PR: SPX 2015 Announces Special Guests Scott McCloud, Bill Griffith and Kathryn Immonen

Contact: Warren Bernard   Email: warren@spxpo.com   Small Press Expo Announces Guests Scott McCloud, Bill Griffith and Kathryn Immonen to Celebrate SPX's 21st Birthday   Bethesda, Maryland; August 4, 2015   Media Release ­— SPX is pleased to announce Scott McCloud, Bill Griffith and Kathryn Immonen as guests at SPX 2016. This is in addition to the previously announced guests Kate Beaton, Luke Pearson, Noelle Stevenson, Michael DeForge, Gemma Correll, Noah Van Sciver, Matt Bors, Lilli Carré, Theo Ellsworth, C. Spike Trotman, Jennifer Hayden and Stuart Immonen.   SPX 2016 takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20, and will have over 650 creators, 280 exhibitor tables and 22 programming slots to entertain, enlighten and introduce attendees to the amazing world of independent and small press comics.   The indefatigable Scott McCloud joyously joins the ranks of special guests on the heels of his tour for The Sculptor from First Second, a graphic novel following the harrowed life of a cursed (or blessed) sculptor given extreme creative powers that come with the ultimate price tag. McCloud's resume recently included a guest editorship on The Best American Comics (2014), and is the reigning American king of comics scholarship in comics form with his series, How to Understand Comics, Making Comics and Reinventing Comics. If you have ever labored long into the night on a 24 hour comic, you can thank the multiple award-winning (Eisner, Harvey, Kirby and Manning) McCloud for that challenge in person.   SPX 2016 will see the debut of the very first graphic novel by Bill Griffith. Titled Invisible Ink and published by Fantagraphics, it is the story of his mother's extramarital affairs with a cartoonist that took place in suburban Levittown and the culture center of Manhattan in the 50's and 60's. Griffith's continues his pithy, pointed and surreal social commentary through his long running strip Zippy the Pinhead.  Zippy is available online and is syndicated to newspapers around the United States such as the Washington Post and Houston Chronicle.   Kathryn Immonen is a Canadian comics writer who has written for both DC and Marvel Comics, notably on such titles as Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Runaways, Heralds, and Journey Into Mystery. Earlier this year she and her husband/collaborator Stuart released the critically well-received Russian Olive to Red King from Adhouse Books. Russian Olive to Red King is the newest graphic novel collaboration between Kathryn and Stuart, their previous efforts being Never As Bad As You Think from Boom! Entertainment and  Moving Pictures from Top Shelf, which was nominated for both Stumptown and Doug Wright Awards.   Small Press Expo (SPX) is the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels, and alternative political cartoons. SPX is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that brings together more than 650 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers, and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics, and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. The expo includes a series of panel discussions and interviews with this year's guests.   The Ignatz Award is a festival prize held every year at SPX recognizing outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning, with the winners chosen by attendees at the show. As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program, which funds graphic novel purchases for public and academic libraries, as well as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), which protects the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, visit their website at http://www.cbldf.org. For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.spxpo.com Copyright © 2015 Small Press Expo, All rights reserved. You are on the Combined Master Exhibitor List for Small Press Expo to whom this e-mail is directed. Our mailing address is: Small Press Expo P.O. Box 5704 Bethesda, Maryland 20824

International Ink: Books Received in July

Book publishing has to be competitive with many other forms of entertainment these days, and one way to do that is to send out review copies. These tend to pile up and make me feel guilty so I'm going to try to at least list the new books that we've received and may revisit some with longer reviews. Comments in quotation marks are from the publisher; otherwise the note is mine.



The Princess and the Pony
by Kate Beaton
Scholastic

Beaton is best known for her history-influenced adult webcomic Hark, A Vagrant!, but this is a short children's book. It's a quick entertaining read for an adult, but is definitely aimed at preschool girls. "Princess Pinecone knows exactly what she wants for her birthday this year. A BIG horse. A STRONG horse. A horse fit for a WARRIOR PRINCESS! But when the day arrives, she doesn't quite get the horse of her dreams... From the artist behind the comic phenomenon Hark! A Vagrant, The Princess and the Pony a laugh-out-loud story of brave warriors, big surprises, and falling in love with one unforgettable little pony."


Keep Calm and Do the Snoopy Dance
by Charles M. Schulz
Andrews McMeel

This little book is reminiscent of the Hallmark collections of the 1960s such as Happiness is a Warm Puppy. It includes strips and short quotations about dancing. I enjoyed it, but it's definitely a gift book. "Oh, happy day! Make every day a happy one with this cheerful gift book combining Snoopy's happy dance with joyful quotes on dancing and life. Snoopy is the quintessential cartoon dog smile-bringer. From his bantering with Woodstock to his fantasy life, it's no wonder that he's the most popular Peanuts cartoon character! And he's never more endearing than when he's expressing his ultimate joy of life by doing his happy dance (much to Lucy's dismay!). In the Keep Calm and Carry On tradition of keeping a stiff upper lip, Keep Calm and Do the Snoopy Dance urges you to maintain peace by celebrating the happiness of dance and being grateful for all the joys that there are in life. More than 100 quotes and sayings are included in this charming gift book, highlighted with cartoons showing Snoopy in all his dancing splendor."


WuMo: Something Is Wrong
by Mikael Wulff, Anders Morgenthaler
Andrews McMeel

The first American collection of the Danish comic strip that appears in the Washington Post. I personally find the strip hit or miss, but it definitely suffers in the Post from the small size. These are larger and in color.



Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool
by Dwight Zimmerman
Motorbooks

"Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool presents McQueen's life story in an artistic, graphic-novel format. It covers his entire life, from his earliest years growing up in a suburb of Indianapolis to his death from mesothelioma. Learn all about his stunning movie career, in which he defined the antihero archetype. The cool panache he brought to the screen was perhaps only matched by his adrenaline-pumping racing exploits."


The Truth About Stacey (The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix Series #2)
by Raina Telgemeier
Scholastic

Before becoming a break-out Young Adult graphic novelist, Raina adapted 4 of the popular Baby-Sitters Club stories into graphic novels. Scholastic is reissuing them for a new audience. While I haven't read this yet, Raina's work is always enjoyable.


Sunny Side Up
by Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm
Scholastic

"From the groundbreaking and award-winning sister-brother team behind Babymouse comes a middle-grade, semi-autobiographical graphic novel. Following the lives of kids whose older brother's delinquent behavior has thrown their family into chaos, Sunny Side Up is at once a compelling "problem" story and a love letter to the comic books that help the protagonist make sense of her world. By sister-bother team Jennifer and Matthew Holm. A 200-page, full-color graphic novel in the vein of Raina Telgemeier's Smile." I'm looking forward to reading this; I found their Babymouse series


Slappy's Tales of Horror (Goosebumps Graphix)
by R.L. Stine
Scholastic

"Four Goosebumps Graphix tales by master of horror R. L. Stine are adapted into full-color comics and feature a brand-new Slappy story by bestselling author, Dave Roman. The talented Dave Roman creates the horrifying drawings for "The Night of the Living Dummy," the origin story about that most evil of all ventriloquist dummies, Slappy! In "A Shocker on Shock Street," Jamie Tolagson captures the chilling tale of a brother and sister doing their dream job: testing rides in a movie studio theme park, where the special effects are REALLY special. With his shadowy illustrations, Gabriel Hernandez creates the perfect atmosphere in "The Werewolf of Fever Swamp," a spooky story about a boy and his dog who go sniffing around in a lonely swamp . . . and wish they hadn't. Ted Naifeh is at his creepy best in "Ghost Beach," a scary ghost story about a brother and sister who investigate a local legend and discover a terrible secret about their family." I regularly read anything by Roman and Naifeh.


Space Dumplins
by Craig Thompson
Scholastic

After his adult Orientalist graphic novel Habibi was a big success, I am somewhat surprised to see Thompson turning towards children's comics. I look forward to actually reading this. "For Violet Marlocke, family is the most important thing in the whole galaxy. So when her father goes missing while on a hazardous job, she can't just sit around and do nothing. To get him back, Violet throws caution to the stars and sets out with a group of misfit friends on a quest to find him. But space is vast and dangerous, and she soon discovers that her dad is in big, BIG trouble. With her father's life on the line, nothing is going to stop Violet from trying to rescue him and keep her family together. Visionary graphic novel creator Craig Thompson brings all of his wit, warmth, and humor to create a brilliantly drawn story for all ages. Set in a distant yet familiar future, Space Dumplins weaves themes of family, friendship, and loyalty into a grand space adventure filled with quirky aliens, awesome spaceships, and sharp commentary on our environmentally challenged world."


Freehand Figure Drawing for Illustrators: Mastering the Art of Drawing from Memory
by David H. Ross
Watson-Guptill

"For today's in-demand comic creators, animators, video game artists, concept designers, and more, being able to quickly draw the human figure in a variety of action-packed poses is a requirement. But what do you do if you don't have models or photographic reference readily available? In Freehand Figure Drawing for Illustrators, artist and instructor David H. Ross provides an alternative solution, showing you how to master freehand figure drawing without visual reference by using a modern twist on the classic technique of blocking out the human figure in mannequin form. Step-by-step lessons guide illustrators from basic poses (standing, running, jumping) to extreme motions (throwing punches, high kicking). For on-the-go artists, Freehand Figure Drawing for Illustrators allows you complete freedom to bring your figures to life at any time."


The Art of Comic Book Writing: The Definitive Guide to Outlining, Scripting, and Pitching Your Sequential Art Stories (SCAD Creative Essentials)
by Mark Kneece
Watson-Guptill

"With this latest book in the SCAD Creative Essentials series from the esteemed Savannah College of Art and Design, comics writer and instructor Mark Kneece gives aspiring comic book writers the essential tools they need to write scripts for sequential art with confidence and success. He provides a practical set of guidelines favored by many comic book publishers and uses a unique trial and error approach to show would-be scribes the potential pitfalls they might encounter when seeking a career in comics writing. Supported by examples of scripting from SCAD's students, faculty, and alumni,The Art of Comic Book Writing strips away the mysteries of this popular artform and provides real-world advice and easy-to-follow examples for those looking to write for the comics medium."

Sevara novel contest from Damian Wampler

Free copies of Sevara: Dawn of Hope Posted by Damian Wampler For those of you who live in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, here's a chance to win a copy of Sevara: Dawn of Hope, the young adult adventure that reveal's Sevara's origin. This is the real paperback with a wraparound cover. Just click the 'image below, or go to Goodreads.com. Ends August 30.   Get the paperback free!

One D.C. writer's view of the history of comic books

The Evolution of Comics From Batman to Burkas by Jabeen Akhtar

Los Angeles Review of Books July 29th, 2015
https://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/the-evolution-of-comics-from-batman-to-burkas

Jabeen Akhtar is the author of the novel Welcome to Americastan. She lives in Washington, DC, where she is working on a graphic novel about a short terrorist.

That darn Doonesbury

Letters to the Editor

A cheap shot in the comics [in print as A cheap retread in the comics].

Joseph Parisi, Annandale

Washington Post August 1 2015
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-cheap-shot-in-the-comics/2015/07/31/40057ef0-354d-11e5-b835-61ddaa99c73e_story.html

PR: Small Press Expo Announces C. Spike Trotman, Jennifer Hayden and Stuart Immonen as Guests

For Immediate Release Contact: Warren Bernard Email: warren@spxpo.com Small Press Expo Announces C. Spike Trotman, Jennifer Hayden and Stuart Immonen to Celebrate SPX's 21st Birthday Bethesda, Maryland; July 31, 2015 Media Release ­— SPX is pleased to announce 21st Century creators C. Spike Trotman, Jennifer Hayden and Stuart Immonen as guests at SPX 2016. This is in addition to the previously announced creators of the current century Kate Beaton, Luke Pearson, Noelle Stevenson, Michael DeForge, Gemma Correll, Noah Van Sciver, Matt Bors, Lilli Carré and Theo Ellsworth. SPX 2016 takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20, and will have over 650 creators, 280 exhibitor tables and 22 programming slots to entertain, enlighten and introduce attendees to the amazing world of independent and small press comics. Virtually and in actuality a juggernaut, C. Spike Trotman creates comics as effortlessly as if it is her first language. From writing and drawing the  webcomic-turned-print comic, Templar, AZ. to writing Poorcraft (on living well on less money, co-created with Diana Nock) to editing the smash hit anthology, Smut Peddler, Trotman is the epitome of pulling up one's own bootstraps while making some fine comics. Trotman made a splash in the publishing world recently with horror anthology, The Sleep of Reason, now coming out through her own line of comics Iron Circus Comics. Can't wait to for SPX? Dig into Trotman's exuberant new podcast Dirty Old Ladies, co-hosted by Kel McDonald. Hailing from the world of fiction and children's book illustration, Jennifer Hayden makes no bones about creating work directly influenced by her life. With her newest autobiographical comic, The Story of My Tits  from Top Shelf,  Hayden delves into the world of breast cancer with the acerbic tongue of a sharp-eyed survivor. Her past graphic novel, Underwire, collected her webcomics from ACT-I-VATE on life, full of piss and vinegar and laughing gas. Hayden's comics are a delight and yet another not-to-miss purchase at SPX. Schuster-Award winning artist, Stuart Immonen remains to this day one of the most dependable and thoughtful mainstream pencillers in the comics world while still being publishing his own creator-owned comics. Most recently, his austere and beautiful Russian Olive To Red King was released by AdHouse Books, written by Kathryn Immonen. While working for both DC and Marvel, Immonen penciled titles from Superman to Thor as well as The Incredible Hulk and a long run on All-New X-Men with writer Brian Michael Bendis. And this flexible artist still finds time to make a webcomic (co-authored by Kathryn Immonen) It's Never As Bad As You Think as well as the 2010 Top Shelf title, Moving Pictures. Meet this powerhouse of a cartoonist at SPX this September on the hallowed grounds of the Marriott. Small Press Expo (SPX) is the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels, and alternative political cartoons. SPX is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that brings together more than 650 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers, and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics, and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. The expo includes a series of panel discussions and interviews with this year's guests. The Ignatz Award is a festival prize held every year at SPX recognizing outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning, with the winners chosen by attendees at the show. As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program, which funds graphic novel purchases for public and academic libraries, as well as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), which protects the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, visit their website at http://www.cbldf.org. For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.spxpo.com.

Aug 1: Rico Renzi at Fantom Comics

Color artist Rico Renzi (Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Spider-Gwen, Howard the Duck) appears at Fantom Comics on Saturday, August 1, 2015 at 7:00 PM!

RSVP on Facebook!

Fantom Comics
2010 P St NW, Washington, DC 20036
202-241-6498

Thanks to Conventionscene.

A Mystery Machine parks in Silver Spring

The unexpected benefits of driving Scooby-Doo's Mystery Machine

By John Kelly
July 30 2015

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/the-unexpected-benefits-of-driving-scooby-doos-mystery-machine/2015/07/29/8117108c-3617-11e5-9d0f-7865a67390ee_story.html

PR: SPX 2015 Announces Special Guests Matt Bors, Lilli Carré and Theo Ellsworth

For Immediate Release Contact: Warren Bernard Email: warren@spxpo.com Small Press Expo Announces Matt Bors, Lilli Carré and Theo Ellsworth to Celebrate SPX's 21st Birthday Bethesda, Maryland; July 29, 2015 Media Release ­— SPX is pleased to announce 21st Century creators Matt Bors, Lilli Carré and Theo Ellsworth as guests at SPX 2016. This is in addition to the previously announced creators of the current century Kate Beaton, Luke Pearson, Noelle Stevenson, Michael DeForge, Gemma Correll and Noah Van Sciver. SPX 2016 takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20, and will have over 650 creators, 280 exhibitor tables and 22 programming slots to entertain, enlighten and introduce attendees to the amazing world of independent and small press comics. Matt Bors irreverent take on politics and society garnished him the prestigious Herblock Award in 2012, as well as being a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Cartooning. His cartoons appear in such alt-weekly newspapers as the Sacramento Bee and the Pittsburgh City Paper as well as online. He is the editor of the widely read and critically acclaimed web site The Nib, which since its inception in 2013, has published over 2000 social and politically oriented cartoons and comics. For SPX 2015, there is a Kickstarter campaign underway to publish the first print collection of works from The Nib's wealth of graphic social commentary, with cartoons and comics by Matt Bors, Gemma Correll, Erica Moen, Emily Flake, Matt Lubchansky, Ted Rall, Keith Knight, Liza Donnelly and Ann telnaes, amongst other contributors. Illustrator, animator and cartoonist Lilli Carré is the co-founder of the Eyeworks Festival of Experimental Animation in Chicago, which will occur November 5-7, 2015. Her animated cartoons have been shown across the world at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival and the International Festival Rotterdam, amongst other venues. Her artwork has been displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and her illustration work has appeared in the New York Times, and The New Yorker. Her most recent compilation of comics, Heads or Tails published by Fantagraphics, went into its second printing this year. SPX 2015 will see the debut of Theo Ellsworth's final installment of his dense, surreal, exquisitely drawn comics series trilogy, Understanding Monsters -  Book Three, from Secret Acres. Understanding Monsters -  Book One was selected for The Best American Comics 2014 and was named an Lynd Ward Prize Honor Book. Understanding Monsters -  Book Two was recently selected to be represented in the Society of Illustrators Cartoon Annual in New York. Ellsworth was a contributed to the Eisner Award winning book, Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream, as well as to the political anthology Occupy Comics. He also displays his two and three dimensional works in art galleries around the United States. Small Press Expo (SPX) is the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels, and alternative political cartoons. SPX is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that brings together more than 650 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers, and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics, and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. The expo includes a series of panel discussions and interviews with this year's guests. The Ignatz Award is a festival prize held every year at SPX recognizing outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning, with the winners chosen by attendees at the show. As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the SPX Graphic Novel Gift Program, which funds graphic novel purchases for public and academic libraries, as well as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), which protects the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, visit their website at http://www.cbldf.org. For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.spxpo.com. Copyright © 2015 Small Press Expo, All rights reserved. You are receiving this e-mail as a result of your being on our long standing press release list. Our mailing address is: Small Press Expo P.O. Box 5704 Bethesda, MD 20824

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "Map Of Kurdistan, Revised"

Map Of Kurdistan, Revised"

http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1750

Al Jazeera reports that Turkey, ostensibly attacking ISIS, has been stomping the living crap out of the Kurds. Turkey, of course, swears up and down that they aren't targeting the Kurds. For clarity, here's a map of the region for our US readers.

"That's our story, and we're sticking to it." -Erdogan
(http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/07/turkey-kurds-syria-150727091258869.html)

Comic Riffs on The Nib's second act

Kickstarter of the Day: After Medium, The Nib charts a new course for excellence

By Michael Cavna July 28 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/07/28/kickstarter-of-the-day-after-medium-the-nib-charts-a-new-course-for-excellence/

Wizard World con in Richmond this weekend

Wizard World casts enticing spell at 2015 Richmond Comic Con, July 31- Aug. 2

July 27, 2015, by Web Staff, Updated at 12:28pm, July 28, 2015
http://wtvr.com/2015/07/27/wizard-world-casts-enticing-spell-at-2015-richmond-comic-con-july-31-aug-2/

Washington Times obituary for Bill Garner

Bill Garner, longtime Washington Times cartoonist, dies at 79

Artist made incisive political drawings

Editorial cartoonist Bill Garner joined The Washington Times in 1983, not long after the newspaper was founded. His drawings found new ways to deal with the biggest stories of the day. (Maya Alleruzzo/The Washington Times) more >

By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times - Sunday, July 26, 2015
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/26/bill-garner-longtime-washington-times-cartoonist-d/?

Garfield the Musical interviews online now

How Garfield Became a Brand New Musical at Adventure Theatre

 by Mike Rhode on July 27, 2015
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/theater/2015/07/27/how-garfield-became-a-brand-new-musical-at-adventure-theatre/

Adventure Theatre, the children's theater based in Maryland's Glen Echo National Park, recently  launched an original adaptation of Jim Davis' long-running Garfield comic strip. The path to creating a new work for younger kids can be bumpy and winding. Arts Desk interviewed some of the principals to find out how the show came about.

8/5: Justin Jordan at Third Eye Comics

WEDNESDAY 8/5/15: JOHN FLOOD #1 Signing event with JUSTIN JORDAN (Luther Strode, Spread)

  

Click here for the event info on FACEBOOK

We're HUGE fans of writer Justin Jordan and his work on series like DEEP STATE, STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE, DARK GODS, and of course, the Image series, SPREAD, so when we had the opportunity to bring Justin in to launch his new series, JOHN FLOOD, we didn't just jump at it - we dove at it!

JOHN FLOOD is a must-read for fans of John Constantine Hellblazer, and series like the DRESDEN FILES and BLACKLIST, featuring a very cool take on the classic detective story with a very metaphysical twist.

Ryan Holmberg's latest alternative manga column online

Back to the Avant-Garde: Sasaki Maki's Nonsense

BY Ryan Holmberg Jul 27, 2015
http://www.tcj.com/back-to-the-avant-garde-sasaki-makis-nonsense/

Comic Riffs on Pekar Park

New Harvey Pekar Park embraces people as uncommonly common as he was

By Michael Cavna July 27 2015
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/07/27/new-harvey-pekar-park-celebrates-people-as-uncommonly-common-as-he-was/

The Post censors Pearls Before Swine today

Today's actual strip uses the phrase "Me gonna punch little turd" and can be seen here.

The Post ran one from 7/27/2010 about William Wordsworth.

Oddly enough, the Post's Express newspaper ran the turd strip.

Rep. John Lewis' civil rights story comes to life in comics

Jan Crawford

CBS News July 24, 2015

online at http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/rep-john-lewis-civil-rights-story-comes-to-life-in-comics/

Congressman Lewis is writing a series of comic books called "March," showing historic moments in the struggle for civil rights. Though Lewis was beaten and arrested many times as a young man during the civil rights movement, he still believes change can come through peaceful protests. That's the message he's hoping the comic books will get across to children. Jan Crawford reports.

New Big Planet Comics t-shirt (UPDATED)

Big Planet Comics Bethesda has a new retro t-shirt, designed by Joel Pollack after an old DC Comics logo. Joel says, "I'm guessing Ira Schnapp did this logo originally. Martin Pasco put this together for me. We initially printed 72, and we're going to print another 72 next week. I've been wanting to do this design for years.