ComicsDC

Monday, October 14, 2013

Steve Niles, former local cartoonist, needs financial help

From Mike Mignola's Facebook page:

Steve Niles and his wife Monica lost just about everything they have in a flood last night due to a massive storm in Austin and have no flood insurance. A Paypal account has been set up to help them out. Steve has gone above and beyond raising $ for Hurricane Sandy relief and other tragedies and can really use some help right now. Let's pay it forward to a guy who's always been there for others.
Paypal address is HelpSteveNiles@gmail.com

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Comics in today's Post - Walking Dead returns

'The Walking Dead' Season 4: The long, sad shuffle toward Nowheresville
By Hank Stuever,
Washington Post October 13 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/the-walking-dead-season-4-the-long-sad-shuffle-toward-nowheresville/2013/10/10/3879a02e-2f57-11e3-9ccc-2252bdb14df5_story.html

What a Trip: A fairy godmother works her magic [online as: A magical time at Disneyland]
Elizabeth Blosser
Washington Post October 13 2013, p. F2
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/what-a-trip-a-magical-time-at-disneyland/2013/10/10/6b80501c-2d31-11e3-8ade-a1f23cda135e_story.html

and a wire story not on their website -

Zeitchik, Steven / Los Angeles Times.

Stealth filming at Disney spurs indie film hype.
Washington Post October 13 2013, p. EZ8

Thoughts on Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle part 1

Thanks to WETA, I've gotten an advance look at the new 3-part documentary Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle directed by Michael Kantor who co-wrote it with Laurence Maslon.

Part one, Truth, Justice and The American Way covers 1938 through 1958. The film opens with comic book dealer Vincent Zurzolo locking a copy of Action Comics #1 in a vault. Action #1 famously was the first appearance of Superman, and now is generally thought to be worth millions of dollars (I believe issues tend to be traded, and not paid for in cash).

Kantor does a good job showing how Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster started a new genre and jumpstarted an industry with Superman. As with many documentaries, commentators are talking heads in studio settings, but Kantor got a great bunch of cartoonists - Joe Kubert, Jerry Robinson, Carmine Infantino, Neal Adams, former DC publisher Jeanette Kahn, Stan Lee, Joe Simon, Jim Steranko, Ramon Fradon (a rare woman in the early superhero industry, she now appears regularly at the annual Baltimore Comic-Con), Denny O'Neil and others. Poignantly, several of these have passed on within the past few years including Kubert, Robinson, Infantino and Simon. Deceased creators such as Jack Kirby and Bill Gaines are shown in film clips, although Kirby is given short shrift in this episode, presumably because he will feature so largely in the second episode on Marvel Comics.

Most of the commentary is edited down to reflect a standard history of superhero comic books, but highlights emerge such as Fradon's talking about hiding behind her drawing board as ethnic jokes flared, or when Simon talks about drawing a big explosion in a Captain America comic book just to fill up the page faster. Irwin Hasen, who began in comic books, but made it big in the strips with Dondi, says the work "... was like a shirt factory."

The film moves onto Batman, whom Jerry Robinson clearly says Bill Finger co-created with Bob Kane, lingers on Robin and the problem of sidekicks, and then moves on to the largely-forgotten Captain Marvel (aka Shazam). Grant Morrison interestingly points out Marvel's appeal as a non-realistic based character who fought dragons and tossed comets into the sun.

A brief look at merchandising, still so very central to the success of comic books, focuses on Superman's radio and tv show. Kantor then moves onto World War II, Captain America and the wild success of patriotic heroes. Wonder Woman is lumped in this group, due to her star-spangled outfit and December 1941 publication date. She's also discussed as "the superheroine American had been waiting for" which may be also be on a foundation that's a bit shaky.

The film wraps up with the post-war bust in superheroes, the emergence of crime and horror comics (and briefly-mentioned westerns and romance), and the campaign against comic books spurred by Fredric Wertham and his book The Seduction of the Innocent.

All 3-parts of the documentary air locally on WETA at 8 pm on October 15th.

Oct 22: Kal at Atomic Books in Balitmore

From: Kevin Kallaugher

I wanted to give you notice of an upcoming cartoon event...

Sharp Satire and Baltimore Beer

At Atomic Books of Baltimore http://www.atomicbooks.com/

Oct 22 7PM

Here's the blurb:

Kal (Kevin Kallaugher) will give an illustrated presentation talking about his over 8,000 cartoons he has created for the Baltimore Sun and The Economist.

Plus he'll showcase the work he has created specially for the Raven Brewery's Poe line of beers.

Kal will also be signing copies of his new major retrospective Daggers Drawn: 35 Years of Kal Cartoons in The Economist.

Be sure to come early... Kal Draws a good crowd and a good pint!

And Peabody Heights will be bringing a cask of their new beer, called "The Cask."

https://www.facebook.com/events/442870252489214/

Saturday, October 12, 2013

March cartoonists discuss their book

Guest Bloggers: Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell
October 2013
TeachingBooks.net http://forum.teachingbooks.net/?p=11370

Got my Kevin Rechin books today

His new children's book The Tumbleweed Came Back arrived today, as did an earlier book Guess Again 1,0001 Rib-Tickliing Riddles from Highlights. Now I just have to see him to get them signed...

My bookshelf of Washington-area cartoonists continues to grow.

Friday, October 11, 2013

The Post's ‘Escape From Tomorrow’ movie review

This is set in a Disney theme park.

'Escape From Tomorrow' movie review
By Michael O'Sullivan,
Washington Post October 11 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/escape-from-tomorrow-movie-review/2013/10/09/96677c00-2d37-11e3-8ade-a1f23cda135e_story.html

Oct. 12: Qrissy workshop at Art Enables

Artist Krissy "Qrissy" Downing (who also dabbles in cartoons and comics) discusses her "self-realized process of stream-of-consciousness surrealism as influenced by her background in improvisational music composition as well as imagination-stretching childhood games." Qrissy will be at Art Enables on Saturday, Oct. 12, 1-4 p.m., to do a workshop on her techique. (Couple this workshop with the Outsider Art Inside the Beltway show premiere and you've got a great afternoon of art appreciation and activities.)|
(YouTube is not making it easy to post Qrissy's video, so please go here to check out.)

Richard Thompson announces Complete Cul de Sac book

Here's his blog post.

Oct. 11, 12: MacAuley at Artisphere

Christiann MacAuley is the resident artist today (6-8 p.m.) and tomorrow (from 1-4 p.m.) at the Artisphere (Rosslyn, Va.) for the D.C. Conspiracy's Comics Making Workshop. She plans to post a few pics of her chalk wall drawing in progress on Twitter. Meanwhile, check out Christiann’s new installment of her web comic Sticky Comics.

BPC podcast #95

After a few weeks off for things like the Small Press Expo, Big Planet Comics is back with its podcast. Kevin Panetta, Jared Smith and Nick Liappis talk about horror movies for Halloween and review some mighty fine comics, such as Paul Pope's Battle Boy, Jason's Lost Cat and Geof Darrow's Shaolin Cowboy #1. This podcast is No. 95. Will there be something special for No. 100?

Art: Paulina Ganucheau

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Egyptian cartoonists article by Washington author

Graphic (Novel) repression in Egypt
By Mimi Kirk Wednesday, October 9, 2013
http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/10/09/graphic_novel_repression_in_egypt?wp_login_redirect=0

Mimi Kirk is research director for the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.

'Complete Cul de Sac'/show with Watterson in 2014

Look for the 656-page Complete Cul de Sac (Andrews McMeel Publishing) in May 2014, reports Reuben Award-winning cartoonist Richard Thompson on his blog. “Annotated, copyedited, collated, and now covered. The only thing left to be done is the printing and gluing it or sewing or whatever they do to make it hold together. And, of course, buying it,” Thompson writes. Now the second big announcement: Thompson will join cartoonist Bill Watterson (yes, of Calvin & Hobbs fame) for a two-man exhibit in 2014 at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at Ohio State University.

Nov 16: "SOUTH PARK" CONVENTION COMES TO VIRGINIA

For 16 seasons "South Park" has made its fans laugh, cry, think, and rage. "Star Trek: OST" didn't have its first convention until 3 years after its demise. After 16 years and counting "Parkies" have earned the right to a festival too!

Parkies rejoice! Park Fest 2013 is happening!
Saturday, November 16th
Crowne Plaza Tysons Corner.
1960 Chain Bridge Road
McLean, VA 22102
(703) 893-2100

Buy your tickets, Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.

Oct. 14: Stephen Bissette in Richmond

Comics legend Stephen Bissette (Saga of Swamp Thing, Taboo, Tyrant, to name a few) will be a guest speaker at the Virginia Commonwealth University’s Grace StreetTheater in Richmond on Monday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. The event is free. Bissette is currently packaging and co-editing (with Tim Stout) Tales of the Uncanny: A Naut Comics History, Volume 1 and completing the art instructional book S. R. Bissette’s How to Make a Monster (Watson-Guptill/Ten Speed).

Oct. 12: Outsider Art Inside the Beltway

Art Enables, a studio and gallery in D.C. for emerging artists with developmental disabilities, is opening its annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway exhibit this Saturday, Oct. 12. Immediately below is a sample of the featured art ("Giant Zinzer" by local artist Charles Meissner). I've also included a few pieces created by artists at the studio that are not in the show but are comics related and awesome. (Photos courtesy of Art Enables.)