DCist Loves Big Planet Comics

Eleven Classic Washington Stores DCist Loves
By Sarah Anne Hughes
 Oct 16, 2013
http://dcist.com/2013/10/the_11_classic_washington_stores.php

Comic Riffs on Watterson and Thompson, together again

'CALVIN' MEETS 'CUL DE SAC': Bill Watterson, Richard Thompson say they're 'happy' to share new two-man OSU show next March *(dates announced)
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comci Riffs blog October 16 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/calvin-meets-cul-de-sac-bill-watterson-richard-thompson-say-theyre-happy-to-share-new-two-man-osu-show-next-march-dates-announced/2013/10/16/1a3f417c-3547-11e3-80c6-7e6dd8d22d8f_blog.html

Monkey See on Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle

Why You, Yes You, Might Enjoy A Superhero Documentary

by LINDA HOLMES

National Public Radio's Monkey See blog October 15, 2013

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/10/15/234837378/why-you-yes-you-might-enjoy-a-superhero-documentary

, 

Oct 17: Seth Goldman at One More Page Books

Cold War and 10-year olds, The Founding of Honest Tea & Young Adult Authors Talk Writing Every event this week is someone's favorite!                              October 15, 2013

Thurs, Oct 17 at 7 pm
Seth Goldman - Mission in a Bottle

Terry says this is "don't miss" and bought me the book. We'll both be on hand to hear Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman discuss Mission in a Bottle: The Honest Guide to Doing Business Differently-and Succeeding.

"An utterly engrossing story of the frustrations and ecstasies involved in transforming a simple idea into a hugely successful business. Anyone who has ever been curious about the inner-workings of a start-up will find this intimate account both refreshing and--need it be said?--honest." Joshua Foer, author of Moonwalking with Einstein

Remember, in addition to street parking, there is limited retail parking available in the WestLee garage while you are shopping at One More Page.  Follow the store signs to our back door, ring the buzzer and we'll welcome you in. 

We are 6 blocks from the East Falls Church Metro!  Go to the right as you exit the Metro station and then go right on 19th Street.  As the road curves, the name changes from 19th street to N. Westmoreland Street. Our store is on the left hand side of the street.  Click here for directions from the Metro or if you are coming by car. 

Please call (703) 300-9746 or Email if you have any questions.  

Oct. 17, 19: Hondros at Artisphere

Cartoonist Art Hondros is this week's resident artist at the D.C. Conspiracy's Comics Making Workshop at the Artisphere in Rosslyn, Va. He will be at the Works In Progress Gallery Oct. 17 from about 6:30-9:30 p.m. and on Oct. 19 from 1-4 p.m. Art has had a hot year, having self-published several comics, contributed a comic to the Washington Post Magazine, illustrated the cover to Magic Bullet #6 and most recently started working with former local cartoonist Scott Mills on an online comic about Ivan the Terrible.

A page from Hondros' Song of Sandy Hook

Local reporting on Syrian cartoonist Akram Raslan

Akram Raslan reported dead.
Dr. Robert Russell
10/07/2013
http://www.cartoonistsrights.org/recent_developments_article.php?id=110

Akram Raslan: Rights group clarifies report that Syrian political cartoonist was executed
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog October 13 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/akram-raslan-rights-group-clarifies-report-that-syrian-political-cartoonist-was-executed/2013/10/13/7f0ed88a-3478-11e3-80c6-7e6dd8d22d8f_blog.html#pagebreak

Mark Burrier's New Exhibition: "Chosen" at Frederick Community College

Nov 2 - Dec 3, 2013 at Frederick Community College View this email in your browser Chosen Illustrations & Comics Mark Burrier Nov 2 - Dec 3, 2013 Opening Reception Saturday, Nov 2 from 5-7pm Mary Condon Hodgson Art Gallery Frederick Community College 7932 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, MD 21702 Campus Directions Share Tweet Forward to Friend Copyright © 2013 Mark Burrier Illustration, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up at www.markburrier.com Our mailing address is: Mark Burrier Illustration Mark Burrier Illustration Frederick, MD 21701

Thoughts on Superheroes: A Never Ending Battle part 3 (airing tonight)

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 3, “A Hero Can Be Anyone” (1978-Present), is largely about how superheroes have moved from being entertainment for children to being popular culture for adults. It opens with highlights from the Avengers movie, noting that it was the third highest grossing movie of all time. The San Diego Comic-Con is visited next, showing plenty of quick interviews with adult cosplayers rather than comic book fans.



The documentary then steps back to the 1970s and the lack of trust in government due to Richard Nixon. In this telling, the release of Superman: The Movie in 1978 inspired people, especially with its tagline "You'll believe a man can fly." Several comic book writers point out that Christopher Reeves' great dual performance as Clark Kent and Superman, and the use of romantic situations were the thing that made the movie work more than the special effects. Superman: The Movie also led to a campaign to compensate and credit Siegel and Shuster for their creation, and Kantor covers this in some detail.

Meanwhile comic book sales continued to drop (and as noted in my second review, the creation of the direct market is not mentioned here either). Marvel pulled one of the early stunts by having Spider-Man get married, although former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada notes that once you've started time passing, when does it end? Should Spider-Man grow old? It's not mentioned in the film, but Quesada believes not, and retconned Spider-Man's marriage out of existence with a literal deal with the devil.

Frank Miller's tour-de force Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986) is the next highlight, and is held up as the first adult superhero comic book. Comic book and television writer J. Michael Straczynski called the comic book about an aging Batman "the most seminal work in the field today" and I agree. Mark Waid then notes that 1986 saw another seminal work, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's Watchmen. Watchmen took the opposite approach to B:TDKR, and looked at the issues of vigilante justice and fascism inherent in superheroes.

Marvel's new X-Men pre-dated these two comics, but are introduced next. The multicultural and multiracial cast is held up as a model in which anyone could find a character or situation to relate to. Gay comics artist Phil Jiminez explicitly states the comic was "a most amazing metaphor for young gay people." The similar success of Marv Wolfman and George Perez's New Teen Titans is not mentioned at all however.

The film segues into the reworking of Spider-Man by artist Todd McFarlane and the subsequent formation of Image Comics by hotshot young enegade artists. McFarlane's interview segments are among the most entertaining in this segment. The Death of Superman is then examined as another highlight drawing media attention, but also as beginning of the bursting of the collectible bubble as people bought multiple copies as investments.

Kantor argues that the "grim and gritty era was ending" by this point, which I disagree with, and the film says that 9-11 ended that type of comic story which began in Dark Knight Returns fifteen years earlier. Marvel's 9-11 comic book is shown (although DC's is not), and then the Civil War story line is featured. This long and wide story put superheroes led by Captain America and Iron Man on opposite sides of a government-sponsored initiative to keep track of superheroes. DC's Batman movies directed by Christopher Nolan are also cited as a response to America's post-9-11 angst - convincingly I believe.

The film then circles back to fun and 'sexy' movies such as Spider-Man. Zach Snyder states that such movies are keeping superheroes alive when comic books can't, and Grant Morrison claims that videogames will be the future. The film ends optimistically of course - it's about superheroes.

All 3 parts of the documentary air locally on WETA at 8 pm tonight.   Previews and outtakes can be seen on Youtube.


Images courtesy of Grand Comics Database.

The Post reviews ‘Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle’ which airs tonight

PBS' 'Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle' shows comics as uniquely American stories

By Michael Cavna, 

Washington Post October 15 2013

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/pbs-superheroes-a-never-ending-battle-shows-comics-as-uniquely-american-stories/2013/10/14/743a9b44-350c-11e3-be86-6aeaa439845b_story.html

Catherine Labonte's cartoon-influenced glass cats

are on sale at the Phillips Collection gift shop. Dogs too.

Mike's flea market finds, continued

Because everyone needs a set of Family Circus buttons from Burger Chef.



I don't even like Family Guy, but I rescued them from the 6 for $1 bin.



These are all brand-new in 2013. Zodiac Starforce webcomic, animator Raul Aguirre Jr, and Halloween Comicfest 2013 buttons. Zodiac Starforce is done by local creators out of Big Planet Vienna.

And here's what I'm happiest to have found. My second Daumier print from the AAFSW book sale at the State Dept.



"C'est pourtant comme ça qu'on se donne des tours de reins!....... "
From Le Charivari August 28, 1868. "This is just the way to catch a strain in the back." See http://www.daumier-register.org/werkview.php?key=3658

Thoughts on Superheroes: A Never Ending Battle part 2

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.

“Great Power, Great Responsibility” covers 1959-1977, two time periods termed by fans as the Silver and Bronze ages. The Silver Age is considered starting when DC reintroduces its Golden Age heroes such as the Flash and Green Lantern in new, science-fiction themed identities. The Bronze Age begins roughly by Jack Kirby's leaving Marvel for DC, and Stan Lee stopping writing in favor of promotion. The merging of the two periods is somewhat uneven.

Fewer key creators appear in this segment, and include Stan Lee, Neal Adams, Denny O'Neil, Len Wein, and Gerry Conway.

Jarringly, Marvel's early 1960s books are discussed before the DC comics that made them possible. Received wisdom is that the Fantastic Four was conceived as a response to DC's success with the Justice League of America. Whether that's true or not, DC certainly reinvented the superhero before Marvel did. Instead the film opens with Marvel, switches back in time to DC and then jumps forward to 1966's camp Batman tv show. Marvel universe co-creators Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko are also given short-shrift.

From there, while noting DC's comic books withering on the vine when the show is cancelled, director Michael Kantor moves on to socially relevant comics such as Marvel's introduction of the African prince the Black Panther. Unfortunately, more credit may be given to introducing characters including  Luke Cage, Hero for Hire and the Panther than is deserved. But Bill Foster's commentary, as a black man reading comics, is at this point and is fun to watch, and I'll defer to his viewpoint.


Comics slowly-growing social relevance is tracked via the use of an issue of Spider-Man to warn against drugs, even though the Comic Code Authority wouldn't approve it. DC followed that up with an issue of Green Lantern / Green Arrow by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams that had Arrow's superhero sidekick Speedy as a heroin addict. The section on GL/GA is among the best in this segment, and includes some old film footage of the creators talking about the series at the time. Another good section is Jim Steranko's take on how he reinvigorated Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. DC's attempt to depower and do something similar with Wonder Woman is held up as a triumph of feminism, but the comic books sold miserably at the time. Her successful television show (1976-1979), and commentary by Linda Carter round this section out.

Kantor then moves achronologically again, and switches to a "backlash" against sunny and optimistic superheroes while the real streets of New York are mean and gritty. The death of Spider-Man's girlfriend Gwen Stacy (1973) and the introduction of the Punisher (1974) are held up as examples. The Punisher gets more cultural significance than he deserves - as the film points out, characters such as Dirty Harry had already been successful in movies. Comic books were just following a trend, as usual. The character didn't really take off until the late 1970s when Frank Miller reworked him in Daredevil, and then he truly boomed during the 1980s grim-and-gritty years. Issues from the same year have Spider-Man driving a Spidey-mobile and fighting a hopping villain called the Kangeroo.

The change from newsstand sales to direct market sales in comic book stores occurred in this time period, and is arguably the most important factor in sustaining superheroes, but I don't believe it was mentioned. Overall this episode probably tries to cover too much time in a period when comic books changed a lot. I still enjoyed the show, especially the creator interviews.

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

Images courtesy of Grand Comics Database.

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

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/

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.

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.)