Monday, October 12, 2015

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "New Turkish Flag"


"New Turkish Flag"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1799

In memory and solidarity with the victims of the peace march bombing in Ankara, Turkey last week.

At mass solidarity protests all over Turkey this weekend, a common chant has been "We Know The Murderers!" At the moment nobody knows 100% for sure, but between the police blocking ambulances and attacking protesters trying to aid the wounded, and the State suppression of Twitter and Facebook, it's looking like this barbarity has Erdogan's fingerprints all over it.

________________________________________________________________
Mike Flugennock, flugennock at sinkers dot org
Mike's Political Cartoons: dubya dubya dubya dot sinkers dot org

That darn Doonesbury

Letters to the Editor: A 'Doonesbury' in bad taste [in print as A comic in poor taste].

Alvin Bales, Herndon

Friday, October 09, 2015

The Post helps you survive The Walking Dead

The Post reviews new National Lampoon documentary

"Compleating Cul de Sac" appears in first library collection

Compleating Cul de Sac now available
Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection became the first library to catalog Compleating Cul de Sac as part of their collection.

Unfortunately, WorldCat shows them to be the only library with a copy in a collection.

Librarians of the world (and everyone else too) - click here to remedy that situation and buy a copy to benefit Parkinson's disease research.


Oct 20: Graphic Novelist Peter Kuper to Discuss and Sign New Work at LoC

Graphic Novelist Peter Kuper to Discuss and Sign New Work

Book Weaves Path of Its Characters with That of Monarch Butterfly

"Ruins" ((Self-Made Hero, 2015), by Peter Kuper, follows the story of Samantha and George, a couple on sabbatical in the Mexican town of Oaxaca. For Samantha, it is an opportunity to revisit her past while writing her book. For George, it is an anxious step into the unknown. Woven into the story is the remarkable and arduous journey that a monarch butterfly makes on its annual migration from Canada to Mexico. This juxtaposition creates a parallel picture of the challenges of survival in an ever-changing world.

Kuper will discuss and sign his book on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at noon in the Montpelier Room, located on the sixth floor of the Library of Congress James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. This Books & beyond event is co-sponsored by the Library's Center for the Book and the Prints and Photographs Division. It is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

"Ruins" explores Mexico through its past and present as encountered by an array of characters. The real and surreal intermingle in this novel.

Peter Kuper is a cartoonist, illustrator, editor and educator. He is co-founder of the political graphics magazine "World War 3 Illustrated" and has written and drawn Mad Magazine's "Spy vs. Spy" comic for more than 18 years. Kuper has created more than a dozen graphic novels, including "The System," "Sticks and Stones" and an adaptation of Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis." He has been teaching comics courses for more than 25 years in New York City and is a visiting professor at Harvard University.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation's first-established federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs, publications and exhibitions. Many of the Library's rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov.

The Library's Center for the Book, established by Congress in 1977 to "stimulate public interest in books and reading," is a national force for reading and literacy promotion. A public-private partnership, it sponsors educational programs that reach readers of all ages through its affiliated state centers, collaborations with nonprofit reading-promotion partners and through the Library's Young Readers Center and the Poetry and Literature Center. For more information, visit www.Read.gov.

Q&A: Comic Creator Expo



The Comic Creator Expo in Richmond, Va., is getting ready for its second annual show next Saturday, Oct. 17. The co-organizers are James Moffitt and Bizhan Khodabandeh. Moffitt is a copywriter and comic creator in Richmond. He has a master’s degree in literature from Virginia Commonwealth University and runs Sink/Swim Press, an independent publishing company. Khodabandeh is an illustrator and designer in Richmond. James and Bizhan chatted with us about the show.

How did the idea for the show come up?

Moffitt: The idea for the show came up last year while Bizhan and I were talking about how to release the first Little Red Fish (a comic book the two worked on together). We had decided to do some sort of event at Gallery 5, but it didn’t really gain form until I suggested the expo. It’s something I’d been wanting to do for a long time, and our book coming out lit a fire under me to get it done. Amazingly enough, we planned, pitched, and executed the first event in less than 5 weeks.

Khodabandeh: Yeah, exactly what James said. It was a way to put together a con that reflected our growing comic community in the city as well as support it and share it with our fellow Richmonder's and tourists. Plus its more fun to hang out with your friends than do your own book release.

How would you like to see the show develop/evolve?

Moffitt: I’d love to see the event rival SPX (Small Press Expo) quite frankly. That’s a huge task, but I think it’d be cool to have another large indie creator show in the DMV area. Next year, we’re working towards a bigger venue, panels with guest speakers, and possibly even some workshops taught by seasoned creators. They sky is the limit really.

Khodabandeh: Just like James, I’d like to see it grow of course. I might be putting words in James’ mouth, - apologies if that is the case - but don’t misconstrue “rival SPX” with compete with SPX. We would just like to see it grow organically as SPX has and in the same spirit. They do such a great job of cultivating a community of creators that are doing some really interesting things in the comics world. Obviously ours is currently far more modest, but it feels as though we have already outgrown our current venue.

When selecting potential exhibitors, what do you look for?

Moffitt: The criteria are pretty simple. If you have a book/zine/comic in print, a positive attitude, and are somewhat local to our area, we want you. We try to seek out people that we see as thought leaders, and serious creators within the area, but at the end of the day, this is a great networking opportunity for creators, and we want anyone here who’s serious about making quality comics/art.

Khodabandeh: As it grows, the criteria of folks being regional is going to change. We are already pulling in some creators that used to live here, but have moved up north to: Washington D.C., Philly, Virginia Beach and Maryland areas north of DC - as well as some creators that are outside our city.

Tell us little about the indie comics scene in Richmond?

Moffitt: I love it. I don’t know if I necessarily give it as much attention as I can, but I attend every event I can get my hands on. I think that with so many big name creators here, like Barf, Rick Spears, and Chris Visions, we’ve got a really great foothold on the national scene. As well, I’m blown away every year by the amount of sheer talent I see everywhere. There are tons of great collectives here, dozens of great artists, and there’s a really positive vibe. I often see more experienced creators mentors new ones and I think that’s great. I think Richmond will definitely be a place to watch over the next few years in the comics world.

Khodabandeh: The indie comics scene in the city is pretty amazing. A bunch of us used to meet regularly for coffee while we worked on comics every Sunday morning. I learned so much from those morning coffee sessions. I have yet to meet a single creator that I don’t like. Most folks tend to be supportive, helpful and willing to share what they’ve learned about the medium. We also don’t have any one genre or aesthetic. Everyone seems to eventually find their own voice.

The scene locally is also constantly growing. It’s difficult to keep track of everyone. I heard some gossip that the artist who worked on Lumberjanes recently moved into the area (Editor's note: Brooke Allen recently moved from D.C. to Richmond). So did the artist for Atomic Robo, Scott Wegener, who will be at the expo. There are plenty other artists I would like to mention, but I won’t in fear of leaving out folks. You can check the event listing for a snapshot. It is also worth noting that VCU has one of the largest comic collections in it’s library, which is a really useful resource for us.

Can you give us a roundup of your own projects, both this you’ve worked on and this in progress?

Moffitt:
So this month, my projects included:
  • The 2nd Annual Sink/Swim Press Comic Expo
  • Publishing Consumption by Dashiell Kirk
  • Finishing a new T-shirt collaboration with Chase Beasely (Crud City)
  • And finishing The Little Red Fish 3. 
At the expo, Sink/Swim will have two new books, and a new run of T-shirts, plus all of the in-print works.

Currently beyond that, I’ve gotten really into short story writing again, and I’m doing Noah Scalin’s month-long Creative Sprint, which you can follow on my instagram, @jimimossyoak.

Khodabandeh: 
In addition to what James said:
The Little Red Fish series was included this past Society of Illustrators Comics and Cartooning Annual. Also included in the annual was the first issue of Kitty Meow Meow written by my daughter.

I continue to work on production with DC Conspiracy’s Magic Bullet. One of the strips I did in this publication was awarded a Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators.

Matt Fisher wrote a three-page comic I illustrated that will be published this month in an anthology about police brutality titled, Artists Against Police Brutality, published by Rosarium. All proceeds go to the Innocence Project.

I also have a couple fun scripts for long-term projects on the back burner.

I also do a lot of design and illustration. You can keep up with that on my website www.mendedarrow.com or mendedarrow.tumblr.com

Thursday, October 08, 2015

Oct 13: Teresa Logan exhibit opening.


From: Teresa Logan
 

My solo show OTHERWORLD, at Gallery 42/UDC opens next Tuesday, October 13th: (please come!)

Oct 8: Essa Neima exhibit opens

Today 7 PM · Tryst DC ·  2459 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

The Roarbots interviews Jennifer Holm

Questions from a Kid: Jennifer Holm


September 30, 2015
http://theroarbots.com/2015/09/30/questions-jennifer-holm/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3GzuxpjV3w

IMG_1497

(previous interviews in this series can be found here.)

Rafer Roberts to write Archer & Armstrong spinoff for Valiant

Happy 58th birthday to Richard Thompson

Thanks for so many years of pleasure.

Marking the day with a piece of his art done for Bonotom Studio.

Oct 10: Warren Bernard in Seattle

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

King Features: Celebrating 100 Years at the Library of Congress

King Features: Celebrating 100 Years at the Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6806
http://stream.media.loc.gov/webcasts/captions/2015/150522spe1130.txt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wcZbTnSmH8

SPEAKER: Brendan Burford, Patrick McDonnell, Brian Walker, Jeff Keane, Hilary Price, Ray Billingsley, Mike Peters
EVENT DATE: 2015/05/22
RUNNING TIME: 75 minutes
TRANSCRIPT: View Transcript (link will open in a new window)
DESCRIPTION:
King Features Syndicate celebrated 100 years of comic strip creation and history with a panel of some of today's greatest illustrators.


School Library Journal on SPX

Diversity and Women Win Big at Indie Comics's Small Press Expo

By Suzanne Walker
School Library Journal's SLJTeen enewsletterSeptember 23, 2015

http://www.slj.com/2015/09/books-media/diversity-and-women-win-big-at-indie-comicss-small-press-expo/

Reminder- editorial cartoon exhibit at Library of Congress

Pointing Their Pens: Herblock and Fellow Cartoonists Confront the Issues

March 21, 2015–March 19, 2016

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/pointing-their-pens-editorial-cartoons/index.html

Editorial cartoonists, like all Americans, do not always agree with one another. Issues on which the nation was particularly divided in the twentieth century—the question of U.S. intervention prior to entering World War II, the Red Scare, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, and events in the Middle East—provide the framework for this exhibition. These topics were particularly fertile ground for editorial cartoonists.

The exhibition offers viewers an extensive opportunity to experience the work of Herbert L. Block (1909–2001)—commonly known as Herblock—alongside the work of his contemporaries over the period of four decades and provides visual insights into key moments that shaped the United States in the twentieth century. Pointing Their Pens draws from the comprehensive collections of cartoon art acquired by the Library of Congress since the early 1900s, including the Herbert L. Block Collection and the Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature.

Tuesday, October 06, 2015

Zeck exhibit at UM Eastern Shore

The University of Maryland-Eastern Shores’ Mosely Gallery is hosting an exhibit featuring three decades of original works of sequential arts illustrator Mike Zeck. The 32 pieces on loan from a private collector represent the artist’s career from DC Comics to Marvel Comics. The exhibit runs through Oct. 22. Admission is free and open to the public. Several of the pieces are inked by local comic book artist Joe Rubinstein (there's the local connection; I was wrong about this. He lives in Los Angeles).
From the online promotion:
"Early illustrations of Zeck’s favorite childhood character, Captain America, will be on display as well as other characters created for the series of the 'Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe,' Susan Holt, gallery director, said.  “Several pieces reveal the creative process involved in developing his signature character, The Punisher.
The exhibition, displayed in chronological order, 'enables viewers to gain an appreciation of Zeck’s artistic development and dedication.' Much of the work is accompanied by written descriptions by the collector providing insight into the creative process and details of each character and contextual information, Holt said.
Spanning the early 1970s to 2000, the works include depictions of Batman and other commissions Zeck created while working for DC Comics to later pieces showing the influence of European comic book artists on his style. There are also examples of collaborative works with other illustrators that show the drawing, inking and coloring phases of sequential arts illustration—one of UMES’ unique concentrations in the Department of Fine Arts, Holt said."
Penciled by Mike Zeck, inked by Joe Rubinstein

"Art to Lunch" exhibit and reception at Studio Pause this month


On Saturday, October 24th, award-winning cartoonist Mike Jenkins, who lives in northern Virginia, will be hosting his art reception, "Art to Lunch", from 6-8 pm at Studio Pause in Arlington, VA. For the past year or so, I've been following Mike's daily posts featuring the adventures of young Maggie and her struggles and challenges faced each and every day at school, as she forges ahead on her quest to make it through to another weekend. It is a truly amazing comic art series, and I'm always greatly impressed by Mike's seemingly inexhaustible ability to portray each single day that Maggie faces, in a brand new way. Drawn on brown paper lunch bags, it will be even more of a treat to see these works in person, so mark your calendars and don't sleep on this one!



SPX 2015 podcast


SPX 2015
Comic Books Are Burning In Hell podcast 29 September 2015

Chris Mautner, Joe McCulloch and a special guest sit down to talk about Bethesda's own SPX Festival. Matt and Tucker didn't go so they aren't here yakking about it. What books did they buy? What did they miss? What did the younger generation have to say?


Oct 12: Library of Congress main reading room open for viewing


 

Join us at the Library of Congress Columbus Day Open House in the magnificent Main Reading Room.

The Library of Congress is holding its semi-annual public open house Monday, October 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Main Reading Room is located on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street, S.E. Washington, DC.

Enter the Jefferson Building through either the upper or lower First Street entrances, or via the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center tunnel.

The Main Reading Room will be open for viewing only, photography is allowed. No reference services will be available.

For more information contact the Visitor Services Office at 202.707.8000 or www.loc.gov.