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Monday, March 03, 2014
PR: 2013 SPACE Prize winners have been announced!
A couple books premiering at Smudge
Two books that will premiere at the Smudge Comics Arts Expo
this weekend include Ben Hatke’s ‘The Return of Zita the Spacegirl’ (Ben will
have a limited number of these advanced copies) and the 6x9 edition of Steve Conley’s ‘Bloop.’ The show on March 8 runs from noon to 6 p.m. at the Artisphere in Arlington, Va. (The Orange Line is a block away and there is validated parking at the Artisphere.)
Photos courtesy of Ben Hatke and Steve Conley
Sunday, March 02, 2014
Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Santiago Casares
What type of comic work or
cartooning do you do?
I do mostly
cartoony comics, if that makes sense. My style relates more to comic strips
than to superhero comics.
How do you do it? Traditional pen
and ink, computer or a combination?
Every finished
piece of art I do passes through the computer nowadays, and most of it is being
done 100% digitally. That being said, I still draw in my sketchbook every day
in pencil/pen and ink.
When (within a decade is fine) and
where were you born?
I was born in
Mexico City in the 70’s.
Why are you in Washington
now? What neighborhood or area do you live in?
I moved to
Washington DC because of love (even though that might sound like a cliché!). We
live in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood.
What is your training and/or
education in cartooning?
I studied a BFA
in Visual Arts in Mexico City and then a MFA in Illustration at the Academy of
Art University is San Francisco.
Who are your influences?
My biggest
influence as a cartoonist is Bill Watterson, who I consider the best there ever
was. Besides him the people I admire and allow their work to influence me are
very varied, from Mike Mignola to Scott Morse.
If you could, what in your career
would you do-over or change?
I would’ve
taken my drawing skills more seriously, and would’ve practiced more while
growing up.
What work are you best-known for?
My best-known
work is my webcomic, Chili’s World.
What work are you most proud of?
This is a hard
question to answer, as it’s usually the last thing I’ve done! So, I guess it
depends on what page I’ve just finished.
What would you like to do or work
on in the future?
I am currently
trying to break into the Picture Books market. Picture Books have the same
element than comics in that it’s a medium that combines images and words to
create a whole new world.
What do you do when you're in a rut
or have writer's block?
When I don’t
know what to do, I still have to do the work. Even though creativity might not
be flowing as I wish it was, my webcomic still needs to be updated. So
basically, I keep on working through the rut or writer’s block…
What do you think will be the
future of your field?
It’s taken a
while, but now comics are being recognized as a proper medium to tell stories
(both fiction and non-fiction). I believe that just like with books, most
comics are going to be delivered digitally, with print becoming more of a
collectors market.
What local cons do you attend? The
Small Press Expo, Intervention, or others? Any comments about attending them?
I’ve exhibited
at SPX and at the DC Zine Fest. And this year I’m going to be a part of a new
show that looks very promising called Smudge Expo, over at the Artisphere in
Arlington, VA. Attending shows is important to get to know the people that like
your stuff and to promote it to new crowds.
What's your favorite thing about
DC?
I love that you
can walk almost anywhere in the city without the need of a car. And having
amazing museums for free isn’t too shabby either! :)
Least favorite?
The scorching
summer.
What monument or museum do you like
to take visitors to?
I love taking
visitors to the Kogod Courtyard inside the Portrait Gallery / American Art
Museum (after visiting the museums, of course). It’s such a peaceful place!
How about a favorite local restaurant?
I really like Beau Thai here in Mount Pleasant, or
maybe Red Rocks Pizza or El Chucho's in Columbia
Heights… I guess it depends on what I'm craving.
Do you have a website or blog?
As he noted, Mr. Casares will be at Smudge this coming Saturday, March 8th.
Saturday, March 01, 2014
Daniel Boris' Kickstarter for children's book
Dozi the Alligator: An illustrated children's book
by Daniel Borishttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1107487436/dozi-the-alligator-an-illustrated-childrens-book
The story of a little alligator named Dozi, beautifully illustrated by Italian artist Nicola Sammarco.
This story is based on characters from my comic strip. It is the tale of a lovable alligator who secretly stows away with a family after a chance encounter during their Florida vacation. The colorful story is told in amusing verses and packed with twenty gorgeous illustrations that will captivate and entertain readers of all ages.
This is the "inaugural" first printing of Dozi the Alligator. It will be a high-quality, hardcover, numbered, limited edition.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Comic Riffs talks to Reuben Award nominees
NCS REUBEN AWARDS: Finalists talk of surprise as 4 nominees named for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog February 28 2014
Free Dust Elves Ashcan Comic
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February 28, 2014 
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Bhob Stewart's 1969 underground comics exhibit at the Corcoran
I never met Bhob Stewart who passed away this week. I'm sorry I didn't because our interests in pop culture overlapped. We must have corresponded about comics though, because my name was in his email address book, and his friend Brad Verter was kind enough to send a notice of his death, and some scans that he thought might be of interest. Bhob had apparently asked him to scan these for his blog Potrzebie, but didn't get a chance to use them.
Bhob was apparently instrumental in putting on Phonus Balonus, an underground cartoon exhibit at an offshoot of the Corcoran Gallery on Dupont Circle. Sean Howe has photographs online here, here, and here.
Here are the scans about the exhibit. I'm afraid most of them are only partially complete, but they give you an idea about what was in the show, and how it was received. Brad scanned the whole catalog of the show, and it's online here. Two libraries are shown in Worldcat as holding a copy of it - the Tate in London and UC Berkeley in California.
Bhob was apparently instrumental in putting on Phonus Balonus, an underground cartoon exhibit at an offshoot of the Corcoran Gallery on Dupont Circle. Sean Howe has photographs online here, here, and here.
Here are the scans about the exhibit. I'm afraid most of them are only partially complete, but they give you an idea about what was in the show, and how it was received. Brad scanned the whole catalog of the show, and it's online here. Two libraries are shown in Worldcat as holding a copy of it - the Tate in London and UC Berkeley in California.
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| Corcoran Gallery's press release, page 1 |
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| Front cover to the catalog with art by Bhob. |
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| Exhibit opening ticket. |
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| Newspaper clipping with Skip Williamson art |
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| Article from the New York Post. |
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| Fragment of a Washington Post article |
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| Partial Washington Post article from May 21, 1969. |
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| Partial Washington Star article from June 1, 1969 |
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| Article from an unknown New York city magazine. |
For more information on Bhob's life, read Bhob Stewart, 1937-2014, by Bill Pearson, Feb 26, 2014.
March 5: Ecuadorian cartoonist Bonilla speaks
Communications Law in Ecuador:
When Censoring a Cartoon Becomes a
Presidential Priority
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014
http://cima.ned.org/events/upcoming-events/communications-law-ecuador-when-censoring-cartoon-becomes-presidential-priori
Communications Law in Ecuador:
When Censoring a Cartoon Becomes a Presidential Priority
When Censoring a Cartoon Becomes a Presidential Priority
Since his reelection, President Rafael Correa has used a series of laws and decrees to constrain criticism and dissent. In June 2013, the National Assembly passed a restrictive communications law that designates the media as a public service subject to government regulation. Political cartoonist Xavier Bonilla was the first victim of this law following the publication of a cartoon that depicted the house raid of journalist FernandoVillavicencio. President Correa called Bonilla, among other things, “an assassin with ink.” Bonilla was forced to publish a correction, and El Universo paid a large fine. Join the Center for International Media Assistance and the Latin America and Caribbean program at the National Endowment for Democracy for a discussion on the restrictive nature of the communications law in Ecuador.
Featuring:
Xavier Bonilla
Political Cartoonist at El Universo
Political Cartoonist at El Universo
Martha Roldós
Fundación Mil Hojas
Fundación Mil Hojas
Carlos LaurÃa
Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
Wednesday, March 5
12:00-2:00 p.m.
12:00-2:00 p.m.
Lunch will be served from 12:00-12:30
1025 F Street, N.W., Suite 800
Washington, DC 20004
Washington, DC 20004
About the Speakers
Xavier “Bonil”Bonilla is the daily cartoonist for Ecuador's biggest newspaper, ElUniverso. He also publishes in five other important magazines and is a member of international organization, Cartooning for Peace. He has published eight books and received international recognition for his work from the Inter-American Press Society, World Press Cartoon, and the United Nations Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Award. He was the first journalist to be sanctioned by Ecuador’s new Communications Law.
Martha Roldós is a lifelong political and civil society activist. In 2006, she was elected to Congress representing the province of Guayas, and in 2007 was elected to serve in the Constituent Assembly. After a failed presidential run in 2009, she joined the coalition ‘United for Democracy,’ which advocated for a no vote to the 2011 referendum which sought to give greater control over the media and judiciary to the executive. Throughout her career, she has been a strong advocate for government transparency and accountability, and for freedom of expression and association. She fought against the passage of the communications law, and later joined a group to challenge the law before Ecuador’s Constitutional Court. She now serves as Executive Director ofFundación Mil Hojas, an organization that investigates government corruption.
Carlos Lauria is the senior Americas program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists where he serves as chief strategist and spokesperson on press freedom issues in the Americas. He monitors and documents press freedom violations in Latin America and has led missions to Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Haiti, Brazil, El Salvador, and Argentina. LaurÃa began his journalistic career in Buenos Aires in 1986 and settled in New York in 1994 as U.S. bureau chief correspondent for Editorial Perfil, Argentina’s largest magazine publisher. He serves on the board of the Maria Moors Cabot Award for excellence in Latin American journalism, which is sponsored by Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is a graduate of journalism from the Universidad Católica Argentina.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Carolyn Belefski interview at Magic Bullet blog
Logan, Teresa.
[Our first MB8 Artist Interview is CAROLYN BELEFSKI.]
MAGIC BULLET Blog, 2/26/2014
http://magicbulletcomics.blogspot.com/2014/02/welcome-to-magic-bullet-blog-where.html
[Our first MB8 Artist Interview is CAROLYN BELEFSKI.]
MAGIC BULLET Blog, 2/26/2014
http://magicbulletcomics.blogspot.com/2014/02/welcome-to-magic-bullet-blog-where.html
Comic Riffs checks in with Bill Watterson
Bill Watterson Talks: For new documentary, cartoonist offers his first public cartoon since ending ‘Calvin and Hobbes’
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog February 26 2014
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2014/02/26/bill-watterson-talks-for-documentary-cartoonist-offers-his-first-public-cartoon-since-ending-calvin-and-hobbes/
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog February 26 2014
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2014/02/26/bill-watterson-talks-for-documentary-cartoonist-offers-his-first-public-cartoon-since-ending-calvin-and-hobbes/
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