & Sat Sep 21: Evan Keeling*
Thu Sep 26 & Sat Sep 28: Eric Gordon
Thu Oct 3 & Sat Oct 5: Jamie Noguchi
Thu Oct 10 & Sat Oct 12: Christiann MacAuley
Thu Oct 17 & Sat Oct 19: Art Hondros
Thu Oct 24 & Sat Oct 26: Jacob Warrenfeltz
Thu Oct 31 & Sat Nov 2: Andrew Cohen

*Please note that Evan Keeling will be on-site on Wed Sep 18 instead of Thu Sep 19.